Chapter 58
Wang Jincai was very angry about Xun Yi and Shu Wanxiu's affair, but Lin Xinghua stubbornly insisted that she was not wrong.
After their unpleasant parting that day, the two remained in a cold war for a full half month.
Just after midnight, the cries of a newborn baby could be heard from the brightly lit home of Wu, the village head of Guibei Village.
The midwife wrapped the crying baby in her arms and patiently waited for the placenta to come out before washing her hands, carrying the baby out of the delivery room, and happily congratulating Wu Buzhi and Wu Zheng.
"Your family is blessed! Your daughter-in-law/daughter-in-law gave birth smoothly to a fair-skinned and beautiful baby girl."
The Wu family father and son, who had been waiting anxiously, quickly surrounded them.
The women in the family were all in the delivery room with Xun Ai, and the midwife brought the baby out to ask for a reward.
Upon hearing the midwife's auspicious words, Wu Buzhi, the head of the household, personally handed over the lucky money.
Whether the reward money is generous or not depends on how heavy it is in your hand. Wu didn't know that when he handed over this lucky money, the midwife quickly guessed the amount.
As expected of the village chief's family, this reward money is enough for her to deliver babies ten times at other homes.
The midwife became even more enthusiastic and handed the child over.
Wu Zheng, a new father, was overjoyed to see that tiny, tender little bundle of joy and crowded around the front of the baby.
"Will you hug me?"
As the midwife moved, half of the child's body was suddenly thrust into his arms.
Wu Zheng was terrified.
"No, no! I can't carry him." It was hot in the summer, and the baby wasn't wrapped up thickly.
Wu Zheng pressed his body against her arm and felt that her body was not as long as his shoulders.
The midwife gently placed the small object at his waist.
Wu Zheng's body pressed against her arm, and he could feel that she was soft and delicate, as if even her bones were not hard.
Let alone hug her, Wu Zheng didn't dare to even extend a finger, always feeling that the slightest touch would hurt her.
This is how it is for new fathers. The midwife got used to it and handed the baby over to Wu, who was now the grandfather.
This time it was taken very smoothly.
The baby was sleepy, so Wu happily held and played with him for a while, and the baby soon became sleepy.
It's hot these days, and there are many mosquitoes. Although we've been burning mosquito-repelling herbs in the yard since daytime and keeping them burning, we're still worried that they might crawl in and bite the baby.
The father and son were delighted with the child for a while, then the child was given to the midwife, who planned to take him back to Xun Ai.
Wu Zheng followed closely behind, wanting to go into the delivery room together.
Wu Buzhi and the midwife both stopped him.
“Your wife needs to rest and recuperate right now. If her husband goes in, it might make her cry and laugh. I'm afraid she might develop postpartum illnesses, which could harm her eyes and mind. I'm also afraid she might have a postpartum hemorrhage.”
Wu Zheng only decided to go and see her because he cared about his wife; he didn't intend to harm her.
Since the midwife made it sound so serious, he naturally couldn't go back into the house.
Only the Wu father and son remained outside.
Wu Buzhi patted his somewhat round belly and instructed Wu Zheng, "Go and take a nap. In another hour or two, when it gets light, you need to go to Wupai Village to report the good news to Brother Xun Ai."
"Why!"
This is Xun Ai's first child. She went into labor early yesterday morning, but the baby was only born at this exact time.
Wu Zheng was extremely anxious in the middle of it all, but now that Xun Ai is safe and the child is safe, that's the best thing.
All other matters had been discussed in advance, so Wu Zheng didn't need to think about them anymore.
But after agreeing to his father's request, Wu Zheng was still somewhat reluctant to leave.
A father knows very well what his son is thinking.
“The midwife is right. There’s no use in you staying here. We can’t let you in. Xun Ai has been working hard all day and must be exhausted. You should at least let her rest for a few hours.”
Wu Zheng was still staring at the tightly closed door in front of him.
Wu, feeling helpless, said, "You should rest, and she should rest too. We'll come see her again before we set off to deliver the good news."
"All right."
Wu Zheng walked away, turning back every few steps.
Announcing the good news to the child's maternal grandparents was a big deal. Wu Zheng, who had been nervous all night, felt as if he had just closed his eyes when he was woken up.
Before setting off, he took a look at the maternity ward.
Although the birth had occurred more than two hours ago, and the room had been cleaned and fumigated, there was still an unavoidable smell of blood.
Thinking of the two or three basins of bright red blood that had been brought out last night, tears welled up in Wu Zheng's eyes.
There was only one lamp lit inside, and he tiptoed to the bedside.
Xun Ai was still asleep, and the child was beside her.
The mother and daughter look alike, and both are sleeping peacefully at this moment.
