CHAPTER 267: CHAPTER 267: DIFFICULT LABOR

Tang Chuxia didn’t dare to play pranks with the couplets hung later on, fearing she might be disciplined by Madam Tang.

It was New Year’s Eve, and every household was busy posting couplets and making dumplings, the Tang family was no exception. With so many people in the family, they made screens and screens of dumplings.

Tang Chuxia insisted on playing pranks by wrapping a few coins in some dumplings, claiming it was for good luck.

As it turned out, everyone got one except for herself.

"What’s going on? Could it be that I will lose money next year?"

Tang Chuxia was not convinced, but Madam Tang wouldn’t let her rummage through and told her to eat properly.

Helpless, Tang Chuxia kept a sullen mood, but at this time there was no Spring Festival Gala, no public festivities.

After eating, Madam Tang, together with Ah Duo and licorice, began to make sweet dumplings, as well as dough figures and dough lanterns that were to be used for lighting ceremonies on the Lantern Festival.

All of them were skilled with their hands, chatting and laughing as they worked. There were no small children at home, no one to run around setting off firecrackers and sparklers.

"You’re restless at home, go out and have fun!" Madam Tang finally suggested, and Tang Chuxia immediately dragged her third sister-in-law out to play.

Only the third sister-in-law was idle at home.

She took Tang Chuxia to the little shop, bought a lot of sparklers, and the two of them started spinning and lighting them up with the children, it was indeed joyous.

They played till they sweated and were finally willing to return home.

As soon as they got home, they were greeted with a bowl of sweet dumplings. Madam Tang admonished them, "On New Year’s Eve, you must eat sweet dumplings so the coming year will be complete and satisfying!"

There were not many dumplings, just four each, and they weren’t big. She knew they couldn’t eat much.

After Tang Chuxia and her third sister-in-law finished eating, Madam Tang, fearing they couldn’t stay awake, told them to go to sleep. She would stay up through the night herself.

Father Tang also stayed up to welcome the New Year, probably because as he grew older, he needed less sleep and wasn’t so exhausted.

Tang Chuxia had just lain down, feeling she hadn’t gotten properly to sleep yet when she heard a cry of alarm. She had an unclear premonition and immediately got up.

Before she could even get dressed, chaos erupted outside.

Tang Chuxia opened the door, her cotton-padded jacket half-on, and saw the courtyard already ablaze with light.

"What’s wrong?" Tang Chuxia caught hold of the panicking licorice. Licorice, knowing she couldn’t be of any help, told Tang Chuxia, "Your elder sister-in-law is giving birth!"

There was a thump in Tang Chuxia’s heart. She saw her eldest brother carrying his wife to the birth room while Madam Tang went to get Mrs. Gu.

But this wasn’t safe enough, Tang Chuxia remembered from the book that her sister-in-law had had complications due to severe bleeding.

She wanted to rush out but was held back by her younger brother, "Where are you going?"

Tang Jianbing, worried about Tang Chuxia’s safety, saw her stamp her foot, "I’m going to find Elder Huang, just in case!"

Tang Jianbing, concerned about Tang Chuxia going out alone at night, declared, "I’ll go!"

The second brother followed Tang Jianbing to find Elder Huang, after all, they couldn’t help at home either.

Tang Chuxia wanted to enter the birth room but was stopped by her future third sister-in-law, "Don’t go in now, I just followed them in and Auntie chased me out!"

Tang Chuxia acknowledged with an "oh" and saw Ah Duo going to boil hot water. Mrs. Gu and Madam Tang were already in the birth room, and licorice, not wanting to be criticized for idling, went to knead dough.

In Mrs. Gu’s words, giving birth was a physically demanding task, and if it took a long time, they might need to replenish their strength.

Tang Chuxia and her future third sister-in-law, now free of duties, idled together with Father Tang.

As for Tang Jianguo, the father-to-be, he was already panicking and pacing in circles at the doorway.

