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The doctors were astonished, “In all my years of delivering babies, this is the first time I’ve seen such a lively baby right after birth.”
She gently touched the chubby little leg of the baby and laughed, “What a chubby child, must be getting good nutrition.”
When the baby was first born, she only noticed the chubby appearance and mistakenly exclaimed “A big chubby boy!”
it was actually a “Chubby Little Girl!”
She felt a bit embarrassed about the mistake.
Jiang Lin smiled and said, “If it were a big chubby boy, her older brothers would be so disappointed.”
Da Bao and Xiao Bao had been eagerly waiting, and their grandmother had prepared several little dresses for the baby.
The doctor pulled back the curtain and suggested Jiang Lin try breastfeeding, as the baby seemed very eager and it should be easy to start breastfeeding.
As soon as she suggested it, Jiang Lin felt her chest become full, so she undid her clothing and began to breastfeed.
The little one eagerly latched on and began to nurse.
Although there wasn’t much milk at first, the baby made contented sounds as she suckled.
The doctor looked at them and said, “For the first couple of days, avoid rich foods. Just eat normally and drink some red date and millet porridge. The baby won’t go hungry.”
Just after the doctor finished speaking, the little one, who had stopped sucking, began nursing vigorously again.
Jiang Lin thought, “Can you even understand me?”
It turned out the baby did not understand; she was just instinctively hungry, showing how eager he was for food.
The doctor then said they could be moved to a room.
Seeing Jiang Lin feeding their daughter, Cheng Rushan finally found his voice and said, “Could you also provide a certificate for insufficient breast milk?”
The doctor was taken aback. “He really cares for his wife,” she thought.
Although there was milk, he was already thinking about formula.
At that time, formula was quite expensive and hard to come by, so most people tried to rely on breastfeeding.
Cheng Rushan covered Jiang Lin with a light blanket and pushed her and the baby out.
The little one, perhaps tired from nursing, fell asleep while still latched on.
The nurse helped open the door, and as soon as it opened, several heads popped in, all staring with wide eyes.
They automatically went silent, exchanging looks with Cheng Rushan to see Jiang Lin and the sleeping baby.
Jiang Lin noticed Xiao Bao’s eyes were red and asked in surprise, “Xiao Bao, what’s wrong?”
Xiao Bao pouted, “Mom, did our baby sister miss the train and not come?”
The nurse laughed and said, “This is your sister. The doctor thought she was a chubby boy because of how fat she looked.”
Sister?
Xiao Bao’s eyes lit up immediately.
He raised his hand and started jumping up and down, so excited that he wanted to shout but quickly covered his mouth to avoid waking the baby.
“Yay, I have a sister too!!!”
He hugged Da Bao and bounced around, making Da Bao wish he could throw him against the wall.
“It’s a sister, no little chicken!” Xiao Bao was thrilled.
He peered in to confirm, asking, “Wen Sheng, how did you see it just now?”
Yan Runzhi smiled and said, “When the nurse carried her, we couldn’t see clearly. She lifted a small piece of cloth, showing Da Bao and Xiao Bao the belly button and a small knot still left,” she added, “That’s definitely it.”
Da Bao: “It seems so.”
Xiao Bao: “Haha, silly, how could a little thing grow on the belly button? You scared me!”
He reached out to grab Wen Sheng, but Wen Sheng didn’t respond.
Da Bao, worried: “Grandma, why is the little sister’s belly button different from ours?”
Yan Runzhi told him it would fall off, and Da Bao finally relaxed.
Jiang Lin saw Wen Sheng standing there in a daze, looking as if he was in a trance, and waved at him. “Wen Sheng, come and see the baby.”
Yan Runzhi pulled him forward to have a look.
Wen Sheng’s mind was roaring with uncontrollable joy, a kind of euphoria that he couldn’t contain.
“Wen Sheng, when your mother has the baby, you must not act up. Be obedient and help your mother take good care of the baby.”
“Wen Sheng, do you want a little brother or a little sister from your mother?”
“Wen Sheng, it will be fine once your mother has the baby.”
