Chapter 77 In just a few minutes, Tang Mingli had already...

When Madam Fu saw Tang Mingli standing motionless in front of the calendar for a long time, she assumed that Tang Mingli was thinking about resigning.

Fu Ci has been working like a dog this year. Come to think of it, I haven't seen him for almost ten days.

Although I call home every day, a phone call can't compare to seeing you in person.

Honestly, I need to have a serious talk with him next time I see him. You can't just focus on your career; you have to take care of your family too. Otherwise, even if you succeed in your career, if your marriage falls apart, it's not worth it.

Unaware that she was lost in thought, Madam Fu was still pondering how to comfort her granddaughter-in-law, who was missing her husband.

She stepped forward and asked with concern, "Why are you staring at the calendar without blinking? Have you forgotten something important?"

Hearing her grandmother's words, Tang Mingli finally came to her senses and quickly smiled.

"No, it's just that I saw it's already May and remembered that my cousin's due date is around the beginning of May."

So that's what you were thinking.

Madam Fu chuckled to herself, realizing she had misunderstood.

After being reminded, she remembered that Tang Mingmei had become pregnant before Gu Lin.

Time flies! It feels like we just found out they were pregnant, and now they're about to give birth.

Grandma's感慨 (sentiments/reflections) made Tang Mingli subconsciously nod in agreement.

"Yes, she'll be giving birth soon."

When the topic of having a baby came up, Tang Mingli's voice betrayed her worry.

Madam Fu understood.

"Worried about your cousin giving birth?" Madam Fu comforted her, "Don't worry too much. Although childbirth is still a life-threatening experience, things are different now. Hospitals now have dedicated obstetrics and gynecology departments with so many professional doctors and nurses. It's very safe."

However, even so, one can't be too afraid of the unexpected.

But Madam Fu didn't want to say anything that would worry her granddaughter-in-law more, and didn't want to frighten her.

Tang Mingli nodded and then shook her head.

She couldn't quite describe her feelings, but the thought of how dangerous childbirth is for women made it impossible for her to remain indifferent.

Perhaps it's due to the influence of a past life.

In her past life, she had a close classmate who died during childbirth while giving birth to her second child.

My classmate's own mother accompanied her to the hospital. It turns out that the older generation's belief that a child born vaginally is better than one born via C-section is not limited to the biological mother or the mother-in-law. Since her first child was a vaginal birth, my classmate also believed that the second child would be even easier and wanted to try vaginal birth again.

Who knew that an accident could happen so suddenly, catching everyone off guard.

The impact of seeing scenarios that were previously only seen in TV dramas actually happening around us is enormous.

Especially the day before she went to the hospital, her classmate sent her a message, asking her to come and see her and her baby when she wasn't busy.

Several hours had passed when she saw the message. She had just finished working overtime and was exhausted, barely alive. She simply replied, "Definitely."

Who would have thought that would be the last time the two of them chatted, a chat filled with time differences.

Perhaps for this reason, even though a long time has passed and both the woman's and the man's families have moved on and started new lives, she still remembers it, or rather, she still holds a grudge.

She often wondered if things would have turned out differently if she had seen the messages her classmates sent her in time and reminded them.

Tang Mingli knew she was overthinking things. The root cause of this tragedy was that everyone underestimated the consequences of their misjudgments on the day their classmate gave birth.

But knowing this doesn't mean she can ignore it. Even after several years, she still finds herself constantly oscillating between regret and composure.

Madam Fu was unaware of Tang Mingli's experiences, but as someone who had been through it all, she could still sense the unease in Tang Mingli's reaction.

This child has a cold exterior but a kind heart. He's usually indifferent to his uncle's side, but he never stands idly by when something really happens. He's very similar to Fu Ci in this respect.

Fu Ci has always been like this since he was a child. He seems indifferent to everything and not friendly with anyone, but when a friend needs help, he never hesitates to lend a hand.

Based on this alone, the two children are better than those who are outwardly enthusiastic but actually unwilling to suffer any loss.

As Madam Fu thought about it, she became proud and even considered other aspects.

No wonder there's an old saying: "It takes a hundred years of cultivation to share a boat ride, and a thousand years to share a pillow."

These two are a match made in heaven.

Madam Fu added, "Don't overthink it. At this critical juncture, overthinking is actually useless."

“Grandma, I understand what you mean. Maybe I’m thinking about childbirth too much like a fantasy. Even if the other person is just someone I know, I can’t help but worry about her safety when I think about the risks of childbirth.”

Tang Mingli fully understood Madam Fu's good intentions and honestly expressed her true feelings.

However, Madam Fu did not think that she was making trouble for herself, nor did she say anything about which woman doesn't have children. Instead, she went so far as to comfort her by mentioning her own experience.

"Although childbirth is dangerous, it really depends on the person. My childbirth was quite smooth. Although I was in pain for a long time beforehand, when the time came, I just pushed and the baby came out."

The last sentence was said so casually, like a hen laying an egg, that Tang Mingli couldn't help but laugh.

Madam Fu: "Listen to me, don't think too much. At this point, the pregnant woman can only rely on herself."

