After Transmigrating as the Vicious Female Supporting Character, I Ran Away While Pregnant - Chapter 31.1

In her dream, Bai Qin saw that village again. In the dream, she had come there alone, without Li Sheng accompanying her, causing her fear to multiply.

The village still had that strange appearance. Details she had not noticed during the day were now all remembered by Bai Qin.

And the pattern the woman had drawn—Bai Qin finally understood it too. It was a series of distress signals. It was only because the woman had drawn it messily and wiped it away quickly that Bai Qin had failed to recognize it on the spot.

An altar, a plea for help, the strangeness revealed everywhere in the village.

It was hard for Bai Qin to ignore it even if she wanted to.

“Help! Help! Don’t move, get away! Ah—”

Bai Qin woke from the dream with a start, drenched in sweat as she sat up.

Xie Shixian, who was sleeping in the same room as her, was woken by the disturbance. Xie Shixian turned on the table lamp, and the room instantly lit up. The light also startled Bai Qin.

Xie Shixian slowly got out of bed, draped a coat over herself, and came to Bai Qin’s side, sitting down on the edge of her bed.

“What’s wrong?” Xie Shixian examined Bai Qin’s complexion under the faint light. She saw that Bai Qin’s face was pale and that her whole person had fallen into panic.

Bai Qin did not answer. She sat there, breathing heavily, and casually wiped the sweat on her forehead with her sleeve.

Xie Shixian picked up the thermos cup she had prepared and poured a cup of water for Bai Qin.

“You had a nightmare, right? Don’t be afraid. Drink some water first.” Xie Shixian handed the water to her, then took a clean dry towel and stuffed it into Bai Qin’s hand. “It’s inconvenient to bathe here, and there isn’t that much hot water at night. Wipe off the sweat first. Change into clean clothes later so you don’t catch a cold.”

Xie Shixian yawned, then tugged Bai Qin’s blanket a little to make it easier for her to sit curled up on the bed.

“Miss Xie, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Xie Shixian smiled lightly. “If you don’t mind, call me Shixian. ‘Thank you, Miss Xie’ sounds a little strange.”

Bai Qin did not respond. She took a small sip of warm water. Xie Shixian no longer disturbed her while she gathered herself. She took off the coat draped over her shoulders and rolled back into her warm blanket.

“I’m going to sleep first. You should rest early too.”

By the time Bai Qin had completely come back to herself, Xie Shixian’s breathing had gradually become even, so she had probably fallen asleep.

Still shaken, Bai Qin lay down. She did not change her clothes, and she still tightly clutched the dry towel in her hand.

“Shixian,” Bai Qin called.

Xie Shixian sat up again, sleepy-eyed and dazed. “What’s wrong?”

Fortunately, she had no scenes tomorrow and only needed to wait for the crew to finish filming before returning with everyone. Otherwise, she really could not withstand being tormented like this in the middle of the night.

“I suspect the village I went to today with Screenwriter Li is involved in human trafficking.”

Bai Qin’s sentence made Xie Shixian fully wake up. However, Xie Shixian did not speak immediately. Instead, she looked straight at Bai Qin and waited for what she would say next.

“When we went there today, I already felt that place was very strange. Every household had children at the door, and without exception, those children were all boys. I didn’t see a single girl. I don’t believe every household can control the probability of childbirth like that. So many children, yet not one girl. That’s too strange.”

“Thinking carefully about it, it’s also too terrifying. There are no girls, so their preference for boys over girls must be a deep-rooted belief there. If this generation is already like this, then the older generations can only be worse. Then where did their wives come from?”

“The road through Fog Mountain isn’t easy. I went there today with Screenwriter Li. It took nearly four hours to go in once. That place is truly remote and poor. I don’t believe anyone would marry their daughter there, and I don’t believe anyone outside would want to marry in. Although I believe in love without bread, that place doesn’t just lack bread—even crumbs are missing. It’s too strange, do you understand?”

Xie Shixian listened calmly, quietly waiting for the rest.

