Chapter 52
Gu Xi was fascinated by the bicycle for several days.
Every morning, before the sun gets too strong, she would ride her bicycle around the open space in the residential compound a couple of times to enjoy herself.
This was the only bicycle that belonged to her in two lifetimes, and it was hard not to be happy.
Although I've seen various modes of transportation from the future, some even better than bicycles, those won't be around for a long time.
Bicycles these days are pretty good. Owning a bicycle is something many people envy, and some might even grumble, saying that she doesn't need to go to work, so buying a bicycle is a waste.
At this time of day, people in the residential compound are either at work or school, or if they're not, they're usually busy with housework. There are very few people outside, and not many people see her riding her bicycle.
If someone saw her, Gu Xi would stop and greet them, saying, "I just learned to ride a bicycle, so I'm not very familiar with it yet. I'll practice more while I have some free time."
Whether it was an excuse or not, everyone laughed and chimed in with a few words.
As for what they might say behind her back, that's none of her business. As long as they don't say it in front of her, she'll pretend she doesn't know.
However, after riding for only a few days, Gu Xi stopped riding her bicycle.
That afternoon, when she woke up from her nap, she noticed something was wrong with her lower body. When she went to the toilet, she looked down and saw faint bloodstains on her pants, and immediately realized that her period had started.
Gu Xi was stunned for a moment, then looked as if she were facing a formidable enemy.
If there's one thing she can't bear most in both her lives, it's the unbearable pain of her period. It's something that can't be endured by willpower alone. Every time it comes, it completely breaks her down, leaving her lying in bed like a corpse.
They are practically lifelong enemies!
The arrival of her period made Gu Xi feel very bad.
She first went to find a cloth menstrual belt to tie on, made herself a cup of brown sugar water, sat quietly until it was almost time, and then went to cook rice.
Today is my first day here, so I'm not really affected, but it still affects my mood quite a bit.
-
Shen Mingzheng came home a little late today.
When I got home, I smelled the aroma of food in the air and knew that Gu Xi was cooking dinner.
Sometimes I eat a big lunch and then just cook some noodles for dinner. Other times I'll cook something more elaborate, it all depends on my mood.
Shen Mingzheng washed his hands and went into the kitchen. Seeing her cooking, he went over to help and asked, "Is there anything else to cook?"
"That's all," Gu Xi said. "Once this vegetable dish is cooked, we can eat! Big brother, go get your rice first."
After Shen Mingzheng finished serving the rice, Gu Xi also brought the stir-fried vegetables to the table, and the two sat down to eat.
During the meal, Shen Mingzheng could clearly sense that she was not very interested, looked somewhat listless, and ate very slowly.
He was somewhat puzzled.
These past few days, because she has a bicycle that belongs to her, she has been in high spirits every day. She cherishes her bicycle very much. Every day after riding it out, she takes a cloth to wipe the dust off it. At night, she will also push it into the empty room next to the kitchen, for fear that the dew at night will wet it.
"Xixi, what's wrong?" Shen Mingzheng asked, his gaze sweeping over her.
Gu Xi glanced at him and casually replied, "It's nothing."
I really don't want to bring up the topic of my period at this time. Besides being embarrassed to talk to him, I also want to avoid it for a while.
Shen Mingzheng couldn't get any information out of her, so he gave up, but he was still trying to figure out why she was in a bad mood.
After dinner, Shen Mingzheng went to wash the dishes, while Gu Xi made herself a cup of brown sugar water and sat there drinking it, still looking listless.
She knew that it was best to drink brown sugar water when her period came, and that drinking something sweet could also improve her mood.
Shen Mingzheng put the washed dishes into the basket, wiped the water off his hands with a towel, walked over to Gu Xi, and saw her drinking brown sugar water, which made him even more puzzled.
It's not that she can't drink brown sugar water, but rather that she rarely drinks it.
She has brown sugar at home, but she only uses it to make certain sweet dishes and never touches it at other times, let alone brews it for drinking.
Shen Mingzheng sat down next to her, placed his hands on his knees, and stared at her with his peach blossom eyes, which were very similar to Feng Min's. His voice was gentle: "Xixi, what's wrong?"
Gu Xi swallowed the brown sugar water in her mouth, pouted and said, "Big brother, my... period has started."
Shen Mingzheng was stunned for a moment before realizing what "menstruation" meant, and finally understood why she was drinking brown sugar water.
He asked with concern, "Are you feeling very unwell?"
Last time he went to the military hospital, his great-aunt told him a lot about things women should pay attention to when they have their periods. He wrote them down carefully. But since they got married, this is her first period, and he doesn't know how she will react.
However, it is generally understood that women are not feeling well at this time and need to be careful.
Gu Xi said, "I just arrived today, and I'm not feeling unwell right now, but starting tomorrow..."
Thinking about the reactions on the second and third days of her period, she felt a little deflated and suddenly missed the feeling of being a ghost, at least back then her period didn't bother her.
Shen Mingzheng became worried, and after thinking for a moment, asked, "When was the last time you had your period?"
