Chapter 7: Diagnosing Pregnancy

Aunt Cao raised an eyebrow at the villagers’ surprise. “Where did you sell them? They sold out so fast?”

“Same place as always, next to Gu Family’s stall. I didn’t expect them to sell so quickly, maybe it was just luck,” Aunt Cao said casually.

Who would believe it was just luck? It was all thanks to the beauty of the mother and daughter!

The villagers were both envious and jealous.

Gu Yi and her mother were indeed strikingly beautiful. Had they known they would be so popular, they’d have set up shop right next to them. It was no surprise the customers were drawn to them, and even the other people in the vicinity benefitted from their looks.

He Chunli, who had spent most of the day at her stall and sold barely anything, was frustrated. Worried about missing the boat, she quickly packed up and rushed over.

As soon as she arrived, she overheard Aunt Cao’s words.

An indescribable sense of jealousy flooded her heart.

How foolish were these people?

A mother and daughter who couldn’t even fish were selling their catch just because they were pretty!

Idiots!

He Chunli’s face twisted with envy.

As soon as she boarded the boat, she spoke sarcastically, “Oh, I’m not sure if you’re selling fish or selling your faces.”

The atmosphere on the boat turned awkward.

Aunt Cao rolled her eyes and shot back with equal sarcasm, “Some people, oh, they’re so ugly and still want to cause trouble. Do you smell that? So sour. Oh, we’re not in seawater, are we? Feels more like we’re in a vinegar jar!”

Having witnessed the earlier stall interaction, Aunt Cao thought of herself and Gu Yi as good neighbors and friends. If anyone was being mistreated, it was her duty to stand up for them.

He Chunli’s eyes widened in fury, and it was as though sparks were about to fly from her eyes.

“What did you say, Cao?”

“I didn’t say anything. Why are you so worked up?” Aunt Cao replied with feigned innocence.

He Chunli, furious, retorted, “Cao, you’re twisting your arms outwards, helping outsiders bully your fellow villagers! Are you out of your mind?”

Aunt Cao rolled her eyes again. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, He Chunli. Why don’t you think about how much everyone dislikes you?”

A clown.

Gu Yi muttered the words to herself, no longer wanting to engage. He Chunli was just a clown.

The three of them walked home together.

Aunt Cao and Wang Yulan chatted casually as they walked.

Aunt Cao was growing more and more fond of Wang Yulan. She was such a beautiful woman, with perfect grace and elegance, exuding an indescribable charm. Despite not being from a common background, her manners and insight were truly exceptional.

Gu Yi, eager to get home, ran ahead, dropped off the things, and then returned the borrowed fishing gear.

“Aunt Cao, here’s the fishing gear back!”

Wang Yulan took out a piece of pork and handed it to Aunt Cao. “Aunt Cao, please take this.”

Aunt Cao immediately declined, “It was just some fishing gear. What’s the need for pork? We’re neighbors, no need for such things. You take it home to the kids. Today, we sold the fish thanks to you!”

“Bought too much, and it might spoil. Please, take it!”

Aunt Cao laughed heartily, not holding back. She quickly ran into the yard to fetch two salted fish and handed them to Wang Yulan. “We don’t have much, but we have plenty of salted fish!”

Wang Yulan took them with gratitude.

Back and forth, the two women quickly became much closer.

At home, the little sister stood at the door and smiled as soon as she saw her mother. The little one eagerly helped carry the goods inside.

“My little sister is so obedient!”

The little sister excitedly unwrapped the packages and her eyes lit up when she saw the new fabric.

“New clothes!”

Wang Yulan smiled, “I’ll make you new clothes to wear!”

The fabric was a dull grayish-white, with no patterns or designs—just simple, coarse cloth. The little sister’s excited expression dimmed a little.

“Don’t like it?” Gu Yi asked.

The little sister smiled again, her round eyes sparkling as she nodded, “Mother, sister bought it. I like it!”

The fabric wasn’t fancy, but because it was bought by family, she was happy with it.

Gu Yi lifted her little sister and kissed her twice. “Yue’er is so adorable.”

She had never seen such a clever, thoughtful little child.

Wang Yulan gently touched her daughter’s head, feeling a pang in her heart. “I’ll buy you prettier clothes in the future.”

The little sister struggled to get down, then climbed onto Gu Yi’s lap. The tiny hands gently massaged her sore legs.

After a while, she moved on to massage her mother’s legs.

Second Brother, seeing this, let out a small scoff, “Little kiss-up.”

Gu Yi asked, “What are we having for dinner?”

Wang Yulan couldn’t cook—more accurately, no one in her family knew how to cook.

“How about radish and pork rib soup, with steamed salted fish? And some fragrant rice to go with it!”

