Cuddling with the Cold Female Protagonist – Chapter 17
by Little PandaVolume 2: The Captivating Splendor of Jingdu
The Female-Dominant Nation Is Good
After everyone in the courtyard spoke all at once, Su Yi finally understood why so many people had suddenly emerged from her Nainai’s [奶奶 | nǎi nai | paternal grandmother] home.
It turned out her Nainai had given birth to eight daughters and two sons in total, and they had all come to celebrate her Tai Nainai’s [太奶奶 | tài nǎi nai | great-grandmother] birthday.
Except for the eldest legitimate daughter [嫡长女 | dì zhǎng nǚ | first-born daughter of the main wife], the others, like Su Yi’s mother, had all come from other regions and had no place to stay, so they were all staying in this place.
Upon hearing this, Su Yi felt deeply moved. Indeed, there was a reason why the female-dominant nation could be established – women faced no risks in childbirth. The more daughters, the stronger the family became, making it difficult not to encourage having more daughters.
When she had just crossed over [transmigrated], she saw other families with more than ten children and became very curious about how they could have so many. This was a woman-dominated society, but weren’t these women afraid of dying in childbirth?
After asking Yanshen, she learned that in this Yanxue Kingdom, which revered women, female medical technology was highly advanced. Women here didn’t even experience menstrual pain, and they certainly had ways to minimize the dangers and pain of childbirth. According to experienced midwives, giving birth for women here was like being bitten by an ant – it was over quickly.
However, children were like parasites, constantly absorbing nutrients from their mother’s body while in the womb. It couldn’t be completely harmless. To eliminate these harmful effects and replenish nutrients, the founding female emperor discovered a mystical method from somewhere: during pregnancy, the husbands they married would provide nutrients, with the fetus drawing all its needed nutrients from the male body. All pregnancy symptoms, such as vomiting, nausea, dizziness, and so on, were transferred to the men.
As a result, except for the actual delivery, mothers wouldn’t suffer any hardships during pregnancy. After the children were born, mothers never raised them themselves but left them to their fathers.
Because the men suffered greatly during their Wife Master’s pregnancy, they became especially devoted to their Wife Master’s children, even more so than women from Su Yi’s previous world loved their children.
Therefore, women here preferred selecting healthy husbands. Like Su Yi’s mother, who had chosen a frail and weak husband who later drowned, leaving no one to bear the burden of pregnancy for her, forcing her to endure it herself and raise her daughter alone – such cases were rare. When other members of the Su family heard about the Su Family Head’s experience, they secretly looked down on her.
The Su family was prosperous in numbers, but the house was far too small. With dozens of people crammed together in one place with poor air circulation, Su Yi found it quite uncomfortable.
She covered her nose with a handkerchief, coughing continuously.
Ji Qingchi hurriedly went over to fan her, “Wife Master, are you alright?”
Gancao, being simple-minded, quickly said, “Zhujun [主君 | zhǔ jūn | respectful term for master], our young miss cannot handle crowded and noisy places.”
As soon as these words fell, a man with upward-slanting eyebrows said sarcastically, “Oh my, I’m so sorry. In this capital city, land is worth its weight in gold, and we can only afford such a small house. How unfortunate for our niece. I hear Sixth Sister’s home is particularly large – they could probably buy several houses the size of ours. No wonder our little niece is in poor health, being raised so delicately.”
The speaker was the Primary Husband of her Big Aunt. During the family division, although the eldest legitimate daughter received property in the capital, the high cost of living there meant it wasn’t worth much. Meanwhile, Su Yi’s mother had the best luck, being granted Feng City, which though desolate, had cheap land, so she received more property.
Because of this, he had always been resentful, causing several disputes with Su Yi’s Big Aunt, both openly and secretly.
Hearing her husband speak this way, the Su Family Big Aunt knew he was stirring up trouble again and scolded, “What do men know? Get out of here!”
The Su Family Primary Husband immediately became upset, “Why can’t I speak? Sixth Sister got the most land – why are they allowed to take advantage in secret while we can’t say anything?”
“Feng City is so desolate and remote, Sixth Sister has suffered for so many years – what does it matter if she got more land!” The Su Family Big Aunt berated him, then looked apologetically toward the Su Family Head, “He’s just a man with no insight. Sixth Sister, please don’t take it to heart.”
The Su Family Head waved her hands repeatedly, “It’s fine, it’s fine.”
Su Jie, who had gone inside to get something, came out and heard the argument. Hating iron for not becoming steel, she said, “What are you all arguing about? There isn’t much to begin with – fighting over these trivial matters, aren’t you ashamed?”
The Su Family Primary Husband immediately cowered, hiding behind the crowd with his head lowered, “Mother’s teachings are correct.”
“Alright, alright, men take the children back to their rooms. I have some things to discuss.”
The men consciously left with the younger children. Su Yi, feeling that her current body wasn’t yet eighteen and still a child, also wanted to leave. She had just pushed her wheelchair two steps when her Fourth Aunt called out, “Niece, where are you going?”
“I…”
Before Su Yi could answer, the enthusiastic tall woman pulled her over and pushed her to the front, “Come, come, niece, you’re not young anymore. You should understand these things. How could you not participate in the family meeting?”
