Chapter Thirty-Three: Second Child
The first stage of raising a child: Why? These three words gave Shu Yao and her husband a headache every day, and they often racked their brains for answers. Sometimes they even wondered, where do such a small child get so many questions?
"He can express his own thoughts now, shaking his head and saying no."
"Xu Xu or Yi Yi?" She was doing her skincare routine while the man played with the two of them on the kang (heated brick bed). He glanced back and saw that both of them were shaking their heads at the soup he offered.
"Drink your rice porridge, you two are getting a sore throat from playing too much." She said sternly, hoping to keep the two in check.
"All right."
This time, the two of them each drank a sip of the rice porridge fed to them by their father. After putting the child to sleep that night, Su Xiangdong looked at his daughter and kissed his son, his face full of happiness.
"You shouldn't be so soft on them. Kids can read people's expressions. Be careful not to lose your authority and become difficult to discipline later."
"Probably not. They'll be able to communicate when they're older; we can just reason with them. Our two kids are quite sensible."
Shu Yao smiled and said no more. The two children were indeed quite sensible. As they grew a little older, they could discuss things and even figure out the root of the problem without being told. They knew that their father, grandparents, and other family members didn't do any housework and were just waiting for their mother to come home from work to cook. So, as soon as the two little ones came in and put down their schoolbags, the first thing they did was run to help.
When she was sick, she would pour her water, and the two of them would wash the dishes together so her mother could rest. No matter what her grandparents said, it wouldn't affect her much; she was truly close to her mother and cared for her deeply. That's why she disliked Sun Yaozu from a young age, feeling that he treated her mother badly.
Whatever problems arise between the couple, both children unconditionally side with their mother, often leaving them speechless in front of their grandparents. No matter what they say, the two little ones always love their mother and are closest to her.
The two children are especially well-behaved when they are with their mother, obediently bringing her a stool and sharing their snacks with her.
That sensible and considerate little girl made her mother both envious and jealous, sighing incessantly at home. She didn't want to look, yet couldn't resist, secretly peeking through the front door every now and then.
When the old man got home, he started nagging again. "You didn't see it, Shu Yao's two children are so wonderful. They're well-behaved, lively, and sensible. They call Su Lao San's wife 'Grandma,' and every little sound they make is absolutely adorable. When will our family be able to hold our grandchildren?"
The old man was helpless. He hoped for good news too, but that's not something you can just hope for. "What did my daughter-in-law say? Is there no news yet?"
"She said she was so hungry she didn't even get her period." The old woman rolled her eyes. "We've already divided the food equally, so each person only gets a tiny bit. I'm so hungry I could make a dent when I press on the ground, what can I do?"
"Sigh, I don't know if I'll ever see the next generation."
"It's all Shu Yao's fault. We raised her for so many years, and she actually went and had a child with someone else."
In such a good year, Meng Xi wasn't under as much pressure. But as the rain fell one after another, smiles appeared on everyone's faces. After the autumn harvest, supplies returned to previous levels. No more hunger, but the pressure of having children followed.
The Sun family started arguing about having a baby again, saying they'd already eaten their fill and needed to hurry up and have a grandson. Shu Yao was holding the children's hands, playing with their little wooden toy guns. These toys were brought back by Su Xiangdong from his business trip for the two children. The son's was a toy gun, and the daughter had one too.
Why did you buy this for your daughter too?
"This girl can't play?"
Shu Yao was stunned. Of course, she had heard many people say that in her past life. Girls should be like this, girls shouldn't do this or that. But thinking about it carefully, why should girls be expected to uphold traditional virtues? Girls should be expected to do laundry and cook. Aren't he doing all of these things now?
"No. I think Yiyi really likes it. If you don't buy it for her, she'll probably fight with her brother for it."
“That’s right.” He happily dried his hair with a towel and sat down opposite her. “I was just thinking that with two kids at home, everything has to be doubled.”
She nodded with a smile: "You're right."
After putting the two children to sleep that night, the young couple, having been apart for so long, were overjoyed and spent a passionate night together on the heated brick bed. Even after it was over, they held each other tightly, unwilling to let go. With his wife, children, and a warm bed, life was truly getting better and better.
