October 23, Anzhi Hall.
Meng Anzhi had just finished administering acupuncture to Niu Zhuangzhuang when Zheng Laosi rushed in in a panic.
Before he could catch his breath, he began to say haltingly, "Quick, quick, my wife is starting..."
Meng Anzhi didn't dare to delay. She had Zhou Xiaosi get medicine for Qing He Niu Dadan Qinghe harnessed the oxcart.
Once everything was ready, he pulled Jin Shanyao and Zheng Laosi together and headed towards Hexi Village.
The Zheng Household.
Old Man Zheng was pacing anxiously outside the door. As soon as he saw the oxcart approaching, he hurriedly called out, " Laosi... hurry, the Maimiao are crying in pain!"
Zheng Laosi exclaimed "Oh!" and pulled Meng Anzhi into the house, but as soon as they stepped inside, Old Woman Zheng pushed them out.
Go boil some water and cook two eggs.
Zheng Laosi hurriedly turned and ran towards the kitchen.
Jin Shanyao forward to check on Chen Maimiao's condition, reassuring her to relax while instructing Old Woman Zheng to remove Chen Maimiao's pants.
Meng Anzhi stepped forward and touched the pregnant woman's belly to observe the frequency of contractions and check if the amniotic sac had ruptured.
As time passed, the midday sun gradually set in the west.
Chen Maimiao finally went into labor. She was sweating profusely from the pain and was about to cry out when Meng Anzhi stopped her, "Don't shout... save your energy for childbirth."
Chen Maimiao gripped the bedding tightly with both hands, the veins on her forehead bulging. Jin Shanyao stood beside her, assisting Meng Anzhi with the delivery. Old Woman Zheng wiped Chen Maimiao's sweat while keeping a close eye on the baby.
Just as the baby was about to be born, a quarrel suddenly broke out outside, " Laosi... has the baby been born yet?"
What are you doing here?
Boss Zheng laughed and said, "Look at what you're saying... Your sister-in-law giving birth is a big deal, how could I not be there?"
Upon hearing Boss Zheng's voice, Chen Maimiao's muscles tensed instantly, her face turned deathly pale, and she even forgot to exert any force.
Seeing the contractions weaken, Meng Anzhi said urgently, "Don't get distracted... keep pushing."
During childbirth, women are most afraid of being startled. Seeing that Chen Maimiao's condition was not good, Jin Shanyao around, opened the door, and shouted sternly, " Five Hundred Wen... are you looking for death?"
The noise stopped abruptly. Boss Zheng subconsciously looked over and his gaze met Jin Shanyao's furious face, which made his heart clench in fright.
He hurriedly explained, "I... I didn't know you were the midwife," and then looked at Zheng Laosi, " Laosi... take good care of your sister-in-law, I'm leaving now..."
As he spoke, Boss Zheng took off running out of the yard. He stopped halfway out, turned around, and seeing that no one was behind him, quietly turned back to Zheng Laosi's house.
Whether Zheng Laosi's family pays the bet or not, they have to pay it... It's something they owe themselves.
Inside the room, Chen Maimiao could no longer hear Boss Zheng's voice, and her emotions gradually calmed down.
Old Woman Zheng said angrily, "That brat... he's up to no good, daring to cause trouble during childbirth. After Maimiao gives birth, I'll go to his house and make a scene."
Panic welled up in Chen Maimiao's eyes. "Mother... please stop talking."
"Okay, okay... I won't say anything more," Old Woman Zheng held Chen Maimiao's hand tightly, comforting and encouraging her at the same time.
Jin Shanyao some calming incense and massaged Chen Maimiao's body a few times, finally relaxing her muscles.
A moment later... a cry of "Wah!"... the baby was finally born. Old Woman Zheng turned her head to look, her voice trembling with excitement, "Boy or girl?"
Meng Anzhi cleaned the child, wrapped him in a small blanket, and handed him to Old Woman Zheng, smiling, "It's a boy."
