When Yan Xia woke up, it was just getting light. She felt the urge to urinate, so she went to the outhouse, relieved herself, and went back to bed to continue sleeping.
I finally have some free time, so I must get a good night's sleep.
His breathing became deeper again.
Time passed slowly, and the sky gradually brightened. The round sun rose high in the sky, and golden morning light shone in through the cracks in the window. Yan Xia opened her sleepy eyes, sat up, and stretched. She had slept so well that the fatigue of the past few days instantly disappeared, and she felt refreshed.
After getting dressed, Yan Xia went to the kitchen, filled a basin with water, and began washing her face and brushing her teeth.
The fog was quite thick at the foot of the mountain in the early morning, so the humidity was very high.
Yan Xia picked a few chili peppers and made a chili and egg noodle dish.
It's a dry-mixed noodle dish with a unique flavor. The main reason is that the chili peppers can remove dampness from the body, and dampness can cause all kinds of illnesses, which she learned from medical books.
The chili peppers planted in the backyard were especially spicy, and Yan Xia was sweating profusely while eating them.
She drank water and slurped the noodles, taking twenty minutes to finish them.
After washing the pots and pans, she went up the mountain again.
Even though the seeds have been planted, I still need to check on them to feel at ease.
Yan Xia didn't go to see Xiong Xiong today. After going down the mountain, she wandered around.
It focuses on a vacation model.
At the hour of Si (9-11 AM), Zhao Yuefang returned to her parents' home carrying a basket of wild vegetables.
She couldn't take it anymore. There wasn't a single grain of rice left in the house. Not only that, but recently she had been feeling a dull ache in her stomach. She didn't know if it was from hunger, so Zhao Yuefang had no choice but to go back to her parents' home for help.
Worried about being scolded, she got up very early and dug a full basket of wild vegetables before setting off.
"Mother, I'm back—"
The door to the house was not closed.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, she called out towards the main room.
"Why did you come back? You're heavily pregnant and still running around everywhere. If you have a miscarriage, don't try to blame your parents. I told you to get rid of this child, and I would have found you a good marriage, but you wouldn't listen. Now look what happened, you're living like a widow. Look at how haggard you are, anyone would think you're over thirty. Pshaw, I actually thought you brought something good. Why did you bring these wretched wild vegetables? We're tired of eating them at home. Oh, right, your brother is getting married at the beginning of the month. As his older sister, shouldn't you do something to help?"
Zhao Yuefang's mother, Zhao Zhengshi, came out of the room when she heard the noise.
She rummaged through the bamboo basket with a look of disgust.
Seeing that there was nothing but wild vegetables in the basket, his face immediately darkened.
"Mother, I have no money. My husband has gone to do his corvée labor, and you know what happened to my mother-in-law. My father-in-law has also disappeared. I'm suffering so much all by myself. Mother, could you spare me some food? When my husband comes back, I'll have him pay you back, okay?"
Zhao Yuefang spoke weakly and listlessly.
In addition, there was the walk from Baihua Village to Zhao Family Village.
The wild vegetables I ate this morning have all been used up.
Her stomach was rumbling loudly, and the baby inside was kicking violently; her face turned pale.
Sweat was dripping from his forehead.
In a sorry state.
But this pitiful state did not soften her mother's heart in the slightest.
"So you've come back here to freeload? You won't help your brother, and now you want grain? Do you think your family owns a grain shop? Go ask around the village, which married daughter still comes back to her parents' home begging for food? Aren't you ashamed? Look, Zhao'er across the street has only been married for two years, and every time she comes back, she's carrying loads of gifts. Your Aunt Chunlan is living the high life. Hu Zi just got married and spent three taels of silver on the dowry, all paid by Zhao'er. And you? I don't need you to help your brother, but don't come here to freeload. We really owe you something. Go away, don't come in. Pregnant women bring bad luck. Get out of here and don't come back to bring trouble to your parents' home."
Zhao Yuefang wasn't even allowed to enter the house; her own mother pushed and shoved her out of the house.
The bamboo basket, along with the wild vegetables, was thrown out as well.
Zhao Yuefang leaned against the wall, sitting on the muddy ground, panting heavily, her stomach aching terribly.
It took a long time for him to recover.
The wild vegetables were rotten and mixed with the mud on the ground, looking filthy.
Zhao Yuefang showed no disgust whatsoever; she lay on her side on the ground and picked up the pieces one by one.
Brush off the dust and put it in the basket.
After picking them up, she left Zhao Family Village with her bamboo basket slung over her shoulder.
His eyes were filled with disappointment.
What can she do? Even her family can't help her.
Eating wild vegetables and mushrooms every day, I don't know if I'll be able to give birth safely.
Filled with worry and fear about the future, Zhao Yuefang returned to the village.
Her stomach pains became more and more frequent, and she collapsed in the middle of the village.
With her last bit of strength, she cried out for help.
"Help!"
"Someone, please save me!"
"Ugh—"
My water broke.
Zhao Yuefang was in pain and spasmed.
She clenched her teeth tightly, her whole body trembling.
"ah--"
The pain of cervical dilation caused her to scream hysterically.
The calls attracted the attention of nearby residents.
"Oh dear, what's wrong? Why are you lying on the ground? Yuefang, why did you wet your pants?"
"What do you mean by wetting her pants? Her water broke. If you count the days, she's only eight months pregnant. This is terrible. She's not going to make it. Oh, what a pitiful thing. So many things have happened in her husband's family since she married in, and now her baby is going to be born prematurely."
"Pah, pah, pah! What do you mean by 'living in seven places and not living in eight'? The person is still here perfectly fine. Why are you saying such unlucky things? Have some decency!"
"However, why is Luo Zhao's belly so big? It looks like she's carrying twins."
"Oh dear, twins would be really difficult. Twins are already crammed into one litter, fighting for food and growing smaller than a single baby. If they are born prematurely, they would be even harder to raise."
"........"
Yan Xia also came out of Zhao Xinrong's house upon hearing the noise.
She squeezed through the crowd, knelt down beside Zhao Yuefang, and comforted her, saying, "Yuefang, don't be afraid. Are you about to give birth? Take a deep breath, don't be nervous. Auntie will have someone go and get a midwife for you. Don't be afraid, everything will be alright."
As a woman herself, Yan Xia felt sorry for her as she lay on the ground crying for help.
There were many onlookers, but no one offered to help.
Yan Xia had no choice but to work together with Zhao Xinrong to drive away the gossipy old women.
She picked up Zhao Yuefang again and carried her back to the low hill house.
She carried him in her arms the whole time.
Try not to touch Zhao Yuefang's stomach.
The bamboo basket full of wild vegetables was left behind; even the dogs wouldn't eat it.
An hour later, the midwife arrived.
The room was small; it was barely big enough for two people to stand in.
Yan Xia simply moved the bed outside so Zhao Yuefang could give birth there. Since it was hot, she wouldn't be afraid of getting cold. People would come and go from the hillside from time to time. Yan Xia then took out two old bed sheets from an unlocked box inside the house and hung them on the clothesline, covering her completely, like a tent.
As long as there isn't a strong wind.
Absolutely not a single detail can be seen.
"She's already three centimeters dilated. Just bear with it a little longer. Don't shout loudly, or you'll run out of energy. Also, go boil some water and get her some food so she can eat it, otherwise she won't have the strength to give birth."
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