3. Delivering the Child by Cesarean Section III

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Mr. Luo was already ill, and these past few days, overwhelmed and exhausted by his daughter’s situation, he found it difficult to walk even a few steps without gasping for breath, let alone stand for long. How could he possibly go out to the countryside to search for someone?

Within the entire Luo family, only Li Hualin was still able to move about freely.

Chu Yunli looked at Li Hualin. “Can you bring her back?”

Li Hualin forced a smile. “If she really is out there, I will definitely find her and bring her back to seek justice for you. Mei-niang, your health is weak; don’t worry yourself too much.”

Chu Yunli nodded. “I’ve already sent someone to report this to the authorities. I have reason to suspect that our Luo family has made enemies—someone is secretly targeting us. The officials should have assigned people to watch over us... By the way, bring the child to me. Since he was born, I haven’t even seen him.”

Li Hualin’s mind buzzed; he couldn’t clearly hear the last words and was consumed by the fact that Luo Mei-niang had reported to the authorities.

“Husband, what’s wrong?”

Snapping back to reality, Li Hualin avoided meeting his wife’s gaze and casually said, “I’ll go arrange the search.”

With that, he turned and left.

From behind, Chu Yunli called after him, “I want to see the child.”

Already feeling guilty and unwilling to stay longer, Li Hualin nodded hastily and fled.

Mr. Luo, having risen from humble beginnings to his current status, was shrewd and sharp-eyed. Earlier, when his daughter underwent a cesarean, his mind was filled with the panic and fear of potentially losing her, leaving no time to think. Now, catching sight of his son-in-law’s expression, he felt something was amiss. Turning back to speak to his daughter, he saw her looking towards the direction Li Hualin had disappeared, her eyes full of scorn.

“Mei-niang, do you really believe someone harmed you deliberately?”

Chu Yunli nodded. “It’s Li Hualin!”

Mr. Luo was startled.

He had already harbored suspicions about his son-in-law but hesitated to believe it due to his daughter’s feelings. After all, Li Hualin had lived under the same roof with them for years, and he was a dependable man. Mr. Luo did not want to think ill of him with such malice.

Hearing his daughter’s resolute tone, Mr. Luo’s last shred of hope vanished. He looked puzzled. “Why would Hualin do such a thing?”

In the past two years, his daughter had handed over the family business to care for him. Li Hualin, although a son-in-law by marriage, had never been pressured by the father and daughter. Like a husband starting his own household, with no elders supervising him, Mr. Luo treated him politely and never reprimanded him. He truly regarded Li Hualin as his own son—or perhaps even better, for with his biological son, there were times of friction, but with Li Hualin, he exercised great tolerance, fearing their marriage might break because of his interference.

Chu Yunli shook her head. “I don’t know.”

At that moment, someone appeared at the door—a young woman about seventeen or eighteen, with fair skin and a graceful figure, neat and clean. Carefully cradling a swaddled infant, she bowed at the entrance. “Madam, the child has arrived.”

Chu Yunli appraised her up and down. “Bring him here.”

Mr. Luo stood for a long while, too weak to take the child himself, but he stepped forward a little to look.

Though pained by the child his daughter had risked her life to bear, he harbored some resentment. Though the child had been born two days ago, he had only glanced at him once.

Two days later, the wrinkled little one looked much better. Moreover, his daughter’s spirit was improving and she didn’t seem on the brink of death. Mr. Luo’s gaze softened upon seeing the child.

Chu Yunli, unable to move, gently turned her head to look at the child... When Luo Mei-niang had been cut open, she had fainted and barely glimpsed the baby. Now, Chu Yunli wanted to see if the child had been swapped.

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For now, the child had not been switched. She raised her hand to touch his smooth cheek.

“I don’t need you to carry him. If he gets hungry later, I’ll send someone to call you.”

The wet nurse, hearing this, did not immediately leave.

Sensing her presence by the bedside, Chu Yunli frowned. “Is there something else?”

Perhaps startled by her tone, the wet nurse hesitated, then awkwardly said, “I receive a monthly wage, and only nursing the child doesn’t seem quite right. Madam, rest assured, though I only have one child myself, I have taken care of several children for my sister-in-law back home. I will definitely look after the little master well. Your health is fragile...”

“If you take a wage, you must obey orders,” Chu Yunli said displeased. “I have only one requirement of you. If you cannot fulfill it, then leave.”

At these words, the wet nurse dared not stay. After a salute, she hurriedly withdrew.

