As Jiang Si had anticipated earlier, Mother Huo entered the room and eagerly unzipped her luggage like she was presenting treasures.
Most of the items sent last time were clothes, toys, fabrics, and tonics.
The remaining things couldn’t be gathered all at once due to the lack of coupons, and since the Friendship Store’s restocking schedule was irregular, Mother Huo had to pull quite a few strings to get everything prepared.
"These cloth shoes were made by your grandmother. The soles are soft and comfortable to wear."
"The package next to it was prepared by your grandparents."
"Oh, and this—your second sister-in-law and fourth sister-in-law bought these for you."
There were so many things that even Mother Huo got a little overwhelmed, rummaging for a while before finally finding the package she had prepared herself.
"Si Si, these are all the things you’ll need for the delivery. Have Tingzhou pack them away later, and when the time comes, just take this bag straight to the hospital."
Jiang Si glanced at it, touched by the gesture, and made sure to validate her mother-in-law’s efforts. "Mom, you’re so thoughtful. Thank goodness you’re here—I wouldn’t know what to do without you."
She then shared how Huo Tingzhou had recently tried to pack a delivery bag himself.
Mother Huo chuckled at the story. "His heart’s in the right place, but he lacks experience."
After giving a fair assessment, she passed on some wisdom from her own years of experience.
"Listen, no matter how poorly a man does something, start by praising him blindly. Only after that should you gently correct him."
"I still remember the first time your father cooked—he nearly set the kitchen on fire, and the dish he made was so salty it could’ve killed a salt merchant. But look at him now."
Jiang Si nodded, taking the lesson to heart.
"By the way, Mom, what’s in these two bags?"
"This one? It’s filled with pre-packaged herbs."
"Herbs?"
"Yes." As she spoke, Mother Huo opened the bag.
Jiang Si took a closer look and saw dozens of neatly arranged herb packets inside.
Noticing labels on the kraft paper wrappers, she picked one up curiously and read:
[Warming Blend: Mugwort & Ginger]
[Hair-Strengthening Blend: Saposhnikovia Root]
[Calming & Sleep Aid Blend]
[Wind-Dispelling Blend: Mugwort & Acorus]
[Muscle-Relaxing Blend: Ginger Peel & Cinnamon Twig]
It took Jiang Si a moment to process. "Mom… are these for my postpartum recovery?"
Mother Huo nodded with a smile. "I asked around—these formulas are very effective."
Since Jiang Si was carrying twins, she’d need two months of postpartum care. But Qiongzhou Island’s temperatures hovered between 20–30°C year-round, and her daughter-in-law was particular about cleanliness.
If she wasn’t allowed to wash her hair or bathe for two months, she’d be miserable the entire time.
So before coming, Mother Huo had consulted several obstetricians in detail.
The doctors had assured her: as long as Jiang Si avoided cold water and didn’t catch a chill, moderate hair-washing and bathing were fine during postpartum recovery.
The most important thing was keeping her mood uplifted.
Second, she shouldn’t overexert herself.
As for so-called "postpartum ailments," most stemmed from exhaustion during recovery.
Mother Huo hadn’t had the luxury of proper postpartum care in her youth—she’d never rested a single day after giving birth to her children. So she’d long resolved:
The hardships she endured, her daughters-in-law would never face.
As a mother herself, she understood the struggles of motherhood.
Ever since learning Jiang Si was expecting twins, Mother Huo had been stockpiling milk powder coupons.
First, in case her milk supply fell short.
Second, because she couldn’t bear the thought of her nursing two babies at once.
Breastfeeding was convenient, but with babies needing feeds every 2–3 hours, just feeding both would take half an hour each time.
If the twins were fussy at night, she might not even get a full hour of sleep.
With these thoughts in mind, Mother Huo opened the last bag.
"Si Si, I’ve prepared some formula. Nurse them during the day if you want, but at night, let’s feed them with bottled milk."
Worried Jiang Si might stress over their nutrition, she added, "Your second sister-in-law did the same—look how strong Jing Qian and Jing Yu turned out. They’re just as healthy as breastfed babies."
"Listen to me: during your recovery, just focus on resting. The babies can sleep with me. Getting your strength back matters more than anything."
Hearing Mother Huo’s heartfelt words, Jiang Si felt a sudden sting in her nose.
When she first learned she’d need two months of postpartum confinement, she’d been deeply resistant.
She knew the elders meant well, but sixty days without washing her hair, bathing, or even brushing her teeth? That was too much.
She’d already steeled herself to discuss it with them later.
Yet her mother-in-law had anticipated everything.
What moved her even more was Mother Huo’s willingness to suggest formula feeding—just so she could eat warm meals and sleep peacefully.
How could she not love such a mother-in-law?
Holding Mother Huo’s arm, Jiang Si whispered gratefully, "Mom, thank you."
"Silly child, we’re family. No need for thanks."
Mother Huo patted her hand and took out a wooden box from her bag.
"This is a longevity lock and silver bracelets for the children. Keep them safe."
Although the nationwide campaign to "Smash the Four Olds" was in full swing, many traditional customs passed down by older generations still persisted.
As long as these items weren’t worn in public, most people wouldn’t say anything even if they noticed.
These gifts represented the elders’ heartfelt wishes for the children, so Jiang Si didn’t refuse. She thanked Mother Huo and accepted them on behalf of the twins.
However, when Mother Huo handed over a savings pass at the end, she hesitated.
"Mom, we already have plenty of money saved up—more than enough for our needs."
Mother Huo knew Jiang Si was well-off and didn’t lack funds, but that wasn’t the point.
"Every child born into our family has received this from your father and me. We can’t break this tradition now."
With that, Mother Huo gave her hand another gentle pat. "Since your father and I are in Beijing, we can’t be there to help you often. This is just a small token of our love as grandparents. Please don’t turn it down."
Hearing this, Jiang Si had no choice but to accept the savings pass.
With all the gifts properly given, Mother Huo looked visibly relieved.
The two continued chatting about the children until Huo Tingzhou gently interrupted, "Mom, it’s getting late. Jiang Si should rest now."
His wife usually went to bed by 8:30, and it was already close to 9 o’clock.
As he spoke, he tidied up the items scattered on the bed.
Then, with practiced ease, he fetched a mat and pillows from the wardrobe.
Noticing Mother Huo’s reluctance to end the conversation, Jiang Si said, "It’s alright. I napped for two hours this afternoon, so I’m not tired at all. Let’s keep talking, Mom."
"No, no," Mother Huo quickly waved her hand, not wanting to disrupt her rest. "We can always continue tomorrow."