Shu Yao said softly, "I want to go to the hospital to have my IUD removed. I'm feeling better now, so next year when we send the two kids to daycare, we'll have another one."
The man was somewhat moved by her words and kissed her cheek. "Giving birth is so painful, and pregnancy is hard too. Actually, maybe you shouldn't have children at all."
The two children slept soundly in the dark. At that age, they were too young to understand anything and were carefree. He glanced at his two darlings; the little ones were sprawled out on their backs, fast asleep.
"These two are my flesh and blood. I'm content with them. I had no choice but to have one child after another before. I heard that the hospital hasn't had any new IUDs since that batch, so now it's impossible to get one. I'll just keep them on now that I've finally gotten one. Having a son and a daughter is already a blessing."
This wasn't the first time he'd expressed this view, and Shu Yao, initially hesitant, now knew he was speaking from the heart. Actually, she felt that pregnancy was a natural process and not too difficult. With their help in raising the child, she hadn't experienced much hardship either. Therefore, she genuinely wanted to have another child.
"Then let nature take its course."
"Okay." Since you have an IUD, there's no need to worry about that.
Meng Xi next door was eager to get pregnant again; the pressure from her family was becoming unbearable. She'd already suffered a miscarriage after being married for so long, and it seemed unreasonable not to have another child now.
But the more she wanted to get pregnant, the less she could conceive. Seeing that her period had started again, she became incredibly anxious. They were both young, and they were quite active at night, so why couldn't she get pregnant? Last time with Wu Erhu, she conceived on the first try.
Yes, she seemed to suddenly realize something. Instead of going home after work, she went straight to her parents' house. Her paralyzed father had passed away at the beginning of the year, and her mother now lived with her older brother. With no one else home, she pulled her mother into the bedroom.
"Mom, do you think pregnancy has a lot to do with men?"
The old lady had lived her whole life; she might not have been highly educated, but she certainly knew how to live. Hearing this, she nodded: "Of course. Although everyone thinks childbirth is a woman's job, if the man's sperm count is low, how can the woman get pregnant?"
After the old woman finished speaking, she looked at her daughter's belly and asked, "What, do you doubt that Yaozu's seed is no good?"
Meng Xi nodded. Her mother was right; otherwise, why would she have gotten pregnant so easily with Wu Erhu, but not with Sun Yaozu after all this time? Yet, he seemed perfectly normal. That was fine too. Why couldn't she get pregnant?
After discussing it with her mother, the two of them felt there was nothing they couldn't talk about. She was under immense pressure and didn't care about being shy, but they still couldn't reach a conclusion afterward.
"According to you, this is all normal." Normal married life, normal male behavior. Why can't they get pregnant?
"Who knows? That's what's troubling me. My mother-in-law is always making veiled accusations, she can't wait to have a grandson."
When Meng Xi returned from her parents' home, she was unsurprisingly scolded by her mother-in-law for coming home late. She knew that the root of all this was the lack of children, so getting pregnant was the most important thing.
The next day after work, she waited at the back gate of the factory, and sure enough, Wu Erhu passed by. His home was closer by this side; he had gotten married at the beginning of the year, and his wife was already pregnant.
"Comrade Wu Erhu,"
The man was overjoyed and rushed to meet her. "Meng Xi, you were waiting for me."
The two, whose relationship was already tainted, could easily have another encounter. Meng Xi was desperate; she didn't care if it was Sun Yaozu's fault or not, she just needed to get pregnant quickly. She had heard of sperm donation before, and now she would give it a try.
When Shu Yao got off work, she heard her neighbor, Mrs. Sun, cursing, saying that her daughter-in-law was never home after work. She shook her head and chuckled, "With you pushing her like this, it's hard for Meng Xi not to cheat on you."
The commotion in the Sun family continued for months, and Meng Xi still hadn't received any good news by the New Year. This time, not only were the elderly couple in the Sun family anxious, but she herself was also getting impatient. Last time it was so easy, but why were so many attempts now proving fruitless?
Shu Yao watched the Sun family's drama unfold day after day, finding it quite entertaining. As the Sun family descended into chaos, the resentment she had been holding back began to dissipate like wisps of smoke.
