Isn't She Just a Nouveau Riche

Midwife Zhang, while speaking, shook the old, dirty birthing cloth, carefully folded it, and tucked it into her bosom.

Midwife Liu opened her mouth but said nothing, "But Madam Su said her family has their own rules and won’t allow us to use our own things."

Midwife Zhang rolled her eyes: "It's just a nouveau riche family. Where do they get all these damn rules? When her own mother and father gave birth to her, they didn't even use birthing cloths. They just sprinkled some rice straw ash, and yet she was born and raised just fine! Now that they have money, they start looking down on this and that. A bride who’s never given birth before is actually bossing around an experienced midwife like me. Even the wife of Master Wang in the city listens to me when she has a baby. That little Madam Su, what does she know? Purely pretentious!"

"But Madam Su said..." Midwife Liu felt this wasn’t right.

"Oh, why do you have to say so much nonsense!" Midwife Zhang impatiently interrupted Midwife Liu. "I've delivered so many babies, all on my birthing cloth, and they all turned out fine. Why wouldn't it work for their family?"

Midwife Zhang was displeased, turned around to eat some snacks, and stopped talking to Midwife Liu.

Midwife Liu was a woman of few words. Seeing Midwife Zhang angry, she said nothing more but felt uneasy and lost her appetite for the snacks.

Meanwhile, Su Li was busy running around for Wu Caiwei’s delivery, checking on the nourishing stew in the kitchen and whether the needed supplies were prepared.

After a while, Madam Wang came again to say that Wu Caiwei suddenly craved roast duck.

"Oh, at this time, why would she want roast duck?" Su Li thought, Wu Caiwei was about to give birth, yet her appetite was so good, suddenly craving roast duck?

"Who knows? She suddenly said she wanted roast duck, nothing else, just roast duck!" Madam Wang smiled, "Pregnant women’s appetites are strange. When I was pregnant with you, I suddenly craved something and didn’t want anything else."

"Alright, roast duck it is. I’ll make it for her! She's the family's treasure right now!" Su Li smiled kindly and headed to the kitchen. "Well, I guess she’ll only eat a few bites, then lose interest. The rest will be shared among everyone."

In the kitchen, Lingdang was watching the fire while stewing the nourishing soup. Next to the stove, a few little troublemakers came to ask Lingdang for snacks.

"Yindou, Guyu, and Lihuahua are sneaking into the kitchen to steal snacks again, eating so much they’ll turn into chubby little girls!" Su Li looked at the three petite, delicate girls and laughed.

"Fat or not, my dad says I look good even if I’m chubby." Yindou cheerfully came closer, "Sister Ali, what’s good to eat? What’s that pot next to Lingdang? It smells so good!"

"Little gluttons, that pot is stew for Sister Caiwei. You’re not allowed to eat it." Su Li said while tying her apron, "Sister is making roast duck now. When it’s done, there will be something delicious for you!"

"Wow, roast duck!" The three little girls clapped their hands excitedly, thinking about the roast duck made by Su Li herself, their mouths watering!

"Don’t cause trouble. Go play somewhere else. I’ll call you when it’s ready to eat." Su Li said.

"Alright, then we’ll go build a snowman in the backyard!" Yindou said with a big smile, grabbing Lihuahua’s hand with one hand and Guyu’s with the other as they ran off.

But when the three girls got to the backyard, they saw the snow had been cleared away, leaving no snow to play with.

"Oh no, I forgot! Brother Zhang Mu has been sweeping the snow every day these past few days, saying he’s afraid his wife will slip." Yindou hung her head, "My snowman, sigh..."

"It’s okay, outside the courtyard by the main gate, there’s a big patch of wild land covered with untouched snow. Let’s go build snowmen there!" Lihuahua suggested.

"Right! Hua Hua, you’re so smart! Let’s go outside!" Yindou lifted her skirt and ran out.