Rebirth: Not Being a Waste - Chapter 72

On the thirteenth day of the second lunar month, Zhang Shu’s family hosts a banquet and invites everyone to celebrate with wine.

The chef for the banquet is the same master chef who cooks at Zhang Shu’s wedding. His dishes are delicious, and while the menu is more extravagant than others, Zhang Shu can afford it and isn’t one to be stingy over such a small expense.

During the banquet, Zhang Shu makes sure to toast each table of neighbors. Maintaining good relationships in the village is essential if he ever needs their support in the future. Fortunately, the neighbors also hope to rely on him for work opportunities, so both sides are polite, making for a harmonious gathering where both the host and guests are pleased.

After the banquet, Zhang Shu and his husband sort through the presents from their neighbors. They place the edible ones in the kitchen, store household items in the main hall or their room, and keep the monetary gifts for themselves. Now that Zhang Shu’s grandparents no longer involve themselves in social affairs, they rely on their own means for support. Aside from maintaining existing relationships, deciding whom to associate with is entirely up to them.

This year, the land is cultivated early, and spring potatoes are planted ahead of schedule. However, due to the cold weather, the seedlings are slow to sprout. To maintain soil temperature, everyone covers them with straw and thatch, removing the coverings only when the temperature rises significantly a few days prior.

Now, the seedlings have grown to several inches tall. If all goes well, they can be harvested ten to twenty days earlier than usual.

With the fields in good condition, the next round of farm work is about to begin. Last year, few villagers planted winter wheat. Most leave their fields fallow, intending to plant more rice instead. This is because the wheat prices are low due to a good harvest in Hexi Prefecture and Henan Prefecture, which causes an immediate drop in market value. In contrast, rice prices remain relatively stable each year, making it a more secure choice for ensuring a steady income.

When news spreads that Zhang Shu’s family is planning to open a workshop, those who didn’t plant winter wheat feel relieved. The harvest season for spring potatoes coincides with that of winter wheat, both occurring in April and May. If they are tied up with farm work at that time, Zhang Shu’s workshop plans might be delayed.

As the saying goes, “Plow an inch deeper in spring, and you’ll have enough to fertilize the fields. If you don’t work hard in spring, you’ll go hungry in autumn.”

Now, when walking through the village, one can see almost every household out in the fields. Some, like the village head and Zhang Shu’s family, use oxen to plow. Others, unable to afford oxen, pull the plows themselves or till the soil with hoes.

On the day Zhang Shu returns home, Yu Xiaoliu’s father happens to fall ill. He takes a day off to care for him before returning to work the next day.

Since Yu Xiaoliu becomes a long-term worker in Zhang Shu’s household this year, the family’s designated plots of land are mainly tended by him and Zhang Shu. Grandpa Zhang enjoys a leisurely year without needing to do much labor.

Even so, the old man can’t sit idle. When he has free time, he and Grandma Zhang go to the outskirts of the village or the back mountain to gather pig feed. The sweet potato scraps, which sustain their livestock throughout the winter, are nearly depleted. If they don’t supplement the pigs’ feed soon, they’ll run out. The four- to five-month-old piglets have voracious appetites.

Once spring plowing at Zhang Shu’s house is complete, Yu Xiaoliu takes charge of feeding the pigs again. Being young, he’s far better at gathering pig feed than the elderly couple. From time to time, he even brings back wild vegetables for everyone to enjoy.

Meanwhile, Zhang Shu lends their family’s oxen to Laiwang’s household. With few family members capable of farm work, Laiwang is the only one managing the fields. The oxen is a great help to him. Grateful for Zhang Shu’s generosity, Laiwang often remarks that bringing Zhang Shu to the county is a stroke of luck. Now, the situation has changed, and it’s they who depend on Zhang Shu for financial opportunities.

Since Zhang Shu’s return, Li Mujin’s lingering discomfort seems to fade. He looks more energetic, has a better appetite, and eats almost as much as Zhang Shu. His face even seems rounder.

One day, while the couple is engaged in intimacy, Zhang Shu pinches Li Mujin’s waist and remarks on how soft it feels. Only then does Li Mujin realize—he’s gained weight!

For farmers, gaining weight isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s seen as a sign of good fortune. However, for someone as young as Li Mujin, it’s distressing—especially since the extra weight isn’t on his hips but around his waist and stomach.

