Starting a new chapter in life

After dinner, Liu Qiang continued working. After finishing his work, He Zhijun pulled him to look at the flush toilet. Liu Qiang studied it for a while and sighed, "This thing is actually not that difficult to make. It's a pity that it's all controlled by the government. Otherwise, I could have tried to make it myself."

He Zhijun patted him on the shoulder: "Let's learn about these things first. Maybe we'll be able to do this kind of project someday. Opportunities are always reserved for those who are prepared."

That made sense, and Liu Qiang thought it made sense too. He studied it carefully again. The next day, He Jiaoxu and his son put the remaining cement in the truck bed, loaded Liu Qiang and the other three with their changes of clothes and bedding, and returned to Yangzhou.

He Zhijun went back to school and continued to spend time in the library. Jingyan, Sister Wang, and Grandma were really... quite bored at home. Grandma has now taken to collecting eggs. Every day, she would go to the henhouse to collect eggs with great interest whenever she heard the clucking of the hens. She has become much more lively and energetic. When Jingyan first met Grandma, she felt like she was a completely different person.

Sister Wang always says with a cheerful smile, "I would be content if I could be as energetic as this old lady when I get old, living a refined and insightful life."

Jingyan was also envious: "Grandma said that as long as we love ourselves, we will definitely live a happy life and be in a good state. So, I also want to learn from Grandma."

Jingyan's belly grew bigger and bigger, and the summer heat began in September. It wasn't too hard to bear in July and August, but the temperature got hotter and hotter in September. Jingyan could hardly put down the palm-leaf fan in her hand. When she got tired of fanning herself, Sister Wang would take over and fan her so that she could get a good night's sleep.

I don't dare to stretch at night anymore because I can easily get a leg cramp. The feeling is so painful. When He Zhijun isn't home, Sister Wang moves in to sleep with me. She can help massage my legs when I get a cramp. I can only sleep on my side. I can't lie on my stomach because it's too uncomfortable. It takes me a long time to prepare my sleeping position every day.

Fortunately, Jingyan was optimistic and her emotions were relatively stable. However, when she entered October and was eight months pregnant, Sister Wang began to control her diet, making each meal a fixed amount, and Jingyan was not full.

From the second trimester onwards, she still ate three meals a day, but her appetite doubled. While others would feel bloated after eating just a little at this stage, she didn't feel anything and it didn't interfere with her meals at all.

However, Sister Wang did not allow her to eat too much. She set a fixed amount for each meal, preferring to make less rather than more to keep on hand. To prevent her from sneaking food, she even stopped giving Jingyan her grandmother's snacks. Jingyan's meals increased from three to five a day. Even so, she would often wake up hungry in the middle of the night. She could not find anything to eat in the kitchen, so she could only drink a few sips of warm water or make a cup of malted milk to tide her over.

Several times, after waking up hungry, Jingyan didn't want to disturb Sister Wang next to her, so she could only sit up, lean against the wall, and silently shed tears. She felt so pitiful, not having enough to eat and being hungry. She knew in her heart that this feeling was wrong, but she just couldn't get it out. Fortunately, after crying and feeling sorry for herself, this feeling would fade away after she ate the next day.

She knew this wasn't right, but she didn't want her family to worry. During the day, she was still the same cheerful and energetic person she always was. Her grandmother could occasionally sense that her emotions were fluctuating a bit, but after observing her closely, she would return to normal and wouldn't take it to heart.

Jingyan entered her ninth month of pregnancy amidst this state of anxiety and uncertainty. Suddenly, the weather turned cold, and the family needed to buy coal and firewood. Aunt Yuan helped to make connections, and they managed to buy ten tons of coal and three truckloads of wheat straw, which were all piled up under the awning in the yard.

He Zhijun was thinking that next year he could remove the awning and build a storage room along the wall. It didn't need to be fancy, just add a wall and a roof. After all, the ground was already cement, so it was difficult to build a foundation. There was no need to make it too formal. It would be fine as long as it could avoid the wind and sun.

Jingyan didn't have any objections to this; in fact, leaving it as it was wasn't a problem. She started worrying about whether her baby was a boy or a girl, and whether it would be healthy… She worried unnecessarily every day. A few days ago, she went to the hospital for a checkup. The traditional Chinese medicine doctor took her pulse and said it was normal, telling her to relax.

