Chang’an Small Restaurant Chapter 109 (Part 1)
Translated by Pure
Chapter 109.1 Extra Two
<Pregnancy and Childbirth>
It was already the summer of the second year when the Lin couple settled by the banks of the Wei River. Shen Shaoguang's abdomen had a slight swell, indicating that she was about five months pregnant. She now had truly embodied the essence of a Tang Dynasty beauty. Although only five months along, she had already gained a noticeable amount of weight.
Shen Shaoguang pinched the flesh at her waist, pouting her lips in discontent.
Lin Yan comforted her, saying, "This looks good too." To lend credibility to his words, he added, "The perfect union of delicate and curvaceous form. You were too thin before; it was quite concerning."
Shen Shaoguang shot him a teasing glance, thinking how her Lin Yan could now effortlessly utter sweet nothings, quite unlike before when he would take his time, weaving his words with emotion and boundary.
Though she was dissatisfied with her added weight, she couldn't control her cravings, nor could she tame her appetite. While others would throw up whatever they ate during pregnancy, she was different—her stomach couldn't bear to be empty, and only by eating something could she keep from feeling nauseous.
She had an insatiable hunger, especially for the things she longed for from her past life. The harder it was to obtain, the more it lingered in her thoughts.
For instance, chili peppers.
Chopped Bell Pepper Fish, Hot and Sour Fish Soup with Pickled Greens, Steamed Fish; Dry Chili Diced Chicken, Pickled Chili Chicken Claws, Dry-Fried Spicy Chicken; Chili Pork, Chili Shrimp, Chili Pork Intestines... even a bowl of Hot and Sour Noodles would suffice…
Shen Shaoguang suspected that, due to the peculiar circumstances of her situation, her hormones were out of balance, perhaps even leading to a touch of pregnancy depression. She felt on the verge of tears—over nothing more than a bowl of hot and sour noodles.
Listening to his beloved wife describe how it had to be hot and sour, with roasted sesame, fried beans, and simmered in rich broth. There should be minced meat, a dash of pepper, and a sprinkle of coriander. Lin Yan nodded, then went to the kitchen himself. After a while, he returned, bringing her a tray with a bowl of a Tang Dynasty-inspired ‘hot and sour noodles,’ specially tailored for expectant mothers.
The noodles were crafted from mung bean flour, slightly overcooked; the spice derived from a mere trace of cornel dogwood and minced garlic—so faint it was little more than an afterthought. The vinegar, too, was sparingly added, offering only the slightest hint of acidity. Yet, the broth, minced meat, and beans were prepared generously...
This bowl of hot and sour noodles, neither truly hot nor sour, exuding an aura of "balance and harmony" both inside and out, though an oddity in the realm of hot and sour noodles, nonetheless cured Shen Shaoguang's pregnancy-induced melancholy.
With a full stomach, she sprawled comfortably on the mat, her spirits lifting once more.
However, Lin Yan watched her with concern. Since her pregnancy began, A'Ji often struggled to sleep well, felt particularly sensitive to heat, and although her appetite was decent, there were many foods she couldn't eat. He had heard that women during this time could be emotionally unstable; despite A'Ji's typically carefree nature, there were moments when she must have been enduring it silently. Unfortunately, her mother wasn't around...
Lin Yan gently stroked her hair.
Shen Shaoguang looked at him, wondering what was troubling him. Do soon-to-be fathers also experience prenatal depression?
Shen Shaoguang teased him, "My lord, tell me, what were you thinking back then? What made you have someone impersonate a peddler to deliver a mat to me?"
"I saw you were sensitive to the heat, so I wanted to send you one. But I was worried you wouldn’t accept it, so I devised that plan," Lin Yan replied candidly, showing no embarrassment.
"Why didn’t you use the same tactic as when you sent the folding screen, pretending it was from Grandmother?"
"If you use the same method too often, it loses its effectiveness."
Shen Shaoguang laughed.
"It's a pity for me that my A'Ji is as perceptive as a seasoned official from the Ministry of Justice," Lin Yan smiled, a touch of nostalgia in his gaze as he recalled how, at the time, he had expected far more resistance—never imagining the joyful moments they now shared.
Shen Shaoguang said proudly, "But of course! Back then, I wisely deduced that this matter was ‘either treachery or theft.’ I initially thought it was ‘theft,’ but who would have thought..." She cast a pointed glance at Lin Yan, her meaning clear.
Lin Yan carefully wrapped his arms around his beloved wife, kissing her red lips, but he refrained from going further, calculating in his mind that they still had quite a while to wait.
After a moment of affectionate closeness, Shen Shaoguang sat up. "Come, we rarely come to the banks of the Wei River. Let’s go for a walk."
Lin Yan also sat up, helping her put on a veil hat to block the sun. He took her hand, and together they slowly strolled toward the riverbank.
"My lord, is it okay if I consume some river snails?"
"Such strange things are best left uneaten."
"What about eels?"
"Swamp eels are quite warming in nature. If you eat it, you might get overheated."
"How about soft-shelled turtles?"
Lin Yan, feeling a twinge of sympathy, spoke gently, "Soft-shelled turtle invigorates the blood... A'Ji, how about we have some crucian carp soup? While you were sleeping, I caught a few and had the kitchen simmer them. It's a creamy white broth, perfect for soaking in some botuō noodles, and we can add a bit of fresh greens that were just picked from the garden."