The next morning, determined to slim down, Li Mujin straps a sickle to his waist, slings a backpack over his shoulders, and sets off to gather pig feed. He’s noticed that staying home makes him think about food constantly. Working outside will be more exhausting, and there won’t be anything to snack on. Hopefully, he’ll lose weight soon.

With high hopes, Li Mujin leaves the house happily.

Zhang Shu, on the other hand, has been going up the mountain with Li Yan to check the traps. Around noon, he descends with a bundle of fresh bracken in his hands, already imagining dinner. He thinks, I’ll stir-fry this with bacon, add a couple of chilies, and toss in some buckwheat. The salty and savory flavor will go perfectly with rice. I bet Jin’er will eat an extra bowl today.

However, as he nears the fields, someone calls out to him anxiously.

“Zhang Shu! Your husband nearly fainted on the hillside just now! He’s been helped home. You should go check on him!”

Panic surges through Zhang Shu. Without a second thought, he bolts home.

This is the second time…

He blames himself. Why hasn’t he taken Li Mujin to see a doctor the first time he fainted? Why did he believe him when he brushed it off?

Not this time. Today, no matter what, he’s taking Li Mujin to see a doctor.

Rushing into the courtyard, Zhang Shu finds Li Mujin sitting there, his face pale. Inside, Grandma Zhang is preparing honey water, while a few of their aunts stand nearby, murmuring in concern.

Zhang Shu doesn’t waste a second. He tosses aside the things in his hands, strides to the cowshed, and leads their oxen out, swiftly harnessing it to the ox cart.

Turning to the concerned women, he says, “Thank you all for your care, Aunties. I’ll take Jin’er to town to see a doctor first. I’ll thank you properly when we return.”

With that, he climbs onto the cart and sets off without delay.

Then he goes over, picks up Li Mujin, and carefully places him on the cart. Li Mujin wants to say that he’ll be fine after resting for a while, but when he sees Zhang Shu’s rare serious expression, he stops himself. Besides, his stomach has been hurting a little earlier, and he isn’t sure if he’s actually sick.

Grandma Zhang comes out with a bowl, sets it on the cart, and then climbs up herself. She’s too worried to stay behind and insists on going along to check on him.

Zhang Shu figures that since he’ll be driving the cart, it’s good for someone to accompany Jin’er and take care of him. So he helps his grandmother up, gives Yu Xiaoliu a few instructions, and asks him and his grandfather to prepare something to eat. Then he drives the ox cart away.

Li Mujin sits in the cart, sipping warm honey water. As he drinks, he starts to feel fine again and can’t help feeling a little embarrassed. He suspects that he might have just been too hungry. Ever since Zhang Shu commented that he had gained weight last night, he only eats half a bowl of porridge that morning. Then, after squatting for a long time to cut pig grass, he feels lightheaded when he stands up. His vision swims, and hunger makes him dizzy—he’s lucky he doesn’t collapse on the spot. Standing up too quickly also pulls on his lower abdomen, causing a dull ache.

Zhang Shu is anxious, but he doesn’t dare drive too fast, fearing the bumps will jostle the two passengers. Fortunately, the town isn’t far, and they arrive before long.

It’s the same clinic as before. The doctor clearly recognizes Zhang Shu and teases, “What is it this time? Bringing another neighbor for treatment?”

Zhang Shu doesn’t have the patience for jokes. “Doctor, my husband has been feeling dizzy several times. Please take a look at him,” he says urgently. Without waiting for a response, he practically shoves the doctor onto a stool and guides Li Mujin’s hand forward for him to take a pulse reading.

The doctor, displeased by Zhang Shu’s roughness, deliberately acts mysterious as he checks the pulse. However, after a while, his expression changes subtly, becoming serious.

Zhang Shu, Grandma Zhang, and Li Mujin watch him intently. Seeing his grave expression, they hold their breaths, their hearts pounding loudly in their chests.

After a long moment, the doctor withdraws his hand and speaks in a reproachful tone. “What’s going on in your household? This young man is pregnant, and instead of taking good care of him, you’ve run him into exhaustion? His pulse is weak, his qi and blood are deficient. He needs to take some pregnancy-stabilizing medicine first, and then you must make sure he eats nourishing foods to recover properly.”