She left the Sun family, and the two elders aged noticeably faster. Gone was the meticulous care she had given them in their past life, gone was the joy of doting on their grandchildren. Now, every time she saw them, their faces were filled with resentment and disappointment.
This old couple treated her like a blood bank, a blood bank supplying sustenance to the Sun family. Sun Yaozu used her while betraying her; they were absolutely despicable. But these two knew that Sun Yaozu and Meng Xi were not acquainted, yet they kept it from her, deceiving her and making her work like a slave for the Sun family; their intentions were even more vicious.
She didn't feel she had gone too far with this family. Every time she saw the Sun family in chaos, she subconsciously felt a sense of satisfaction, and she would take a deep breath and tell herself to let it go, to let it go.
Don't let the Sun family affect your emotions anymore; whatever they do has nothing to do with you. You now have your own happy family, so don't be trapped by your past life. The Sun family brought this upon themselves, and their end will definitely not be good. But don't dwell on it anymore; your focus should be on your own family.
She repeated the words to herself in her heart, and a deep smile appeared on her face as she entered the door. Her two children were so well-raised, intelligent, healthy, and lively; they rushed towards her as soon as they heard the door open.
"Mother,"
"Mother,"
In the dead of winter, the weather was frigid. The two little ones were bundled up like balls in their padded coats, their clean little faces peeking out from their clumsy movements. She pinched this one and then that one, finding their textures incredibly pleasant. They were simply irresistible.
Holding one in each hand, she didn't have Su Xiangdong's strength to lift them both up. "What are you playing at home?"
"Let's play house!" Yiyi exclaimed excitedly. "Mommy, I can cook!"
"Really? Yiyi is so amazing."
The son, who was standing nearby, quickly said, "Mom, I can do it too."
She quickly turned to look at her son: "Oh, our Xuxu is amazing too."
Some people say twins should do everything the same, and her twins are pretty much like that too. However, both children are very sensible; they can understand differences and won't cry or fuss. When they can attend to both, if one says something, the other immediately follows suit, making sure neither is neglected.
She went inside, took off her coat, and played with the children on the kang (a heated brick bed). Auntie San smiled and went to the kitchen to cook; having help at home made everything much easier. Not long after, Su Xiangdong returned, glanced at his wife and children, and went to the kitchen to help.
"I can do it myself, you play with the two kids."
"It's okay, their mother is here. Didn't we say we were making dumplings? I'll roll out the dough."
Shepherd's purse is dried and preserved in the spring, and now it's bright green again after being soaked in hot water. Lightly chop it a few times, add it to scrambled eggs, glass noodles, and tofu, and season it—it's incredibly fragrant.
The two children and Shuyao all love food with fillings but little meat, so they often eat vegetarian dumplings at home. Many families find this kind of food time-consuming and laborious, and people are too busy to make it during this period. But since his wife likes it, Su Xiangdong will make time to prepare it.
"You've already prepared the filling as soon as I got up this morning. What time did you get up?"
He placed the rolled-out dough in the corner of the work surface: "It's not too early. This is actually not difficult. Before, when food was scarce and wheat flour was rare, Shuyao didn't get to eat it for a long time. Now that we have wheat flour, we'll make a few more meals."
Auntie San nodded, her eyes filled with envy. She had never had what she thought simply didn't exist in this world. But now she saw it with her own eyes; good men do exist, she just hadn't met them yet.
The dipping sauce was vinegar and minced garlic, and he added some chili sauce. Shu Yao actually really liked spicy food, but she always remembered that she was very prone to getting a sore throat in her past life, so she didn't dare to eat chili much in this life.
"Want some chili sauce?" She kept staring at his. He reached out and picked up the jar. "Try it if you want, it's not very spicy."
"Okay, give me a little bit."
She loved dumplings anyway, and eating them with vinegar and chili made them even more delicious—she almost wanted to swallow her tongue. After a hearty meal, her aunt went to the kitchen to clear the dishes, while she stood up and paced back and forth on the floor to aid digestion.
"Where did this chili sauce come from? It tastes really good."
