Chapter 149 A clueless guy

Chapter 149 A clueless guy

Jiang Yutang narrowed his eyes knowingly.

I'm afraid I was thinking of Cheng Daier when I bought hand cream yesterday, but I was too embarrassed to say it out loud.

Doctor Xu also asked in surprise, "Isn't it for Madam Jiang?"

When she saw Jiang Huaiyu's absent-minded smile, her breath hitched, and the hand that was handing over the bottle suddenly trembled. Her eyes lowered slightly to hide the disappointment in them.

Oblivious to Dr. Xu's odd behavior, Jiang Huaiyu thanked her again solemnly: "Next time I come, I'll bring something to thank you again!"

Doctor Xu forced a smile and shook his head slightly: "It's just a little thing, no need to be so polite."

Seeing his lack of tact, Jiang Yutang quickly stepped forward and gave him a push, scolding, "Take the things and leave quickly, don't stand here and interfere with me and Doctor Xu organizing the medicinal herbs."

"Alright, then I won't bother you any longer." Jiang Huaiyu said goodbye cheerfully and darted out of the clinic with light steps.

As soon as he left, the atmosphere in the clinic instantly became quiet.

Without a word, Dr. Xu turned back to the medicine cabinet and silently sorted the herbs in his hands, his movements even slower than before.

Even when Jiang Sumin brought Ayi to lunch, Doctor Xu only had a faint smile on his face.

Relationships are the most delicate things. If the parties involved are unwilling to talk about it, no matter how enthusiastic others are, they have no reason to force the issue to be discussed.

Jiang Yutang tried telling a few jokes to cheer up Doctor Xu, but throughout the day, Doctor Xu's mood remained low, and a faint sense of loss lingered between his brows.

That evening, after returning to the tent with Jiang Sumin, Jiang Yutang lifted the curtain and saw Jiang Huaiyu sitting on the edge of the bed with his legs crossed, humming a tuneless little tune, clearly in a very good mood.

"Oh, so your aunt accepted your cosmetics?" Jiang Yutang teased deliberately.

Jiang Huaiyu subconsciously hummed in response, but immediately realized what she meant and asked in surprise, "How did you know?"

Jiang Yutang triumphantly brushed a stray hair from her forehead and said with a smile, "Your little secrets are written all over your face; you can't hide them."

She leaned closer to Jiang Huaiyu and asked curiously, "Tell me quickly, how far have things progressed between you and your aunt?"

Seeing that her little scheme had been seen through, Jiang Huaiyu simply stopped pretending and shrugged, saying, "It's nothing, it's just... she stopped glaring at me."

"Hahaha!" Jiang Yutang laughed so hard she couldn't stand up straight.

"Useless." Jiang Sumin rolled his eyes, sat down at the table, and opened the account book.

"What's making you so happy?"

Jiang Songzhi's voice came from outside the tent. He lifted the curtain and walked in, followed by a woman in a plain-colored cloth dress who looked to be in her fifties.

Jiang Yutang quickly suppressed her smile: "Big brother, who is this...?"

“This is Granny Wang, the most experienced midwife in Danzhou City,” Jiang Songzhi introduced. “My second brother asked around a lot before finding her. He’s busy with official duties, so he specifically asked me to bring her here.”

Jiang Yutang greeted her with delight, "It's such a hassle for you, but my second sister-in-law isn't back yet. Please sit down and have a cup of tea."

Granny Wang quickly responded softly, but stood obediently to the side, hesitant to sit down. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her, and her eyes darted around cautiously.

Having given birth in the countryside for many years, this was her first time entering a tent at a military family camp, so she was inevitably a little nervous.

About fifteen minutes later, the voices of the Yun family members could finally be heard outside the tent.

Apart from Jiang Yutang, everyone else was waiting outside the tent.

Granny Wang dried her hands, her icy fingertips just pressing against Zhu's swollen belly.

Zhu frowned uncomfortably and subconsciously shrank back.

"Please bear with it, young lady. It might feel a little sore, but it will be over soon," Granny Wang explained softly, her fingers continuing to gently massage different parts of her abdomen with practiced ease.

Jiang Yutang stood aside, wanting to speak up and persuade them, but then she thought of how modern people have ultrasound imaging that can clearly show the position and condition of the fetus, while the ancients could only "feel the elephant like blind men."

"Ugh...it hurts..."

Zhu couldn't help but gasp softly. Wang Po immediately withdrew her hand, helped her put on her clothes, and then called the people outside in.

With a solemn yet certain expression, Granny Wang said, "Based on my thirty years of experience delivering babies, this pregnancy is most likely twins."

The Jiang family had heard the speculation from Jiang Yutang beforehand, and although they were mentally prepared, they still couldn't hide their excitement when they heard it confirmed by the midwife herself.

Yun walked quickly to the bedside, held Zhu's hand tightly, and looked at her with tenderness.

"Judging from the shape of the belly, it's most likely a boy."

Jiang Yutang raised an eyebrow and asked curiously, "Is this really accurate?" She had never heard of such a theory as "distinguishing gender by the shape of the belly" in modern times.

Granny Wang gestured to the outline of Zhu's abdomen: "Look, this belly is pointed and upturned, and the waistline is clear. These are all signs of a boy. If the belly sags down and is soft, covering the waistline, then it's a girl."

As soon as Granny Wang finished speaking, her gaze fell on Zhu's thin figure, and she shook her head worriedly: "It's just that the girl's body is too weak. She has a small frame and her blood and qi are not abundant. Twin births are inherently dangerous, and she will probably suffer a lot."

These words instantly made the atmosphere in the tent heavy.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Yutang immediately took out a heavy silver ingot from the purse at his waist and stuffed it into Wang Po's hand, speaking earnestly.

"Wang Po, my second sister-in-law's due date is next month. Please make sure you are fully prepared. Buy whatever you need, the best you can afford. I will cover all the expenses. I just ask that you ensure the safety of both mother and child."

Holding the heavy silver coin, Granny Wang stroked its smooth surface with her fingertips, nodding excitedly repeatedly: "Don't worry, young lady, once I take your money, I will do my best to ensure that nothing happens to you and your child!"

After seeing Wang Po off, Jiang Yutang sat by Zhu's bedside and gently patted the back of her hand to comfort her.

"Second sister-in-law, don't be afraid. I'll be inside to lend a hand and help out."

Zhu nodded worriedly, gently stroking her belly with both hands, her eyes filled with maternal love, her voice soft yet firm: "As long as the children can be born safely, what does it matter if I suffer a little? I can bear it."

"If your second brother heard you say that, he would definitely feel sorry for you again," Jiang Yutang teased with a smile, trying to ease her tension.

Meanwhile, progress in expanding agriculture has been slow.

Jiang Jiuzhe and Cheng Lanzhou set off for the Northern Garrison Commander before dawn, and spent four days just conducting on-site reconnaissance.

Even after Jiang Huaiyu returned to the military camp, their plan had not yet been finalized.

"At this rate, we'll probably have to wait until Zhu gives birth before we get any results."

During dinner, Jiang Songzhi couldn't help but sigh: "My second brother came back today to retrieve some documents, and his face turned ashen from staying up all night."

Jiang Yutang peeled the apple absentmindedly, the peel forming a string between her fingers, but she didn't notice that the apple core was almost exposed.

She paused, a thought forming in her hand: "Why don't I cook some tonic and send it to my second brother tomorrow? It'll give them a chance to rest."

"Hmph, that's easy for you to say."

Jiang Sumin put down his abacus and sneered as he exposed her: "I think you're using the excuse of delivering medicine to your second brother, but you're actually after Cheng Lanzhou, aren't you?"