CHAPTER 165: CHAPTER 157: SERIOUSLY ILL (PART 1)

Before Third Son and his wife came home, Granny Song longed for their return day and night, hoping they’d bring a grandchild. Now that they’ve really brought one back, although it’s still in the belly, it left her stunned for quite a while.

Completely setting aside the idea of cooking for her son, Granny Song insisted on taking a look herself.

Song Wei advised, "Mom, Wanwan is tired from the journey and just took a rest. She’s probably not in the best spirits right now. She’s someone who values filial piety, so if she’s awake, she’d come to see you first thing."

Granny Song realized she might have gotten too excited after hearing Song Wei’s words. She thought it over for a moment and calmed down, "Alright then, I’ll cook for you first. What do you want to eat?"

After such a long journey, Song Wei didn’t really have an appetite, but he didn’t want to go against his mother’s wishes, "Mom, just make something light."

Granny Song was about to head to the kitchen but then remembered her daughter-in-law still resting inside and asked Song Wei, "What about your wife? Does she have any cravings now that she’s pregnant? Does she prefer sour or spicy food?"

Song Wei could tell his mom was trying to use the old wives’ tale of sour for boys and spicy for girls to guess the baby’s gender. He didn’t try to dissuade her from these unreliable beliefs and simply said, "Her appetite isn’t great, she doesn’t have any particular cravings. She’s eaten a lot of fruit because she felt uncomfortable being cooped up in the carriage."

Song Wei had no particular preference about having a boy or a girl; he was more worried about his mom.

He didn’t want to put too much pressure on Wanwan.

Thinking of this, Song Wei called out to Granny Song, "Mom, there’s something I want to tell you."

Granny Song was about to head to the kitchen when she heard the serious tone in Song Wei’s voice and sat back down, concerned there might be something urgent.

Song Wei spoke slowly, "When we were in the Capital, I got a highly skilled doctor to treat Wanwan’s throat. We treated it for over six months and were in the final stages. She would have been able to speak again if we got through it, but none of us expected Wanwan would suddenly get pregnant.

The doctor said if we want to keep the baby, we have to stop the throat treatment; if we want to continue, we’d have to terminate the pregnancy."

As he spoke, Song Wei looked at Granny Song, "Wanwan ultimately gave up the chance to speak again just to keep the baby."

Granny Song felt a pang in her heart, "That silly girl, she put off such a big life matter just like that?"

"Mom." Song Wei replied, taking over the conversation, "That’s not what I wanted to tell you. I mean..."

Granny Song wasn’t that slow, "You don’t need to say anything more, I get it. It doesn’t matter if she’s carrying a boy or a girl, they’re our precious treasure either way."

Song Wei smiled, pleased with his mother’s insight.

Granny Song didn’t elaborate further.

Erlang’s family had three daughters in a row; if she were the type to make a fuss, she wouldn’t be helping to care for the kids every day.

She couldn’t deny having thoughts about a grandson.

But having lived through it, she knew you can’t force these things, and no woman has the power to decide that on her own.

In the end, it all depends on fate.

Looking at Song Wei, Granny Song asked, "Is there anything else?"

Song Wei shook his head, "No, go ahead, Mom!"

Granny Song remembered something and mentioned, "Your Aunt Xie’s family dug a fish pond, full of fish and shrimp. If Wan Niang wants to eat, I’ll go get some fish and shrimp to make a steamed dish for her."

Wanwan hardly had a proper meal because of morning sickness during the journey, so Song Wei agreed it was time to nourish her, "Sure, let’s go with what you think, Mom!"

Granny Song also said, "You look like you haven’t had a proper sleep for days. It’s still early for mealtime; why don’t you go back to your room and rest? I’ll call you when the food is ready."

Song Wei was indeed a bit fatigued. Once Granny Song went to Aunt Xie’s house, he quickly left the main hall for the west room.

Afraid of disturbing Wen Wan, Song Wei pushed the door gently.

Through the partially open curtain, Wen Wan’s slightly weary profile appeared.

She was already fast asleep, her left hand gently placed over her stomach beneath the quilt.

It was a protective gesture.

As if even in her sleep she feared someone might harm the baby.

Song Wei sat on the bed’s edge, eyes filled with sympathy, and lightly caressed her cheek with his warm fingertips.

Wen Wan was a light sleeper and woke up just as Song Wei touched her.

Seeing it was her husband when she opened her eyes, she turned over to look at him.

Song Wei asked, "Did I wake you?"

Wen Wan smiled and nodded, wondering what on earth he was doing while she slept so well?

Luckily, she wasn’t grumpy from being woken up, otherwise, he would have been in for it.

Seeing she was now fully awake, Song Wei took her delicate fingers and gently held them in his palm, "Mom said she’d make fish soup and shrimp for you soon. If you don’t like them, I’ll ask her to make something else early on."

Wen Wan shook her head, saying not to trouble them. She was less than three months pregnant now, not so delicate. Since her mother-in-law was cooking, she should eat a bit more if she could, or a bit less if not, but it would be inappropriate to dismiss the elderly woman’s intentions right after arriving home.