"It was a gift from a friend, from our Deputy Station Chief Xu. His wife is from Hunan, and she makes excellent chili sauce. If you like, I can ask him for another jar."
"No, that would be so embarrassing." She smiled, feeling both happy and ridiculous. How could she act like a child more and more like an adult? Especially around him, she felt she was being a bit too casual. She was a mother of two, someone's wife, how could she be so childish, so greedy?
She didn't continue in front of the children. Later that night, when they were both asleep and it was just the two of them, she leaned on his shoulder and whispered something to him.
"His dad, don't go along with me like this in the future."
I just think that chili sauce is delicious, you noticed, didn't you? Are you going to ask for some tomorrow? If you do, people will laugh at you. She really found it funny and felt embarrassed. Shouldn't someone who has lived a second life be more composed and reserved? Why does she seem so outgoing and carefree now?
"Why?" He subconsciously stroked her smooth skin, the wonderful touch making him linger.
"People will laugh at me. I'm this age, a mother of two, I should be mature and sensible."
In the past, she would get a sore throat whenever she had a fever, and sometimes the cough would even rupture her throat. Her family didn't care what she ate or why she was sick; no one had the patience to care. But when she coughed, the whole family would give her the cold shoulder, complaining that her cough was unhygienic. So she never dared to touch that particular condiment she loved again.
“You’ve always been composed.” The man looked puzzled. “My wife is such a dignified person, how could she think others would laugh at her? Besides, why should we care about others? Our own happiness is the most important thing.”
He couldn't help but laugh; his smile was harder to suppress than AK's. He pampered her like a child, and she herself had changed so much. With the passing years, she thought she should be mature and aloof, but instead, she became increasingly carefree. Whatever she wanted to do, whatever she wanted to eat, even knowing it might be inappropriate, he could read her mind with a glance and would always fulfill her wishes.
The man reached out and hugged her tighter. "Don't put so much pressure on yourself. I'm here for you. Do what you want to do, don't set rules for yourself. You're a mother, but you're also yourself. You're my wife, Su Xiangdong's wife, and my wife should live freely and easily. Don't feel pressured, I'll take care of everything."
"If I eat spicy food and get a sore throat and cough, won't you think it's a hassle for me?" Coughing bothers others, it's unhygienic, and it can cause phlegm and such.
"Just take medicine for a cough, it's no big deal. Besides, I don't see any signs of you having a fever, so taking medicine occasionally won't hurt. If you really cough, I'll take you to see a doctor. I know a really good traditional Chinese medicine doctor. If you get feverish so easily, it means your constitution isn't good, and I can help you regulate it."
Shu Yao smiled and nestled herself into his arms. Their skin pressed together, their hearts intertwined. She realized that even without doing anything, a man and a woman could be so perfectly in sync, so warm.
She ate it once that night and was fine the next day. Since she didn't get a sore throat, she became even more indulgent and started adding chili sauce to every meal. Su Xiangdong was also surprised to find out that she actually liked spicy food so much. Before, her family rarely put chili in their cooking, and he thought she didn't like spicy food.
"Here, there's more after you finish eating."
"You really asked someone for it?" Her face flushed red; she was so embarrassed.
"I didn't want it." He smiled; his wife was really too shy. "I just said thank you, sister-in-law, my wife especially loves that chili sauce, and asked me to thank you. She then offered me some more, practically forcing it on me."
Shu Yao was both amused and exasperated. "Since you've put it that way, how could I refuse?" she thought. "Then, I'll make some snacks this weekend, and you can take them to them."
"Okay, I'll do it with you." It's a good idea to reciprocate.
She ate chili peppers for days on end, but showed no signs of getting a sore throat. While eating lunch at work, the lingering aroma of chili sauce filled her mouth, and her mind wandered.
"Hey, Director, what are you thinking about?" Sister Xu came over and patted her on the shoulder, then sat down next to her.
"It's nothing. I'm just wondering why you used to get easily inflamed, but not anymore?"
"It's probably due to constitution. I heard from an old Chinese medicine doctor that people with a weak constitution are particularly prone to getting internal heat. Sometimes it's a case of excess cold and deficiency heat, so even if you don't eat hot foods, you'll still get internal heat, leading to coughs and such."
