Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

Several people swarmed around her, and even Xie Baochang took two steps forward, almost bumping into Su Guifen in front of him.

"Boy, 7.2 pounds, mother and child are safe!"

The nurse handed the baby forward; the little one in the swaddling clothes was all wrinkled and had his eyes closed.

"The little one is quite lively; he cried really loudly just now, the whole delivery room could hear him."

Lin Chen leaned forward, his hands trembling, hovering beside the child for a long time, not daring to touch it. He was like this when Xie Dajiao gave birth, not daring to reach out, afraid that he would hurt the child with too much force.

Su Guifen smiled and took the child. Lin Chen stared at the wrinkled little red face for a long time before asking:

"The boy...weighs 7.2 pounds...Where's my wife? How is she? Is she alright?"

"The new mother is fine, just tired. She'll be back in her ward after two hours of observation."

Seeing that Lin Chen seemed a little nervous, the nurse added with a smile:

"Don't worry, everything is going smoothly."

Xie Baochang stood behind, wiping his eyes:

"Okay...okay, it's good that you're safe, it's good that you're safe."

Wang Xiaomeng smiled and patted Lin Chen's arm:

"Brother Chen, you can rest assured now."

Chen Yannan laughed along:

"That's great, mother and baby are safe and sound, and the baby is so heavy."

Seeing Lin Chen's excited expression, Li Qiuge also smiled, feeling a mix of bittersweet emotions, and was happy for him.

The nurses took the baby to be weighed, bathed, and vaccinated. The delivery room door slammed shut, leaving Xie Xiaomei inside to observe.

Lin Chen peered through the crack in the door, but couldn't see anything but white walls. However, he wasn't as nervous as before.

Xie Baochang called Lin Chen outside for a smoke, and the two of them sat there puffing away at the hospital entrance. Seeing Lin Chen's restless state, Xie Baochang exhaled a puff of smoke and said:

"Don't worry, everyone needs to be observed for two hours after giving birth. It's okay, the doctor is watching you."

"I know, it's just that my heart is pounding. Giving birth is such a painful experience."

"That's true, but we've all been through this. As long as the adults and children are safe, that's all that matters."

More than two hours passed before the delivery room door was finally opened again.

The nurse pushed out a stretcher, and Xie Xiaomei lay on it, covered with a thick blanket. Her face was pale, her lips were dry and chapped, and her eyes were half-open and half-closed. She didn't even have the strength to lift her eyelids.

Lin Chen rushed forward immediately, first grasping her exposed hand; it was icy cold, and it broke his heart.

"Xiaomei, how are you? Does it hurt?"

"It's nothing... I'm just tired."

Xie Xiaomei was too listless to speak, but she still managed to give him a forced smile.

"Thank you for your hard work, my wife." Lin Chen bent down and gently kissed her forehead.

The nurse pushed the cart toward the ward, with people following on both sides to protect her.

Once inside, Lin Chen and Xie Baochang carefully moved her onto the hospital bed. The women tucked her in and placed a thick pillow under her, afraid that she might be uncomfortable.

A moment later, the nurse brought the baby back and placed him in the crib next to the bed. He was wrapped in a pink and white blanket, his little face wrinkled like a little old man, his eyes closed and his little mouth pursed.

Everyone in the room crowded around, heads pressed together, not daring to even breathe loudly, for fear of frightening this little darling.

"Look at how extravagant he is, he can't be short in the future."

Why is your face so red?

"Red means it's a white child."

"Oh dear, these eyes can't be too small!"

Xie Xiaomei tilted her head and glanced at the child a couple of times. Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and she fell asleep within two minutes, breathing softly.

……

Just as Liu Yingniang finished eating and was clearing the table, the courtyard gate was suddenly pushed open with a bang, followed by Zhao Yutian's shout:

"Liu Ying! Yingzi!"

Liu Ying was washing dishes in the outer room when she heard Zhao Yutian's voice. Her chopsticks slipped into the basin, and she looked up at Liu Neng with a panicked expression.

"Why is Zhao Yutian here at this time?"

Liu Neng frowned deeply as he peered through the small glass pane in the door.

"Did you...notic something's wrong?"

