After dinner, Tian Jing went to the clinic to relieve her mother-in-law, but found that her mother-in-law hadn't eaten lunch yet.
Tian Jing punched Li Min a few times: "If you continue to be so thoughtless, no one will want to be near you except Suo Zhu."
The spots where her younger sister-in-law had hit her ached to the bone, but Li Min dared not cry out: "Sister-in-law, I thought you would bring food for Mother."
"You thought! You thought!" Tian Jing hit her a couple more times: "You brought food for Xiao Fu and Hua'er, but you didn't think about Mother being here?"
"If I brought a separate meal for Mother, would I be driving a wedge between you and Mother? Or showing off how good my cooking is?"
After beating and scolding her, Tian Jing pulled her mother-in-law away: "Don't mind her, she's a heartless person."
Chen Fu chased out of the ward: "Little Aunt, Grandma said she's going home to eat, then rest a bit, so I..."
Tian Jing waved her hand at Chen Fu and continued to pull her mother-in-law away. How could the younger generation understand the concessions of the elders?
Li Mu's eyes were moist. Her younger daughter-in-law treated her with more care than her own daughter.
A few minutes later, the car stopped at the entrance of the courtyard. Tian Jing opened the car door, preparing to get out: "Mother, I'll heat up the dishes. You go to the washroom and wash your hands."
"Okay," Li Mu replied.
Hearing the choked sob in her mother-in-law's voice, Tian Jing turned around abruptly: "Mother, you know your daughter, she's just careless. Don't take it seriously."
"It's not that," Li Mu blinked, preventing tears from falling. "Mother isn't arguing with her."
"That's good," Tian Jing got out of the driver's seat. "After eating, you rest for a while. After dinner, I'll ask Zheng Ge to take you to see the baby."
"Okay," Li Mu smiled.
Her sobbing wasn't because of her daughter's thoughtlessness, but because her younger daughter-in-law's protection touched her.
Her younger daughter-in-law hitting her daughter and naturally asking her to wash up and eat were all acts of protection and care for her.
A daughter-in-law who was more thoughtful than her own daughter, how could she not be moved?
Tian Jing quickly heated the dishes and soup. The rice was still warm in the rice cooker.
When Li Mu entered the kitchen, the meal was already laid out: "Mother, for the next two days, you'll ride with Zheng Ge to and from work."
"It's estimated that Hua'er will be discharged in three or four days. When she is, you can go see her anytime you want."
Li Mu nodded and picked up her bowl to eat: "I'll help with the confinement period. Once the month is up, I won't be involved."
Tian Jing smiled: "As you wish. It's too quiet at home. Playing with the baby will help pass the time. When Lili comes back, you won't be lonely."
Her daughter planned to have the baby stay at home with her mother-in-law, and Tian Jing had no objections.
They say grandparent's love is special. Perhaps she, as a grandmother, could find joy in her first grandchild.
Mentioning the upcoming fourth generation of the Li family, Li Mu's eyes curved into a smile: "Mm-hmm, I should prepare clothes and shoes for my great-grandchild. I'll just take care of Ji Nian and Ji Yang until they are a month old."
Tian Jing nodded: "Do what you can see clearly, and buy if you can't. There are many baby clothes available now."
"Buying isn't as good," Li Mu refused.
If her mother-in-law wanted to make them, Tian Jing wouldn't interfere.
However, she should go buy some baby clothes and supplies to take to Ji Shi Yi.
After her mother-in-law finished eating, Tian Jing asked her to rest and offered to wash the dishes.
As she was washing the dishes and wiping the table, Ouyang Meihua arrived.
She came in looking for her mother-in-law.
Tian Jing said her mother-in-law was asleep.
Ouyang Meihua sat by the table: "I beat up Li Min."
Tian Jing smiled: "Was it because she didn't bring food for Mother?"
"Yes," Ouyang Meihua nodded. "She wasn't not going to deliver food. Who waits for someone else to bring food to their mother when she's at someone else's house? Mother was working for her."
