Chapter 464 - 466: Breastfeeding Is The Best For The Baby
Meng Liangshen nodded slightly, then turned to Bai Ruozhu and said: "Miss Bai, please also prepare, those doctors will arrive in Beiyu City in four days."
Bai Ruozhu was a bit surprised; she originally thought that the doctors would come after the New Year as they wouldn’t make it back home in time for the festival if they came here now.
However, considering that these people are secretly trained military doctors by the Imperial Court, it wasn’t surprising that they don’t have the freedom to move around at will.
"Yes, you can notify me when the time comes. Also, I need you to help me prepare the needles and thread for suturing as I might reveal information if I seek help from the local blacksmith," said Bai Ruozhu.
"Everything has been prepared properly by Mr. Yi and handed over to me, you can rest assured," said Meng Liangshen.
Mr. Yi is the name Jiang Yichun goes by in Meng Liangshen’s presence. Bai Ruozhu nodded, it was not surprising that Jiang Yichun had prepared everything thoroughly, especially when it concerned her.
"Yes." Bai Ruozhu nodded in reply.
"When the time comes, just say that the old lady asked you to come over. Don’t leak any information," Meng Liangshen instructed.
"Yes," Bai Ruozhu answered, keeping her head bowed.
Meng Liangshen couldn’t help but laugh, "I heard from Mr. Yi that you are very brave. Why are you being so cautious now?"
Bai Ruozhu gritted her teeth in vexation. She had just been praising Jiang Yichun in her heart and now she was cursing him. She wondered how was she brave at all? It made her seem like a fool.
"This doesn’t sound like Mr. Yi complimenting me. Please don’t mock me, Lord Meng," had to respond in such a way.
"Indeed, it doesn’t sound like a compliment for a lady." Meng Liangshen laughed heartily, "Alright, go meet the old lady now. She’s been missing you for days."
Recalling the thoughtful care of the old Lady Meng, Bai Ruozhu felt warmth in her heart. She nodded at Meng Liangshen and said, "Then, I’ll take my leave first."
Someone outside led her to You Ran Residence. Without making an announcement, a maid guided her in. The maid joked, "Miss Bai, didn’t you bring any gifts? The old lady said you should stay for a few more days."
Bai Ruozhu laughed helplessly. Are they really going to make her stay?
As she entered the Flower Hall, she heard the hearty laughter of the old lady. She looked over and saw a familiar face, it was Yu Hongxiu, with whom she had travelled to Beiyu City.
"Oh look, the girl is finally here. I’ve been anxiously waiting for her," Lady Meng started to tease Bai Ruozhu when she saw her.
Yu Hongxiu gestured towards Bai Ruozhu: "I was just talking to the old lady about how we both have similar tastes, even in the people we like. When we first met you, we liked you."
Bai Ruozhu laughed and walked over to them. Although she was a bit cautious with Lady Meng, she was completely comfortable with Yu Hongxiu. She joked: "Your words are so sweet as soon as we meet, Sister Hongxiu. Do you have any requests?"
Yu Hongxiu gave her a glare, "Can’t you expose me less?"
Old Lady Meng found their banter very lively: "Oh Ruozhu, Hongxiu says you are an exceptional cook and all she wanted to eat when she was pregnant was your soup. Why didn’t you mention your superb cooking skills earlier? Are you hiding them from us?"
Bai Ruozhu knew that these foodies have conspired against her. She shook her head helplessly: "With all the experts in the City Lord’s Residence, where would I dare to show off my skills?"
Old Lady Meng patted her with a smile, "Stop pretending. I, as an old lady, am not too shy to ask for some delicious food. Make some for us, will you?" The old lady even added a childlike pleading tone at the end.
Bai Ruozhu almost burst into laughter. She pretended to sigh and said, "Oh, my poor fate. I have to do the hard work again."
Yu Hongxiu and Lady Meng both laughed. They found Bai Ruozhu straightforward, natural, and quite amusing.
Then, Bai Ruozhu went to the small kitchen and made two types of Dimsum and a nourishing soup quickly. But since the soup needed time to stew, she went back with the Dimsum first and promised to bring the soup for Lady Meng’s lunch.
Old Lady Meng and Yu Hongxiu both expressed their satisfaction with the Dimsum. Yu Hongxiu even deliberately licked her fingers and said, "The residual flavor lingers on the tongue, it’s not enough!"
Bai Ruozhu looked at her and couldn’t help thinking of an advertisement for finger-licking chicken from her previous life. The little girl in the advertisement licked her fingers just like Hongxiu.
She couldn’t help but laugh and said, "Next time, I will make you finger-licking chicken. However, it requires some preparation, so it will have to wait until tomorrow."
In reality, it wasn’t too complicated to make, but she was afraid that Old Lady Meng might really keep her in the Meng Residence.
"Then, I’ll come early tomorrow to eat." Yu Hongxiu declared with a wide grin.
Old Lady Meng also agreed. By the look of it, she was quite interested in the finger-licking chicken Bai Ruozhu mentioned.
Feeling it was about time, Bai Ruozhu excused herself as she had matters to attend to at home. Lady Meng’s face tensed, seemingly sulky, and she said, "Didn’t you promise to stay in my courtyard for a few days? How can you break a promise to an old woman like me?"
Bai Ruozhu found the old lady’s childlike venting both amusing and pitiful. She quickly explained: "Old lady, I didn’t mean to break my promise. But I have a big family to take care of. Give me three days to settle them, and I promise to come here and stay for a few days with my baby. Look at me without my baby, would your heart not ache if he gets hungry and has no milk?"
"Oh, you can hire a wet nurse. Why do you need to breastfeed the baby yourself?" Lady Meng asked in surprise. In wealthy families, wet nurses were usually hired and it was uncommon for a lady of the house to breastfeed the baby herself.
Bai Ruozhu felt that this mentality wasn’t good, so she took the time to explain: "From a medical point of view, it is best for both the mother and the baby if the mother breastfeeds."
"Oh?" Since Lady Meng’s toothache had greatly improved, she was quite convinced by the medical knowledge Bai Ruozhu shared.
Bai Ruozhu pointed at her own waist and said with a smile: "Didn’t you notice my recovery? Actually, I was back to my slim figure less than two months after giving birth. This was because I was breastfeeding my child, and also my postpartum recovery was smooth, with a clean discharge of lochia, reducing the risk of illness. Moreover, breastfeeding is more beneficial for the child as the mother’s breast milk aligns better with the baby’s physical needs."
"Also, I’ve heard that children who are breastfed by their mothers tend to be closer to their mothers later on." This wasn’t proven, but Bai Ruozhu felt that being able to breastfeed her own child was truly a blessed thing.
Lady Meng’s eyes lit up upon hearing this, "Now that you mentioned it, I breastfed my eldest at that time. Look at how considerate he is now. What you said really makes sense. He has also been very healthy since he was a child."
Yu Hongxiu listened attentively and said to Bai Ruozhu: "Then, I will also breastfeed my child ourselves. And I will ask you about how to handle the confinement period and raise the child."
"Of course, I will tell you everything I know," Bai Ruozhu replied with a smile.