I'm Done with the Elite Marriage - Chapter 77
The memory of childbirth remained vivid for Zhou Youling, even after many years had passed.
A woman’s natural sixth sense told Zhou Youling that she was about to give birth soon. Sure enough, after a checkup at the Obstetrics and Gynecology department, the doctor informed her that her cervix had already dilated-she could prepare for hospitalization and delivery.
After completing the admission procedures, Zhou Youling was calm and unhurried. She notified her mom first and then mentioned she wanted to go home for a bit.
But Fu Xunzhou was the one who turned anxious, like an ant on a hot pan.
Although Fu Xunzhou had mastered plenty of theoretical knowledge, this was his first time dealing with such a thing, so he was exceptionally nervous.
On the way home, Rong Huiying also gripped Zhou Youling’s hand anxiously and said, “Are we really going home? Why not just stay at the hospital? What if you give birth on the road?”
As she spoke, Rong Huiying’s face was full of worry. “What would we do if you gave birth on the way…”
Zhou Youling had no choice but to interrupt her mom, “Mom, it’s not that fast for a first child. Besides, I haven’t brought anything with me. Waiting in the hospital room is the same as waiting here.”
Rong Huiying said, “If you need anything, just let your dad bring it from home.”
“I just want to go back and take a nice, comfortable hot shower.” Zhou Youling comforted Rong Huiying in return, “Don’t worry, it only takes ten minutes from home to the hospital. Even if I really go into labor, it won’t make that much difference.”
Zhou Youling was also well-versed in theory. As her due date approached, she read many moms’ experience-sharing posts online and knew exactly what to do next-no need to rush, just take it slow.
Seeing her daughter so confident, Rong Huiying said nothing more.
After they got home, Zhou Youling packed up the delivery bag she had prepared in advance, along with all the baby supplies she’d set aside, and put everything into her suitcase.
Then, she took her time and enjoyed a long, comfortable hot shower in the bathroom.
After finishing all this, only about an hour had passed.
When Zhou Youling came out, she found her mom sitting on the sofa with a worried look. She walked over and asked what was wrong.
Rong Huiying said, “The postpartum caregiver I booked suddenly backed out! I’m so mad! Where am I supposed to find someone on such short notice?”
For the sake of the postpartum caregiver, Rong Huiying had been busy for months. She might seem carefree on the surface, but when she thought about caring for a newborn, she felt timid. It’d been over twenty years since she’d had a baby herself, and back then the whole family had helped-she barely had to lift a finger.
After much thought, Rong Huiying had started searching for a postpartum caregiver, and it was actually through Rong Duanjing that she’d found a suitable one.
Just now, the caregiver called Rong Huiying to apologize: “I’m really sorry, my dad broke his leg just two days ago. There’s no one to take care of him at home, so I have to do it myself.”
Her own father versus someone else’s daughter-the caregiver was truly in a tough spot.
The caregiver said to Rong Huiying, “How about this-I’ll need at most a week to settle things for my dad. If you still need me then, I promise I’ll come. You’ll probably still be in the hospital for that week, and the medical staff will tell you how to take care of things. Plus, if you have elders at home, they should have some experience. The baby will mostly sleep these first few days. If you have any issues, just call me anytime. Is that okay?”
With things said this way, Rong Huiying had no other choice. Besides, the original due date was a week away-she hadn’t expected Zhou Youling to go into labor early.
After Zhou Youling understood the situation, she comforted Rong Huiying in return: “She’s right, you really don’t need to be so nervous.”
Rong Huiying had no other solution. She simply said, “I’ll call your Elder sister over to help. She just had a baby a little over a year ago-she’ll definitely have experience.”
Zhou Youling waved her hand. “Don’t trouble Elder sister, she still has Xingxing clinging to her. You know Xingxing never leaves her side-don’t put her in a difficult spot.”
Rong Huiying could only frown and nod.
When they returned to the hospital, after another checkup by the medical staff, Zhou Youling found she was only one centimeter dilated-not much progress.
She was quite relaxed. On the way to the hospital, she’d even stopped by a fruit shop and weighed out a bunch of fruit to bring to the ward to snack on.
The only thing that made Zhou Youling a bit uncomfortable was that there was always someone sitting outside her private hospital room. That person was none other than Fu Xunzhou.
From the moment he learned Zhou Youling was about to give birth, to helping her handle the admission procedures, Fu Xunzhou had been waiting there the whole time. His emotions ran high-every time he thought about Zhou Youling about to give birth, his heart beat faster, overcome with joy. He didn’t care where he sat, as long as he could stay near Zhou Youling.
By evening, there was still no sign of movement in Zhou Youling’s belly.
Night fell.
Zhou Zhishan finally couldn’t stand it any longer. He walked over and quietly said to Zhou Youling, “Lingling, look, Xunzhou has been sitting alone out in the hallway all afternoon. He looks so pitiful.”
Zhou Youling looked up at her dad. “Dad, if you think he looks pitiful, you go keep him company. I don’t mind.”
