1940s: I supported my wife and sister-in-law by hunting.

He raised his hand to smooth the few remaining strands of hair on his head and spoke irritably.

"What? Am I just a decoration here? I haven't even spoken yet, so who gives you the right to make such a judgment? Granny Wang, you're just a woman, you don't have any strength in your hands, you can't exert any force."

"If your family doesn't have those old customs and traditions, then I'll deliver Shanzi's baby. Give me a straight answer, or I'll pack my medicine kit and leave right now!"

Lianhua lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), and upon hearing this, she shook her head with all her might.

"No! No way! I can't let any other man see my body except Shanzi. How can I face anyone in the village after that? How can I go out? I won't do it!"

"Mother, Shanzi, I can do it myself. I can push. I can give birth by myself!"

Chen Gaoshan, listening nearby, grew anxious.

"Bullshit! The person's almost dead, what are you afraid to watch? With me here, who dares to say a word? What's there to be afraid of! Uncle Zhou, ignore her, hurry up and do it!"

Lotus was still shaking her head. "Mother, I really can't."

At this moment, Chen Liu was also extremely anxious. She ignored Lianhua's advice and stepped forward, grabbed Zhou Langzhong's arm, and dragged him towards the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).

"No way, my foot! Brother Zhou, don't listen to her. I'm in charge here today! Go ahead and do what you want, I'll take responsibility for anything that happens, so hurry up!"

Without saying a word, Dr. Zhou put his hands into the basin of hot water and rubbed them together, which he considered disinfecting them.

"Shanzi's wife, don't worry, I won't look down. I'll help you push the baby down. When I yell 'Push,' you just have to push with all your might, understand?"

"Shanzi, do you have any old ginseng? Cut two thick slices for your wife to chew on. That stuff has a lot of energy and can help her withstand the strain!"

Old Chen, who was squatting at the door, listened intently to the sounds inside the house. As soon as he heard that they wanted ginseng.

"Yes! We have some old ginseng at home, I'll go cut it right now!"

He found the ginseng wrapped in cloth, cut two large slices with a knife, and quickly handed them into the house.

Chen Gaoshan held Lianhua's hand and stuffed the ginseng slices into her mouth.

"Lotus, you've finished chewing!"

It must be said that he is indeed an old doctor; not only is his medical skill superb, but he also has great strength in his hands.

Dr. Zhou squatted by the kang (a heated brick bed), guiding the baby's position while chanting encouragement for Lianhua to push. In just twenty minutes, he guided the baby's movements, slowly straightening the child out of the kang and pulling him out.

Seeing that the child had landed safely and Lianhua had recovered from her heavy breathing, Chen Liushi knelt down on the ground, bowed to Doctor Zhou, and tears streamed down her face.

"Brother Zhou, what a great favor you've done! You saved two lives in our Chen family!"

Granny Wang was quick-witted and immediately took the newborn baby, holding it upside down by its little feet and patting its back.

A short while later, a wailing sound, like a kitten's meow, finally rang out in the room.

Chen Liu wiped away her tears, quickly took the child from Wang Pozi's arms, and carefully held him in her arms.

"You little brat, what's the point of having such a big head? You've been suffocating your mother!"

Chen Gaoshan's heart, which had been hanging in suspense for most of the day, finally settled down completely.

"I'm a dad! I'm a father!"

"Uncle Zhou, is my wife really alright?"

Dr. Zhou wiped his hands clean with a cloth and waved his hand.

"Your wife has a good constitution and is very healthy, but her vital energy has been depleted, so she needs to rest for a while. I'll prescribe two doses of medicine to replenish her qi and blood later. She should take them on time, and then have a postpartum confinement period. She's young, so she'll recover quickly, and there shouldn't be any major problems."

After saying that, Chen Gaoshan took the cloth that had been prepared in advance and wrapped it around Lianhua's forehead. It was a headscarf that women use when giving birth, to prevent her from catching a cold.

Chen Gaoshan then moved down from the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), moved closer to Chen Liushi, glanced at the little girl in her arms, and unconsciously pouted.

This child is so ugly. His little face is all wrinkled, and his head is squeezed into a thin, long shape, like an old cucumber. He's deformed.

Chen Liu looked at her son's disgusted expression.

"Stop pouting! Babies' bones are soft. They're stretched out at birth, but they'll naturally grow back and open up after a month or two! And you're still complaining."

Although Lianhua on the kang (heated brick bed) was so weak that she could barely move, she could still talk.

"Mother, is it a boy or a girl?"

Granny Wang slapped her thigh, finally realizing that she had been so busy that she had forgotten the important matter. In all her years of professional experience, how could she have forgotten the most crucial step: to let the master know that everything was alright? Oh, my mistake, my mistake.

He opened his mouth with a smile.

"Congratulations, Brother Chen and Sister-in-law! You've given birth to a beautiful, fair-skinned baby girl. Mother and daughter are both safe and well!"

Chen Liushi noticed that Lianhua's lips were turning down, and she seemed a little unhappy, so she immediately sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).

"So what if it's a girl? She's the first grandchild in our Chen family, she's precious! You risked your life for her, what's there to complain about? Having a girl as your first child means she'll help take care of your younger siblings, how sweet! As long as you're healthy, we can have more children if we want, why worry about not being able to have a son?"

As Lianhua listened to her mother-in-law's heartwarming words, her gaze towards the child softened.

Just as Lianhua finished delivering the baby in the west wing, Xinghua's pain intensified in the east wing.

Granny Gao was an experienced midwife in the village. Ever since she entered the east wing, she hadn't been idle. She would touch Xinghua's belly one moment and check her baby's position the next.

"Xinghua, push! Push down! Your baby is in the right position, it's easier than your sister's, don't panic!"

Although this was Xinghua's first pregnancy, it was easier than Lianhua's. Despite the pain, she remained clear-headed.

She gritted her teeth and, as Granny Gao had instructed, pulled down with all her might as soon as the pain started.

Xiaxia brought in freshly boiled water, then laid out the boiled scissors and clean strips of cloth. Looking at the preparations in the room, she didn't dare to make a sound, quietly helping out and waiting to add water or hand things over at any time.

Granny Gao squatted by the kang (a heated brick bed), reaching out to peek every now and then, feeling more and more certain as she looked.

"The cervix is ​​dilated well, and the baby's head is facing forward. With a little more pushing, it'll be out soon!"

Xinghua trembled with pain, but gritted her teeth and persevered. She was worried about Lianhua and kept asking questions as she tried to hold on.

"How's my sister, Lotus?"

Granny Gao wiped her sweat while loudly responding.

"Don't worry! Doctor Zhou is overseeing things in the west wing. He just heard the baby crying, and Granny Wang said the mother and daughter are safe. Now it's just a matter of you going! You should also keep up the good work and not let your family worry!"

Upon hearing that Lianhua had given birth safely, Xinghua felt a great sense of relief and regained her strength. Taking advantage of the contractions, she pushed down with all her might.

"Push! Push harder! It's out! I can see the head!"

From the start of the apricot blossom season to production, it only takes three hours.

Granny Gao held it in her hands, and after a short while, a loud cry was heard, louder than the cry from the west wing.

"It's another girl! Mother and daughter are both safe and well!"

Old Chen squatted at the doorway, holding a pipe in his hand, without saying a word, even forgetting to light his tobacco.

His expression darkened, but he didn't say anything.

He kept wondering to himself, his two daughters-in-law were pregnant one after the other, and they were both on the right day to give birth, so why was it so unlucky that neither of them gave birth to a boy?

not a single one!

What bad luck! Of all things, it just so happened to the Chen family.