Chapter 7: Life

In truth, before she transmigrated, Li Sanniang did not believe in any religious matters.

After all, as someone who grew up receiving a scientific education, aside from envying the Monkey King’s ability to travel 108,000 *li* in a single somersault or pluck a hair to create countless clones when watching *Journey to the West* as a child, she hadn't believed in such things at all as she grew older.

But faces are meant to be slapped, and slapped until they are swollen.

The matter of transmigration, at least for the time being, cannot be explained by science.

One can hardly say who is in charge of this transmigration business—the Great God of Transmigration?

And then, who is in charge of the "task system," which could be called a golden finger—the Main God?

Therefore, Li Sanniang chose to pray to the indigenous Taoism she had admired even before she transmigrated.

Since she had already transmigrated, she was still on this patch of land in the Huaxia continent; besides, the Three Pure Ones were figures from this realm as well.

Might as well pay respects and seek some peace of mind. What if she actually turned out to be a "lucky European"?

In fact, before she transmigrated, Li Sanniang would buy a lottery ticket on the street every birthday. If she were lucky enough to win five million, she could donate half to an orphanage and keep the other half to buy a small house and lie flat for the rest of her life.

But, in reality, she had only ever won five yuan once—barely better than a "non-African" (unlucky person).

After silently reciting her wish, Li Sanniang tapped the button in the center of the wheel. The wheel began to spin. There was no background music, yet Li Sanniang felt as if she heard the *dang-le-ge-dang* rhythm. Finally, the pointer stopped on a specific area.

The interface displayed a 3D animation of colorful paper and firecrackers, followed by a golden banner that read: "Congratulations on winning one Natural Birth Instrument Kit!" Below that was a line of small text: "Already placed in your backpack; please retrieve it from there."

Li Sanniang’s expression was like this: ⊙︿⊙.

Li Sanniang was bewildered, thinking, "So, this is the reward I got after all that fuss?"

Li Sanniang had something to say, but she didn't know where to begin.

She had hoped for some superpower, a magical spring, a plot of land, an old grandfather or a fairy sister—or at the very least, some Coke or Sprite to reminisce about modern life would have been a comfort.

And yet, just this?!

Dazed and forced to accept the reward, Li Sanniang hurriedly switched to the "backpack" interface. It was unlocked with one hundred small slots arranged in a ten-by-ten grid, similar to the standard storage backpacks found in video games.

Only the first slot had a small icon indicating it contained something; the other ninety-nine slots were empty, appearing in a gray, unclickable state.

Li Sanniang sat up from the bed and tapped the first slot. She felt a weight on her legs, which were covered by a thin quilt, and a dark green package resembling a surgical instrument kit appeared.

Upholding the principle of sterility, Li Sanniang instantly thought "retrieve," and the package vanished back into the backpack slot.

Given the name "Natural Birth Instrument Kit" and the fact that it was such a small package, it likely only contained "a pair of episiotomy scissors, two curved hemostats, one straight hemostat, one umbilical cord scissor, one large curved basin, one #7 puncture needle, one needle core, one needle holder, one short toothed forceps, one vacuum extractor, and one artificial amniotomy hook."

There were likely no full sets of surgical gowns, gauze, blood pads, cotton balls, or surgical drapes.

So, was she to return to her old profession?

For whom?

Could it be for Li Er-sao (Second Sister-in-law)?

But didn't Mother Li say she wouldn't leave the house during the days around Li Er-sao’s expected due date? There must be an accident waiting to happen.

Just as she thought of this, a clear red-background, white-text "①" appeared on the task bar of the virtual screen. Clicking on it, she saw a new task under the first one, which read: "Help Wu Lan give birth successfully; you may use a sterile operating room once."

So, it really was to help Li Er-sao deliver her third child.

Did this "sterile operating room" refer to a simulation of a hospital operating room?

Setting aside the reward for this second task, Li Sanniang stopped fretting. Since she knew the clear objective, she would face whatever came her way. She then drifted off to sleep to the sound of cicadas.

The next day, Li Sanniang successfully coaxed Li Er-sao into talking and calculated her due date. Without any surprises, it was exactly seven days away.

