She led the whole village to prosperity by raising koi fish.

Chapter 23: Importation of a Newborn

The next day, after breakfast, the woman went to work in the vegetable garden early again with her basket. Su Yuning stayed at home washing clothes and brewing medicine. Old Su also went out to fish at the lotus pond.

The reason was this: the previous evening, Su Yuning and Lao Su strolled by the pond together. He noticed that many young men in the village were fishing, so he watched from the side and saw that the fishermen were all catching a lot of fish. So, Lao Su, who had almost recovered, had an idea in his mind: he would go fishing whenever he had free time! After all, fishing is just sitting by the pond, unlike hunting, which is very strenuous.

After Su Yuning finished washing the clothes for the family of three, she also finished brewing the medicine. She turned off the heat, poured the medicine into a bowl to cool it slightly, and then took it out to give to her father.

When I returned, I saw the village chief's wife hurrying towards her house.

"Yu Ning, is your mother home?"

Su Yuning shook her head. "No, she went to work in the vegetable garden. She probably won't be home until dark."

The village chief's wife slapped her thigh anxiously, "Oh dear, what are we going to do... Your eldest son's wife is about to give birth, and I can't manage to deliver the baby all by myself!"

Su Yuning panicked upon hearing this. She quickly put the bowl of medicine in the kitchen and was about to run to find her mother when the village chief's wife blocked her way.

"Don't go to the neighboring village, it's too late! You're the one! Come with me quickly, let's help your sister-in-law give birth!"

"But I don't know how," Su Yuning replied nervously.

“It’s okay if you don’t know how, I do. You can help me out!” the village chief’s wife replied confidently.

And so, Su Yuning, completely bewildered, was pulled by the village chief's wife and quickly ran to Old Master Su's house.

At this moment, Su's wife was lying on the bed crying in pain. Su's eldest son comforted his wife and told her not to cry while preparing hot water, scissors, candles, tinder, and other items in the delivery room.

The village chief's wife and Su Yuning went into the bedroom together, and then the village chief's wife very rudely pushed the eldest son of the Su family out and locked him out.

"Eldest son of the Su family, don't just sit there, hurry up and go to the vegetable garden to find your mother! Tell her your wife has given birth, and tell her to prepare the baby's swaddle and diapers, we'll need them later!"

Through the door, the village chief's wife calmly gave instructions, and the eldest son of the Su family immediately ran out to find someone.

At this moment, the eldest daughter-in-law, lying on the bed, was covered in sweat. She felt a terrible pain in her stomach, so much so that tears were streaming down her face. "Help! My stomach hurts! What should I do?"

Su Yuning quickly came to her side, grabbed her hand and comforted her, "Sister-in-law, don't be nervous, just listen to what I'm supposed to do!"

Then, the village chief's wife strode over. She gently lifted the blanket to check the situation, and seeing that the baby hadn't started yet, she gave an order to the eldest son's wife.

"Listen to me! Take a deep breath! Inhale and exhale, inhale and exhale, then take a deep breath! Relax!"

The eldest son's wife had no choice but to obey. After all, it was her first time giving birth, and it was impossible for her not to be nervous. She was already trembling all over.

At this moment, Su Yuning held her hand tightly and comforted her, "Don't be afraid, sister-in-law, keep going! We're all looking forward to the baby's arrival! Keep going!"

With Su Yuning's encouragement, the eldest daughter-in-law had the courage and confidence to take deep breaths again, following the method taught by the village chief's wife. This time, the baby finally came into labor!

Su Yuning and the village chief's wife exchanged a glance, both overjoyed.

"Yes, yes, keep trying, take it slow and apply more force!" the village chief's wife continued to lecture. "The child has already seen it, give it another push!"

And so, the eldest daughter-in-law gritted her teeth and persevered, and finally the baby's cry rang out, "Waaaaah!"

The village chief's wife gently cut the umbilical cord, held the baby aside for Su Yuning to watch over, and then gave the new mother postpartum care.

At the same time, the eldest son and his wife rushed back. Hearing the baby crying, the wife was overjoyed and quickly brought in the pre-made swaddle blanket and diapers. Then she carefully wrapped the baby up and showed it to the eldest son's wife.

"Daughter-in-law! You are truly a great contributor to our family! Look, it's a baby boy!"

The eldest son's wife was also moved to tears when she saw the child she had given birth to, and exclaimed...

"It wasn't easy, after ten months of pregnancy, she finally gave birth!"

The village chief's wife, who had helped with the delivery, finished everything and was about to wash her hands and leave when the woman quickly gave her a red envelope.

"No need, no need. We're all from the same village, we see each other all the time. It's nothing, don't be so polite," the village chief's wife waved her hands repeatedly in refusal.

At this moment, the eldest daughter-in-law said to the village chief's wife, "Auntie, this is a wedding gift, please accept it! If it weren't for you, I don't know when my baby would have been born. I'm so grateful to have met you today!"

