Chapter 227 – Beginning the Postpartum Confinement
Fortunately, before they left, they had asked Liu Jun to look after the house, and he hadn’t forgotten to keep the fire going in the house.
So, when they returned, the kang in their home was still warm.
Upon arriving home, Lu Xia went straight to the kang and lay down.
Jiang Junmo looked at her, feeling a pang of heartache from all the turmoil she had gone through. He was afraid that she wouldn’t recover well during her postpartum period, so he suggested she follow a full two months of confinement.
Lu Xia didn’t feel it was necessary, but she didn’t want to outright refuse him either. “I’ll see how I feel. If my body hasn’t fully recovered after a month, then I’ll continue.”
“Alright.”
After returning home, Jiang Junmo expressed his gratitude to Sun Shengnan and Liu Jun. He also prepared some gifts for them. Sun Shengnan wanted to decline, but Lu Xia and Jiang Junmo insisted, and they eventually accepted.
Once they left, with only the two of them remaining, Lu Xia asked Jiang Junmo, “Do you think that woman was trying to steal the child?”
Jiang Junmo frowned as he recalled the incident. He shook his head. “Doesn’t seem likely.”
Lu Xia thought about the woman’s gaze and agreed that it didn’t seem like she was going to, however, she was still unsure of what the woman was up to. Surely, it couldn’t be because she hadn’t given birth to a son herself that she intended to harm Lu Xia’s child.
“Well, luckily Kang Kang is fine.”
Jiang Junmo ruffled Kang Kang’s hair. “Yeah, let’s not dwell on it. It’s all over now.”
“Agreed.”
That night, they finally slept soundly.
Of course, Kang Kang woke up several times during the night. Jiang Junmo was the one who got up to soothe him. Lu Xia wanted to help, but Jiang Junmo wouldn’t allow it. Except for when the child was hungry, he wouldn’t let her hold him. He insisted that she needed proper rest during her postpartum period, and she shouldn’t tire herself out too much. He also mentioned that her arms shouldn’t be constantly holding the baby to prevent future health problems.
Lu Xia didn’t know how he knew all these things, but she didn’t argue after hearing his reasoning.
After they returned to the village, Jiang Junmo secretly bought a good number of eggs and left some for Lu Xia to eat. He followed the local custom and gave the rest as red eggs to families he knew.
On the second day, news of her return spread, and people from both the educated youth spot and the village came to visit her.
Lu Xia only had a good relationship with Sun Shengnan among the educated youths, and the rest were acquaintances at best. They could talk to each other, but they weren’t particularly close. Nonetheless, everyone’s interactions were amicable.
Of course, it was certain that people like Zhou Lai’er and Cheng Yujiao wouldn’t visit.
In the morning, Shen Qingqing and Yu Fang came over. They sat for a while, looked at the baby, and seemed quite envious.
Shen Qingqing, though nearing 18 years old, still had a childlike demeanor. She was curious about Kang Kang but too timid to hold him. Yu Fang was introverted, spoke little, and after a short while, they were ready to leave.
However, before they departed, Shen Qingqing unexpectedly revealed that recently many people in the village had been introducing potential suitors to Yu Fang, and she was interested in pursuing a relationship. It seemed like there might be good news soon.
Lu Xia was surprised, but it wasn’t entirely unexpected.
Yu Fang was probably the most favored female educated youth in the village. She was hardworking and capable, and the villagers considered her to be dependable and someone who could manage life well.
In the past, there were thoughts of arranging suitors for her, but she had always declined. Lu Xia wondered why she had agreed this time. Could it be that she felt pressured by Lu Xia’s marriage to Jiang Junmo?
After they left, Lu Xia reflected on how the number of people in the educated youth spot was dwindling.
In the afternoon, Su Man also came over.
Ever since Lu Xia refused to move out with Su Man, the two of them hadn’t had much contact with each other. Moreover, Su Man was frequently away from the village, and they didn’t work together. So their interactions had been limited.
To be honest, Lu Xia hadn’t expected Su Man to visit.
Nevertheless, she greeted her with a smile.
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Chapter 228 – She Gained Weight, He Lost Weight
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Unexpectedly, Su Man came bearing a gift, a rare box of malted milk powder.
Even some urban dwellers couldn’t afford such a luxury, let alone rural folks. Lu Xia was puzzled, wondering why she was being so extravagant.
So, she smiled and said, “You’re too kind. Why bring such a valuable gift? You being here already makes me happy. Life in the countryside is tough, and I appreciate your visit.”
Su Man smiled in response to her words. “No worries, I have more of these. After giving birth, you need to replenish yourself.”
Seeing that Lu Xia was about to decline, Su Man was more direct. “We were in the same group of educated youth sent to the countryside. I don’t have many friends in the educated youth spot. Don’t you think it’s a bit too cold to separate us? Do you not want to associate with me?”
Lu Xia couldn’t refuse after hearing this, but she still said helplessly, “It’s not that. It’s just that I think you’re spending too much. This item isn’t easy to come by.”
Su Man waved her hand casually. “Don’t worry, I can get more. If you ever want some, you can come to me.”
As for how she got it, she didn’t mention. Lu Xia didn’t ask either.
Then Su Man curiously looked at the baby. “Is this your baby? So adorable, looks just like you.”
Hearing her mention the baby, Lu Xia’s expression softened a bit. She modestly replied, “Babies are always cute when they’re little. They become mischievous as they grow up.”
Seeing the happiness in Lu Xia’s face, Su Man couldn’t help but feel envious. It reminded her of her own situation, and her smile faded.
However, she didn’t want to show her true feelings. Instead, she asked, “Both you and Jiang Junmo are from Beijing, right? Have you thought about what you’ll do in the future when you return?”
“Huh?” Lu Xia was surprised. “I haven’t thought that far ahead. We don’t even know when we can return to the city. We’re not thinking too far into the future; we’re just focused on the present.”
Seeing her response, Su Man didn’t press further. She thought to herself that given how well-off they seemed, they probably came from good families. Perhaps they could be of assistance in the future. So, she decided to spend a few more years getting along with them.
As for the matter with Gu Xiangnan, Su Man’s expression turned slightly serious. She had her own plans.
…
After Su Man left, Lu Xia was still pondering her behavior since she came today. She felt that something about her seemed different.
Although Su Man still had an air of superiority, before, it felt like she didn’t really care about them. However, now, while her demeanor hadn’t changed, it seemed like she had completely assimilated into this era.
Lu Xia wondered what the female protagonist in this story had experienced during this time.
…
After returning home, Lu Xia’s postpartum life became much more comfortable. Jiang Junmo took care of almost all the household chores, including laundry, cooking, taking care of the baby, and looking after her.
Now, she was practically eating meat every meal. Even the few hens in the house weren’t spared; they were all cooked. They planned to buy more in the spring.
Besides that, they didn’t run out of pork and fish. They were purchased using the meat tickets sent by the Jiang family.
During this time, Jiang Junmo’s culinary skills fully displayed themselves. Everything he cooked was exceptionally delicious.
Of course, Lu Xia had her own contribution with the spiritual spring water she secretly added to the water barrel every day.
As for Lu Xia, besides feeding the baby, her main task was to look after him when Jiang Junmo was busy with housework. The rest of the time, she could just lie down.
After a while, Lu Xia was in excellent condition. Not only was her breast milk ample, but she had also gained a bit of weight.
On the contrary, Jiang Junmo had lost even more weight, shedding the little weight he had gained over the past year.
Seeing him looking so thin made Lu Xia’s heart ache.
Thank you for the chapter (♡˙︶˙♡)