“There’s also an altar and offerings in the village. Remote and poor, ignorant and superstitious, backward thinking.” Bai Qin clenched her fist, her fingertips pressing into her palm until the delicate flesh broke, crescent-moon-shaped wounds forcing out thin threads of blood.

“Most of them can’t even speak Mandarin and might not even understand it. But the women there could draw international distress signs. They must have been trafficked there from other places.”

Xie Shixian nodded. “What you’re saying makes some sense, but this matter isn’t under our control. Once we leave here, we can call the police and let the police handle it.”

“But… what if someone gets hurt while we’re waiting for the police to come?”

Xie Shixian looked at Bai Qin across the bed by the faint light of the table lamp. The girl’s whole body carried sadness and grief. She no longer had her lively enthusiasm from the daytime. At this moment, she even had an indescribable regret and self-blame.

“We can’t rule out the possibility that someone in the village may be hurt while waiting for the police to come. But if we don’t leave here before calling the police, the people who may be hurt are very likely to be us.”

“Can’t we call the police now?”

“This kind of thing has probably flourished locally for a very long time. Even if you call the police, it may not achieve the result you want. If you plan to contact the police in the city, I think they may hate evil even more than you do, and the speed at which they dispatch officers may exceed your imagination. If the news accidentally leaks, and the people in the village find out, there’s no guarantee they won’t come retaliate against us before we leave tomorrow.”

“After all, you and Screenwriter Li went to their village once, and something happened that very night. It would be hard for them not to suspect you. Our crew doesn’t have many people. Everyone works in the arts, and after being tired for a week, they only want to go back and rest early. At a time like this, never mind fighting with villagers who do farm work all day—we don’t even have the energy to argue.”

Xie Shixian did not think she was a bad person. Now that she knew the local situation, she would definitely call the police immediately after leaving, but absolutely not now. Absolutely not while they were still on someone else’s territory.

No matter when, if you wanted to do good, you had to consider yourself first.

Xie Shixian asked herself and knew she still had not reached the saintly level of sacrificing herself for others.

After hearing Xie Shixian speak at length, Bai Qin’s hot-blooded passion cooled. She nodded in agreement. “You’re right. We’re still here. A powerful dragon cannot suppress a local snake. We should wait until we leave before talking about it.”

“Sleep. Tomorrow morning, there’s only one more scene. In the afternoon, we can pack up and leave. If nothing goes wrong, we’ll be home by night.” Xie Shixian only hoped to go home, take a hot bath, and eat a good meal.

After coming here for a week, aside from eating the grilled meat Screenwriter Li brought on the first day, there had not been even a bit of oil in her stomach.

She had heard that when Director Wen shot on location, he wished he could bring people into a primeval forest. She had been half-believing and half-doubting before. Now she finally understood. In this place, even takeout could not get in.

Early the next morning, Bai Qin got up and went to find Li Sheng. Unfortunately, today, Li Sheng was staying in bed with Ranran, who was having a little emotional tantrum.

Bai Qin sat at the door and waited from six in the morning until ten.

“Screenwriter Li, you finally came out.” Bai Qin followed behind Li Sheng. Li Sheng was holding Ranran and helping her put on clothes, then teaching Ranran to tie her shoelaces. Only after Li Sheng brought Ranran to finish breakfast did Bai Qin’s nonstop chattering mouth finally stop.

Li Sheng’s expression did not change. She looked back and raised her brow slightly at Bai Qin. “I support Miss Xie’s view. Wait until we go back before calling the police. At a time like this, I don’t want to create extra complications. As for those victims, yesterday the village was afraid something would happen to us and personally escorted us out. From that, I think this person has a decent heart. Harm definitely exists, but in one day, there should not be any deaths. Don’t worry.”

“Screenwriter Li, you…” Bai Qin cautiously probed, “Did you already know?”

Bai Qin felt that Li Sheng must have known about the village from the start. Otherwise, before they entered, she would not have said those inexplicable things about evil, bad people, and taking things for granted.