Mr. Luo felt the wet nurse’s behavior was somewhat improper, but he did not think much of it. She was hired from the village and may not understand the rules. He wanted to speak more with his daughter but thought she was still fragile after her near-death ordeal. Soon, he left with the others.

The room fell silent. Chu Yunli held the child and slept a while. The baby cried at times, and she had the wet nurse feed him once.

However, privately, she had already ordered a maid to search for another wet nurse.

Those Li Hualin found were useless. Besides, this wet nurse was clearly his person.

*

No news of the midwife ever came. Li Hualin spent most of the past two days outside, claiming to search for her, but only he knew what he was really doing.

Chu Yunli, being a physician herself, carefully checked her medicine before each dose. Since Mr. Luo had begun to suspect Li Hualin and personally guarded his daughter’s door, Chu Yunli slept quite well and recovered day by day.

Two days later, she could even stand up with effort.

The first time she stood, pain broke out all over her, accompanied by cold sweat. To be honest, after all she had endured, having her abdomen cut open was a first.

Days passed. From barely managing to stand to taking a few steps, the doctor treating her came frequently. Judging by his visits, if the Luo family weren’t wealthy and unwilling to keep guests, he might have just moved in.

Wet nurses were hard to find, but Chu Yunli spared no expense and soon found one. The previous wet nurse, Zhang, was sent to the backyard.

One morning, just after Chu Yunli finished her soup and was quietly speaking with Mr. Luo, Zhang appeared.

Though she hadn’t taken care of the child in days, she looked more exhausted than when she was, with a weary, haggard face. She knelt immediately. “Madam, now that you have another wet nurse, I feel bad taking this wage without working. Besides, my own child at home still needs me... may I return?”

Chu Yunli smiled faintly. “Are you willing?”

Her words carried a double meaning.

Zhang’s heart skipped a beat. She hurriedly explained, “I’m a simple country girl, honest to the core. If I’m not doing work, I wouldn’t take anyone’s benefits. Please allow me to go home.”

“This matter is not mine to decide alone.” Chu Yunli’s spirit was improving, and she could talk longer without tiring. She gestured to a maid. “Send for Li Hualin.”

Almost everyone in the household knew that since the birth of the child, the lady had grown resentful toward Li Hualin. The couple found it hard to calmly talk to each other.

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Li Hualin was in the outer courtyard. Hearing that Luo Mei-niang requested him, he was very reluctant to come but had no choice.

A guilty conscience made him constantly fear exposure. Now, he was anxious, feeling as if his secrets were about to be uncovered.

“Madam, if you have something to say, just send a message. Don’t tire yourself. If you get hurt, I will feel heartbroken.”

Chu Yunli nodded toward the wet nurse. “She wants to leave. What do you think?”

Li Hualin had not glanced that way since entering, but now followed his wife’s gaze and met a tear-streaked face. He frowned. “I think there’s no need for two wet nurses at home. Madam, if you don’t like her, just send her home.”

“She wants to leave,” Chu Yunli emphasized. “The family can afford a wet nurse. If we agreed to help with the child and now reject her, that’s a breach of trust. In business, nothing is more taboo than dishonesty. I plan to keep her in the household. What do you think?”

Li Hualin looked at Zhang Yingying. “You want to go home?”

Zhang nodded. “I want to take care of my own child.”

Hearing this, Li Hualin did not hesitate. “I’ll arrange for someone to take you back later.”

Chu Yunli spoke. “By the way, after all these days running around, have you found any clues?”

Li Hualin shook his head. “I visited several villages, but no one would take in strangers. Mei-niang, where did you hear the midwife was out in the countryside?”

Chu Yunli countered, “Have you been able to sleep at night these days?”

Li Hualin’s heart skipped. “I’m exhausted every day, busy outside then busy at home...”

Chu Yunli grew impatient. “Can you sleep or not?”

Li Hualin now bore two dark circles under his eyes. If he could sleep, it would be a miracle.

Chu Yunli smiled faintly. “Is life tormenting you?”

Constantly fearing exposure, how could he be at ease?

Li Hualin’s expression darkened. “Mei-niang, what do you mean? Do you suspect I want you dead?”

“Isn’t that so?” Chu Yunli replied casually. “I have no grudge with the midwife and was generous to her. For us mother and child to be safe, it must have been thanks to her. If no one ordered her, why would she risk my life?”

Hearing these implications, Li Hualin was certain the murderer had been identified and instantly grew flustered.

“It’s not me!” he insisted. “Evidence is needed for such claims.”

Chu Yunli sneered. “It’s enough that I know it’s you.”

Li Hualin was speechless.