"Uh...it seems like it was three months ago," Gu Xi said uncertainly.
Shen Mingzheng was taken aback. "Three months ago? Isn't it every month...?" Could he have misremembered? Don't women have their periods every month?
Gu Xi said frankly, "Everyone's situation is different. I didn't take good care of my health before, and I was malnourished. I didn't come until I was eighteen years old, and I only came once every two to three months."
This is quite common. Many girls in rural areas don't eat well and don't get enough nutrition from a young age, so they only start menstruating as adults, and each time they do, it's a long time apart.
Some even come only once every six months.
Of course, this is relatively rare; most people come every month at a fixed time.
Since her rebirth, she has never had her period, which has made her almost forget what it feels like to have her period.
I suddenly found out my period started today, and I'm in a really bad mood. Some bad memories from my past life are starting to attack me.
After hearing her explanation, Shen Mingzheng understood perfectly.
He pulled her into his arms, feeling how soft and delicate she was, as if he could completely hold her close. Thinking of the suffering she endured after being switched at birth, he couldn't help but feel sorry for her. He understood why his mother was so worried about her and always concerned for her.
Because Aunt Flo had started her period, they didn't go for a walk after dinner.
When Gu Xi went to sleep at night, she lay straight on the bed with a thick cloth under her to prevent leakage and avoid soiling the mat and sheets.
Shen Mingzheng was lying on the bed, about to hug her, but she refused.
"Big brother, don't get too close to me." Gu Xi moved to the side. "If it leaks, it will stain your clothes." Menstrual belts in this era are not very good. If you sleep poorly, it is easy for them to leak and stain your clothes and bedding.
Then, as if remembering something, she added, "I don't smell good either, so don't come near me."
At night, her period flow increased, and her body odor also intensified. She could smell a strong, unpleasant bloody odor emanating from her.
Sometimes having a sensitive nose isn't good either, because it makes her feel like others can smell it too.
Shen Mingzheng remained silent for a moment, then firmly pulled her into his arms.
Since getting married, he has had his sweet and soft wife in his arms every night. He has been holding her for so long, how could he be willing to suddenly stop holding her?
He said seriously, "It's okay. If it gets dirty, I'll go do the laundry." As he spoke, he lowered his head and sniffed the side of her neck. "Besides, you don't smell bad."
"Of course I don't stink!" For some reason, she was a bit temperamental, puffing out her cheeks as she said, "It smells like blood, not stinky!"
Shen Mingzheng: "Hmm, it doesn't smell bad! I didn't smell any blood either."
She asked doubtfully, "Really?"
Shen Mingzheng noticed that she was a bit emotional lately, and he wasn't sure if it was due to the special circumstances. She made sure he couldn't smell anything coming out of her mouth, and she was finally relieved.
Gu Xi thought that it was probably because her nose was too sensitive that she could smell it, while others probably couldn't.
She hesitated for a moment, then said, "But if you don't like the smell, you should stay away from me..."
Shen Mingzheng responded verbally without hesitation. He not only hugged her but also kissed her, patted her back, and moved his hand to her stomach, finding it a little cold.
This wasn't his imagination; the temperature was indeed cooler than usual.
In the middle of the night, Gu Xi restlessly tossed and turned, waking Shen Mingzheng.
"Xixi, what's wrong?" Shen Mingzheng asked the restless person in his arms.
Gu Xi instinctively curled up, her sleep restless. Half-asleep, she heard his voice and groaned, "Big brother, my stomach hurts..."
Stomach upset?
Shen Mingzheng reached out and touched her abdomen, only to find that it was cold, as if it were ice inside. No wonder she felt a stomachache.
He reached out and rubbed her hand, but she still felt uncomfortable. Finally, remembering something, she got up and turned on the light.
"Big brother?"
When the light came on, Gu Xi woke up as well. She was still curled up, squinting at him.
Shen Mingzheng said, "You lie down, I'll go fill a hot water bottle for you and put it on your stomach."
When the package arrived from Beijing, he noticed a hot water bottle inside. He even asked her how to use it, since he rarely used such things and had no idea what they were.
Now I understand, his mother sent it to her for use in situations like this.
Shen Mingzheng got up to get the thermos, the water inside was still hot, and poured the water into the hot water bottle.
Even in summer, Gu Xi is used to drinking warm water and will fill a thermos with hot water to dilute with cooled boiled water.
After filling the hot water bottle, Shen Mingzheng placed it on her stomach to apply heat.
Gu Xi's stomach was very uncomfortable, and she couldn't fall back asleep after waking up. She lay there quietly, and when he filled a hot water bottle and placed it on her stomach, she covered the hot water bottle with both hands and continued to curl up, as if that would make her feel better.
Shen Mingzheng lay down, reached out and hugged her, placed his hand on the hot water bottle to support her, and said, "You go to sleep, I'll put the hot water bottle on for you."
Gu Xi didn't let him, muttering, "Big brother, you have to go to work tomorrow, go to sleep first, don't worry about me."
