Hearing his mother’s words, Lu Cheng took out the small jar and asked, "Mother, can my wife have some ginseng powder?"
"Where did you get that?" Mother Lu asked.
"My brother-in-law gave it to me. He said to mix it with warm water and let my wife drink it," Lu Cheng replied.
"Your brother-in-law is considerate and generous. Go mix some and let your wife drink it. Ginseng is good for her and the babies," Mother Lu nodded.
Lu Cheng nodded and went to the kitchen. He poured half a cup of hot water, added half a spoonful of ginseng powder, and mixed it well. Then, he added some cold boiled water so the temperature wouldn’t be too hot.
When he returned, he saw his wife eating porridge. Seeing Chen Anwen, he greeted her, "Sister-in-law, sorry to bother you in the middle of the night."
Chen Anwen smiled and replied, "Second Brother, it’s not a bother. My husband and I will go to the hospital later. We made some breakfast, so bring it with you."
"Thank you, Sister-in-law," Lu Cheng nodded.
While eating the porridge, Wang Muxiao felt another contraction. Since the intervals between contractions were still far apart, she was sure it would take several more hours before she went into labor. With the experience of giving birth to her daughter, she was much calmer than her husband.
After she finished the porridge, Lu Cheng brought over the water and said, "Wife, drink more."
Wang Muxiao smelled the strong scent of ginseng and knew she couldn’t waste such a valuable supplement.
She had thought that, given her pain and soreness, she wouldn’t be able to finish the cup of ginseng water. Unexpectedly, after taking a sip, she felt refreshed, and the soreness in her body lessened.
She smacked her lips, noticing a hint of sweetness. Thinking her husband had added sugar since she disliked the earthy scent of ginseng, she gave him a loving gaze and said, "Thank you, Husband."
Lu Cheng felt sorry when he saw his wife’s pale face and replied, "Wife, just tell me what will make you feel better, and I will do it for you."
Seeing her second son acting like a love-struck youngster again, Mother Lu rolled her eyes and said, "When your wife finishes the ginseng water, help her take a warm bath and change into clean clothes."
"Second Brother, I have prepared hot water. You can take it from the stove," Chen Anwen added.
"Okay," Lu Cheng nodded and went to prepare the water.
They had a wooden tub large enough for an adult to soak in comfortably. It had originally been made for Lu Jueyu, but when she got married, she didn’t take it with her. They rarely used it since it required a lot of water and was stored in the corner of the woodshed.
Now, with a pregnant woman at home, they had cleaned it for Wang Muxiao’s use. Thanks to the tub, she could bathe without worrying about slipping and falling.
"Don’t worry about your daughter, your father can take care of her," Mother Lu replied, waving her hands.
Lu Cheng nodded, pushed the bicycle out of the yard, and rode away. Every once in a while, he would check on his wife.
After they departed, Mother Lu looked at her eldest daughter-in-law and said, "Anwen, it’s still early. Go sleep for a while. We will borrow the team leader’s tractor and go to the hospital later."
Feeling tired and sleepy, Chen Anwen nodded and returned to her house for a nap. Mother Lu went back inside to prepare things for her second daughter-in-law. After childbirth, a woman needs proper care to avoid lasting health issues.
As a mother herself, she knew how difficult it was. The physical changes, mood swings, and feelings of insecurity could take a toll on a woman.
If they weren’t careful, a new mother could develop heart sickness, leading to depression or worse. Some women have even taken their own lives because of it.
Thinking about this, Mother Lu recalled her daughter’s past condition.
Now that she thought about it, her daughter had shown similar signs of heart sickness. She had been so worried back then. But after recovering from her high fever and getting married, she had become happier and livelier.
’Now, everything was good,’ she thought inwardly.
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