The revelation stuns everyone. Pregnancy for a ger is not easy to achieve—it’s common knowledge. If lucky, a couple might conceive within a year or two. If unlucky, it could take seven or eight years. Li Mujin’s own father is married for four years before having his older brother, and then another three years before having him.

Who would have thought that Li Mujin and Zhang Shu would conceive after just five months of marriage?

“Doctor, how far along is he?” Zhang Shu asks in a daze.

“Judging by his pulse, over two months,” the doctor replies. Since it’s mid-March now, that means the conception likely happens when Zhang Shu has just left for Nanhai County.

Grandma Zhang pales at the thought. At that time, the family is building a house, and there’s so much work to do. Even if Li Mujin hasn’t been doing heavy labor, he still takes on many household chores. Fortunately, the child is strong enough to survive.

Zhang Shu feels an overwhelming sense of guilt. Since he returns, the two of them spend their days like newlyweds, constantly sticking together. They’ve been intimate frequently—if anything had happened to the baby, he would never forgive himself.

Li Mujin, too, is filled with regret. He hasn’t noticed any changes in his body, brushing off any discomfort as simple hunger. And today, he even goes out to cut pig grass. If he had lost the baby, he would have spent the rest of his life blaming himself.

The doctor sighs at their expressions. “You really weren’t paying attention. Fortunately, he’s strong, and the baby is healthy. Otherwise, you’d be regretting it now.” While speaking, he picks up a brush and writes down a prescription. “Take this and get three days’ worth of pregnancy-stabilizing medicine. Have a bowl brewed here and drink it before heading home. Use four bowls of water to simmer it down to one bowl over a slow fire. Do the same when you get back.”

Zhang Shu quickly takes the prescription, thanks the doctor, and rushes to get the medicine. He handles everything personally—getting the herbs, finding someone to brew the decoction—and only when everything is settled does he return to Li Mujin’s side.

Grabbing his husband’s hand, he asks anxiously, “Jin’er, do you want to eat or drink anything? I’ll buy it for you right away.”

Li Mujin hesitates, not knowing what to say. “I don’t know… anything is fine. I’m not picky.” However, he’s undeniably hungry.

“You can’t just eat anything,” Grandma Zhang interrupts. “Ah’shu, go to the restaurant and order a chicken to make soup for Mujin.”

The doctor immediately stops them. “No greasy food for the next three days while taking the medicine. Just make some porridge and light side dishes.”

Zhang Shu nods and leaves at once. Meanwhile, Grandma Zhang, realizing the doctor is reliable, takes the opportunity to ask about proper pregnancy care and dietary restrictions.

Since there are no other patients at the moment, the doctor carefully explains everything. Grandma Zhang and Li Mujin listen attentively, afraid of missing any important details.

Seeing how nervous they are, the doctor chuckles. “There’s no need to be overly anxious. Just pay attention to his diet. Everything else can be the same as usual. The more stressed you are, the worse it’ll be.”

Before long, Zhang Shu returns, carrying a food box. A waiter follows behind him, also carrying another box.

He opens them up, revealing a small bowl of shredded chicken porridge, a bowl of mixed vegetable and lean meat porridge, a plate of spring rolls, a plate of mixed shredded vegetables, a plate of Xiangchun mixed with tofu, and a plate of sliced salted duck eggs.

In the other food box are several stir-fried dishes and three bowls of rice—obviously meant for himself, Grandma Zhang, and the doctor. The difference in meals is striking.

Zhang Shu invites the doctor to eat with them, then sets up a small table in front of Li Mujin while the others sit on stools to eat.

Seeing the arrangement, the doctor smirks. “You’re quite the doting husband.” In his mind, Zhang Shu is not only generous and responsible but also an exemplary spouse—albeit a little careless.

Li Mujin looks at Zhang Shu with warmth in his eyes before picking up his bowl to eat. His appetite is astonishing—he finishes everything in his food box, which is obviously meant for two people. The others have to make do with just four stir-fried dishes and three bowls of rice.

After the meal, Zhang Shu packs up the leftovers and hands them to a waiter outside, giving him a few coins to send them back home.

About half an hour later, Li Mujin’s medicine is ready. He takes a deep breath, then drinks it all in one go, his expression twisting from the bitterness.

Seeing his reaction, Zhang Shu decides to add candied fruit to the list of things he needs to buy next.