The woman reminded them, "I am Aunt Liang, who lives next door to Fang Qiao. This is my son, Jin Xin."
As soon as Aunt Liang mentioned Jin Xin, Cheng Baidong remembered him.
She's Fang Qiao's childhood sweetheart.
“I know you, and I know Jin Xin. Xiao Qiao told me about him.” Cheng Baidong said with a smile, “I’m here today to announce some good news. Xiao Qiao gave birth to twin boys, and both mother and children are safe and sound.”
"Twins are great, twins are great," Aunt Liang said twice, then asked, "When are you having your wedding banquet? I'll have Jin Xin come and share in the joy, so he can give me a grandson or granddaughter soon. You don't know, his mind is completely consumed by money. All he thinks about is making money, getting married and having children. He doesn't care about anything else. He and Xiao Qiao are the same age, so he's actually half a month older than Xiao Qiao, but he doesn't even have a girlfriend yet."
Aunt Liang spoke with a smile, her tone cheerful and sincere. Cheng Baidong couldn't help but smile and replied, "It's the 10th. The address is at Heshan Pharmaceutical Factory, which is a bit far. I'll have Jin Xin go with my in-laws so he won't get lost."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Aunt Liang said, "Go and tell your in-laws the good news. You can say it anytime, so I won't hold you up now."
"good."
The three parted ways. Cheng Baidong continued walking into the alley, while behind him he heard Aunt Liang scolding Jin Xin, ordering him to bring home a wife before his birth year! Jin Xin, on the other hand, acted silly and begged for forgiveness, which was quite amusing.
Once the sounds behind them faded away, they arrived at Fang Qiao's parents' home.
The gate was open, and the courtyard was quiet.
Cheng Baidong knocked twice on the gate as a formality, walked into the yard, and asked, "Is anyone home?"
"Someone's here." Dong Ping lifted the curtain and came out of the main room, holding half a tattered glove in her hand, the other half of which had been torn into a long string.
Upon seeing Cheng Baidong, Dong Ping was taken aback for a moment, then quickly invited him into the house: "Brother-in-law, what brings you here? Did my sister give birth?"
"Yes, she gave birth to two sons, and both mother and children are safe." Cheng Bodong followed Dong Ping into the house, placed the sugar cakes he was holding on the square table in the middle of the main room, looked around but saw no one and heard any sound, and asked, "Sister-in-law, are you home alone?"
“Yes, I’m home alone now. Your older brother and younger brother have gone to work, Dad has gone to sweep the streets, and Mom went to the next alley to get the cardboard boxes to make. She’s been gone for a while, so she should be back soon.” Dong Ping poured him a glass of water: “Brother-in-law, have some water first. Don’t worry, just wait patiently. Mom will be back soon.”
Cheng Baidong took it and placed it on the table: "Thank you, sister-in-law, I'm not in a hurry."
As luck would have it, just as Cheng Baidong finished speaking, Yang Fengxia returned from outside carrying a basket of cardboard boxes.
As soon as she saw Cheng Baidong, she knew it was Fang Qiaosheng who had come to deliver the good news.
She quickly put the basket of half-finished cardboard boxes under the table, grabbed Cheng Baidong's arm, and asked, "Has Xiao Qiao given birth? When did she give birth? Is it a boy or a girl?"
Cheng Baidong's arm hurt a little from her grip, and his expression changed slightly.
Seeing through Yang Fengxia's expression, Dong Ping immediately stepped forward and pulled her hand down, saying with a smile, "Mom, don't worry, let your brother-in-law explain it to you slowly."
Cheng Baidong: "She was born around 11 p.m. on the first day of the Lunar New Year. She had twins, both boys."
"Born on the first night of the lunar month?" Yang Fengxia's expression changed upon hearing this.
Cheng Baidong nodded: "Yes, Mom. She was born around 11 p.m. on the first day of the Lunar New Year. As you know, Xiao Qiao and I are in a situation where there are few people and many children. Twins are not easy to take care of. I have been taking care of the children in the hospital and have not been able to get away. I was discharged from the hospital yesterday and came to tell you the good news today. Please forgive me."