Tang Chuxia couldn’t stand by, wanting to have her eldest brother rest, but Tang Jianguo couldn’t stop at all, his entire being was strung tight.

Giving birth was a major event, and it was New Year’s Eve, what a day to choose! Many neighbors hearing the commotion also came over.

In their words, it was rare to give birth on New Year’s Eve, the key thing was to share in the joy of the occasion.

New Year brings a new atmosphere!

Tang Chuxia had never heard this saying before, but she was worried about her elder sister-in-law’s health and was pacing back and forth when she suddenly remembered something.

Lin Qingchen had warned her not to run around on New Year’s Eve. Could it be relevant in this situation?

However, before she could figure out the reasoning, she remembered Lin Qingchen’s advice that if a situation arose, she should seek help from Third Grandpa and Master Sikong, also known as the old monk.

She looked around and grabbed Father Tang.

"Dad, go and ask Third Grandpa to come over!"

Father Tang did not understand what was happening, but seeing his daughter’s serious expression and fearing that something was wrong, he wondered where Third Grandpa might be.

Father Tang did not know.

Tang Chuxia was anxious, fearing that even Elder Huang’s arrival might be too late, she rushed outside.

She absolutely could not let her elder sister-in-law have an accident—it was a promise she had made to the original owner of her body.

But just as she reached the entrance to the alley, she saw Gu Beihuai. He grabbed her wrist, "Where are you going?"

Tang Chuxia, with no time to explain, just said she was going to find Third Grandpa.

Gu Beihuai did not let her go, "I’ll find someone, you’re not allowed to go!"

Tang Chuxia let out an "Ah": "Do you know something?"

Gu Beihuai silently intended to go back home to get a bicycle to fetch Third Grandpa, but his physical condition was not very good. Father Gu and Gu Nanzhi disagreed, suggesting they should go instead.

Gu Beihuai insisted he did not need assistance, but luckily, with the commotion in the alley, many were alerted. Qin Zhan also heard and came to see, fearing an accident, and learned that they needed to find Third Grandpa.

Others might not know where Third Grandpa was, but the people of Tianji did.

"I’ll go!" Qin Zhan snatched the bicycle from Gu Beihuai’s hands, telling him to go back and rest.

Tang Chuxia wanted to follow, but Qin Zhan said, "If you come with me, how will I bring Third Grandpa back?"

In the end, Tang Chuxia had no choice but to entrust Qin Zhan to be careful, not to rush too hastily, and to prioritize safety above all.

After Qin Zhan left, Gu Beihuai pulled Tang Chuxia back to the Tang Family, and Father Gu followed to check on things.

All the way, Gu Nanzhi kept saying, "Xiaxia, you’re just too nervous. Childbirth has risks, but everyone goes through it, it shouldn’t be a big problem!"

Tang Chuxia hummed in agreement, yet she wanted to say that she wasn’t worried about the childbirth itself—she was anxious about whether her elder sister-in-law might suffer from severe bleeding.

This anxious feeling eased slightly when Elder Huang was carried over by Tang Jianjun, but soon after Elder Huang’s arrival, cries of alarm were heard from the birthing room.

Ah Duo, who had given birth before, instructed licorice to watch the hot water, and she went into the room to help.

The subsequent cries of surprise along with Madam Tang’s voice suggested that something had indeed gone wrong.

Tang Chuxia rushed over, Tang Jianguo was also about to charge inside but was held back by Gu Beihuai and Tang Jianjun.

"Mom, what’s happened?"

Gu Beihuai shouted inside!

Mrs. Gu was a gynecologist and had no problems with delivering babies.

"Let Elder Huang come in!"

Tang Chuxia’s heart dropped—her fears had materialized.

Elder Huang grabbed Tang Chuxia, "Come in with me!"

Tang Chuxia was dragged inside, the first thing that hit her was the pungent smell of blood, followed by the sight of Mrs. Gu and Madam Tang drenched in sweat.

"The arm came out first!" Mrs. Gu looked towards Elder Huang.