Ling Yuchen immediately sensed something was wrong. He pressed his face against her forehead, feeling intently, and confirmed she had a high fever.
She was burning up.
Gong Zhijing groggily opened her eyes, her head splitting with pain, her body aching all over.
"You have a fever, I'm taking you to the hospital," Ling Yuchen said, his face grim, his eyes deeply dark.
Gong Zhijing felt overwhelmingly dizzy. Hearing Ling Yuchen's words and feeling her discomfort, her heart sank.
"I'm not going to the hospital."
She forced herself to sit up, her voice weak.
"The postpartum doula said fever is normal. With physical therapy, massage, combined with hot and cold compresses, it usually heals within a day or two."
How could Ling Yuchen be at ease? Seeing her in distress, only urgency filled his heart.
"She's not a doctor, let's go to the hospital."
Gong Zhijing looked at his persistent demeanor and patiently soothed him, "She's a top-tier postpartum doula. She's been doing this for over a decade and has seen it all. Please don't worry, okay?"
Ling Yuchen frowned deeply and remained silent. He said coldly, "Don't breastfeed, let her drink formula."
"No," Gong Zhijing flatly refused.
Unable to get his way, Ling Yuchen could only sulk to himself.
Gong Zhijing didn't have the energy to argue with him about it; she just wanted to sleep.
But as soon as she closed her eyes, Ling Leyou in the crib whimpered softly. She had to get up, glancing at the time, it was almost time to feed the baby.
Ling Yuchen didn't want her to exert herself further, but she insisted on breastfeeding, saying it would help her recover faster.
The doula had said that as long as there was no pus or abscess, she could breastfeed. The baby suckling more would actually help it heal faster.
But the sensation was agonizing. Each suckle made her gasp in pain.
And due to the fever, her whole body felt cold and weak, her head pounding.
Ling Yuchen truly didn't want to watch her endure this torment, but he also knew he couldn't persuade Gong Zhijing.
After mustering the strength to finish feeding, Gong Zhijing finally handed the baby to Ling Yuchen with peace of mind.
Breastfeeding was truly a mix of pain and joy, something many might not understand.
But no matter how painful, it was only for a short period that the baby would depend on her. Once she grew older, she would drift further away. At that point, she would long for these moments.
Moreover, she herself had never experienced maternal love growing up, so she wanted to give her child the best.
Ling Yuchen carried the baby to the crib and turned back to see Gong Zhijing already asleep.
His eyes were filled with heartache. He stepped forward and gently pulled the blanket up for her before turning to go to the balcony.
Raising a child was difficult; every detail required concern. One could never truly understand this feeling without being a parent.
In fact, they could completely entrust the child to the postpartum doula and nanny, but as parents, they would be negligent.
The night was deep, the breeze cool.
Ling Yuchen gazed at the city's neon lights, his expression grave. Unable to rest easy, he took out his phone and called the director of Huaxi Hospital.
It was past eleven o'clock at night.
The director had already gone to bed and was startled awake by the sudden ringtone.
No one likes being woken up, and he was even a bit irate, wanting to curse.
But the phone's ringtone was persistent, stubbornly piercing his eardrums.
He suppressed his anger and fumbled for his phone. Upon seeing the caller ID marked as "Mr. Ling," his resentment vanished instantly.
After all, he was the patron. He wouldn't mind a late-night call, let alone being asked to come over.
However, he had grown accustomed to it over the past year, and it all started with his wife...
As soon as he answered, he greeted with a smile, "Good evening, Mr. Ling! Is there something you need at this late hour? I'm at your service anytime!"
Ling Yuchen asked directly, "My wife has engorged breasts and a fever. Does she need to go to the hospital?
The postpartum doula said physical therapy would suffice, massage with cold and hot compresses, and that fever is normal."
The director was speechless. Knowing all this, why call him?
Despite his helplessness, he patiently replied, "The postpartum doula is correct. It's common to develop a fever, but it should subside within two days at most.
If the condition doesn't improve, or if there are lumps in the breast, then medication suitable for breastfeeding mothers will be needed for treatment..."
After hearing the director's explanation, Ling Yuchen finally felt at ease. He thanked him and hung up.
Looking at the groggy woman asleep, he felt no urge to sleep himself. He simply fetched a basin of warm water and used a towel to place on her forehead to cool her down.
Time ticked by, and another two hours passed.
It was time for feeding, and Ling Leyou woke up hungry on time. As soon as she stirred, Gong Zhijing would instantly awaken.
Ling Yuchen brought their daughter to her and placed her in her arms for feeding.
Gong Zhijing did the entire feeding with her eyes closed, as she was too drowsy to open them, her eyelids feeling as heavy as lead.
Naturally, she didn't notice that Ling Yuchen hadn't slept all night.
Despite her extreme fatigue, she was still woken by the pain. For as long as the baby nursed, she felt as though she was being tortured.
Ling Yuchen had repeatedly wanted to take the baby away and stop her from breastfeeding, but he feared Gong Zhijing would be angry.
The agonizing ordeal felt like an eternity, but it finally ended. After the baby was taken away, Gong Zhijing collapsed onto the bed and fell fast asleep.
Ling Yuchen, however, remained worried about her. He touched her forehead; it seemed slightly cooler.
He found a thermometer and measured her temperature. It read 37.5 degrees Celsius, a low-grade fever.
Both mother and daughter were asleep. It was already past two in the morning.
With Gong Zhijing's temperature subsiding, Ling Yuchen finally dared to lie down and sleep.
He slept until dawn.
Although she woke up several times during the night to feed the baby, Gong Zhijing still woke up around 6:30 AM.
She could clearly feel the changes in her body.
Her headache was gone, her limbs no longer felt weak, and the feeling of fatigue had vanished.
However, she still felt some discomfort, and her chest still throbbed with piercing pain at the slightest touch.
She endured the pain and pressed on her breast, discovering that the lump had significantly reduced in size.
Ling Yuchen was still asleep beside her. Dark circles were visible under his eyes, and his breathing was deep, indicating he was utterly exhausted.
Even though she had been too sleepy to open her eyes yesterday, she could still feel that Ling Yuchen had practically taken care of her all night.
There was still a basin of water and a towel by the bed.
She looked at the man with heartache and couldn't help but lean down and kiss his cheek.
She wondered if she had been a bit too stubborn. If she hadn't insisted on breastfeeding, there wouldn't have been so much trouble.
But then again, entrusting the child to the postpartum doula meant they, as parents, couldn't be at ease.
This kiss directly woke Ling Yuchen.
He suddenly opened his eyes. They were bloodshot and filled with a dense network of capillaries, a sight that made one's heart ache.
He instinctively reached out to touch Gong Zhijing's forehead and asked in a hoarse voice, "The fever's gone?"
"Yes, I'm fine now. Thank you, husband."
The term "husband" pleased Ling Yuchen. His gaze deepened as he looked at her, his eyes filled with raw desire.