I Returned to the Day He Brought His First Love Home-Chapter 115: Why Didn’t Your Mother Drown You in a Cesspit?
Lily Callahan had hemorrhaged and was extremely weak. Nolan Winslow and Irene Lynch stayed at the hospital to look after her, while Grace Winslow and Gregory Winslow went home.
They had been at the hospital for a long time, so it was already very late when they got home.
Grace Winslow quickly made something to eat, hastily splashed some hot water on her face, and went to bed.
The next day, she woke up bright and early to make soup and a meal to take to the hospital for Lily Callahan.
After a night’s rest, Lily’s color looked a little better, but she was still too weak to get out of bed.
Grace asked a few questions and was relieved to confirm that Lily would be fine. As long as she rested well, she would regain her strength.
Just as they finished eating, a nurse called them over to see the baby.
Nolan Winslow and Irene Lynch went, leaving Grace Winslow in the room.
Lily Callahan’s face was still pale. She looked weakly at Grace and asked, "Grace, if your brother and I were to start a business, what kind of business do you think would be good for us?"
"We’re not smooth talkers like Hayley, and we’re not as clever as Ryan."
Grace Winslow was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Lily to be thinking about something like that.
She thought for a moment before an idea suddenly struck her. "Lily, I think you could make clothes."
"I remember you’re very skilled with your hands. I have a lot of design sketches I can give you. Once you make the clothes, you could even sell them at Hayley’s shop."
"You could just sell them to her at wholesale price. How much she sells them for and how much profit she makes would be up to her. That way, there won’t be any financial disputes later on."
"If you think it’s a good idea, you can discuss it thoroughly with Nolan once you’ve recovered."
"I think it could work."
Lily Callahan’s eyes lit up at the suggestion.
It was true; she had always loved sewing and mending things since she was a little girl.
She had made all of Ryan Winslow’s clothes, Nolan Winslow’s clothes, and even her own clothes by hand.
When she got married, a sewing machine had been among the four big-ticket items the Winslow family provided.
Every year, she would save up her cloth ration coupons to buy fabric and make clothes.
Now that Grace had mentioned it, her mind started buzzing with ideas.
Making clothes wouldn’t require too much interaction with customers, and if she partnered with Hayley, it would be even better.
One would handle production, the other sales. There would be no conflict of interest between them.
Just as Grace had suggested, she could sell each piece to Hayley at cost plus a small labor fee, and Hayley could then handle the retail side herself.
This trip back to her parents’ home, combined with the premature birth, had ignited an urgent desire for money in Lily Callahan for the first time.
If she had money, she wouldn’t have to be so passive.
She wouldn’t have been so helpless when her father had his accident, unable to even come up with any money and having to endure the scorn and ridicule of her brother and mother.
She wouldn’t have to worry about so many things.
In the end, it all came down to being poor.
"Lily, don’t think about anything else for now. Your top priority is to get better."
"Your health is your most important asset. If your body gives out, what will happen to the baby and Nolan?"
"Even if you want to start a business, you need to be healthy to succeed. Otherwise, how will you get any work done or make any money?"
Grace Winslow held Lily Callahan’s hand, trying her best to persuade her.
Lily gave a helpless, wry smile. "And here you are, having to comfort and console me."
"Lily, I know what you’re thinking, but believe me, things will keep getting better for our family."
"As long as you and Nolan work together, there’s no hardship you can’t overcome."
Grace Winslow gave Lily Callahan’s hand a firm squeeze.
Lily nodded, slowly letting out a breath.
Nolan Winslow and Irene Lynch returned soon after.
The baby was still in an incubator. She looked so small and frail, but thankfully, her heart and lungs were developing well. There were no major issues; other than being a bit weak, everything was normal.
Lily Callahan was in a three-person room. The other two beds were occupied by new mothers—one had company, while the other was alone.
Both had given birth to daughters.
Seeing how attentively Grace’s family was caring for Lily, they both felt a twinge of envy.
After all, giving birth to a daughter and then running up a hospital bill was not something a husband’s family typically looked kindly upon.
In those days, daughters were seen as a losing investment; no family was ever truly happy to have one.
When Nolan Winslow returned, he immediately went to tend to Lily Callahan.
Grace Winslow and Irene Lynch sat to one side, chatting.
The woman next to them, who was looking after the other new mother, couldn’t help but speak up. "Sister, did your daughter-in-law have a little girl too?"
Irene Lynch glanced at her and nodded. "Yes, a daughter."
"Tsk. She gave you a money pit, so why do you all look so happy?"
"I heard the baby was premature and has to be in an incubator. That costs several yuan a day, you know. You’re really willing to spend that kind of money?"
"If you ask me, since it’s just a girl anyway, you might as well just get rid of her. Then you can try again for a big, healthy boy."
The color drained from Irene Lynch’s face in an instant.
Grace Winslow, sitting nearby, didn’t look too pleased either.
Lily Callahan subconsciously gripped her bedsheets.
It was true that this birth had cost a lot of money.
She’d heard from Nolan Winslow that it was well over a hundred yuan, at least.
She couldn’t help but worry that Irene Lynch might be upset.
’After all, it is a girl...’
But before she could finish worrying, Irene Lynch spoke up. "Shut your damn mouth! What’s wrong with a girl? Is my girl eating your family’s rice?"
"My family happens to love girls. Let me tell you, we’re going to spoil this little girl more than we ever spoiled the boys. Not only am I going to spend money to make her healthy, but I’m going to serve her the best food and drinks every single day. We’ll treat her like a queen."
"Who the hell do you think you are? Aren’t you a woman yourself? How can you say something so brainless?"
"When your mother gave birth to you, why didn’t she just toss you in a manure pit and drown you?"
Irene Lynch let it all out in one long tirade.
Grace Winslow silently gave her mom a thumbs-up.
’When it comes to telling someone off, no one does it better than Mom.’
The woman, having been told off so fiercely by Irene, looked utterly humiliated and furious.
She glared, practically fuming, but was rendered speechless.
Her daughter-in-law glanced at Lily Callahan with a face full of envy, her gaze then shifting to Nolan Winslow.
Nolan Winslow saw the look on Lily Callahan’s face and knew what she was thinking.
He patted the back of her hand reassuringly. "Don’t listen to their nonsense. Our family isn’t like that. We don’t favor boys over girls." 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂
"You have no idea how much Mom wanted a granddaughter. We already have three healthy boys in the family. She’s been waiting for a granddaughter for a long time."
Hearing what Nolan said, Irene Lynch quickly chimed in, "Daughter-in-law, don’t you listen to her. She’s just sour. Looking down on girls... honestly, you should just drop dead."
Irene Lynch let her have it, not holding back in the slightest.
The woman, both ashamed and angry, just snorted, turned her head away, and refused to look at Irene Lynch anymore.
No one noticed the woman in the innermost bed, who was now staring intently at the Winslow family, her gaze burning as if she had just made up her mind about something.
