"They’ll be at our house tomorrow."

Seeing that Yue Yihan had arranged everything, Aunt Xu felt much more at ease. "That’s good, that’s good. I’m retiring at the end of the year, so I’ll be able to help look after them too."

Two children aren’t like one.

An extra person can prevent a lot of dangers.

"Then thank you so much, Aunt."

-

Xie Changning stayed in the hospital for seven days before she was bundled up tightly and discharged.

When she was brought back home, two older women were already waiting. They looked to be under sixty and in good spirits.

"You must be Xiao Xie," the livelier of the two women said, stepping forward to take over from Yue Yihan.

Yue Yihan didn’t object, instead taking the babies into the house with the other woman.

Xie Changning’s home had already been swept clean. The doors and windows were shut, and a fire made the room warm, a stark contrast to the weather outside.

Once inside, she lay down on the heated *kang* bed, which had already been made with fresh bedding.

The warmth from the *kang* chased away some of the chill, and she heard Yue Yihan make the introductions. "Changning, this is Wang Ling, Aunt Wang, and this is Zhao Ming, Aunt Zhao."

The livelier one was Wang Ling, and the more nimble one was Zhao Ming.

"Aunt Wang, Aunt Zhao."

They were both very good people. Before they arrived, Yue Yihan had already told Xie Changning about their backgrounds.

Aunt Wang was now alone. Her husband had died in the army when they were young, leaving her with their child. After being mistreated by her in-laws, she took her child and moved out to live on her own.

But unexpectedly, after her son joined the army, he died in battle too...

Leaving her all alone.

The military took pity on her, unable to bear the thought of her growing old alone. So whenever the neighborhood committee or the military had a family that needed help, they would send for her.

It allowed her to earn some money and also served as a distraction.

It’s easy to develop problems when you’re left all alone.

Aunt Zhao, on the other hand, had been kicked out by her daughter-in-law. After her son died in battle, her daughter-in-law remarried, taking the child with her. Not only that, but she also seized Aunt Zhao’s house and land, forcing her out.

With no one to rely on, Aunt Zhao also became someone the neighborhood committee and the military looked after.

After meeting them and confirming they both had good character, Aunt Xu sighed in relief. "I’m going to buy groceries. Let’s have a big feast today!"

As soon as she said it, she was met with a reproachful look from Xie Changning.

Aunt Xu burst out laughing.

"Don’t worry, I won’t forget about you!" For the past few days, Xie Changning had had more than her fill of millet porridge, eggs, and various soups.

She was hoping she could eat something else!

When Aunt Xu went to buy groceries, she specially bought a black-bone chicken for Xie Changning to replenish her *qi* and blood.

"Auntie, I’ve really had enough of this stuff lately..."

"You just gave birth. This is when your body is at its weakest, you have to drink it!" Aunt Xu said, adding a threat, "If you don’t listen, I’ll make you crucian carp soup!"

Xie Changning immediately took the bowl of soup.

Crucian carp soup was used to promote lactation. Before giving birth, she had told Yue Yihan that she wanted to use formula.

Breastfeeding would interfere with her work.

Yue Yihan had no objections. Even when the elders around them felt that formula was expensive and not good for the babies, Yue Yihan didn’t waver.

He said, "It’s Ningning’s body. If she doesn’t want to, I won’t force her." In his eyes, she was first and foremost herself, and only then a mother and a wife.

When the surrounding elders saw they couldn’t persuade him, they dropped the subject.

However, none of them tried to persuade Xie Changning to her face. She was in her postpartum confinement, and if they upset her and ruined her recovery, they would be committing a great wrong.

So everyone just did their best to help out however they could.

On the day of the one-month celebration, a nosy neighbor pressed Aunt Xu, "I heard Changning isn’t breastfeeding? But... breast milk is so healthy. Why is she using formula?"

"What’s wrong with formula? When our own children were poor, they drank rice water. Isn’t formula much more nutritious than rice water?"

Aunt Xu shut the person up right then and there.

Everyone thought about it and realized it was true. When they were young and their mothers didn’t have enough milk, they grew up drinking sugar water and rice water.

So no one brought up the topic of breastfeeding again.

Throughout her entire month of confinement, Xie Changning had a very comfortable and worry-free time.

This was mainly because not only did Aunt Xu look after her and shield her from outside matters, but the two helping women also took special care of her and had strong personalities.

They didn’t allow anyone to say anything that might upset her.

Therefore, when Yue Yihan returned to his unit, he was completely at ease.

On the day of the one-month celebration, many people came to give gifts for the baby. Usually, they would have visited during the confinement period, but everyone felt the weather was too cold and worried about passing on illnesses to Xie Changning.

So they agreed to come on the day of the one-month celebration instead.

No one was very wealthy at that time, so the gifts were usually practical: a few feet of fabric from one family, some eggs from another.

With so many visitors, Xie Changning received a lot of gifts, including things like malted milk extract. Some better-off families even asked what brand of formula she was using for the babies and specifically brought two bags of it.

All in all, Xie Changning received a great bounty on the day of the one-month celebration.

Now that she was allowed to go out, Xie Changning was eager for a walk, but Aunt Zhao stopped her. "Ningning, it’s winter now. You’ve just finished your confinement. You shouldn’t go out yet. Rest for another half a month first."

Everyone in the house called Xie Changning "Ningning" now.

Aunt Zhao meant well, so Xie Changning didn’t refuse.

"Alright, then today I want to eat Aunt Wang’s steamed eggs!"

"Alright, alright, I’ll go steam some eggs for you in a bit!"

Both women’s children were no longer in this world. Usually, they would just go wherever they were needed, moving from one family to the next.

But on the day they arrived, Xie Changning had told them.

Xie Changning would be working in the future, and she would need their help looking after the two children, so it was very likely they would be setting down roots here.

Xie Changning and Yue Yihan were both good-natured, and the two women didn’t want to move again, so they started treating Xie Changning like their own child.

Giving her their all.

As a result, Xie Changning had been eating very well lately.

Whatever she wanted to eat, the two of them would make it for her, always coming up with new variations.

Xie Changning followed their advice and rested for another half a month before she was finally allowed to get some air.

After being cooped up for about forty-five days, Xie Changning could finally get some fresh air, and she was absolutely ecstatic.

It was at this moment that Wang Guofu arrived.

While Xie Changning was on leave for childbirth, all the factory’s affairs had fallen on Wang Guofu and the other deputy director. Wang Guofu, in particular, had been handling everything related to the branch factory.

"Director, the first batch of printers has been shipped abroad."

Even without Xie Changning’s leadership, everyone worked with great enthusiasm. They pushed production hard, determined not to let the foreigners cancel their order!

Thankfully, by rushing things along, they actually managed to finish ahead of schedule.

This was wonderful news.

"How is the new factory building coming along?"