Chapter 114 Pregnancy
Xiangbei hired someone to build a small warehouse in the northwest corner of his home in Yuanhou Village, where all the cigarettes shipped from the farm by truck were temporarily stored.
Although he is no longer the director of Xiufengshan Farm, his influence in the north remains. In particular, the tobacco factory director Gao Deshun had a very close relationship with Xiangbei. He always purchased goods on credit and paid after the goods were sold.
In this way, cost pressure is reduced and it can almost be said to be a cost-free business.
We have a warehouse, but we still lack a storefront for external communication.
There is a row of old storefronts next to the west gate of the school. It was originally the school’s mailroom, responsible for distributing letters and newspapers.
Tao Shouxin came forward to discuss with the school leaders and separated out a small room of six square meters, put a glass counter in it, and displayed several types of cigarettes produced by the Xiufengshan Cigarette Factory.
Since then, Xiangbei’s cigarette wholesale department has been set up in this small shop.
Tao Shouxin originally thought it was just a small business, but he didn't expect Xiangbei to show excellent sales ability. Not only did half of the tobacco, alcohol and grocery stores in Jiangcheng start selling Xiufeng brand cigarettes, but even the largest department store in Jiangcheng started selling them, and the business grew bigger and bigger.
Xiangbei even got inspiration from the small matter that Tao Nanfeng mentioned about Fan Yajun smoking, and asked the cigarette factory to start producing thinner and more exquisite women's cigarettes, which filled the gap in the market and were sold out as soon as they were on the market.
We purchase goods directly from Xiufengshan Cigarette Factory in the north, with sufficient supply and guaranteed quality. The daily incoming and outgoing goods volume is so huge that some grocery store owners and shopping mall buyers cannot wait and come to the store to urge for the goods.
After deducting the factory price and shipping costs, I make two cents on a box of cigarettes.
If we ship one hundred boxes a day, we can make a profit of twenty yuan, which means six hundred yuan a month.
Tao Shouxin had felt that Xiangbei had been wronged before, but now seeing that Xiangbei was making a lot of money, he was a little scared and only said: "Keep a low profile, keep a low profile."
Xiangbei naturally knew the principle of making a fortune in silence. He dressed simply, deposited all the money he earned into the bank, and handed the passbook to Tao Nanfeng: "We don't have much to spend money on right now, so you keep it for now."
Tao Nanfeng was shocked when he saw the amount on the passbook: "Aren't you doing wholesale? How do you make so much money!"
Xiangbei smiled calmly: "Small profits but quick turnover. If it weren't for the newspapers talking about emancipating the mind, I wouldn't dare to open a cigarette wholesale store."
The first semester ended successfully. Tao Nanfeng immersed herself in studying and taking exams, and had no time to take care of other things. She didn't even notice that her period was delayed by half a month.
But Liang Yinzhen noticed it. She was a very gentle mother. Every week before Tao Nanfeng's period, she would stew red dates and black chicken soup for her to drink. She never let her touch cold water during the period because girls' constitutions were the weakest at this time and they needed to be well taken care of.
Tao Nanfeng's dates were usually very accurate, but in January 1979, they were delayed.
Liang Yinzhen started to grumble from the third day of the postponement, but she was not sure. After all, Tao Nanfeng is reading and taking exams every day, and sometimes excessive thinking can affect her menstrual cycle.
After finally finishing the exam, Liang Yinzhen knew that Tao Nanfeng liked to eat fish, so she specially braised a big bream with red pepper, green pepper and Sichuan pepper, which was colorful and fragrant.
As soon as he picked up a piece of fish with chopsticks, Tao Nanfeng smelled a faint fishy smell coming from his nose. Suddenly, he felt a tightness in his chest and nausea in his throat.
She frowned and kept silent.
Xiangbei saw that her face was not right, so he held her shoulders and whispered, "What's wrong?"
Tao Nanfeng waved his hands, signaling him not to speak, quickly stood up, walked to the eaves and retched.
