“No, you’re mistaken.” He feigned composure, his grip on her hand loosening slightly. “There are people with children playing ahead, let’s go take a look.”
He was avoiding the topic, but Lin Mei didn’t call him out. However, Xing Zheng’s shyness was difficult to fathom. When teasing her, he seemed to possess the thickest skin in the world, capable of saying any vulgar or shameless thing. Yet, he blushed and grew shy over seemingly trivial remarks.
There were many children in the residential area. They encountered a four-month-old infant in a stroller, basking in the sun. It was a soft and fragrant little baby girl. Lin Mei bent down to playfully interact with the child, who seemed to like her and giggled.
Lin Mei smiled along with her. She tugged at Xing Zheng’s arm. “Come play with her too.” With that, she picked up a toy and handed it to him.
Xing Zheng took the sunflower plush toy and crouched before the stroller, shaking it awkwardly. He wasn’t someone who softened his demeanor, and coaxing a child in a gentle voice was an entirely new experience. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t utter them. He could only shake the toy to amuse the baby, humming softly like he would with Lan Lan. Unexpectedly, the little girl was very responsive. From the moment she saw him, she started laughing, her eyes crinkling into slits.
Lin Mei had tried her best to coax her earlier, but the baby hadn’t smiled like this. This made Lin Mei feel a touch of indignation. “You weren’t even trying to coax her, why is she smiling so happily!”
“I don’t know.” Children were unpredictable. Xing Zheng hadn’t anticipated that his clumsy attempts would elicit such a joyful reaction. He hoped their own child would be as easy to appease.
The baby girl’s mother smiled and said, “My little one just likes looking at handsome men. As soon as a good-looking person comes near, she starts smiling.” Every infant had different preferences, but liking handsome men was something she heard for the first time.
The baby girl’s mother added, “If your child also likes handsome men, seeing your husband’s face, she’ll surely be happy every day.”
This experience of playing with the child gave Xing Zheng considerable encouragement. As they walked back home, he was still reminiscing. Lin Mei asked him, “Still thinking about someone else’s child?”
“A little girl, very cute,” Xing Zheng replied, his gaze fixed on her belly. “She’ll probably be a girl too.”
He hadn’t been particularly interested in children before, but if he could have a daughter who looked a lot like her, he would be very happy.
Xing Zheng had said similar things multiple times during the pregnancy. Lin Mei just smiled. “We can’t say for sure. We’ll know when she’s born. If it’s a boy, will you not like her?”
“No,” he denied quickly. “As long as you give birth to them, I’ll like them all.”
After months of “training,” he was now much more adept at saying these mushy words. Lin Mei was very pleased with this. Every time she heard him say something like this, her mood would improve, and she would feel a sense of accomplishment.
In the month leading up to her due date, although Lin Mei’s body was severely swollen and she experienced frequent contractions, her mood was the best it had been throughout the entire pregnancy.
Even Zhou Yue couldn’t believe that she had truly overcome numerous obstacles through her own willpower and managed to save the child. During this time, Lin Mei had an online consultation with Zhou Yue. After the video call, as soon as Zhou Yue saw Lin Mei’s complexion, he could tell that she had recovered much better than he had expected.
After a brief chat, Zhou Yue said to Lin Mei, “You are the patient with the most astonishing willpower I have ever seen. Congratulations. When the baby is born, Ah Yi and I will come to see you.”
“Thank you, Dr. Zhou.” Recalling the struggles she had gone through during her pregnancy, the darkest moments she had experienced, and the painful days and nights, she felt as if she were in a different lifetime.
At some point, she no longer constantly looked in the mirror, focusing on the scars on her face, nor did she wake up from nightmares. She had heard the phrase “a mother becomes strong” countless times, and only now did she truly understand its meaning.
On October 27th, early in the morning, Lin Mei’s stomach began to ache. Xing Zheng decisively took her to the hospital and admitted her to the labor and delivery room. Lin Zhengde and Xiao Yue accompanied them, bringing two large bags of belongings.
However, upon arriving at the hospital, Lin Mei’s stomach stopped having contractions. To avoid unnecessary trouble, she was admitted to the hospital. Two days passed, and there was still no sign of labor.
Lin Mei touched her belly and smiled helplessly. “He’s really mischievous.”
He had fooled everyone, causing the whole family to panic, but then he quieted down.
After three days of quiet, there was finally movement. On the afternoon of the 30th, Lin Mei’s water broke, and she was wheeled into the delivery room by a nurse. Xing Zheng changed his clothes and accompanied her inside.
After her water broke, Lin Mei began to experience pain. The doctor dilated her cervix by one finger. Sweat beaded on her forehead. Xing Zheng watched by her side, holding her hand. He couldn’t bear her pain for her, and any further words seemed redundant.
Lin Mei took about half an hour to deliver, which was not too long. After the baby was born, he was taken away by the nurse. Xing Zheng had no intention of looking at the baby; all his attention was focused on Lin Mei.
Childbirth had taken a significant toll on her body. Her face was pale, with a purplish hue, her lips had lost all color, and her face was noticeably swollen, leaving her weak and frail.
Recalling the blood she had lost earlier, Xing Zheng felt a pang of heartache. He accompanied Lin Mei back to the postpartum room. Xiao Yue brought a cup of warm water. Xing Zheng helped Lin Mei sit up and fed her with a spoon.
She had exerted too much energy, and her body was in pain, so even drinking water was not as effortless as usual. It took her a long time to finish the cup of water.
After she finished drinking, the nurse brought the baby. “Congratulations, all the baby’s indicators are very healthy. It’s a little boy weighing six pounds and eight ounces. Very cute.”
The baby was placed in a crib. Lin Zhengde and Xiao Yue pushed the crib next to Lin Mei. Lin Mei lowered her head slightly and saw the baby inside. The newborn’s eyes were not yet open. Its small body and tiny hands made one’s heart soften.
Lin Mei wanted to hold him, but Xing Zheng stopped her. “You’re too weak now. Get some rest.”
“It’s okay,” Lin Mei said. “I want to see him.”
“I’ll do it.” Xing Zheng lifted the baby from the crib, supporting his neck with a very standard hold, which surprised Lin Zhengde and Xiao Yue. Lin Mei, however, wasn’t surprised; the PowerPoint presentations on his phone weren’t for nothing.
Xing Zheng brought the baby over, allowing Lin Mei to see him up close. The baby’s features strongly resembled Xing Zheng’s. “Not a girl, are you disappointed?”
“Not disappointed.” He asked, “Have you thought of a name for the baby?”
This question stumped Lin Mei. She had never considered such things before, and naming wasn’t her forte. Lin Mei looked at Lin Zhengde and Xiao Yue. “Dad, Mom, you choose.”
They didn’t respond. Lin Zhengde looked at Xing Zheng.
Xing Zheng, holding the baby, said to him, “The child’s surname is Lin. Please choose the given name.”