Chapter 211 Rise, Pain
"Where does it hurt? Tell me, you're driving me crazy!" Zhao Wenchang held her hand in his palm, and seeing Jiang Wanqiu stammering, he became even more puzzled.
Jiang Wanqiu was truly forced into a corner, and the excruciating pain in her chest made her extremely uncomfortable. So, with a flushed face, she awkwardly spoke up: "It's...it's engorgement. These past few days, Mom has been sleeping with the baby, and Shitou hasn't been eating much at night, so the milk hasn't been emptied...Now it's really blocked, as hard as two rocks, and it hurts to even touch it."
Zhao Wenchang was taken aback, his gaze involuntarily falling on the bulging blanket.
He had been advised by the doctor that if a woman's breast engorgement is not handled properly, it can be more painful than childbirth, and she might even develop a high fever, mastitis, and need surgery to drain the milk.
The thought of having to operate on that spot made Zhao Wenchang's heart clench.
Seeing his wife's tearful face from the pain, his Adam's apple bobbed, and his eyes instantly became deep and intense, his earlier anxiety now tinged with an indescribable hoarseness.
“I just checked on Shitou. He’s sleeping soundly in his mother’s room. Even if I bring him over now, I probably won’t be able to wake him up. I can’t count on this kid.” Zhao Wenchang said, reaching out to dim the bedside lamp, leaving only a hazy halo around the headboard.
Jiang Wanqiu was in so much pain that she was a little dazed. Before she could react to what he was going to do, she saw Zhao Wenchang lift a corner of the blanket and his tall body slip in.
"What...what are you doing?" Jiang Wanqiu was so embarrassed that she wanted to burrow deeper into the quilt, pushing him away with her hands against his chest. "If it really doesn't work...go get me a hot towel to apply, it'll help."
Zhao Wenchang didn't give her a chance to escape; his large hand directly covered the soft yet taut source of pain.
The calluses on her palms, worn from years of holding a gun, brushed against her delicate skin, sending a shiver down Jiang Wanqiu's spine.
“A hot towel is no match for me,” Zhao Wenchang’s voice was deep, with a hint of amusement in it. He whispered in her ear, “I’m the father of your child, I don’t mind. Listen to me, if this thing gets blocked and becomes inflamed, you’ll have to go to the hospital and suffer. I’d rather help you get it out.”
"Wenchang...no..." Jiang Wanqiu's face was so hot it could fry an egg. It was late at night, and even though they were an old married couple, this was still too embarrassing.
"Don't move, I'll be gentle."
Zhao Wenchang spoke, but his actions didn't stop.
The pain didn't last long. With the warm suction, the previously congested and swollen area gradually relaxed, replaced by a tingling sensation that made my toes curl up.
Zhao Wenchang's actions, which started cautiously, gradually became somewhat impatient and greedy. What was originally intended as a "treatment" had clearly taken a different turn.
Jiang Wanqiu's hand, which had been tightly gripping the bed sheet, somehow climbed up to the back of Zhao Wenchang's head, her fingers digging into his stubble hair, and her resistance turned into intermittent, soft moans.
The cicadas outside the window continued their tireless chirping, drowning out the enchanting spring scenery inside the room.
That night, Little Stone, who lived next door, slept soundly, not making a fuss for the past few nights. The poor little guy had no idea that most of his food rations had been "stolen" by his "shameless" father.
...
The next morning.
Golden sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains and onto the large bed.
Jiang Wanqiu was still fast asleep, nestled in the soft pillow. Her breathing was deep and even, her brows relaxed, no longer furrowed in pain as they had the night before. The tear tracks at the corners of her eyes had long since dried, and her fair face had a rosy glow from satisfaction, like a pink peach blossom laden with dew, delicate and alluring.
In contrast, Zhao Wenchang had already woken up by now.
He got up and dressed quietly and quickly. He looked refreshed and energetic, with a smile on his face, as if he had become ten years younger.
He buttoned up his shirt, turned to look at his wife who was still asleep, his eyes filled with doting affection. He walked over, bent down, and gently kissed Jiang Wanqiu's smooth forehead before turning and leaving the house, completely satisfied.
As soon as I went downstairs, I ran into Zhao Shan, who was practicing Tai Chi in the courtyard.
"Good morning, Dad!" Zhao Wenchang's loud voice startled Zhao Shan.
"Why are you up so early? Why don't you sleep a little longer?" Zhao Shan stopped what he was doing and looked at his son strangely. "You have more energy than me."
Zhao Wenchang chuckled, rolled up his sleeves, and headed to the kitchen: "I've had enough sleep, I'm full of energy! Dad, you guys rest, I'll make breakfast today, and I'll make some red date porridge for Wanqiu to help her recover!"
The kitchen was steaming, and the sweet aroma of red dates wafted out through the crack in the door.
The nanny, Aunt Wang, rushed in, wearing an apron. Her hair was still a little messy, and she looked like she had just woken up.
Seeing Zhao Wenchang stirring the casserole with a large ladle, she turned pale with fright: "Oh dear, Commander Zhao, this... why are you cooking? It's all my fault. I slept too soundly last night, and when I opened my eyes, the sun was already so high. I'm so sorry, I'll be right there, I'll be right there!"
