Chapter 376: Preterm Labor
“You’re the one who despised me for having a round face.” The worst part was that he even exposed her. Changqing said angrily, “Would I be so round if not because I drank all those tonics in order to give birth to your son?”
Song Chuyi coaxed her quickly: “Alright, alright, to me, you are very cute even if your face is round. You’re prettier than before.”
“It’s too late saying that now, but if you cut the cake and let me try it, I temporarily won’t be angry at you.” Changqing snorted.
Song Chuyi found her funny and turned to get the cake. “What’s there to cut? I’ll feed you but you can’t eat too much.”
“Mm.” Changqing ate a few mouthfuls from his spoon. She ordered this custom-made cake from the best bakery in town. It was very delicious, especially the cream which was very pure.
She wanted a little more but she was indeed too full from dinner that night. After a few mouthfuls, she waved her hand. “I’m done. I’m going to take a shower.”
“I’ll help you wipe your body,” Song Chuyi said quickly, ignoring the fact that he had just showered.
Changqing nodded. At first, she wasn’t accustomed to him helping her shower mainly because of her bulging stomach that looked too ugly. Sometimes, she would even look at herself with disdain. However, Song Chuchu had never said anything about it before and every time he helped her shower, he would even caress her stomach lovingly. As time went by, she got used to it.
After the shower, he helped wipe her dry. Changqing sat on the couch and watched a movie. Song Chuyi sat by her side, keeping her company. After spending a long time together, he got used to watching these meaningless love stories.
Changqing watched for a while and lifted her head to say to the man beside her, “Chuchu, it’s my first time spending your birthday with you, but we’re just watching TV at home. Don’t you find it boring?”
Song Chuyi asked her back, “Then what do you think we should do for it to not be boring?”
Changqing thought for a while and said, “For example, we can go catch a movie, sing, or even travel.”
“That’s what you like. Don’t make me out to be so superficial,” Song Chuyi said lightly. “I think this is fine. It’s so tiring to be out all day.”
Changqing automatically ignored the first part when she heard the latter part. Forget it. After all, it was indeed tough for him when he was working. Since he rarely had time to rest, she’d let him rest. It was his birthday too, so she’d let him have his way.
They watched shows until around 10. Changqing caressed her stomach with discomfort. “I might’ve eaten too much; I want to go to the toilet.”
“I told you to eat a little less. Go ahead.” Song Chuyi reminded her: “Be careful.”
Changqing nodded. After she went into the bathroom, she sat on the toilet bowl for a while and after 10 minutes, she walked out again while caressing her stomach. “I’m still feeling a little uncomfortable. I would’ve eaten less if I’d have known.”
Song Chuyi frowned upon hearing that. “Do you want to go to the hospital to check it out?”
“There’s no need for that. I think I’m just bloated,” Changqing said with a pout.
After another half an hour of watching dramas, she lay in bed. The pain didn’t only not subside, but she felt increasing discomfort. She got up to go to the toilet again but she still couldn’t pass anything out.
Song Chuyi lost all desire to sleep because of her. “Let’s go; I’ll take you to the hospital.”
“It’s so late. I don’t want to go to the hospital,” Changqing mumbled.
“You have to go even if you don’t want to. Even if you’re bloated or having diarrhea, it’s better to go have it checked,” Song Chuyi said solemnly. “Just in case.”
After saying that, he looked for her clothes and put them on for her. When they left, Yan Lei and Shen Lu were alarmed. They were obviously very worried and insisted on following. They only gave in after Song Chuyi reassured them.
In the car, Song Chuyi kept asking her, “What do you feel?”
“I feel like going to the toilet,” Changqing said with pain.
Song Chuyi pressed on the accelerator.
————————————————-
At the hospital, he carried her to the Emergency Room. He waited outside for around 10 minutes and the female doctor on shift came over to tell him, “Dr. Song, your wife is having signs of preterm labor. I’ll make preparations for the delivery?”
Song Chuyi was stunned. Although he knew there were often cases of preterm labor at the hospital, when it came to his woman experiencing it, he was still a little shaken by the news. Perhaps it was because he was too shocked that his heart felt as though it was being wrung hard and it wasn’t until the doctor on shift repeated herself several times that he finally regained his senses. “Yes, go ahead with the delivery. We’ll have to switch her to Obstetrics first?”
“Mm. It’s not time for delivery yet.” The doctor nodded.
Changqing was wheeled out very quickly. She was in so much pain that her brows were tightly knitted together as she stared at Song Chuyi, apparently in disbelief, as she said, “Chuchu, what should I do? The doctor said I’ll have to go through preterm labor? Why did this happen? Isn’t it not time for me to go into labor yet? I’m not mentally prepared yet.”
Song Chuyi grabbed her hand and accompanied her to Obstetrics.
In the antenatal ward, Changqing gripped onto Song Chuyi’s hand tightly. Toward the end, it became increasingly unbearable. She kept mumbling, “Chuchu, I’m not mentally prepared, I’m scared.”