Zhou Zhishan wore an expression of helplessness and could only sigh softly. He didn’t dare speak too loudly, afraid that Rong Huiying, who was napping nearby, might overhear.
After dinner, Rong Duanjing made a special trip to the hospital to visit Zhou Youling.
Rong Duanjing’s legendary advice on childbirth was delightfully simple: “It’s just like taking a dump, nothing to be nervous about. Just trust the doctors.”
Zhou Youling burst out laughing at Rong Duanjing’s words. “Can you not make something as sacred as giving birth sound so gross?”
“It’s basically the same thing,” Rong Duanjing winked at her. “To be honest, when I was giving birth, I pooped right there. The baby wasn’t even out yet, but the poop came first.”
Zhou Youling, disgusted, clapped her hand over her mouth. “Enough, enough! Stop it, I can’t listen to this anymore.”
Rong Duanjing said, “What’s the big deal? I pooped in front of all the medical staff. Tell me, isn’t that embarrassing?”
Zhou Youling urged Rong Duanjing to stop talking.
But Rong Duanjing couldn’t help herself. After thinking for a moment, she said to Zhou Youling, “I saw Fu Xunzhou in the hallway when I came in. I heard from uncle that he’s been sitting outside all day?”
Zhou Youling responded absentmindedly with a soft “Mm.”
When she arrived in the afternoon, Fu Xunzhou was already sitting there. It seemed he really had been waiting the whole day.
“Why don’t you let him come in,” Rong Duanjing suggested.
Zhou Youling frowned. “Sis.”
Rong Duanjing quickly explained, “Look, since Fu Xunzhou knows the child you’re carrying is his, and now he knows you’re about to give birth, there’s no way you can avoid contact with him in the future. Since you can’t avoid it, just face it calmly.”
Upon hearing this, Zhou Youling’s frown deepened.
Rong Duanjing continued, “Kids will always grow up. Even if you think having a father doesn’t matter, how will he feel about it? He’ll need a father’s love too.”
Although Rong Duanjing’s words didn’t completely sway Zhou Youling, they did stir something within her. But Zhou Youling couldn’t afford to think about that now; she just wanted to focus on giving birth, and nothing else mattered.
That night, Zhou Youling finally dilated to three centimeters, and the medical staff administered an epidural.
By the time she was at three centimeters, Zhou Youling could distinctly feel the pain in her lower abdomen.
At first, the contractions weren’t too severe-she could manage them. But as time went on, the pain intensified and the intervals grew shorter. The pain forced her to clench her fists or grit her teeth just to endure.
Fortunately, after the epidural, the pain gradually faded until she barely felt it.
Eventually, when she was fully dilated, Zhou Youling’s abdomen no longer hurt; everything was manageable.
At seven in the morning, lying in the delivery room, Zhou Youling watched with interest the woman giving birth beside her. That woman cried out in pain, but her family refused to let her have an epidural.
“It hurts… I don’t want to do this anymore,” the woman said.
The medical staff advised her coldly, “Just hold on a bit longer. Adjust your breathing and stop shouting, or you’ll have no strength left to push.”
As for Zhou Youling, she lay quietly in the delivery room, staring at the ceiling.
In B City in May, the temperature wasn’t high. The delivery room was air-conditioned, but Zhou Youling was barely dressed.
When it was her turn to give birth, she felt as if everything was unreal.
The baby entered the world with a wail. The doctor said to Zhou Youling, “Congratulations, it’s a boy.”
With that, the doctor showed her the child’s sex.
The first thing Zhou Youling saw was her child’s wrinkled face and the blood on his hair.
The delivering doctor announced, “Eight-oh-one, six jin, one liang1. Now, let’s get a little footprint.”
In Zhou Youling’s ears, the baby’s cries continued: “Waa waa waa…”
The sound wasn’t as loud as on TV, but it tugged at her heart.
Perhaps this ache came from some maternal instinct. Zhou Youling couldn’t bear to see him lying there crying alone; she even felt an urge to comfort him.
After giving birth, Zhou Youling didn’t leave the delivery room immediately. She had some bleeding and needed a transfusion, then stayed under observation for another hour.
During that hour, Zhou Youling kept turning her head to watch the little one on the nearby baby bed.
He was doing great, with no problems at all. Wrapped in his swaddling clothes, he had already stopped crying and was sleeping soundly.
Having just entered this world, apart from those first two cries, he seemed perfectly at ease.
Creation is truly miraculous.
Zhou Youling instantly felt lighter. She reached out and touched her belly, which was now almost flat. She couldn’t help but move a little on the bed, marveling at how light everything felt.
Even at that moment, a sense of unreality lingered in her heart.
She had given birth to a child-a vibrant new life. A child who shared her blood, a child who had come from her own body.
“Hi, I’m your mom,” Zhou Youling whispered silently to the little one in her heart.
Footnote:
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- Liang(两): “Liang” (两) is a traditional Chinese unit of weight, equal to approximately 50 grams.
