The weather turned cooler, and Tian Jing needed to go into the mountains to harvest corn.
Li Mu looked at her daughter-in-law's belly and felt a pang of worry.
To everyone's surprise, Tian Tian remained as capable as ever, carrying both her and her son into Old Eagle Beak with one hand each.
Li Min stomped her feet. Why was she left behind again? She wanted to work too.
After this batch of corn was harvested, it was directly hung on the racks in the mountain cave kitchen.
Li Zhengguo had built many racks, which were perfect for drying corn and curing meat.
Of course, Tian Jing finally got to eat the corn she had been craving, and a large iron pot finally appeared in the mountain cave kitchen.
Xiao Song was very curious about Tian Jing's belly.
While her mother-in-law was soaking in the hot springs, Tian Jing took the opportunity to explain it to him.
Xiao Song expressed his amazement. Why don't humans grow automatically from fallen seeds like they do?
Tian Jing: "..."
...
At the hot spring area, Li Mu did not support further planting. The family had enough food for now, and there was plenty stored in the mountain cave. Besides, it would be inconvenient for her daughter-in-law to go into the mountains during winter.
Li Zhengguo agreed. Tian Tian's belly was over six months along, bulging out like half a basketball. He looked at it with joy and concern.
He was joyful when feeling the fetal movements, but worried about the pain Tian Tian would have to endure. Moreover, their mountain had no clinic or midwife, relying entirely on elderly women for deliveries.
Upon learning of her husband's worries, Tian Jing said, "I'll fly you to the town."
"No."
"No."
Li Mu and Li Zhengguo vetoed in unison.
Li Mu held her daughter-in-law's hand and explained carefully, "Tian Tian, childbirth is the most painful thing for a woman. During labor, the contractions are excruciating, making you want to squat on the ground. There's no way you'd be able to fly us out while in that state."
Li Zhengguo nodded in agreement, "We'll stay in town beforehand. No, let's go to the county seat."
"No," Li Mu objected. "I've calculated. Tian Tian's due date is in the twelfth lunar month. Clinics and hospitals have fewer patients then. Besides emergency cases, there aren't many doctors and nurses. If the hospital's large furnace isn't burning, how can the wards be habitable?"
Tian Jing nodded in agreement, "Right, right, the baby will get cold. I'll have my mother deliver the baby at home. We'll buy sanitary supplies."
Li Mu patted her chest reassuringly, "Don't worry, I'll call Da Niu's mother to help. Everything will be fine."
The words of her mother-in-law and wife did not ease Li Zhengguo's concerns.
After Tian Jing sent her mother-in-law home, she grabbed a handful of ginseng seeds and took Li Zhengguo back into the mountains.
The bottle of ginseng essence from last time had been used up. She had been busy harvesting crops lately and hadn't used it, and she was also worried about the baby in her belly being too big. Wasn't it said that a large baby was difficult to deliver?
Since they decided to give birth at home, she and the baby needed to be strong. With Zheng Ge's worries, she decided to supplement a little.
She would also save some essence for the delivery.
Li Zhengguo was still uneasy and even consulted Xiao Song about tree core essence.
Tian Jing couldn't help but laugh and cry. The two of them, unable to communicate with each other, were discussing her, and even needed her to translate.
Although Xiao Song was reluctant (the tree) to part with it, he generously agreed.
Tian Jing felt it was unnecessary, but one person and one tree had already made up their minds.
Xiao Song was also worried that if something happened to Tian Tian, he would lose his chat companion.
After Li Zhengguo took half a teacup of tree core essence, Xiao Song generously told him to fill it up.
"Fill it up, fill it up. Later, ask Tian Tian to help me transfer some plant energy, and I'll be fine after a nap."
Hearing the tremor in Xiao Song's voice, Tian Jing was touched. They say humans have feelings, but are plants devoid of them? Plants have feelings too. Sudan Novel Network.
Tian Jing did not translate for Xiao Song. She told Li Zhengguo that half a teacup was enough. The tree core essence, which was almost a lifesaver, would be a disaster if kept on hand.