Tang Mingli understood.

Grandma is right. When it comes to childbirth, even your own parents can't help you. The only people a woman can rely on are herself and the doctor.

-

Heaven never gives people a chance to regret; all regrets will only remain regrets in the end.

She didn't want to experience the same regret a second time.

After figuring this out, Tang Mingli decided to go to her uncle's house to see what her aunt's plans were.

She acted on her impulse, and even though it was almost noon, Tang Mingli couldn't wait a moment longer.

Madam Fu understood her anxiety and didn't force her to eat at home before going out. She wasn't even worried that she would go hungry.

Mingli, my granddaughter-in-law, is the most worry-free; she will never let herself go hungry.

Madam Fu only instructed, "Go if you want to, but be careful on the way."

"I will."

Actually, the social atmosphere in Guangcheng was quite good, or to be more precise, the social atmosphere at that time was still acceptable, so Tang Mingli wasn't too worried about going out.

The 1990s were probably the worst period for social morality after the founding of the People's Republic of China. But once we get through this painful period, things will gradually get better.

-

In May, Guangcheng is neither too hot nor too cold, which is perfect for someone like Tang Mingli who is afraid of both.

After a bus ride of more than an hour, when we arrived at the tenement building, it was just lunchtime, and the aroma of food wafted over.

Tang Mingli didn't feel hungry at first, but the aroma of the food made her want to eat.

She knew very well that her aunt would not cook extra meals except during holidays like Chinese New Year.

Thinking that grabbing something to eat wouldn't take much time, she turned and walked outside. Reaching the street, she randomly picked a noodle shop, ordered a bowl of rice noodles, and quickly finished her lunch.

When hunger is satisfied, people easily feel happy.

Sometimes happiness is that simple.

They have enough to eat, warm clothes to wear, and a roof over their heads.

When she arrived at her uncle's tenement building again, even though the air was still filled with the aroma of food, Tang Mingli was no longer tempted.

She glanced at her watch; at this time, her uncles should have already had lunch, so it was appropriate for her to go upstairs.

Tang Mingli guessed correctly.

When she came up, she saw her aunt washing dishes in front of the sink.

Tang Mingli called out, and Li Hong turned around in surprise.

After a moment of stunned silence, mixed with surprise and delight, he asked, "Why did you suddenly come over?"

Tang Mingli honestly said, "I remembered that my sister seems to be about to give birth, so I wanted to come and see her."

Speaking of her daughter, Li Hong's eyes reddened, and she said with deep emotion, "You're so thoughtful."

Since we all share the surname Tang, we're more concerned about him than people with different surnames.

Not wanting to lose face, Li Hong quickly wiped her eyes and said to Tang Mingli, "Why don't you go in and sit down first? Your uncle is still here. I'll finish washing these dishes and come back in a bit."

"good."

Tang Mingli smiled and nodded.

The door wasn't closed. As Tang Mingli walked to the door, she saw her uncle sitting on the living room sofa, frowning and smoking.

She called him "Uncle," and Tang Jianguo's reaction was similar to Li Hong's.

After realizing what was happening, he quickly stubbed out his cigarette and said something similar to Li Hong's: "Why did you suddenly come over?"

Tang Mingli gave the same answer.

Tang Jianguo's mouth trembled a few times.

Tang Mingli looked on with great confusion.

No, my uncle and aunt's reaction is strange; they're not like they used to be at all.

If it were before, even if she said she came because she was concerned about Tang Mingmei's situation, they would definitely have just thought it was their duty, instead of seeing a hint of emotion in their eyes like this.

She didn't see wrong, did she?

Puzzled, Li Hong came in carrying the clean bowls and chopsticks.

Seeing her husband still sitting there blankly, she couldn't help but say to him, "Mingli came all this way, why didn't you pour her a glass of water?"

Tang Jianguo then scratched the back of his head in annoyance and honestly said, "I forgot."

"Forget it, forget it, I don't remember you when we ate together."

Although Li Hong was sharp-tongued, she was definitely more efficient than Tang Jianguo. After putting down her chopsticks, she quickly poured Tang Mingli a glass of water.

After putting down the glass, she remembered something and quickly reminded him, "It's a bit hot, let it cool down a bit before drinking."

Tang Mingli couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

This reminded her of the time she scalded her hand with boiling water.

What's wrong with my uncle and aunt? In just a few minutes, Tang Mingli was surprised twice.

Li Hong sat down next to her husband and chatted with Tang Mingli with a smile.

"It's kind of you to remember that Mingmei's due date is in the next few days."

Tang Mingli touched her nose, embarrassed to say that she only suddenly remembered it when she was tearing off the calendar pages.

She smiled and asked her aunt, "How is my sister doing now? I haven't seen her for over a month."

Li Hong nodded subconsciously: "It's fine."

He said it was all right, but his eyes betrayed his worry.

Tang Mingli noticed and asked, "Is it really that good?"

Li Hong nodded again: "Being able to eat and sleep well is great."

But after saying that, she sighed and changed the subject, saying, "I'm just worried that if she eats too much, she'll suffer during childbirth."