Chapter 587 "Hmm, it's happening again."
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In the increasingly chilly December, Jian'an City was more lively and vibrant than in previous years because of the great victory over the Japanese pirates some time ago.
On this day, the sky was overcast. Niu Sangeng got up early to ask for a day off outside the city and then hurried home.
Right now, he was carefully helping Lü Erniang towards the newly opened "Anping Medical Hall" in Jian'an City.
He held Lü Erniang's hand in his palm, which was slightly damp with sweat, but her face shone with an undeniable glow of shyness and anticipation.
Her other hand unconsciously stroked her lower abdomen, which was still flat, yet it already carried all of her and Niu Sangeng's hopes.
A few days ago, when Lü Erniang was working in the military supply workshop, she always felt tired and lethargic.
When she ate that meal of steamed buns at the supply depot, the smell of oil made her heart churn.
When the women working with her saw this, they all laughed and joked that she was probably "pregnant".
She felt uneasy yet filled with sweetness, and last night she finally couldn't resist whispering her guess in Niu Sangeng's ear.
Niu Sangeng was stunned for a long time. His rough face first showed disbelief, and then he burst into a huge, almost silly smile.
Niu Sangeng was so happy that he didn't sleep a wink all night. As soon as it was dawn, he got up and said he was going to ask for leave to accompany Lü Erniang to the clinic.
"Walk slowly and watch your step."
Niu Sangeng's voice was a few decibels higher than usual, due to nervousness.
He is now the warehouse manager of the Xuanjia Army's logistics granary. Although he is not a high-ranking official, he is in charge of more than a dozen people.
Having served as a minor official for some time, Niu Sangeng should have developed a certain air about him, but at this moment he seemed rather clueless and helpless, like a young boy.
Lu Erniang smiled and said, "I'm not that delicate."
Even so, she still slowed down as instructed.
Anping Medical Hall has a small storefront, but it is clean and tidy, with a faint medicinal fragrance in the air that makes people feel at ease.
The three people sitting in the ward were Jin Daping, Li Yueniang, and Yangzai.
The three of them have been running a clinic here for some time now. Putting aside their relationship with Li Shiyue, their medical skills alone are quite good.
Moreover, the prices of herbs on the medicine cabinet in the clinic are reasonable. In just over half a year since it opened, the local people have been coming here to see a doctor.
Niu Sangeng helped Lü Erniang wait in the hall. Lü Erniang's gaze swept across the room and she saw a familiar figure walk out from behind the curtain of the inner clinic. She was startled.
The woman, wearing a slightly worn cotton dress, was none other than Li Xiatian!
As for how Lü Erniang met Li Xiatian?
That all started with the supply depot.
Because Lu Erniang was not only quite skilled in needlework, but also had some clever ideas, she helped the manager of the military supply workshop solve a few small problems before being taken to Li Shiyue by the manager.
But Li Shiyue was too busy to personally manage everything.
After Li Shiyue met Lü Erniang and asked her a few questions, he promoted Lü Erniang to a minor steward position and sent the two of them to Li Wangchun.
Yes, after arriving in Jian'an, Li Wangchun had no way to find mountain land to grow medicinal herbs, and the midwife's skills were useless, so Li Shiyue invited him to the military supply workshop.
It's not that Li Wangchun was actually put in charge; there are already people in charge of the military supplies workshop.
Li Wangchun was merely there to "keep an eye on things" for Li Shiyue, posing as Li Shiyue's mother.
In this way, Li Wangchun, who often worked at the military supply depot, became acquainted with Lü Erniang.
After they became acquainted, Li Wangchun often invited Lü Erniang to the backyard of the governor's mansion to talk. That's how Lü Erniang got to know Zheng Meiniang, Li Qiutian, and Li Xiatian.
"Lady Li?"
Lu Erniang was somewhat surprised; she really didn't expect to meet Li Xiatian in the medical clinic.
So, Lü Erniang called out to Li Xiatian, who was whispering something to Li Yueniang behind her.
Li Xiatian looked up at the sound and saw that it was Lü Erniang. Li Xiatian was slightly taken aback, and then a smile appeared on his face: "Erniang, you've come too."
