When Madame Qin and her entourage arrived at Madame Gu's house, the child was wailing loudly, while Qin Liusi was busy using golden needles to stimulate acupuncture points on Madame Gu's body. His expression was grim and troubled.
"What's happened now?" Madame Qin's heart raced erratically, especially when she saw Madame Gu's pallid complexion, her hands trembled.
Madame Wang instructed the nanny named Zhou and Chrysanthemum to each take a child aside to soothe them, to calm down this chaotic situation.
Madame Gu slowly regained consciousness and, seeing everyone around her, paused for a moment before following the sound of the baby's cries.
"Auntie San, don't blame me for speaking bluntly. Your health is not suitable for breastfeeding. I believe the physicians have already warned you. If you insist, you'll only harm yourself," Qin Liusi said with a stern face as he put away the needles and looked directly at Madame Gu. "You were born prematurely with twins, and your childbirth was not easy. After finally ensuring the safety of mother and child, if you strain yourself again, are you trying to shorten your own life?"
Madame Wang felt somewhat helpless. Couldn't he be a bit more tactful?
Madame Gu struggled to sit up straight and, feeling guilty under Qin Liusi's gaze, she said with a hint of grievance, "I just wanted to give the baby a few sips because he was crying so hard, but then I..."
She lowered her head, tears falling like broken beads.
She never expected that she wouldn't have any milk to feed her child. Watching him struggle but unable to suckle, then crying inconsolably, broke her heart. In her desperation, she became agitated and passed out.
"Your body is not well. The prescription I gave you contains herbs to induce lactation. You cannot breastfeed him," Qin Liusi said quietly.
Breast milk is like a woman's blood, precious, but Madame Gu's body couldn't support breastfeeding. No matter how much she supplemented, it wouldn't be enough to compensate for her loss.
The child was important, but the mother was even more critical. If the mother were lost, what would happen to the child?
Madame Gu was stunned.
Madame Qin had already heard the story and also advised, "Gu, your priority now is to take care of your health. Leave the child to the wet nurse for feeding. If one isn't enough, find another. But if something happens to you, what about the several children? What about the youngest?"
"Mother, I'm scared!" Qin Mingbao knelt beside the bed, clutching Madame Gu's hand and crying.
Madame Gu felt heartache, and her tears fell even more freely.
"Don't cry. You can't cry during your confinement, or your eyesight will suffer in the future," Madame Wang wiped away her tears and said, "We all know you care about the children, but because of this, you need to take care of yourself even more, don't you?"
Madame Gu nodded. "I have been shallow-minded."
She had only thought about the children's pain, but hadn't considered that her physical condition wouldn't allow it.
Madame Gu looked at Qin Liusi and said, "I'll call you Xier like Elder Sister-in-law. Xier, these children were successfully born with your help. Can you give them names?"
Qin Liusi frowned slightly and looked at Madame Qin. "This should be decided by the elders in the family."
"Mother..." Madame Gu immediately looked at Madame Qin, her eyes pleading.
Madame Qin said, "Your Auntie San is right. Let's give them a name. It can be a nickname for now. Later, we'll write to your grandfather and third uncle. When the children are three years old, we can give them formal names."
At this point, Qin Liusi didn't fuss anymore. She had a good idea of the children's birth time, and had even taken their pulses. However, the children were too young, and it wasn't appropriate to make any judgments.
"Peace," Qin Liusi looked at the swaddles in the hands of the nanny and Chrysanthemum. "Let's call them Peace for now. It's not extravagant, not humble, and easy to care for."
Bang, the epidemic in Guangzhou has erupted again, and it's uncertain when it will end. How bleak! Ahhhh!