"Boy..." Old Woman Zheng's voice suddenly rose in excitement, startling the child in her arms who cried out.
She quickly shook him reassuringly, "Oh, oh, oh... my dear grandson, Grandma was wrong, Grandma shouldn't have raised her voice."
After saying that, he chuckled. Outside the door, Zheng Laosi asked eagerly, "Mother, has she given birth yet? Is it a boy or a girl?"
Old Woman Zheng came out carrying the child and said with a smile, "It's a boy..."
"A boy..." Zheng Laosi excitedly stepped forward, pulled back the blanket and saw a tiny baby lying inside. He felt a mix of emotions, both happy and sad.
He was happy that as long as he didn't say it, the child was Zheng Laosi's, but he was sad that the child was not Zheng Laosi's.
After Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi finished tidying up, they came out. Old Woman Zheng immediately handed them three hundred coins, saying gratefully, "Thank you both so much... You must come for the celebration when the child turns 100."
Jin Shanyao glanced at the Zheng Household members, seeing the joy on their faces, and said, "Aren't you going in to see Madam Chen?"
"Oh right... I have to go see my wife," Zheng Laosi said happily, carrying the child into the house.
Seeing that everything was alright, Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi boarded the oxcart and slowly returned to the Anzhi Hall.
Boss Zheng, hiding in the shadows, spat fiercely at the spot where Jin Shanyao had left.
"What is this..." He rolled his eyes and stepped into Zheng Laosi's house.
The oxcart swayed and rattled out of the village. Halfway there, Jin Shanyao suddenly asked Meng Anzhi, "You said that when a woman gives birth, shouldn't we give her a dowry?"
Meng Anzhi was slightly taken aback, "Auntie... we're going to deliver a baby."
Jin Shanyao thought for a moment, "Isn't three hundred coins too little for the delivery fee?"
"Auntie, isn't this the price we've always charged for childbirth?"
"It's still too little..." Jin Shanyao the ox's rump. "Back to Zheng Laosi's house." The old ox mooed and turned back the way it came.
Meng Anzhi said nervously, "Auntie, the worst thing you can do in business is to raise the price on the spot. Besides, we've already received the money, it wouldn't be good to go back on our word..."
"What's wrong with that... Two people delivered her baby, what's wrong with charging a few extra coins?"
Seeing that she couldn't persuade her, Meng Anzhi had no choice but to throw her conscience, which she had wrapped up in a ball, hard on the ground.
She tucked her dress into her belt, jumped off the oxcart, and made a fierce expression. "Auntie... tell me, how much do we want?"
Jin Shanyao narrowed his eyes and said in a sinister tone, "One coin..."
Meng Anzhi staggered, nearly falling forward. She silently took the hem of her dress off her belt, put away her fierce expression, and cleared her throat.
Just as I was about to knock on the Zheng Household's door, I heard arguing coming from inside.
" Laosi... there are some things you don't want me to explain too clearly, right? Give me thirty taels... and we'll call it even."
"Pah..." Old Woman Zheng put her hands on her hips and stood in front of Zheng Laosi, cursing at Boss Zheng.
"What a big face you have! When did I give birth to such a good-for-nothing like you? You dare to ask me for money? Go back to your mother and ask her for it..."
The Boss Zheng, curled his lips into a mocking smile. " Laosi... Third Aunt doesn't know about the child, does she?"
"What about the child..." Old Woman Zheng looked at Zheng Laosi suspiciously, "Are you hiding something from me?"
Zheng Laosi said anxiously, "Mother is alright... You go inside first to take care of Maimiao. She just gave birth alone, I'm afraid something might happen to her."
"I'll go into whatever room I want. Let's settle this right here..." Old Woman Zheng said, hands on her hips, looking at the Boss Zheng family. "Ever since I came into this family, your eldest son's family has been bullying us."
Now that I'm a grandmother, you still want to bully me... No way! Even for my grandson's sake, I'll risk my life to fight you.