Everyone helped out with chores while stuffing spicy strips into their mouths. Their tongues burned, and they kept exclaiming how spicy it was, yet their mouths couldn't stop eating. They all declared it delicious, growing tastier with every chew, though a bit too spicy.
Chen Lan initially had a sore throat and shouldn't have eaten spicy food. However, seeing Hu Yuzhen, Cui Qiao, and Qian Yingzi unable to stop eating, she felt tempted. She picked up a steaming spicy strip and took a bite. It was rich and fragrant, with a spicy, savory flavor that deepened with each chew, making one crave more. No wonder they couldn't stop eating.
As everyone was happily eating, chatting, and working with their hands, Old Qi ran over, sweating profusely. Upon entering, he shouted, "Xiao Lan, is Aunt Qian here?"
Chen Lan and the others were startled by the sudden shout and paused for a moment. Chen Lan quickly composed herself and replied, "Yes, she's inside helping! I'll go call her for you." As she was about to get up, Grandma Qian was already called out by Chun Ni, who had been helping nearby. Indeed, after a few years, Wang Chun Ni had grown into a young woman of almost fourteen.
Grandma Qian asked, "Xiao Qi, isn't it too early for Chun Cao? Why are you in such a hurry?"
Old Qi wiped the sweat from his forehead and said anxiously, "Auntie, it's not time yet, but Chun Cao complained of stomach pain this morning. We thought the baby was just restless, so we didn't pay much attention at first. But after breakfast, her stomach pain became more severe. I sent for Doctor Guo and his daughter. After checking her pulse, Doctor Guo asked me to invite you over, saying Chun Cao is going into labor."
Grandma Qian asked no further questions and immediately said, "Xiao Qi, don't worry, childbirth isn't that fast. You go back and wait. I'll wash my hands and then head home to get my tools."
Old Qi agreed, "Alright! Auntie, thank you for your trouble. I'll be going back now." With that, he turned and hobbled away quickly.
After washing her hands, Grandma Qian called out to her daughter-in-law, Song Dafeng, who was eating spicy strips, "Dafeng, stop eating. Wash your hands quickly and take my things to Chun Cao's house."
Song Dafeng readily replied, "Yes! I understand, Mother. You go ahead. I'll be there shortly." She immediately got up and went to the washing basin, carefully washing her hands twice.
After the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law left, the women helping at the pastry shop began to gossip. Qian Yingzi smiled and said, "Old Qi must be thrilled. At forty, he can still have a young son."
Cui Qiao agreed, "Indeed. Chun Cao's pregnancy was difficult. She even said she didn't expect to have another child. Couples who had their collective wedding with her have long since had children. Ruyi's son can already run around. Xiao Xue's daughter can already talk. But she and Old Qi have been married for two or three years with no news. They thought they would only have Little Bean. Who knew they'd conceive once they stopped trying?"
Hu Yuzhen chimed in, "This shows that Old Qi is destined to have offspring. Whether this child is a boy or a girl, it means he has descendants. It just wasn't time yet."
As they discussed heatedly, Chen Lan recalled the collective wedding after the autumn harvest in '54 and couldn't help but chuckle.
As her mother-in-law had predicted, spurred by the grand prize, the aunts went all out, conquering each match, almost netting them all, forming many good unions. There was Lin Mao and Ruyi, Xiao Shan and Xiao Xue, Zhou Qinmin and Xu Liuer, Chun Cao and Old Qi, Zhang Dalei and Chen Erlin's sister Chen Xiaoyun, Du Jiang and Li Xiaoju. To Chen Lan's surprise, both Lin Mai and Ming Wei failed to find partners during the matchmaking.
After the collective wedding, Chen Lan fulfilled her promise and gave each matchmaker aunt a substantial, simple, and elegant silver bracelet.
The following year, her mother-in-law reminded Chen Lan early about holding the spring fun games. However, due to the spring irrigation project, it couldn't be held. It was postponed until after the autumn harvest, when the autumn fun games finally took place.
By chance, the games coincided with Er Zhuang's visit home. This led to Er Zhuang and Ming Wei becoming a couple, and Xiao Shuan and Lin Mai becoming another. Finally, these older single men and women were paired up, much to her mother-in-law's relief and Chen Lan's great sigh of relief.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but sigh. Xiang Xi, now in his thirties, had become a perpetual bachelor. He wasn't worried at all, but Mama Liu was so anxious her hair had turned white. Perhaps due to worry about Xiang Xi remaining single, Mama Liu, in her fifties, had quite a bit of white hair.
In the early years, Mama Liu's mother used to advise Mama Liu to relax, saying that children and grandchildren would find their own way. But in the past two years, she had joined Mama Liu in sighing! This gave Chen Lan a sense of guilt. She often wondered if Xiang Xi would have found a woman he loved and married with children long ago if she hadn't brought Mama Liu's family to the valley.
As Chen Lan was lost in thought, Song Dafeng rushed in, panting. "Xiao Lan, quickly, come with me! Chun Cao's baby is in the wrong position, and my mother-in-law is trying to reposition it. Chun Cao is crying and wants to see you."
Chen Lan jumped up from her low stool, her head buzzing. She felt a tingle all over, her head swimming.
Song Dafeng called out anxiously, "Xiao Lan, Xiao Lan!"
Chen Lan snapped back to reality with the shouting. She immediately instructed Chun Ni beside her, "Chun Ni, go quickly find your grandmother and ask her to brew a pot of aged ginseng soup. When it's ready, bring it over."
With that, she quickly followed Song Dafeng towards Chun Cao's house.
When Chen Lan and Song Dafeng arrived, Old Qi was pacing anxiously outside the delivery room. Upon entering, she saw Grandma Qian exhausted and sweating, and Chun Cao was also sweating from pain. However, Chun Cao was enduring it silently, gritting her teeth. Guo Rou was wiping her sweat and checking her pulse.
Chen Lan stepped forward and gently held Chun Cao's hand. Seeing Chun Cao wanted to say something, she immediately said, "Sister Chun Cao, don't think about anything else right now. Focus on giving birth. We can talk after the baby is born, okay?"
As soon as Song Dafeng entered, she immediately relieved Grandma Qian and asked, "Mother, how is it now?"
Grandma Qian replied, breathing heavily, "Almost there. Push steadily, but don't overexert yourself."