"Alright, alright, I'll accept your kind offer! Congratulations! Congratulations on the birth of your son! I'll head back now!" The village chief's wife accepted the red envelope and left with a smile.

At that moment, Su Yuning remembered something: her grandmother had reminded her that she should be informed immediately if her sister-in-law had a baby. So Su Yuning rushed to Grandma Su's house.

With a beaming smile, he reported, "My elder brother and sister-in-law have good news! They've had a baby boy!"

"Really? That's wonderful! Hahaha! I have a great-grandchild!" Grandma Su was overjoyed. Then she brought a gift and went to Grandpa Su's house with Su Yuning.

"Thank you for your hard work, granddaughter-in-law. This is the jade bracelet for you in the gift box, and there is also a jade pendant for your great-grandson."

"Thank you!" the eldest son's wife replied gently.

"Yu Ning's mother, quickly make some food for your granddaughter-in-law to help her recover; she just gave birth and needs to replenish her nutrition," Grandma Su instructed.

"Okay, I'll go make it right away," the woman agreed and went to the kitchen to get busy. Grandma Su then went home satisfied.

Next, the woman made brown sugar eggs for her daughter-in-law, told her to eat them while they were hot and then lie down to rest, and then prepared a winnowing basket to cover the baby inside.

Then, she asked her eldest son to set off firecrackers outside the door to announce the good news to the villagers.

"Crackling! Crackling! Crackling!"

The villagers wondered why anyone would set off firecrackers during a festival. But when they heard the firecrackers were coming from the eldest son's family in the Su family, they immediately realized that the Su family had welcomed a new member!

After the firecrackers stopped, villagers came one after another to visit the new mother and child, bringing gifts such as eggs, millet, brown sugar, and red dates. Old Su, who was fishing, heard the firecrackers and quickly packed up his fishing rod to go home. Just then, Su's eldest son came to deliver the good news.

"Son, did you have a son or a daughter?" Old Su asked curiously.

The eldest son of the Su family responded with a beaming smile, "Yes, it's me. Dad, you have a grandson!"

Old Su was overjoyed and clapped his hands repeatedly in response, "Great! This is a very happy occasion for our family!"

Afterwards, Old Su told his eldest son to wait at the door while he went back inside and rummaged through drawers and cupboards, finding all his savings and putting them in a red cloth bag. Then he went out to give his eldest son a small token of his appreciation.

"This is a red envelope for my grandson. Don't think it's too little, just accept it!"

"Okay. Thank you!" The eldest son of the Su family quickly thanked him and then put the red envelope away.

"Hurry up and take the carriage to the city. First, to tell your second brother the good news, and second, to buy some tonics for your daughter-in-law. By the way, have you told your parents-in-law the good news yet?" Old Su asked.

The eldest son of the Su family answered truthfully, "Dad, I asked Mom and Aunt. They said that you can only go to your father-in-law's house to announce the good news on the third day after giving birth. I'll go the day after tomorrow."

Old Su nodded. "That's right. I heard from the older generation that when announcing good news, you should not only bring auspicious eggs and candy, but also an abacus and books. The books symbolize that the child will become smarter and smarter, and the abacus symbolizes that the child will be thrifty and careful when he grows up."

The eldest son of the Su family nodded in agreement, "I understand, Father. Please take good care of yourself and get some rest. I'll be going now, and I'll come to see you another day!"

Old Su nodded, "Okay, go ahead!"

When the eldest son of the Su family returned home and asked Su Yuning about the whereabouts of the carriage, he learned that she had left the carriage in the city and that Ye Beichen had brought him back.

Left with no other option, the eldest son of the Su family borrowed a horse-drawn carriage from the village chief and then took his younger sister to the city.

The brother and sister bickered the whole way.

The eldest son of the Su family scolded as he drove the carriage, "Su Yuning, you are really careless. You can leave the carriage outside. It's utterly speechless!"

Su Yuning retorted indignantly, "What young couple travels in separate carriages? Besides, my carriage is only temporarily with my second brother, it's not stolen. Is it necessary to treat me like this?"

The eldest son of the Su family ignored her and continued on his way.

Su Yuning, however, got a little too cocky. "How could I have ended up with a brother like you? You have no ambition, you stay in the village all day, you have no tolerance, and you nag for ages about every little mistake someone makes. I hate you!"

This angered the eldest son of the Su family. He immediately pulled the carriage over to the side of the road and spoke to her with a stern face.

"Since you hate me so much, then get out of the car and walk by yourself! There are many roads out there, let's go our separate ways, are you satisfied now?"

Su Yuning then realized that her older brother was angry, and quickly tried to appease him, saying in a coquettish tone, "Okay, brother, don't be angry anymore. It was my fault. I shouldn't have lost my temper with you. I'm sorry!"

The eldest son of the Su family wasn't an unreasonable person; he just felt it was more convenient to keep the carriage at home, otherwise he'd have to ask others to borrow it, which was why he scolded his younger sister. Seeing his sister's obedient expression, he smiled slightly and asked...

