Chapter 2: Bliss

Chapter 2

In the delivery room, the three women who were helping with the birth were so shocked by this strange scene that they nearly fell to the ground. Nnêw n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com

It was not until they heard the crying of the newborn baby that they finally managed to calm themselves down a bit, and started to clean up the child and the mother who had just given birth.

When they saw that there was no little penis between the baby's legs, the mother-in-law and daughters-in-law were all stunned, and a tide of wild joy rose in their hearts at the same time.

Eldest Sister-in-Law Lin happily cheered, "Ancestors be praised! It's actually a baby girl. Mother, congratulations on having a granddaughter."

Second Sister-in-Law Zhu was also overjoyed, "This is great, our family finally has a girl, we are no longer a monastery of monks."

Old Lady Hu was so happy that tears came out, "Good, very good. My old lady finally has a granddaughter, my old Jiang family finally has a granddaughter."

Then she hurriedly turned around and shouted to the exhausted third daughter-in-law, "The third son's family, did you hear that? It's a baby girl, a baby girl! Our Jiang family finally has a baby girl, you are the great contributor to our old Jiang family!"

When Lu heard this, she uttered an exhausted and hoarse voice, "How wonderful!" With a smile on the corners of her mouth, she fell asleep peacefully.

The few women skillfully cleaned the baby, tied the umbilical cord, and wrapped her in soft swaddling clothes.

Second Sister-in-Law Zhu gently flipped the edge of the swaddling clothes, looked at the child and said softly, "The children in our family are so beautiful, as white as snow and as delicate as water. I have never seen a newborn from any other family that is as delicate as this one. Don't you think there is a red lotus flower in the middle of the child's forehead?"

Eldest Sister-in-Law Lin picked up the conversation, "It looks like the lotus flower in the golden light just now."

Old Lady Hu lovingly reached out and gently touched the mark on the child's forehead. Her voice was somewhat ethereal, "I wonder which immortal family sent her to be born in our family. This is a blessing for our family. Let's take the child out for the men to see, be careful."

Lin responded and carefully wrapped the child again before carrying her out the door.

As soon as the door opened, the crowd of people waiting outside swarmed over.

In the expectant eyes of everyone, Lin couldn't restrain the smile on her face and announced in a loud voice, "It's a girl!"

Everyone was stunned again.

Old Jiang was the first to react. He pushed his annoying sons aside and stared with eyes as big as bull's eyes.

"Eldest daughter-in-law, what did you say? Say it again!"

Lin happily repeated, "It's a baby girl, Father! Congratulations on having a granddaughter!"

"A girl. A granddaughter. I have a granddaughter?" Old Jiang was overjoyed and silly.

"Yes, absolutely!"

The old man trembled as he stretched out his hands, wanting to hold the child.

But then he hesitated, scrubbed hard on his clothes, before gently and carefully taking the gray-blue swaddling clothes.

The little girl in the wraps had smooth and tender skin unlike any other newborn. Her delicate little eyebrows, big eyes, small nose, and tiny mouth were all exquisite.

The most eye-catching was the bright red lotus flower birthmark on her forehead, so vivid it was as if it was alive. It was as beautiful as could be.

At this moment, she opened her big black eyes and looked straight at him.

Old Jiang's heart instantly melted. Tears of joy fell one by one on the swaddling clothes, seeping into them along with his elation.

At this time, the child's father had lost his usual gentlemanly manners, laughing like an idiot.

He kept repeating, "I have a daughter, I have a daughter!" Looking so silly it was unbearable to watch.

But no one laughed at him now, because everyone was just as silly.

After the silly father laughed like this for a while, he suddenly remembered that he hadn't held his daughter yet. He hurriedly begged the old father with an apologetic smile, "Dad, let me hold my daughter, please."

Old Jiang ruthlessly shoved him away, "Go away, I haven't held enough yet. She is my precious granddaughter. My darling, grandfather's heart and liver."

The others also came back to their senses one after another and swarmed around to see the child. Surprisingly, no one snatched her.

Firstly because they were afraid of scaring the child, and secondly, they couldn't compete with the family patriarch.

Just like Old Jiang, when the Jiang family saw the child, their hearts melted.

They just felt that there could be no more beautiful baby in the world, and such a baby was their own. Just thinking about it made them feel wonderful.

After all she was a newborn who couldn't stand the wind. After a short while, Lin took the child back into the room under the reluctant gazes of the men.

With the child out of sight, the men in the yard also calmed down.

Old Jiang held up the lantern and looked at the strange scene in the courtyard, his expression complicated.

