After seeing Zhou Bin off, Chen Lishu went to the department store to buy some fabric for making 'false collars'. She left a note for Gu Xingping and then rode her bicycle back to the village that afternoon with the fabric.
When she arrived home, Li Xiulan and the others had not yet finished work. Chen Lishu put down the fabric and started cooking. Just as she finished, Li Xiulan and the others pushed open the courtyard gate and came in.
“Why are you back at this hour?” Li Xiulan asked as she went to get a basin of water for everyone to wash up.
“I took on another order, and they need it urgently, so I thought I’d bring the fabric back early to get more done,” Chen Lishu said, picking up bowls to serve everyone.
After dinner, Chen Lishu first settled the last batch of work clothes profit sharing with Zhang Qin and Li Xiulan, and then she explained the details of the fifty 'false collars' order.
“Third sister-in-law, since it’s so rushed, why don’t you let me join in?” Liu Yuemin said cautiously after listening to their conversation.
Her family had made a good profit from grain collection last time, and she had realized that only by following Chen Lishu could she make big money. Hearing that it was urgent, she thought it was the perfect time to offer her services.
Chen Lishu hesitated for a moment before agreeing, but she couldn't help but emphasize, “Second sister-in-law, let’s get this straight. If you cause any more trouble this time, I won’t let you off as easily as I did last time.”
Liu Yuemin immediately nodded and promised upon hearing her agreement, “Never, never. Third sister-in-law, please rest assured, I guarantee I won’t have any other ideas. If I make another mistake, without anyone else saying anything, I certainly won’t have the face to stay in this family.”
After everything was settled, Chen Lishu took the money and returned to the Chen family.
As soon as she pushed the door open, she saw Wu Chunmei half-lying on the kang, with Chen Mantun by her side, holding a teacup and feeding her something spoonful by spoonful.
“Mom, are you sick?”
Chen Lishu was about to walk closer when someone suddenly grabbed her leg. Looking down, she saw the toddler Chen Lizi, who had just learned to walk, looking up at her with a gummy smile, her tiny teeth like grains of rice. Chen Lishu was instantly amused and bent down to pick her up.
“Big sister, Mom isn’t sick. Mom has a little brother in her belly. Dad said everyone has to be quiet and obedient,” Chen Lijuan also ran over, looking up at her with her dark, grape-like eyes.
“Mom is pregnant?” Chen Lishu was startled and quickly turned to look at Chen Mantun and Wu Chunmei. Seeing them both smiling at her, her shock was beyond words.
She was very sure that in her previous life, Wu Chunmei had not gotten pregnant again after giving birth to her seventh sister, Chen Lizi. Why was she suddenly pregnant now? “This is all thanks to…” Chen Mantun was about to tell Chen Lishu about the widow Liu when Wu Chunmei pulled his sleeve, subtly shaking her head to signal him to stop.
Their eldest daughter had always been opinionated. If she found out they had spent all their savings to get medicine, she would surely make a fuss. It would be better to wait until she had taken the medicine. As long as she gave birth to a son, she wouldn't be able to say much then.
“Dad, what were you saying it was thanks to?” Chen Lishu put Chen Lizi down, patted her little bottom, and let her play by herself before sitting by the kang and asking.
“I never expected to get pregnant again. Your father and I think it might be all thanks to you. The family’s conditions have improved, and this child is smart. Knowing that she’ll be well taken care of, she decided to come to us.”
Chen Lishu thought about it after hearing Wu Chunmei’s words and felt it was possible. In her previous life, the family’s conditions were poor, and they had many children. They barely had enough to eat, so it was natural that the adults’ bodies weren’t well enough to conceive.
“Mom, at your age and being pregnant, you must get plenty of rest. I think you should stop working in the team for now,” Chen Lishu said worriedly, seeing her pale complexion.
Thinking about the fifty yuan still needed for the medicine, Wu Chunmei deliberately sighed, “I want to, but you know the family’s situation. If I stop working, only your father will be working. How will the family get by?”
Chen Lishu quickly took out the thirty-two yuan that Wu Chunmei had earned this time, “I happened to come over today to give Mom money. Doesn’t the family have some savings? You don’t have to rush to work, after all, your health is the most important thing.”
There weren’t many major expenses in the countryside, and the money the family had saved would surely be enough.
Wu Chunmei’s eyes flickered upon hearing her words. She exchanged a look with Chen Mantun and said, “I didn’t know I could get pregnant. A few days ago, your maternal uncle’s family said they were building a house, and I lent them all the money.”
Chen Lishu didn’t think much of it. Besides the thirty-two yuan, she also took out the remaining twenty-odd yuan from her pocket, “I didn’t bring much money with me this time. Here, Mom, take this to spend. When I return from town next time, I’ll buy you some malted milk extract and nutritional supplements.”
After all, she was already forty. Even in later generations, pregnancy at this age carried risks. Chen Lishu was worried. Before she left, she specifically called the younger children to her side and repeatedly instructed them not to upset Wu Chunmei.
Watching Chen Lishu leave, Wu Chunmei eagerly urged Chen Mantun to hurry and give the money to the Liu family and get the medicine.
…
Chen Lishu stayed at home for one night and left the next morning to return to town.
A week passed quickly. Chen Lishu returned to the village before Zhou Bin collected his goods. Before returning, she went to the department store to buy two cans of malted milk extract for Wu Chunmei, thinking she needed to replenish her health, and also bought two catties of meat.
Not long after returning home, Chen Lishu went to the Chen family again with the items. Wu Chunmei had indeed followed her advice and was not in the fields, but was sitting half-lying on the kang.
Having not seen her for a few days, Chen Lishu noticed that her complexion seemed worse than before and said worriedly, “Mom, are you still feeling unwell? How about I take you to the town hospital for a check-up?”
Although hospitals did not have equipment like ultrasound machines at that time, having a doctor examine her would still put her mind at ease.
Upon hearing that she wanted to take her to the hospital, Wu Chunmei waved her hands repeatedly, “I just didn’t rest well yesterday.”
Seeing that she was still worried, Wu Chunmei frowned and said anxiously, “Don’t I know my own body? It’s really not a big deal.”
She had only just started taking the medicine. The discomfort in her stomach was probably the baby turning. If she went to the hospital and disturbed the baby, she would lose her son.
Besides, going to the hospital would cost a lot of money. She would rather save that unnecessary expense for her unborn son.
Seeing her persistence, Chen Lishu had no choice but to give up. Before leaving, she gave a few more instructions and then went home to pack the 'false collars' made by Zhang Qin and the others and took them back to town.
The next day, after delivering the goods to Zhou Bin as scheduled, Chen Lishu began to concentrate on making the trench coats.
…
At the Chen family, Chen Mantun had just gone to work one morning when Wu Chunmei felt a cramp in her stomach. After taking the medicine given by the widow Liu, her stomach had been continuously uncomfortable. At first, she thought it was normal, but when the pain intensified by noon, causing her to sweat profusely and be unable to straighten her body, she finally panicked and quickly called Chen Liru to go to the fields to fetch Chen Mantun.