NOVEL WEB Chapter 3: A Newcomer’s Report
In the Principality of Shuimu, one hundred and sixty miles east of Muzhi City, lies Shanhai Village.
Early in the morning, Ling Xiaoshan, carrying a hoe over his shoulder, headed towards the fields west of the village. Before he even left the village, he heard someone shouting behind him:
“Xiaoshan! Xiaoshan—! Come back quickly! Your wife is going into labor—!”
“What—?” Ling Xiaoshan turned around dumbfounded, seeing his childhood friend and brother-in-law, Zhang Dahe, running towards him.
“What are you standing there for—!”
Zhang Dahe grabbed Ling Xiaoshan's arm and ran back the way they came, panting as he explained, “Hurry, your mother, my mother, and my wife are all attending to my sister. My father and your father are boiling water. I came to find you...”
The short dirt road through the village was covered in the span of two sentences, and the two arrived at Ling Xiaoshan's doorstep.
Before they could enter, Ling Xiaoshan's father, Ling Changqing, saw him and, with wide eyes, rebuked:
“You brat! How many times have I told you not to go to the fields these days, to stay home and help out. Your father can handle the land. Are you not worried?”
“When I was farming, you little...!”
"Uncle Changqing... Uncle Changqing! Xiaoshan was just worried about tiring you out..."
Zhang Dahe quickly stepped forward to hold back Ling Changqing, while signaling to the cowering Ling Xiaoshan. He hastily spoke, "Xiaoshan, quickly, go check the fire, see how the water is boiling—"
"Oh, oh~~" Ling Xiaoshan nodded hurriedly and then ran toward the kitchen.
Watching his son's flustered figure, Ling Changqing shook his head helplessly, "This little rascal..."
"Uncle Changqing~" Zhang Dahe chuckled from the side, speaking gently, "Xiaoshan is only seventeen, and this is his first time being a father. It's normal for him to be like this. I was the same a couple of years ago—"
Nearly an hour later, with a clear loud cry, another ordinary life was added to the otherwise unremarkable village.
Inside a house with stone walls and a roof made of timber and thatch, the newborn struggled to open its eyes. Although it was a newborn, and logically its vision should be as limited as severe nearsightedness, it could see everything clearly.
Its gaze swept across the teenager holding it stiffly, the eager middle-aged woman and young lady crowding nearby, the middle-aged and young men peering from the doorway, and the young girl lying weakly on the bed, her face pale. The newborn gently squeezed its little fists wrapped in swaddling, a clear realization surfaced in its mind: "Born anew?"
Feeling somewhat exhausted, it closed its eyes and murmured inwardly: 'First time here, please take care of me~'
......
A month later, at the home of the Ling family in Shanhai Village.
The newborn life, now named Ling Yi in this world, slowly awoke from slumber as the sun rose high outside.
His black and white eyes darted around, taking in the empty room. Listening closely, he heard the distinct sound of running water in the courtyard, with no other human noises present. Ling Yi understood that his not-yet-eighteen-year-old father was likely working in the fields with his thirty-eight-year-old grandfather.
As for the water sound outside, it came from his mother, washing clothes.
Feeling a pressing need in his little tummy and a sense of hunger, Ling Yi expertly closed his eyes and opened his mouth, letting out a robust cry, "Wah!" sending it to the outside.
The cry lasted only a few moments, but his mother, Zhang Xiaoyu, immediately pushed open the wooden door of the house and walked towards the bed. As she approached Ling Yi, she wiped her soaked, pale hands on her apron.
After being changed into a fresh diaper, Ling Yi lay in his mother's arms, drinking his special milk while pondering the nature of this world.
For the past month, Ling Yi spent most of his time sleeping, and when he wasn’t, he was either eating or being changed.
Time passes slowly for a baby, filled with idle moments. Yet, it also passes quickly, as drowsiness takes over, leading one to wake at dusk.
Bathed in the evening glow, Ling Xiaoshan carried a hoe on his shoulder as he returned home.
First, he washed his hands and face, peeked into the kitchen to see his young wife busy cooking, then darted into the room to check on his son, Ling Yi, lying on the bed.
Their eyes met.
Ling Yi looked at his father, still youthful-looking, his face slightly tanned and skin a bit rough, with a gleaming smile and clear eyes that were the essence of his age.
Ling Xiaoshan, seeing his son’s bright and clear gaze fixed on him, broke into a wide grin, eyes crinkling with mirth, his weariness from a day's labor vanishing entirely as if it never existed.
Suddenly, Ling Yi's gaze halted, humor glittering in his eyes as he spotted a blade of grass on his father's head.
Seemingly noticing Ling Yi’s focus, Ling Xiaoshan reached up, pulled out a blue leaf from his hair, and shook it playfully in front of Ling Yi, saying with delight, "Was little Baobao trying to remind Daddy of this blue silver grass leaf on my head?"
‘It’s a good thing it’s not a wild grass...’
Ling Yi rolled his eyes silently but soon felt like he'd overlooked something important.
Ling Xiaoshan then clumsily played with Ling Yi, who reciprocated by opening his mouth, rolling his eyes, and flashing a wide smile, delighting Ling Xiaoshan in return.
The father and son enjoyed each other’s laughter until Ling Yi's mother, Zhang Xiaoyu, called out, "Dinner’s ready!", ending their playful interaction.
During dinner, Ling Yi lay on the bed, resting his eyes to recover from the energy expended during playtime with Ling Xiaoshan.
Meanwhile, Ling Xiaoshan and Zhang Xiaoyu, the couple seated at the dining table, each enjoyed a bowl of white rice along with a dish of boiled greens, savoring their simple meal.
In front of Zhang Xiaoyu was a small bowl of fish soup, with little oil droplets floating on the surface. This fish was caught by Ling Yi's uncle, Zhang Dahe, who had traveled several miles outside the village to catch it in the river. He specifically brought it to nourish the nursing Zhang Xiaoyu.
For the past month, as far as Ling Yi knew, Zhang Dahe had only managed to catch fish twice. The first time, he caught two palm-sized fish, and the second time, only one, which was barely the size of two fingers. This meager catch had already been simmered repeatedly over three days for Zhang Xiaoyu.
Despite living in an era with iron tools like hoes, Ling Yi found it puzzling why catching a few fish was so difficult.
Although his mind felt weary, Ling Yi’s spirit was somewhat lively. He let his thoughts wander wildly, listening to his father, Ling Xiaoshan, as he excitedly recounted their earlier interactions.
"Right!"
Ling Xiaoshan took a blue leaf from his pocket, waved it in front of Zhang Xiaoyu, and chuckled, "Look at this. Little Bao saw it hanging on my head and kept reminding me…"
Gazing at the swaying blue, Zhang Xiaoyu put down the bowl of finished fish soup, pursed her lips, and softly said, "Blue silver grass? You, when you’re working…"
On the bed, Ling Yi suddenly opened his eyes, then squinted them again, turning his head toward the dining table.
“I remember the elders in my family mentioning that during tough times in the past, there was no such thing as a proper postpartum recovery period. Women would go straight back to work. However, this could lead to a series of health issues in the long run, causing significant suffering.”
(End of Chapter)
