CHAPTER 204: CHAPTER 203: EVERYTHING IS READY

Yu Changhe and Sun Fengshou get up early and work late every day, so busy that they’re rarely at home.

Yu Xiaolian isn’t idling either. She designed two sets of house plans and showed them to Sun and Grandmother Sun, "Uncle’s house will have six rooms with two large storerooms and there’ll be a piece of empty land left at the back. We can plant some vegetables there when the time comes, and we’ll definitely make the yard walls a bit higher..."

Sun glanced at the blueprints and asked Yu Xiaolian, "Didn’t your father say your uncle’s property was too small? Can it fit six rooms?"

Yu Xiaolian snorted, "My dad’s just getting ahead of himself. When he says small, he means compared to our place, much smaller. I went to check it out that day; my uncle’s property is about an acre, not small at all. Rest assured, building six rooms won’t be a problem."

Yu Xiaolian then brought out the blueprints for their own house, "Our house will primarily be made of blue bricks, with a small wooden two-story building and a stone house..."

The stone house Yu Xiaolian plans to build at the foot of the mountain, against the cliff, like a cave. During summer, it can serve as a natural refrigerator, and in winter, it can store winter vegetables.

Sun pointed to the numerous small houses, startled, "All these? How many rooms is this?"

Yu Xiaolian explained, "Twenty-eight rooms, mom, four courtyards, each with three main rooms, two side rooms, and two storerooms.

And I’ve accounted for the two little ones in your belly. If they’re boys, they’ll need to get married one day; this way we’re being prepared once and for all."

Sun said, "No, that’s too many. Cleaning so many rooms would be exhausting, wouldn’t it?

Besides, we don’t even know if the two in my belly are boys or girls. Even if they are boys, we can build when they get married. If a house is built and not lived in, it becomes a broken house in a few years."

Grandmother Sun also said, "Your mom makes sense. We can build when the time comes. If no one lives in a house, it deteriorates from the weather..."

Yu Xiaolian hesitated, "Then, according to you, how many rooms should we build?"

Sun said, "You can live in the small wooden building. For me, your dad, and the two kids, something similar to your uncle’s, six or eight rooms, will do."

Yu Xiaolian shook her head, "That won’t do. We need to accommodate staff too, and this few rooms won’t be enough. We need at least a three-courtyard setup.

Mom, don’t worry about this. You’re about to give birth soon. I’ll find a midwife and doctor for you in the next couple of days. Just focus on having the baby and don’t worry about anything else..."

Yu Xiaolian went off with the blueprints.

Sun couldn’t help but laugh, "This child is so opinionated!"

Grandmother Sun also chuckled, "Let’s listen to Xiaolian. Hiring a couple of helpers sounds good. Then my daughter won’t have to do anything, just enjoy life. Just thinking about it makes me happy!"

Sun held Grandmother Sun’s hand, "Mom, I’ll get you a housekeeper who cooks really well, so you can have delicious meals every day!"

Grandmother Sun laughed heartily, "Then I’ll become a little meatball!"

The mother and daughter laughed loudly, both genuinely looking forward to the days to come.

Eventually, Yu Xiaolian decided to build three courtyards.

Each courtyard would have four main rooms, three side rooms, and two storerooms.

After making some stylistic adjustments to the blueprints, she brought them to Yu Changhe for review.

Yu Changhe examined the blueprints carefully, unable to understand much, but he had no objections.

He had only one request: to build a heated brick bed, fearing the cold in winter.

Although this area doesn’t typically have heated brick beds, Yu Xiaolian knew that winter in Yu State isn’t easy.

Although the cold doesn’t last long, the truly cold days are hard to endure. Since we have the means, why endure it?

Installing heated brick beds is a must!

Thus, two more heated brick beds were added to each courtyard.

After handing the modified blueprints to Yu Changhe, Yu Xiaolian went to find a midwife for Sun.

Yu Xiaolian found two midwives and paid deposits for each, then contacted a renowned doctor from Luocheng to be called when Sun went into labor for better assurance.

After all, Sun was expecting twins; better safe than sorry.

Everything was ready!

As Sun’s due date approached, Yu Changhe put aside his work, and Yu Xiaolian took leave from the academy. Both stayed home, waiting for Sun to go into labor.

When Sun went into labor, she was still clutching a half-sewn baby garment, "Mom, hurry... my stomach hurts..."

Grandmother Sun clapped her thigh, "Oh, time to give birth!"

Grandmother Sun hurriedly dashed out, shouting as she ran, "It’s happening, it’s happening!"

Actually, even without her shouting, Yu Xiaolian and Yu Changhe could hear from where they sat eating snowflakes under the window when Sun exclaimed in pain.

Yu Xiaolian called Zhao Erya, "Sister Erya, you go call Midwife Liu, I’ll call Midwife Chen."

Yu Changhe said, "I’ll find Doctor Guan!"

Sun Fengshou stopped him, "I’ll go get the doctor; you stay at home and keep an eye on things!"

Grandmother Sun shouted, "Three Erya, boil water quickly, Three Erya!"

Three Erya’s crisp voice came from the kitchen, "Aye, there’s always fire in the kitchen, and the water’s hot!"

They feared Sun might suddenly give birth, so the kitchen fire had barely died down in recent days.

Grandmother Sun hurried in to adjust the pillows for Sun, helping her lie down, "Hold on... don’t breathe too heavily, save your strength..."

With waves of pain crashing over her, Sun clenched her teeth, "Mom, I’ll be fine, I’ll be fine, don’t worry..."

Sun didn’t know whether she was comforting her mother or encouraging herself, continuously repeating those two sentences.

Grandmother Sun quickly said, "Stop talking, save your energy... Hold on, the two midwives don’t live far from us; they should arrive in no time..."

Just as Grandmother Sun was saying this, Sun felt a sudden gush of warmth below, and soon after, her pants were soaked through.

"Mom, my water broke..."

"The midwives are here..."

As Yu Xiaolian brought in the midwives, Grandmother Sun quickly pushed Yu Xiaolian out, "Little ones don’t belong here, grown-ups giving birth, you wait outside, okay, be good..."

With the two midwives and Grandmother Sun in the room, Yu Xiaolian, Yu Changhe, and Doctor Guan waited in the courtyard.

Yu Changhe and Yu Xiaolian couldn’t stand still, pacing back and forth in circles, except for Doctor Guan, who remained steadier than a mountain.

Having Doctor Guan there was in case Sun had any unforeseen complications that the two midwives couldn’t handle.

Zhao Erya carried hot water into the room. When she stepped out, Yu Changhe hurriedly asked, "What’s the situation in there?"

Zhao Erya replied, "When I came out, Midwife Chen said the first one was already crowning; it’s happening soon, very soon."

Yu Changhe rubbed his hands nervously.

Finally, a baby’s cry rang out, and Midwife Chen came out with congratulations, "Congratulations to Master Yu; madam has given birth to one, it’s a girl."

"Is my wife alright?"

Midwife Chen smiled, "She’s fine, she’s fine, doing well, although this baby is a bit small; I guess most of the nutrition went to the second..."