Chapter 76

The Gu family’s little one made quite an entrance.

Unlike other babies who cried loudly immediately after birth, Gu family’s baby, wrapped in a swaddling cloth, remained very quiet, whether being washed or examined. The baby furrowed his little brows, closed his eyes, pursed his lips, and kept his tiny hands tightly bundled, making no sound.

The nurse was quite surprised and worried that something might be wrong with the baby. She quickly gave the baby a few pats on the bottom.

The baby, likely feeling the discomfort, wrinkled his brows tightly and, as if angry, let out a loud cry of “Wah wah.”

“He cried, he cried.”

The two nurses in the delivery room breathed a sigh of relief, skillfully cleaning the baby, and placed him on the scale.

“Six pounds and seven ounces!”

“Wow, this is the heaviest baby we’ve had this year.”

Since last year’s disaster, the county has been short of supplies. Many pregnant women had been unable to eat or drink properly, resulting in small, underweight babies, typically weighing only four to five pounds. In later years, a four or five-pound baby would be considered undernourished, while eight or nine pounds would be considered overweight. But in this era, a baby weighing six pounds and seven ounces was considered quite large.

After the young nurse finished washing the baby, she wrapped him back up and brought him to show the new mother in bed.

“Congratulations, it’s a six-pound, seven-ounce chubby boy. Take a look at our little one.”

Lin Yao, exhausted after giving birth, was too tired to move her fingers. She barely managed to open her eyes and take a look, seeing a red little monkey. She uttered two words and then fell asleep.

“He’s so ugly.”

The nurse couldn’t help but laugh as she carried the baby, who was deemed ugly by his mother, out of the delivery room.

The Gu family was eagerly waiting outside. As soon as they saw the nurse carrying the baby, they quickly gathered around.

“Six pounds and seven ounces, it’s a chubby boy.”

“Great, great. Nurse, where’s Yao Yao? Why isn’t she making any noise?”

“She’s fine. She’s sleeping.”

Hearing that Lin Yao was sleeping, Zhang Cuilan finally relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief. She felt at ease and smiled broadly as she held the newborn baby.

Gu Mancang, eyeing the baby longingly, rubbed his hands, eager to hold the chubby little one.

Gu Shidong, a little fellow, bounced around.

“Mom, let me see my nephew. Let me see my nephew.”

Zhang Cuilan bent down with a smile and showed the swaddled baby to her youngest  son.

Gu Shidong, being a cheeky kid, even tried to poke the baby’s chubby face with his finger, which led his mother to give him a light slap.

“What are you poking for? Go stand aside.”

After sending her youngest son away, Zhang Cuilan turned to find her eldest son to hold the baby, but Gu Shi’an had already gone into the room to be with his wife.

The baby’s father wasn’t interested in holding him.

Gu Mancang and his youngest son were competing to hold the baby, but Zhang Cuilan wouldn’t let either of them.

She joked that one was clumsy and the other was too fidgety. Neither was trustworthy to hold the baby.

…

Lin Yao’s childbirth was smooth, but like most new mothers, she looked quite disheveled after the delivery. Her once-beautiful hair clung to her face, her eyes were swollen and red from crying, and her overall appearance was messy and exhausted, which made her look quite pitiful.

Gu Shi’an gently cleaned the little girl, tucked her in, and watched over her the entire night as if she were a precious treasure that had been lost and found again.

That night, it rained steadily until just before dawn.

The Gu family’s baby was taken to the nursery by a nurse to sleep. Zhang Cuilan and her husband waited at the hospital until midnight, hoping to talk with their daughter-in-law when she woke up.

As older people can’t endure sleepless nights well, and Lin Yao could sleep for more than ten hours at a stretch, Gu Shi’an persuaded his parents to go home and also took the lively Gu Shidong back with him.

On the clear morning after the rain, the roads smelled of earth and fresh grass, and magpies chirped joyfully in the branches.

Lin Yao was sleeping soundly when a nurse placed the baby beside her.

Gu Shi’an gently patted the baby. Initially, the baby was sleeping with his tiny hands tucked in, but soon he started crying, possibly because he was hungry.

Lin Yao was awakened by her baby’s cries. When she opened her eyes, she saw Gu Shi’an, the new father, awkwardly trying to soothe the baby.

The nurse quickly entered the room, checked the crying baby, and said with a smile, “He’s hungry. The baby wants to drink his mother’s milk.”

Drink milk?

Lin Yao, being delicate and shy, couldn’t feed the baby in front of the nurse, especially with someone else present.

Gu Shi’an’s ears turned red, a rare sight.

Despite the nurse being relatively young, she had worked at the health clinic for several years and said, “It’s no big deal. Family members should step outside first. I’ll get a basin of water.”