Everything is complete… the baby is here.
He slowly leaned over, gazing at the tiny, soft, and tender little thing, who was sleeping and still sucking on her own mouth.
He knelt on the ground, holding onto the crib rails with both hands, staring at her intently, wanting to kiss her but afraid to touch.
Jiang Lin wiped his tears with a handkerchief, “Wen Sheng, it’s a little sister. Are you happy?”
Wen Sheng nodded and smiled, “Yes, I’m really happy. Dad is fine, Mom is fine, and the little sister is fine too.”
Everything is fine, that’s great.
Da Bao and Xiao Bao hurried to help him up, “Let’s get Mom and Baosheng to lie down on the bed.”
After settling Jiang Lin, Fang Chengguang and He Liang came over to offer their congratulations.
He Liang: “Captain Cheng, I envy you—two sons and a daughter, you’ve hit the jackpot!”
Cheng Rushan couldn’t contain his smile.
He adjusted Jiang Lin’s pillow and used a towel to wipe her face. “Get some rest.”
Wen Sheng sat by, staring at Jiang Lin, while Da Bao and Xiao Bao looked at Jiang Lin and the little sister, then looked at each other.
Xiao Bao: “Baosheng looks like me.”
Da Bao: “No, he looks more like me.”
Everyone looked at the tiny baby, wondering who she could resemble.
With her puffy eyes, wrinkled nose, and soft, tiny form, it was hard to tell.
Xiao Bao: “Look at her, she has a high nose, just like Dad.”
Da Bao: “Her little mouth is red, like Mom’s.”
Yan Runzhi, feeling pleased, said, “You stay here and watch the baby. I’ll go back to make some millet porridge.
Jiang Lin will definitely be hungry if she wakes up in the middle of the night.”
She had He Liang send her, and asked Fang Chengguang to go back and rest since it was late and they needed to train tomorrow.
Cheng Rushan: “You all go back and rest. I’ll stay here with her.”
The three brothers insisted on staying, so he had to let them be.
Wen Sheng and Da Bao Xiao Bao were so excited that they crowded by the bed until past ten o’clock.
Unable to stay awake any longer, they climbed into the neighboring bed and slept, not minding the heat at all.
Jiang Lin woke up in the middle of the night feeling hot and drenched in sweat, as if she had been pulled out of water.
The doctor had said that postpartum women would sweat, so there was no need to worry.
Just use a towel soaked in warm water to wipe off the sweat.
Cheng Rushan went to the boiler room to get hot water and helped her clean up.
Jiang Lin: “I really want to take a bath.”
Cheng Rushan: “I’ll help you wipe off. Your mother brought you some clothes; you can change into them later.”
He didn’t support Jiang Lin taking a bath right away, as the elderly said that postpartum women’s bones were still open and it was easy to catch a cold.
If the bones closed up with the cold lingering inside, it would hurt in the winter and summer.
He felt it wasn’t worth the risk.
After helping Jiang Lin clean up, he also dried her hair, wrapping it in a cotton cloth to absorb the sweat.
He glanced over at the baby sleeping in the small crib.
She was lying on her side, her little fists near her mouth, actually sucking on her hand.
The more she slept soundly, the more she seemed to enjoy it.
Jiang Lin heard it too and asked, “Brother Shan, do you think she’s hungry?”
Cheng Rushan: “She’s probably just greedy. If she were hungry, she would cry.”
He Liang came over with millet porridge and cheerfully looked at the baby, trying to take Wen Sheng, Da Bao, and Xiao Bao back with him.
But they were all sleeping soundly and wouldn’t wake up.
Cheng Rushan told him to go back first.
Jiang Lin drank the red sugar millet porridge.
It was neither too hot nor too cold, and she enjoyed it very much.
After drinking it, she felt full of energy, excited, and alert, with no desire to sleep.
Jiang Lin: “Brother Shan, I want to go for a walk.” After finally delivering the baby, she felt light, with no back pain, leg pain, shoulder cramps, or a heavy belly.
