Siheyuan: Reborn Silly Pillar, Taking Control of the Entire Courtyard

Lin Wanqiu's hand was already on He Chenshi's stomach, her fingertips slightly cool, carrying a reassuring power.

He Chenshi was now in a semi-comatose state, her lips were dry and cracked, and her breathing was weak and rapid.

She seemed to feel someone touching her, her brows furrowed in pain, and she murmured unconsciously, "Zhu'er... Mother is sorry... Save the baby... You must save the baby..."

The voice was intermittent, faint and weak, like a lamp wick about to go out in the wind, ready to break at any moment.

Lin Wanqiu didn't say anything, but carefully rubbed her hands with warm water to make sure that the coldness wouldn't stimulate the new mother.

After doing all this.

She turned to look at Sha Zhu, her eyes serious: "Kid, this is a delivery room, it's gloomy here, and there are many rules. It's inconvenient for a grown man like you to stay here, go outside and wait."

Sha Zhu didn't waste any words, nor did he refute the term "big man".

He knew that every second was crucial.

He took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Lin Wanqiu, bending so low that his forehead almost touched his knees.

"Dr. Lin, I'm entrusting my mother and my unborn sister to you. If you can save them, Sha Zhu's life will be yours from now on!"

Although her voice trembled slightly with excitement, she enunciated each word with unwavering determination beyond her years.

Lin Wanqiu looked at the sensible child in front of her, whose understanding was so touching that it touched her heart, and her heart stirred slightly.

She waved her hand, her tone softening slightly: "Don't worry, I'm a doctor, saving lives is my duty. Go outside and wait for good news."

The door creaked shut, separating the two worlds.

Sha Zhu stood outside the door, his back against the cold wall. Snow water dripped down his hair, "plop, plop," hitting the blue brick floor and spreading out a small patch of dark water stains.

He paced anxiously back and forth at the door, his shoes leaving messy marks in the snow and mud. A fire seemed to be burning inside him, but it was suppressed by the cold wind outside. This feeling of being caught between fire and ice was driving him almost crazy.

He couldn't help but press his ear against the door, desperately trying to hear what was happening inside.

Apart from her mother's occasional suppressed groans and Lin Wanqiu's soft soothing words, there was only a suffocating silence.

That silence was more terrifying than any noise, like a dull knife slowly cutting flesh, bit by bit, so slow it was maddening.

In the room.

Lin Wanqiu bent down and gently lifted the quilt covering He Chenshi.

The women standing by to help couldn't help but gasp – the mattress beneath He Chenshi was soaked in blood, the dark red stains looking particularly shocking in the dim light.

Lin Wanqiu showed no sign of panic. She placed her hands on He Chenshi's bulging belly, her fingertips steadily sinking into the gaps between the abdominal muscles, carefully probing inch by inch.

Her movements were gentle and professional, as if she were touching a rare treasure.

As the investigation deepened, her brows furrowed more and more.

"The situation is worse than expected."

Lin Wanqiu murmured to herself.

"The fetus is in a transverse position and is very tightly stuck. If this continues, not only the mother but also the baby will suffocate due to lack of oxygen."

Standing to the side, Yi Li was so frightened that she dared not breathe, and could only keep chanting Buddhist prayers: "Amitabha, Amitabha, Bodhisattva, please protect me..."

The deaf old woman, leaning on her cane, stood in a corner of the room, her sharp eyes sweeping over everyone inside.

Although she couldn't see the specifics, she understood the situation perfectly.

She said in a deep voice, "Dr. Lin, please don't hesitate to ask if you need anything. I'll be the first to object to anyone in this house who dares to disobey me!"

Lin Wanqiu took a deep breath and looked up at Yi Li Shi: "Eldest sister, please prepare some hot water, the temperature should be moderate, not too hot or too cold. Also, please bring a few clean towels, and be quick!"

"Yes! Yes! I'm going right now!" Yi Li replied repeatedly, rushing towards the kitchen.

She deftly scooped out the boiling water, added some cold water, tested the temperature with the back of her hand, and when she felt it was about right, she carefully carried it back.

Jia Zhangshi squatted by the stove, adding firewood with her hands, but her eyes kept sneaking glances at Lin Wanqiu.

She thought to herself: This female doctor looks so young, so thin, and she's wearing a worn-out cotton robe. She doesn't look like a famous doctor at all.

She pursed her lips and lowered her voice to Granny Wang beside her, saying, "Granny Wang, where did you find this quack doctor? Can he even do anything? In my opinion, we should listen to you and decide sooner rather than later whether to save the mother or the baby. Otherwise, we might end up with nothing, and if we waste time, the mother might die too."