Seeing she had no special requests, Song Wei changed the topic, "Feeling any better?"

Wen Wan pushed herself up, leaning against the headboard. The nausea in her chest had subsided, but after vomiting so badly earlier, her stomach felt a little uncomfortable now.

Song Wei moved closer, letting her lean on his shoulder, saying, "You’ve had a hard time, Wanwan."

Becoming a father for the first time and having no prior experience, the pregnancy reactions on the way home left a significant "shadow" on Song Wei. Only then did he realize how tough pregnancy could be.

During the vomiting, Wen Wan felt it was genuinely hard at times, but after stroking her belly afterward, she felt it was all worth it.

After enduring a few more days beyond three months, things should improve.

——

Someone in the neighboring village was having a funeral, and Old Song was invited to help, so he hadn’t returned yet.

Granny Song, worried Wen Wan couldn’t eat, made two fish dishes: one fish was stewed for soup, and the other was deboned to make fish porridge with vegetables for her.

Wen Wan tasted it and found it wasn’t fishy. She quite liked it, drinking more than half a bowl of porridge, half a bowl of fish soup, and also eating a few shrimp, seeming to have a good appetite.

After the meal, Wen Wan strolled in the spacious courtyard to aid digestion.

Granny Song seized the moment when her daughter-in-law was away to ask Song Wei: "Did someone from the village come causing trouble today?"

Song Wei didn’t hide it and told her frankly.

Granny Song listened and her nostrils flared, "You’re the one who needs to take the scholar exam, so doesn’t our family decide who gets the land? That guarantee was merely to tell the villagers that we wouldn’t profit personally from any land grants in the future. These scoundrels have some nerve, using the guarantee as an excuse to corner you at the door like it’s a debt collection. What are we gaining from this?"

Song Wei had already detached himself from his earlier emotions, and was particularly calm now, "Didn’t you say too, that I only guaranteed not to take benefits, not guaranteed who to grant the land to. Who gets the spots is my freedom, there’s no need for you to stoop to these people’s level."

"I’m just upset," Granny Song said bitterly, "If my son chooses to give benefits, that’s because my son is generous! No one appreciates your efforts, they even think it’s deserved, and even believe we owe them. Just you watch, if you really pass and grant them the land, it’s fine. If you don’t pass, they might really come causing trouble demanding an explanation."

The villagers are short-sighted, all thinking only of immediate gains, not considering the long-term losses they’ll suffer this way.

Song Wei’s perspective broadened considerably after spending a year in the Capital. His mind was not on these trivial village matters at all.

The reason for setting up the guarantee back then was to pave a way for himself in the future.

It’s said that a three-inch tongue can endanger a seven-foot body.

His reputation as "unlucky" was well-known in the nearby villages. If he wanted to enter the officialdom in the future, someone would check his background, inevitably asking the villagers. If they all insisted Song Wei was innately unlucky, causing misfortune to everyone he met, his dream of becoming an official would be over.

So sometimes, you have to endure, and even when you shouldn’t, endure still.

What’s the big deal about granting land? Once he passes the exam, he can use the four-hundred-acre quota to do some good deeds.

——

This year, two people Song Wei knew were taking the provincial examination.

One was Xie Zheng, and the other was Hao Yun from Ningzhou Prefecture School.

Xie Zheng knew Song Wei was back, and visited him the next day.

During Song Wei’s time at the Imperial College, he exchanged frequent letters with Xie Zheng to keep him informed of developments in the Capital.

However, in the letters, some things were only roughly mentioned, not detailed.

Xie Zheng came today to hear directly from Song Wei about what the Imperial College was like.

Song Wei patiently explained in detail, and Xie Zheng listened with a face full of yearning.

During the year Song Wei went to the Capital, Xie Zheng stopped teaching and found an academy in the county city to study at. Each time he exchanged letters with Song Wei, he envied how Song Wei could study at the highest institution.

But his envy was pure, not like Hao Yun’s twisted jealousy.

In Xie Zheng’s opinion, Hao Yun was really problematic, and severely so.

Last time, during a poetry contest held by their prefecture school, Hao Yun’s essay stood out. When it was announced, a sharp-eyed student noticed it mimicked Song Wei’s writing style, even having several identical details. That essay was something Song Wei wrote many years ago at the town school.

The supporters behind Hao Yun immediately clamored, saying they never heard of Song Wei and only knew Hao Yun, who topped the academy exam. They even claimed that despite them both writing the same essay, Song Wei’s didn’t make a splash, while Hao Yun directly won the poetry contest. The capability was self-evident.

The two factions quarreled fiercely, and Hao Yun’s supporters got angry, slandering that Song Wei’s admission to the Imperial College was through the back door since they’d never seen anyone who didn’t top the academy exam being directly admitted.

At the time, Prefect Chen was preparing to pack up for a promotion. Upon hearing this, without saying a word, he sent someone to take the student who spread the slander to the government jail for two days of stale food.

Once a student has a criminal record, they’re marked for life, let alone becoming an official.

The remaining supporters of Hao Yun were too frightened to make a sound, and the matter was reluctantly considered settled.