Not long after, Nian'an returned, having washed his hands, carrying a clean enamel bowl and a small spoon—something he had specially found the night before to make rice cereal for his younger sister. He ran to the edge of the kang (heated brick bed), looking up at Lin Wanqiu with his little face: "Mommy, is my sister awake? When are we going to make rice cereal?"
"Almost there. Once your little sister wakes up, we'll feed her and then make the milk." Lin Wanqiu patted his head, her gaze falling on the cradle. Perhaps having overheard their conversation, Nianxi opened her eyes, her bright, black grape-like eyes sparkling as she curiously looked at the ceiling, her little mouth moving slightly, as if searching for milk.
"Little sister's awake!" Nian'an immediately cheered softly, carefully approaching the cradle and gently patting Nianxi's swaddling clothes. "Little sister, you're awake? Are you hungry? Mommy will feed you milk right away, and after you finish, there will be some delicious powder!"
Lin Wanqiu smiled and shook her head, propping herself up to get out of bed. She walked to the cradle and carefully picked up Nianxi. The little one immediately snuggled into her arms, her tiny mouth pressed against her chest, making soft "woo-woo" sounds, which melted Lin Wanqiu's heart. She sat on a stool by the kang (a heated brick bed) with Nianxi in her arms, gently patting her back. Watching her nurse so eagerly, she felt both satisfied and heartbroken—such a small child, yet due to the limitations of the times, might not even have a proper meal.
Shen Tingzhou stood to the side, watching the mother and daughter, his heart filled with warmth. He quietly walked to the door, leaned against the doorframe, and watched the movement in the yard warily to make sure no one would come to disturb them.
After a while, Nianxi finished eating, let out a small burp, tilted her head in Lin Wanqiu's arms, closed her eyes, and wanted to sleep. Lin Wanqiu gently patted her back, and after she fell asleep, she carefully put her back in the cradle, and then said to Nian'an, "Nian'an, come and help Mommy make the powder."
Nian'an immediately ran over, holding a small bowl and spoon, her eyes wide with anticipation. Lin Wanqiu took the milk powder can from under her pillow and opened the lid—a faint milky aroma immediately wafted out, much better than the milk powder sold at the village supply and marketing cooperative. Nian'an couldn't help but sniff: "Mommy, it smells so good! This powder must taste delicious!"
"Keep your voice down." Lin Wanqiu quickly covered his mouth, signaling him not to be too loud. "This powder is very rare, you can't let others hear it, understand?"
Nian'an nodded quickly, covered her mouth, and whispered, "I know, I'll be quiet."
Lin Wanqiu was relieved. She scooped a spoonful of milk powder into a small bowl and brought warm water from the kitchen—she had specifically tested the temperature with a thermometer in her spatial dimension; the water was exactly 40℃, perfect for mixing the milk powder. She stirred gently as she poured the water, afraid of spilling any. The milk powder dissolved quickly without any lumps, and the milk in the bowl was a pale milky white, emitting a rich milky aroma.
Nian'an leaned over, her eyes wide with amazement: "Mom, it smells so good! If my little sister drinks this, she'll definitely grow up strong and healthy!"
“Yes, so Nian’an has to keep this a secret for Mom. We can’t let anyone know we have this powder, okay?” Lin Wanqiu patted his head and handed him the small bowl. “Try it first and see how the temperature is. Don’t burn your little sister.”
Nian'an carefully took the small bowl, scooped up a little with a spoon, blew on it, and then put it in his mouth. The milk slid into his mouth, carrying a light sweetness, much better than the corn porridge he had drunk before. His eyes lit up, and he quickly said, "Mommy, it's not hot, it's just right! It's so delicious!"
"That's good." Lin Wanqiu smiled as she took the small bowl, walked to the cradle, and gently picked up Nianxi. The little one wasn't fully awake yet, her mouth slightly open. Lin Wanqiu scooped up a little milk with a small spoon and brought it to her lips. Nianxi seemed to smell the aroma, immediately opened her mouth, swallowed the milk, and smacked her lips together as if savoring it.
“Look, my little sister likes to drink this!” Nian’an said, leaning over excitedly.
Lin Wanqiu nodded, then scooped up another spoonful of milk and slowly fed it to Nianxi. The little one drank happily, finishing the milk in the small bowl in no time. Her little mouth was still searching for the spoon, which made Lin Wanqiu and Nian'an laugh.
"It seems this powder really works; Nianxi is drinking it so happily." Shen Tingzhou walked over, looking at Nianxi's satisfied expression, and a gratified smile appeared on his face. "I'll make some for her every day from now on; she'll definitely grow up strong and healthy."
"Mm." Lin Wanqiu nodded, put Nianxi back in the cradle, and gently patted her back. "I plan to make her a cradle twice a day, morning and evening, to supplement with breast milk. That way, she'll get enough nutrition."
Just then, they heard Old Mrs. Shen's voice from the courtyard: "Wanqiu, Nian'an, are you awake? I've made some chicken soup to help you recover."
Lin Wanqiu's heart tightened. She quickly hid the milk powder can under her pillow and covered it with a pillowcase before calling out, "Mom, we're awake. Please come in."
The door was pushed open, and Old Mrs. Shen walked in carrying an enamel basin filled with warm chicken soup, topped with a layer of golden oil. She walked to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), placed the basin on the headboard, and looked at Nianxi in the cradle: "Is this girl awake? I heard you talking in the yard just now."
"She just woke up, was fed milk, and drank some powder. Now she's asleep," Lin Wanqiu said quickly, afraid that Old Lady Shen would discover something.
Grandma Shen nodded, her gaze sweeping over the kang (heated brick bed). Finding nothing amiss, she sat down with relief. "That's good. This girl is too thin; she needs more nourishment. You too, having just given birth, need to drink more chicken soup so you have enough milk." As she spoke, she handed a spoon to Lin Wanqiu. "Drink up, it's still warm."
Lin Wanqiu took the spoon, took a sip of chicken soup, and the warm broth slid into her stomach, instantly warming her entire body. She knew that although Old Madam Shen had treated her badly before, now that Nianxi was around, her attitude had indeed softened considerably, and she had begun to genuinely care for her and the child.
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