"It's alright, Aunt Wang. I just got up too. It was just a quick thing." Zhao Wenchang was in an exceptionally good mood. He turned off the stove, picked up a bowl, and started ladling out porridge. "The porridge is just right now, and I have to keep an eye on the heat myself."
Aunt Wang breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the owner didn't blame her, and quickly went to get chopsticks to arrange the food on the plate.
The family had just settled down at the dinner table when Jiang Wanqiu slowly came downstairs.
Today she wore a beige knitted cardigan, her hair loosely tied back, her face fair and rosy, as moist as a freshly peeled lychee. But the moment her beautiful almond-shaped eyes swept over Zhao Wenchang, who was grinning foolishly while holding a bowl, they immediately turned fierce, and she glared at him fiercely.
Zhao Wenchang wasn't annoyed by his wife's glare; instead, he laughed even harder, his skin as thick as a city wall corner.
He pushed the slightly cooled jujube porridge in front of Jiang Wanqiu, then quickly peeled an egg, not minding the heat, and placed the egg white cleanly into Jiang Wanqiu's small dish.
"Wife, eat it while it's hot, it'll help you recover." Zhao Wenchang's tone was so solicitous it was almost obsequious.
Jiang Wanqiu's ears turned red, and she secretly stepped on his foot under the table before picking up an egg and eating it in small bites.
This scene was witnessed by Ma Jinhua, who was sitting in the main seat. The old lady was shrewd and experienced. With a quick glance at her grandson's smug look and her granddaughter-in-law's embarrassed and annoyed expression, she had already guessed seven or eight parts of the story.
A meaningful smile played on her lips, but she didn't point it out, pretending not to see it, and lowered her head to play with her great-grandson in her arms.
Zhao Xiaohua held a rattle drum in her hand and waved it in front of Xiao Shitou, making a "dong dong dong" sound.
"Oh my, look at this child! He's only been a few days, but he's grown so much!" Zhao Xiaohua was overjoyed and reached out to touch the child's little face. "When he was first born, he was all wrinkled and looked like a little old man, but now he's grown up and looks much fairer. Look at his eyebrows and eyes, he's practically a carbon copy of Wenchang when he was little."
Zhao Shan sat down next to him, slurped up a mouthful of porridge, and said in a simple and honest tone, "He looks like Wen Chang, but I think he has Wan Qiu's temper. This kid is shrewd. When he's hungry, he'll howl at the top of his lungs, but when he's full, he ignores everyone. He's got personality."
The family was chatting and laughing when suddenly the roar of a car engine came from outside the courtyard gate. These days, private cars are a rarity, and anyone who can drive into this compound must be someone of extraordinary status.
A short while later, the bodyguard Xiao Zhang rushed in, stood at attention, and reported, "Commander Zhao, Madam Cui has arrived outside. The car has just stopped."
Upon hearing the words "Madam Cui," Zhao Xiaohua and Zhao Shan, who were drinking porridge, froze, almost dropping their spoons.
"This...this is the leader?" Zhao Xiaohua hurriedly stood up, wiping her hands on her polyester shirt, looking flustered. "Um, should we go back inside and leave? They're a wealthy family, and we're just country folk; we shouldn't embarrass Wanqiu..."
Zhao Shan also looked nervous and subconsciously went to tidy up the table.
"What are you trying to avoid!"
Ma Jinhua slammed her cane down heavily on the floor tiles, making a crisp "thud" sound.
"We're proper in-laws, not some poor relatives coming to freeload! What's there to be ashamed of?" Ma Jinhua said in a deep voice. "Sit down, eat and drink as you please, and act like elders!"
After being yelled at by his mother, the Zhao family elders finally calmed down. Although they were still a little uneasy, at least they didn't hide inside the house.
As they were talking, the curtain was lifted, and Cui's mother, Lin Wan, walked in carrying large and small bags.
Two orderly followed behind her, their hands also full of gift boxes. Lin Wan was wearing a dark purple silk cheongsam with a cashmere shawl over it. Her hair was styled exquisitely, and her elegant and noble demeanor made the room shine.
Zhao Xiaohua held her breath in nervousness.
But Lin Wan didn't put on airs like they expected. As soon as she entered, her gaze swept over Jiang Wanqiu, and seeing that Jiang Wanqiu looked good, she smiled and quickly walked up to Ma Jinhua, extending her hand proactively.
"Sister, it's a pleasure to meet you." Lin Wan smiled gently and gracefully. "Thank you so much for raising such an outstanding grandson as Wenchang."
Ma Jinhua didn't put on airs. She stood up and shook hands with him generously, saying, "You're too kind. Come, have a seat."
Although the two women came from vastly different backgrounds—one a rural old lady and the other the wife of a high-ranking official—the atmosphere was surprisingly harmonious for the sake of their child.
After Lin Wan sat down, she asked the orderly to put her things down, and then took out a red velvet box from her bag. Inside was a set of longevity locks and bracelets made of pure gold.
The craftsmanship was so exquisite that the scales of the Qilin on the chain were clearly visible. It was golden and looked quite heavy, much heavier than the one Ma Jinhua had given her before.
"This is a gift for the baby, to bless the little one to live a long and healthy life." Lin Wan said, gesturing towards the baby's swaddling clothes.
"Oh my, why are you still wearing little girl's clothes?" Lin Wan couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh when she saw Xiao Shitou.
Jiang Wanqiu chuckled beside her, "That's a long story."
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