New mothers need a basin of warm water to prepare for breastfeeding. The warm towel is used to compress and massage the chest, which is both hygienic and helps the baby latch on more easily.

Gu Shi’an cleared his throat and quickly left the room.

Lin Yao picked up her baby. As soon as he smelled the milk, he eagerly nuzzled into her arms, kicking his chubby legs until he finally got to eat.

Previously, Lin Yao thought her baby was unattractive, but now, holding him in her arms, she couldn’t help but find him endearing.

Her chubby baby, born after ten months of pregnancy, was indeed beautiful!

*

Lin Yao was in good health and young, and by the second day after giving birth, she was already able to walk around.

Every day, Zhang Cuilan prepared various delicious dishes for her daughter-in-law, knowing her preference for light flavors. The meals were always light and tasty, with soups that were nourishing and mild. Whether it was plain rice porridge, millet porridge with a boiled egg, or crucian carp soup, Lin Yao’s skin was glowing and her face was smooth and radiant.

When a mother eats well, her milk is nutritious for the baby.

In just a few days, the once-red baby had grown chubby. His round, white face and pudgy limbs resembled his father perfectly, making him a mini version of Gu Shi’an.

The Xu family came to visit the hospital.

Gu Chunmei brought her little Tangyuan and couldn’t stop praising the baby.

“My nephew has such beautiful phoenix eyes. I wonder how many young girls he’ll charm in the future.”

Mother Xu also smiled, “Indeed, our baby takes after his parents in looks. His nose is just like his father’s. In the ten miles around here, we’ve never seen such a handsome chubby boy. He won’t have trouble finding a wife in the future.”

Zhang Cuilan’s face beamed with joy.

Gu Mancang puffed out his chest proudly, feeling honored.

Father Xu looked on and felt a twinge of envy, thinking his own Tangyuan was also a good-looking child, but didn’t inherit any of his own features.

— Father Xu and Gu Mancang both had naturally dark complexions, but Gu Mancang had a well-shaped nose, so it was only natural he was proud that his grandson resembled him.

In the evening, Zhang Cuilan took out half a dried old hen and cooked a pot of chicken and rice porridge for her daughter-in-law. Gu Shi’an carefully spooned the porridge and blew on it to cool it before feeding it to her.

The chickens of that time were raised on insects, making the porridge tender and fragrant with a rich rice aroma.

Lin Yao had a big appetite and finished a large bowl. The remainder was given to Dongzi.

Three days after the baby’s birth, Lin Yao was finally able to be discharged from the hospital.

Gu Shi’an had also chosen a name for their son, as the baby was always sleeping with his tiny hands curled up and his little eyebrows furrowed.

The old father decided to give him the nickname Gu Doudou, affectionately called Doudou.

The formal name would follow the traditional practice, chosen by Grandfather Gu Mancang.

The old man was so excited he turned red and spent the whole night at home, poring over dictionaries to find a good name for his grandson.

For the past few days, there had been light rain outside, so the family chose a cool evening to return home from the hospital.

As Lin Yao was still in confinement period and couldn’t be exposed to the wind, Gu Shi’an had requested permission from the old director and used the office jeep to bring his wife and son home.

In the cool July evening, without the heat of the day, the breeze felt very comfortable.

The jeep arrived at the entrance of the courtyard in just a few minutes.

In front of the Gu family’s house, the pomegranate and begonia flowers were in full bloom. After the heavy rain, the rain had beaten down the flowers, leaving a blanket of petals on the ground.

With the factories in Yunshui County reopening, the neighbors who had fled the town were gradually returning.

The door of Wang Shengcai’s house in the front yard was open, but no one from the family was seen. It was unclear if they were out or if only Wang Shengcai had come back early to tidy up the house.

The east wing of the house was clean and tidy. The bed linens had been washed and aired, and the doors and windows were tightly shut. Gu Mancang had also installed thin gauze on the windows to act as screens.

In the sweltering summer nights, Lin Yao could open the gauze windows slightly to get some fresh air while she rested during her confinement.

As soon as Lin Yao returned home, she felt a deep sense of relief. They say that no matter how luxurious a golden or silver nest is, it’s no match for one’s own cozy home.

This sentiment really resonated with her. The clinic was far from comfortable, with doctors and nurses constantly coming and going, checking and monitoring. There was no freedom like being at home where she could do as she pleased.

Deputy Director Gu carried their little one, Gu Doudou, into the room. Lin Yao, feeling lazy and reluctant to move, instructed Gu Shi’an to place the baby in the crib.

The crib was made by Gu Mancang specifically for his grandson. He chose old elm wood, applied several coats of tung oil, and let it sunbathe for half a month before airing it out in the yard to ensure it was safe for the baby.

