The Zhangs were already prepared for the birth, with hot water, scissors, straw mats, and baby clothes and blankets ready at hand.
Yes, Feng Qingxue was giving birth on the bed, whereas others, including Wang Jiao, were giving birth on the ground.
The ground was thickly covered with straw and topped with thick straw mats. Under Wang Jiao, there were a few old clothes patched together to form bed sheets, which was already considered quite good amongst the birthing group. Most people directly give birth in piles of straw, reflecting the ancient saying, ’falling into the grass’!
’Falling into the grass’ has two meanings, one refers to becoming a bandit, and the other means the birth of a baby.
From ancient times till now, most of the poor women gave birth on piles of straw because people generally thought childbirth was quite ominous. The birthing room was often referred to as a ’blood room’ and men were not allowed to enter to avoid bad luck.
"Oh, oh, Xiaoxue you’re here! Quickly help me deliver this baby!"
Wang Jiao was lying on the straw mat, screaming and shouting, her face contorted with pain.
She had eaten well during her pregnancy, never missing a meal, and was not fond of working. Zhang Yuejin pampered her, and the Zhang’s felt they couldn’t control her. No matter how much Feng Qingxue advised her to exercise more for an easier childbirth, she continued her old ways. Hence, she was significantly chubbier than Feng Qingxue had been during her pregnancy — her once oval face turned round, her double chin was prominent, there was a thick layer of fat on her waist and back, but her belly didn’t seem that big.
During Feng Qingxue’s pregnancy, she hardly gained any weight but her stomach was huge, looking shaky and scary.
Compared to her, Wang Jiao, her arms and legs had gotten significantly thicker, but her stomach didn’t look that big. This annoyed Miao Fengqin so much that she scolded, "What are you yelling for? Save your energy for giving birth! Xiaoxue is here, what are you scared of? You’ve eaten all the good food, not saving any for the baby, look at you! You’re now heavier than a pig, but your belly’s not showing much. Yuejin almost couldn’t lift you!"
What a fantastic description.
However, Miao Fengqin was right – the heaviest pig in the birthing team only weighed one hundred and thirty-two pounds, while Wang Jiao looked far beyond a hundred and forty-five pounds. Wasn’t she heavier than a pig?
In those days, this statement wouldn’t have been considered an insult, because in people’s minds, being fat represented wealth and prosperity.
Among a thousand people, only one would be fat, and that person would surely be the richest. Only people with high living standards and substantial wealth could afford to stay chubby in an era of scarcity.
Why was Xibao loved by everyone? Besides his handsome face, it was his chubby figure that pleased people.
"Cousin, take a break and wait until it’s time to yell. Would you like Auntie Zhang to make you some egg noodles?" Feng Qingxue checked her baby’s position, listened to the baby’s heartbeat with a stethoscope. Everything was normal, except that the birth canal had only dilated by two fingers.
Hearing of the food, Wang Jiao immediately stopped yelling and started humming. "Bring it quickly, I am starving."
She was used to eating a lot, and had a big appetite. It had only been an hour or so since she had lunch and her stomach already sounded like beating drums.
Yuejin’s mother was really excited for this child. Following Zhang Yuejin’s suggestion, they had prepared everything well in advance. Hearing Wang Jiao saying she was hungry, she quickly lit the fire, sautéed onions and lard, added water, and boiled the rolled-out noodles with four fried eggs on top.
Carrying it into the room, without anyone’s prompting, Wang Jiao sat up immediately. She wasn’t afraid of the heat, and in no time, she devoured everything without leaving a trace.
Thrusting the empty bowl into Yuejin’s mother’s hands, she laid back down on the straw mat again, crying out in pain.