Li Zhengguo obediently poured the tree core essence into another wine bottle, sealed it with a homemade cork, and then with wax.
Tian Jing transferred a lot of plant energy to Xiao Song, making him burp contentedly before falling into a deep sleep.
The tree core essence would be temporarily placed at Xiao Lu's feet and retrieved closer to the due date.
...
Li Mu started to get busy. The more than one hundred catties of ginned cotton from their home had been processed back from the county.
Of course, Xiao Hu helped. Because he had a vehicle, it was very convenient to pick up vegetables, and his boss had instructed him to inquire if anything needed to be done each time he came.
Li Mu was busy making small quilts and clothes for her grandson, as well as the quilted jackets her daughter-in-law had mentioned. She didn't have time to deal with her daughter's cotton-padded quilt.
Li Min could only rely on Niu Da Sao for help.
Li Mu also mentioned to Niu Da Sao about asking her to help with the delivery later. Niu Da Sao agreed without hesitation.
Seeing Niu Da Sao's envious gaze as she touched the cotton batting, Tian Jing told her to take ten catties to use first, and she could return it after her family harvested cotton next year.
Niu Da Sao was tempted, but asked, "You still need to make quilts and jackets for the baby, will that be enough?"
"Enough, more than enough."
She had taken the opportunity to give Xiao Hu five sacks of cotton seeds. Xiao Hu had carefully packed them into ten or so cloth bags when he brought them back. With the fluffy cotton batting, no one could estimate the quantity.
"Then I won't be polite."
Niu Da Sao carried half a sack of cotton batting home. Those who were paying attention to the situation noticed.
But no one dared to speak up. After all, Tian Jing had given them cotton seeds, and they would all have cotton next year.
Niu Da Sao helped out at the Li family for half a month, not only finishing two quilts for Li Min but also helping to make clothes for the baby.
Cotton jackets, cotton pants, and cotton vests – everything that could be made was made. The family had no shortage of cotton or fabric.
Since the Li family had completely developed, Tian Jing had secretly taken down all the fabric from the mountain cave at Qingsongyan.
Coupled with what Ouyang Lei had sent, he would send any supplies that he guessed were lacking for Da Xia Tian, which infuriated Li Zhengguo.
It was also Li Zhengguo's idea to trick the man into going south. Tian Jing followed her husband's lead, and besides, it was better to go earlier than later.
Those who were well-informed would have gone in the latter half of seven or eight years. Ouyang Lei, more than a year earlier, would not be bullied by the second-generation officials.
Tian Jing told herself that her actions were completely correct and definitely not indulging her man.
With Niu Da Sao's help, Li Mu, feigning a desire to change her quilt, sewed four more quilts of different thicknesses.
When Niu Da Sao thought she was done and stopped coming, Li Mu sewed two more kang quilts.
By mid-November, the weather had completely turned cold. Every household was burning their kang stoves, and the Li family's new kang was put into use.
Li Mu also found time to make a cotton-padded jacket for her son. This year, her son would finally wear a cotton-padded jacket.
...
While things were still busy here, Li Rongguo came with good news, "Third Aunt, Mei Mei seems to be pregnant."
Li Mu stood up excitedly, "Have you seen a doctor?"
"No, Mei Mei is too embarrassed to go."
"No, she must see one. I'll go with her."
After Li Mu returned, she was all smiles. "Tian Tian, your eldest sister-in-law is indeed pregnant. Amitabha, bless her with a boy. Rong Guo's back will be even straighter."
Regardless of what her mother-in-law did for Ouyang Meihua, Tian Jing couldn't feel jealous. She was a woman who lacked neither money nor jealousy, and Tian Jing had no worries about sister-in-law issues.
"Mother, when Da Tang Ge moved in, his cotton quilts were a sight for sore eyes. Although Da Tang Sao has her dowry, she probably doesn't have the things a baby needs."
"Xiao Hu also said they couldn't get much cotton. You should send some cotton to Da Tang Sao, uh, no, Da Tang Sao doesn't know how to sew."
"When you have time, slowly make small quilts and baby clothes for Da Tang Sao. She definitely won't lack cotton fabric."