Chapter 21

Fang Shi, already thirty-seven years old this year, had given birth to six children previously. However, one of them was tragically lost before pregnancy confirmation due to a fall.

This loss became a source of constant nagging from Li Shi.

But unexpectedly, at this age, she was pregnant again. At that moment, she was excited, confused, embarrassed, and shy, and her whole being was overwhelmed by these emotions.

"Well, this is a great joy!" Li shi beamed with happiness after a brief moment of surprise. For the elderly, having many children and grandchildren is a blessing - who wouldn't want to see their descendants around them in their old age??

Eldest aunt, Zhang shi, congratulated with a few words, her expression somewhat dim.

At forty, she already had three children. This, however, brought her sadness when compared to Fang shi, who had five.

Unfortunately, an injury sustained during the birth of her second child, coupled with the years of raising them, left her body weakened. Though she managed to have another daughter later, two subsequent pregnancies ended in miscarriage due to her frail health.

Li shi was indeed a good mother-in-law, she keenly sensed her eldest daughter-in-law's low spirits, gave her a push and said with a smile, "Why do you have that look on your face? Envious? What's there to envy? Now both your sons are married, and you already have two grandsons, with a third on the way. Besides, the number of children is fate, you can't force it."

"Mother, I know..." Zhang shi rubbed her face vigorously, smiled and said, "I'm just a little envious."

With this good news at the beginning of the New Year, Fang shi was immediately pampered. After all, at her age, having a child was a difficult task.

The doctor prescribed pregnancy-sustaining and health-boosting medicines, but all the medicine shops in town were closed now, and even if there were prescriptions, they couldn't be bought.

The doctor smiled reassuringly. "Your daughter-in-law is strong, so there's no need to worry for the next day or two. The pharmacies will reopen after the fifth of the New Year. By then, you'll be able to get the medication. As for raising a child, that's something women generally have more experience with than doctors like me. Just follow the advice of the older woman."

Li shi chuckled, "Indeed, I have raised many children. These grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all under my care. Dafen, don't worry too much, they listen to their mother, I will make sure we raise them well."

After seeing off the doctor, Li shi said to Song Zhiyuan, "Normally, with such good news, you should go and tell our in-laws immediately. But tomorrow is New Year's Eve, it's already late, and it's snowy and icy outside, you might not make it back in time. How about going on the second day, and also take the gifts there. Your daughter-in-law will not be going back to her maternal home this year, so they might come over instead."

Traditionally, married daughters return to their mother's home on the second day of the New Year. However, if the married daughter's own daughter is also married, returning on the second day becomes more challenging. In this case, they typically wait until the fifth day.

But this time, Fang shi was pregnant, whether on the second day or the fifth day, she probably wouldn't be able to go back. The road was cold and slippery, and catching a cold was not a joke.

"Alright, I'll go on the second day." Song Zhiyuan smiled with a big grin, the happier he felt seeing his wife, he couldn't resist giving her hand a little tug.

Fang shi tapped him in annoyance and went back inside.

Song Dingxiang felt a mix of emotions: happiness because, in this era, women with more children would receive greater support in their twilight years. She particularly hoped for a son for Fang shi, as boys were more highly valued in the village.

However, the scarcity of medical supplies in this era made even a common cold potentially fatal, let alone childbirth, which was often likened to traversing the gates of hell. Due to the physical demands of farm work, women in rural areas tended to be robust and often had larger families.

In this era, even pampered young ladies could nearly lose their lives simply from childbirth. What truly troubles her is the lack of effective birth control methods. The thought of having more children in the future fills her with dread.

After all, it's not about quantity but about quality when it comes to kids...

Oh well, she's thinking too far ahead!

"Imagine this, just got married off my daughter, and now I'm the one expecting a child. If this gets out, I'd be the laughingstock!" Fang shi blushed and felt embarrassed to even lift her head.

Li shi laughed, "Laugh at what? Your sister-in-law is actually envious of you. If this news spreads, who wouldn't envy us? You, dear, worry too much about trivial matters. Just stay here and rest, don't bother making the steamed buns tonight."

Fang shi immediately reacted, "What's wrong? Just because I'm pregnant, I can't make steamed buns anymore?"

While she wasn't a meticulous person, she was skilled in all household duties, both inside and out. She was always willing to help out, never assigning tasks or making rules for her daughters-in-law.

And this was all thanks to Li shi's teachings on being a good mother-in-law. She had seen the kind of mother-in-laws who enforced rules on their daughters-in-law and had no intention of becoming one.

"The bun dough is cold, you'll get sick if you touch it with cold hands. Don't you know your age?" Li shi scolded her. "Stop acting like you're still seventeen or eighteen. Stay inside this winter, don't go anywhere. We'll talk about other things when the baby is stable."

The bun filling and dough were left in the kitchen, and while the dough was okay as it was kept near the stove, the filling left outside had ice crystals forming on it after half a day.

Feeling aggrieved at being deprived of her chores, Fang shi leaned against the wall and was given a small mat to lie on, feeling very upset.

In the Song family, teamwork wasn’t bound by gender. Men and women rolled up their sleeves without hesitation, particularly in Song Xingyi’s household, where the sight of men cooking was as normal as the sunrise. Song Xingyi himself was a master of slow-cooked stews, while his brothers confidently kneaded dough, rolled out noodles, and shaped dumplings with practiced hands. Even Song Zhixuan, a distinguished scholar with an air of untouchable refinement, wasn’t above rolling up his sleeves and pitching in like the rest.

