Yixiang rushed out like a gust of wind.
When Dahua inquired about PeiMin’s condition, she instructed her to stay put and not move. "Once the water breaks, you mustn’t move carelessly or it all might flow out, putting the child in danger. Yingzi, get the prepared items, grab so money, and let’s get ready to go to the hospital," she said while helping PeiMin into her coat and shoes.
Yixiang quickly returned, followed by Aunt Zhao and her daughter-in-law from next door. Everyone scrambled to place PeiMin onto a flatbed cart and pushed it towards the hospital.
At ho, Peiying stayed to stew chicken soup and to look after Dahua’s two children.
It was only then that PeiMin started experiencing labor pains, which, though brief, were within a bearable range. Upon reaching the hospital, she was promptly arranged in the maternity ward. She couldn’t move around due to her condition and had to wait until she was sufficiently dilated to give birth, so she could only lie in bed in a daze.
Dahua and Yixiang stayed by her side, chatting with her. Dahua encouraged her with her own experience, "Don’t be scared, it will be okay. When the pain cos, just push hard. Try to bear the pain quietly and save your energy. A single breath during the pain can help you deliver. I had Yingzi prepare so wild ginseng stew with chicken earlier. Yixiang will go fetch it later. You must drink so to keep your strength up."
PeiMin gripped her hand, moved, and said, "Thank you so much, sister-in-law."
"What’s there to thank? Can you try to sleep a bit now?"
PeiMin shook her head. "I can’t sleep." The contractions were coming more frequently and more painfully; sleep was impossible.
Seeing everything was nearly arranged, Dahua said to Yixiang, "Yixiang, can you check if the soup is ready? If it’s not, rest there until it is, then bring it over. I wonder if my two kids have obediently gone to sleep. Go check on them. Having more people around makes it less frightening. I’ll stay here and watch over things."
Yixiang agreed and went back ho.
When she returned about an hour later, she brought along two thermoses and said as she placed them down, "Yingzi also made so noodle soup. Sister-in-law Lu, have so. I’ve already eaten at ho."
After PeiMin had so soup and managed to eat a few bites of noodles, a nurse ca to check and then said it was almost ti, pushing her into the inner delivery room.
PeiMin’s mind went blank. Enduring the excruciating pain, she perked up her ears to follow any instructions from the nurse.
Outside, Yixiang couldn’t help pacing. After a while, she asked Dahua, "Sister-in-law, why is it taking so long for her to co out?"
Dahua chuckled, "It’s been barely ten minutes, it doesn’t happen that fast."
Yixiang checked her watch. It was two in the morning. The hospital corridors were eerily quiet and a breeze seed to blow in from a window sowhere, making her wrap her arms around herself. She couldn’t shake off the anxiety. "Sister-in-law Lu, do you think my sister-in-law will have an easy delivery? I’ve heard that a big belly ans a big baby, which makes delivery difficult."
Dahua glared at her slightly, "Don’t talk nonsense, everything will be fine. They will finish delivering soon. Don’t leave; better sit down and wait."
Knowing that she was just trying to make her feel better, Yixiang sat down beside Dahua.
After half an hour, the door to the delivery room opened and a nurse ca out. Yixiang and Dahua imdiately approached her, "Is she done giving birth?"
The nurse shook her head, "The mother is out of strength. Did you bring chicken soup? Bring it here so I can give her a few sips to boost her energy."
Without delay, Yixiang handed over the thermos, while Dahua added, "This is ginseng soup, let her drink more of it."
The nurse took it with a slight nod, not saying much, and turned back into the room.
An utterly helpless Yixiang asked, "Sister-in-law Lu, does this an it’s a difficult birth?"
"Don’t talk nonsense, the doctor and nurses are all here, it’s almost over."
Shen Yixiang pressed her ear against the delivery room door and faintly heard chaotic sounds inside.
Luo Dahua pulled her back, "Don’t be like this, you’ll only feel more anxious if you wait."
Shen Yixiang grabbed Luo Dahua’s hand, "Sister-in-law Lu, I’m very scared. My brother isn’t here, and I, I know sister-in-law must be scared. In my village, there’s a..."
Luo Dahua quickly interrupted her, "Don’t talk about those things, they’re inauspicious, do not speak of them now, do you understand? Let’s calm down and wait, everything will be fine. Your sister-in-law is a Military Wife; these challenges won’t defeat her. I think you don’t know her well enough. Although she looks fragile, she is not weak in her actions. She’s not that kind of person; you should also trust her."
No one knew how much ti had passed when the delivery room door opened again, and the nurse ca out again, "The family mber of the patient, she’s having a difficult labor and still can’t deliver. We are preparing for a cesarean section, sign here and we’ll proceed imdiately."
Shen Yixiang, trembling, stood up and looked at Luo Dahua, asking, "Wha, what is a cesarean section?"
The nurse, sowhat impatient, replied, "It’s where we cut open the belly and take out the baby. Hurry up and sign, we need to prepare for the surgery."
Luo Dahua was also sweating profusely, she had never heard of this before; could a cut open belly heal to be the sa as before? "Won’t this be dangerous?"
"It won’t, hurry up."
Shen Yixiang cried, shaking her head, "I don’t know."
The nurse scolded her, "What are you crying for? There’s no other option. If the baby doesn’t co out soon, it might suffocate. Make a decision quickly, the baby is waiting."
Luo Dahua held Shen Yixiang’s hand and nodded at her, "Let’s sign, following the doctor’s advice is never wrong."
Shen Yixiang, while crying, took the contract from the nurse’s hand, but her trembling hands couldn’t form any words.
The nurse looked at her and rolled her eyes, "Let soone else do it."
Luo Dahua hesitated, then nodded, took the contract from Shen Yixiang, and leaned against the wall to write her na shakily, steadying herself with years of experience.
Suddenly, there was a rush of footsteps in the corridor, followed by Shen Yixiang’s voice, filled with surprise, "Brother, brother!"
Luo Dahua quickly turned her head, only to see a tall figure running towards them.
"Nurse, how is my wife?" Shen Yiguang was covered in sweat, unable to think of anything else, he stared at the nurse and asked.
The nurse repeated the previous information, "You are the patient’s husband, right? Since you’re here, you sign."
Shen Yiguang hurriedly took it and signed, urging the nurse to go in, "Hurry up."
As the nurse entered, Shen Yiguang shouted towards the crack of the door, "Wife, you are the best, hang in there, I’m waiting for you outside!"
The door closed.
Shen Yixiang was already in tears.
Soon, the door opened again, and it was the sa nurse, this ti with a smile on her face, "She’s given birth, to a big healthy boy, mother and child are safe, it was a natural birth, no need for surgery."
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