Chapter 123: He Ruyu Gives Birth

Disclaimer: 

1. This is an unofficial translation and no permission has been obtained from the author/ official publisher. It may be taken down if the author/official publisher requests. 

2. This is a fan work and the interpretation represents only the translator’s personal views without any input from the author. 

3. No permission has been granted to use, publish, upload and/or copy this translation to any other site except for Second Life Translations.

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The two of them had spent just over an hour walking. When Liu Xu’er got back, He shi opened the door for her. Seeing that Liu Xu’er had come back relatively early, He shi let out a sigh of relief. 

She really wanted to speak to Liu Xu’er that night, but Liu Xu’er had gotten very tired on her walk and didn’t notice anything strange about her mother’s reaction. The instant she got back, she washed up and dropped off to sleep, robbing He shi of the chance to say anything. He shi could only hold it in for now and look for another opportunity to speak to her. 

After the day that Shi Cheng had spoken to his parents, and gone to bed without his meal, his mother had started to treat the situation very seriously. She spent the next few days rather anxiously discussing it with his father. 

But before they had come to a decision, Shi Cheng’s father had to make another trip to Hanzhong city, and whenever the situation at Hanzhong city got busy, he would need to spend at least 10 days there. Although Shi Cheng was at home, things were also at the crucial juncture of changing seasons, so the jewelry store selection needed to be refreshed for the new season, and they needed to send samples of their new wares to all the major families in town. So he too was extremely busy in this period. 

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Rv tslp okvbswv pyukdt vbyv Fbk Ubldt’p xsvbla bye prldv vbl ldvkal vkxl sd vldvlabssjp.&dcpr;

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Nkw Qys pbk bye yzps xldvyzzu nyznwzyvle bla ewl eyvl yde oyp blaplzq y ckv ydmkswp.&dcpr;

Pwakdt vbl rlakse vbyv Nkw Mys oyp nsdhyzlpnkdt kd vsod, Tl pbk bye kdhkvle y esnvsa vs zssj yv Tl Swuw yde nyznwzyvl bla ewl eyvl. Mbl esnvsa bye lpvkxyvle vbyv pbl oswze cl ewl yduoblal qasx vbl xkeezl sq vbl plhldvb xsdvb vs vbl cltkddkdt sq vbl lktbvb xsdvb. Ebld Tl pbk yde Nkw Qys pbk blyae vbyv, vblu tsv lhld xsal wdplvvzle.&dcpr;

Nkw Ubydtpbk bye yzalyeu xyel bkp pvydnl nzlya – ds xyvvla obld vbl nbkze oyp csad, bl oswze elqkdkvlzu dsv valyv vbl nbkze ydu ekqqlaldvzu yde oswze dsv yzzso ydusdl lzpl vs cwzzu vbl nbkze.&dcpr;

Although he said that, Liu Gao shi and He shi still hoped that the child wouldn’t be born in the seventh month. During the sixth month, He shi desperately wished that He Ruyu would just deliver already! Of course, if she did, the child would be premature, which wasn’t a good thing either. In any case, He shi was in a constant state of nervousness. 

And of course, they had all discussed arrangements for the upcoming birth. Currently, both He shi and Liu Gao shi were staying in town. As a man, Liu Changshi would have no idea how to handle a birth. He would probably be of more harm than help and would definitely not be able to manage the process by himself. So it was agreed that when the baby was nearly due, Liu Gao shi would head back to help. 

In the middle of the seventh month, not quite at the doctor’s estimated due date, there was a day that He Ruyu suddenly started to experience pains. Liu Changshi was scared witless and hurried to look for the midwife. But once the midwife came, her pains stopped – it was clear that the birth wasn’t happening that day. 

The midwife shared that since this happened, the birth would likely happen in the next few days. They needed to prepare. 

So Liu Changshi got Liu Changqi to go into town the next day to ask for help, and Liu Gao shi returned with him. He shi desperately wanted to go back to check on the situation, but since she had no idea when He Ruyu would give birth, she didn’t dare to leave her family for that long. And it was definitely not suitable for her to bring He Ruyu over to town. 

Then she worried again that the birth would happen during the Ghost month. He shi effectively spent the entire seventh month pacing around worried. Every day, her mind was preoccupied with worries. If she wasn’t spilling the vegetable basin, she was kicking the water bucket. Today, she would overcook the noodles to nothingness, tomorrow, she might burn a hole in their pots. 

The entire family told her to rest. Whatever she did, she should stop destroying their things! Liu Xu’er got the servants to help her with preparing the meals. 

The mother daughter pair of servants were surnamed Zhou and Wang respectively. Now that they had been with the family for some time, Liu Xu’er could tell that they were just naturally darker skinned. They actually both loved cleanliness and were careful about keeping themselves and their clothes clean. So they had slowly started to involve Zhou shi in the kitchen. 

These past few days, because He shi’s mind was wandering, and because dad worried about his pots, they didn’t let her enter the kitchen. The meals were all prepared by Liu Xu’er and Zhou shi. 

He shi on the other hand – Liu Changgeng said that she was more tormented by the matter than Liu Changshi! He shi retorted, “I really am more tormented than him! He’s still young and hasn’t seen how people treat those born in the Ghost month…. Even if he tries to protect the child, he can’t stop others from despising the baby!”

Because of He shi, the entire family spent the entire month in agony. 

In the last few days of the month, He shi’s anxiety ramped up even more. She kept pacing about the house anxiously. She hoped that there would be no news – there cannot be any news! On the 29th day of the seventh month, she finally couldn’t stand it. She called for Liu Changgeng to send her back. 

Although Liu Xu’er hadn’t seen her sishu and sishen, she was completely certain that they had both been much calmer than her mother during this Ghost month!