However, she still couldn't control her thoughts. Several times she almost yelled at He Zhijun when he came back. Fortunately, she managed to control herself. At least in He Zhijun's eyes, her condition and mood were not bad. She had to endure this kind of mental anguish alone.

That night, she dreamed of Xiaoyue again. Xiaoyue was smiling and said, "Mom, you said before that you actually had another child after me, but unfortunately, it was aborted during the one-child policy. This is your lifelong regret. So this time, I'll let him come first and be my older brother, okay?"

Tears welled up in Jingyan's eyes. "Will you come back in this lifetime?" she asked cautiously, her voice filled with hope.

"Mom, no matter who it is, your dream of having a son and a daughter will come true. Be happy and don't worry. Being your children will be a blessing, so they will definitely be born safely. Don't put so much pressure on yourself. Keep a good mood. If you are anxious, your son will be anxious too. Mother and son are connected."

He Zhijun was awakened by the repeated calls of "Xiaoyue, Xiaoyue". He sat up, looked at Jingyan, and saw that she seemed to be in a nightmare. He quickly turned on the light and gently shook her shoulders: "Jingyan, wake up, what's wrong?"

After a while, Jingyan slowly opened her eyes. The tears she had just cried were half-dry and stuck to her eyelashes, sticking together. Jingyan rubbed her eyes before opening them fully. "What happened to me? Why did I cry?"

“I woke up when I heard crying. What did you dream about? Why were you crying so hard? And you were calling for Xiaoyue. Who is Xiaoyue?” He Zhijun asked gently as he got off the bed, took a water glass from the desk, poured some hot water, and tested the temperature. “The water temperature is just right. Drink a few sips to soothe your throat. Your voice is hoarse.”

Jingyan sat up, took the water glass, and obediently drank two sips. She handed the glass back to him only after her throat felt less dry. "I dreamt about my daughter. She said she wanted her brother to go first, and that she wanted to be the little sister and have the whole family pamper her."

"Is Xiaoyue the daughter in your dream?" He Zhijun asked curiously.

Jingyan nodded: "Yes, Zhijun, if this baby is really a son, let's have another one in a year or two. The next one will definitely be a daughter, and I want her to come to my side."

He Zhijun thought this was outrageous, but looking at Jing Yan's anxious face, he nodded as if possessed: "Okay, as long as you recover, we'll have another one. Two children will be enough. We won't have any more after that, okay? Actually, I think one child is fine, but if you want two, I'll listen to you."

Hearing his words, Jingyan felt much more at ease. She nodded, leaned forward while sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed), hugged his waist as he stood on the ground, and buried her head in his chest. "Okay, let me hug you for a while."

He Zhijun didn't say anything more, quietly letting her calm down. Jing Yan closed her eyes, and after a while, she let go of his hand and looked at him with a smile: "It's cold, hurry up and go to bed. I'm much better. It's not dawn yet, I can sleep a little longer."

He Zhijun watched her lie down before getting on the kang (a heated brick bed), turning off the light, and approaching her: "Your mood has been fluctuating a lot lately. Are you feeling increasingly uncomfortable? Your due date is still more than half a month away. I think I should take leave to stay by your side. Anyway, I've already finished most of my coursework this semester, so staying at home won't be a problem."

Upon hearing this, Jingyan quickly shook her head: "No need, Sister Wang and Grandma are at home, so you can go to class without worry. Don't let it interfere with your studies. This is a rare opportunity. You can stay with me at home when winter vacation starts. Don't worry, I'll go to the hospital to stay in a week, then you can rest assured."

He Zhijun then said nothing: "Yes, you said to go to the hospital in advance. Our home is a bit far from the city hospital, so it's better to go there earlier to feel more at ease. Don't be stingy with the money; your health is the most important thing."

Jingyan obediently agreed, but He Zhijun was still worried. He knew that even if he was at home, he couldn't do much except massage her legs and cook. In the end, he boarded the bus back to school with many backward glances.

Grandma and Sister Wang are paying more and more attention to Jingyan. However, Jingyan's mood has been getting better and better lately. It seems that since she dreamed of Xiaoyue, her irritability and fragility have disappeared overnight, and her condition is getting better and better.

At the end of November, Grandma finally asked Jingyan to stay at the hospital because she was worried. She and Sister Wang packed a change of clothes, money, household registration book, as well as clothes, swaddles and diapers for the baby. They took two big bags, locked the doors and windows, and took the bus straight to the city hospital.