Shen Shaoguang nodded. "That is fine too." It seemed that her husband's ability to describe food was almost on par with hers. Just hearing him talk made her think that crucian carp soup with noodles didn’t sound half bad. But still, she longed for Chili River Snail, Stewed Chicken with Softshell Turtle, and Dry-Fried Swamp Eel! Perhaps after the baby is born...
Both Shen Shaoguang and Lin Yan were eager for the day of delivery to arrive. After enduring the scorching summer, the autumn breeze finally began to blow, and after two more months, the mornings and evenings grew noticeably cooler, and the due date had come, but there was still no sign of the baby.
Lin Yan, anxious, called the imperial physician several times for consultations, and each time, the physician reassured them that everything was fine and advised them to wait. Princess Imperial of Fuhui and the main wife of Chancellor Li had also come to visit, while Shen Zhi’s wife had moved in directly to help.
After another half month passed, one morning, as Shen Shaoguang was taking her usual stroll in the garden, she suddenly sensed something unusual—her labor had finally begun.
Shen Shaoguang remained composed as she entered the delivery room, changed her clothes, and had a bowl of curd cheese and egg soup to replenish her strength. Occasionally, she exchanged a few lighthearted words with her midwife, but as the contractions grew increasingly intense, her laughter faded.
Lin Yan finished court and, upon receiving the news, rushed to call for the imperial physician. Unable to wait, he mounted his horse and hurried home.
His grandmother sat in the main hall, at the sight of her grandson hastily striding in, she chided, "Don’t fret, don’t fret—"
Lin Yan clenched his fists outside the door, listening intently. Inside, he could hear her paternal aunt and the midwife urging Shen Shaoguang to push, the clinking of instruments, and the sound of water, but there was no voice from A'Ji.
Lin Yan's heart raced. He couldn’t shake the worry that something might be wrong. Childbirth brought excruciating pain, and A'Ji had always been delicate...
"A'Ji! A'Ji!—"
Hearing his voice, Shen Shaoguang suddenly felt like crying. That scoundrel, so he just got back now!
Not receiving a response from her, Lin Yan's heart sank. He pushed the door open and stepped inside. Elder Madam Jiang didn’t have time to call out to him, and the maidservants guarding the door didn’t dare stop him as he quickly rounded the screen.
"What are you doing in here?" Shen Zhi’s wife blocked his way.
Lin Yan glanced at the partially closed curtains and the distressing sight of blood in the copper basin. "A'Ji…"
"She’s fine," Shen Zhi’s wife reassured him.
"I’m okay!" Shen Shaoguang groaned in response.
Lin Yan let out a sigh of relief, bowed to Shen Zhi’s wife, and stepped back outside.
Elder Madam Jiang shook her head and pointed a finger at him.
"Grandmother, I’ll go outside to greet the imperial physician."
Elder Madam Jiang nodded.
The imperial physician was ultimately not needed. Just after the 7th earthly branch (11am-1pm) the sound of a baby’s cry was heard, followed by the midwife's congratulatory voice from inside the room, "Madam, it's a young master!"
Outside, Madam Jiang muttered a prayer, while Lin Yan was once again the gentle, dignified scholar from a noble family.
He smiled and thanked the physician for his efforts, saying he would personally go to express his gratitude and invited him to join the family for wine at the upcoming Hundred Day Celebration[1] banquet.
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Footnote:
[1] Hundred Day Celebration (百啐筵) - In China, the 100th day of a baby’s life is a significant milestone, often considered the baby’s first birthday. Historically, it also provided an opportunity for family and friends to meet the baby and celebrate its integration into the community. In the past, infant mortality was high due to poor hygiene and widespread disease. The celebration typically began with the mother taking her first bath after childbirth, often using pomelo leaves, a practice now symbolic rather than literal.
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Food Galore:
Chopped Bell Pepper Fish (剁椒鱼) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr5jcks7Ljo
Hot and Sour Fish Soup with Pickled Greens (酸菜魚)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1p8EihjgEs
Dry Chili Diced Chicken (辣子鸡丁) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2EleP3Jz7E&t=1s
Pickled Chili Chicken Claws (泡椒鸡爪) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKCcClNFzss
Dry-Fried Spicy Chicken (干煸辣子鸡块) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgW6b3K0duI
Chili Pork (辣椒炒肉) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byoUd0zPGYg
Chili Shrimp (辣椒炒虾) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ldtZLiwc0Y
Hot and Sour Noodles (酸辣粉) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur9Q5y9A5Bo
Chili River Snail (辣炒田螺) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sWYN7bByPQ
Dry-Fried Swamp Eel (干煸黄鳝) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCSi7lzrtgg
Curd cheese and egg soup (酥酪蛋羹) I found the curd cheese, but the egg drop soup part, you reader have to combine it mentally yourselves ૮₍ ˃ ⤙ ˂ ₎ა https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnGCezlhc2o
T/N: Wayyyyy too many foods mentioned in this chapter, I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to provide pics/vids, but I saw it through! The next part will be a minor time skip, to when their son can speak and walk on his own!
