Chapter 308: You Must Be Mentally Prepared

She had brought this matter up with Wang Zongsheng, and he flatly rejected it.

"Did you bring this up with Qiao Niang?"

"Not yet."

"If you dare bring it up, you can get out of the Wang family for me."

"Why? Since she says we're one family, what does it have to do with letting Zihan marry a wife at her house?"

"Hmph, a person needs face, a tree needs bark; you don't want it, I still do. Even if the relationship is good, it's still two families. She is surnamed Qiao, we are surnamed Wang. If we don't have our own family, how can we marry into someone else's?"

"We don't even live at her place; after the grand wedding we'll return to Bichun Garden."

"What's the point of all this trouble? In the end it'll just be a joke for people to see, using as much strength as you have."

"We only have this one son, you know."

Just as they were speaking, the family of the Marquis of Zhen Guo arrived outside; hearing that the mother-in-law herself would deliver the daughter-in-law, the whole family was moved to the point their eyes reddened.

"I—I can't go on. I gave birth to a son and a daughter for you; the daughter-in-law is a princess."

"The daughter-in-law knows now."

She eats so well at her in-laws' house that the baby in her womb is a bit large; fearing she might have difficulty delivering, Mu Shi is also very cooperative.

"You, you, you"

"You sharp‑tongued one, whatever I say you just do, as long as you obey, it'll be quick."

Qiao Mai sank her consciousness into the void and selected a chocolate‑cream popsicle for her from the freezer.

"Mother and child?"

She made it appear like a transformation trick in her hand, then handed it to her, "Eat it. You can eat it now. After giving birth, don't catch a chill for half a year; those six months are crucial, affecting your future health and even your lifespan."

It seems people in Jingcheng don't like holding celebrations in winter; it's too cold, and if the south gets cold, it's several times colder than the north.

"That's a million taels of silver, you know."

"When the daughter-in-law moves into the house, she'll handle the household accounts. From today onward, if you ever lend your natal family a tael of silver again, we'll go for a Divorce by Mutual Consent. I won't let you go either; a woman whose heart isn't with her husband's family, I, Wang Zongsheng, can't accept."

"Aha, we're going to have a grandchild now."

So she obediently followed Wang Zongsheng back to Bichun Garden, began looking for people to remodel the garden, preparing for Zihan's grand wedding.

"You still have the nerve to bring up the son. If you hadn't taken the son back to his maternal home, his older brother's child would have pushed him into the water and he almost drowned. How could he be foolish? He was second place in high school, thanks to Qiao Niang's merit; if not for her medicine, how could the son be fine? Giving birth to a son and a daughter is already a merit—every woman bears children. It seems you only tell me this; when you're old, they won't support your retirement, will they?"

The Marquis of Zhen Guo's family left; Mu Shi finished the popsicle, and Qiao Mai slipped a pill into her mouth.

Qiao Mai greeted the townsfolk, stopped setting up stalls, and kept watch on her at home every day, letting her stroll around the garden daily.

"Of course, everything of mine must be tasty."

"Ha ha, wonderful, wonderful, hurry up, bring the prepared chicken soup, eggs, and brown sugar water over, let her…"

With a wave of her hand, a set of utensils appeared on the table, causing the Momo and the servant girl to stare wide‑eyed, their faces shocked.

"It's not like you don't have any!"

Thus only Mu Shi, her close servant girl, and Momo remained in the house; Qiao Mai cleared the clutter on the wheat.

"I just can't trust you; the silver you borrowed before was never repaid. This time you won't default again, will you?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Father, mother, why are you both here?"

Everyone, with many hands, carried her back to Tingfeng Pavilion; the household hadn't hired a steady midwife because Qiao Mai said she would deliver the baby herself and didn't trust anyone else.

"What? Borrow?"

After preparations, Qiao Mai sat on the edge of the kang, "Childbirth is painful; are you mentally prepared?"

"If you eat this, it will lessen the suffering when you give birth."

The people outside erupted in excited cheers, and after another half a minute, Qiao Mai emerged from inside.

By then, Mu Shi's belly was already huge; she had reached her due date.

"Do you still not trust my natal family?"

