Daily Life in the 70s-Chapter 254 Speculation

Red Army wife spoke while pulling Yang PeiMin to sit down.

She began talking about childcare.

"Children as young as Xiao Niu have delicate stomachs; they can’t eat solid food yet... They need more sleep at night, remember to wake them up to use the bathroom and cover them with a blanket... Kids shouldn’t eat things that are too spicy or too cold, those can easily lead to diarrhea..."

Yang PeiMin initially listened patiently but soon realized Red Army wife might just go on forever. She tactfully reminded her, "Time flies when we talk; it’s almost lunchtime. I must go wash the vegetables, or the little ones will get hungry."

"There’s still time; my family is not in a hurry. Well then, while we have this moment, let me add a few more words." Red Army wife then moved a chair, ready to follow Yang PeiMin to the kitchen.

Yang PeiMin promptly stopped her, "No need; the kitchen floor is slippery, Red Army wife. This matter can wait, we can talk about it later."

"How can we talk later? The child has been staying at your house already. It’s easy for them to fall ill if you’re not careful. Raising a child is nothing like raising cats or dogs. It would be strange if Dahua’s younger sister didn’t blame you when she returns. I’ve had two babies, and there’s another one on the way, so I have plenty of experience..."

Yang PeiMin felt something was off. She indeed had no children of her own and did not know how to care for them, but she wasn’t ignorant of these common sense tips. And with the way Red Army wife was speaking, although originally having declined Luo Dahua’s request due to her pregnancy, it was one thing to refuse helping, but why come to lecture on childcare?

Had it been someone else less tolerant, they’d have already snapped back.

"You’ve talked all morning, Red Army wife. You should rest a bit, think of the child in your belly, and go take a break."

"Younger sister, don’t feel bothered by me, we can’t be careless with this matter. The child really needs..."

"I get it; you don’t need to trouble yourself..."

Finally, Red Army wife sighed, looking at her, "You’ll see when you encounter problems later; I’m doing this for your benefit..."

Yang PeiMin managed to send her out the door.

She herself sighed right after; Red Army wife’s diligence in this matter could rival that of the Tang Monk.

She reminded the two girls to drink some water and went to check on Xiao Niu’s forehead; it felt a bit better. She peeled an apple for them and set them up to eat, "You two sit here and enjoy the apple. Auntie needs to go cook."

While cooking, she prepared Xiao Niu’s radish water for cough and lubricating the lungs, and coaxed her into drinking it. She also spent half an hour rubbing the center of her feet, a remedy her grandmother used when she was little and feverish, and quite effective. Rubbing quickly back and forth the thick part of the palm against the soft area in the middle of the foot soles, after half an hour on each foot, she then had the child drink a cup of water, which helped reduce the fever.

Xiao Niu cooperated well, sitting still like a little adult. After the rubbing, her face seemed slightly better. Yang PeiMin touched her back and felt some sweat, so she changed her shirt.

Da Niu, like a little tail, insisted on following Yang PeiMin around, wanting to help her with tasks.

Yang PeiMin handed her a cabbage so she could sit with her sister at the doorstep and peel it.

"Well, Mrs. Shen, are you really helping the Lu Family with their kids?" Mrs. Cui, along with a somewhat unfamiliar woman and a few children, approached from a distance, energetically greeting Yang PeiMin.

It’s true that no one visits the temple without a cause.

Yang Peimin looked at them, "Is there something you need?"

Mrs. Cui was the first to give a very familiar smile, "Well, there is something. I heard you’re going to help someone else care for children. I know what you’re thinking. You’ve been married for a year now with no baby on the way, you must be anxious, right? But being anxious doesn’t mean you should take two girls home to foster, right? If you’re going to foster, foster boys. We’re all neighbors here, my family just happens to have two grandsons, let me give you one to raise. I wouldn’t ask for money, just enough to ensure he eats meat at every meal."

Still dreaming of meat?

Yang Peimin also knew what she was thinking.

"Sister-in-law, if you’re choosing a child, you need to pick one who is obedient, sensible, and smart," Mrs. Cui continued, "then the children you bear will be smart too. My youngest son always gets praised by his teachers at school for being so promising, his grades are good in all subjects..."

"Stop! What are you all talking about? I can’t understand a word. Also, this isn’t the Charity Hall; I don’t take in other children." Yang Peimin said expressionlessly.

"Then why are you fostering these two?"

"These are the Lu Family’s Sister-in-law’s children. Our families are close, can’t they come over to play for a couple of days?"

"Mrs. Shen, you really need to think about this. Look at your belly, it hasn’t grown. You really need to hurry..." Mrs. Cui looked at Yang Peimin’s stomach, genuinely concerned.

"No need, you can keep your grandsons." Yang Peimin ushered Da Niu and Xiao Niu back into the house, then turned to them and said, "There’s no such thing as a free lunch, and don’t treat others like fools, taking advantage whenever you see a bargain."

Mrs. Cui was already annoying her, and this time, Yang Peimin didn’t mince her words.

The Military Wife, who Yang Peimin rarely dealt with, appeared mild and literate. Unexpectedly, she said, "Sister-in-law, don’t misunderstand, I only came here because Aunt Cui told me, with all the details, that you were going to foster children to hopefully get pregnant sooner. Since that’s not the case, I’ll head back."

Mrs. Cui, not caring about face at all, spat towards Yang Peimin, "With such a sharp tongue, no wonder you can’t have children."

Yang Peimin laughed, "You’re absolutely right, your eldest daughter-in-law lives out that curse of yours as well!"

"You! Heartless creature!"

"Want to keep cursing? Then I’ll let you stay here and curse to your heart’s content. Let’s see if your eldest son gets affected again. After so many times, still hasn’t learned his lesson."

With a few casual words from Yang Peimin, Mrs. Cui was momentarily speechless, and although unwilling, she glared fiercely at her before leaving.

Later, Li Xing came by to see her. Yang Peimin started to inquire and learned that the rumors about fostering children originated from Mrs. Cui’s speculation. The original story was just that she was helping Luo Dahua take care of her children for a few days... and then all the Military Wives began to show concern for her stomach... Although she had sternly refuted Mrs. Cui, some speculative voices persisted... But Yang Peimin didn’t bother to respond to these rumors.

What she didn’t expect was for these rumors to lead to an incident.

Someone had actually abandoned a baby at her doorstep.

Shen Yiguang exploded immediately, tracked down the Military Wife who had abandoned the child. It was a severe case, and her husband was also punished with a demerit and a demotion.

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