Daily Life in the 70s
Chapter 295: Experience

Chapter 295: Chapter 295: Experience

I really owed a lot to Li Yue, it was all thanks to her frequent tutoring sessions and note-taking that I hadn’t fallen too far behind on my coursework.

Yixiang was particularly grateful to her sister-in-law, who was also her classmate, so she readily agreed to Yang PeiMin’s suggestion.

Then, aside from studying, the three of them spent the rest of their time talking about food - which street or alley had delicious eats, which restaurants served tasty dishes. Once they confirmed the details, they would hop on the bus to venture out. Sometimes, Li Yue would even show up at noon; Yang PeiMin was amused by her - the girl would brave the heaviest snow for the sake of food.

Eventually, she led Yixiang astray too, the two of them constantly discussing their gustatory experiences in front of her. It was too much! There were many things they talked about that she couldn’t eat, and now she could only eat bland, low-oil foods.

Yang PeiMin glared at the two of them, "You two are enough, not considering my feelings at all."

Yixiang felt a bit ashamed, "How about we wait until you’ve fallen asleep to talk about it?"

Li Yue, lacking any genuine concern, consoled Yang PeiMin, "It’s fine, consider it a reference for the future. You can take your time trying these out after you’ve given birth."

Yang PeiMin rolled her eyes at her, then realized with dismay that even after giving birth, she still couldn’t indulge, as she would be in the breastfeeding period when she also had to be cautious about her diet. By the time breastfeeding was over, who knew what her situation would be? The thought deflated her spirits, so when Shen Yiguang came over, she was even more irritable.

Shen Yiguang found her mood somewhat amusing but also felt sympathy, and the next day, he brought her a homemade dish specifically tailored for her as a pregnant woman - simmered lamb that was stewed until tender, with sugarcane and carrots added, all simple ingredients that were both warming and nutritious. However, Shen Yiguang wouldn’t allow her to eat too much; after half a bowl, he made her stop.

Yang PeiMin felt very content, it was his thoughtfulness that mattered most.

When Shen Yiguang came over, Yixiang and Li Yue would excuse themselves, giving the couple space to talk.

After lying in bed for a few days, Yang PeiMin felt like she was about to grow mushrooms. Just in time, Shen Yiguang came over and she asked him to help wash her body, as it was always awkward when Yixiang did it.

After those initial two days of rest, she could now move her body gently and, with support, was able to go to the toilet as well.

Today, she planned to change all her clothes and bed linens, but the room was too cold for changing clothes, so Shen Yiguang brought in a couple more heaters. It was safer that way; catching a cold now would complicate things.

Changing clothes and washing up was an ordeal for Yang PeiMin, and it was no less painful for Shen Yiguang.

Luckily, things became easier after getting started. However, Yang PeiMin had a particular habit: after washing, she wanted to apply her skincare lotion again. Shen Yiguang expressed his concerns, "Could this affect the baby?"

Yang PeiMin quickly assured, "No, no, these are all plant-based. Just avoid the belly."

Shen Yiguang was still hesitant, "MinMin, I know it’s plant-based, but have you heard that plants can counteract each other? I know it’s good for the skin, but it might not be right for the fetus. It can penetrate the skin and affect what’s inside. We’re at a critical juncture now, the baby is still very delicate, we shouldn’t take the risk."

Yang PeiMin insisted that what she was doing was absolutely safe, and thought Shen Yiguang was worrying too much, "My skin is very dry right now. If I don’t use it, the previous efforts will be wasted. It’s effective only with consistent use."

"My wife, your skin isn’t dry at all! Lacking confidence in yourself? My wife is naturally beautiful; even without it, your skin is smooth. Who knows this better than I do? Trust me, it really is fine."

"What’s fine? Because I’ve been using it all along. Forget it, this is my own matter. It’s not for you that I’m applying this. I don’t need your help with this, I’ll do it myself," Yang PeiMin said, her temper rising.

Shen Yiguang decided to take a step back, "MinMin, can you tell me the ingredients? We can go through them one by one to research and verify. Let’s reconsider in a few days, okay? We didn’t come by this child easily, we should think of him. If he dislikes the smell and can’t hold his nose, imagine how uncomfortable that would be?"

Yang PeiMin paused to think, the image of a little old man holding his nose popped into her mind, and she couldn’t help but laugh.

Seeing her smile, Shen Yiguang leaned in and spoke softly, "Right? We should be reliable parents. He doesn’t have a choice now, but we shouldn’t force anything uncertain on him."

Yang PeiMin was quick to anger and quick to forgive. Although she was no longer as depressed, she still felt a bit aggrieved, and pouted, "Now all you care about is your son, you’ve no room for me in your heart!"

Shen Yiguang took her hand, "Silly, without you, there would be no him."

"I don’t believe it. You’re not partial one way or the other now, but wait until I become a yellow-faced woman, and then you will be!"

Now Shen Yiguang realized that pregnant women were just like that, full of wild imaginations and emotions.

He remembered a company commander once boasting to the men about how his wife was usually meek and too shy to speak loudly. But during pregnancy, her temper became particularly fierce. If he was slow to come for meals, she would curse him out all day long. She also complained whether he disapproved of her cooking or of her as a person, among many other things. His conclusion was that a pregnant woman felt like the family’s greatest contributor, speaking with newfound confidence. But as a man, it was okay to indulge her a bit and not let her overdo it, otherwise, after giving birth, she might end up ruling over him.

At that time, Shen Yiguang did not agree with this opinion, but back then, he was still a bachelor and had not expressed any view.

He used to believe that pregnant women would suffer discomfort and that, as husbands, they should be more caring and accommodating, especially for the wives of soldiers who barely had time to accompany their spouses. Now that the situation concerned him, he understood even more deeply that pregnant women, apart from discomfort, felt extremely insecure. Now wasn’t his wife exactly like that?