As for the children, there was no need to mention them. Little kids had loose lips and who knows when they might let something slip, inviting trouble.

And so the family came to an agreement.

After the heavy rains. The news that Old Jiang's third daughter-in-law had given birth to a little girl soon spread throughout the entire village.

At that time, where the golden sun first rose in the east, golden red rays filled half the sky, like an unfolding phoenix gliding about, radiance spilling over, the sight lingering for a long time, too beautiful to take in fully.

Naturally such a wondrous scene drew gasps of amazement from the people.

It was rare that the entire Jiang Clan of Xijin ferry was not busy working the fields, but instead everyone was running over to Old Jiang's house, each carrying something or other in hand.

Even the "Iron Rooster", Third Uncle's family, who had that nickname in the clan, unusually brought over ten eggs and two catties of millet, saying it was for the new mother to have congee to drink.

Too many clan members came to see the child. Old Lady Hu warmly welcomed them along with her two daughters-in-law, Lin and Zhu.

Since the child had just been born, and the daughter-in-law was still in her postpartum month, she could not be exposed to wind, so only several esteemed elderly women and mothers-in-law of the clan were allowed into the room to see the child.

Seeing the red lotus mark between the child's brows, and the jade-like snowy cuteness, it truly delighted the old ladies.

Old Lady Hu also put out word that when the child reached one month old, she would treat the whole village to a feast.

Only then did the clan members leave, satisfied.

The boisterous day finally passed.

Taking stock that night of all the gifts the clan had brought, even those who had prepared themselves, the mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law couldn't help but smack their lips.

Just the eggs alone numbered over 170, filling up one large bamboo basket.

There were also 17 chickens, 5 ducks, 3 wild rabbits, over 20 fish, several bolts of floral cloth, several large jars of preserved vegetables, over 10 catties of rice, flour, brown sugar and other assorted items, a massive pile.

Old Lady Hu said: "The fresh vegetables can't be kept, leave some out to cut up and make pancakes to eat tomorrow morning.

Also leave some of the preserved vegetables, distribute the rest to the neighbors on either side.

As for the eggs we can keep, store them away first, raise the chickens and ducks for now, for the third daughter-in-law to eat to help her milk come down.

She paused, then said to the two daughters-in-law: "Don't think I'm playing favorites.

The third daughter-in-law has given birth to the only girl of our Jiang family across so many generations, so this old woman is happy in her heart.

Let's see who still dares mock our Old Jiang family behind our backs in future, laughing that our clan is a monastery."

Lin was a candid woman. Hearing this, she laughed: "Mother, I'm not jealous.

Earlier, when my fourth son fell ill, it used up all the silver money in the household, resulting in the third sister going through her entire pregnancy unable to even touch any rich food.

Yet third sister not only didn't resent this, she even secretly took out her own dowry money to pay for medical treatment for the fourth son. This is all etched in my heart.

Now she has given birth to the precious darling of our household, I'm so happy I can hardly stand it, how could I be upset over this with her?"

Zhu also said: "Eldest sister-in-law is right. I'm a dummy, I don't know how to say fancy words.

I only know that the clothes on my three rascals are all made by third sister.

That year when my youngest had a high fever in the middle of the night, it was third sister who carried him on her back and walked over ten li to find a doctor before he could be saved.

Without third sister, I might not even have my youngest anymore. Mother, I will remember her kindness for the rest of my life!"

That year, Old Lady Hu's elder brother, who was the third brothers' uncle, passed away.

According to custom, apart from the expectant Lu, and the third son Jiang Yuhu and fourth son Jiang Yuhai whose zodiac signs conflicted with the deceased, the rest of the Jiang family members all went to Old Lady Hu's parental home for the funeral.

By coincidence, that day Jiang Yuhu had been playing in water.

Afraid of being scolded by the adults, he didn't dare mention it when he got home, only secretly changed his clothes. As a result he caught a chill and suddenly developed a high fever in the middle of the night, even muttering deliriously at one point.

This scared Lu out of her wits. To make things worse, she was the only adult left in the household.

Afraid something untoward would happen to the child from his fever, Lu steeled herself despite being over six months pregnant. She carried the sick Jiang Yuhu on her back and walked over ten li to the town to find a doctor.

The doctor was also shocked to see Lu, bluntly calling her gutsy.

Fortunately both little Jiang Yuhu and the child in her belly were fine. Two days later when Zhu returned and heard about this, she broke down in tears while holding Lu.

Previously she had looked down on this delicate third sister-in-law, but after that incident she truly treated Lu as her own sister.