The midwife weighed the little one, filled out the wristband, gave him a simple rinse, and then wrapped him snugly in a small blanket before handing him over.
"Ilena's baby, a boy, seven catties and eight taels. Who is the family member?"
Guo Xuyang hurried forward and took the child.
The baby looked at him and actually grinned and cried, each cry louder than the last.
What the heck is this behavior, crying when he sees me?
"What's wrong? Did you twist him?" Wu Shangqing snatched the little one away.
"Shh, shh, don't cry, don't cry. Are you hungry? Why hasn't Ilena come out yet? The baby needs to drink more milk."
"The mother will be out shortly, please wait a moment." Before the doctor finished speaking, Ilena was pushed out on a cart.
"Quick, quick, let's get to the ward first," Wu Shangqing said.
The group bustled to move Ilena to the ward, with Wu Shangqing holding the baby close behind.
As a few people were about to lift Ilena from the cart onto the bed, she woke up.
"No need to lift me, I can move myself," Ilena said, slowly sitting up and shifting onto the hospital bed.
"Lie down quickly, you can't sit up like this, it's not good for your recovery," Wu Shangqing said.
"Lie down properly, let the baby have some milk. He needs to eat early, otherwise there won't be enough milk, and both mother and baby will suffer."
Wu Shangqing placed the baby in Ilena's arms as she spoke, helping Ilena to lie on her side to feed the baby.
Ilena, being a first-time mother, had no experience at all, and no matter how she positioned the baby, he couldn't latch on to feed.
Wu Shangqing had to step in to support Ilena's waist, helping her tilt to the right, and reaching down with her right hand to support the baby's bottom, bringing him closer to her chest. Meanwhile, she used her left hand to cup the breast and place it by the baby's lips, letting him find the nipple himself.
This entire process left Wu Shangqing drenched in sweat.
It was fortunate that Wu Shangqing was there, as none of the other women present had ever been mothers and had no idea how to feed a baby.
The baby, having found something to eat, stopped crying and closed his eyes, beginning to feed.
After about ten minutes, Wu Shangqing had Ilena change position, lying on her left side, then placing the baby on her left and continuing to feed him from that breast.
"In the future, if you get used to it, you won't have to hold him all the time, you can just feed him directly," Wu Shangqing said, looking at Ilena.
"It looks like there's enough milk for the baby. We probably won't need to supplement with formula."
Ilena was in good health. Although she had noticeably lost weight during this period, her nutrition was adequate, and coupled with the fact that Western women generally have ample milk supply, it was more than enough for the baby.
After feeding for a while, the baby burped contentedly and fell asleep.
It was at this point that Xiao Yun and the others finally had a chance to see the newborn.
"This baby is so beautiful, inheriting the best traits of his parents.
His eyes and nose resemble Ilena's, while his mouth and face shape are like Yangzi's. Don't you think so?"
Xiao Yun said as she peeked at the baby, gently pulling away his small hand from his mouth.
"They say nephews take after their uncles, and nieces take after their aunts. I think this little darling will be like that, picking the best features."
Li Minxi said, touching the baby's cheek with her finger.
Guo Yiyang, Yezi, and Yu'er all came over to touch the baby's cheeks.
"Alright, alright, if you wake him up, you can look after him," Guo Xuyang couldn't stand it any longer.
"He finally stopped crying. Whoever makes him cry next can take care of him. It's strange, he cries when I hold him, but he doesn't cry when Mom holds him."
"He was hungry earlier. He's not crying now, is he?" Wu Shangqing said.
"Then why didn't he cry when you held him?"
"Didn't you hear me soothing him just now?"
"What can such a tiny child understand?" Li Minxi said.
"You can't say that. Some people say that fetuses can understand what adults say during prenatal education.
Now that he's born, he can understand even better. He just can't speak yet," Wu Shangqing said.
"I believe that," Guo Xuyang said.
After all, he had personally witnessed the baby's gaze before he was even born, and his bubble-blowing actions.
"Yangzi, what do you think we should name him? Let's pick a name for the baby?" Ilena asked Guo Xuyang from her bed.
"How about Guo Yi Shun? May everything he does be smooth sailing in the future, and it also incorporates characters from both your names."
"Yes, yes. And what about a nickname?" Li Minxi asked from the side.
"Mom, could you pick a nickname?" Guo Xuyang asked.
"How about Bao Bao? Bao Bao sounds natural," Wu Shangqing said.
"Okay. Let's call him Bao Bao."
"Hurry up and call your dad to tell him. He's been gone and hasn't returned.
It's almost Chinese New Year, what's he so busy with in the county town?"
"That's right. Didn't school finish vacation a long time ago? Why hasn't my dad come back yet?"
Guo Xuyang said as he dialed Guo Yiyu's number.
"Dad, why haven't you come back yet? Are you packing up the house? What needs packing up? You should hurry back.
Should I send someone to pick you up, or will you drive yourself? Okay. Drive slowly.
And there's good news, Ilena has given birth, it's a boy. Yes, you're a grandfather.
Dad, please don't get too excited. Drive slowly on the road.
We're all at the hospital now. We should be discharged tomorrow or the day after. Okay, goodbye."
"When my dad heard he was a grandfather, his phone fell to the ground just now, hehe," Guo Xuyang said to everyone after hanging up.
"Um, Yangzi, what about the household registration for the baby after he returns?" Wu Shangqing quietly pulled Guo Xuyang aside and asked.
"We can have Xiao Yu find someone to handle that."
"I'm asking about your relationship with Ilena, how will that be explained?"
"I've already told you, I never intended to marry her. You don't need to worry about this, Ilena won't mind."
"You don't understand a woman's heart. Doesn't every woman want a grand wedding?
Even if Ilena doesn't say anything, you can't pretend not to know."
"Mom, please don't ask about this.
Look around you, aren't there many women? If I were to marry all of them, would you be willing?
I've already told them. And if I really wanted to get married, I would have to emigrate.
As you know, our country doesn't allow polygamy. Are you willing for me to emigrate overseas?"
Wu Shangqing fell silent after Guo Xuyang's words.
She also couldn't bear to have her son leave.
If her son emigrated abroad, seeing him even once a year would be a luxury.
Everyone had their selfish desires, and she only had Guo Xuyang as her son.
Even if Guo Xuyang emigrated and took her with him, it wouldn't be as good as her own home.
As Chinese people, they were generally attached to their homes.
There's a saying: "A nest of gold or silver is not as good as one's own dog kennel."
No matter how good or exciting the outside world might be, it's never as good as home.
Therefore, Chinese people often compare home to a warm harbor, a place of rest, a place for the soul to linger.