The doctor in the inpatient department had never seen a pregnant woman request admission before labor had even begun. She tried to persuade the grandmother for a while: "Grandma, it's not that we don't want to admit you, it's just that your granddaughter-in-law really isn't ready yet. Coming here so early is just a waste of money..."

"Doctor, we'd rather spend the money for peace of mind. My grandson is in college, and we live quite far from here. If we wait until he goes into labor, we don't know if we'll make it in time. It's so cold, it'll be hard to find a car. What if it's at night? The risks are too great. Please, just let us check in earlier to prepare for delivery." The grandmother grabbed the doctor's hand and pleaded before the doctor could even persuade her.

The inpatient doctors were also in a difficult position. This was against the hospital's regulations, but looking at Jing Yan's big belly and the two people accompanying her during childbirth, it was indeed difficult for her to move around if she went into labor. After hesitating for a while, they said, "Well, I can't make a decision for you either. You sit here and wait for a while, and I'll go ask our director."

Grandma thanked him repeatedly, but the doctor shook his head and went to ask the head doctor for advice. When Dr. Qin passed by the lobby, he saw Jing Yan and came over to greet her: "Are you here for a check-up today too?"

Jingyan smiled when she saw it was him: "Dr. Qin, I'm here to check into the hospital today. My due date was supposed to be between the end of this month and the beginning of next month, right? My husband is in school, and I don't want him to worry about things at home."

We were thinking it was about time to check in, so we could avoid any chaos later. However, the doctor here said it wasn't in accordance with regulations, and they said they'd have to go see the head doctor to see if it could be done. We're waiting here.

Dr. Qin nodded, sat down next to her, took out a pulse pillow from his pocket, and placed it on the armrest of the chair: "Put your hand on it, let me take your pulse first."

Jing Yan quickly put her hand down. After taking her pulse, Dr. Qin put away the pulse pillow and said, "Your pulse indicates that you are almost due to give birth. It's okay, you wait here while I go ask the head of the inpatient department."

Jing Yan straightened her sleeves and quickly thanked Dr. Qin, "Then I'll have to trouble you."

Dr. Qin waved her hand: "It's nothing. I've been helping you with your check-ups since you got pregnant. It's just part of my job."

With Dr. Qin's advice, Jingyan finally completed the hospitalization procedures and was admitted. Nowadays, people tend to endure illnesses until they absolutely cannot bear it anymore before coming to the hospital. Hospitalization? No one is willing to spend the money unless they have a serious illness, so the inpatient department is relatively quiet.

Jingyan's ward is a three-person room with three beds, and she's currently the only one there. After tidying up her things, Sister Wang told Grandma to keep an eye on things while she went out to find a place to cook.

Surprisingly, she actually found a family near the hospital and negotiated a deal: she would pay them three yuan to rent a stove for a month, and they wouldn't have to return it if she left early. The family was happy to earn this extra income.

And so, Sister Wang went home and brought back some grain, oil, and flour. She prepared all three meals here, and then took them to the hospital in a basket. If she needed vegetables, meat, or eggs, she would buy them here if she could, and only go to the supply and marketing cooperative if she couldn't find them. With this extra income, the family became even more hospitable to Sister Wang.

On the fourth night of her hospitalization, Jingyan began to feel anxious and restless. Around midnight, she started experiencing contractions. Her grandmother was experienced, and Sister Wang had also gone through it herself. The two of them were calm, and Jingyan was also influenced by them. Despite the contractions, she felt much more at ease. When the contractions became more frequent, her grandmother asked Sister Wang to call the doctor.

It's so convenient to be in a hospital. The doctor arrived quickly and checked her condition. "She's only dilated to six centimeters. We'll have to wait a little longer. Let's go to the delivery room while we're waiting." The doctor and nurses led Sister Wang and Grandma to the delivery room. Jingyan was even able to walk there slowly, and she was gradually getting used to the rhythm of the contractions as she breathed in and out.

After four hours of labor in the delivery room, finally, at sunrise, the cry of a baby came from inside. Grandma stood outside the delivery room, her face showing obvious fatigue from not sleeping all night, but her excitement made her oblivious to the exhaustion. Hearing the cry, she quickly checked her watch: "November 2nd, December 1st in the Gregorian calendar, sunrise at 5:00 AM. Remember this time, 6:15 AM, my great-grandson is born!"