Is this your husband?
Li Xiatian's gaze fell on Lü Erniang, who was being carefully supported by Niu Sangeng, and she smiled knowingly.
Lu Erniang stood up and took Li Xiatian's hand, exclaiming in surprise, "Li Niangzi, what's wrong...?"
Lu Erniang looked at where Li Xiatian's hand was placed, her eyes questioning.
Li Xiatian's cheeks flushed slightly, and she nodded, her voice full of happiness: "Yes, I'm pregnant again."
Yes, Li Xiatian is pregnant again!
Her children with Jiang Huai, Pingping and An'an, are already three years old (by the traditional Chinese age reckoning, but actually two and a half years old). Now that she is pregnant again, she naturally feels that this is a joyous occasion.
As Lü Erniang and Li Xiatian were exchanging pleasantries and sharing their unexpected joy, the curtain of the medical clinic was lifted again.
As a gust of cold wind swept in, a man and a woman entered.
The man was tall and strong, with a dark and resolute face. He was dressed in clothes that clearly belonged to someone working in the government's salt fields. He looked travel-worn, but his spirits were high.
This man was none other than Li Shiliang, who had just returned from a rest day in the salt fields.
The woman beside him, dressed in a fine cotton dress and wrapped in a thick cloak, was beautiful; it was none other than Zhao Min.
Li Shiliang carefully protected Zhao Min, and as his gaze swept across the hall, he was somewhat surprised to see Li Xiatian.
Before Li Shiliang could even greet Li Xiatian, Zhao Min's eyes lit up and she exclaimed with delight, "Xiatian!"
Just as Li Xiatian responded to Zhao Min's call and was about to call out "Third Brother" to Li Shiliang, he heard Zhao Min, slightly embarrassed, say to Li Yueniang, who was standing behind Li Xiatian, "Yueniang, I'd like to trouble you to take a look at me. I haven't been feeling well these past few days, and I've been very sleepy."
Li Yueniang smiled and agreed, inviting them to sit down to the side.
Her gaze swept over Zhao Min, Li Xiatian, and Lü Erniang, and she understood seven or eight parts of the situation. She couldn't help but think that today was a really coincidental day.
Niu Sangeng and Li Shiliang didn't know each other, but as Lü Erniang, Li Xiatian, and Zhao Min introduced them to each other, they became acquainted.
The three women, Lü Erniang, Li Xiatian, and Zhao Min, sat together, initially somewhat reserved due to their different social statuses.
Lü Erniang was the wife of a military household member and also worked as a laborer.
Li Xiatian is Li Shiyue's older sister;
Zhao Min's husband, Li Shiliang, was addressed as "Third Brother" by Li Shiyue, and Zhao Min herself was called "Sister-in-law Min" by Li Shiyue.
However, at this moment, they were all enveloped in the same aura—a tenderness, anticipation, and slight trepidation of becoming mothers for the first time or conceiving life again.
This shared identity instantly broke down the barriers between different social classes.
Lu Erniang spoke first, her tone filled with the urge to share her joy: "I...I think I'm pregnant too. I came here today to let you see and confirm it."
Li Xiatian immediately chimed in, smiling, "I just had Yue Niang take my pulse. The three of us, what a coincidence!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Min's bright eyes flashed with great surprise and astonishment. She stroked her lower abdomen and raised her voice slightly: "My period is quite late, and I've been feeling tired and sleepy lately. At first, I didn't take it seriously and thought it was just because I was lazy in winter!"
The husband insisted that she might be pregnant and made me come to see for myself.
The three women looked at each other, their eyes filled with astonishment and excitement at the incredible coincidence.
On the same day, at the same clinic, three women came to confirm their pregnancies!
This coincidence instantly filled the small clinic with a warm and magical atmosphere.
It turned out that Li Shiliang had just returned from Yantian today. Seeing that Zhao Min was not feeling well, he immediately took her to this newly opened clinic. Unexpectedly, they ran into an acquaintance here.
Soon, Li Yueniang called Lü Erniang into the inner room.
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