However, how could Shen Mingzheng ignore her? He insisted on holding the hot water bottle for her and told her to go to sleep first.
Perhaps the hot water bottle worked, because Gu Xi slowly fell asleep. After falling asleep, she forgot to hold the hot water bottle, and Shen Mingzheng helped her hold it up so that it didn't leave her stomach.
When the work chant sounded, Shen Mingzheng got up and found that the hot water bottle was almost cold, so he refilled it with hot water.
Gu Xi didn't sleep well that night. When he got up, she was conscious and woke up too, but she felt unwell and really didn't want to move.
As he placed the hot water bottle back on her stomach, she reached out and hugged it, whispering, "Big brother, are you going to do your morning exercises?"
He grunted in response, touched her forehead, and found his hand covered in cold sweat.
It's not Mid-Autumn Festival yet, and the weather is still a bit hot and humid. People with strong blood and energy may even sweat while sleeping at night.
She was sweating because of the hot water bottle, but the sweat was cold.
Seeing how uncomfortable she was, he couldn't help but worry. It was the first time he realized that women's periods could be so painful. No wonder his great-aunt had given him so much advice back then.
Gu Xi lay in bed, preoccupied with something, and asked, "Big brother, are your clothes dirty?"
Shen Mingzheng: "...Go to sleep."
After leaving the room, Shen Mingzheng looked at his clothes under the outside light and found that there was indeed a dirty spot on them, and he could smell the blood on them.
He took off his clothes and soaked them in water, planning to wash them again when he returned at noon.
**
Gu Xi didn't sleep well, waking up and falling asleep repeatedly until almost ten o'clock before getting up.
I couldn't get up anymore, because I had to go change my menstrual pad.
When she got up and turned to look at the cloth under her, she found that it was still dirty, not only because of her bad sleeping posture, but also because the amount of fluid the next day was too large.
Gu Xi struggled to tidy herself up, made herself a cup of brown sugar water, drank a large cup directly, and then went back to her room to lie down.
As for breakfast, she had no appetite and was too lazy to eat; she just wanted to lie in bed like a corpse.
Sure enough, in both her lives, only her period could defeat her.
At noon, Shen Mingzheng rushed home.
When he got home, he found the house quiet, so he knew Gu Xi must still be lying in her room. Sure enough, when he went into the room, she was indeed lying on the bed with her eyes closed. Her dark hair was wet with sweat and stuck to her cheeks, making her face look as pale as snow.
"Xi Xi," Shen Mingzheng called to her from the edge of the bed.
Gu Xi wasn't actually asleep. When he called her, she opened her eyes and said weakly, "Big brother, you're back."
Shen Mingzheng touched her forehead and found it covered in cold sweat again. He took a handkerchief from the side and wiped the sweat from her forehead, asking, "Are you feeling better?"
"No good." Gu Xi pouted. "The second day is the hardest." She had to get through these two days.
Shen Mingzheng didn't know how to relieve her pain, so he could only ask, "What do you want to eat?"
I don't want to eat anything!
"No, you'll feel nauseous if you don't eat. You didn't have breakfast today either." He noticed that the breakfast he had saved for her was still in the pot.
"Then I'll just have some noodle soup. I don't want anything else."
"..."
Shen Mingzheng went to the kitchen, quickly made two bowls of egg noodles, and brought them back to her room so she could eat them there.
He ate with her.
Gu Xi held chopsticks in her hand, looking somewhat dazed.
In fact, the Shen family has very strict rules. They rarely bring food back to their rooms to eat. As a child of the Shen family, he received some education from a large family under the care of the old lady of the Shen family when he was young. Later, he joined the army, and the military-style management made his behavior even more rigid.
But now, he broke his principles for her sake and actually ate with her in the room.
"Eat quickly, don't go hungry," Shen Mingzheng urged.
Gu Xi said "Oh" and glanced at him: "Actually, it's fine to eat out. There's no need to stay indoors. I'm not in postpartum confinement. I can still walk these few steps."
She's not so disabled that she can't even get out of bed; as long as she's not allowed to go out, it's fine.
Shen Mingzheng said calmly, "It's alright. It's just us at home, so we can do whatever is convenient for us."
Rules are rigid, but people are flexible.
When it was just the two of them, her health naturally took priority when she wasn't feeling well.
After lunch, Shen Mingzheng brought over a bowl of ginger and brown sugar water.
He made this ginger tea with ginger slices in it. It tastes sweet with a hint of spiciness, and you can't help but break out in a sweat after drinking it.
Gu Xi was somewhat surprised, "You can even make ginger and brown sugar water?"
“My great-aunt said drinking this can relieve the discomfort.” Shen Mingzheng then asked, “How are you feeling now? Are you feeling better?”
Gu Xi honestly said, "I still feel unwell and just want to lie down."
Shen Mingzheng: "Then lie down."
Shen Mingzheng told her to lie down while he boiled water, filled a hot water bottle for her, and also filled a thermos with boiling water for later use.
When it was almost time, he went out to work, while Gu Xi continued to lie at home.
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