WSMTATMC C73

Chapter 73

By June, the weather was getting hotter each day. As soon as the sun rose, everyone began to sweat—sticky and uncomfortable.

For the past few days, little Yuanbao had developed heat rash (prickly heat), with red patches in the creases under his neck and joints. They itched and hurt, and he whimpered and cried in discomfort.

Madam Li felt bad for her grandson and gave the two nannies a scolding, blaming them for not watching the baby closely enough.

But it wasn’t completely their fault—the baby was chubby, sweated easily, and although Wang Ying had put two ice chests in the room, Madam Li was afraid the baby would catch cold and had removed them.

Wang Ying suggested, “Let’s put the ice chests back. If you’re worried he’ll get cold, just add an extra blanket at night.”

“Alright, but at night make sure to keep an eye on him. If his belly’s exposed, he’ll get diarrhea again.”

The nannies quickly agreed.

Before long, Chen Rong and Lin Qiu came over. Seeing Yuanbao’s heat rash, they took him carefully and examined him, “Poor thing. Heat rash isn’t hard to treat—just buy some honeysuckle, make a bath, and wash him in it. When Sui’er had it as a baby, a few washes cleared it right up.”

Madam Li immediately ordered a servant to fetch honeysuckle from the pharmacy.

After taking turns comforting Yuanbao, they soothed him to sleep and left the room to relax under the trees.

Madam Li said, “When the county magistrate visited last time and said he’d help investigate Qingyan’s case, I wonder if there’s been any progress.”

Wang Ying replied, “These things can’t be rushed. The fastest is three or four months, at worst it might be next year.”

“So long to wait! It’s good we didn’t tell Qingyan ahead of time, or he’d have it weighing on his mind.”

Chen Rong commented, “Important matters are always difficult—getting it done right is all that matters. After all he’s been through, maybe it will turn out for the best.” She paused. “And I wonder when Cao Kun will come back. He said he’d be gone only two months, but it’s June and still no word.”

Lin Qiu was already losing patience. Since marrying, Cao Kun had never gone so far or so long—a fortnight at most. This time he’d been gone over two months, and who knew if he’d met trouble on the road.

Wang Ying comforted him, “Don’t worry, maybe he’s delayed by business. The southern region is in the rainy season—travel is tough by boat or by wagon.”

Lin Qiu nodded, feeling a little better.

Just then, Lin Zai ran over from the front yard:

“Madams, cousin-in-law is back!”

Lin Qiu’s excitement overcame him and he ran for the front yard—everyone jumped in alarm at such a rush, since he was pregnant! They hurried to follow.

In the front courtyard, Cao Kun arrived driving a carriage. At first, they barely recognized him: his skin was deeply tanned, his beard grown out, and he was much thinner, looking weathered and worn.

“Qiu’er!”

Hearing the familiar voice, Lin Qiu’s eyes grew misty. He hurried forward, grabbing his hand. The two husbands had too much to say all at once.

Chen Rong quickly said, “It’s hot out here—come inside and talk!”

Wang Ying went to the kitchen to ask Aunt Chen to prepare lunch; with guests, there’d be need for extra dishes.

Inside, Cao Kun gulped down a big cup of tea, caught his breath, and examined his husband. “Have you been well while I was gone? Did the baby behave?”

“All fine! But you—why are you so thin?”

“Just tired from the road, that’s all…” Cao Kun didn’t dare say that the trip south had been life-threatening—he’d almost died.

The journey down had been smooth, but on the way back, they ran into river bandits. He’d thought mountain bandits were rough, but river bandits were worse.

Passing through Chuzhou, their boat was holed by bandits and started sinking; all fell into the water.

Luckily, Cao Kun could swim and made it out, but in the fighting he had been stabbed twice—once in the shoulder, once in the arm.

He only realized he’d been wounded after the battle was over; though not life-threatening injuries, he had a raging fever for several days, clinging to life.

On the way home, Cao Kun reflected: before marriage, he was fearless for money and work. Now, with a spouse and baby, risking his life for money was too much. If anything happened, how would Lin Qiu cope?

He decided to quit the trade after this run, to live peacefully running a shop and raising kids.

He already had a plan: in winter, get vegetables in bulk from his cousin-in-law; in summer, sell sundries and help care for Lin Qiu and the baby.

After lunch, Cao Kun told Lin Qiu he was quitting the foot trader’s job. To his surprise, Lin Qiu began to cry.

“What is it? Don’t want me to quit?”

“I’m happy! I wanted to ask you to quit, but was afraid you’d mind. You’ve been gone two months—I worried day and night for your safety.”

Cao Kun hugged him, “No more of that from now on.”

After a while, Cao Kun suddenly remembered and pulled out his money pouch. Inside were two round gold ingots!

“What, gold?”

“Yes, ten taels—our wages for running to Jiangnan.”

Ten taels was a fortune; gold was rarer than silver and, especially in a small county town, would fetch at least 110 taels of silver if sold at a jeweler’s.

“Quick, put it away—it’s too valuable.”

“Hold onto it—”

Lin Qiu stroked his belly, “We still don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl. What if it’s a ge’er…?”

“Even better—just like you. No matter what, I’ll love them all the same.”

Cao Kun didn’t stay more than a day, taking Lin Qiu, Lin Sui, and Chen Rong back to the county the next morning. The home grew quiet again, just Madam Li and Qingyun making regular trips to the back courtyard.

