Chapter 468: Chapter 464: Little One_1
“Yingbao! Yingbao! Wake up!”
Through a fog of drowsiness, Yingbao thought she heard someone calling her.
After a herculean effort to open her eyes, she saw herself nestled in Wei Zhan’s arms, his tears dripping slowly on her face.
“Wei Zhan, what are you doing?” She had only fallen asleep, why was he crying?
Wei Zhan froze, looking down to see Yingbao awake, he was the very image of elation. “My lady, you are finally awake…”
He carefully laid his wife down, rose out of bed, carefully surveyed her, “Are you hungry? Would you like to wash up?”
My lady had been unconscious for two days. Even the doctor could not figure out why, he only suspected that she had fainted.
Yet, no matter how the doctor tried to jolt her to consciousness, she had not awakened, and it had terrified him.
Yingbao sat up slowly, seeing Wei Zhan’s unshaven face, his complexion haggard, she couldn’t help but wonder, “How long have I slept for?”
“Two days.” The memory of those two agonising days brought tears to Wei Zhan’s eyes.
Yingbao thought: No wonder her whole body was stiff, she had actually been asleep for two days.
She looked around “Where is the baby I gave birth to?”
Wei Zhan crouched down to help Yingbao put on her shoes, “In the next room. Don’t worry. The child is being looked after by your mother and a nurse. They’re doing great.”
Yingbao nodded, touched Wei Zhan’s uncombed head, and asked, “Why don’t you brush your hair?”
“No time.” Wei Zhan helped Yingbao up, and led her to the privy in the adjoining room.
Yingbao pushed him out: “Let Magnolia and the others help me. You shouldn’t stay here and watch me like this.” Even though they were husband and wife, some matters were still better done privately.
Wei Zhan scratched his head, then went to call Magnolia and Xinghua to assist Yingbao while he went to the room next door to cradle his baby daughter.
Upon hearing his son calling out for the maids, Lady Wang promptly asked, “Is Yingbao awake?”
“Yes.” Wei Zhan cradled the sleeping baby in his arms, “I’m going to show her our daughter.”
“Then you be careful.” Lady Wang tended to her granddaughter anxiously, “Is there anything wrong with Yingbao? Can she move around?”
Wei Zhan nodded: “She moved to the privy a while ago. She seems alright to me.”
Carrying the baby back to the main room, he placed her on the bed.
The infant was rosy and peaceful, fast asleep. Her long eyelashes, her nose, and her mouth all bore a striking resemblance to Yingbao.
Wei Zhan looked at his daughter, an unconscious smile of fatherly affection spreading across his face.
Lady Wang also came in, noting the absence of Yingbao, she figured she was still in the privy. She quickly instructed the maids to prepare hot water for her daughter-in-law’s bathing, and sent word to the kitchen to cook her some food.
“Tell them to prepare something light, less oil and salt.” She had already given a list of meals to the kitchen, asking the cook to prepare a variety of special meals for the new mother. But her daughter-in-law had been unconscious for two days, which had terrified her.
The maid acknowledged her orders and soon returned with hot water, which she took to the washroom.
Once Yingbao had freshened up and changed her clothes, she emerged to see her mother-in-law and immediately curtsied in respect, “Mother, I’m sorry to have worried you.”
Lady Wang quickly helped her up, “You lie down and rest now, our baby is on the bed, be careful not to knock her.”
Yingbao nodded, laid back down in bed and turned to see her tiny baby by her pillow. She was awestruck.
This was the child she had given birth to.
Wei Zhan gently lifted the baby girl up, showing her little face to Yingbao, “Who do you think she looks like?”
Yingbao studied the face for a while but couldn’t see any resemblance.
The tiny, glowing face that was even smaller than her palm, looked nothing more like a little monkey. It was an odd sight to behold.
Yet her heart was strangely drawn to this little creature. It was a feeling that was both foreign and warm at the same time.
Magnolia brought in the boiled water, “Commandery Princess, the tea is ready, please have some.”
“Give it to me.” Wei Zhan took the tea bowl, propped up his lady’s head with one hand, and fed her the tea with the other.
After drinking the water, Yingbao laid back down and turned her head to look at the baby.
She suddenly thought, shouldn’t she be breastfeeding her? But it seems like she has no milk.
At that moment, the baby turned her head and whimpered softly, her mouth constantly moving as if she was looking for food.
The Madam leaned over and said to Yingbao, “You try feeding her.”
Yingbao: …
Madam Wang saw her daughter-in-law’s dilemma, she sent her son out, and then taught Yingbao personally how to breastfeed her child.
But after a long effort, the baby didn’t get to eat anything, and she cried out of hunger.
Left with no other choice, Madam Wang had to call the wet nurse over.
The wet nurse skillfully undid the front of her clothes and fed the baby.
Madam Wang sighed and said to Yingbao, “In the past two days you were sleeping, you couldn’t even swallow a drop of water, your milk probably dried up. If that’s the case, you might as well let the wet nurse feed her. Don’t worry, the wet nurse just gave birth a month earlier than us, her milk is still fresh. It’s not a big deal if you don’t breastfeed.”
Yingbao looked guiltily towards her baby girl, “Shall I try eating something to stimulate milk production?”
Madam Wang: “You just woke up, focus on recovering first, what if you hurt yourself by taking the milk production stimulant?”
Many women carelessly ate food to stimulate milk production, but ended up with a breast abscess, the pain was unbearable.
It was good that her daughter-in-law did not have milk, they had a wet nurse in the house, there was absolutely no need for her to breastfeed.
Moreover, women who don’t breastfeed tend to resume their periods very quickly. Their bodies recover in half a year, and they can conceive again after a year.
Just as Madam Wang was taking delight in these thoughts, Wumei ran in.
He had just finished school and rushed to see Yingbao.
“Auntie! You’re awake!” Wumei saw Yingbao leaning against the bed and excitedly exclaimed, “Auntie, do you want to eat candy-coated hawthorn fruit? I’ll go get it.”
Today Brother Fanzhi gave him and Brother Jiang Bao each a shiny red candy-coated hawthorn fruit, bought from the market. He had only eaten two, and saved the other four for his aunt.
Yingbao gave him a friendly smile: “Wumei, you eat it, auntie can’t eat it for the time being.”
Wumei was a bit disappointed he laid on the bed observing the baby who had just finished breastfeeding, he even stretched out his little hand to touch the baby’s cheek, it’s so soft.
“Why is she so small? And why is she always sleeping?” Wumei asked curiously.
Yingbao: “You were like this when you were small.”
Wumei didn’t quite understand, but that didn’t stop him from doting on this tiny being.
“Uncle says she is my little sister.” The little boy mumbled to himself: “That means she will be my little sister from now on.”
Wumei suddenly thought of Wuyang, who left crying, and sighed slightly.
Wuyang is really pitiful, he had never seen the little sister, and from now on he won’t be able to play with her either.
“Commandery Princess, the porridge is here, let me help you sit up.” Magnolia put the bow of porridge on the table and came to help Yingbao.
Yingbao let Magnolia help her sit up, and was given a soft pillow to lean against by Magnolia.
Magnolia served the chicken porridge and spoon-fed her.
As Wumei watched, he couldn’t help but swallow.
“If you want to eat, have Aunt Xinghua get you a bowl.” Yingbao ordered the maid, “Give the young master a pair of bowl and chopsticks.”
“Yes!”, the maid quickly took another pair of bowl and chopsticks from the food box and served Wumei a small bowl.
Wumei ate happily and quickly finished his small bowl.
At this time, Wei Zhan walked in and said to Yingbao, “My Lady, your father-in-law and the others are here.”