It felt like she could fly with a lift of her foot; she really wanted to go out and have some fun.
Cheng Rushan: “Just walk around the room. The wind outside is strong.”
A short walk would be good; the doctor said it would help discharge the lochia.
Jiang Lin got out of bed and started to walk around the ward.
Her steps were light, her figure graceful, and she felt fantastic.
She touched her belly, which felt a bit loose.
She needed to start exercising soon to tone it up; otherwise, it would be too unattractive.
She quietly asked Cheng Rushan, “Brother Shan, can you check if there are any stretch marks?”
No matter how good the skin is, there are always some marks.
Cheng Rushan knelt down on one knee, seriously checked, then stood up and said, “None.”
Jiang Lin: “Really none?”
Cheng Rushan: “Really none. It looks beautiful.”
Jiang Lin walked around a few more times, then returned to the bed.
She couldn’t sleep and craved spicy hot pot! The kind that’s both spicy and numbing!
During her pregnancy, Jiang Lin had strong cravings, often wanting spicy food or various other things.
However, for the sake of the baby’s health, she restrained herself and avoided spicy foods.
Later, due to hormonal changes, everything tasted bland, which made her crave strong flavors even more.
At this moment, she suddenly had a strong craving for spicy hotpot.
When the nurse came to check on her and saw her wandering around instead of sleeping, she was a bit taken aback.
Hearing Jiang Lin say she wanted spicy hotpot, and Cheng Rushan agreeing to make it for her the next day, only added to the nurse’s surprise.
Nurse: “You need to be careful. You’ll need to breastfeed, so avoid spicy and irritating foods, and don’t eat too much salt.”
Jiang Lin: “I just wanted to taste it a bit, not actually eat it, but even that small indulgence was ruthlessly crushed.”
Cheng Rushan, who was willing to indulge his wife’s cravings, smiled, “It’s alright, we can give the baby formula.”
Jiang Lin: “Breastfeeding is better.” At this point, formula wasn’t as nutritious as breast milk.
Perhaps because the topic of food was mentioned, the baby suddenly opened her eyes and started opening her little mouth, as if she was eagerly waiting to be fed, “Ah ah ah ah…”
Nurse: “See, she’s hungry. Try feeding her. If there’s no milk, give her some water or formula.”
At this time, formula was rationed and required an application after the baby was born, with only one can provided per month, and additional cans had to be purchased separately.
After the nurse left, Jiang Lin tried breastfeeding the baby again, and surprisingly, she was able to produce milk.
The little baby was joyfully kicking her legs and eating vigorously.
Jiang Lin’s maternal instincts surged and overflowed, “Brother Shan, look at her, even frowning.”
Cheng Rushan kissed Jiang Lin and patted their daughter’s head, but the baby’s tiny hand pushed him away, as if she was bothered by the interruption.
The baby was sucking so hard that she was sweating.
After a while, she was exhausted and fell asleep.
Her little mouth remained clamped on, her tiny hands clung on, and her little feet tried to stay close to Jiang Lin, reluctant to leave.
Cheng Rushan carefully moved her to the crib.
He was afraid of harming her due to her delicate and tiny nature, so he only supported her with his hand.
Jiang Lin told him to rest, so Cheng Rushan brought two long benches.
He let Jiang Lin sleep on the bed while he slept on the benches.
It was hot in summer, and sleeping together on the bed would make her even warmer.
Jiang Lin lay on her side, smiling at him, “Cheng Rushan.”
Cheng Rushan propped himself up on his arm and looked at her with tender eyes, “Hmm?”
“I’m liking you more and more.” Each time she thought she couldn’t like him more, she discovered she could.
Cheng Rushan smiled and leaned in to kiss her, “Sleep now, and no more seducing me.”
Exhausted, they both slept deeply.
At some unknown time, everyone was awakened by the loud crying, as if the baby was saying, “Wake up, wake up.”
Wen Sheng leaped out of bed like a fish, and Da Bao and Xiao Bao quickly got up as well.
The three of them lined up, staring in terror at the tiny thing in the crib, wondering why her cries were so loud!
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