Zhu Nian had been staying at the Ran family's for over ten days. During this time, the Ran family had not treated her poorly. They provided food and did not assign her heavy labor. Zhu Nian silently took on tasks like sweeping, washing dishes, and caring for the pregnant woman.
She believed that the system wouldn't dare to trick her. If the baby in the woman's womb wasn't Chong Yan, it would have surely alerted her and told her to leave by now. Out of consideration for being the mother of that body, Zhu Nian was willing to take care of her.
It was the busy farming season. Although the continuous drought meant little grain could be harvested, they still had to gather what they could and then till the land for the spring planting next year.
The two elders of the Ran family worked outside. She and the pregnant woman stayed at home. The elders were a couple. The head of the Ran family, Ran Zhonghua, was sixty-two years old. He had a deceased first wife, with whom he had a son. When their son was in his thirties, he and his wife died of smallpox. He lived alone for several years. With land and a diligent nature, he had accumulated considerable grain and money. At forty, through an introduction, he married Ran's mother, who was eighteen or nineteen years younger. Within a couple of years, they had another son. Su Dan Novels.
Just as they had raised their son and he got married, before they could even see a grandchild, their son died in a well collapse. To suffer such a blow in old age, Ran Zhonghua had been silent lately. Every day, besides eating and working, he smoked his water pipe. He looked like he was in his seventies.
As Zhu Nian was contemplating these jumbled thoughts, a pained cry suddenly came from the room: "San Ya."
"What is it?"
Zhu Nian put down the broom and walked into the pregnant woman's room. The woman was sitting on the wooden bed in pain, clutching the bedsheet with both hands. "I think I'm about to give birth. Hurry and call your grandmother back."
Zhu Nian looked at her and recalled that in the storyline, she would die in childbirth. After a moment's hesitation, she turned and walked out.
Several children were playing at the entrance of the Ran family's house. Most of them wore only shorts, their bodies naked and covered in mud, looking like mud figures.
She took out a few rock candies and called out to the children, "Which of you will go to the fields and call Grandma Cui back for me? Tell her her daughter-in-law is about to give birth. Whoever goes gets candy."
Several children ran over. Seeing the rock candies in her hand, they were overjoyed and reached out to take them.
"I'll go, I'll go!"
"I'll go too!"
Zhu Nian gave them two pieces of candy first. "Go quickly. You'll each get another one when you return."
The eldest child in the lead took the candy. "We'll go now. We'll all go together and share the candy when we get back."
Rural children have their own ways. Generally, the one who acts as the leader has more authority. The children immediately ran out in a throng, heading towards the fields.
Zhu Nian turned back into the house. After some thought, she went to boil a pot of water, prepared scissors and other items, and gave the pregnant woman half a bowl of water from her space—spiritual spring water, not river water. After the woman drank it, her formerly pale complexion gradually regained some color.
"San Ya, didn't you go call your grandmother?"
"I sent someone. They should be back soon. How are you feeling?"
"No, I'm fine." The woman, with renewed energy, suddenly reached out and grabbed her clothes. "San Ya, I'm asking you, is the baby in my belly a boy or a girl?"
Zhu Nian looked at her bulging belly and said, "A boy."
Her little one.
The woman immediately smiled happily. "Yes, it must be a boy. He'll be your future husband. Do you hear?"
Zhu Nian nodded seriously.
Although raising a child was troublesome, if it was Chong Yan, she would probably enjoy it.
The woman smiled even more contentedly.
Zhu Nian fed her the entire half bowl of water. Just then, Liu Cui also returned, rushing into the house, sweating profusely. "Yan'er, how are you now? Are you about to give birth?"
"I had terrible pains earlier. San Ya gave me half a bowl of water, and I feel better now."
Liu Cui came closer to check. "I called for help when I was coming. Aunt Qiu, don't be scared. I'll go prepare the birthing supplies first. San Ya, you watch your mother."
"Okay." For now.
Liu Cui ran out, intending to boil water in the kitchen, but found that it was already boiling. Next to it, in a clean pot, were scissors, iron pieces, and clean white cloth. She carried them back to the pregnant woman's room and was quite surprised, knowing Zhu Nian had prepared these things.
"Go see if Aunt Qiu has arrived yet."
"Mhm."
Zhu Nian walked out. The group of children she had met earlier were cautiously peeking inside from the doorway. Seeing Zhu Nian approach, they all held out their hands, asking for candy.
Zhu Nian took out a handful of rock candy and distributed it to them, saying, "My brother is about to be born. This is candy to celebrate."
The children didn't quite understand.
Zhu Nian just wanted to inform them. After speaking, she saw a woman in her fifties or sixties carrying a basket walking towards them, heading straight for the Ran family's house.
Zhu Nian followed her in. When she returned to the pregnant woman's room, the woman was crying out in pain again. Ran's mother, having some experience, was constantly comforting her. Seeing Zhu Nian, she asked her to quickly get two boiled eggs for the pregnant woman.
Seeing the midwife had arrived, she immediately abandoned this idea and decided to make glutinous rice wine with boiled eggs herself.
Zhu Nian leaned by the bed and gently stroked the woman's belly.
She could already feel that Chong Yan's soul was entering this soon-to-be-born small body.
It was at this moment that the pregnant woman, who had been in so much pain she wanted to roll on the ground, suddenly stopped and gently touched her own belly.
"What's wrong?"
"It doesn't hurt as much." Although the distending pain in her lower abdomen hadn't disappeared, and labor was still difficult, the feeling of someone fighting inside her belly was completely gone.
"Oh, touch it again."
The midwife had felt earlier that the baby's position was not right and it would be difficult to deliver. But now, as she felt again, the baby's position had changed.
She looked at the child beside her in astonishment.
Zhu Nian merely kept her hand on the pregnant woman's belly, showing no reaction.
After touching it for a while, the midwife felt again, and the baby's position was completely corrected. Liu Cui brought the glutinous rice wine and eggs. After the pregnant woman ate, and rested for a bit, she began to push.
Zhu Nian should have left, but Liu Cui asked her to stay in the room and repeatedly asked her if the pregnant woman was giving birth to a boy or a girl. Zhu Nian replied with a blank expression that it was a boy. Only then did she become happy and relieved.
From noon until dusk, the child was finally born. With a cry, Zhu Nian was the first to step forward. After they confirmed it was a boy and that the Ran family's lineage would continue, she snatched the child.
It was truly a snatch. Liu Cui watched, stunned, as she steadily took the newborn infant and placed it aside, into a swaddling cloth that came from who knows where. She was speechless for a long time.
The midwife looked at her, then at Liu Cui. "This is the 'wait for a son and daughter-in-law' you bought? She's somewhat useful."