Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Cause
This ordeal has lasted for two hours. Gu Chengli and Gu Chengyi have just returned, and everyone is quite exhausted, so Mr. Gu waved his hand to dismiss everyone to rest in their rooms.
"Rest for an hour, then we must return to the fields. Let the first and second sons rest well. The wheat in the field hasnât been completely planted; thereâs only a bit left. Finish planting it today. The first daughter-in-law will stay at home to cook, and the second daughter-in-law will assist."
"Alright, Dad." He was a bit displeased. Was he guarding against her? Originally, the elder sister-in-law was supposed to go to the fields. These days, itâs just her at home cooking with Da Ya and Gu Lian.
Now, with the elder sister-in-law added, no matter how timid and reserved she is, she wonât be able to sneak food anymore. Thinking of all those eggs made her a bit unwilling. She had to find the right opportunity to gain some advantage.
In the main room, Gu Chengyu, in a daze, had something stuffed into his mouth and suckled instinctively. Once he was almost full, he felt more awake.
Ah! I forgot I had transmigrated into a baby. What was that in my mouth just now? It couldnât have been what I think it was, could it? He just felt a head full of dark lines. Alas! It doesnât matter. Iâve already eaten it. In the face of hunger, thereâs no room for nicety.
He felt himself being picked up again, "My dear son, are you full? Let Dad give you a hug!"
Dad? Could it be that she transmigrated to ancient times? Well, there wasnât much to miss in the original world. Moreover, that world was in ruins when she left, rife with crises. Ancient times are indeed better!
The air is good, and most importantly, itâs safe! It seems this old dad likes her a lot. Wait, what did she hear?
"You old man, the son just ate his fill, and youâre holding him. Be careful he might get uncomfortable and spit up milk."
This voice should be her mother in this life. The voice sounded much younger than that of her dad. But thatâs not the point. The point is why did they say itâs a son?
Could it be that she turned into a male? In modern times, although it might have been because she was a daughter that she was abandoned, she had lived as a woman for more than twenty years and was used to it!
Now suddenly turning into a male, she doesnât know if she can adapt; it just feels awkward.
"Iâll hold lightly; how can I be so delicate? Wahâs mother, how did you suddenly fall last night? You were due any day, and this fall... Luckily I came back from the fields early and sent the eldest to the neighboring village to call Midwife Zhang. Otherwise, it could have been dangerous for you!"
"Ah, you donât mention it, and I almost forgot. That damn second sonâs wife is truly heartless! Did she want to see me die? Also, the eldestâs girl, she is an inwardly cunning one."
Mrs. Lv had just given birth to a son and was still somewhat weak. Besides, having a son is a blissful event, so she almost forgot about this matter. When the old man asked, she instantly remembered the reason she gave birth prematurely, causing her to gasp with anger.
Gu Chengyu hurriedly turned around to look at his cheap mother, hoping she wouldnât get too angry, only to realize that he couldnât see anything now.
"Old woman, donât get angry; youâre still in your confinement! Tell me, and Iâll take care of them. Theyâve gone too far, daring to harm their mother-in-law. Look, our son is looking at you! Could it be he knows to worry about you?"
Mrs. Lv also looked at the son, and truly, it seemed that way. Her mood settled a bit, and her heart felt as sweet as if she had just eaten honey.
"My son is filial, even in the belly, he knew not to torment me."
Actually, Mrs. Lv knew the little one didnât understand anything, but it made her heart happy anyway.
This child looks the most like her, resembling eyes and eyebrows that can never be seen enough.
Mrs. Lv took a deep breath, then slowly began to speak.
Gu Chengyu summed it up. Apparently, it was yesterday at dusk, and the men in the fields were about to come back.
Mrs. Lv called the second daughter-in-law, that is He, to take Gu Familyâs eldest granddaughter Da Ya to the kitchen to cook.
Because now itâs the busy farming season, going to the fields is tiring. Mrs. Lv thought to eat well; otherwise, the old man would nag when he came back, so she scooped an extra bowl of coarse flour to make a few more hoecakes, and with a twinge of pain, took three eggs to add a meat dish.
After a while, while the food was in the kitchen, she still didnât feel at ease. The second daughter-in-law usually has a lazy habit and is gluttonous.
A few hoecakes were made; Mrs. Lv counted them while watching them. But if a little bit of the egg was eaten, it wouldnât be noticeable.