Although Li Er-sao was not from Chang'an City, she was the eldest granddaughter of the village head of Shilipo outside the city, and as the eldest granddaughter, she was naturally pampered.

Although the world valued sons who could become heavy laborers or participate in official rankings to bring benefits to the family, they also valued the legitimate daughters of the eldest son quite highly. Since Li Er-sao was the first child of the third generation, she was inevitably treated well.

In the countryside, good things like white flour couldn't be eaten to one's fill, but the eggs laid daily by the family’s hens were always saved for the children to eat.

Not to mention that from the age of seven or eight, Li Er-sao had followed her grandfather into the mountains to pick herbs, and every time they sold them for copper coins, she would get some snacks.

After her coming-of-age ceremony, she married into the Li family, and her food and clothing improved even further.

Thus, Li Er-sao’s menstrual cycle was very regular—exactly twenty-eight days.

For a pregnant woman with a regular cycle, the due date is easy to calculate, primarily based on the first day of the last menstrual period.

The calculation is simple: for the due date month, add nine or subtract three from the month of the first day of the last period; for the due date day, add seven to the date of the first day of the last period.

For example, if Li Er-sao’s last period was on the seventh day of the ninth month of the first year of the Shengli era, her due date would be the twenty-first day of the sixth month of the second year of the Shengli era.

Having figured this out, Li Sanniang stopped worrying too much about Li Er-sao for the time being.

Father Li and Second Brother Li went to the medical hall in the front yard, Eldest Brother Li had long since gone to his post, the four little ones had gone to the academy, and Mother Li had already arranged to help a family where someone was about to give birth. Before leaving, she instructed Li Sanniang: "Mother has already spoken to Chen the broker, who is familiar with our ward. I told him to come to the house at the *si* hour (9-11 AM) to help you look for a house.

Didn't Official Li say you must go to the Ministry of Revenue to register your household status within half a month? Sanniang, do you have enough silver?

Mother still has some private savings. Come to my room quietly after dinner, and I will give it all to you."

Mother Li was afraid that her two daughters-in-law might overhear her offering private silver to Li Sanniang, so she looked left and right before leaning close to Li Sanniang’s ear and whispering.

"Mother, I know you are considerate of me, but I really have money. The dividends from the *Yiyuan San* (a medicinal powder) I improved before I married are quite substantial each month.

Mother, don't worry. I can't afford a house as big as ours, but I can certainly afford a smaller one just for me and Luzhu."

Li Sanniang felt touched by Mother Li’s maternal love, but she also thought she needed to increase her income. After all, the income from the twenty *mu* of land and the dividends from the prescriptions were fixed. While they added up over time, she still had to raise Luzhu, and she needed to start saving for Luzhu’s dowry for when she eventually married.

This was not the modern era, where women had the right to choose not to marry or have children. Here, regardless of gender, one had to marry once they reached a certain age.

The only saving grace was that a young lady’s dowry was recorded in triplicate—one copy for the bride’s family, one for the groom’s family, and one for the government. If they were to divorce in the future, this served as proof, and everything could be taken back. It was a woman’s foundation and support in her husband’s home.

Li Sanniang said to Mother Li, "Mother, I was thinking that the house should be near our home. Being close by will make it convenient for when I have fully recovered; I want to take Luzhu and move directly there, and it will be cheaper, too."

Hearing this, Mother Li anxiously wanted to object, but before she could, Li Sanniang continued: "Mother, you know how good Eldest Sister-in-law is to me.

If I may speak frankly, I respect Eldest Sister-in-law; she was the one who raised me when I was little.

Although Second Sister-in-law came to our family two years later, she has an honest nature, never argues with anyone, and is good to me as well.

It is I who want to move out. After all, I am a divorcee returning home. The eldest boys are growing up day by day, especially Eldest Brother’s son, who is almost fifteen. After the new year, we will have to start looking for a match for him; it wouldn't be right for him to continue living with Second Brother’s children.

Once I move out, we can tidy up my room. When the matchmaker comes next year, it will be easier for us to talk, won't it?"

"My child, Mother only feels that you have been wronged."

"Wronged? Mother, how fortunate I am to have such a large family of relatives. I must have accumulated great merit in my past life to be born into your womb."

Listening to this, Mother Li’s maternal heart swelled, and her eyes grew moist.

