Qian Juhua gave birth to a daughter. This news spread quickly throughout the brigade in the winter.
Tian Erzhu’s wife and Tian Dazhu’s mother were overjoyed — Qian Juhua had yet another daughter, three daughters now!
Not only would this family have to rely on their nephew in the future, but even the matter of Dabao pushing Qian Juhua, which led to her premature labor, could be brushed off now.
Tian Dazhu’s mother was beaming: “Didn’t I say Dazhu isn’t fated to have a son? But Juhua insisted on defying fate. Look what happened — spent several yuan, hiring both the midwife and Wang Ying, and in the end, still gave birth to a girl! It’s clearly destined.”
Tian Erzhu’s wife was also delighted. She had argued with her mother-in-law until late last night, and when her husband came home in the morning, he confirmed it — Qian Juhua really did give birth to a girl!
Tian Erzhu’s wife immediately felt that all the thoughts she’d muttered in her heart the past few days had come true — truly fulfilled!
Though mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had quarreled and blamed each other, now they were united again in joy, eager to spread the word.
Tian Dazhu’s mother, feeling triumphant, called her eldest son over and instructed him carefully: “Your wife should give up now, right? She just doesn’t have the fate to bear a son! And you don’t either. From now on, just rely on your nephew. Dabao was raised by you — how could he not be filial to you in the future? Besides, when you drop things or break things, who’s going to help clean up? It’ll have to be Dabao!”
“Yesterday your wife was so stubborn, it was scary just to look at her. When you go back, you need to make things clear to her. She can’t bear a son, and we’ve still been kind enough to feed and clothe her without kicking her out — that’s already merciful. Tell her to stop making trouble!”
Tian Dazhu’s mother grew angrier as she recalled yesterday: “And your two girls — one sneaked out to look for someone, stirring up trouble for you. The other yelled and screamed accusations — what, now their grandmother has to be reported to the brigade leader by the younger generation?”
“Go tell your wife that she should go find Tian Youfu tomorrow and say she won’t pursue the matter any further.”
Tian Dazhu’s mother stood straight and firm: “She’s not even injured, yet your younger brother had to trek to the neighboring brigade last night, came back soaked to the bone, and he’s still sleeping now! Even if Dabao did push her, your younger brother has already done enough. Tell her she’s not allowed to keep pressing this!”
Tian Dazhu shrank back, unable to say a word in front of his mother, which only made her angrier.
She really didn’t like her eldest son. Who could like someone who couldn’t string three words together with a stick?
The younger son had a sweet mouth, was good with words, and even gave her a big fat grandson. She and her husband could count on that grandson in their old age — wasn’t that what really mattered?
Dazhu had only three daughters, who would eventually be married off — money-losing prospects.
Thinking of this, Tian Dazhu’s mother asked: “How much did you give Wang Ying and the midwife this morning?”
Tian Dazhu shrank his neck and said, “Four yuan to the midwife, one yuan to the old aunt. Nothing to Wang Ying.”
Five yuan!
Tian Dazhu’s mother clutched her chest and cursed fiercely: “That midwife — the baby was already born when she arrived! She didn’t help at all, and she dares ask for four yuan?! What, you’ve got money burning a hole in your pocket?!”
Tian Dazhu stayed silent again. He didn’t want to give the money either.
A daughter was born — forget giving money, he didn’t even want to live anymore.
But at the time, Tian Dashu was there. Dashu was part of the militia and had some authority in the brigade. He spoke up and demanded four yuan, saying it hadn’t been easy to go there, nor to come back.
The midwife had been woken up in the middle of the night, and trudged through snow for three or four hours. Four yuan was fair compensation.
Tian Dazhu now had three daughters and no courage left to voice his own opinion. He could only hand over the four yuan.
As for the one yuan for the old auntie — that had been agreed upon beforehand. She was family, so it wouldn’t be proper not to pay her.
Wang Ying had left early and wasn’t included in the payment.
Tian Dazhu’s mother said, “Fine then, the two who got paid, just leave it at that. As for Wang Ying, she’s not getting anything. What a joke — delivering a girl and still expecting payment? Back in the old days, if a midwife delivered a girl, she wouldn’t get a single coin.”
That statement was off. If Aunt Tian had been there, she surely would’ve snarked at it. Not getting paid for delivering a girl — what era was that? Back then it wasn’t that people didn’t want to pay, it was that nobody had any money. Everyone pitched in to help — for a boy you might give two eggs, for a girl maybe one.
But this is a different time!
Everyone’s life was hard, but you’d rarely see anyone not pay the midwife.
Tian Dazhu’s mother continued talking.
“Go ask your wife for another two yuan — your brother caught a chill last night, doesn’t he need to recover? And Dabao was so scared he was talking nonsense in his sleep…”
Tian Dazhu’s mother was truly concerned, but it was the money and her grandson that she really cared about.
“Tell her to hand over two yuan, so your brother and nephew can recover properly!”
Tian Erzhu’s wife stood to the side, listening, but said nothing.
After yesterday’s events, and now with Qian Juhua having had a daughter, Tian Erzhu’s wife felt secure.
Before, she fought because she was worried Qian Juhua might have a son — but now that worry was gone. With her five-year birth spacing, who knows when the next baby might come?
Now her elder brother-in-law’s family should be trying to curry favor with her. Why should she make a fuss or ask for anything?
Besides, her mother-in-law was still in charge.
Her mother-in-law could hold the line — no need for her to get involved.
Tian Dazhu responded quietly, then turned and left.
At home, Qian Juhua had slept through the morning and woke around noon.
The midwife who had made the trip was still there, waiting to see if she could help the baby nurse. The child was premature and needed to be monitored before the midwife could leave.
Da Ya and Er Ya — Da Ya was outside preparing food for their mother and baby sister. That morning, when their father found out he had another daughter, he knelt in the snow and cried for a long while, then left without even entering the house. No one knew where he went.
The two girls had only eaten half a steamed bun the night before and were hungry now. Da Ya was worried her mother might wake up without food to eat and be unable to nurse the baby, so she made some coarse grain porridge.
Er Ya sat by the bedside, watching over her little sister.
The newborn was tiny, and since San Ya was premature, she looked even smaller — like a kitten.
Er Ya puffed out her cheeks and gently touched her little sister’s mouth. The baby’s soft skin felt completely different from her own cheek.
Er Ya felt a bit deflated. She didn’t understand why there had to be a little brother, but her older sister told her that only with a younger brother could their family hold their heads high. With a younger brother, their father would treat them especially well, and their mother wouldn’t have to swallow her anger in front of their grandmother and second aunt.
Even though Er Ya didn’t fully understand it, that didn’t stop her from hoping for a little brother.
She wasn’t hoping for better food or clothes. She just hoped her mother could scold their grandmother and second aunt fiercely! Especially Da Bao! Once she had a little brother, she’d have him go beat up Da Bao and take back all the eggs Da Bao had stolen from her!
But…
Why did it have to be a little sister?
Er Ya felt a bit sad. She instinctively knew her father didn’t like the baby girl. The moment he heard it was a girl, he kneeled in the snow and cried.
Sigh, let Dad cry if he wants — he’s on Grandma and Second Aunt’s side anyway.
What Er Ya feared most was that her mother would cry too. If even her mother didn’t like the baby…
Wouldn’t that mean her little sister was all alone and pitiful, with no one to love her?
Er Ya gently touched her baby sister’s little head and thought: If Mom doesn’t like you either, then I guess I’ll share a bit of my big sister with you… and give you a little of my own love too.
Da Ya finished cooking, and also boiled an egg for Qian Juhua. When Qian Juhua woke up, she was surrounded by her three daughters — the two older ones curled up on the heated brick bed to stay warm, and the newborn sleeping right beside her.
The midwife let out a sigh of relief when she saw Qian Juhua awake. Qian had slept deeply for ten straight hours, and the midwife had been worried about how the baby would get fed.
Qian Juhua looked at her newborn daughter. The baby had been born prematurely — small and skinny, even smaller than normal newborns. Qian picked up the baby and started to nurse her.