She nodded silently; she seemed to have heard this explanation before. So, the reason she wasn't experiencing any heatiness or bitterness in her mouth was because of her good constitution. A good postpartum period, someone to help with the baby, no housework to worry about—both mentally and physically comfortable—naturally led to her good health.
"Your twins will be able to go to daycare after the New Year. How come you haven't gotten pregnant with a second child in over two years?"
"I'm wearing an IUD."
What is an IUD?
"It's like putting something in your uterus, and then you can't get pregnant. The contraceptive effect is very high, but hospitals don't sell IUDs anymore."
Sister Xu nodded upon hearing this: "So, does that mean I can get pregnant again once I take off the pregnancy test?"
"yes."
“I never had such a good thing back then. I couldn’t keep neglecting my work, so I got sterilized.”
“It’s alright, you have three kids, any more would be tiring.”
"Yes. Some people are afraid to do it, so they keep having children one after another. Even if they don't have the means in rural areas, they still have to keep having children, and their whole lives are spent having and raising children."
"It's out of necessity."
In recent years, when people were struggling to get enough to eat, many women didn't have to worry about getting pregnant because they didn't even have their periods. But now that people are well-fed and things are returning to normal, fertility has become a major issue.
A few days after talking with Sister Xu, Shu Yao's period, which was due, was a week late. Her periods are usually only a couple of days off, so this week's delay made her start to pay attention to the issue.
After dinner, she washed up and did her skincare routine. Su Xiangdong was playing with the two children on the kang (heated brick bed) when he asked her, "The New Year is the day after tomorrow, how does your factory schedule holidays?"
"I have to go on the first day of the Lunar New Year, and I'll rest on the second day."
"Oh, then I'll bring you food on the first day of the Lunar New Year." The grain station has a five-day holiday for the Lunar New Year, and he always has time during the holiday.
"By the way, hasn't your period come yet this month?"
"No."
"Go to the hospital for a checkup."
"No need. Let's wait until after the New Year and see how things go."
After the two children fell asleep, the couple snuggled into one bed. He gently touched her belly: "Could she be pregnant?"
"What, you don't want it?"
"No." How could they not want them? Their family could easily support two more. "I'm just worried you'll suffer."
"It's nothing. After the New Year, the two kids will be sent to daycare. Your third aunt and you will take care of picking them up and dropping them off, and you'll also handle the housework. I'll just go to work. Being pregnant is nothing, it won't interfere with my life."
He chuckled softly. Shu Yao was about to say that if it wasn't possible, she shouldn't be disappointed, and that if she wanted to, she should get checked out and start trying to conceive. But before she could say anything, he spoke up.
"If you are really pregnant, then have this one child and find a more reliable method of contraception later. If not, then get checked to see if the IUD is really reliable."
"good."
Everyone around me gets pregnant and has children immediately; having several children in one family is common during this period. Although working women try to prevent pregnancy, it's really hard to avoid it. There are no birth control pills, and IUDs often don't work, and their quality is poor and ineffective. Surgical sterilization is scary, so many families end up with quite a few children.
It's Chinese New Year, and Shu Yao has to work the entire first day of the Lunar New Year. Su Xiangdong brought her dumplings for lunch, which she ate with relish, dipped in vinegar and chili sauce. She didn't experience any pregnancy symptoms, so the couple thought it might be due to irregular menstruation.
I ran into Sun Yaozu and Meng Xi at the gate after work. Meng Xi was holding her pregnant belly, and the couple were swaggering through the streets. Everyone was congratulating them, but Aunt Xu asked a more practical question.
"Have you had it checked?"
Meng Xi was taken aback, then laughed and said, "I have experience, she's definitely pregnant. We have to be careful this time, we can't let it be like last time."
Sun Yaozu nodded in agreement, his lips curving into a wide smile. "I'll get you whatever you want to eat. From now on, you'll be a hero to the Sun family."
The two elders of the Sun family stood aside, beaming with joy. Seeing Shu Yao and her husband return, the family deliberately put on a show, praising Meng Xi to the skies.
“My wife is really capable. Whatever you want to eat, I’ll go make it for you right now.”