Song Chuyi’s head hurt. Hasn’t she been preparing for this child for a few months? What is there to be mentally prepared about? “Don’t be scared—I’m here. Changqing, this delivery is a little abrupt, so you have to be mentally prepared even if you’re not. You have to stay strong for your Yan Wo.”
“But I’m in a lot of pain.” Changqing was already covered in sweat and her face was very pale too, perhaps because of fear or pain. “Why don’t I do a cesarean?”
“A caesarean isn’t good for your body and it’s not good for recovery either.” Song Chuyi held her hand. “Just hang in there for a moment more. I’m not going anywhere; I’m right here with you.”
Changqing tried to withstand the pain for a while more but ended up crying again.
Forgive her for never being through so much pain in her life, but this was just the beginning and it would hurt even more during labor.
“Qing Bao, Qing Bao, I love you.” Song Chuyi bent down and kissed her lips time and again, trying to divert her attention. “Do you know when I fell for you?”
Changqing stared wide-eyed at him and started joking too. “Wasn’t it love at first sight?”
“No way, When I saw you for the first time, you were very ugly, alright? You even had a mask on. How could I have fallen in love at first sight of a mask?” Song Chuyi started to make up stories.
…
Around more than half an hour later, Yan Lei and Shen Lu rushed over hurriedly. Upon seeing his daughter’s large eyes all red, he quickly said tenderly, “Changqing ah, you have to bear with the pain.”
Changqing pouted. “I wasn’t in so much pain just now, but now that you mention it, I feel the pain again.”
Yan Lei quickly smacked his mouth and said again, “Think about it—your sister only gave birth a few months before you. You have to learn from her.”
“Dad, can you not talk?” Changqing glared at him. How could she be compared to her sister when it came to bearing the pain?
Around another 20 minutes later, when Changqing was limp from the pain, Changxin and Lin Yiqin also arrived.
The moment she entered, Changxin said with a grin, “Changqing, congratulations. I didn’t expect that you would give birth prematurely. That way, our children might be able to fit into the same horoscope.”
“Stop joking with me,” Changqing said angrily. “A horoscope usually spans across a month. How’s it possible for my child to be the same horoscope as yours?”
“Horoscopes that are closer together might have similar personalities,” Changxin said innocently. “Let me tell you—you don’t have to be too nervous. When you go in later, just treat it like you’re taking a sh*t. Just push with all your might and it’s done.”
“Really?” Changqing was a little in disbelief.
“Trust me. That’s how I gave birth. I’m very experienced,” Changxin comforted her constantly.
The family members took turns to talk to her over the span of a few hours. At around 3 to 4 am, just as Changqing was about to fall asleep, the doctor suddenly said she would be pushed into the delivery room.
Changqing suddenly shuddered and was wide awake. She grabbed onto Song Chuyi tightly, as though she was afraid he would run away.
“Don’t be scared, don’t be scared. I’ll go in with you.” Song Chuyi comforted her. “I’ll change into an antibacterial gown now.”
Changqing was about to nod when she suddenly shook her head vigorously again. “I don’t want you to go in with me.”
She could almost imagine how ugly and disgusting she would look in the delivery room later. She didn’t want to scare him and was also afraid it would scare herself.
“Changqing, it’s okay,” Song Chuyi comforted her, knowing what she was worried about.
Changqing still shook her head vigorously and looked at Changxin pitifully. “Go in with me, Sis.”
“Alright, I’ll go in with you.” Changxin nodded in agreement.
…
Not long later, Changqing was pushed in. Song Chuyi paced anxiously outside to and fro. If it wasn’t because smoking was prohibited in the hospital, he would’ve definitely finished two sticks already.
Very quickly, the sounds of Changqing’s screams and cries came from the delivery room. She was shouting in pain constantly.
Yan Lei was fidgeting anxiously and grumbled endlessly, “Why isn’t it done yet? Why isn’t it done yet?”
“Don’t be anxious. She’s only been inside for half an hour. It’ll take some time.” Shen Lu comforted him.
“It’s only been half an hour?” Yan Lei looked at his watch. “Why does it feel like a century has passed?”
The corners of Lin Yiqin’s mouth twitched. His father-in-law really knew how to joke. However, he completely understood how Song Chuyi felt right now. He could remember not long ago, when Changxin was in labor, he was feeling exactly what Song Chuyi was feeling.
…
When the cries from inside softened, Song Chuyi became increasingly anxious. He wasn’t worried about anything else; her child would definitely be very healthy. The only thing he was worried about was that she was afraid of pain, so if she passed out from the pain, that would be terrible.
Luckily, a while later, the door was pushed open. The doctor came out hurriedly. “Dr. Song, your wife said she wants to switch from a natural childbirth to a cesarean. She looks like she’s run out of strength too.”
“Go ahead, go ahead.” Song Chuyi waved his hand. At this juncture, he couldn’t care about anything else. He only hoped for this child to be born quickly. He wasn’t even as nervous or afraid when standing in front of an operating table doing major surgeries as he was now.