“It was only a guess. I became certain after going to see.”

After Li Sheng came to this world, Miranda, who had traveled far and wide, often brainwashed her. Miranda said, “Although misfortune has let you see the evil in this world, you should still believe that most people are ordinary people. Ordinary people have suppressed badness in their bones, but they also have natural goodness. You cannot condemn all other good people just because we have unfortunately met a few bad ones.”

“Li Sheng, I don’t know what you experienced. But those things are undoubtedly heavy. As your friend, I don’t want you to always remain immersed in those bad memories.”

“Try walking toward a wider sky. You will see more beautiful and graceful scenery. Let your mind be shaken by it. Don’t bind your soul inside the nightmares of the past.”

“Since I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I didn’t want to tell you my bad guesses in advance.” Because of Miranda’s words, Li Sheng no longer maliciously guessed at anyone. But as Bai Jing’s friend, since she had promised to help take care of Bai Jing’s younger sister, then before going, she had already reminded Bai Qin of everything a friend should remind her of. Li Sheng believed she had already done everything she could do.

Bai Qin huffed. She did not want to focus her attention on the village anymore. Although her mood still was not very good, that did not prevent her from joking with Li Sheng.

“Screenwriter Li, what’s going on between you and Sister Yueshuang?”

“What do you mean what’s going on?” Screenwriter Li played dumb—or rather, she was truly dumb when it came to this matter.

Bai Qin raised her hand and poked Li Sheng’s arm. “Don’t be like that. We all know. Your relationship with Sister Yueshuang is definitely not ordinary. My boss even said that you value Ranran more than your own life. Yesterday, you actually left Ranran for Sister Yueshuang to take care of while you took me to the village. You don’t know, but when you said that at the time, I was startled.”

“…” Screenwriter Li indeed did not feel at ease leaving Ranran with someone else, but… but Mo Yueshuang was different. She was also Ranran’s mother. It was just that no one knew about that mother part.

“If you have time to joke with me, you might as well hurry and pack your things. Don’t wait until we’re about to leave and make the whole crew wait for you alone.”

Li Sheng was too lazy to chat with her about this, but Bai Qin had finally found something fun. How could she let Li Sheng off that easily?

“Don’t be like that, Screenwriter Li.” Bai Qin ignored Li Sheng’s darkening expression and leaned in front of Li Sheng with a playful smile. “Screenwriter Li, seeing you like this, you’re really innocent. Have you never been moved by a woman before?”

Li Sheng rolled her eyes at her. Forget being moved by a woman—she had never been moved by a human. In the past, she seemed to have been moved by a huge pile of crystal cores. Her little heart had almost leapt out of her chest.

Bai Qin kept pestering Li Sheng for a while longer, but in the end, she still lost to Li Sheng’s stubborn mouth.

“All right, I won’t tease you anymore. I’ll go back and pack. Although the scenery here is pretty good, beautiful places often have a dark corner that hides filth. I’m almost impatient to go home.”

Seeing that she was still joking, but in truth her mentality had already stabilized, Li Sheng felt a little more at ease. As long as she brought Bai Qin back properly today, she would not have failed her friend’s request.

It was just that all morning, Li Sheng could not help feeling panicked, as if some major event would happen today.

Judging from Bai Qin’s appearance, that girl had already given up continuing to go to the village. Everyone else in the crew was working step by step, waiting to finish and return triumphantly. As for Ranran, who had always worried Li Sheng, she was also being held safely in Li Sheng’s arms.

So where did this inexplicable unease in her heart come from?

Li Sheng could not understand. She could not figure it out. Her heart became even more panicked.

Finally, afternoon arrived. The whole crew was busy wrapping up. When they came, everything had been relaxed and cheerful. After a week of torment, only exhaustion and fatigue remained, along with the desire to leave as soon as possible.

“Mommy, are we going home?”

Ranran had learned quite a bit from this trip. Li Sheng had taken her to identify trees in the mountains, as well as geology and sandy soil. Even with broken trees, Li Sheng had taught her to count the tree rings.

