Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Chapter 592: Chapter 308: The Little Calf Bows to the Four Directions

Cool moonlight filtered through the willow branches, carrying a faint, tranquil scent. The grass at the base of the courtyard wall was covered in silvery frost, reflecting the moon’s glow.

Juhua was momentarily at a loss for how to answer Zhao Qing. She didn’t want to just scare the child off to avoid the question like most adults would. After a moment’s thought, she said, "It’s just like taking a poo. It’s really dirty. Qing’er, let’s not go watch. It’s so embarrassing. Have you ever seen anyone let people watch them poo or pee?"

She had also come around to the idea herself. She decided against watching the spectacle. After all, with so many men there, watching them pull a calf out of *that* place would be very awkward. It really wasn’t appropriate for a young wife like her to be there, let alone a little girl like Zhao Qing.

Huai Zi had also been wondering how to answer Zhao Qing. Hearing Juhua’s amusing explanation, he figured Zhao Qing would probably lose interest in watching. He couldn’t help but chuckle, patting Juhua’s hand and praising her for her cleverness.

Sure enough, Zhao Qing frowned. She thought what Juhua said made some sense. Her mother always told her that little girls should be more refined. Watching people poo or pee was definitely not good, and watching a cow do it couldn’t be right either. So, she looked up at Juhua and said, "Then let’s not go. Sister Juhua, let’s go see little Hulu instead. Let’s see if he’s gotten any bigger."

Juhua said, "Okay. Hulu is probably already asleep. But that’s alright. He wouldn’t pay us any mind even if he were awake."

The three of them entered the courtyard and heard a hubbub of voices from the backyard. Someone shouted, "Put some muscle into it! Hey! Just like that!"

Another voice said, "Slow down, don’t pull! Let it come out on its own."

Juhua quickly pushed Huai Zi. "Go have a look. Come get me when it’s over. I’m going to Sister Yunlan’s place."

Huai Zi scurried off toward the Zheng Family’s backyard.

Madam Yang came out of the house and stood under the eaves, squinting at the two figures in the courtyard. "Is that Juhua?" she asked.

Juhua turned back to close the courtyard gate. "It’s me, Mother," she replied as she walked to her side.

Madam Yang smiled. "You’re here to see the calf, aren’t you? It’ll be a little while longer. Go sit with your sister-in-law for a bit. I’ll call you later."

Juhua agreed and led Zhao Qing toward the west room.

It was noisy outside, but this room was perfectly quiet. When they entered her sister-in-law’s bedroom, they saw a round table draped with a blue, floral-patterned cotton cloth. An oil lamp flickered, and in its dim light, Liu Yunlan was leaning against the carved bed frame, a kerchief wrapped around her forehead. She was gently patting her sleeping son with one hand while staring blankly at the window.

A tranquil, warm atmosphere filled the air, like a mother’s faint murmur echoing in one’s heart.

Juhua entered as silently as a cat and whispered a greeting, "Sister Yunlan!"

Then, smiling, she and Zhao Qing took off their shoes, stepped onto the footstool, and leaned over the edge of the bed to gaze at the little one sleeping inside. Zhao Qing’s eyes crinkled with a grin, looking like she was dying to wake little Hulu up and play with him for a while. But Hulu was Hulu; he was a deep sleeper and would never wake up for no reason.

Liu Yunlan was delighted to see them. She said to Juhua, "I was getting so anxious! There’s no one to talk to, Mother won’t let me do any needlework, and I can’t sleep—I slept for so long during the day. Hulu sleeps all day, and with nothing to do, I end up sleeping too. Oh, I feel like my bones have gone soft from all this sleep!"

Juhua laughed. "Just bear with it. Won’t your month of confinement be over in a few more days? By then, you probably won’t even find it easy to sneak a rest. You should take advantage of this postpartum period to recover properly. How much did you eat tonight?"

Liu Yunlan replied, "I had a bowl of rice, a big bowl of chicken soup, and three eggs."

Juhua nodded and asked, "How are you feeling now? Want a few more eggs before you sleep?"

Liu Yunlan shook her head. "No more. That bowl of chicken soup wasn’t just broth; it had a lot of chicken in it. I feel a little stuffed." She then added with a smile to Juhua, "And my milk supply is more than enough. Hulu can’t even finish it all. Look at him, he’s been puffing up like a balloon these past few days, changing every single day."

Juhua looked at little Hulu, whose newborn redness had faded to a fair and tender complexion. She smiled and pursed her lips. "Doesn’t Mother always say that babies grow like weeds once they’re born? With such a good milk supply, a year of nursing will build him a strong foundation from the start. He’ll grow up to be sturdy and strong."

Liu Yunlan stroked her son’s little head and nodded happily. Suddenly, she said to Juhua with a worried look, "Juhua, I think I’ve gained quite a bit of weight."

Juhua couldn’t help but laugh. "You were already putting on weight before you even had Hulu. But I don’t think you need to worry. Once your month is up, you’ll have to take care of Hulu and do chores around the house. How could you not lose the weight then? I’m afraid you’ll have plenty of days to get thin. Besides, if Hulu weren’t so well-behaved, just the fussy nights alone would have worn you out—how could you possibly gain weight without a good night’s sleep?"