Everyone’s stomachs rumbled, and they could hear the sound of hunger growing.

Dalang rubbed his stomach, “Sister, I’ve made the fire hotter!”

In the kitchen, Second Brother had already stoked the fire.

“Let’s start by making medicine for Second Brother!” Wang Yulan washed a new clay pot and began boiling the herbs they had bought.

With some time to spare, Gu Yi decided to handle another matter. She took out a piece of pork from the kitchen and grabbed her little sister’s hand. “Let’s go for a walk, how about?”

The little sister nodded.

“Yi’er, where are you taking Yue’er?”

“Yue’er needs to get out more, meet some people. I’m taking her to give Uncle He Hu some pork.”

Wang Yulan understood and agreed. Her little daughter shouldn’t always hide behind them, only speaking to them. She needed to interact more with others to get better.

Gu Yi carried the pork to He Hu’s house. She saw He Hu’s wife come out to pour water, and immediately called, “Aunt, we’re here to see Uncle He Hu!”

At the sight of strangers, Jia Yue instinctively hid behind Gu Yi.

Gu Yi gently patted her head and led her forward to call for the person.

He Hu’s wife was surprised to see the two, unsure of who they were at first. “He’s at home. Come in.”

When He Hu saw Gu Yi, he immediately remembered her as the woman who had almost drowned that day. In this fishing village, it was hard not to notice her pale complexion—no one else was as fair as she was.

He had worked hard with Old Cao to pull her out of the water, but when her mother arrived, she didn’t even greet them properly. She had looked at them with suspicion as if they were the bad guys. He had been uncomfortable with the way the Gu family had behaved at the time.

He was surprised to see her today.

“Gu girl, it’s you! What brings you here? Come on in!”

Gu Yi entered and placed the two pounds of pork on the table. “Uncle, I wanted to thank you for saving me when I almost drowned.”

“Why bring up the pork? Don’t be so formal,” He Hu’s wife said as she picked up the pork, trying to press it into Gu Yi’s hands.

Gu Yi quickly refused, but in the process, she accidentally touched her pulse and noticed something strange. Her gaze shifted slightly, and she remarked, “Aunt, you’re feeling weak. You should eat more pork to replenish your strength.”

He Hu’s wife’s expression softened. “You’re very considerate. I’ll take it.”

“You’re too polite. I was just helping. But there’s something I find strange. Didn’t you know how to swim before?”

He Hu had seen her struggling in the water but somehow managed to swim up, so he was curious.

Gu Yi shook her head, “At that moment, I was only thinking about one thing—getting back to shore. It felt like I learned how to swim at that moment, but I didn’t have enough strength left to reach the shore.”

He Hu’s eyes widened with surprise, his gaze lighting up. “You have good swimming skills! You should practice more. You’d make a great fisherwoman!”

Gu Yi smiled, “That’s what I was thinking too.”

Swimming in the clean, uncontaminated sea, catching all sorts of fish and shrimp, eating food free of heavy metals and radioactive elements—that’s the life she wanted. Earning money to support her family, buying a big boat, and living in a large house, enjoying a prosperous life.

In this clean, pollution-free world, she felt energized no matter what she did.

“Oh, by the way, Aunt, what’s for dinner tonight?” Gu Yi glanced over and saw some crab legs.

“Some seafood that didn’t sell today, fish, shrimp, crabs, and such.”

Gu Yi gently reminded her, “Aunt, you’re in the early stages of pregnancy. You should avoid eating too many crabs—they’re too cold for the body. Don’t eat too many raw sea creatures either, as they could affect the stability of the pregnancy. Drink more soup, like chicken or bone broth, and eat more vegetables.”

“What did you say?” He Hu’s wife stared at her, her eyes wide in disbelief.

Even He Hu seemed frozen, surprised by her words.

“She’s pregnant?”

Gu Yi tilted her head. “Didn’t you know? Aunt is about two months along, just under three.”

The couple’s breaths quickened as they exchanged glances. “Gu girl, how did you know?”

“I accidentally touched your pulse when I gave you the pork,” Gu Yi explained.

“You can diagnose pulses?” He Hu asked, surprised.

Gu Yi nodded.

The couple’s faces lit up with joy. “Finally, we’re going to have a child!”

They had been married for years, but after a miscarriage early on, they had never been able to conceive. The absence of children had become a deep source of sorrow for them. Every time they thought of it, it pained them.

They were thrilled to finally have this good news.

They looked relieved when they recalled how their meals had been so cold and how they’d sweated with anxiety. If Gu Yi hadn’t made the diagnosis, they might have lost the baby.

“Gu girl, is my health fine? Is the baby safe?” He Hu’s wife asked.