1940s: I supported my wife and sister-in-law by hunting.

Lotus lay there obediently.

"The pain I felt just now was similar to the pain I get every month. My stomach felt heavy and tight, and it hurt for a little while, but now it's slowly getting better."

Upon hearing this, Chen Liu immediately understood that the pregnancy had just begun and there was still some time before delivery. She then turned to look at Xinghua, who was also heavily pregnant, and asked her with concern.

"Xinghua, are you feeling alright? Are you experiencing any discomfort?"

"Mom, I'm fine, I'm perfectly alright."

"That's fine then."

Chen Liu made the arrangements immediately.

"Listen to your mother, go back to your room in a little while, lie down and don't move. Your aunt and I will take care of you here, that's enough. You're quite heavy, and if you get tired from running around here, and then you have to give birth to both babies, your mother won't be able to take care of you."

Chen Liu took off her shoes and climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed). She quickly gathered up all the odds and ends of the quilts and mattresses on the kang and piled them on top of the kang cabinet, clearing the kang surface.

There are rules for women giving birth in the village. They are afraid that blood or amniotic fluid will make the kang mat and mattress dirty and impossible to clean. Those who are particular will roll up the kang mat and lie naked on the kang to give birth.

The house was small and life was tight, so they made do with whatever they could. They would spread a layer of wood ash on the ground and sit on it to avoid ruining the kang (heated brick bed), since the whole family still needed to sleep at night.

At this moment, Lianhua was in so much pain that her body was stiff and she couldn't move. The Chen family didn't need another mattress, so Chen Liu didn't bother to lift the mat. She thought that she would just give birth like this and let her daughter-in-law suffer less from moving.

Xinghua stood by, her heart aching. Seeing Lianhua in distress made her feel uneasy too, but she was also heavily pregnant and felt that not only could she not help, but she would also be a hindrance and cause trouble for her mother.

He finally listened to the advice and slowly moved his heavy body back to his room to stay, so as not to add to the burden.

After leaving the courtyard, Chen Gaoshan went to call his aunt Chen Guilan over. Then he turned around and hitched up the carriage with his father, Chen Laonian, and they drove off as fast as they could, as if they could fly to the midwife's house with a single whip.

Chen Guilan had been counting down the days, thinking that Lianhua would start labor in the next few days. As soon as she heard the news, she knew immediately that she was about to give birth. She hurriedly called her daughter Xiaxia and ran over from the next courtyard.

As soon as they entered the house, they were busy working without even touching the ground.

"Xiaxia! Quickly boil the water! Boil it as much as you can!"

After saying that, she went out and brought out a large wooden basin, filled it with dry grass and wood ash, and carried it into the house.

"Sister-in-law, I've brought the ashes! Should we roll up this mat?"

"Stop rolling her up, she can't move, don't bother her, just give birth like this!"

As she spoke, Chen Liushi pulled out a large cloth bag that had been sewn in advance from the kang cabinet, and the two of them worked together.

Chen Guilan was carrying a basin and pouring ashes into a bag, while Chen Liu was holding the bag open.

This is an old method used in the village: wood ash absorbs water, effectively absorbing all the blood and amniotic fluid lost during childbirth, keeping things clean and easy.

After laying out the gray cloth bag, Chen Liu and Chen Guilan, one supporting Lianhua's arms and the other supporting her waist, moved her onto the gray cloth bag so that she could lie down.

The pain in Kung Fu Lotus was now fully unleashed!

At first, the pain would only last for a short while and then it would stop. But now the pain is lasting longer and longer. My stomach feels as hard as a rock, and it hurts like my muscles are twisting and contorting.

The kang (heated brick bed) in the room was burning hot, and coupled with the excruciating pain, beads of sweat dripped down Lianhua's forehead, soaking her temples and hair.

"Mom! Aunt! It hurts so much! My stomach is so hard, it's like my veins are being pulled out!"

Chen Liu was also heartbroken, but no one could take the pain of childbirth for her. All she could do was take a cotton towel and wipe the sweat from Lianhua's forehead.

"Lotus, grit your teeth and hang in there! What woman can escape childbirth in her life? It'll be alright once it's born! When it hurts, don't push too hard, take it easy and listen to my instructions. Just don't tear your diaper, otherwise you won't recover for a month or two and will suffer terribly!"

Lotus was in so much pain that she couldn't speak coherently and could only nod.