"Yes, yes, you must eat well. If you have a child for our Sun family, you can eat whatever you want."
Shu Yao was neither too close nor too far away, pushing her cart home with her husband, completely ignoring him. What a bunch of lunatics! They can eat whatever they want, why are they showing off?
It was right around the Lunar New Year, and Meng Xi enjoyed a few good days. She was treated to all the best food, including meat, experiencing a level of comfort she had never felt at the Sun family home. At work, she deliberately showed off in front of Shu Yao, having splurged on a portion of braised pork for lunch.
"My family gave me all the meat coupons; I can eat them however I want."
Shu Yao didn't order any meat dishes today, just a plate of shredded potatoes and a bowl of hot and sour cabbage. On the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, everyone at work went back to their jobs, and Su Xiangdong accompanied her to the hospital. The test results came out in the afternoon, and the couple went out on their bikes again. They ran into a neighbor at the gate, who asked with concern where they were going.
"Go to the hospital."
"Are you sick?" The old woman observed her carefully, then suddenly realized and asked, "Are you pregnant? How many months along are you?"
"I'm not pregnant, I'm just going to visit."
"You're obviously pregnant. Go to the hospital and see for yourself, you're definitely pregnant with your second child." The man next to him quickly clasped his hands in a gesture of respect.
"Congratulations, Station Master Su."
On the way there, Shu Yao was still thinking about how embarrassing this blunder would be. But when she got to the hospital and showed the doctor the results, it turned out she really was pregnant.
"She is indeed pregnant."
"But I'm wearing an IUD."
"Judging from the ultrasound results, it seems the IUD slipped off at some point. Many IUDs fall off naturally during the trial phase; some women get pregnant even with the IUD in place, so it doesn't count."
Shu Yao smiled; she had always wanted to have another child. She loved children. Su Xiangdong's initial worries were temporarily put aside at this moment; since she was already pregnant, he wouldn't consider anything else. Now, he just needed to think about how to take care of her and not let her get tired.
She didn't have any symptoms at all when she was pregnant with this child. When the couple returned home, the older woman they knew asked them about it right at the front door. This time, they didn't even need to say a word; their happy smiles said it all.
"I told you I was pregnant."
Shu Yao smiled and nodded: "Auntie, can you tell if it's a boy or a girl?"
"You already have sons and daughters, so what does it matter if this baby is a boy or a girl? The most important thing is that the baby is healthy and safe."
Su Xiangdong immediately nodded: "What the auntie said makes sense."
Sun Yaozu and his wife had been making quite a spectacle of themselves lately. They happened to be walking down the alley when they heard the news. Meng Xi's face darkened. How could Shu Yao be pregnant too? With both of them pregnant at the same time, people were bound to compare them. She silently touched her belly, thinking to herself: "You'd better be worthy; I hope it's a boy."
Sun Yaozu couldn't quite describe his feelings. Shu Yao was pregnant again! She'd only given birth to that one couple, so how could she be pregnant again? She was having another man's child, and she looked so happy. Meng Xi's baby was probably their daughter, so who was Shu Yao carrying?
Shu Yao had no idea they were thinking so much; she had just asked casually. Some people have such sharp eyes; she wasn't even sure if she was pregnant, yet Aunt Xu was so certain. She was just curious, so she asked casually.
Su Xiangdong didn't care whether it was a boy or a girl, and neither did she. Sons and daughters had to be raised well; nurturing them was the most important thing. If raised well, both boys and girls would be equally good; if not, both would be equally exhausting.
The couple went back inside and confirmed that his wife was pregnant. Su Xiangdong seemed relatively calm. He had taken care of Shu Yao when she was pregnant with her first child, so he knew what to do.
What would you like to eat?
"Dumplings with oily cabbage filling."
He nodded with a smile; these were all things he already had at home. He had just rendered fat from the pork belly, and the rendered fat was still saved. The cabbage was a winter vegetable he had stored away; there was plenty left in the cellar.
When her third aunt heard this, she immediately went to the cellar to get some cabbage. She took some oil and chopped it up, then shredded the cabbage to draw out the moisture and chopped some of it, mixing it all together with the oil.
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