At that moment, little Gu Doudou was wearing a red cotton bib and was waving his little arms while sucking on his hands in his father’s arms.

In the past few days, Lin Yao, as a new mother, had been quite passive, enjoying her postpartum period while Gu Doudou’s every need was tended to by his father. Their father-son bond had quickly grown stronger.

After Gu Shi’an had lulled their son to sleep, he gently placed him in the crib. The chubby baby slept with his little fists clenched, resembling a tiny frog.

Lin Yao looked at her son, growing more affectionate with each glance. Unable to resist, she kissed his little face and then yawned, curling up in bed for some much-needed rest.

Her mother-in-law had advised her to eat well and sleep well during her confinement period.

Gu Shi’an was in the yard washing the baby’s diapers. The little guy could eat and relieve himself so much. For such a tiny person, he produced an impressive amount of golden, smelly waste.

The odor was so overwhelming that even Lin Yao found it hard to tolerate.

Just then, Dongzi came over, curious about his new nephew, and happened to encounter the unpleasant smell of a diaper change. The stench drove him away.

Dongzi pinched his nose and complained to Zhang Cuilan, “What has Doudou been eating? Why does his poop smell so bad?”

Zhang Cuilan, irritated, smacked her youngest son’s head and retorted, “What are you complaining about? Your poop was even worse when you were a baby! Doudou is still better. I never complained about you and raised you just fine.”

Dongzi chuckled and went back to see his nephew.

Daju, the family’s cat, was very curious about the new arrival. It would frequently walk around the crib, its tail held high, and was very protective of the baby.

If anyone the cat didn’t like came near, it would pounce and scratch them mercilessly.

Now only the Gu family and Wang Shengcai’s family from the front yard have returned to the courtyard.

After half a year, Wang Shengcai’s family had changed dramatically. Old Lady Wang had become as thin as a date pit, with high cheekbones, a nearly emaciated body, and hands as dry as tree bark, resembling an old witch.

Despite this, Old Lady Wang still had plenty of energy, loudly announcing at home that the formerly infertile daughter-in-law of the Gu family had given birth to a chubby baby.

Feeling envious, Old Lady Wang came to visit the Gu family, eager to see the miracle baby. She felt she needed to see it for herself since a hen that didn’t laid eggs had suddenly done so.

Upon seeing the plump and chubby Gu Doudou in the crib, Old Lady Wang felt even more resentful.

“Why is it that the Gu family’s child is so well-fed and plump, while my own grandsons are as skinny as refugees? Why does the Gu family’s child get all the good fortune?”

Taking advantage of Zhang Cuilan’s trip to the kitchen to get water, and Lin Yao being exhausted from caring for the baby and falling asleep, Old Lady Wang, driven by jealousy, reached out to pinch the Gu family’s baby.

Daju suddenly sprang into action and gave Old Lady Wang a fierce swipe with its paw.

Old Lady Wang yelped in pain, clutching her hand and running away.

Lin Yao immediately woke up, looked around, and saw her baby about to cry in the crib. She quickly got up to comfort Gu Doudou, while Zhang Cuilan rushed in with a broom.

“What happened? Why is Doudou crying?”

Lin Yao glanced at Daju, who was licking its paw while perched on the edge of the bed. “Mom, who was in the room just now?”

“It was that Old Lady Wang from the front yard. She came over saying she wanted to see Doudou. I thought, since we’re neighbors, it wouldn’t hurt to let her have a look and then leave. But when the water in the kitchen started boiling, I went to pour it, and now I don’t know where she went.”

Lin Yao pondered, “Mom, Doudou hasn’t even reached a month old yet and has weak immunity. It’s best not to let outsiders see him for now.”

Zhang Cuilan regretted not considering this earlier, saying, “You’re right. With Doudou being so small, if he catches a cold or gets sick from strangers, I wouldn’t know how to handle it.”

Lin Yao reassured her mother-in-law, and Gu Doudou responded with a toothless smile that brightened Zhang Cuilan’s face.

That evening, while Gu Shi’an was on night duty, Lin Yao fed their son and got him to sleep before lying down herself.

She wore comfortable pajamas that revealed her long, fair neck, with a few rebellious strands of hair hanging down. Her face still had a rosy hue from sleep, making her look as lovely as a peach blossom after rain.

When Deputy Director Gu came home from work and saw this scene, he couldn’t resist stealing a kiss from his sleeping wife.

The baby in the crib had a serious expression. Suddenly, he tensed his little legs and made a few grunting noises toward his father, signaling he needed a diaper change.

The smell of the diaper filled the room, waking Lin Yao from her sleep.