"My natal family borrowed fifty thousand taels."

"Aye, aye."

That evening, the household held a small celebration banquet; unexpectedly, while everyone was drinking merrily, Mu Shi went into labor.

Half an hour later, a loud baby cry echoed from the house.

Mu Shi was mentally prepared; though startled, her emotions remained steady.

"Then just spend the silver to buy a house."

"Look at the good daughter you raised; not only is she under soft confinement, but she spends every day only comparing food and drink with others. I don't even dare come to Jingcheng; mentioning her makes my old face completely lose its dignity."

Mu Shi, hidden by waves of pain, Qiao Mai took her pulse and said, "The first birth will be very painful, the second will be much better. When one contraction follows another, you can be delivered. What would you like to eat?"

Wang's wife finally withdrew her trembling hand; she looked at Wang Zongsheng's almost icy gaze, truly frightened in her heart, pressed her lips and dared not make another sound.

Wang's wife, terrified, immediately sat on the ground and then began to sob loudly.

"My sister‑in‑law gave birth; I waited outside, and hearing her wailing, I was very frightened inside."

Wang Zongsheng stared at her, "Is there a loan contract? This isn't a small amount, is it?"

"Because I'm delivering you?"

"After the betrothal, there wasn't that much left."

"It won't happen, it won't happen," Wang's wife hurriedly waved her hand.

"Hehe, I knew mother wouldn't just watch the daughter‑in‑law suffer that much."

"I can; those silver pieces are managed by my shopkeepers. They're only settling accounts with you; which of those silver ingots did you earn?"

Every day I also take her pulse and control what she eats.

"Yes, from my pulse diagnosis, it's a boy."

Mrs. Wang couldn't argue with Wang Zongsheng, so angry she wanted to smash something, and Wang Zongsheng pointed at her.

Yuan Jiaqi hurried over, helped her sit down, and poured her a cup of tea.

"Hmm, you may go in and look; even if there are many at once, even in hot weather the mother and child must not catch a cold."

The mother-in-law is a capable woman; whatever she undertakes, she generally doesn't fall short.

This mother-in-law and daughter-in-law now don't look like they're delivering a baby at all; rather they seem to be chatting idly, watching Momo and Wang Jiaru's Servant Girl on the side, pursing their lips and laughing.

"What's wrong with you? Do you think I've wronged you or what? All these years, you're the only woman in the house; I think you're taking blessings for granted."

"It's already August, the weather is scorching; the daughter‑in‑law wants something cool to eat."

"The birth was a boy weighing eight jin."

"You heartless one, if I hadn't helped you manage the business, could you have earned so much silver?"

"No, in every respect, all mother‑in‑laws are no match for you."

"That can't be, I recall we have over a million; where's the silver?"

"If today you dare smash anything, I'll give you the same fate as your daughter."

Mu Shi swallowed, reached out and took it, bit it, eyes brightening, "So good, huh?"

"The son, the son can be the literary star descending, second place in high school."

"Thank you, Mother; you are the best mother‑in‑law in the world."

"Hehe, I'm fine,"

Taking advantage of the fact that Mu Shi hasn't begun labor yet, Qiao Mai let them all go inside to look, and upon seeing Murong enduring pain while eating strange food, their hanging hearts dropped instantly.

"The letter your father‑in‑law and mother‑in‑law sent over, such a big matter, how could we not attend to it?"

At that moment, Qiao Mai inadvertently took the pulse of the second daughter‑in‑law, diagnosing that she was also pregnant; Yun'er, upon hearing the news, immediately asked for leave and went home.

In mid‑July, the Wang Family's Engagement ceremony took place, and the grand wedding was set for next May.

"With me here, you and the child will be safe."

Qiao Mai smiled, "Now that we've met, let's all go out; after finishing what's in our hands, we can start the delivery. Rest assured, with me here, I guarantee mother and child will be safe."

"Hard Work, dear, we're about to become grandparents."

"Ugh, speaking of this generation, I instantly feel old."

"Haha, the wife is not old at all; many people, when they talk about you, say you still look like a girl in her twenty‑nine prime."

"That's true; who can blame me for taking good care of myself."

(End of chapter)