Since he had supernatural powers to protect his body, Tao Nanfeng has been in good health and has never been sick.
Seeing her like this, Xiang Bei stood up in a hurry and ran to Tao Nanfeng. He held her forehead with one hand and gently patted her back with the other hand, looking anxious: "What's wrong? Is your stomach upset?"
Liang Yinzhen has given birth to three children and is very experienced. Seeing Tao Nanfeng retching, he immediately put down his chopsticks, walked quickly to Tao Nanfeng, and asked, "Your period is half a month late, are you pregnant?"
Tao Nanfeng was a little confused: Ah, I’m pregnant? Going to be a mother?
Xiangbei picked up Tao Nanfeng, and Liang Yinzhen shouted at the side: "Don't move, don't move, put Nanfeng down first!"
Xiangbei laughed and put Tao Nanfeng steadily on the ground, his eyes shining brightly: "Nanfeng, is this true? I'm going to be a father?"
Xiang Yongfu rubbed his hands aside and reminded: "You should go to the hospital for a check-up, so as not to be disappointed."
Liang Yinzhen turned around and slapped him, scolding him: "You really don't know how to talk! Nanfeng is in good health, she and Xiangbei are young, it's normal for them to get pregnant after being married for so long."
Tao Shouxin sat at the table without moving. He looked calm, but his trembling hands revealed his excitement.
"Don't panic, eat first and then go. No one is working in the hospital laboratory at this time of day."
Seeing that Tao Nanfeng was afraid of the fishy smell, Liang Yinzhen hurriedly took the fish off the table and picked some light and delicious dishes for her to eat. Tao Nanfeng took a few mouthfuls of rice and felt full, so he refused to eat any more.
Everyone's heart was filled with anticipation. Looking north, Tao Nanfeng put down his chopsticks and then stood up: "Shall we go to the hospital?"
The school hospital was unable to diagnose early pregnancy, so the whole family went to the Provincial People’s Hospital.
When the blood test results came out, Liang Yinzhen and Xiang Yongfu couldn't stop smiling when they heard the doctor say, "Congratulations, you're pregnant."
Under the huge impact of joy, Xiang Bei actually felt his eyes warm. He hugged Tao Nanfeng tightly, his voice choked with sobs: "Thank you, thank you!"
Originally, I wanted to wait until Nanfeng graduated from graduate school before having a child, so I specially got contraceptives from Xiangbei. But since he returned to Jiangcheng, Tao Nanfeng no longer allowed him to use condoms.
She still had to study, but she was willing to endure the pain of pregnancy and childbirth for the sake of her studies. How could Xiang Bei not be moved?
Tao Nanfeng smiled: "What are you thanking me for? This is my child too."
Xiang Yongfu smiled innocently and looked at Tao Shouxin: "My dear relatives, we agreed that the first child's surname will be Tao."
Tao Shouxin shook his head: "No, no, just the surname Xiang."
Liang Yinzhen and Xiang Bei said in unison: "The surname is Tao." It was agreed upon when the marriage was proposed that, regardless of the boy or girl, the first one would have the surname Tao and the second one would have the surname Xiang.
Seeing the family so busy, the doctor coughed and reminded them, "If you have nothing to do, go home. I still have patients to see here."
The discussion of what the child's surname should be moved from the hospital to the main hall in the village behind the hospital.
Tao Shouxin originally thought it would be nice to have a granddaughter with the last name Tao, but now seeing Tao Nanfeng suffering from morning sickness and retching under the eaves, he felt so distressed.
After Xiangbei resigned and came back, he said to Tao Nanfeng, "If someone respects me one foot, I will respect him ten feet. Xiangbei loves you and is willing to fight for you from scratch, but you also have to understand that he is over 30 and has no children, so you should hurry up and get pregnant and have a baby."
Now that Tao Nanfeng is really pregnant, Tao Shouxin has a new idea in his mind: "The country is now promoting and advocating family planning, and it is better to have only one child. My opinion is to have only one child, and the surname is Xiang."
