Marriage in the 1970s: The Political Commissar's Contract Wife

Fang Chu was taken aback by her strong reaction and didn't take it seriously, assuming she was just being petulant. Instead, she smiled and leaned in to hug her again: "Are you really angry? I'm sorry, I promise..."

"Get away from me!" Seeing that he was still relentless, Zhixia was both anxious and angry. She didn't care about anything else and raised her foot to kick him away.

However, she overestimated her balance during pregnancy and underestimated Fang Chu's "tenacity." Her kick failed to push Fang Chu away, and because of the sudden movement, she instantly lost her balance!

"Ah—!" she cried out in surprise, and fell off the bed to the side!

Fang Chu's smile froze instantly, and his pupils contracted sharply! He reached out almost instinctively to grab her, but only managed to touch the hem of her clothes!

A muffled "thump"!

Zhixia fell solidly off the not-so-high bed, landing sideways on the cold, hard cement floor!

Time seemed to stand still for a second.

Immediately afterwards, Zhi Xia's painful groans came. She curled up on the ground, her hands tightly covering her swollen belly. Her face turned ashen in an instant, and large beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead.

"My stomach... my stomach... it hurts so much..." Her voice trembled, filled with fear.

Fang Chu felt as if he had been struck hard on the head with a hammer; his ears were ringing, and his blood seemed to freeze instantly! He scrambled to the ground, his hands and feet trembling as he tried to touch her but dared not, his voice shaking uncontrollably:

"Xiaxia! Xiaxia! How are you? Where did you fall? Huh?!"

He watched Zhixia writhe in pain, especially as she clutched her stomach tightly. Boundless fear gripped his throat like a giant hand, making it almost impossible for him to breathe!

What did he do?! What the hell did he do?!

"Mom—! Mom!!" Fang Chu could no longer care about anything else. Like a desperate trapped beast, she screamed hoarsely towards the door, her voice filled with sobs and unprecedented panic.

When Chao Huaihua heard Fang Chu's altered shout, her heart trembled, and she rushed into the inner room in her slippers.

Seeing her daughter lying on the ground, her face as white as paper, clutching her stomach, she nearly jumped out of her skin. "What happened?!"

Fang Chu's eyes reddened with anxiety, but she didn't dare delay. She explained rapidly, her voice trembling, "Mom! I was just playing around with her. She kicked me, but missed and accidentally fell down!"

Upon hearing this, Chao Huaihua was both angry and anxious, but now was not the time to pursue the matter. Forcing herself to remain calm, she ordered, "Quick! Get Xiaxia to bed first! Let me check if she's bleeding! Go and request a car to take her to the hospital!"

Upon hearing this, Fang Chu immediately and carefully picked up Zhi Xia.

Zhixia bit her lip, tears streaming silently down her face, her body trembling slightly from the pain and fear.

Fang Chu gently placed her on the bed, his movements as tender as if handling fragile porcelain. But as soon as he put her down, he turned and rushed outside, forgetting even to put on his coat. Wearing only a thin sweater, he dashed into the cold January night, his mind filled with only one thought: a car! Quickly! To the hospital!

Inside the room, Chao Huaihua didn't have time to scold anyone. She quickly went to the bedside and said in a very gentle voice, "Xiaxia, don't be afraid, let Mom take a look." She carefully helped Zhixia take off her pants, examined her carefully, and then gently pressed around Zhixia's stomach.

Zhixia sobbed, "Mom... my stomach hurts..."

"Every fall hurts, take a break and don't move around." Chao Huaihua comforted her, but her eyes carefully examined her. She saw no blood and breathed a sigh of relief, but when she saw her daughter sweating profusely from the pain, she felt that breath catch in her throat again.

"Mom..." Zhixia grabbed her mother's hand, her fingers icy cold, her voice filled with fear, "The baby... what if the baby falls out? I... I feel them moving so violently..."

"Nonsense!" Chao Huaihua immediately interrupted her, her tone firm, and squeezed her daughter's hand tightly. "No way! Our child is very strong! Don't scare yourself! She just fell and was startled; she'll be fine after a while. We'll take her to the hospital later for a doctor to check her over; she'll definitely be alright!"

Zhi Xia's tears flowed even more fiercely, a mix of grievance and lingering fear welling up inside her: "It's all Fang Chu's fault! He... he insisted on coming closer..."

Looking at her daughter's pale face, Chao Huaihua felt heartbroken. She gently wiped the cold sweat from her forehead with a hot towel while soothingly and helplessly saying, "Yes, it's his fault! It's all his fault for being so unreasonable! When you're not in pain anymore, Mom will hold him down for you, and you can give him a good beating to vent your anger! Let's not think about him now, catch our breath, and wait for the car to come."

Under her mother's familiar scent and comforting presence, Zhixia's tense body relaxed slightly, but the lingering pain in her abdomen and the panic in her heart had not completely dissipated. With her eyes closed, tears still streamed down her face uncontrollably.

The sound of a car engine and hurried footsteps came from outside. Fang Chu rushed in, bringing with him a chill, followed by his orderly. His complexion wasn't much better than Zhi Xia's; his lips were even a little purple from the cold.

"The car is here!" His voice was hoarse. He glanced at Zhixia on the bed, his eyes filled with panic and self-blame.

Chao Huaihua had already tidied Zhixia up a bit and covered her with a thick quilt. "Slow down, please be very slow," she instructed.

Fang Chu took a deep breath and once again lifted Zhi Xia, blanket and all, with the most steady movements, taking each step with extreme care, afraid of any further bumps. Chao Huaihua picked up the small bundle she had prepared beforehand and followed closely behind.

The jeep sped towards the military hospital in the darkness. Inside the vehicle, Zhixia leaned against her mother, sobbing softly.

Fang Chu sat in the front row, his body ramrod straight, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, his hands clenched into fists, his nails digging deep into his palms.

A cold wind seeped in through the cracks in the car windows, but it couldn't dispel the heavy atmosphere inside. This night, which should have been warm and cozy on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, was completely shrouded in surprise and fear.

Fang Chu's mind kept replaying the scene of Zhi Xia falling and her pale face, his heart aching. He only hoped the hospital would arrive quickly, only hoped that she and the baby would be safe. Nothing else mattered.

The jeep sped along, its wheels rolling over the quiet winter night road, finally stopping in front of the military hospital. Fang Chu jumped out almost as soon as the car came to a stop, went around to the other side, and carefully carried Zhi Xia, who was wrapped in a blanket, out.

The on-duty doctor in the emergency room was an experienced veteran military doctor. He was called in hastily, and seeing the situation, he did not dare to be negligent. He carefully inquired about the situation and examined Zhixia.

He pressed on various parts of Zhixia's abdomen, listened to the fetal heartbeat, and after a while, straightened up, took off his gloves, and said calmly to the three people who were staring at him nervously, "It's nothing serious. She fell and was mainly frightened; her abdominal muscles might be a little strained, which is why it hurts. She'll be fine after a couple of days of rest." He paused, looked at Zhixia, and said, "The baby is very strong, the heartbeat is strong, and the movements are normal. Don't worry."