"It's alright, as long as mother and daughter are safe. It's good that we found out a couple of days later. Xiao Qiao is lucky; she had a girl first, and then two boys, so now she has both a son and a daughter."
Yang Fengxia muttered a few words with her eyes downcast, then suddenly remembered something and said, "Today is the fourth day of the lunar new year, and these two children have been born for three days. I don't care that you're only bringing this up now, but what about the third-day bath? Is there any procedure?"
Cheng Baidong shook his head: "Mom, Xiao Qiao and I have discussed it. It's cold now, and if we don't handle it properly, the child might get sick. So we won't have the third-day celebration. We'll stick to the customs of our hometown and have a few tables of food and drinks on the 10th after delivering the rice."
“You’re in the capital, why do you have to follow the customs of your hometown? No, no, the third-day-after-birth ceremony must be held. This is an old custom passed down from our ancestors. The third-day-after-birth ceremony is the most important event in a person’s life.” Yang Fengxia shook her head: “While there’s still time, I’ll go back to Heshan Pharmaceutical Factory with you and help you with it.”
Without hesitation, Yang Fengxia immediately got to work: "Xiaoping, bring me our copper washbasin, and also find new locks, weights, incense sticks, mirrors, toothbrushes, combs, soap, towels, and so on. I'll take them to your nephews' third-day celebration."
Cheng Baidong stopped her, saying, "Mom, you don't need to bother. Xiao Qiao and I have already discussed it and decided not to go through all this trouble. Besides, I specifically asked around in the family compound, and it's cold in winter, so many people don't hold the third-day-after-birth ceremony. There's no need to make the child suffer because of some so-called custom."
"No way!" Yang Fengxia said sternly to Cheng Baidong, "You young people don't understand the importance of this matter. The child's third-day celebration must be held. This is an old custom passed down from our ancestors. It is the most important event in a person's life. If this is not done, the child will not grow up well."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Baidong's face also darkened: "Mom, rules are rules, but I don't like it when you use children as an excuse. Customs vary from place to place. In my hometown, we've never had the custom of washing children on their third day. Does that mean the people in my hometown won't grow up properly? You can't say things like that."
Seeing that Cheng Baidong was angry, Yang Fengxia could no longer be tough. She chuckled twice and said, "I admit that what I said was a bit harsh, but I did it for your own good. I was afraid that you might be unaware of the rules and break some taboos. You, as the younger generation, should understand the good intentions of us, the elders."
“What taboos? We’ve destroyed the Four Olds now, this kind of thing doesn’t apply anymore. In the new era, there are no taboos.” Cheng Baidong waved his hand: “Alright, Mom, you don’t need to say anymore. Xiao Qiao and I have already made up our minds, and we won’t change them. It’s getting late. Xiao Qiao is in her postpartum period, and my sister alone probably can’t take care of four children. I’ll be going now.”
Yang Fengxia hesitated, wanting to say something more, but Dong Ping grabbed her arm and pulled her behind her back, warning her in a low voice, "Mom, say less."
Dong Ping saw Cheng Baidong off at the gate of the courtyard and earnestly instructed him, "Brother-in-law, you're leaving now. Take care on your journey."
After seeing Cheng Baidong off, Dong Ping returned to the courtyard and saw Yang Fengxia; her face immediately fell.
"Mom, what's wrong with you today? It's a good thing that my younger sister gave birth and her husband came to tell us the good news. Whether or not they hold a baby shower is their own business. Why are you making such a fuss? And you even said that it's bad luck not to hold a baby shower? Where did you get that idea? I've never heard of it. Besides, it was very cold when my older sister gave birth to Panpan, and they didn't hold a baby shower then either. You didn't react this strongly then."
Dong Ping couldn't help but roll her eyes: "You always have to stir up trouble. Now look what's happened, you've offended people. Do you feel good about it?"
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