Once the baby had eaten, the midwife did one more check-up. After confirming everything was okay, she reminded Qian Juhua that premature babies required extra care, then finally left.
Da Ya ran to the kitchen to get the food and handed the boiled egg to her mother.
After eating the egg, Qian Juhua saw her two daughters shivering and told them to come onto the bed.
“It’s too cold. The bed’s heated well — come up here and lie down with your little sister.”
Qian Juhua didn’t ask where her husband had gone. She forced herself to get up and pulled out the little cotton jackets she had made earlier for the baby boy she’d been expecting. Da Ya quickly stepped forward to support her. Qian didn’t do much — just took some thread and sat back on the bed.
There were five or six little jackets. She spent the entire afternoon taking them apart and sewing them back together, finally managing to piece together a somewhat thin cotton jacket.
She tossed it to her eldest daughter. “Put it on. Return the scarf tomorrow.”
Da Ya was stunned for a moment, her face flushed red. So much had happened recently that she had forgotten to return Sister Wang Ying’s scarf!
Qian Juhua continued to take the jackets apart. They’d been made extra thick for a baby boy, and she found she still had quite a bit of cotton left — enough to make jackets for both older daughters.
Da Ya changed into her jacket, her eyes full of expectation. Qian Juhua took one look at her and said, “Not bad. The sleeves are a bit short.”
Da Ya quickly said, “They’re not short!”
Qian Juhua replied, “Just keep your hands inside the jacket when you’re not doing anything. I still need to make one for your little sister, no time to fix yours.”
Er Ya was stunned too. She had been quietly envious of her older sister’s new jacket, but figured she didn’t need one that thick since she didn’t do as much work. She never expected that such a nice jacket would be made for her too!
The three of them sat together on the bed in warmth. Just as the atmosphere was settling, Tian Dazhu came home.
When he walked in and saw that Qian Juhua was awake, he said awkwardly, “Good, you’re awake. Give me two yuan.”
Qian Juhua frowned. “What for?”
She thought maybe someone hadn’t been paid last night, but that didn’t seem right. The midwife must’ve been paid — she wouldn’t have left so quickly otherwise.
And Tian Granny, since she was a relative, had probably been given something too — it wouldn’t do to give her nothing.
Qian Juhua asked, “Is it for Wang Ying?”
Thinking it through, only Wang Ying might have left without taking any money.
Qian Juhua felt that wouldn’t be right — even if Wang Ying didn’t ask for it, she still needed to give it. If not for Wang Ying, she might not have made it through the delivery.
Though the pain had been terrible, she had been conscious the whole time and knew that it was Wang Ying who had taken charge during the birth. Tian Granny had only lent a hand.
“Two yuan probably isn’t enough. She stayed up all night helping. Once I’m able to get up, I’ll bring her the money myself — along with a few eggs.”
Qian Juhua didn’t like owing people, but she was also someone who remembered kindness. Even after she had embarrassed Wang Ying before, Wang Ying still came to help without holding a grudge. Tian Granny had come only after being promised a payment of one yuan, while Wang Ying came without a word.
Qian Juhua figured there were still about a dozen yuan left at home. Giving Wang Ying five yuan would be appropriate.
Tian Dazhu hesitated for a moment before finally saying, “Mom said not to give anything to Wang Ying. She said since it was a girl, there’s no reason to pay her.”
Qian Juhua said, “It was a girl, but since when does delivering a girl mean no payment? Didn’t you give the midwife money too?”
Wang Ying had basically saved her life — even more reason to give a good amount.
Then Qian Juhua suddenly realized: “So the money isn’t for Wang Ying? Then who is it for?”
Pressed by his wife, Tian Dazhu opened and closed his mouth a few times before finally admitting, “It’s for Er Zhu and Da Bao.”
Qian Juhua’s face filled with shock and anger. “You go ask your mother if her heart was raised in dirty water! I haven’t even gotten out of bed and she’s already sending you to ask for money! What does your brother want money for? Your nephew’s issue of pushing me isn’t even settled yet! Why should I give her money?!”
Tian Dazhu, watching his wife grow angrier, suddenly blurted out, “You gave birth to a girl.”
