Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Nursemaid Wu

Chun Nuan returned from the village to the town and found a reserved young woman in the courtyard.

“Nuannuan, you’re back, come quickly, Auntie has something to tell you.” Mrs. Xu turned to the young woman and said, “You wait a moment.”

“Okay.”

The woman, blushing and somewhat apprehensive, watched Mrs. Xu and Chun Nuan enter Zhu Lingling’s room.

“A wet nurse? Sent by Mrs. Zhao?”

Chun Nuan didn’t know that in the two hours she was away, guests had arrived, and that the guests later sent over a wet nurse.

“Nuannuan, what do you think we should do about this?”

Accept it, and the Xiao family cannot afford the expenses of a wet nurse. Although Mrs. Zhao said she’d cover the costs, the Xiao family would never take advantage of such a situation; refuse it, and not only might it offend Mrs. Zhao, but their eldest grandson would have no milk.

Even the usually adept Mrs. Xu felt she was caught in a dilemma and could only seek help from her niece.

“Sister-in-law…”

“I still don’t feel any milk coming.”

No matter how much I try to express it, the milk just won’t flow. To feed her son, she drank soup continuously, a bowl every hour, yet apart from having to relieve herself, not a single drop of milk appeared.

“Let me check your pulse.” After checking, Chun Nuan gently tucked Zhu Lingling’s hand back under the covers: “Auntie, sister-in-law, let me check the pulse of the wet nurse. If she’s strong and comes from a respectable family, then we’ll keep her.”

“Nuannuan, will I… always have none?” Zhu Lingling was very ashamed; how could she be a mother and have no milk? Wasn’t she adding a burden to the family for no reason?

“Sister-in-law, you will have milk, but your body isn’t suited for physical stress,” Chun Nuan said, “Having a wet nurse to help with the child will allow you to rest properly.”

“I’m so useless.”

“Sister-in-law, don’t say that, you are a true asset to our family,” Chun Nuan said, “Take good care of your health, so you don’t have lasting issues, or else you might regret it.”

There are matters of varying urgency, and while the Xiao family indeed lacks money, some things cannot be bought with money.

The health of their eldest sister-in-law is severely depleted, and if she continues breastfeeding for another year or longer, the consequences could be dire.

When Chun Nuan went outside, the woman looked up at her, eyes full of hope.

“What’s your name? How old are you? How many children do you have? Who’s at home?”

“In response, Miss, my name is Wu Ermei, and I’m married into the Cao family,” Wu Ermei quickly replied, “I’m nineteen this year, with two children, the eldest daughter is three years old, and the younger daughter…”

As she spoke, tears began to roll down her cheeks.

Chun Nuan said nothing, waiting for Wu Ermei to calm herself before continuing.

“On the second day after my younger daughter was born, my mother-in-law gave her away. I don’t even know where my younger daughter is or if she’s alive,” Wu Ermei said, wiping her tears and choking back sobs, “At home, there are my in-laws, my husband’s older brother and sister-in-law, younger brother-in-law and sister-in-law, my husband, daughter, and two nephews.”

“Have you completed the month of confinement?”

Wu Ermei shook her head and softly spoke.

“This is the seventh day after giving birth to the second daughter.”

A woman who gave birth just seven days ago no longer sees her child and has to work as a wet nurse for others. Truly, there are lives worse off than her own.

“Did you volunteer to be a wet nurse or…?”

“I volunteered to be a wet nurse. I want to earn an income. They agreed, as long as I can earn money to feed my child, they won’t send my Daya away.”

Chun Nuan… wanted to curse!

What kind of family is this!

She’d heard of favoring boys over girls before, with some families even abandoning or killing baby girls, and today, she witnessed the cruelty of human nature firsthand!

“Miss, I can nurse the child, and I can also do household chores, like laundry and cooking. Miss, please keep me, I promise I will work hard and take good care of the little master.”

Wu Ermei was desperate to secure this job, her eyes full of urgency.

“Do you know the monthly wage for a wet nurse?”

“I do, Mrs. Zhao said it’s a tael of silver per month, and if I perform well, there will be bonuses during festivals.”

A tael of silver a month, in the Capital, would be extremely cheap. But for the Xiao family now, it’s a heavy burden, though, if they grit their teeth, they can manage it.

“Let me check your pulse.”

Wu Ermei quickly extended her hand.

Chun Nuan sighed: Truly, different people lead different lives. Although she had just given birth seven days ago, her health was several times better than her sister-in-law’s.

“Can you express some milk for me to see?”

“I can, I can.”

Wu Ermei lifted her clothes to express milk.

“Wait a moment,” Chun Nuan was startled, “Wash your hands first, then express it inside.”

“Oh, alright.”

Wu Ermei felt a bit embarrassed; indeed, she forgot, this wasn’t an ordinary rural household—previously, it was an official family in the Capital, requiring etiquette!

Wu Ermei washed her hands and went inside to express over half a bowl of milk.

Chun Nuan took the bowl, inspected and smelled it.

“How is it?”

Mrs. Xu was full of envy, observing the white, creamy milk. Others produce it so easily, while their own grandson hasn’t had a drop since he was born.

“It’s fine.” Chun Nuan, after looking and smelling, confirmed Wu Ermei’s milk was nourishing for the child, and her strong body made her well-suited to be a wet nurse.

“So, can I stay?”

Wu Ermei was overjoyed.

“Come with me to see Mrs. Zhao, and we’ll discuss this.”

She needed to coordinate with Mrs. Zhao; things like the monthly wage should be shouldered by the Xiao family, not trouble the Zhao family.

Upon meeting the legendary Miss Xiao, Mrs. Zhao’s first thought was: the third son is not worthy of her!

No wonder he talks about her all the time; if it were her, she would talk about her non-stop, no, keep her in her heart!

That appearance, that demeanor, that etiquette… everything is just perfect!

If she were her youngest daughter-in-law, she would smile in her sleep!

“Madam, Madam…” Nanny Zhong gently reminded, “Miss Xiao is thanking you.”

Seeing how smitten Madam was, grinning at the girl without responding.

“Ah, oh, Miss Xiao, please, have a seat, have a seat.”

Mrs. Zhao regained her composure, her smile stretching to her ears: “No need to thank me, I went to see your family’s boy, such a well-behaved child naturally needs milk. Luckily, Wu Ermei is the daughter of my distant cousin; knowing her well, I found her suitable, so I sent her to the Xiao family. I hope you don’t mind me making the decision on my own.”

Primarily because she got along well with Mrs. Xu, they had even agreed to meet up for tea chats in the future. Good sisters should help alleviate each other’s burdens.

“Sister-in-law Wu is a good person,” Chun Nuan praised, “I’m just not sure what Mrs. Zhao said to the Cao family?”

Even though she’s from the Wu family, she married into the Cao family and could only be controlled by them; Chun Nuan could sense from Wu Ermei’s words that her husband was someone who couldn’t protect his wife and daughters, and the Cao family had poor character. She feared trouble.

“As long as there’s silver, the Cao family is happy.”

Though a distant relative, effectively so distant as to have the least connection, Wu Ermei’s birth mother, seeing her daughter’s plight, thick-skinnedly sought Mrs. Zhao’s help. The idea was to secure a position in the Zhao family after the confinement period. Mrs. Zhao thought of her to be a wet nurse since the Xiao family’s son lacked milk.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep