Chapter 30: The Moon

Chapter 30: Chapter 30: The Moon

By the time she returned to the Knowledge Youth Institute, her steamed cornbread and corn-and-radish soup were still keeping warm in the pot.

There was a small note on the table explaining that Tuantuan had been taken to the clinic. The man was the clinic’s only patient this month, so Deng Yuyuan didn’t need to worry about Tuantuan catching anything.

Deng Yuyuan raised an eyebrow, wondering if they had actually taken her joke seriously and sent the baby over.

The village clinic was only utilized for critical patients. For minor ailments, most villagers preferred relying on home remedies. If that failed, they would visit the barefoot doctor’s home; if they were truly gravely ill, they would invite the doctor over.

The main reason was the clinic’s registration fee. The kind-hearted village doctors didn’t charge one, and their consultation fees could be paid in grain.

Deng Yuyuan recalled the clinic’s location and stuffed the cornbread into her mouth. She left her own note on the table, explaining where the large meat buns came from and that everyone could have one. Clapping the crumbs off her hands, she strolled leisurely toward the clinic.

The midday sun was warm and inviting. Deng Yuyuan narrowed her eyes, just about to enjoy a sunbath, when someone unexpectedly patted her shoulder.

"Sister Deng, stop dawdling! Your mother-in-law took off with your reward money, and there’s a huge argument happening at the clinic right now!"

Deng Yuyuan’s eyes widened, nearly choking on her own saliva.

Talk about a leech that just wouldn’t let go! She remembered getting married, but she certainly hadn’t signed an indentured servitude contract.

Seeing her empty-handed with only a piece of cornbread dangling from her mouth, the older woman breathed a sigh of relief. She hurriedly dragged Deng Yuyuan toward the clinic, not giving her the slightest chance to return to the Knowledge Youth Institute for a weapon.

"What about Tuantuan? Is she startled?" Deng Yuyuan asked with concern.

"The baby is fine. She’s in the ward with a female educated youth. The patient offered to help keep an eye on her so the adults could go out and discuss matters," the older woman quickly dispelled her worries. "The village officials are trying to mediate, so you can rest assured. But it’s hard for them to settle family affairs. It’s better if you, the person actually involved, head over there."

"Family affairs? Haven’t we already divorced?" Deng Yuyuan sneered.

The woman didn’t know how to respond and simply pulled her along at a brisk pace.

"Is Zhang Jiahua there?" Deng Yuyuan asked.

The woman paused. "They went to call him, but it’ll take a while. He went to town today."

"To town?"

"Word is there’s a factory worker quota available from above, and the village chief wrote him a recommendation letter. Zhang Jiahua is the hardest and best worker in our village, and he’s a good man, so everyone agreed to it," she praised, though under the current circumstances, the compliment carried a hint of subtle irony.

"Congratulations to him." Deng Yuyuan was genuinely pleased. If Zhang Jiahua had financial stability, it meant he could pay child support on time.

The older woman sighed. "It’s a pity. I heard Granny Zhang say her son will never take back a cast-off wife. She’s planning to find him a brand-new virgin bride."

Under the woman’s expectant gaze, Deng Yuyuan frowned exactly as anticipated. "Doesn’t that mean they’ll be collecting wedding gifts all over again?"

The woman’s smile stiffened.

Ever vigilant, Deng Yuyuan quickly cleared her own name in advance. "I don’t even know how much you gifted us back then. On the night of our wedding, all the gift money was taken directly to my mother-in-law’s room. I never laid eyes on a single penny of it, and now that we’re divorced, I certainly won’t see a dime. If they really invite me to the wedding banquet, I’ll have to ask you how much I should give."

The older woman’s face had already soured. Her own son wouldn’t be marrying for another few years. Not only would it take a long time to recoup her initial gift money, but it was unheard of to give one man wedding money twice. She regretted not giving a smaller wedding gift the first time around.

Meanwhile, at the clinic.

The atmosphere was equally subdued. Shen Zhao woke up with mixed feelings. His first thought was to find the girl who saved him and figure out a proper way to repay her. Instead, the sight of his benefactor’s baby delivered a critical blow right out of the gate.

Looking at the fair, adorable infant, his compliments got stuck in his throat, completely unable to be voiced. He felt a wave of melancholy and a faint sense of disappointment.

His clothes had been cut away and placed neatly beside his belongings. The doctor was currently contacting a higher-level hospital to arrange a transfer. This small clinic could only handle simple emergency wound care; they simply lacked the means to treat him properly.

Shen Zhao had them call his family to send reinforcements. The medical skills of doctors in such a remote area were not advanced, and he certainly didn’t want to be left with any lingering complications.

Amidst his family’s exclamations, comforts, and reproaches, Shen Zhao turned his head away from the receiver. He happened to lock eyes with Tuantuan, who was lying nearby. The little baby wasn’t afraid of strangers or crying; she was simply lying there obediently, blowing bubbles with her spit. Suddenly, Shen Zhao’s heart found peace.

An adult couldn’t possibly be more emotionally unstable than a baby, right?

After finally gathering his emotions, Shen Zhao mustered the courage to ask who the child’s father was. He wanted to get some closure and let go of this budding romance before it even started, only to suddenly learn that she was already divorced.

Overjoyed, Shen Zhao felt that this little girl was incredibly smart and endearing. Noticing her bright, unblinking eyes fixed on his diamond-studded wristwatch, he signaled the people around him to wipe it clean and let the baby play with it.

No one in the room moved an inch. The village chief quickly explained, "This watch is too valuable, and a baby doesn’t know her own strength. If... if she breaks it—"

"I intended to give it to her anyway," Shen Zhao said gently, maintaining an image of flawless, jade-like grace.

After confirming repeatedly, the village chief finally allowed the nurse to wipe it down with alcohol and hand it to Tuantuan.

The baby reached out with her chubby little hands, grabbed the watch, and pressed it against her plump cheek. It left a faint red mark on her fair skin. The little one smiled, her eyes curving into happy crescents, and let out a contented coo from her throat.

Soon, a trail of drool inevitably escaped her slightly open mouth. Zhao Erdong was quick to react, pulling the watch away just in time so that Tuantuan only managed to stuff her own fingers into her mouth. She wasn’t picky, sucking on them intently. With her other hand, she waved the watch in the air playfully toward Zhao Erdong, kicking her swaddle vigorously with her little legs and letting out happy shouts every now and then.

Shen Zhao thought she was much better behaved than his own nephew was at that age. At least she didn’t eat her own boogers.

Seeing Shen Zhao craning his neck to look, Zhao Erdong shifted the baby closer to him. Deep down, she hoped this wealthy painter would take a liking to Tuantuan, which might result in a bit more money slipping through his fingers into their hands.

"What’s her name?" Shen Zhao asked.

"Tuantuan."

"Ah!" the baby shrieked in excitement, seemingly eager to answer for herself. The sound wasn’t piercing but soft and sweet, truly fitting her round, adorable name.

"Tuantuan?" Shen Zhao repeated. The little one let out another sound, as if responding on cue.

"Is her formal name Tuantuan?" Shen Zhao asked curiously.

"Ah-mm!" the baby mumbled in agreement.

Zhao Erdong gently patted the baby’s back. "Don’t just agree to everything, baby. Her formal name is Deng Wangshu."

"Wangshu?" Shen Zhao softly repeated the name. "Wangshu, the charioteer of the moon, leads the way; Feilian, the lord of the wind, follows in swift pursuit."

Wangshu... the goddess who drives the moon chariot? He actually felt the name suited her mother much better.