Chapter 413 - 412: Going with the Flow

Chapter 413: Chapter 412: Going with the Flow

Under the blazing June sun, Xuancheng became a furnace.

Last year, Du Yunluo was heavily pregnant, and they dared not place too many ice basins in the house. This year, they had to consider Brother Yan, so they only placed two in the corners to slightly ward off the heat.

Du Yunluo used a small half bowl of ice bowl, and she felt much more comfortable. When she heard Brother Yan’s cooing voice from outside, she looked at Jin Rui.

Jin Rui stifled a laugh and packed away the ice bowl.

Brother Yan was still young, and there were many things he couldn’t eat.

In recent days, apart from breastfeeding, the kitchen had added egg yolk puree and soft, mushy rice porridge for him.

Brother Yan liked to eat everything, and he would be all smiles when he saw a small bowl.

But if Du Yunluo ate something and didn’t give him any, the little one would just stare at you with his eyes wide open.

Du Yunluo’s heart softened; she couldn’t bear to see Brother Yan’s moist eyes, so she simply avoided eating in front of him.

Just as Jin Rui packed the ice bowl into the food box, Lady Peng came in holding Brother Yan.

Brother Yan had just woken up from his midday nap and was at his most lively.

After playing with her son for a while, someone from the government office came to deliver a message, saying that Yan Family’s childbirth had begun.

Du Yunluo was momentarily surprised. Although Yan Family’s pregnancy was full-term, Midwife Qiu had seen her and said there were at least ten more days, so why did it suddenly start?

The woman who came to deliver the message was sweating profusely and said, "Brother Duan accidentally bumped into her, and then..."

Du Yunluo’s heart leaped up.

Thinking of what Mu Lianxiao had instructed her, she asked Jin Rui and Lady Peng to pack some things for her and Brother Yan, then sat in a sedan chair and went to the government office.

Yang Family had prepared a side room earlier, entrusted Brother Yan to Lady Peng, and Du Yunluo went to see Yan Family.

There was little space in the backyard of the government office, and after taking only a few steps, Du Yunluo could hear Yan Family’s cries.

She quickened her pace.

Outside the birthing room, the maids and womenservants were busy with solemn faces.

Du Yunluo did not see Yang Family, presumably she had gone into the birthing room.

She saw Brother Duan under the veranda.

Du Yunluo called to him softly, "Brother Duan, why are you here?"

Brother Duan turned around, his eyes red and swollen. When he saw it was Du Yunluo, he burst into tears.

Du Yunluo swept him up in her arms: "Your aunt is here, Brother Duan. Tell Aunt about anything that’s happened."

Brother Duan sobbed and gasped, stammering, "Mother is bleeding, it’s my fault, mother she..."

"Don’t be afraid," Du Yunluo soothed him, "Brother Duan, don’t you want a little brother or sister? Your mother is giving birth to them now.

As the big brother, you can’t cry in front of your little brother or sister, right?

Aunt will go see your mother now, can you look after Brother Yan for Aunt, okay?

Brother Yan likes Brother Duan the most. With Brother Duan accompanying him, Aunt is most at ease."

After coaxing him in a soft voice for a while, Brother Duan gradually stopped crying.

Brother Duan’s wet nurse came out of the birthing room, also sweating.

Du Yunluo detected the smell of blood on her.

The wet nurse said, "The main lady went into labor suddenly, and since Mrs. Qiu wasn’t in the mansion, I went in to assist the lady, having served as her helper before."

"But you shouldn’t have left the boy here alone," Du Yunluo said sternly, "You smell strong; don’t go near the boy. I’ll have Jin Rui take Brother Duan to the side room to find Brother Yan, and you go change your clothes quickly and help."

The wet nurse agreed repeatedly.

Jin Rui took Brother Duan away, and Du Yunluo entered the birthing room.

Mrs. Qiu had arrived and was encouraging Yan Family.

Yang Family looked serious, but not anxious, which slightly reassured Du Yunluo.

"Aunt," Du Yunluo called her, "How is Sister-in-law’s condition?"

Yang Family turned to look at her, pursed her lips, and forced a smile: "You’re here? Your sister-in-law was just bumped by Brother Duan.

At first, we didn’t notice it, but in the time it took to burn one joss stick, her water broke, and she was hurriedly sent to the birthing room.

Thankfully, this is her second child. Mrs. Qiu said, estimating it will take two or three more hours."

Du Yunluo nodded.

Yang Family held Du Yunluo’s hand, led her out of the birthing room, and whispered, "I thought it’s best to go with the flow."

Seeing the deep look in Yang Family’s eyes, Du Yunluo understood and smiled, "I brought some clothes with me."

No one spelled it out, but both knew.

Du Yunluo had planned to move in when Yan Family’s second child was three days old. Now that Yan Family suddenly gave birth, it provided a good excuse.

No matter whether Yan Family’s delivery went smoothly or not, they would say it was more severe to the outside.

That way, Du Yunluo’s short stay would seem entirely reasonable and natural.

"Where is Brother?" Du Yunluo asked.

Yang Family pursed her lips, "He’s not at the mansion. Someone went to find him, but we don’t know when he’ll return."

Du Yunluo felt her heart skip a beat, a vague sense of heaviness setting in.

Inside, Yan Family’s cries were intermittently loud and quiet, gradually lowering in volume.

Du Yunluo listened in alarm; this was the first time she had heard another woman during childbirth.

When she gave birth to Brother Yan, she was in such a daze that she couldn’t remember how long she screamed; now, hearing Yan Family’s voice, she was filled with fear.

Those inside the birthing room labored physically, while those outside worried mentally.

When she was shouting, Mu Lianxiao must have been terribly worried...

Here at Yan Family, Du Yunluo couldn’t help much, so she spoke to Yang Family and returned to the side room to care for the two children.

Brother Duan’s face had been cleaned, though his eyes remained red as he played with Brother Yan on the Arhat Bed.

Seeing Du Yunluo return, Brother Duan looked at her.

"Your mother will be fine; in a few hours, everything will be better," Du Yunluo said, ruffling Brother Duan’s hair.

Brother Duan grinned widely.

At dusk, Du Yuntao hurried back to the mansion, stood outside the birthing room for a moment, and was urged by Yang Family to wait inside.

Halfway through the first watch of the night, Yan Family gave birth to a daughter.

Only then did everyone in the house feel at ease to eat.

After clearing the table, Du Yunluo sought out Du Huarang for a conversation.

Du Yunluo didn’t know much about the situation with Mu Lianxiao; her information relied on Jiuxi’s express delivery, whereas the government office had other channels.

Du Huarang sat behind the grand pearwood desk in the study and said, "So far, everything’s going smoothly.

Yunluo, you just stay at the government office. Don’t worry."

The exchanges in officialdom were not something Du Huarang would elaborate on with Du Yunluo, and all Du Yunluo needed was a word of "peace" and "smoothness," so she quietly withdrew.

The government office held a three-day ceremony for the daughter.

Many official wives familiar with Yang Family came, and even the Changping Marquis Mansion sent a woman to contribute.

Apart from one or two ladies she’d met while playing mahjong, all the others were strangers to Du Yunluo.

Yang Family showed little expression as she introduced Du Yunluo to others: "This is my niece.

My daughter-in-law prematurely went into labor and lost some vitality giving birth to a daughter, so she will need several months to recuperate.

I can’t manage two children alone, so I asked my niece to help me.

It’s quite serendipitous. Of the two wet nurses hired for the daughter, one suddenly lost her milk, and the daughter refused the other.

Luckily, my niece’s son is being nursed, so her wet nurse is feeding the daughter.

Otherwise, in this chaos, where could I find a suitable wet nurse so quickly?"