In ancient times, giving birth for women was like walking through the gates of hell. Although modern medicine has advanced, it still consumes a lot of Tao Nanfeng's energy. Ten months of pregnancy, one day of delivery, and one year of breastfeeding, Tao Nanfeng will have at least two years of hardship.
Tao Shouxin was reluctant to let his daughter suffer this, so he said firmly: "You don't have to take my last name. I just hope you agree to have only one child, no matter if it's a boy or a girl."
Xiangbei answered straightforwardly: "Okay! We will only have one child."
Liang Yinzhen was a little hesitant: "More children means more blessings. Our family only has one child. Having more will make the family more lively."
Xiangbei looked at his mother and said, "Mom, Nanfeng is still studying. She is busy with study and work. How can she have so much time to have a baby?"
Liang Yinzhen said hastily, "I'll take care of it. I'll take care of it. Don't worry about it, Nanfeng."
Xiangbei said: "Pregnancy, childbirth, confinement, breastfeeding, you can't help with these, right?"
Xiang Yongfu showed his manliness at this time and said loudly: "I understand your feelings, so let's just have one child."
Liang Yinzhen wanted to say something else, but Xiang Yongfu pulled her back and signaled her not to speak anymore.
Only then did Tao Shouxin feel relieved.
The family began discussing what the child should be named.
This time, everyone looked at Tao Shouxin.
Xiang Yongfu said, "My dear relative, you are well-educated, so I will leave the task of naming the child to you."
Two days later, Tao Shouxin took out a piece of paper filled with names and circled one of them. Everyone said, "Okay! That's the name."
To Tao Ran.
Whether it is a boy or a girl, Xiang Bei and Tao Nanfeng’s children are named Xiang Taoran.
Taoran originally means joy and happiness.
Xiang Taoran, the surname Tao is hidden in his name, perfect.
Tao Shouxin said to his daughter, "The first semester of the first year of graduate school is over. You can attend classes and take exams as usual when the second semester starts. It won't affect your studies. The worst time for you is during the summer vacation. You can rest at home."
The due date is in early October. After you have given birth and finished the confinement period, you can still take the exams for the first semester of your second year of graduate school. Xiangbei is at home now, your parents-in-law can help take care of the children, and you can graduate normally, it’s okay. ”
Tao Nanfeng pondered for a moment and said, "Then... I may need to study on my own for the second year of graduate school."
Tao Shouxin nodded: "It doesn't matter, I'm here."
I felt a little dizzy when walking northwards during this period, and it felt like I was dreaming.
At the age of 30, I finally have a child of my own blood. Fortunately, I resigned and came to Jiangcheng, so I could be with Nanfeng and watch the child being born.
The whole family had a common expectation and regarded Tao Nanfeng as a key protected person, wishing they could keep an eye on him 24 hours a day. Liang Yinzhen tried her best to make delicious and nutritious meals.
Happy times always pass faster and faster. In the blink of an eye, it was May 1979, and the staff dormitory building of Jiangcheng Towel Factory was topped off and was ready for final acceptance.
Led by the towel factory's infrastructure factory, leaders from the design institute, infrastructure team, and construction management department were invited to the scene. Tao Nanfeng is five months pregnant. She is wearing a loose maternity dress, but her figure is still slim. From the back, you can't tell that she is pregnant at all.
When Fan Yajun saw her, she exclaimed, "Ah!" and pointed at her belly, "You...you've gained weight!"
Tao Nanfeng pursed her lips and smiled, holding her fingers, and whispered in her ear: "I'm pregnant."
Fan Yajun didn't know how to describe her feelings.
She always thought that Tao Nanfeng was unmarried like her and had a strong sense of career, and that after graduating from graduate school, she would devote herself to the construction industry and become a leading female figure. Suddenly seeing that Tao Nanfeng was going to get married and have children just like ordinary women, I felt inexplicably disappointed.
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