Liu Yingniang panicked and rubbed her hands back and forth on her apron to dry them.

"No...no!"

Liu Neng squinted and saw that Zhao Yutian was carrying something, then waved his hand:

"Didn't you see he came carrying things? If he came looking for trouble, would he be carrying things? He's just here to pick someone up."

He quickly turned to Liu Ying and instructed her:

"When he comes in, make sure you keep your mouth shut and don't give anything away. Just watch my signals and say exactly what I say, understand?"

"Yes, Father."

Liu Ying nodded, her palms sweating. She quickly smoothed her hair and tried to appear calm.

Zhao Yutian lifted the cotton curtain and came in, carrying a box of pure milk. He put it on the floor, rubbed his frozen red hands, and sat down with a smile, saying:

"Father, Mother."

"You're here, why bring anything?"

Liu Neng feigned a smile and moved further into the kang (heated brick bed):

"Why are you here so late? Have you finished working on the flowerbed?"

"I'm done with the work. This kind of work can't be done in a day. There's nothing else to do after I eat."

Zhao Yutian turned to look at Liu Ying, a hint of a smile in his eyes:

"Yingzi, are you enjoying your time here? Have you had enough? Do you want to go back?"

Liu Ying glanced at Liu Neng instinctively. Liu Neng reacted quickly, letting out a cry of "Ouch!" and slumping onto the kang (heated brick bed), clutching his chest and frowning.

"Oh dear... why do I still feel so unwell? My heart is pounding."

"Dad, what's wrong?"

Liu Ying quickly went over and patted his back, acting as if it were real.

"Yingzi, Yu... Yutian is here. Go back with him."

"Father, should I...should I go back?"

Liu Neng waved his hand weakly, as if he were about to die, then took a deep breath:

"No... When I'm feeling unwell, I just want to look at you. If you leave, I'll feel even more insecure."

Liu Ying immediately understood, turned to look at Zhao Yutian, and looked troubled:

"Yutian, look at my father like this, how can I go back? I'll stay a little longer until he's fully recovered. Why did you suddenly decide to come here?"

"I'll come and take you home."

Zhao Yutian leaned forward and looked at Liu Neng's condition:

"Our parents miss you. They said they don't know how you are doing staying at your parents' house for so many days. Besides, Brother Chen called me today and said that Xiaomei is about to give birth. I was thinking of taking you to the city tomorrow to see her. It'll be a good opportunity for you to relax."

Upon hearing this, Liu Neng's heart skipped a beat. If he went to the city, wouldn't he be dragged back to Old Zhao's house as soon as he came back?

He immediately propped himself up and sat up, his face hardening as he looked at Zhao Yutian:

"Yutian, I'm not trying to be mean, but don't you know Yingzi's situation? It's freezing outside, the roads are covered in icicles. What if she slips and twists her ankle? What if something serious happens? Is your own child more important, or someone else's?"

"Besides, why can't we wait until they're out of their postpartum confinement period? Why make such a fuss over this now?"

"But... I already told Brother Chen that I'd take you there tomorrow."

Zhao Yutian wanted to argue a few more points.

"No buts!"

Liu Neng waved his hand, his tone very firm:

"Go back and tell Zhao Si that Yingzi can go back whenever she's had enough. Right now, she needs to stay here and focus on her pregnancy. Everything else can wait. Once I'm in a better mood and Yingzi's pregnancy is stable, I'll naturally let her go back."

The smile on Zhao Yutian's face gradually disappeared. He pursed his lips and held it in for a long time before standing up and grabbing the down jacket from the back of the chair.

"Okay, then I'll head back first. Yingzi, you stay here."

He didn't linger after saying that; he lifted the curtain and left, slamming the door shut with a loud bang. It was clear he left in a huff.

As the footsteps faded into the distance and fell silent, Liu Yingcai breathed a sigh of relief, slumped onto the kang (a heated brick bed), and asked with some concern:

"Dad, is Yutian angry? He looks really down."

"How can I not be angry?" Liu Yingniang sighed and continued tidying up the dishes in the outer room.

"What kind of wife stays at her parents' house after getting married and doesn't go back? Anyone would have something to say about that, and it can't just drag on like this."