The wait was always long.
Another half hour passed before Gong Zhijing was finally pushed out of the operating room.
She lay on the hospital bed, her complexion somewhat pale, and her whole being seemed to lack energy.
The first person she saw after being wheeled out was Ling Yuchen.
Ling Yuchen's eyes were filled with unconcealed heartache.
Gong Zhijing offered a weak smile, but her voice was exceptionally faint, "Ling Yuchen, don't worry, I don't hurt."
Ling Yuchen desperately wanted to return her smile, but he couldn't muster one. He tugged at the corners of his mouth.
His expression was a peculiar mix of not crying and not smiling. He reached out and touched Gong Zhijing's face, his eyes welling up with tears.
"What are you doing? I'm really fine, it doesn't hurt at all."
Though she claimed not to be in pain, she could distinctly feel the doctor cutting open her belly, layer by layer, then rummaging inside, feeling as if her intestines were being pulled.
Ling Yuchen remained silent, only pushing her bed towards the private room.
The room was a single suite, fully equipped with all the necessary living amenities.
The wet nurse and nanny were also ready and waiting.
Upon returning to the room, Gong Zhijing began to drift into a deep sleep, not even having time to glance at the baby.
The child lay in the bassinet, sleeping soundly.
Ling Yuchen sat by the bed, his gaze fixed solely on Gong Zhijing. As for the baby, he hadn't looked at her once since she was born.
Consumed by worry, he had no attention for anything else.
Seeing that Gong Zhijing had fallen asleep, Gong Ye's gaze shifted to the baby, his eyes filled with affection.
This was his granddaughter, his precious granddaughter.
The power of kinship was magical. Even though this was their first meeting, he was already willing to give her his all.
Zhu Yunfei was continuously recording videos on her phone, sending them to Ling Junye and the elder Mr. and Mrs. Ling.
If not for the fear of disturbing Gong Zhijing's sleep, they would undoubtedly have initiated a video call. This was, after all, the first daughter born into the Ling family in three generations, a veritable pearl of great price!
Everything appeared to be idyllic.
But a nightmare was fast approaching.
The effect of the anesthesia wore off, and Gong Zhijing awoke in searing pain.
A fine, drilling pain spread through her abdomen, contorting her features. Yet, she gritted her teeth and endured without a sound.
Ling Yuchen held her hand and could feel her trembling. Seeing her in such agony, he wished he could bear it in her stead.
Gong Ye and Zhu Yunfei, their earlier interest in the baby forgotten, now surrounded the bed, their attention solely on her.
Cold sweat trickled down her forehead, and her damp hair clung to her face. Gong Zhijing looked utterly disheveled.
Ling Yuchen, his eyes red, pressed the call button.
A nurse soon arrived and administered a pain pump to Gong Zhijing.
Just as she began to feel some relief, another ordeal, dreaded by all new mothers, commenced: the abdominal massage.
Gong Zhijing had never experienced such pain in her life.
As the doctor pressed down on her abdomen, she felt as if the incision were tearing open. The pain caused her to let out a soft groan.
Ling Yuchen's gaze turned ferocious, exuding a palpable chill that sent shivers down one's spine.
Gong Ye, radiating an aura of murderous intent, could make anyone's legs turn to jelly with just a glance.
Even the experienced doctor, accustomed to various family reactions, felt his scalp tingle under their intense scrutiny.
But the abdominal massage was essential. No matter how painful, it had to be done.
Under their menacing stares, the doctor, fearing for his safety, explained, "The abdominal massage helps the uterus contract, aids the internal organs in returning to their original position, and promotes the expulsion of lochia.
It's usually done twice a day for two to three days. It's absolutely necessary."
The doctor explained instinctively, fearing he might be beaten if he didn't.
If looks could kill, he would have long since vanished into thin air.
Gong Zhijing, her face pale and her voice weak, managed, "Thank you, Doctor."
"You're most welcome, it's my duty, my duty," the doctor replied, wiping the sweat from his brow. He dared not look at the two men beside him.
This was the most terrifying abdominal massage of his career.
After the doctor left, Gong Zhijing's sleepiness had vanished. She then remembered her daughter.
She glanced to the side and gazed at the quiet baby in the bassinet. Her heart melted, and all her pain felt worth it at that moment.
"Mom, can she lie next to me?"
"Of course." Zhu Yunfei quickly picked up the baby and gently placed her in Gong Zhijing's arms.
The tiny child seemed to sense her mother's presence and struggled to open her eyes.
Her eyes were large, with double eyelids, and her dark pupils were as bright and clear as black grapes.
"She's opened her eyes! What beautiful eyes, just like her mother's."
This was the first time the baby had opened her eyes since being brought out. Zhu Yunfei and Gong Ye leaned in with curiosity.
She didn't cry, her eyes darting around. Her little hands made their way towards her mouth.
"What a clever little darling, knowing how to suck her fingers right after birth."
Everyone was focused on the baby, except for Ling Yuchen, who sat by the bed with a blank expression, showing little reaction.
Gong Zhijing turned to look at him and asked, "Did you hold the baby?"
Zhu Yunfei, still cooing at the child, replied without looking up, "Let alone hold her, he hasn't even looked at her."
Gong Zhijing understood that he wasn't dislike children, but rather that his worry for her had consumed all his other thoughts.
She looked at the foolish man by her bedside and said, "Don't worry anymore, I'm really fine now. Look at your daughter, you haven't even named her yet!"
Ling Yuchen looked at the tiny being, and a strange feeling began to stir within him.
This was his daughter?
This was truly his daughter.
He was a father.
Gong Zhijing gave Zhu Yunfei a meaningful glance.
Zhu Yunfei immediately understood her intention, picked up the baby, and handed her to Ling Yuchen.
Ling Yuchen instinctively reached out to cradle the small bundle, his entire body stiff and afraid to move.
"So clumsy, that's not how you hold a baby," Zhu Yunfei said with a hint of disdain.
Her son usually seemed quite intelligent, but now he looked like a complete simpleton.
Under Zhu Yunfei's tutelage, Ling Yuchen finally mastered the correct way to hold a baby.
Gong Ye, watching this, felt a tickle in his heart. He too wanted to hold his little niece.
A gentle smile played on Gong Zhijing's lips as she said, "Why don't you give her a name?"
Ling Yuchen gazed at the little person in his arms, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts.
"May she have peace and joy, and a life without worries. Let's call her Leyou."
"Leyou," Gong Zhijing repeated the name, a tender smile gradually spreading across her face. "Then let's call her Leyou."
But what surname would their first child carry?
Ling or Gong?
Gong Zhijing pondered it repeatedly, and finally decided she should have the Ling surname. She then looked at Gong Ye.
"Dad, I want Leyou to have the Ling surname. She's a girl, and I just want her to grow up happy."
Both the Ling and Gong families carried heavy burdens.
She preferred to have more sons to shoulder these responsibilities.
"Alright, Dad will listen to you." Gong Ye had no objections or complaints. All he wanted was for his daughter to be happy.