Su Yi, like a little chick, was lifted wheelchair and all to the very front. She gripped her wheelchair’s armrests tightly, terrified of falling, while internally crying out in astonishment: Heavens above, why was it so unfair? Why did every woman in this Yanxue Kingdom have such incredible strength except for her?
Ji Qingchi watched as she maintained a stubborn silence despite being clearly terrified, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.
After the men and children had left, she, being a “man,” naturally couldn’t stay long. She bowed to each female elder, then covered her mouth and said to Su Yi, “Wife Master, take care. This slave shall take leave first.”
“Very well.” Su Yi forced herself to appear energetic, putting on a show of devoted love for her husband, and called to Yanshen, “Go prepare the room for fulang, let him rest well.”
Yanshen agreed and left with Ji Qingchi, leaving only the Su family women in the courtyard.
Su Jie, as the family head, sat at the front, cleared her throat, and began her lecture.
The gist of her words was that her mother, the Pingyang Marquis, was getting on in years. The children must work hard to please her during the birthday celebration so she might bestow more gifts, preventing the family from falling into poverty in future generations. Otherwise, when the elder passed away, and her sister, the current Pingyang Heir, succeeded the position, they wouldn’t receive any benefits.
After all, even between sisters, accounts must be kept clear. Moreover, since Lady Su was their elder, she had even less obligation to help her nieces and grand-nieces.
This was an old topic, and the Su family women’s ears were practically calloused from hearing it. Su Ming’s generation could still maintain appearances, but Su Yi’s cousins weren’t as skilled at acting as these old foxes. Though physically present in the courtyard, their eyes were vacant, their spirits wandering who knows where.
After finishing her long speech, Su Jie’s throat was parched. She took a sip of water and looked around the courtyard. Just as she was about to speak again, seeing these unfilial granddaughters, she became furious.
“Your mother worries herself sick that you’ll end up begging on the streets, and you unfilial daughters don’t even take it seriously!”
Just as she was about to scold them, her eyes swept across and landed on Su Yi, sitting at the front with bright, energetic eyes. Suddenly, her own eyes lit up – this sickly child from Sixth Sister’s family wasn’t bad at all.
Su Yi herself, who was perceived as listening attentively to the lecture, had no idea that she had already become a good child in her grandmother’s eyes.
She hadn’t slept well in the morning and was nodding off in her wheelchair. She wanted to sleep, but with so many people around, she felt too embarrassed, so she could only force her eyes wide open, compelling herself to stay awake.
This demeanor, in others’ eyes, appeared as if she was listening with exceptional attention, her eyes seemingly bright with interest.
So she said with satisfaction, “For this birthday ceremony, let Su Yi present the congratulatory speech.”
According to official regulations, for birthday celebrations of officials ranked Marquis and above, extravagance was permitted. The Pingyang Marquis’s birthday celebration would naturally be grand, divided into Initial Tribute, Secondary Tribute, Tertiary Tribute, and Final Tribute.
Su Jie and her stepdaughters, daughters, and granddaughters were all considered one family and would present their tributes during the Tertiary Tribute.
After everyone presented their gifts, each family would send one representative to speak some formal words or perform a talent for the elder.
Since they were in the third order, their tribute naturally wouldn’t receive much attention. No matter how much effort they put in, the Pingyang Marquis hadn’t noticed their family in previous years, only granting them travel expenses after the celebrations.
The others had already accepted this reality, having no expectations.
But Su Jie wouldn’t give up. When the family divided their assets, she received little, causing her daughters and granddaughters to suffer as well.
Unable to bear this, she was determined to scheme for their benefit during her lifetime, hence these annual lectures.
Su Yi was completely confused, but Su Ming reacted quickly, “Family Head, this isn’t appropriate. In previous years, the eldest sister always gave the speech. Yi’er is only in her teens, it might not be suitable.”
Su Jie waved dismissively, “It’s been the same every year, and the elder might be tired of it. Having someone new this year might be refreshing. Well, that’s settled, everyone may disperse.”
Su Yi remained bewildered as others dispersed. Su Ming went anxiously to apologize to her eldest sister – after all, Su Yi had taken her role, and she was the legitimate eldest daughter.
“It’s fine, Sixth Sister, don’t worry too much.” The Su Family Big Aunt was quite open-minded, patting Su Yi’s head warmly with her palm, “Our niece is frail, letting her experience this isn’t a bad thing. Besides, as mother said, our family didn’t receive much in the division – just trivial matters, nothing worth fighting over.”
After speaking, she gave Su Yi a small red envelope [小红封 | xiǎo hóng fēng | traditional envelope for monetary gifts], containing some silver, “Niece has just arrived, please accept this small gift.”
Su Ming led Su Yi in bowing to thank her. After she left, she looked down at her still-bewildered daughter, and seeing her bloodless face, felt a pang of heartache. She said gently, “Yi’er, did you not understand what your grandmother was saying just now?”
Su Yi nodded honestly, “I don’t understand.”
Su Ming quickly said, “It’s alright, Mother will explain everything to you from beginning to end.”
LP: No menstrual pain? Minimal pregnancy pain? No pregnancy symptoms? I wanna transmigrate to this world to!
Dang… Bring that technology and knowledge here! 😩