America 1883: The Western Homeland

Chapter 156 The Thrilling Daily Life in Paradise Valley

gave birth!

Everyone's ecstatic gaze instantly focused on the tightly closed door!

After what seemed like an eternity of torment, the door finally opened again.

Mother Margaret, her face covered in sweat, practically carried the exhausted Catherine out.

Catherine's face was ashen, and her steps were unsteady.

The crowd quickly made way for her and helped her to the sofa.

"Water—food—" Catherine's voice was as faint as a whisper.

Tom immediately poured a glass of warm water and quickly grabbed a box of cookies from the kitchen.

Catherine practically snatched the water glass and gulped it down in a few mouthfuls, then slammed the empty glass onto the table. Tom silently refilled it.

This time, she drank very slowly, taking small sips, completely different from before.

She took the cookie, her movements still retaining a certain air of refinement, yet she ate it very quickly.

Under the almost burning, expectant gazes of the crowd, she finally uttered two words: "Wait."

"The baby—needs careful care—" She closed her eyes wearily. "I'm tired—is there a room?"

"Yes!" Margaret immediately and carefully helped her up and led her to the guest room.

As Margaret gently closed the guest room door and returned to the living room, she was greeted by several pairs of eyes that seemed to be spitting fire as they anxiously inquired.

Margaret looked at everyone, but there was no joy on her face, only an overwhelming sense of worry and heaviness.

She opened her mouth, her voice dry: "The adults are asleep. The children are asleep too."

Just as ecstasy was about to spread across everyone's faces, it was frozen in mid-air by Margaret's expressionless face.

Tom knew perfectly well that the scene of a cesarean section would be absolutely horrifying!

"Zack, take some men to milk the goats! Cooper, take some men to the nearby ranches and ask around to see if there are any women who have just given birth and can breastfeed, then bring them back!" Tom's orders were firm and decisive.

The two dared not delay and immediately accepted the order and left.

"Mary, when you bring back the goat milk, remember to ask the assistant inside if she knows how to feed the baby," Tom instructed Mary again.

He then turned to Jonah: "Make some broth for Elsa, and get something to eat for everyone. Especially for the female doctor, keep the food warm in the pot so she can eat whenever she wakes up!"

Jonah nodded vigorously.

Tom glanced one last time at the closed delivery room door, took a deep breath, turned and strode out. Even though he didn't understand medicine, he was well aware of the dangers of post-operative infection.

I almost bumped into Cooper, who was supposed to be looking for someone, as I stepped out the door.

"Tom!" Cooper gasped, "A rancher near the hot springs said his cowboy's wife just had a baby!"

Tom's eyes lit up: "Then what are we waiting for? Bring them back quickly!"

Cooper looked troubled: "He—he wants to talk to you in person."

Tom glanced at Cooper and instantly understood the other man's plan.

"Lead the way!" His voice turned serious.

The two hurried to the hot spring inn. A rancher in his fifties, with a ruddy complexion, was soaking comfortably in the pool. When he saw Tom, he grinned.

"Where is he?" Tom had no time for beating around the bush.

"Brother Tom," the rancher said leisurely, "I heard you have a nice single room available? How about I use it?"

Tom's lips curled into a cold, hard smile: "Two options. One, tell me where you are, and I'll thank you and waive your membership fee for a month. Two, don't ever come back."

The noisy hot spring pool instantly fell silent.

The rancher's smile froze: "Tom, aren't you being ruthless?"

"Not going to talk? Goodbye." Tom turned and left without any hesitation.

Now it was the rancher's turn to panic.

"Wait!" he shouted urgently.

Tom paused.

Outside the hotel, Tom stared at Cooper, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Hurry! Bring as many people as possible! Anything that can be solved with money isn't a problem. Make sure you get them back!"

Cooper nodded emphatically and led his men out of Paradise Valley at top speed.

Tom watched them go before turning around and surveying the edge of the ranch.

He walked onto the ice; the igloo was still standing and had not yet melted.

He glanced inside and knew in his heart that the igloo's mission for this winter had come to an end.

He found Wade, who was herding livestock on the high slope: "Pass the word down, no one is allowed to enter the igloo again!"

Wade nodded, then asked hesitantly, "Elsa, she—"

"Mother and child are both safe," Tom replied briefly.

Wade smiled, and Tom breathed a slight sigh of relief.

When Tom stepped back into the main house, he was greeted by a heart-wrenching cry of a baby!

"The child is starving!" someone shouted.

Tom was overjoyed! The fact that the child could cry and howl meant he had energy!

"What about goat milk?" he asked urgently.

"He won't drink it!" Mary cried, holding the bowl helplessly.

"He wants to find his mother—" Claire whispered, holding the child, her voice full of heartache.

Elsa hasn't woken up yet, even if she were—

Tom's heart sank.

"Rice porridge! Give him rice porridge!" Tom made the decisive decision.

All eyes immediately focused on him.

Tom looked at Mary: "Can you cook this?"

"I'll do it!" Without a word, Mother Margaret turned and rushed into the kitchen.

Before long, she came out carrying a bowl of warm, thin rice porridge.

Claire exchanged a glance with her, carefully took the bowl, scooped up a small spoonful, blew on it, and brought it to the baby's mouth.

The little guy pushed his tongue out, and all the rice soup spilled out; he absolutely refused to swallow it.

The group of people were in a state of panic.

"Slow down, there's plenty of rice porridge!" Tom said in a deep voice, trying to calm the troops.

It took a long time to prepare a bowl of rice porridge, and almost all of it was wasted.

"Another bowl, please!" Tom's tone was firm and left no room for argument.

His determination inspired everyone.

Claire took a deep breath and this time slowed down completely.

Is the little guy using his tongue to push against something? Let him push.

The spoon waited patiently by his lips, without haste or impatience.

Finally, after feeding him the third bowl, whether he was tired from crying or finally tasting the warm and soothing flavor of the rice porridge, the little guy's resistance lessened, and he began to suck and swallow unconsciously.

"He drank it! He drank it!" Claire's voice trembled with excitement.

Everyone held their breath as the tiny life finally began to eat.

Margaret let out a long sigh, tears welling in her eyes, and murmured, "This child—he wanted to live!"

As for the rest of the feeding schedule, Mother Margaret and Aunt Claire naturally knew how to manage it.

As dusk settled, Dr. Catherine finally awoke. Margaret quickly brought out some warm food from the kitchen and handed it to her.

"Are you a doctor?" Tom's voice suddenly rang out.

Catherine swallowed the food in her mouth, not even lifting her eyelids, her voice as cold as ice: "Can I leave now?"

"No way!" Tom said firmly. "You know better than anyone what their situation is like inside! My promise to you remains valid!"

Catherine looked up abruptly, her eyes blazing with fury, and she practically spat out the words through clenched teeth: "Robbers! Bandits!"

Tom's lips curled into a cold smile: "Say what you will. Just remember your mission."

Just then!

"Ugh—" A weak groan came from the inner room.

Elsa, you're awake!

But what followed was Margaret's distorted exclamation: "My God! She's burning up!"

>