Ranran found this place very interesting. Especially because these days, she could stay with Mommy and Auntie Mo every day, which made her even more reluctant to leave.

Li Sheng smiled and touched the top of her head. Ranran’s fluffy, soft hair was messed up by Li Sheng’s touch, but Ranran was not angry. She hugged Li Sheng’s neck and giggled.

“Mommy, after we go home, can we still see Auntie Mo?”

Li Sheng chuckled softly. “Ranran only has Auntie Mo in her heart now. Is there still Mommy? These days, Mommy has also been accompanying Ranran. Why does it feel like Ranran doesn’t really want Mommy to accompany her?”

Ranran burrowed into her arms and mumbled softly, “That’s not true. Ranran likes Mommy the most.”

These words pleased Li Sheng very much. The unease she had woken up with in the morning had already been soothed by little angel Ranran. Li Sheng relaxed her mind.

Since she currently did not know what exactly would happen, then before anything happened, there was no need to worry in advance.

Li Sheng had packed all her luggage. Ranran had also put the little toys she brought into her small bag.

“All right. Let’s bring the things to the car first and put them away. Later, once everyone finishes packing, we can set off and go home.”

In fact, some people had already left on the third or fourth day of filming. Those were actors with minor roles and only a few shots, and they also had other announcements, so they came hurriedly and left hurriedly.

The cars going back were relatively empty, much better than when seven or eight people had been squeezed together on the way here.

The director came over with a loudspeaker and shouted one by one, “Cars that are packed can leave first. The mountain road is hard to travel. Don’t drag it too late. If one car is ready, go! Hurry up!”

The first two vehicles to leave were filled with luggage and props, so these two cars did not need to wait for people and directly drove off.

The remaining actors had also packed up and asked Li Sheng if she wanted to take a car back together.

But Li Sheng said she was waiting for Mo Yueshuang and refused the invitation.

Bai Qin wished she could go back right now, then quickly call the police and let them rescue all the pitiful people in that village.

Li Sheng looked through the remaining crowd and did not see Bai Qin anywhere. She was not sure whether Bai Qin had already gotten in a car and left or had returned to the little house on the mountain to get something.

So Li Sheng began calling Bai Qin. She called several times, but each time, it showed that the other party was currently on a call.

Could she already be impatiently calling the police?

No, that was not right. Even if Bai Qin were calling the police, one call would not take over ten minutes.

Li Sheng put Ranran down. Her heart pounded as she started checking the phone tracker. She discovered that Bai Qin’s location was halfway back to the little house, stopped halfway up the mountain.

Li Sheng picked Ranran up, intending to go check. After walking two steps, she suddenly stopped. She seemed to be thinking deeply. After a while, she set off again with Ranran.

Halfway up the mountain, she ran into Bai Qin sitting there. Li Sheng asked in annoyance, “What happened? How did you make yourself look like this?”

There was mud on Bai Qin’s face. It looked like she had fallen. At this moment, she sat on the ground, holding her phone to her ear. Seeing Li Sheng arrive, she anxiously cried and pointed at the phone. “Sister Yueshuang was taken away!”

“What?!”

Li Sheng suspected she had heard wrong, but Bai Qin said it again. “I was going back to the little house to get something, but I fell and twisted my ankle. Sister Yueshuang happened to come down from the mountain. She told me to call the director, and she helped me go get my things.”

“But when I called the director, no one answered. When I called you, your line was busy. I thought I’d wait here for Sister Yueshuang to come down, then go back together.”

“But after I waited for a long time, there was still no sign of her. I called Sister Yueshuang, and the call connected. There were voices of two men. Judging from their accents, they were still from that village behind Fog Mountain. I knew something had happened. I didn’t dare hang up either, afraid that if they took her away, I’d have no clues at all.”

“Screenwriter Li, did you come after seeing my texts?” During this time, Bai Qin could not hang up and make a call, so she had frantically sent Li Sheng many text messages.