Chen Guilan paced back and forth in the house, feeling uncertain. She ran to the courtyard gate, stood on tiptoe, and peered out, hoping that Gao Shan would bring the person back soon.

About twenty minutes later, Chen Gaoshan and his father rushed to their doorstep in the car.

Before the car had even come to a complete stop, Chen Gaoshan jumped out, grabbed the two midwives, and dragged them into the house.

Chen Gaoshan was so anxious his voice cracked. "Aunt Wang! Hurry up!"

Granny Wang stumbled as she was being pulled, her small feet barely touching the ground.

"Shanzi, let go! Stop pulling! My old, calloused legs can't run! A woman's first pregnancy doesn't happen that quickly. It takes half the night, there's no use in you rushing me!"

When Chen Gaoshan saw that Granny Wang's legs were not moving properly, he immediately let go and went to pull Granny Gao, who was younger.

"Aunt Gao! You're quick on your feet, hurry inside and check on things! I can hear the wailing coming from Lotus's room!"

"Mother! I've brought the midwife back!"

The room was full of women, so men couldn't go in. He, Chen Laonian, and Kexin were all at the door of the west wing, straining to hear what was happening inside. Their hearts were in their throats, and they didn't dare to breathe.

"Dad, I'm so anxious and restless. The two midwives have been in the room for over four hours, but Lianhua still hasn't given birth. It's already dawn."

Old Chen frowned, squatting on the threshold steps, refilling his pipe with tobacco one bowl after another. After finishing, he would slam it on the ground, leaving a trail of ash and black residue on the steps.

"Your mother suffered a lot when she gave birth to your eldest brother, and she struggled for most of the night. But when she gave birth to you, it was much easier. She just started to complain of stomach pain, and you were born in no time. Don't keep walking around in front of me like that; it's making my head buzz and I'm all dizzy."

Xinghua in the east wing didn't sleep a wink all night, her mind constantly on Lianhua. She couldn't help but get up and go out to look around and inquire. Shanzi had just persuaded her to go back inside, and she didn't dare to wander around anymore.

She sat by the heated brick bed, leaning against the fire wall. As she became tense and excited, she felt waves of sharp, downward cramping pain in her abdomen, much like the feeling Lianhua had just experienced.

"Shanzi! Shanzi, come here quickly!"

Chen Gaoshan, who was outside, was praying with his hands clasped together, and all the gods and immortals in heaven and earth were chanting their blessings, hoping that Lianhua would be safe and well. Suddenly, he heard Xinghua's shout from the east wing and froze.

My heart skipped a beat, and the worst thought popped into my head.

Is Xinghua going to have a baby too?

There's even a rush to have babies these days!

He ran over.

"What's wrong, sister-in-law?"

At that moment, he also forgot that Xinghua didn't like him calling her sister-in-law.

As soon as I entered the room, I saw Xinghua sitting crookedly on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), her legs spread apart, and her trousers were clearly wet.

Having witnessed the scene of Lianhua's water breaking, he was an experienced person and understood at a glance. He quickly stepped forward to support Xinghua's arm and helped her onto the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Xinghua, you're about to give birth! Quickly lie down on the kang (heated brick bed) and don't move. I'll go call the midwife right away. You must stay calm and not panic!"

Xinghua started experiencing pain as soon as her water broke.

"Shanzi, I can handle it. You all take care of Lianhua first, don't worry about me."

"It's all thanks to your mother. I was afraid you two would give birth at the same time, but you did! Luckily, I made arrangements with the two midwives in the village beforehand and reserved someone for you. Don't worry about anything. With me here, I guarantee that you two sisters will both have a safe and healthy birth. Be good and lie down on the kang (heated brick bed)."

When Chen Liushi learned that Xinghua had also given birth, she was not flustered. She immediately arranged for Old Gao's wife and her aunt to go to the east wing to take care of her.

On the other side, Xiaxia heated the kang (a heated brick bed) in the west wing until it was scorching hot, and boiled water in a large iron pot. She also threw the scissors and cotton cloth needed for childbirth into the pot to boil.

Chen Liu was busy with both ends, and then turned around and rushed to the east wing.

Xiaxia wasn't idle either. After finishing with Lianhua's sister-in-law, she went to light the kang (heated brick bed), boil water, and prepare wood ash for Xinghua's sister-in-law. She worked non-stop all night, so busy that her feet barely touched the ground.