lcionline Chapter 120 The Reason for Not Having Children
Chapter 120 The Reason for Not Having Children
The Mid-Autumn Festival has always been one of the most important festivals for people, just like the Spring Festival, and it represents reunion.
Mooncakes already existed in this era, but they were very simple; they were just dough with sugar added and then steamed.
Of course, wealthy families would have more variety, such as adding sesame seeds, dried dates, and walnuts, or adding slices of meat. In addition to steaming, they would also make special ovens for roasting.
The mooncakes that Da Zhuang's mother gave her were actually just sugar cakes with added sugar, but they were shaped like the moon. Although the taste was so-so, they still looked quite pretty.
Since Yunyi is here, she naturally wants to expand the variety of mooncakes, so she decides to make them herself.
An oven is not feasible here for the time being, but a simple bread oven can still be made.
Yunyi didn't intend to do it alone, nor did she intend to designate anyone to do it. Instead, she asked Jia Xiucai to give the children half a day off, and then she would work with them.
The kids had never even seen or heard of it before, so they were all very interested.
Yunyi drew up the blueprints, then briefly explained the principles, listed the necessary materials and steps, and then called on everyone to get started.
Da Bao led a few boys to dig and mix soil, while Er Ya and the other girls started choosing a location and marking out the size...
In short, everyone got to work with great enthusiasm.
Jia Xiucai watched with envy, and even Guo Yining was eager to help, but in the end she could only become the children's helper.
Yunyi prepared mooncakes with egg yolk and pork filling and red bean paste filling. Due to limited resources and insufficient ingredients, she could only make a simplified version, but compared to mooncakes of this era, it was already quite luxurious.
In one morning, an ugly bread oven was finally built, and then the fire was lit. Once it was completely dry, it would be ready to use.
"Yunyi, can this thing be used to bake food?" Xia Songshi circled the bread oven twice with some doubt.
"You'll see once we bake them," Yunyi smiled. "Let's hurry up and wrap the mooncakes. Once the kiln is completely dry, we'll start baking them. Although tomorrow isn't the Mid-Autumn Festival, we can taste the mooncakes tonight."
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately got to work.
Because there were so many people, we prepared a lot of materials, and in the end, we managed to make over a hundred mooncakes, which were then placed on plates and sent into the bread oven.
Because the bread oven is relatively small, it can only bake a maximum of seven or eight loaves at a time, and then cut them open so that everyone can have a piece.
"Wife, this tastes much better than what you make," Jia Xiucai exclaimed after taking a bite.
“Brother Zian, if you want to praise this mooncake, just praise it directly. Why do you have to put me down to praise it?” Jia Liushi rolled her eyes at Jia Xiucai. “I also think it’s delicious. I won’t be jealous if you praise it.”
“I’m just telling the truth,” Jia Xiucai frowned. “I should also say that it’s even better than the local specialty restaurant in town.”
Yunyi smiled: "Uncle Xiucai, you are telling the truth. I also think my cooking is quite delicious. However, what your aunt made for you was made with love, which is incomparable to what others can make."
"Yunyi is the best at talking." Madam Jia Liu glared at Scholar Jia again.
“Actually, I think Uncle Xiucai is just showing off.” Guo Yining smiled and said, “He’s showing off how good Aunt Mei is to him. She always makes sure he eats the right things for the season.”
"Yes, I was just showing off. No one else's wife is as virtuous and capable as mine." Jia Xiucai wasn't really stupid. He immediately realized that what he had said was inappropriate. Although his wife wasn't angry, she must have been uncomfortable. Now that someone had offered him a way out, he was sure to take it.
"Come on," Jia Liu couldn't help but laugh. "If Yunyi and Ning'er hadn't spoken up for you, would you have come to this conclusion?"
"Yes, I... I'm not good with words, please forgive me, madam." Jia Xiucai stood up and then bowed deeply to Jia Liushi.
“You…” Jia Liu’s eyes suddenly reddened, then she waved her hand, “Alright, I’m not angry.”
"Oh, that's wonderful." Xia Songshi smiled. "That's how husband and wife should be, supporting each other. It's always the right thing to do."
"Big sister, it's my fault for being incompetent, making Da Mei suffer with me all this time..."
"As long as you become successful in the future and treat her well, she won't suffer, right?"
"Yes." Madam Jia Liu nodded, but her expression seemed hesitant, though she ultimately said nothing more.
Soon everyone finished baking the remaining mooncakes, and Yunyi packed a few portions and gave them to the children to take to the village chief and a few elders to have a taste.
During the lunch break, Jia Liu knocked on Yunyi's door: "Yunyi, your aunt wants to ask you for a favor."
"Come in." Yunyi didn't ask what was wrong and directly ushered the person into the house. "Sit down and give me your hand."
"You know what I'm asking for?"
"It's about the child," Yunyi nodded. "Let me take your pulse first. Sometimes, the lack of children between a couple isn't necessarily the woman's fault."
After examining both hands, Yunyi withdrew her hand: "Your body is fine. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, you can still have children."
"Really? But why haven't you gotten pregnant after all these years?"
"Then let Uncle Xiucai come over, I'll examine him and then I'll know."
"He...he's a man, is there a problem? How could this be..."
“Auntie, as I just said, not having children isn’t necessarily a woman’s problem. Men can have problems too. It’s like farming; no matter how good the soil is, if the seeds aren’t good, the seedlings won’t sprout.”
"That seems to make sense, but... I'll talk to him about it."
Yunyi nodded. If the person involved didn't want to do it, she couldn't force them, could she? But as things stand, it seems that Jia Xiucai's problem is more serious.
Not long after Jia Liu left, she returned with Jia Xiucai: "Yunyi, we're here."
Jia Xiucai was a little embarrassed, but he still reached out his hand: "Yunyi, could you please take a look at me?"
Yunyi reached out and took his pulse, and soon frowned: "Uncle Xiucai, have you been poisoned before?"
“I…” Jia Xiucai was stunned for a moment, then suddenly nodded, “Yes, that was more than ten years ago. There was a flood at the time. Although I survived by chance, I had nothing. I ate anything to survive. Later, I don’t know what I ate, but I just passed out.”
"Yes, it was terrifying at the time." Jia Liu nodded in agreement. "I had no choice but to carry him to the doctor, but he fell on the way and vomited. Fortunately, he woke up, but he was very weak afterwards and had to stay in bed for more than a month before he slowly recovered. Yunyi, could it be poisoning?"