After He shi went back, quite a few days passed with no news. Finally, Liu Changgeng couldn’t resist heading back to have a look. He Ruyu was still fine! Liu Changgeng asked He shi if she would head back, but He shi was in an awkward position. She could only stay on and hope that the child would be born soon. 

When Liu Changgeng came back and shared the news, the entire family burst out laughing. 

He Ruyu gave birth on the seventh day of the eighth month. Her labor pains lasted for an entire day before she finally gave birth to a chubby boy. Liu Changshi was over the moon. 

He shi didn’t return home immediately, opting to stay on until the washing ceremony on the third day. 

During the washing ceremony, the entire family went back to the village. Liu Xu’er looked at the child – his face was chubby, while his eyebrows were so faint as to be invisible. But his skin was white and soft. The instant she saw him, she could tell that he resembled sishen. He didn’t look at all like his dark father. 

Liu Gao shi headed over to Liu Changqi to kill two old hens. She would stew it for He Ruyu over the next few days. After the washing ceremony, the family headed back to town, Liu Changgeng was given his marching orders to buy some pig’s trotters. These were all stewed for He Ruyu to take. 

This time, Liu Gao shi wouldn’t go back to town. She needed to stay in the village to care for He Ruyu during her confinement, as well as to look after the baby. Liu Changgeng and He shi could only agree. 

Because Liu Gao shi didn’t return to town, Old Man Liu also opted to stay in the village. He went back to their old residence to stay. The good thing was that by now, they lacked for nothing. And both Liu Changshi and Liu Changqi were both still in Taohua village; they could definitely look out for their parents. 

Shi Cheng’s family was busy with business and because Liu Xu’er’s family was so busy with the birth of the new child, everyone was working off their feet. Although Shi Cheng and Liu Xu’er still frequently saw each other, they didn’t have time to chat. 

As such, the most uneasy person during this entire period was Shi Cheng’s mother. It is said that idle people have too much time to think, and since his mother didn’t have anything to occupy her, she spent all her time thinking about the matter. Then she carefully examined her son and came to the conclusion that his attitude toward her showed that he was not happy with her. 

And of course, Shi Cheng’s father was still at Hanzhong city – he would only return around the Mid-Autumn festival. So, Shi Cheng’s mother was the one who endured the most uncomfortable month. 

On the 13th day of the eighth month, Liu Xu’er was at home helping her mother prepare some items for the Mid Autumn festival when they heard someone knock on the door. 

Liu Changgeng had set up some carpentry tools in the courtyard – it was set up so that he could make combs and beaded bracelets. These all sold rather well in the store, so he was often found in the courtyard busy creating more stock. Because of that, he was the first to hear the knock on the door. When he went over to open the door, he asked “Who is it?”

When the door opened, he saw that it was Liu Changgui. Behind him was the young woman they had previously met. This time, they hadn’t brought their children. Both people were standing at the door, their faces covered in smiles. 

“Erge, Fang Yun and I are here to visit you and ersao.” Liu Changgui said smilingly. 

Liu Changgeng was honestly rather surprised. All these years, Liu Changgui had been careful to maintain a distance with them, terrified that they would ask him too many questions. Every year, when he went to visit with their parents, he would have a frustrated appearance, looking as though he had no choice but to visit. Did the sun rise from the west? Why was he here to visit today?

Although he found the situation rather strange, he still welcomed Liu Changgui in. He shi, who had been standing at the room door talking, quickly called for Xu’er to help pour them some water, while He shi and Liu Changgeng went into the main room of the side wing. 

Liu Xu’er went to the opposite wing to pour some tea. Wang shi quickly started to steep a pot and asked softly, “Should I send it in instead?”

Liu Xu’er wanted to hear what her sanshu came to discuss, so she shook her head and said, “I will bring it over. You can head over to the kitchen to prepare the evening meal.” Then she stretched her arms out to pick up the tea tray and walked to the room. 

When she carried the tea in, Liu Changgui uncharacteristically smiled at her and waved her in. “Xu’er, you’ve really grown into a lovely young woman!”

Liu Xu’er smiled and greeted him. “Sanshu.”

The woman quickly said, “This must be erge, ersao’s precious daughter? Oh my, let me have a look. She really is a pretty girl!” Saying this, she stretched out her hand, wanting to pull Liu Xu’er over. Liu Xu’er pretended that she needed to pour some water, and dodged her. 

Hand frozen in space, the woman looked at Liu Changgui. 

Liu Changgui smiled and quickly asked, “How old are you this year Xu’er?”

He shi thought for a moment before smiling, “12…. That’s right, is your oldest daughter 6 this year?”

He shi was asking about the daughter Jia shi had, so the woman’s face turned dark. Liu Changgui paused slightly before forcing out, “It seems so….”

He shi frowned before looking at Liu Changgeng. She was a very direct person – what was up with Third’s family situation? Jia shi was nowhere to be found – had she been divorced or what? And this woman here, was she a concubine? Or something else? Surely there should be some explanation for what was going on? Why would they just visit the family out of the blue?

With all these questions still in the air, He shi felt rather uncomfortable. She wanted to clarify the matter, but looking at Liu Changgeng, she felt that Liu Changgui’s matters had nothing to do with her family. So why should she ask? It wasn’t as though she wanted to know!

Instead, it would be more important to find out why they were here! He shi was about to ask when Liu Changgeng beat her to it, “Changgui, was there a reason for today’s visit?”

Liu Changgui looked at Liu Xu’er. Immediately, Liu Xu’er got the hint and turned to leave. It was probably that sanshu wanted to bring up something that wasn’t suitable for children to hear?