"I was so angry I beat her hard. If she didn't have to take care of Hua'er, I would have beaten her so badly she wouldn't have been able to get out of bed for three days."
"Why are you arguing with her?" Tian Jing shook her head and smiled. "She's used to Mother's efforts, used to Mother not bothering her."
"I told Mother to go see them after dinner. Starting tomorrow, she'll ride with Zheng Ge to and from the clinic."
"Oh, by the way, for Shi Yi, I might need your help. Once the team is ready, I'll be busy for another half a month."
"No problem," Ouyang Meihua patted her chest. "I said I'd treat it as practice."
"Honestly, for Hua'er's baby, I can only hold and play with it. I don't dare to do anything else, or get involved. The baby has a grandmother, so we can't do too much, except for Mother."
As the two sisters-in-law chatted, they decided to drive out and buy baby supplies.
Several baby specialty stores had opened in the county over the years. When the two sisters-in-law entered one, they couldn't help but marvel at the various delicate little clothes and shoes.
Back in their time, everything was handmade.
Tian Jing mentioned that her mother-in-law was still going to make clothes and shoes for Lili's baby.
"I'll buy them!" Ouyang Meihua clapped her hands. "I'll say I came with you to buy baby gifts and bought some for our nephew along the way."
"Mother will definitely not object. If she sees these, she won't be able to put them down either."
"If you buy them, Mother will think you dislike her craftsmanship."
Tian Jing chuckled: "Then won't I have to buy these as gifts when Yan Yan's baby is born?"
"Yes! Exactly," Ouyang Meihua said as she picked out items.
"When Mother sees these, perhaps she won't waste her energy making them. Even if she does, she won't make many."
From baby vests to light cotton clothes, from socks to soft shoes, from sleeping bags to small blankets and capes, to strollers and bottles and nipples, they bought everything.
Ouyang Meihua filled two strollers to the brim, and Tian Jing filled two strollers to the brim.
When Li Mu woke up, she saw four strollers piled high in the living room.
She called out to Tian Jing from the kitchen.
Tian Jing poked her head out: "Mother, you're awake?"
Li Mu, standing at the living room entrance, pointed at the living room: "What are all these in the living room?"
"Gifts," Tian Jing answered with two words, then retreated back into the kitchen, pushing Ouyang Meihua, who was helping to tend the fire, out.
"Go, go explain to your mother-in-law."
Ouyang Meihua washed her hands and went to the living room. She took out a few bags from a stroller and opened them one by one to show her mother-in-law.
Li Mu looked at the exquisite baby products and happily took them in her hands, flipping through them: "Are things made so exquisitely now?"
Seeing that her mother-in-law's heart had been captured by these items, Ouyang Meihua whispered in her ear:
"The baby products from the capital are probably even more exquisite than these. Your handicraft is very good, but you have to consider Lu Shi's thoughts, right?"
"You want to help Lili raise the baby. If you don't provide the best, how will the parents feel?"
"This doesn't cost much. You spend your time and strain your eyes. Doesn't Lili feel bad?"
"I bought a stroller full of things for Lili in advance. If you see anything missing, you can make some more."
"Also, Tian Tian and I will send a gift to Ji Nian and Ji Yang. Min Min is so stingy, she might give the twins old things."
"Old is good, but when you're not short of money, you should also have some new things, right?"
"Another gift is from Tian Tian and me to Captain Zeng. His wife's due date is next month. I might need to go in and help for a few days, as Tian Tian and Captain Zeng are too busy."
Li Mu nodded, holding a small piece of clothing in her hand: "This side-fastening collar is very beautiful. I'll make two larger sets following this design. The baby grows quickly."
Ouyang Meihua nodded: "You must buy pure cotton fabric, or ask Lili to buy it from the capital and mail it back for you to make, wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"
"Yes, yes, yes, you're right," Li Mu put down the small piece of clothing in her hand and picked up the landline to call her granddaughter.
Ouyang Meihua secretly clicked her tongue. Success!