Wu Zheng stood by the bed for a while, almost holding his breath. Although there were still tears in his eyes, he also grinned.
...
In Wupai Village, Xun Yi woke up three times in one night.
In the past two weeks, he went to Guibei Village seven or eight times, and each time Xun Ai had not yet flared up.
He felt uneasy, but it wasn't appropriate for him to stay at the Wu family's house.
As dawn broke, he closed his eyes in bed for a while, and when he got up again, not only was it bright daylight, but he also heard someone knocking on the door.
There was a lot of noise outside.
Xun Yi frowned, then sprang out of bed without even putting on his shoes.
As soon as the door opened, Wu Zheng greeted everyone with a broad smile, "Brother-in-law! I've come to bring you good news!"
Xun Yi, who had made ample preparations for the worst, was taken aback.
Although these words sounded like heavenly music, Xun Yi still asked, "Really?"
Wu Zheng nodded firmly, "Yes! Really, really!"
Xun Yi also showed his delight.
He put on his shoes, opened the door to the main room, and called Wu Zheng and the others who had come with him to deliver the good news to sit in the main room, while he himself rushed out.
First, he went to the family he had arranged to buy eggs and had them delivered to his home. Then he continued running to Wang Jincai's house.
"Aunt Xinghua?!" he shouted loudly from outside the house.
As soon as Lin Xinghua saw him coming, she immediately put down what she was doing and came out of the house.
"How is it? Did she give birth?"
Xun Yi said that was right, "Mother and daughter are safe and sound. The people from Turtleback Village just came to report the good news. I told them to wait at my house. Please hurry up and pack your things so you can come with us later."
"Okay! I've already packed my bags, I'll just grab them and go."
This was something that had been agreed upon last time, so Lin Xinghua naturally couldn't go back on her word at this crucial moment.
Sure enough, they came out carrying their luggage a short while later.
Wang Jincai had just gone to the fields not long ago and wasn't home right now.
Lin Xinghua locked the door, hid the key behind Xun Yi's back, and left without looking back.
On the way, some villagers were curious about what they were going to do. Lin Xinghua told them the good news with a smile and said that she had been hired to take care of Xun Ai. She asked them to let her know if they saw their husbands.
The neighbor smiled and agreed, congratulating Xun Yi on becoming an uncle.
But once the others left, they gathered together and started chatting again.
"I thought Xun would ask Chen Sanhe to take care of Xun Ai during her postpartum period!"
“Who says otherwise? I’ve never seen him have much contact with Lin Xinghua before.”
Lin Xinghua didn't care what others said.
All she knew was that she had seized this opportunity to make money; nothing else mattered.
Inside the house, Wu Zheng waited for less than 15 minutes before Xun Yi returned.
He glanced at the woman standing next to Xun Yi and wondered if this was the person his brother-in-law had asked to take care of Xun Ai. She had thin lips and delicate eyebrows, and looked quite shrewd.
Xun Yi explained, "Aunt Xinghua is from this village. Xun Ai has known her for a long time and has received a lot of help from her."
Knowing that Xun Yi always spoke his mind, Wu Zheng was initially somewhat wary of Lin Xinghua's appearance, but since Xun Yi said that Xun Ai had been taken care of by her in the past, he figured that she must be a good person.
He lowered his guard and greeted Lin Xinghua with a smile, following Xun Yi's seniority.
"Hello, Aunt Xinghua."
"Yes!" Lin Xinghua responded readily, immediately praising Wu Zheng, "Auntie remembers you. I was there when you and Xun Ai got married, watching you take her away. It's been over a year since you got married, hasn't it? A new father is a different story. You look even more handsome now than when you got married!"
Wu Zheng smiled and said, "Auntie, you flatter me."
After exchanging greetings, Lin Xinghua was to go to Turtleback Village with them, while Xun Yi would wait until three days later when the Wu family held their baby's third-day celebration.
"Auntie, please take good care of Xun Ai this month." He asked anxiously.
"Don't worry, your aunt will definitely take care of her like her own daughter." Patting his arm, Lin Xinghua was the first to step out the door.
Someone carried Lin Xinghua's bundle, while others carried the clothes, blankets, and cradle that Xun Yi had prepared as a member of her family.
The group carried their belongings away in a grand procession. Xun Yi looked at the mostly empty house, feeling a sense of emptiness in his heart, just like when Xun Ai had just gotten married.
But eventually you have to get used to it.
Xun Yi tried his best to hide his joy, secretly hoping that the day of the baby's third-day celebration would come quickly.
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Author's Note: In the next chapter, the side effects of Xun Yi's guidance from Lin Xinghua will appear. Read with caution! [doge emoji]
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