Chapter 569: Giving Birth to a Daughter
Chapter 569: Chapter 548: Giving Birth to a Daughter
The days passed just like that. Although Gu’er was pregnant and everyone took care of her, she didn’t just spend her days eating and sleeping. She went out for walks every day, taught Jiji some nursery rhymes and simple numbers and words, and when she had free time, she’d stroll with Sun Jiaming and discuss her ideas for the shopping mall. Her life was quite fulfilling.
At three months, Gu’er still hadn’t experienced any morning sickness and felt pretty much the same as usual. Her appearance hadn’t changed much, her waist hadn’t thickened, and anyone who didn’t already know wouldn’t have been able to tell she was pregnant.
Cao Qiu and Chen Fengjiao both said she was too thin and were constantly buying nutritious food for her. But Gu’er was quite firm on this matter. She ate what she was supposed to, but she wouldn’t overeat. As long as she had enough nutrients, that was sufficient. ‘There’s no need to stuff myself until I’m huge,’ she thought. ‘That’ll just make things harder when the time comes.’
When Gu’er was five months pregnant, good news came from Xinghua—she was pregnant, too.
When the Dong Family sent a letter with the news, Wang Qiu couldn’t stop smiling.
She had thought it would be good enough if her son could just find a wife and live a peaceful life. But she never imagined her son would marry Xinghua, who hadn’t asked them for a thing. On the contrary, she had provided a new house. Her daughter-in-law was also so filial, even offering to have her move in.
She felt it would be improper to move in. Besides, her son and daughter-in-law were newlyweds; how could she impose on them? So she remained in her old house. However, her son and daughter-in-law came to see her every few days, buying her this and that and making sure she never went without.
Her son was no longer a factory worker; he and Xinghua were running a sweater shop together. The shop was bigger than before, business was even better, and the two of them were living in perfect harmony.
Now, her daughter-in-law was pregnant, about to give the Dong Family a grandchild. Her daughter-in-law and son once again asked her to move in, saying it would be easier for them to look after one another. This time, she agreed. She had to take good care of her daughter-in-law and look after the baby so the young couple would have nothing to worry about. She felt truly content with her life. When she thought about the future, she could wake up from her dreams with a smile on her face.
Zheng Changsheng and Lin Shuying were also overjoyed, especially Lin Shuying, who had been eagerly awaiting this news. Although the family Xinghua married into might not seem ideal in the eyes of others—with no father-in-law and no one to uphold the family name—her mother-in-law was wonderful to her. Dong Liang, for his part, was gentle and attentive. The two of them had never even had a real argument, and the happiness on their daughter’s face was genuine.
‘What does a woman really want in this life? Isn’t it just to have a happy home? Whether you’re rich or poor, as long as the two of you get along and your man treats you well, there’s nothing you can’t overcome.’
Zhongshan’s health had recovered, and he was earning enough to support his family. Even though his wife had a daughter, Lin Shuying was just as thrilled—a girl was as good as a boy in her eyes. She loved her granddaughter as much as her own son. And now, with Xinghua pregnant and such a wonderful man like Zheng Changsheng by her side, Lin Shuying felt her life was truly complete.
Gu’er was also happy to hear about Xinghua’s pregnancy. ‘Come to think of it,’ she mused, ‘it seems like everyone around me is constantly getting pregnant and having babies. It’s always someone.’ She smiled. ‘But having children is a good thing. A family only feels complete with kids. As long as everyone is happy, that’s what matters.’
Even at seven months pregnant, Gu’er’s appearance hadn’t changed much. The baby’s kicks weren’t as strong as Jiji’s had been, and she hadn’t felt sick a single time. ‘I must be having a girl,’ she thought. ‘She’s so quiet. It must be a gentle little daughter.’
The thought of her soon-to-be-born daughter brought a smile to Gu’er’s lips, making the hardships of pregnancy feel insignificant. Little did she know that while she was indeed having a girl, this daughter would be nothing like the quiet baby in her belly. Her capacity for mischief would be far greater than Jiji’s; she was a true little imp.
