Chapter 123: The Great Hero
As dawn broke, the Xu family's usual tranquility vanished.
Su Ying leaned against the headboard, her face even paler than the night before, with faint dark circles under her eyes, and her once bright eyes had lost their sparkle.
Just as she was about to sit up, her stomach suddenly churned violently. She quickly grabbed the enamel basin that was prepared by the bedside and began to dry heave into it.
Xu Qiaolan had already woken up.
Seeing this, he immediately tensed up, quickly went over and gently patted her back, while bringing her a glass of warm water with his other hand.
"Yingying, spit it out slowly, don't hurt your throat."
His voice was full of heartache as he looked at the fine beads of sweat on Su Ying's forehead, wishing he could suffer in her place.
Su Ying vomited until her whole body felt weak, and it took her a long time to recover.
She took the water glass, rinsed her mouth, and said in a hoarse voice, "I'm fine... it's just that my stomach feels really uncomfortable, and I didn't sleep well all night."
She raised her hand and touched her face, only to find that her skin was extremely tight, making her look several years older.
Looking at her like this, Xu Qiaolan felt a sharp pain in her heart, as if it were being pricked by needles.
He picked up a towel from the side, dipped it in warm water, and gently wiped the water stains from the corners of Su Ying's mouth. He then tucked the blanket around her.
"It's all my fault. I should have been more careful last night. I'll go get a doctor later and see if he can prescribe some medication to relieve the symptoms."
"Stop making a fuss. Didn't Tangtang say that nausea is normal in early pregnancy?" Su Ying shook her head and tugged at Xu Qiaolan's hand.
"Besides, I always feel uneasy about taking medicine during pregnancy, so I'll just have to bear with it."
Despite saying that, the nausea in her stomach showed no signs of abating, and she couldn't help but gag into the basin again as soon as she finished speaking.
Xu Qiaolan sat on the edge of the bed, watching Su Ying's discomfort, and her own stomach began to ache slightly.
He remembered what Ning Tang had said about early pregnancy symptoms last night, and felt anxious and flustered, so he simply got up.
"I'll go see if Tangtang is awake. She knows medicine; maybe she can help."
As soon as he entered the main room, he saw Ning Tang helping Xu Qiaofeng out of the room.
Ning Tang was wearing a light pink loungewear set, her face was rosy, and her eyes and brows showed the gentleness of pregnancy.
Compared to Su Ying, who was also pregnant, the contrast was stark.
"Big brother, you're up so early?" Ning Tang greeted him with a smile.
Her gaze swept over Xu Qiaolan's tense face, and then she noticed the bloodshot eyes. She couldn't help but ask in confusion, "What's wrong? Did your sister-in-law not get enough rest last night?"
Xu Qiaolan grasped at a straw and quickly walked over.
"Sister-in-law, you're finally awake! Yingying's morning sickness is really bad. She's vomited several times last night, and now she doesn't even have the strength to speak. You should go and see her!"
As he spoke, his voice became increasingly urgent, and his face turned somewhat pale.
Perhaps seeing Su Ying in distress made him anxious, and he also felt unwell in his stomach.
Upon hearing this, Ning Tang quickly followed Xu Qiaolan to the room on the first floor.
As soon as I entered, I saw Su Ying leaning against the headboard, her face as pale as a sheet of paper, even her lips were bloodless.
She quickly went over and placed her hand on Su Ying's wrist: "Sister-in-law, how are you feeling now? Besides gagging, is there anything else that's bothering you?"
Su Ying forced a smile: "My stomach is churning, I can't eat anything, and I can't sleep well."
As soon as she finished speaking, she felt nauseous again and quickly turned her head to face the enamel basin.
Seeing her distressed appearance, and then glancing at Xu Qiaolan who was pacing anxiously beside her and whose own complexion wasn't much better, Ning Tang couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Brother, what's wrong with you? Why are you even more nervous than sister-in-law? Your face is as pale as hers too!"
Xu Qiaolan was stunned for a moment before belatedly touching her face: "I... I just felt anxious seeing Yingying in pain, and I felt like my stomach was upset too."
His words made even Su Ying smile, and the tense atmosphere immediately eased.
Ning Tang breathed a sigh of relief after taking Su Ying's pulse and carefully inquiring about her condition last night.
"My sister-in-law's pregnancy symptoms are indeed more severe than usual, but her pulse is relatively stable, so there's nothing seriously wrong. Hormonal changes are significant in early pregnancy, and many pregnant women experience this; it's just a bit of a hassle."
Xu Qiaolan quickly asked, "Is there any way to alleviate this? We can't let Yingying suffer like this forever. Sister-in-law, did you have this much morning sickness when you were pregnant?"
"I was pretty much the same at the beginning. I vomited everything I ate, even water," Ning Tang said, nodding gently as she recalled her experience in early pregnancy.
"However, I persisted in drinking the medicinal diet to regulate my body and practiced some gentle movements with Qiaofeng. My physical condition gradually improved. After about half a month, my morning sickness was greatly reduced, and I basically stopped vomiting."