Zhou Yinuo, on the other hand, was out of his depth. Making buns? Not a chance. Back in the Zhou family, he barely ever saw meat-filled buns, let alone got involved in making them. The third daughter-in-law there would rather eat nails than let him near the kitchen. His interaction with food was limited to the occasional bonus cut of meat from their hunts and the rich broth it simmered in.

So when Zhou Yinuo gave bun-making a shot in the Song kitchen, it didn’t take long for Song Dingxiang to size up his “skills” and banish him to fire duty. No hard feelings, though—it was a family affair, and everyone had their role. With every hand pitching in, tray after tray of plump buns were soon steaming over the pot, their savory aroma curling through the air and making mouths water.

As soon as a tray was done, the steaming buns were whisked outside to freeze solid in a large tub against the wall. The practicality was genius: whenever the craving struck, they could pop a frozen bun into the steamer, and it would taste just as fresh as the day it was made.

Meanwhile, Li shi took stock of the output, setting aside enough buns for dinner while the rest went into cold storage. On one side of the kitchen, buns steamed to perfection; on the other, porridge bubbled away over a glowing fire. It was a picture of unhurried productivity—a mix of warmth, efficiency, and the kind of camaraderie that felt sharper than blood ties.

Seeing Zhang shi go to cook porridge, Song Dingxiang went to the cellar. There, she selected a large cabbage, discarding the old and rotten outer leaves to reveal the tender heart within.

With a sharp knife, she sliced the cabbage into fine shreds. Next, she mixed vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl.

Finally, she carried a basket filled with ten garlic heads back into the house to peel.

Northern people like to eat dumplings, buns with fillings, or stewed meat noodles with a few cloves of raw garlic to stimulate their appetite and counter the greasiness.

The buns, filled with pork and lard, were greasy with every bite. Yet, eating one with a side of pickled cabbage and a warm bowl of porridge brought a sense of contentment and comfort.

Song Xingyi remarked that such a meal, enjoyed daily, would be the envy of even the gods.

In addition to the buns, they feasted on pig head meat brought back by Zhou Yinuo, washing it down with wine, which greatly pleased Song Lao Ye.

Li shi glanced disapprovingly at her husband and said to Zhou Yinuo, "Your grandpa is like this, a couple sips of wine and he thinks not even a deity would want to switch. If we gave him a deity, let's see if he would switch."

Song Xingyi chuckled, "If they made us deities, I would switch, but I wouldn't switch for myself."

Li shi was surprised by her husband's response, blushing, she scolded, "At your age, why are you talking nonsense? Go on, all of you, sit by the kang bed, I still have to tidy up here."

She pretended not to notice her daughters-in-law, granddaughters, and a few young girls giggling, sternly holding the remaining food and buns as she walked out. Once outside, she couldn't help bursting into laughter.

Before she could even put the things away, the doorbell rang. "Fourth Auntie? It's me, I've come to bring you and Fourth Uncle a New Year's gift."

"At this hour? We're almost going to sleep soon." Li shi grumbled irritably, asking Zhang shi to open the door.

Fifth son of Old Third Song, Song Zhishen, with their wives and a pile of goods, entered and shouted, "Hey, Fourth Uncle and Auntie, I just got back and immediately came to bring you a New Year's gift. Aha, why does it smell so good in here? Are you drinking alcohol, Fourth Uncle? Hey, are those big buns? Fourth Uncle, you're living the good life, it's been a while since I had the big buns with pork and lard filling."

Song Xingyi’s face twitched ever so slightly, as if on the verge of speaking, but before he could get a word in, Li Shi cut him off with a bright laugh.

“What are you all standing around out here for? It’s freezing! Just let the kids bring the gifts—no need for all this formality.” Her voice was warm, but there was a subtle sharpness in the way she took charge of the situation.

Song Zhishen gave a half-smile, his gaze sweeping the room as he replied, “Ah, so Eighth Brother couldn’t be bothered to come, huh? Their kids didn’t feel like making the trip either, I bet. My daughter-in-law is pregnant and not feeling well, so… well, here I am.” His tone was light, almost amused, as he added, “Spent the day chopping wood in the mountains—haven’t even had a proper meal yet. Noticed it was getting dark, figured I’d better hurry over with my wife to drop off a New Year’s gift.”

Fang Shi let out an exaggerated sigh, rolling her eyes as she tugged Song Dingxiang closer and murmured under her breath, “And to think I once believed they were a simple, honest family. Just look at them—eyes practically glued to our table, as if they could will all the food straight into their mouths.”

Song Dingxiang barely managed to stifle a laugh. With the elders handling the conversation, there wasn’t much room for her to chime in anyway. Meanwhile, Zhou Yinuo was outside washing dishes—probably using the chore as an excuse to steer clear of all this posturing.

Li Shi’s smile didn’t waver. “You’re all a bit late, aren’t you? Didn’t you see him outside? Just finished washing up after dinner. If you’d arrived a little earlier, you might’ve caught us still eating.”

“Well, well…” Song Zhishen chuckled, nodding as he set down the package he’d been holding onto the kang. “Fourth Uncle, Aunt, this is from our family—not as extravagant as Uncle’s gift, but it’s given with sincerity.”

Curious, Song Dingxiang eyed the sizable bundle but had no idea what was inside. Nudging her younger brother, Song Junyao, she tilted her chin toward it. Taking the hint, he eagerly unwrapped it with a grin. “Let’s see—what good stuff has Fifth Uncle brought this time?”

One glance at the contents, and Song Dingxiang had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing outright.