Granny Wang didn't say anything, but just frowned as she watched Lin Wanqiu's movements.

She wasn't sure herself, but Lin Wanqiu's calm and composed demeanor made her hesitant to interrupt.

"Zhang Ruhua!"

A furious shout suddenly rang out.

The deaf old woman had somehow reached the kitchen doorway, and with a loud "smack," she slammed her cane down heavily on Jia Zhangshi's buttocks.

"Ouch!" Jia Zhangshi cried out in pain and jumped up, clutching her buttocks and yelling.

"Grandma, why did you hit me? I was just concerned about the Qing Dynasty daughter-in-law!"

"Concerned? I think you're a jinx!" The deaf old woman said in a low voice, her face dark.

"This is a matter of life and death, what right do you have to gossip here? If you dare to spout nonsense again, get back to your room! Don't cause any more trouble!"

Jia Zhangshi rubbed her sore buttocks, her face turning a deep liver color.

She glanced at the old woman's murderous gaze and ultimately dared not utter another word.

She shoved the firewood into the stove with such force that sparks flew out and almost burned her sleeves.

Outside.

Sha Zhu was so anxious his heart was about to jump out of his throat.

He kept walking, his soaked cloth shoes crunching in the snow, the icy chill rising straight up from the soles of his feet, but his body was covered in layers of cold sweat.

This feeling of helplessness—being unable to help and only able to wait—was even more unbearable than being asked to kill a few Japanese soldiers.

He could only pray desperately in his heart: Dr. Lin, you must do it... You are a professional, you must save my mother and Yushui.

Yes, rainwater.

He remembered the name.

Before I traveled through time, I watched that drama, He Daqing's daughter, He Yushui.

Her life was saved from this difficult childbirth.

And now, he is Sha Zhu.

Inside were his biological mother and his biological sister.

"Doctor, how is it? Are you sure?" The deaf old lady's voice came through the crack in the door, trembling slightly.

Sha Zhu immediately stopped and pressed his ear even closer.

Lin Wanqiu's voice was calm and clear, carrying an undeniable strength: "We've determined the baby's position; it's definitely transverse. But don't worry, it can be turned. However, we'll need everyone's help and cooperation."

A rustling sound came from inside the house, as if everyone had breathed a sigh of relief.

The old woman, who had been silent until now, spoke with a hint of respect in her voice.

"Dr. Lin, please give us your orders. We'll do anything you say to save both the mother and the child."

"Sister Wang, when I'm adjusting the baby's position, the mother will be in a lot of pain and might struggle. You need to hold her upper body down firmly to prevent her from moving around, otherwise she might hurt the baby," Lin Wanqiu instructed.

"Sure! I'm good at this!" Granny Wang replied, patting her chest.

Then, a long, deathly silence fell over the room.

Sha Zhu held his breath, not daring to even exhale.

Sudden--

"ah--!!!"

He Chenshi let out a piercing scream, instantly shattering the silence of the courtyard and sending chills down everyone's spine.

Sha Zhu shuddered, feeling as if his heart was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand.

He rushed to the door, gripping the frame tightly with both hands, almost bursting inside.

"Mother! Mother, hold on! Don't give up! Doctor Lin is saving you and your sister! You must hold on!"

He peered through the crack in the door and shouted, his voice hoarse and strained.

There was no response from inside.

The only sounds were He Chenshi's suppressed and painful breathing, the rustling of clothes, and Lin Wanqiu's occasional short commands: "A little to the left...slower...slower still...steady...yes, that's it..."

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

Every second felt incredibly long, like an eternity.

I don't know how much time passed, maybe ten minutes, maybe half an hour.

Finally, Lin Wanqiu let out a long sigh of relief: "Alright, the baby is in the right position. Now, it all depends on the mother's willpower."

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu felt his legs go weak and he could no longer support his body weight, sliding down the door frame to the ground.

He was breathing heavily, cold sweat mixed with water sliding down his face.

A few soft sighs of relief rose from inside the room. Madam Yi hurriedly handed Lin Wanqiu a towel to wipe her sweat, while the deaf old lady repeatedly bowed and thanked the family, saying, "Thank God, thank God..."

"It's too early to thank me now."

Lin Wanqiu's voice remained steady, without the slightest sign of relaxation.

"Getting the baby in the correct position is just the first step; labor has only just begun. The mother is exhausted and needs to replenish her energy quickly. Do you have any food at home? Liquids are best, as they are easy to digest."