Mischievous as she was, however, she was also very kind and considerate. She was good to everyone around her and knew just what to say to charm them. As a result, everyone in the family spoiled her rotten, to the point that Gu’er could never get a scolding in edgewise. This was especially true for Grandma Sun, who loved Sun Xing to her very core.
Sun Xing, in turn, was very good to her great-grandmother. She would often climb onto the kang bed to chat with the old woman, thinking up all sorts of things to say to make her happy.
Every time Gu’er saw Grandma Sun’s loving smile, her eyes would well up with tears. The affinity between people was truly a mysterious thing.
But for now, Gu’er didn’t know she was about to give birth to a little sprite who would cause her endless headaches yet fill her heart with love. She was still rejoicing over how docile the baby in her womb was.
When Gu’er was nine and a half months pregnant, she went into labor one night.
Her due date was still a few days away, so they hadn’t gone to the hospital yet. But unexpectedly, her contractions began in the middle of the night.
Even though she had been through this once before, the pain of childbirth was still unbearable.
A worried Sun Jiaming wanted to take her to the hospital, but it was the middle of the night, and Gu’er didn’t want to cause a fuss. Besides, giving birth wasn’t something that happened in an instant—the labor would probably last for hours. She told him not to worry and that they could go at dawn.
Sun Jiaming stayed by Gu’er’s side, tending to her. Though she did her best to endure it, the pain wasn’t something that could be willed away. By four in the morning, she felt the baby was about to come.
“It’s no use, Jia Ming. I don’t think we’ll make it to the hospital,” she said. “Go wake up Aunt Zhao and my mom. I think the baby’s coming.”
Beads of sweat dripped down Gu’er’s forehead. ‘Who said the second birth is easier? They’re all liars! It hurts just as much!’ At this point, only the on-duty doctor would be at the hospital. Besides, she was afraid she might give birth before they even arrived. ‘Might as well just have the baby at home,’ she concluded.
Sun Jiaming rushed to wake everyone. Aunt Zhao, Chen Fengjiao, and Lin Shuying, who lived upstairs, were all roused from their sleep.
By the time Grandma Dingzi and Marina were startled awake, the Sun Family’s home was already crowded. Gu’er’s cries echoed intermittently, each one making Sun Jiaming’s heart ache with worry and anxiety.
He desperately wanted to rush in and stay by Gu’er’s side, but the elders pushed him out. They told him it was bad luck for a man to be in the delivery room. Besides, they said, there were already plenty of people inside and he wasn’t needed.
At 5:38 a.m., with one last loud cry from Gu’er, Sun Xing was born.
“She’s here, she’s here! It’s a girl!”
Aunt Zhao came out to announce the happy news.
“How’s Gu’er?”
Sun Jiaming, however, was only worried about Gu’er.
“This is her second child, so the delivery was easier than the first. Don’t worry, Gu’er’s fine. I’m going to go make her a bowl of sweet egg soup with brown sugar.”
Aunt Zhao knew Sun Jiaming was anxious, but Gu’er really was fine. Other than being exhausted, she had a relatively smooth delivery.
Sun Jiaming finally felt a bit of relief at Aunt Zhao’s words. He tried to go inside, but Chen Fengjiao, who was just coming out to grab something, stopped him. Sun Jiaming peeked in from the doorway and saw Gu’er’s hair, soaked with sweat and plastered in strands to her forehead. She wasn’t unconscious, though. Weak as she looked lying there, she was in much better condition than she had been after giving birth to Jiji.
Unable to sit still, Sun Jiaming stood by the doorway, watching people bustle in and out.
He didn’t let out a sigh of relief until he saw Gu’er finish two of the sweet-broth eggs. ‘As long as she can eat, it’s fine. She needs to eat to regain her strength.’ If she hadn’t been able to take a single bite, he would have been truly worried.
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Thank you to Guan Han Palace Master a for the peace charm, and thank you all for your support. The daughter is born, and this novel will be concluding in the next day or two! The author has started a new book, titled Vibrant and Charming 1970s. You can access it directly from my author page. The new book is still in its early stages, but I hope you’ll all consider adding it to your collection. Thank you, everyone.