After all, it’s the apocalypse now, and dical facilities are nonexistent. The elder aunt did pull so strings to find a gynecologist, albeit at a high cost. For safety’s sake, they also wanted Grandma Jing to go help with the delivery, given that her generation also gave birth using traditional thods without dical facilities.
Actually, Grandma Jing had also considered it would be best to go to Wu City for the birth, since the facilities there were better. However, their daughter-in-law was nearing delivery, and coupled with heavy rain making the roads treacherous, they gave up on the idea; after all, if sothing happened on the way, what could they do?
Therefore, after dinner that night, the Jing family sat at the table discussing this issue. But since it wasn’t the New Year, neither Mrs. Jing nor Mr. Jing had ti off. Not to ntion, after the extinction of the red earthworms, the canteen faced a severe shortage of ingredients. As the canteen director, Third Aunt Jing Lai had even less ti.
Although Mrs. Jing controlled the finances, and Mr. Jing always seed a bit afraid of her, she consistently respected his opinions on matters concerning his side of the family. "Let’s see how Jing An arranges it; I’ll follow his decision," she said.
This is what love looks like after it has evolved, Jing Shu thought.
Mr. Jing tossed the bowls and chopsticks into the dishwasher. Holding a bowl of cherry tomatoes, their post-dinner fruit, he said:
"So, Lan Zhi and I won’t go. Jing Shu’s aunt won’t go either; she’s too busy with work and can’t leave. Things have been tough lately. The ranch invested heavily in poultry this year, so we have plenty of chickens and ducks. However, now that the red earthworms are gone, feed has beco a problem.
Jing Shu can take her grandparents there and look around to see what help is needed. Since they say the birth is close, it should just be a matter of three to five days. If Youai has the ti, she could also make the trip."
Jing Shu, holding a luxurious mix of fish bones, eggs, grains, and vegetable leaves, fed the fat chicken while constantly soothing it. Recently, while foraging, the fat chicken had accidentally brought ho a nest of flea-like insects that made a ho in its feathers, clinging tightly and refusing to let go.
With no other choice, Jing Shu had to shave it, turning the fat chicken into a bald fat chicken... For so reason, seeing this large, bald chicken, Jing Shu kept imagining it as a walking roast turkey with every step it took. And for so reason, the sight made her mouth water, she thought.
PAH! PAH! PAH!
The beauty-loving fat chicken was heartbroken for several days. It used to strut by the pond every day, admiring its shiny brown feathers and holding its tail high, even occasionally squabbling with Jing Shu’s Five-step Snake to assert its unshakeable status in her heart.
But after losing its feathers, the entire chicken was out of sorts. Grandma Jing, feeling sorry that it was laying fewer eggs, made it a silk dress. Only then did the fat chicken start laying a few more eggs daily. Now, Jing Shu added an extra al for it each day, and it resud its usual egg production. Looks like the fat chicken still knows where its greatest value lies, huh, Jing Shu mused.
"Although I’m busy too, I can spare three to five days. I have to hand over things at the Pharmacist Association tomorrow morning. But this ti, let’s take the RV; otherwise, there will definitely be a lot of people there. The weather has dropped more than ten degrees Celsius since March, and I don’t want to sleep in a tent in a cold, damp warehouse again," Jing Shu said while grooming the freshly sprouting down on the fat chicken, which half-closed its eyes, clearly enjoying the pampering.
To be honest, Jing Shu hadn’t intended to go this ti. Compared to attending soone else’s childbirth, she had more important things to do. With the third year of the apocalypse approaching, There’s sothing big left unfinished... she felt. Jing Shu opened her palm and read the words there, "Practice the Magic Cube! Practice the Magic Cube!"
That’s right, I still need to practice the Magic Cube! she thought.
Jing Shu had confird that her forgetfulness in practicing with the Magic Cube Space must be related to her recent advancent in ability. Rembering what needed to be done, she pushed the fat chicken aside and took out the Magic Cube to start practicing.
Besides, she still had to prepare for the disasters and events of the third year.
So, if it weren’t for the opportunity to test the RV’s various functions, she wouldn’t even want to go. This trip would allow her to identify any shortcomings after a few days of experience and improve them while there was still ti. It would be much harder to make changes once they were migrating on the road.
However, truth be told, she was quite excited about experiencing the RV. She needed to make a list for her third-year preparations.
Mrs. Jing was a bit worried. "The RV is so big, can you drive it on your own? Is it safe? Maybe your dad should go with you."
"Mom, don’t worry. I’ve already told you about its features and safety. It won’t tip over even at a 40-degree incline, so even if I drive into a ditch, the RV won’t flip. Plus, the chassis has been waterproofed. Rest assured, I’m not going to drive it into a river." In fact, Jing Shu had tried it a few tis, and she had to admit that driving this luxury vehicle was a completely different experience compared to driving an inexpensive BYD Song.
When you don’t know cars, any vehicle will do. But once you understand them, you start to find faults—the power isn’t good enough, the motor isn’t right, two-wheel drives won’t cut it—this and that won’t do. It’s just like with cell phones. At first, even a Nokia touchscreen seems advanced, but only after using a smartphone do you realize what technological progress looks like.
When you step on the accelerator in a BYD Song, it strains to pick up speed with a clunky clatter, making a loud noise even when going over a manhole cover. But in the RV, when you step on the accelerator, you barely feel it moving; going over a rock probably wouldn’t even be felt inside. The vehicle’s suspension system was incredibly impressive.
Living in an RV during an actual apocalyptic migration would surely be amazing. It would be like riding on a high-speed train, watching the scenery fly past without any other unsettling motion.
"Alright, but you must drive slowly, watch the road carefully, and don’t drive into deep water," Mrs. Jing advised.
The family agreed. Third Aunt Jing Lai then brought out over a dozen pure cotton diapers she had made from old clothes, which could be reused, as a gift for the newborn.
Even Zijin had embroidered two handkerchiefs for the yet-to-be-born little one, for wiping its face and nose.
Mr. Jing made a gold lock from the gold Jing Shu had recovered, and Grandma Jing had sewn many clothes, small blankets, and other things.
The family packed their belongings overnight.
"This is about two lives; we can’t be negligent. Jing Shu, Youai, you both have experience in delivering babies. That’s valuable, so if you have any good advice, make sure to speak up." Grandma Jing was so excited all night. She agreed with everything Jing Shu planned, praising her thoroughly. For the older generation, welcoming new life was always a delight.
It took Jing Shu a mont to recall her so-called childbirth experience. She had gone to help Zhang Bingbing deliver, but the baby had practically delivered itself with a strong push the mont she arrived. Does that even count as experience? she wondered.
Jing Shu and Wu Youai exchanged glances and coughed twice.
After discussion, they decided to bring one chicken for nourishnt and two carp to help with lactation as their gift for the newborn. Of course, Jing Shu’s pet, the fat chicken, was also coming along. As a walking egg-layer, Jing Shu’s breakfast depended on it.
It would be a good opportunity to test out the RV’s farming room and the functionality of the small fish pond.
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