"You're pregnant, I'll prescribe some folic acid, calcium tablets and multivitamins for you. Make sure to get plenty of rest on your own," the doctor calmly handed Ding Sha the prescription and sent her on her way.
As she walked out of the room, Ding Sha gently touched her still flat belly, sighing softly as she glanced at the pitifully low balance on her phone. After asking around, Ding Sha found the hospital pharmacy to have the best prices.
At the entrance of the maternity hospital, happy couples walked by in pairs while Ding Sha couldn't help but feel a bit lonely and pitiful by herself.
Ignoring the strange glances from those around her, Ding Sha got on her electric bike and headed home.
On the way, she passed the farmer's market and after some hesitation, thinking of the not yet fully formed baby in her belly, spent over twenty yuan on half a jin of shrimp that weren't very big.
After winding through small paths for a long time, she finally arrived at the small village on the outskirts of the city, passing by gossiping elderly ladies who pointed and stared.
Ding Sha returned to her shabby small courtyard that she called her own.
Back home, she immediately went to the kitchen, taking out a wok and some rice and starting a small fire to cook congee before bringing over a little stool to sit by the faucet and remove the shrimp shells.
She heated oil in the wok and stir-fried the cleaned shrimp heads, releasing a tempting red shrimp oil and delicious aroma. Ding Sha carefully blew away the rising smoke, stirring the congee with a ladle.
The rice had bloomed beautifully.
She poured in the shrimp oil, then added the marinated fresh shrimp as well.
It felt like something was still missing.
After thinking for a bit, Ding Sha wiped her hands on her apron, squatted down and took out an inconspicuous small jar from a pile of pots and containers in the corner, throwing in some salted winter vegetables into the congee.
After simmering for a while longer, she scooped out a bit to taste after blowing on it to cool it down, satisfied with the flavor. She carefully lifted the hot wok with a cloth wrapped around her hands and brought it down from the stove.
This was dinner for today.
Ding Sha sat alone in the somewhat dim and spacious main hall, quietly drinking her congee.
Today was the third day since she transmigrated into this world.
She had already realized that she was unable to make any choices that went against the plotline.
Like getting an abortion.
She didn't even know who the father of the child was.
Because she had transmigrated as the ill-fated mother of the male lead who died during childbirth in a tragic novel.
The original book only briefly mentioned her a few times.
The story mainly revolved around the male lead's difficult life, elaborating on his misfortunes and trials.
And right now, the male lead of that tragic story was still in her belly.
She had no useful information whatsoever.
It seemed for now, the only thing she could do was safely carry the male lead to term and give birth to him.
Then, wait for death.
Thinking this, Ding Sha couldn't help but sigh again.
She was poor, had no family, no education, and no job.
All she had was a little brat of a child that she had to feed along with herself.
Oh right, she also had a pretty face.
Ding Sha touched her own face.
Her original appearance was only ordinary looking, but having transmigrated into a great beauty, she actually felt a bizarre sense of satisfaction amidst her indignation.
Knock knock knock...
Someone was at the door.
"Who is it?" Ding Sha didn't get up, just yelling loudly.
"It's me, I've come to bring you some things!"
It was the neighbor Zhang Granny.
Ding Sha hurried to open the door.
Zhang Granny was kind to her, often bringing over little bits of vegetables grown in her own yard every few days.
"Granny Zhang," Ding Sha opened the door to let her in.
"Eating?" As soon as Zhang Granny entered, she smelled the rich and tempting aroma.
"Cooked up some congee," Ding Sha supported the elderly woman with bad legs, "Would you like some?"
Unable to resist, Zhang Granny nodded.
With just a wall separating their homes, whenever it was mealtime, the smells from Ding Sha's kitchen left her restless and dissatisfied, no matter what she ate herself.
Ding Sha went to the kitchen to grab a set of bowls and chopsticks, serving Zhang Granny a bowl of congee.
The aroma was even thicker now. Zhang Granny eagerly took a sip right away.
It was rich and soft on the tongue, the shrimp sweet and fresh.
She quickly finished the entire bowl, praising, "Your cooking skills are really great!"
Slapping her own thigh, she said, "I almost forgot my purpose coming here!"
"I came today to discuss something with you," Zhang Granny rubbed her hands together. "My brother's daughter-in-law's nephew is holding his wedding banquet in a couple days. Turns out that rascal absentmindedly forgot to book the caterer ahead of time."
"Now with the date almost here, they can't find a chef and the whole family is about to be worried to death. So they came asking me for help to see if you might be interested, and we'll pay you wages all the same."
Ding Sha instinctively wanted to agree, but swallowed back her words before they left her mouth.
She touched her belly, feeling somewhat troubled.
On one hand she wanted to earn this money, but on the other, she worried about messing up in her condition.
Seeing her hesitation, Zhang Granny considerately said, "I won't force you to take this job if you really don't want to. Don't worry about letting this granny down, we won't take offense if you decline."
Ding Sha looked at her gratefully. "It's not that I don't want to take it, it's just..."
She still didn't know if she should tell Zhang Granny about the pregnancy, since her ID showed she had just passed 18 years old a few months ago.
If she said it, it was inevitable she'd be questioned about the father. And if she hid it, she couldn't hide it for long, with her belly going to swell up in a few months.
Thinking this, Ding Sha steeled herself. "I'm pregnant, afraid I can't handle such a big banquet."
Zhang Granny looked at her in surprise.
This girl still with a child's face was pregnant?!
Considering she had been living alone ever since moving here, Zhang Granny paused, then still asked who the child's father was.
Ding Sha was prepared with her story. "He went to Guangdong to work and will be back after earning money."
As for what would happen later...they'd deal with it then.
Zhang Granny looked at Ding Sha with some pity, clearly seeing through the excuse used to trick a young girl. She felt bad for her and hesitated, still worrying the girl would suffer losses.
"You're still young, you can slow down and have a child later..." She gently advised.
Without this child, perhaps the girl could have had a better life.
But Ding Sha just shook her head blissfully. "I'll wait for him to come back."
Seeing this, Zhang Granny didn't try to persuade her further. To be honest, she also felt somewhat uncomfortable trying to convince the girl to get an abortion herself.
They could only take extra care of the girl from now on.
Zhang Granny shook off her thoughts and began instructing Ding Sha in detail on points to pay attention to during pregnancy from her own experiences.
What foods were good for the body, what things to avoid, any precautions to take. Zhang Granny was very thorough.
Ding Sha listened attentively.
She had always been someone who went with the flow. Now that she had decided to keep this child, she would treat him well.
The first step was taking care of her health. She couldn't let him be born weak and sickly after all.
After Zhang Granny left, Ding Sha sank into thought.
The reality was she didn't have a husband working away in Guangdong earning money. She had to think of ways to make money herself.
Otherwise, not only would having a child be impossible, even just living would be an issue.
Distractedly washing the dishes, Ding Sha mulled over ways to earn.
This was a rural area on the outskirts of a city. There weren't many villagers, with most people commuting into the city for work during the day and riding motorbikes back home to sleep.
Ding Sha suddenly remembered passing construction sites on the way back from the hospital.
With the continuous urban expansion, roadwork and housing construction was nonstop, and Ding Sha recalled hearing complaints from the workers she passed by.
That's it!
She could sell boxed lunches at the construction site entrances!