When Jia Zhangshi heard there was food, her eyes lit up instantly.

She stood up abruptly and dusted off her hands.

Her eyes darted around, and she turned and walked to the He family's chest of drawers, pulling open the bottom drawer.

There were about a dozen eggs and a small bag of brown sugar in the drawer, with half a piece of cured meat and a few sausages underneath.

In those days, this was a real hard currency, something most families couldn't even afford to use during the Lunar New Year.

Jia Zhangshi swallowed hard, and taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, she quickly stuffed two eggs into her sleeve as fast as a magician.

The egg was so slippery that it vanished in an instant.

"Yes! I have eggs! And brown sugar!" She turned around, a signature fake smile plastered on her face, and said as if presenting a treasure, "Dr. Lin, are these eggs okay? And the brown sugar, is that enough?"

"Okay." Lin Wanqiu didn't even turn her head, and was tidying up the equipment.

"Boil some brown sugar water with poached eggs, make a lot, and let her drink some warm water to replenish her energy."

"Should we play a few more?"

Madam Jia's eyes widened, her heart pounding with heartache, and she muttered under her breath.

"These eggs are so precious... She's in this state, how can she eat so many? Isn't this a waste... Why don't you just eat them to death...?"

"What are you muttering about?!"

The deaf old woman had sharp ears and heard it immediately. She thrust her cane forward and jabbed it squarely into Jia Zhangshi's lower back.

"Ouch!" Jia Zhangshi winced in pain.

"If you can't handle it, then get out! Don't be stingy with the eggs!" the deaf old woman shouted angrily.

"It's Zhonghai's business, you handle it!"

Madam Jia's face fell, and she retreated to the side in a huff.

Although she was scolded and her back ached, she touched the two warm eggs in her sleeve and felt a surge of joy in her heart—Dongxu was in for a treat tonight.

The He family is so rich they're practically rolling in money; their cook never starves. I'll have to find a way to benefit from their wealth in the future.

Yi Li stepped forward in response; she was not as petty as Jia Zhangshi.

She deftly started the fire, cracked the eggs, and put the brown sugar into the pot, her movements skillful and decisive.

Outside.

When Sha Zhu heard from inside the house that the baby was in the correct position, his tense nerves finally relaxed.

He leaned against the door frame and slowly closed his eyes.

Only at this moment did the terrifying scenes from the journey come flooding back to him like a tidal wave—the dark muzzles of Japanese soldiers' guns, the gleaming bayonets, the gushing blood, and the driver's greedy yet terrified face.

And those few cold corpses in the system space.

It needs to be cleaned up quickly, leaving no trace.

etc--

rickshaw!

Sha Zhu suddenly opened his eyes, his heart skipping a beat. The rickshaw was still at the gate!

These days, rickshaws all have license plates, and the rickshaw companies register them.

If the driver doesn't return home overnight, the car rental company will definitely search for him by number.

If the driver can't be found, they might trace the vehicle and eventually find the driver.

No, it must be dealt with immediately!

He turned and ran towards the gate.

The snow was still falling, and a thin layer of white had already accumulated on the ground.

The rickshaw stood alone at the entrance, its canopy covered in snowflakes, making it particularly conspicuous.

Sha Zhu looked around to make sure no one was in the alley.

With a thought, he waved his hand.

The rickshaw vanished instantly, stored in the system space.

He quickly ran into the front yard, found a secluded corner, and put the car out again.

That way, even if someone sees it, they'll just assume it's something someone temporarily left there, and won't immediately connect it to the murder at the front gate.

After doing all this, he turned around, closed the door, and exhaled a long breath of white air.

Stable.

Just as I passed through the hanging flower gate, the sound drifted over from the main house in the middle courtyard.

At first, it was faintly audible, but as he got closer, it became clearer and clearer.

"Push harder! Push a little harder! The head's out! I can see the head!" That was Granny Wang's excited voice.

"Come on, Qing Dynasty daughter-in-law! Think of Zhuzi, think of the children! Hold on!" This was Yi Li's encouraging voice.

Then came He Chenshi's suppressed moans, which were desperately bursting forth one after another, like a dull saw tearing at one's heart, making Sha Zhu feel cold all over.

Having a baby...

That's fucking terrifying.

Just like him, Jia Dongxu was also shivering in the quilt of the Jia family home, his body shivering and his neck tucked in.

And Xu Damao, who was too frightened to make a sound at the foot of the backyard wall by the screams.