As first-time parents, both the hardships and joys awaited Xia Xiaolan and Zhou Cheng’s exploration.
After a few days, Xia Xiaolan was discharged and began her postpartum confinement.
Her breasts were painfully engorged, and nursing was even more painful. Seeing her struggle with breastfeeding, Zhou Cheng suggested switching both sons to formula… This suggestion naturally met with unanimous criticism. If mother’s milk was available, it was certainly best for the babies to drink breast milk, at least for a while, as it helped build their immunity.
After about half a month, the children’s names were decided: the older one was called Siming, and the younger one Siyi.
Zhou Siming, Zhou Siyi.
Indeed, these names had a very characteristic 90s style.
Xia Xiaolan said them aloud a couple of times and found them quite pleasant. She didn’t exercise her veto power – the elders had put much thought into choosing names with meaning and hopes, expressing beautiful blessings… As long as they weren’t called “Sicong,” Xia Xiaolan had no objections!
Siming was an angel baby, the kind who slept right after eating, would grunt before soiling his diaper, and was very easy to care for.
If Xia Xiaolan had only given birth to him, she felt she could have managed without anyone’s help.
Siyi, however, was a devil baby with very high demands. He would sleep peacefully when held but would cause a fuss when put down, crying himself hoarse. His crying would wake up his sleeping brother Siming, who would then join in his brother’s performance, giving Xia Xiaolan and Zhou Cheng a twin duet.
Duet?
Xia Xiaolan wanted to hit someone!
Before having children, she had insisted on “scientific parenting principles.” Though she had never raised children, she had heard various parenting theories about not picking up or comforting crying babies, as they were just trying to achieve their goals through crying, and after being ignored a few times, they would stop… Nonsense! It was easy to be rational when watching others raise children, but when it was your child crying until their face turned red, few parents could harden their hearts.
To let Xia Xiaolan rest well, Zhou Cheng took on more responsibilities. While she breastfed, they also gave formula on schedule, as Xia Xiaolan’s milk alone wasn’t enough to satisfy both twins.
So Zhou Cheng took charge of preparing formula and changing diapers.
By 1992, disposable diapers were available. Thanks to Procter & Gamble inventing Pampers in the 60s – something TIME magazine had rated as one of the 100 greatest inventions of the 20th century.
Zhou Cheng didn’t think this evaluation was exaggerated at all. After leaving the hospital, they started using disposable diapers for both sons. This invention liberated new fathers, sparing them from having to wash cloth diapers daily.
During Xia Xiaolan’s confinement period, she had already started conditioning her body while Zhou Cheng took care of the babies. Others helped with miscellaneous tasks. These new parents encountered new problems from time to time, but so far they could solve them all.
Challenges appeared one after another, but they would take them slowly. Xia Xiaolan couldn’t believe she could do everything else well but fail at raising twin sons!
Before Xia Xiaolan’s confinement period ended, Liang Huan eagerly wanted to visit her.
Xia Xiaolan had Liu Fen stop her.
After completing her confinement, Xia Xiaolan had lost over ten jin. She was still a bit plump – or as Zhou Cheng put it, “pleasantly rounded with a nice feel.”
Xia Xiaolan felt she could still firm up a bit more.
“The spots on your face seem to have faded?”
This time Zhou Cheng didn’t dare say his wife looked good with spots. He observed before concluding definitively: “They have indeed faded. In two or three months, they might not be visible at all!”
Xia Xiaolan also felt relieved.
Pregnancy spots were caused by hormones. For some women, these spots would disappear or fade after childbirth, while some unfortunate mothers would find their temporary spots becoming permanent. This outcome was related both to postpartum care and individual constitution.
Truthfully, it had been Xia Xiaolan’s indulgence that had allowed Liang Huan to keep visiting.
Now that Xia Xiaolan didn’t want to see Liang Huan, the latter couldn’t get near her or Zhou Cheng.
Liang Huan relied on her status as a “relative.”
Why were they relatives? Only because Liu Fen and Liu Fang were sisters.
This time Liu Fen spoke directly:
“Huan Huan, you asked me to introduce you to potential matches. I’ve looked around but couldn’t find anyone suitable. I can’t help with this matter; you’ll have to solve it yourself.”
Liang Huan didn’t expect Liu Fen to introduce her to any good matches. Putting herself in Liu Fen’s shoes, why would her Second Aunt want her to marry better than Xia Xiaolan?
But she couldn’t say this out loud. She hadn’t hoped for a successful match anyway; she just used it as an excuse.
As long as no match was made, she had an excuse to keep visiting.
“Second Aunt, please try a little harder for me.”
Liang Huan wheedled.
Liu Fen pulled her arm away. “I’m sorry, Huan Huan, but I did try. There were several young men with good conditions, but their first question was whether you were a university graduate, and their second was about your family background. Once I told them the truth, there was no further discussion.”
Liang Huan’s face went pale as Liu Fen hit her sore spot.
“Second Aunt—”
Wasn’t this exactly why none of her relationships ever worked out?
Liu Fen didn’t comfort her; there wasn’t even a trace of a smile on her face.
“Huan Huan, this is reality. Whatever you want from others, they will have requirements for you in return.”
Were there well-off people who didn’t care about their partner’s condition?
Yes, many!
Initially, Zhou Cheng and Xia Xiaolan, Tang Hong’en, and Liu Fen were such examples – stronger men with weaker women.
But both couples had fallen in love freely, developing feelings before dating. The women were economically independent and could date as equals, never giving up on self-improvement before or after marriage… Of course, telling this to Liang Huan would fall on deaf ears, which was why Liu Fen used reasons Liang Huan could understand to reject her!
Was Liang Huan hurt?
What was there to be hurt about?
She had the means to study for several years but couldn’t even get into university – could she say she tried hard enough?
If not working hard wasn’t enough, she relied on her pretty face, trying to find a man who only cared about looks – that would be fine, a willing buyer and seller.
But repeatedly coming to their home while setting her sights on her son-in-law… What was this? Trying to steal him while Xiaolan was pregnant?!
Liu Fen was thoroughly disgusted.
She had started to soften towards Liu Fang as the latter had seemed to become more proper in recent years, but after Liang Huan pulled this stunt, Liu Fen wanted nothing more to do with their family.
Liang Huan stood with tears in her eyes, calling “Second Aunt” in a trembling voice, but Liu Fen directly issued an order to leave:
“Don’t come to Shichahai anymore. Since I can’t help you, I shouldn’t waste your time. Huan Huan, only by keeping your feet on the ground can you achieve the life you want – this is my final piece of advice to you!”
“Second Aunt, Second Aunt!”
Liang Huan was thrown out and stood crying at the door, covering her face.
Liu Fen was too arrogant, actually throwing her out? She would stand crying at the door and see if Liu Fen didn’t care about the neighbors’ opinions.
Liang Huan cried for a long time, but no one came to comfort her. The neighbors weren’t fools – Liu Fen had lived in Shichahai for several years, and they understood what kind of person she was. They wouldn’t blindly interfere in others’ business.
Liang Huan never realized her intentions had been exposed from the beginning.
She was just the type of person who couldn’t hide her true emotions, which was why any young man who had dated her, unless intellectually deficient, could see through Liang Huan’s thoughts over time.
Her path of trying to change her fate through marriage was destined to be extremely rocky.