Chapter 1: A Child is Born

"Sister-in-law, can you tell mother that I want a bowl of sugar water? I'm really too weak to bear any more…"

On the bed, Zhao shi was drenched in sweat, her face pale as a sheet. Her hair was plastered to her forehead with perspiration, and she stared at the person standing tall beside the bed with a pleading expression on her face.

Zhao's belly was high and round, in labor, but she had been giving birth for a day and a night. Her energy had long since been exhausted. At this moment, she didn't even have the strength to raise her hand. She knew clearly that if she didn't eat something, the child wouldn't be born.

“Sister, you’re making things difficult for me. You know what our mother is like. If your third brother has a son, do you think she wouldn’t give him sugar water? You better try harder and have the baby as soon as possible. Otherwise, it’s going to be very bad.”

Li shi said to Zhao shi with embarrassment, "If it weren't for the fact that our second younger sister-in-law Zhou had gone back to her parents' home, the job of attending to Zhao shi during childbirth wouldn't have fallen solely on me. I labored for a whole day and night, but she couldn't give birth. It's really bad luck."

Whatever's in the belly is definitely a debt collector, this unborn child has already exhausted half of Zhao's life.

Now that it's August and the harvest season, the whole family is out in the fields. Grandmother Wang is napping in the main room. She said early this morning not to bother her while she slept. Grandmother Wang isn't someone easy to get along with, so Li shi doesn't want to go see her face.

Li's disdainful gaze swept across the room, leaving Zhao feeling utterly dejected.

Zhao shi swallowed hard, her throat dry. She pleaded, "Big sister-in-law, could you pour me a bowl of water? Please?"

Li rolled her eyes and said impatiently, "Then wait for me, I'll go to the restroom and pour you a drink."

After finishing, Li turned and left, fanning her nose with one hand as she walked, muttering, 'It stinks to death.'

Li pushed the door open and slammed it shut, plunging the briefly illuminated room back into darkness.

Zhao Shi raised her hand with difficulty to touch her belly, tears welling up in her eyes.

Li's departure, she was gone for half an hour and did not return.

During this period, Zhao suffered repeated bouts of pain. She was completely drained of strength. As the fetal movements within her grew fainter and fainter, so too did her hope dwindle.

At this moment, the door was pushed open.

A spark of hope ignited in Zhao's eyes, and she cried out in a voice full of longing: "Sister-in-law..."

"Mother, it's me. Are you alright?"

Su Sanmei's voice was soft, she walked to the bedside, and looked at Zhao Shi with great worry.

Hearing her son's voice, Zhao felt a pang of sadness. She knew that Li wouldn't be back for another hour or two and realized that she would have to give birth on her own.

"Third sister, go pour a bowl of water for mother."

"Don't be afraid, mother will be fine."

<>

Su Sanmei's eyes were full of worry and fear, but she obediently ran out. She brought a bowl of cold water to Zhao shi and carefully helped her drink it down.

Chao drank some water, eased her breath and continued, "Third sister, come press on Mother's belly. When I tell you to push, push down..."

I have no strength. I couldn't possibly give birth to a child on my own. When the midwife, Li Shi, left, I knew she wouldn't return. The baby in my womb was growing weaker and weaker. I knew I had to give birth immediately, or the child might not survive.

Su Sanmei was only six years old. Because she was thin and weak, her strength was not great. When she pressed against Zhao's belly, her little hand immediately trembled back, and she said in a crying voice: "Mother, I'm afraid."

Zhao was crying and took a deep breath, resolutely saying, "Third sister, you can do it. Only you can save mother's life, come on, push with all your might."

The pain came on, and Zhao's wife writhed in agony. But she was afraid that Su Sanmei would not dare to push, so she endured the pain and trembled, saying: "Sanmei, if you don't dare, your mother will die..."

"No, I don't want my mother to die, I want her to live..."

Su Sanmei closed her eyes and pushed hard against Zhao's stomach.

Zhao also exerted all her strength, the intense pain causing her to roar out: "Ah—"

With the next breath, Zhao Shi instantly lost her strength, struggling to take a breath and speak: "Third sister... look... is it my sister... or my brother..."

Su Sanmei was so scared that she stood there, dumbfounded, for a long time without moving.

The door outside was pushed open, and Li hurried in.

"Little sister-in-law, I'm so sorry. I had a bit of a stomach ache just now and thought you wouldn't be able to give birth until later this afternoon. Didn't expect it would happen this quickly."

"Let me see what it is."

As she spoke, Li walked to the bedside and lifted the quilt.

Zhao's heart jumped. At this moment, she didn't even bother to blame Li. All she cared about was her child's well-being.

Li turned her head and looked, a smile in her eyes as she said, "Third younger sister, congratulations to you, another daughter has been born."

Zhao's expectant eyes dimmed instantly, tears swirling in her eye sockets.

Li was happily tidying up the baby, casually snipped the umbilical cord and wrapped it in an old garment. She then patted the infant's bottom with her hand.

"Wow!"

The baby's cries rang out.

Li placed the child beside Zhao and smiled, saying, "Third sister-in-law, you rest well. I'll go tell mother the good news first."

Saying that, Li did not even glance at Zhao, and turned and left.

Soon, only Zhao and Su Sanmei were left in the room.

Su Sanmei stood by the bed, watching Zhao's vacant eyes with fear. With a trembling voice, she cried out, "Mother..."

Zhao did not respond.

Su Sanmei's voice was weak: "Mother, I'm afraid..."

Zhao's vacant eyes finally regained their sparkle, tears falling silently.

"Sister Three…"

Zhao's voice trembled with despair, "Ever since we had this child, our family hasn't had a good day. Our four children, the eldest is an imbecile, the second one got a fever and became an imbecile too. The two younger ones are healthy, but in my mother-in-law's eyes, they are useless."

"Mother, don't cry, Third Sister will take good care of Little Sister."

Su Sanni knelt before the bed, holding Zhao's hand and said.

Zhao turned her head to look at the newborn Si'er. The little girl had just been cried a few times by the beating and now was quiet, but she wasn't sleeping. Instead, she kept her eyes open, as if looking at something.

Zhao's nose was so sore, tears streamed silently down her face. Giving birth to a boy, her mother-in-law would definitely not be happy. She wouldn't give him good food, perhaps not even a sip of water. This child, I'm afraid, won't survive.

Ten months of pregnancy, just thinking about it makes my heart ache like being twisted. I must have been a terrible person in my past life, so this is how heaven is punishing me in this life!

"Another money-loser! What a useless thing. If I were him, I'd be so ashamed I'd rather die!"

"My old Su family, how did I end up marrying such a disaster, a jinx who only brings misfortune!"

Shouts from Wang's side of the main house were audible, nasty and unpleasant as they could be.

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