Even if it was caught, the second daughter-in-law wouldnât admit it; sheâs a stubborn one. As for the eldest granddaughter, itâs unimaginable sheâd dare, but she still went to check the kitchen for peace of mind.
Thinking about these things, she hoisted her belly and went to the kitchen. As she got to the door, she heard the second daughter-in-lawâs voice.
"Da Ya, eat quickly. Grandma will beat us both if she comes in and sees. The egg is delicious, really fragrant, try it."
Upon hearing this, how could Mrs. Lv contain herself? She quickly went inside and saw the second daughter-in-law holding chopsticks with a small piece of egg, about to stuff it into Da Yaâs mouth.
By this time, how could Mrs. Lv endure anymore? This was audacious; how could they openly steal eggs?
Mrs. Lv rushed forward in two steps, snatched the chopsticks, and hit He with them.
"Eat, eat, without considering what precious thing it is before stuffing it in your mouth? Are these eggs for you to eat? Fine! The men havenât even come back, and youâre already eating. Are they? Thereâs only so little egg, and you dare to eat it? Look, which familyâs woman is as greedy as you are? You wasteful woman, wait till the second boy comes back, Iâll let him see what kind of wife he has married? Only thinking about your own appetite and disregarding the man and the children, our family shouldnât have you."
"Mother, how dare I? Wasnât it just because Da Ya was really craving? The child hadnât tasted an egg, so I gave her a small piece, but I didnât dare to eat much."
After speaking, she glanced at the egg on the ground sadly, truly a waste not even having a bite.
After hearing this, Mrs. Lv immediately turned to Da Ya, "Da Ya, was it you who wanted to steal the egg? Ah? Fine! Normally you seem honest and simple, but you dare to sneak food when Iâm not around? You seem to be rotten inside like your mother, showing your foxâs tail now? Watch me beat you to death."
As she said this, she raised the chopsticks to hit Da Ya. The poor girl, who was timid by nature and had been cowering on the side without making a sound, was terrified. As the chopsticks approached, tears immediately flowed down, and how could she dare remain silent?
"Grandma, I really didnât dare to steal the egg. It was the second aunt who fetched it for me. I didnât eat any! Really, you can ask about the taste in my mouth."
Mrs. Lv indeed stopped and sniffed the air. It was indeed absent. Da Ya had never tasted eggs before, and eating one for the first time would leave a smell in the mouth, but she remembered something else.
"Second daughter-in-law, let me smell you too."
He didnât expect this angle and hastily replied, "Mother, how dare I steal the egg? Truly, I didnât."
Her shout was loud, but Mrs. Lv felt it was guilty-hearted and truly leaned in to sniff.
He, in panic, frantically said, "Mother, my quilt is still drying! The sun is setting now. I have to gather it, or the childâs father will beat me?"
She was about to slip away, and having heard this, Mrs. Lv knew perfectly well.
This was an excuse to flee! The second daughter-in-law was so lazy; would she sun-dry a quilt?
Even for undergarments, she calls her niece to help wash them; would she sun a quilt? Definitely guilty and scared of being found out for eating the egg.
Mrs. Lv stepped out to chase but, with the belly, was slower to react. After a couple of steps, she felt a slip underfoot and fell heavily.
She grabbed a nearby wooden stand, but still ended up on the ground, immediately feeling sharp pain in her belly.
She was due these days, this fall brought it on early. Da Ya was scared witless, and He had already fled from the kitchen.
Lo and behold, those working in the fields, including Mr. Gu, had come back, quickly carrying Mrs. Lv inside. They sent the second son to the neighboring village to get Midwife Zhang, and then it was the process of giving birth.
If youâre wondering how Gu Chengyu knew all this detail, he owed it to Mrs. Lvâs storytelling skills, combined with his own guessing and connecting the dots. It couldnât be more accurate.
Regardless of whether He ate the egg or not, she must feel guilty to have run away like that.
Gu Chengyu twitched the corners of his mouth, was this the cliché bloody demise over an egg?
This childbirth naturally involved bleeding, fitting the event snugly. Could it have been necessary? Over a mere egg?
But thinking about it rationally, from what he understood from Mrs. Lv, she had reincarnated into a rural family in ancient times.
The household was strapped for resources, these eggs were a precious commodity, hadnât they considered eating an egg as a treat?
The explanation was poverty. So poor that he wondered if he could grow up smoothly? Would he starve?
He suddenly felt immense pressure. It seemed he couldnât live like a parasite here; he would have to worry about securing food as well.