"Medicinal cuisine?" Xu Qiaolan's eyes lit up. "Sister-in-law, could you also prepare some medicinal cuisine for Yingying? I'll make anything to help her feel better!"
Su Ying looked at Ning Tang with expectant eyes: "Tangtang, does it really work? I'm afraid I can't drink it..."
"Don't worry, sister-in-law, the medicinal diet I prescribed for you is mild and non-irritating, and the taste is also light, so it won't make you feel nauseous."
Ning Tang smiled reassuringly, "And I will adjust according to your situation. Start with a small amount and gradually increase the amount as you get used to it."
As they were talking, Aunt Zhang came in with breakfast.
The millet porridge was steaming hot, and there were also several dishes of light side dishes.
But as soon as Su Ying smelled the porridge, her stomach churned, and she quickly turned her face away, saying, "Aunt Zhang, the smell makes me feel sick, I can't eat..."
Seeing her like this, Aunt Zhang felt extremely sorry for her: "You have to eat something even if you can't eat! Otherwise, how will the baby in your belly grow? If you really don't want to eat porridge, I'll make you something else?"
Seeing this, Xu Qiaolan quickly stopped her grandmother: "Aunt Zhang, don't bother. Tangtang said she can make medicinal food for Yingying to relieve her morning sickness. I'll go buy the ingredients in a bit."
He turned to Ning Tang, his tone pleading, "Sister-in-law, please write a prescription for Yingying now? I'll go to the nearby traditional Chinese medicine clinic to buy it right away, and try to get Yingying some by noon."
Seeing how anxious he was, Ning Tang smiled and nodded, "Okay, I'll go write the prescription now. But don't be too hasty, brother. It takes time to alleviate morning sickness, so we have to take it slowly."
She turned around and went back to her room to get paper and pen, and quickly wrote out a medicinal diet recipe.
The recipes mostly contain ingredients that strengthen the spleen and stomach and relieve morning sickness.
Foods like cardamom, dried tangerine peel, yam, and lotus seeds are common and safe ingredients.
"You need to choose plump cardamom seeds, and the dried tangerine peel should be at least three years old for the best effect," Ning Tang handed the prescription to Xu Qiaolan, giving her careful instructions.
"Also, when cooking for the first time, add the cardamom last, otherwise cooking it for too long will destroy its medicinal properties. The porridge should be cooked until very soft, as my sister-in-law has a weak stomach and it will be easy to digest."
Xu Qiaolan took the prescription, carefully folded it as if it were a precious treasure, and put it into her pocket.
After carefully repeating Ning Tang's instructions again and confirming that he hadn't misremembered, he grabbed his coat and hurriedly left.
"I'll go buy it now and try to come back as soon as possible! Yingying, you stay home and rest well, wait for me to come back!"
Su Ying watched his hurried figure, feeling both helpless and amused: "Take it easy, and be careful on the road!"
Ning Tang sat on the edge of the bed and helped Su Ying adjust the pillows.
"Sister-in-law, try to relax and don't be too nervous. Emotions can affect morning sickness; the more nervous you are, the more likely you are to vomit. I'll have Qiaofeng move a recliner to the yard later. If you feel better, go out into the yard to get some sun and fresh air; it will help relieve morning sickness."
"Okay, I'll listen to you." Su Ying nodded gently, leaned against the pillow, and watched Ning Tang's busy figure, her heart filled with gratitude.
"Tangtang, I really owe you a lot. I don't know how I would have gotten through this without you."
“We’re all family, why are you saying these things?” Ning Tang waved her hand with a smile. “Once my brother buys the ingredients, I’ll cook your first pot of medicinal porridge and teach you how to cook it so you can cook it at home by yourself in the future.”
As they were talking, Xu Qiaofeng came in with a glass of warm water and handed it to Su Ying: "Sister-in-law, drink some warm water to soothe your throat first. Tangtang said that an empty stomach can worsen morning sickness. Eat some soda crackers to tide you over later."
Su Ying took the water glass, took two small sips, and indeed felt her throat feel better.
Looking at the considerate young couple in front of her, she felt a warmth in her heart.
The Xu family is truly blessed to have a daughter-in-law like Ning Tang.
About an hour later, Xu Qiaolan hurriedly returned carrying a large bag of groceries.
His forehead was covered in sweat, but he didn't bother to wipe it away. He took out the ingredients and showed them to Ning Tang.
"Sister-in-law, please check if these ingredients are correct. I specifically asked the shopkeeper to select the best cardamom, the dried tangerine peel is over three years old, and the yam and lotus seeds are all fresh."
Ning Tang checked it carefully and nodded with a smile: "It's all right, brother bought good ingredients. It's still early, I'll go to the kitchen to cook the first pot of medicinal porridge for you, you stay and rest with sister-in-law for a while."
She carried the ingredients into the kitchen, and Aunt Zhang followed to help: "Tangtang, teach me how to cook. If you're busy in the future, I'll cook for Yingying."
"good."
Ning Tang smiled and agreed, explaining to Aunt Zhang as she washed the millet.
"First, rinse the millet clean, add water and cook until it blooms. Then peel and cut the yam into small pieces and put it in, and cook for another 15 minutes. Soak the lotus seeds in advance until they are soft, and add them in after the yam is cooked until soft."