Even Yuanbao noticed the absence; when Madam Li held him, he turned his little head everywhere, searching.

“Sweet boy, must be looking for his auntie!”

Wang Ying patted his son’s little head—so young, and already able to recognize people.

The summer passed to the sound of cicadas, and before long Yuanbao was over six months old, able to sit on the bed and play alone.

A few days earlier, Chen Qingyan missed his son, so he returned from the manor to town and bought Yuanbao many toys.

There were rattles, little wooden tigers and colts, brass nine-linked rings, even a grasshopper woven from bamboo wire—lifelike and able to make sounds when shaken. Wang Ying marveled at the craftsmen’s skill.

Among all the toys, Yuanbao liked the hand-sized grasshopper best, happily gnawing it, his face covered in drool.

Wang Ying purposely took the toy away and hid it. The baby stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

“Ah!”

“What, can’t Dad play with your toy a little?”

Yuanbao looked sadly at his own empty little hands, meaning he was left with nothing.

Wang Ying was so amused that he returned the bamboo toy, making Yuanbao beam, his eyes turning into happy crescents as he gnawed on.

By day he played energetically, but in the evening, just as Wang Ying entered the experimental field, he heard urgent knocking and hurried out. “What is it?”

The nanny’s anxious voice: “Langjun, little master seems feverish…”

Wang Ying hurried to the next room. Yuanbao was still asleep, but his face was flushed, his body unnaturally hot.

“When did this start?”

“He was fine when he nursed tonight, just ate a bit less than usual. But when I covered him, his hands and feet felt cold and his forehead was burning.”

“Quick, fetch a doctor!”

Soon, Madam Li appeared in her nightclothes. “I heard that Yuanbao has a fever?”

“He played fine during the day; I don’t know why he’s suddenly hot at night.”

Madam Li cradled him and touched his forehead and neck. “He’s burning—what’s wrong, Yuanbao, wake up! Grandma’s here.”

Wang Ying echoed, “Yuanbao, open your eyes and look at Daddy.”

Little Yuanbao woke up, dazed, and reached out to be picked up.

Wang Ying quickly took him, gently rocking him. “Poor thing, feeling so bad? Daddy’s here, don’t be scared.”

Yuanbao was clearly miserable, snuggling his face against Wang Ying’s chest and making weak, breathy whimpers.

Soon, the doctor arrived. He asked about Yuanbao’s eating over the previous days, then carefully examined him.

“Should be a mild fever. I’ll use acupuncture—a bit of sweat and he’ll be fine. Let him drink more water for a few days—medicine is slightly toxic, best to avoid drugs unless necessary for such a little one.”

“Thank you, doctor.”

Wang Ying put Yuanbao back in bed. The doctor heated silver needles over a candle and inserted them at the dazhui and hegu points.

Yuanbao cried loudly in pain. Wang Ying’s heart ached so much he turned away, unable to watch.

Ancient medicine couldn’t compare with the modern era—often, a simple cold could threaten an infant’s life. This is why the elders would say babies had “no waist,” meaning “waist” (yao) was a homonym for “yāo” (calamity, misfortune), out of fear of losing a child.

After a while, the doctor took out the needles. Yuanbao was still sobbing, but soon he began sweating and his limbs grew warm again.

Wang Ying picked him up, finally understanding the feeling of parental worry—he wished he could bear the pain in his child’s place.

He didn’t let the nannies watch Yuanbao that night but cared for him personally. After breaking a sweat and cooling off, Yuanbao drifted off to sleep.

Wang Ying slipped into the experimental field to find Chen Qingyan already waiting.

“Why are you so late today?”

“Yuanbao just had a fever.”

“He had a fever? How is he now?!”

“He’s okay now, don’t worry. The doctor came and did some acupuncture, and the fever broke.”

“Then go back and stay with him.”

They spoke only briefly before Wang Ying hurried back. In the bedroom, Yuanbao seemed to sense his father’s scent, burrowed close, and hugged Wang Ying’s arm to sleep contentedly.

Luckily, the fever didn’t return in the night, and Yuanbao was brighter in the morning.

Early next morning, Chen Qingyan returned home—he’d worried all night and before dawn had Dunzi hitch the cart to return to town.

Seeing his son healthy, his heart could finally settle.

It was strange; Chen Qingyan didn’t spend much time with Yuanbao—maybe a visit a month—yet the boy always seemed to recognize and favor him. Perhaps blood ties are just that mysterious.

With rare free time together, Chen Qingyan wanted to carry Yuanbao all day long.

Wang Ying, feeling playful, teased Yuanbao’s belly, making the boy giggle while hugging his daddy.

Suddenly, Chen Qingyan’s steps came to a halt, his face changing.

“What’s wrong?”

“Yuanbao’s peed…”

“Haha, hahahahahaha…”

Wang Ying burst out laughing, the little one giggling along on Chen Qingyan’s shoulder, and all Chen could do was shake his head helplessly.

Footnotes:

1. Dazhui/HeGu points — These are acupuncture points often used traditionally for treating fevers or clearing heat in children. 
2. No waist (没腰/夭) — The phrase plays on the Chinese word “waist” (yao, 腰) and the homonym “calamity” or “early death” (夭), expressing elders’ superstitions about childhood frailty. 
3. In many parts of traditional China, teething, fevers, and even heat rash could be dangerous for infants because of limited medical knowledge and high child mortality.