"You naughty girl, why didn’t you inform anyone when you went into labor?"
Wang Fengqiao scolded her niece, quickly helping her into the house with Miao Fengqin while Aunt Xu brought some heated water into the room.
Since both of them had given birth before, and Wang Fengqiao and Miao Fengqin had even assisted their daughters-in-law with childbirth, they had a certain level of experience.
Feng Qingxue managed a weak smile and said, "The pain has just started. I don’t think I’m fully dilated yet. I was going to send Gangzi to fetch you all later to assist me, but you’ve arrived already."
She wouldn’t dare gamble with her own life!
Although she was experienced and skilled at midwifery after nearly half a year of training, she had never gone through the process herself.
Wang Fengqiao glanced at her, "Lie down quickly, I’m going to cook some noodles with a couple of eggs for you. You’ll have the energy for childbirth then!"
"Aunt, you go ahead and prepare for that while I stay with Xiaoxue," Miao Fengqin said.
Feng Qingxue handed her the keys to the cupboard, reminding her, "Acheng knows where the noodles and eggs are. Auntie, don’t just boil plain noodles for me. I’d like noodles with scallion oil and a fried egg!"
"Spoiled brat, even in this situation, you’re picky!"
Despite her words, Wang Fengqiao opened the cupboard with Acheng’s help.
The cupboard was stuffed full of food, its contents astounded even Wang Fengqiao who knew her niece lived well. The usual variety of grains and flour were not out of the ordinary, but it was the three baskets full of eggs, the lard, brown sugar, flour, noodles, red dates, longan, millet, and other nutritious food that surprised her, "You’re so well prepared!"
Acheng explained, "A lot of it was sent by Uncle from the army, and some were gifts from his fellow soldiers."
Wang Fengqiao took a handful of noodles and four eggs from the cupboard and made a large bowl of noodles with lard and spring onion according to Feng Qingxue’s request. The bright white fried egg nestled below the noodles as she served it.
Believing that eating well would give her strength for childbirth, Feng Qingxue finished the noodles and eggs, slurping up all of the soup as well.
"Aunty, all the tools needed for childbirth are in the medical box!" called Acheng from outside the door.
Feng Qingxue was in labor, and he had no intention to go to school. As he prepared hot water in the kitchen, he also sent Gangzi to find Lu’s father. It had been a while, and Lu’s father hadn’t arrived yet, perhaps Lu Tianjun didn’t encounter him on the road. Regardless, he should be at home waiting for his single daughter-in-law to give birth. What kind of work could be more important than family?
Even before Gangzi could leave, Lu’s father arrived, sweating profusely.
"Acheng, is your aunt in labor?" Hearing from others that Miao Fengqin and Wang Fengqiao had gone to his house, and even Aunt Xu had joined, he knew for sure his daughter-in-law was in labor.
Acheng nodded, "Yes, Granduncle. It’s good that you’re back."
Lu’s father was both worried and excited, pacing around in the kitchen, causing Acheng to feel dizzy.
"Granduncle, should we make some millet porridge? I remember Aunty saying, drinking some brown sugar with millet porridge is the best after childbirth."
"Cook it, cook it! You learned medicine from your aunt. Whatever you say is good for us, we’ll cook it!" Lu’s father quickly squatted near the stove to tend to the fire. Acheng rinsed the millet and poured it into a claypot, placing it next to the stovetop to simmer on a separate burner.
The small burner was installed just after New Year, specifically for Feng Qingxue’s postpartum recovery.
The porridge hadn’t even started cooking properly when Aunt Xu came hurrying in, "Quick, give me some hot water, Qingxue is about to give birth!"