"When it's almost done cooking, crush the cardamom, wrap it in cheesecloth, put it in the pot and cook for five minutes. Before turning off the heat, add some dried tangerine peel powder and a small amount of rock sugar to taste."
Aunt Zhang carefully noted the steps, nodding from time to time: "I remember, add the cardamom last, boil for five minutes, and add the dried tangerine peel powder last."
The two chatted and worked at the same time, and soon, a faint aroma of medicinal cuisine wafted from the kitchen.
The aroma is not strong, but carries a hint of cardamom fragrance and the slight bitterness of dried tangerine peel, which makes people feel comfortable.
Ning Tang ladled out a bowl of warm medicinal porridge and brought it to the room: "Sister-in-law, try it first and see if it suits your taste. If you find it bitter, I'll add less dried tangerine peel next time."
Su Ying took the bowl, scooped up a small spoonful, and slowly swallowed it.
The porridge was cooked until soft and tender, with a light fragrance and no greasiness. Surprisingly, my stomach didn't churn like it had before.
Her eyes lit up, and she took another spoonful: "It's delicious, I don't feel nauseous at all!"
Seeing this, Xu Qiaolan finally breathed a sigh of relief and a long-lost smile appeared on her face: "Eat more if you like it, there's more in the pot if you're not full."
Su Ying nodded and slowly drank her porridge, unknowingly finishing half a bowl.
She put down her bowl, touched her stomach, and felt a little better for the first time: "I can finally eat something. Thank you, Tangtang."
"Don't be so polite with me," Ning Tang said with a smile as she cleared the dishes.
"You should keep drinking this medicinal porridge, one bowl each morning and evening. Your pregnancy symptoms should improve a lot in a few days. Also, I'll prescribe some acupressure for you. Your older brother can massage it for you when he has time, which can also relieve nausea."
She then took out paper and pen, wrote down the locations of several acupoints and the massage methods, and handed them to Xu Qiaolan.
"The Neiguan acupoint is two inches above the wrist crease. Press it with a little force until you feel soreness and distension. Also, the Zusanli acupoint is three inches below the knee. Press it for a few minutes every day; it's good for your stomach and intestines."
Xu Qiaolan took the prescription, read it carefully, and then tried it on her own hand according to the prescription: "I understand, I'll massage Yingying now."
He sat on the edge of the bed, carefully took Su Ying's hand, and gently massaged the area as Ning Tang had indicated, his movements as tender as if he were holding a piece of tofu.
Su Ying leaned against Xu Qiaolan's chest.
Feeling the warmth of his fingertips, the discomfort in my stomach gradually dissipated, and my heart was filled with happiness.
She looked at Ning Tang and Xu Qiaofeng, who were busy in front of her, and then at her gentle husband beside her.
Suddenly I realized...
Even if morning sickness is unbearable, it's all worth it as long as family is by my side.
Ning Tang looked at the heartwarming scene before her and smiled as she tugged at Xu Qiaofeng's hand: "Let's go out first and let our elder brother and sister-in-law get some rest."
The two walked out of the room, and Xu Qiaofeng held Ning Tang's hand and said softly, "Thank you for your hard work."
"It's not hard work." Ning Tang shook her head and leaned against Xu Qiaofeng's chest.
"I'm happy to see that my sister-in-law is more comfortable. If our baby is going to cause me a lot of trouble in the future, you'll have to take good care of me."
Xu Qiaofeng looked down at her, his eyes full of tenderness: "Don't worry, I will cook medicinal porridge for you every day and give you massages. I will never let you suffer any grievances."
For the next few days, Xu Qiaolan cooked medicinal porridge for Su Ying every day according to Ning Tang's recipe, and massaged her acupoints whenever she had free time.
Su Ying's morning sickness gradually subsided. Although she still occasionally nauseated, she was able to eat and sleep normally, and her complexion gradually became rosy.
That evening, Su Ying was able to eat almost half a bowl of rice and drink a bowl of corn and pork rib soup.
Grandma Xu beamed as she looked at her, "That's wonderful! Yingying can finally eat properly now, so the baby can grow up healthy. Tangtang, we owe you so much, you're a great hero to our family!"
"Grandma, don't say that. It's all thanks to my eldest brother taking such good care of her." Ning Tang smiled and waved her hand, then placed a piece of stir-fried vegetables on Su Ying's plate.
"Sister-in-law, eat more vegetables to replenish your vitamins."
Su Ying took the chopsticks and nodded with a smile: "Okay, thank you Tangtang. I feel energetic now. I even took a walk in the yard with Qiao Lan yesterday."
Seeing his wife regain her former radiance, Xu Qiaolan was happier than anyone else.
"It's all thanks to your good prescription, sister-in-law. Otherwise, Yingying would have suffered a lot more. Sister-in-law, if you ever need any help in the future, just let me know."
Ning Tang smiled and agreed, "Okay, when I have a baby in the future, you have to help me take care of Qiao Feng, so he won't be clumsy."
Upon hearing this, Xu Qiaofeng shook his head helplessly: "I'm not that stupid."
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