Chapter Eighteen: On the Brink of Childbirth

  Li took the silver and called out to his family members to prepare to leave with Meng's family.

  Scoffing at Su Xiaofan's words, with a place like this, does she think she's welcome here?

  If nothing's wrong, she wouldn't have come all this way to see their shabby courtyard.

  In the early years, Su Erfu and Su Sanfu went to the city to do some small business, earned some silver, and then demolished their original old house at home, and built a new courtyard near the village entrance. From the village entrance to Su Xiaofan's house here, it takes some time.

  "Well then, we'll be off." Su Er turned his head towards Ye Shi.

  Ye turned his head away, as if in a huff, unwilling to look at them again.

  "Grandma, don't be angry anymore, don't get sick from anger." Su Xiaofan walked to Ye Shi's side, held her arm and gently patted her back.

  "Xiao Fan, when did you learn how to cook?" Yu Xiaohe walked over to Jia's side and supported her body, afraid that she would get too tired from standing.

  "This is just a coincidence, I only roughly understand." Su Xiao Fan awkwardly smiled, at this time completely not knowing how to explain to her.

  Su Bing couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth, what did she know?

  Although he had never learned cooking skills before, he understood more than someone who had studied cooking for many years.

  Yu Xiaohe also stopped asking and said to everyone: "Everyone doesn't have to worry, they will return the money to everyone once they have it."

  "It's not that I'm worried, after all these years, we've always lent them money, haven't we?" Third Aunt Wang said with a glance at the departing figures: "Perhaps everyone was provoked by those people's words a few days ago."

  "Ziyan sister, you're about to give birth soon, aren't you?" Several women walked up with smiles, gathering around Jia's side and occasionally reaching out to rub her back.

  "Hmm." Mrs. Jia smiled slightly and responded one by one to everyone.

  Sanpo Wang walked to Ye's side and comforted her in a gentle tone: "Yun, don't be angry. In the past, we didn't understand why whenever your family had difficulties, you would always borrow money from us, but never from Er Fu or San Fu's families. Today, everyone finally understands."

  Ye's single word is an art.

  After hearing Mr. Wang's words, Ye smiled wryly and looked over: "Let Sister Wang see the joke."

  Wang shook his head regretfully and continued, "The two children of the second and third husbands are not bad. I've watched them grow up. When they were young, their temperaments were similar to that of the first husband's, but those two wives of theirs..."

  "It's all because I was blind back then." Ye sighed with regret.

  "Ziyan, we're off for now, there's still work to be done at home." Several women bid farewell to Madam Jia with smiles, and after today's commotion, everyone's long-held worries were finally alleviated. Originally, due to Li Shi and Meng Shi's instigation, everyone was indeed worried that they would not get their silver back.

  "Alright, I've taken up everyone's time, it's really embarrassing." Mrs. Jia accompanied them with a smile, walking slowly behind the group as she saw them out of the courtyard.

  "It's alright, I'm fine, don't see me off, you go rest."

  After everyone left, Yu Xiaohe looked at Jia with concern: "Zhīyān, are you not feeling well today?"

  Jia's face was slightly pale: "I don't know if it's going to be born soon, but after getting up today, I've been having some faint contractions."

  Ye and Wang exchanged a glance and walked over.

  "Quickly go inside and lie down, the contractions have started, it's almost time to give birth!" Yueshi supported Jia as she pulled her towards the house.

  "Mother, don't worry, it doesn't hurt anymore." Jia followed them as they slowly pulled her into the house.

  Yu Xiaohuo said a few words to Su Hu behind him and followed in himself. Su Hu turned around and went back home.

  Su Xiaofan was just about to go over and pick up Xiao Yimeng from the cart, but saw that he was preparing to jump down from above. In a panic, she loudly shouted: "Little treasure, don't move around, you'll fall!"

  Xiao Yimò's body stiffened slightly as he prepared to jump down, and after a silent roll of his eyes, he calmly jumped onto the ground. Even if it were a real child, it wouldn't be possible to fall from this height.

  "Can't you just listen to your sister for once?" Su Xiao Fan pulled him by the hand, following several people into the house. Although she had seen friends give birth before, they all went to the hospital for a cesarean section. How were they going to do it here at home?

  "Hmph!" Xiao Yimiao coldly snorted, too lazy to argue with her.

  "Let's have dinner here tonight, the two of you." Su Xiaofan said to Yu Xiaoxi and Su Bing who were standing in the main room. Today, they were able to get this sum of money, thanks to Xiaoxi mentioning the matter about Su Bing's wine shop, but Su Bing had also helped him bring these things back from afar, so he should thank him properly.

  Su Bing looked at the few chickens beside him and said to Su Xiaofan: "Okay, now I'll go back home to fetch some wood and help you build a simple chicken coop in the yard. Another day when I have time, I'll come back to fix it up properly for you."

  Yu Xiaoxi also agreed, "If there's no coop, once the chickens' strings are untied, they'll definitely run wild. I'll go with you, otherwise you'll have to chase after them many times."

  Su Bing smiled and nodded.

  Su Xiaofan watched as they hastily departed, her heart feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

  Until they couldn't see each other's figures anymore, Su Xiaofan pulled Xiao Yiming into the house.

  "Grandma, how's Mother?" Su Xiaofan asked as soon as she entered the house, because Ye Shi's expression looked very serious.

  "It's okay, it shouldn't be that soon yet, but yeah, it'll probably be in these two days." Ye Shi was thinking to herself about which midwife to find to help Zhiyan give birth. Zhiyan's body was weak, and although this was her second child, she probably wouldn't have an easy delivery.

  "Otherwise, I'll stew a chicken for my mother tonight to nourish her body, so she won't lack energy when giving birth." Su Xiaofan saw Jia Shi lying on the bed, with a hint of endurance between her eyebrows.

  Ye's family has been worried about food after the birth of their child, but unexpectedly Fan'er brought back so much today, which solved the current difficulty. With this food, Ye should be able to produce milk to nurse the newborn baby. He nodded and said: "Good, cook a little less, just enough for your mother and young master."

  Su Xiaofan smiled and said, "Okay, little treasure is going to play here for a while. Grandma, can you help me keep an eye on him? I'll go prepare dinner. Tonight, Su Bing and Xiao Xi are also eating at home."

  "In that case, let's cook some more then. After all, they helped you, so we should treat them to a good meal." Ye said and then turned to Yu Xiaohe and said: "Wang Dajie and Xiaohua will also have dinner here today."

  "My sister can eat here, I don't need to, Auntie, I still have to go back and cook for them." Yu Xiaohua held onto Jia's hand, smiling at Ye.