Northeast: My Absurd Woman

Chapter 147 A dirty, sticky little thing

Yang Wuni stood on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), unsure whether she should go out to look for someone.

"Wu Ni, bring the scissors to the kang (heated brick bed), and also the small quilt for childbirth and such."

"I can't see you, do you dare to deliver your own baby?"

While Liao Zhi was recalling the story her grandmother had told her about delivering babies, she asked Yang Wuni to prepare.

"Okay...okay...I'll go get it now." Yang Wuni dragged her two soaking wet trouser legs.

With one hand supporting her belly and the other against the wall, she dragged her heavy bare feet to the east room to retrieve what Liao Zhi had mentioned.

When they got their things back, Yang Wuni also brought over a quilt.

She vaguely remembered that Sister Guimei was covered with a blanket when she gave birth.

"Wu Ni, spread out a thick layer of toilet paper that Lin Qiu brought me on the ground."

Then you lie on the toilet paper and take off your pants.

Your water broke, the baby should be coming out soon.

Following Liao Zhi's instructions, Yang Wuni laid out toilet paper, took off her pants, and lay down on it.

A sharp pain, pulling at every nerve, started again from below my lower abdomen, a pain that seemed to drill into my bones.

"Hmm...humph..." Yang Wuni bit her lower lip, trying not to make a sound.

"Wu Ni, if it hurts, just shout it out. It will make you feel a little better."

If someone hears the shouting and comes in, they can call for help.

Liao Zhi was so anxious that his teeth were grinding together, his eyes were wide open, and he hated that he couldn't help.

"Will I die? Sister Guimei almost died during childbirth."

After the contractions subsided, Yang Wuni lay limply on the paper, asking Liao Zhi with fear in her heart.

"Wu Ni, don't be afraid, you've already tasted all the bitterness in the world."

Heaven has eyes; it won't only harm you.

Don't speak, save your energy for when the baby is about to be born.

Hurry up and eat all the eggs you cooked for me.

Only by gathering all your strength can you successfully give birth to the child.

Liao Zhi remembered that the eggs Yang Wuni had boiled for him that morning were still by his pillow.

"Um!"

Yang Wuni stopped being modest and swallowed the three peeled eggs one by one, stretching her neck as she did so.

The contractions came in waves, and the last one was continuous and didn't stop.

"Wu Ni, it'll be quick this time. Lie down and get ready. I'm cheering you on."

Liao Zhi's forehead was covered in just as many beads of sweat as Yang Wuni's.

He was nervously afraid that something might happen to Yang Wuni, as he had heard his grandmother say so.

When a woman gives birth, it's like the child is born while the mother dies; there's a 50/50 chance of either birth or death.

He didn't dare say that to Yang Wuni; he couldn't let her be scared or distracted.

If Yang Wuni suffers even the slightest mishap, how can this living dead man continue to live?

What people fear most is the pangs of conscience, which can drive someone who stands on a moral high ground insane.

Yang Wuni didn't scream in anguish; she used all her strength to give birth.

She focused intently on cooperating with each wave of soreness, exerting all her strength.

The child's desire to live repeatedly pushed Yang Wuni to the brink of death and pulled her back.

"My child cannot be like me, without a mother's love."

I want to give birth to him, raise him, and give him the best food.

Yang Wuni gripped the corner of the blanket, the blood from her bitten lip flowing into her throat, and she swallowed it twice.

"Wu Ni, are you alright? I reckon you'll have to use all your strength."

You can only push when the baby is about to come out; you can't waste your energy.

"When you arrive, just tell me, and I'll work hard with you."

Liao Zhi gave Yang Wuni another pep talk, feeling like he was possessed by a midwife.

"Liao...Zhi...is...here..."

Yang Wuni blushed and struggled to say those words.

"Wu Ni, hold your breath, grip tightly, give it your all, and get it over with in one go."

"Push harder! Push harder! Don't give up! Push harder..."

"Liao Zhi, it's out! It looks like the baby's out?"

Something warm rolled down between the toilet paper and her legs.

Yang Wuni breathed a sigh of relief and told Liao Zhi weakly.

"Wu Ni, you can't lie down. Sit up and check the child's nose and mouth."

You need to make sure there's nothing stuck to the child's nose and mouth.

Liao Zhi couldn't hear the child crying and began to get nervous.

"Oh...okay...right away..."

"Liao Zhi, what is this thing? It's slippery, how do I deal with it?"

Yang Wuni propped herself up with her arms, pulled back the blanket, and looked at the child, who was covered in blood, but dared not touch him.

"Wu Ni, quickly wipe the child's mouth clean, forget about what it is."

Liao Zhi became even more nervous, knowing that this moment was extremely important.

"oh!"

Yang Wuni grabbed a diaper cloth and wiped the sticky stuff out of the child's mouth.

"Wu Ni, the child can't stop crying. Turn him upside down and pat his bottom or the soles of his feet."

Yang Wuni reluctantly picked up the dirty, sticky little thing.

She slapped his bottom, and he burst into tears, which startled Yang Wuni.

"It's alright, Wu Ni. Cut the rope-like thing connecting you to the child, wrap him in a small blanket and set him aside."

"Has the placenta come out yet? Look down and see for yourself."

Liao Zhi smiled, but the dried tear stains at the corners of her eyes stung and became wet again.

"Liao Zhi, the rope is made of flesh; it bleeds when cut. What should we do?"

"What is a placenta?" Yang Wuni looked at the toilet paper but couldn't find anything.

"There was a whole bunch of stuff inside that thing you cut off, like pig intestines and a stomach."

Liao Zhi-jun may have described the placenta in a way that Yang Wu-ni could understand.

"Huh? There's something else? What's a placenta?"

Yang Wuni tugged at her stomach, but the pain forced her to let go.

"Wu Ni, don't ask any questions yet. Just lie down and push, and the thing will come out quickly. It won't hurt at all."

Liao Zhi smiled and comforted Yang Wuni, feeling sorry for this silly woman.

While giving birth to the placenta is indeed less painful than childbirth, it's not as painless as Liao Zhi described.

"Liao Zhi, this pile of things is the placenta. What's it used for?"

Yang Wuni finally felt that the pain in her stomach had stopped.

I sat up and looked at the reddish pile of flesh, not knowing what to do.

"Wu Ni, don't worry about that thing for now, just push it all down."

Make sure you are clean and tidy, and wrap your headscarf around your head so it doesn't get blown by the wind.

There's a new set of pajamas under my mattress. Take it out and put it on, then lie down.

Liao Zhi breathed a sigh of relief, and his tone became less impatient.

Yang Wuni picked up her wet pants and looked at them. They were indeed unwearable, so she had no choice but to listen to Liao Zhi.

After placing the paper down, I pulled out the light blue cotton pajamas that were tucked under the mattress and put them on him.

When she lay back down on the kang (a heated brick bed), every bone in her body ached so much that she dared not move.

Night had fallen, and Wang Ga had sold a whole truckload of frozen rice noodles today.

Overjoyed to be back, he had his wife kill a big rooster to reward the workers.

Zhang Changyao was anxious, but he had no choice but to wait for the chicken to be cooked.

After watching everyone finish their portions, he grabbed the chicken from his bowl, wrapped it in his clothes, and hurried home.