Liu Cui remained silent.
After giving birth to a son, it was natural to thank the midwife. Liu Cui packed her with over ten eggs and gave her fifty cents before seeing her out.
When she returned, Zhuo Lin was holding the baby and showing it to the new mother.
The woman's spirits were low. Her health was already poor, and if not for Zhuo Lin's half bowl of spiritual spring water and help in repositioning the fetus, she would have been gone by now.
In the original plot, she had a difficult labor, and the child was eventually delivered by C-section. This infant, orphaned from birth, had its tragic destiny sealed from the very beginning.
Out of gratitude for giving birth to Chong Yan, Zhuo Lin had saved her life, indirectly repaying the favor Chong Yan owed her.
"This baby is so small."
"He'll grow up."
The woman's face showed distress.
Liu Cui also returned and stepped forward to ask, "Is there any milk?"
The woman shook her head.
Looking at her skeletal frame, it wasn't likely she could breastfeed. Liu Cui sighed, "I'll go look at your third aunt's place. San Ya, you watch your mom and your brother, don't wander off."
Although this child wasn't going to wander off.
"Mhm."
As soon as Liu Cui left, Zhuo Lin produced a bottle and a can of formula. She prepared the milk with practiced ease. She had to thank that little rascal; while taking care of him, Zhuo Lin had learned quite a bit.
The new mother was somewhat dazed. It wasn't until she saw Zhuo Lin holding the bottle to feed the baby that she slowly came back to her senses. Her sallow face was filled with confusion, her gaze hazy as she looked at Zhuo Lin.
"Where did this come from?"
"Bought it from the peddler."
Zhuo Lin wasn't answering the question directly but was telling her what reason to give Liu Cui later.
The woman didn't seem to pay much attention. She glanced at the tiny infant in Zhuo Lin's arms, a faint smile touched her lips, and she tilted her head to the side, falling asleep.
Zhuo Lin fed the baby. Newborns weren't particularly attractive, thin and small, nothing like that cherubic, fair-skinned little darling.
After feeding the infant, she changed his diaper, swaddled him in a soft, comfortable blanket, and placed him beside the woman.
Not long after, Liu Cui returned.
Her expression was not good. Before she could say anything, she saw the milk bottle on the table.
"What is this?"
"A milk bottle," Zhuo Lin explained. "She bought it from the peddler earlier. I've already given him some, he's full."
Liu Cui first went to check on her precious grandson before looking at Zhuo Lin. "You're sensible and fortunate. Take good care of your brother; he'll be your husband in the future."
Zhuo Lin: "..."
She really didn't want to comment on the prevailing social norms. It was just that because they were outsiders, and she and Chong Yan were already a pair, and she wasn't a real child, she didn't react much to this topic.
If it were the original host, she would have been utterly bewildered.
"Why aren't you talking? Are you mute?"
"...Mhm."
If it weren't for the old lady's sharp tongue but relatively mild demeanor, Zhuo Lin would have truly rendered her mute.
"The diapers your mother prepared earlier are in the basket below. Get them out and put them on him."
"They're already on."
Liu Cui nodded with satisfaction again.
She wanted to take the baby back to raise himself, but Zhuo Lin was a bit reluctant, stating she would help take care of him. The daughter-in-law also regained consciousness and said she would pay attention. Only then did Liu Cui leave with a pout of displeasure.
Zhuo Lin was actually more annoyed.
She hadn't felt it when she lived here before, but now, holding the soft infant, seeing the hard wooden bed, she instantly didn't want to sleep.
The background was also ridiculous. If Chong Yan's identity had been that of an orphan, she could have provided him with better living conditions, rather than having to be wary of this family for everything she did.
It was truly exhausting.
A while later, Liu Cui cooked a few sweet wine eggs for her daughter-in-law. Zhuo Lin only got a small bowl of soup with rice. It was already better than what the original host's family ate, so she couldn't be bothered to be picky.
It had only been a little over ten days. Although this body was small and integrated faster, it wasn't yet at a state where she could abstain from eating. Not eating would genuinely lead to death.
Liu Cui looked at her frail daughter-in-law, considering her contribution to giving her a grandson. "Tomorrow morning, I'll kill a hen and stew it for soup. Quickly replenish your strength so the baby has milk."
"Isn't there formula?"
Liu Cui shot her a glare. "You have everything to say, don't you? Can that so-called formula compare to a mother's milk?"
Zhuo Lin was speechless again.
The woman was clearly afraid of her mother-in-law and didn't dare to retort. However, with her emaciated state, it would likely take a month or two to recover.
By then, Chong Yan, whose soul fusion was more complete, would have some self-awareness and wouldn't need breast milk like a normal infant.
Everything was proceeding according to her plan.
"Eat and rest early. San Ya, don't sleep too soundly tonight. Take care of your mother and your brother. You're not well, so call for her if you need anything. If you sleep too deeply, kick her awake. Do you hear?"
"I hear."
The old woman grumbled a few more useless instructions before clearing the bowls and leaving.
Zhuo Lin poured the woman half a bowl of water, also mixed with some spiritual spring water, planning for her to rest well. After watching her finish drinking, she gave her a packet of something.
"What is this?"
"Maternity pads. Throw them away when you're done." She had no intention of taking care of anyone other than the child.
The woman was a village girl, and from a remote area of that era. Let alone disposable sanitary pads, she had never even used sanitary napkins, only homemade menstrual cloths, which were at least monthly disposables.
Zhuo Lin wondered if she would feel awkward about it.
A girl a few years old giving her such items, and for such a... shameful purpose, her face seemed to show some embarrassment, and she didn't quite know how to use them.
Zhuo Lin patiently explained it to her, then went to boil water and prepare half a bottle of formula. Once the woman had tidied herself up, the three of them lay down on the bed together.
This wooden bed was previously occupied by Liu Cui's son and her, so it was quite wide. It was now enough for a woman and two children. She slept on the innermost side, the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes in the middle, and Zhuo Lin on the outermost side.
Having just given birth, the woman's body seemed unaccustomed to it. She woke up groggily several times during the night. The newborn baby was quiet the entire night, but the woman saw the young girl get up to feed him several times and felt somewhat apologetic.
The first night passed relatively peacefully. Even as a baby, Chong Yan was a very well-behaved child, not crying or fussing. Mainly, Zhuo Lin took meticulous care of him, waking up at the slightest stir to soothe him to sleep.
Liu Cui, likely worried, also came over twice in the middle of the night. After confirming her precious grandson was fine, she returned to her sleep.
Ran Zhonghua went to the fields early in the morning. Liu Cui got up early and killed an old hen, stewing chicken soup to nourish her daughter-in-law.
As she carried the soup in, Zhuo Lin was changing the baby's diaper. Seeing what was on it, and then seeing Zhuo Lin discard the used "diaper" directly, she immediately walked over.
"Why aren't you holding him up when he needs to go? Let him soil the diaper, and you're just throwing this away?"
"This can't be used once it's wet," Zhuo Lin patiently explained to her. "Also, very young children can't be held up like that; it can harm their legs and digestive system."
Liu Cui didn't believe her at all. "What do you know? A little kid, speaking with such conviction. What village child goes through this? Is he that precious?"
Zhuo Lin nodded. "He is that precious."