"What's wrong? Someone was arguing with me just now, how come their attitude has changed so much now?"

Su Yuning replied helplessly, "When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. Good brother, I was wrong!"

"Alright, seeing that you've shown a good attitude in admitting your mistake, I'll forgive you. Don't let it happen again." The eldest son of the Su family replied earnestly.

Su Yuning quickly nodded in agreement and kindly pointed ahead to remind her,

"Brother, aren't we in a hurry to buy some tonics for my wife? Let's keep going, or the market will be closing up shop by the time we get there."

"Understood. Just do your job properly." The eldest son of the Su family replied, then quickened his pace and drove towards the city.

Once they arrived in the city, the two parted ways. Su Yuning went to her second brother's place to get the carriage, while the eldest son of the Su family drove alone to the market.

When the second son of the Su family received the eggs and candy that brought good news, he happily inquired...

"Little sister, how many children have been added to your brother's family? Are they boys or girls?"

Su Yuning told him, "It's a baby boy."

The second son of the Su family couldn't help but sigh, "Thinking back to when we three siblings were just kids, now we've all grown up. I, who still looks young, am already an uncle. When is your eldest brother's child having his one-month celebration?"

Su Yuning replied with a smile, "Is that even a question? Of course it's next month. As your uncle, you absolutely must come back for the wedding!"

The second son of the Su family quickly nodded in agreement, "Definitely, I will go back with Princess Wan'er then."

Then, Su Yuning asked him, "Second Brother, when will your marriage with Princess Wan'er be finalized?"

The second son of the Su family scratched his head and replied somewhat embarrassedly, "I can't say for sure. I heard Princess Wan'er say that the Emperor and Empress have ordered the craftsmen to work overtime and forget to eat and sleep to finish the new house. Once our new house is completed, we can get married."

After listening to her second brother's words, Su Yuning calmly offered her opinion, "Since the Emperor and Empress care so much about your relationship, your lives will definitely get better and better. I can rest assured and look forward to eating your wedding candy."

The second son of the Su family replied solemnly, "Don't worry, when your second brother gets married, I will definitely save the best candy for you."

"By the way, I came here to pick up my carriage. Second Brother, where is my carriage?" Su Yuning stated her purpose, and Su Muyang quickly replied, "The carriage is near Young Master Zhao's restaurant. If there's nothing else, you can take the carriage home as soon as possible."

Su Yuning waved her hand, "No, no, no, I still need to go to the Ni Chang Pavilion. I haven't seen Ye Beichen for several days. I want to chat with him before going back."

Su Muyang was immediately embarrassed and advised him gently, "You'd better not go. Ye Beichen has been quite busy lately. He has to manage the store's affairs and go to the branch every few days. You might not even be able to see him if you go."

Seeing Su Muyang's troubled expression, Su Yuning found it strange and asked him...

"Second brother, what's wrong? Are you hiding something from me?"

Su Muyang didn't know how to explain, so he simply avoided her gaze and went to organize the gifts on the shelf.

Since she couldn't get any answers from the questions, Su Yuning decided to find out for herself, so she walked briskly toward the Rainbow Pavilion.

When Su Yuning arrived at the main store of Ni Chang Ge and told the clerk at the counter that she wanted to see their boss, the clerk told her to wait patiently and then went upstairs to find someone.

After a while, a young woman slowly descended the stairs. She wore an elegant yet understated dress, graceful yet refreshingly refined. The fabric was light and soft, swaying gently as if touched by a light breeze, enhancing her ethereal beauty. A delicate belt cinched her waist, perfectly accentuating her slender figure and adding to her elegance. She approached Su Yuning and asked in a very sweet voice…

"Are you Beichen's friend? He's not here, so just tell me what's wrong."

Su Yuning circled the woman, scrutinizing her. This woman possessed a beauty that could rival the most beautiful women in history; her eyebrows were like crescent moons, her eyes like autumn waters. Her facial features were clearly defined, her skin as white as jade, delicate and radiant. Her lips were painted a light, luscious red. Her figure was graceful and slender. Su Yuning immediately felt inferior in comparison.

Then Su Yuning retorted unhappily, "Who are you to Ye Beichen? Why should I tell you something? Can you give me a reason?"

The woman replied gently, "I am Ye Beichen's girlfriend."

Just then, Ye Beichen returned from the branch store. As soon as he entered the store, he hurriedly explained, "Nangong Xue'er is just my first love. We are now partners in running Ni Chang Ge, that's all."

Su Yuning's face darkened. "No need to explain, it'll only make things worse!"

Without looking back, Su Yuning ran out of the Ni Chang Pavilion. Ye Beichen was about to chase after her, but Nangong Xue'er stopped him. "Beichen, I feel dizzy. It seems like my old ailment has flared up again. Quickly make me some Five Red Soup."

Helpless, Ye Beichen had no choice but to stay and take care of Nangong Xue'er.