Seeing this, Li Sanniang quickly said, "Mother, wait here. I’ll go get you some pastries, wrap them up, and put them in your basket. If you get hungry while waiting for the woman to go into labor, you can have a bite."

Although the Empress had implemented a series of policies since ascending the throne to encourage commoners to separate and live independently as soon as possible, the influence of the tradition that "one does not separate while parents are alive" could not be changed on a large scale in just five or six years.

Moreover, living together as a family was a way for commoners to survive by huddling together, helping each other get through life.

The Empress had also reduced many taxes and, in the last two years, had begun to recruit soldiers voluntarily rather than through forced conscription, but the people were still accustomed to living together as a large family.

Only merchant families would separate as soon as their children married.

Because the Empress did not suppress commercial development but rather encouraged it with many preferential policies, separating was a way to maximize profits, which led to more merchant families splitting up.

Eldest Brother Li served in the Jinwu Guard, guarding the Jinguang Gate, so living inside Chang'an City was most convenient. After all, he left for his post before dawn, and sometimes if something came up, he would leave even on his rest days.

Chang'an City is not an easy place to live.

Eldest Brother Li had been raised by Father Li since he was young; his biological father had passed away many years ago, and being from the borderlands, he had no paternal relatives to turn to.

Therefore, after marrying and having two sons, he still lived in the east wing behind the medical hall.

As for how the Li family could own such a sizable property within Chang'an City, when Li Sanniang reviewed her memories at night, she felt that Father Li must be a man with a story.

After all, based on what Mother Li had let slip since Li Sanniang was young, Father Li’s youth had not been easy. There must have been some hardships and events that occurred for them to have such a residence in Changshou Ward.

Second Brother Li’s family naturally stayed because they managed the pharmacy. Father Li no longer managed the pharmacy, only seeing patients, while the trivial matters of the medical hall and pharmacy were handled by Second Brother Li.

Furthermore, both families stayed for the sake of the four little ones' futures; living in the city was the most convenient and optimal choice.

However, although it was a sizable property, the front row was entirely used for the medical hall and pharmacy, taking up a large portion.

Father Li and Mother Li insisted on keeping Li Sanniang’s maiden room, so they had to make do with the four little ones sharing a room.

Fortunately, the four little ones were all boys, so they could sleep together.

If there had been girls, the room used as the study for the four little ones would likely have had to be partitioned off to build a courtyard wall for the young ladies to live in.

After seeing Mother Li off, Chen the broker arrived shortly after.

Li Sanniang explained her requirements to Chen: she wanted something in Changshou Ward, near the Li family, preferably with a well. It didn't matter how big it was, as long as it could house her and Luzhu. As long as the house could be handed over and the contract signed within half a month, she was willing to pay a little more and give the broker a higher commission.

Asking Li Er-sao to help watch Luzhu for a while, Li Sanniang went to the kitchen to help Eldest Sister-in-law prepare lunch.

Yes, it was steamed sweet potatoes again, but there were leftovers from last night’s feast, so it wasn't too bad.

After eating, they chatted for a while under the jujube tree in the courtyard, thinking about taking a nap later, when Father Li walked over with a bowl of medicinal soup.

"Sanniang, reach out. Let Father see if it’s time to change your prescription."

As he spoke, Li Sanniang obediently reached out. Father Li carefully checked her pulse for a moment and said, "Your foundation is good; you haven't been left with any underlying ailments. Drink this bowl of medicine for now; I’ll change the prescription for the evening bowl and brew it for you then."

"It’s all thanks to Father’s brilliant medical skills that I recovered so quickly." Li Sanniang quickly flattered the head of the Li family—flattery is rarely unwelcome.

There is no one in this world who doesn't like to hear good things, especially since Father Li, as the head of the family in this era, was truly very good to Li Sanniang.

Although it was partly because Li Sanniang had a strong physical foundation from childhood and the miscarriage had occurred early, meaning the damage to her body was not as severe as it would have been after several months of pregnancy, and she had returned to the Li family early to receive good care.

In short, Li Sanniang’s body was in great shape. As long as she rested well over the next month, it would not have a significant impact on her health or longevity.

Thank you for reading.

(End of chapter)