Chapter 402: Mother and Child… Mother and Daughter Are Safe!
Beijing. Peking Union Medical College Hospital!
At a time when families were reuniting, in the delivery room of the hospital’s obstetrics and gynecology department, Li Yi, Jiang Shiying, Ye Lingyun, and others watched Jiang Xue, who was wolfing down her food, with a mix of exasperation and tenderness.
Half an hour earlier, amid the chaos, Jiang Xue had been rushed to the nearby Peking Union Medical College Hospital.
However, to everyone’s embarrassment, although Jiang Xue had been writhing in agony on the way there, once she arrived at the hospital, her contractions had mysteriously stopped.
After the doctor examined her, he informed Li Yi and the others once again that the expectant mother had just been experiencing normal contractions, and the estimated time of delivery… was still to be determined.
Hearing this, Li Yi didn’t mind, but Jiang Xue felt a bit embarrassed.
This happening time and again felt a bit like “crying wolf.”
More importantly, it was New Year’s Eve, and because of all the commotion she’d caused, the family’s New Year’s Eve dinner at the ancestral home was now ruined.
After all, besides Li Yi and her parents, her third older brother Jiang Longcheng, Zhang Xinyao, and others had all come over.
Fortunately, they hadn’t notified the Ye family; otherwise, they would surely have sent someone over as well.
Fortunately, the doctor had also said that the frequent contractions indicated labor was indeed imminent, and recommended that she stay at the hospital.
In addition, the doctor advised that since she was still in good spirits and feeling well, she should eat something right away so she wouldn’t be too weak during labor.
So Li Yi hurried back to the old family home to bring his wife some of her favorite dishes.
And that’s how the scene from earlier came about!
Although it was another false alarm, everyone knew that Jiang Xue was definitely about to give birth.
Consequently, the whole family settled into the hospital’s maternity ward, waiting for Jiang Xue’s labor to begin.
This time, Jiang Xue didn’t keep them waiting long. At nine o’clock, her contractions started again, and this time they continued until eleven.
After the doctor confirmed her water had broken, she was taken to the delivery room.
This time, they didn’t keep it a secret from the Ye family. Jiang Shiying had Jiang Longcheng go personally to the Ye family’s ancestral home to inform them of the situation.
Upon hearing that Jiang Xue’s water had broken and she had been hospitalized, the Ye family put their New Year’s celebrations on hold and rushed to the hospital.
After all, Jiang Xue was the only child of Jiang Shiying and Ye Lingyun, and childbirth is extremely dangerous for women—especially since she was carrying twins. Everyone was on edge.
Hearing Jiang Xue’s heart-wrenching screams coming from the delivery room, Li Yi, Jiang Shiying, and the others were as restless as ants on a hot pan.
Minute by minute, the clock ticked on. It was already 11:50 p.m., and in just ten minutes, the firecrackers would go off to “welcome the gods,” yet there was still no sign of movement from the delivery room.
At that moment, Auntie couldn’t help but say, “Shiying, Lingyun, do you think these babies might be born in the second half of the night?”
Before Jiang Shiying and Ye Lingyun could answer, Jiang Longcheng asked in confusion, “Mom, is there a difference between the first half and the second half of the night?”
“It doesn’t really matter, but poor Xue’er will just have to suffer a little longer…”
Although Auntie had said all that, both Li Yi and Jiang Shiying understood that she was implying something else.
If the baby is born in the first half of the night, it’s still considered born on New Year’s Eve of the Year of the Monkey; if it’s born in the second half of the night, its birthday becomes the first day of the Year of the Rooster.
Don’t let the one-day difference fool you—in the minds of the older generation, the distinction is significant.
Many people believe that those born on the first day of the lunar new year are not very fortunate—their fate is too harsh.
It is said that those born on the first day of the month have a unique birth chart, with a strong innate constitution that is resistant to adverse influences, making them well-suited for growth. Moreover, those with a strong constitution are more likely to survive in the face of adversity.
However, having a strong destiny doesn’t necessarily mean one has a good fate; often, because of this excessive strength, they frequently face setbacks.
Most importantly, since all things are in constant conflict, those with an overly strong constitution can end up bringing misfortune to those around them, which is why they often find themselves quite lonely.
Over time, people began to say that children born on New Year’s Day have bad luck.
Li Yi glanced at his in-laws and said calmly, “Whether it’s the first half of the night or the second, as long as the baby is born safely, that’s all that matters.”
Jiang Shiying nodded in agreement. “Xiao Yi makes a good point. As long as Xue’er and the baby are safe, that’s all that matters…”
Just as they spoke, a loud cry of a newborn suddenly rang out from the delivery room.
Hearing the sound, everyone stopped talking and rushed to the door of the delivery room.
Just as everyone was anxiously waiting for the baby’s second cry, the sound of firecrackers went off outside.
Everyone was taken aback. Those with watches immediately checked the time—sure enough, it was already past midnight.
This meant the second child was bound to be born on the first day of the lunar new year…
Sure enough, just as everyone’s minds raced with anticipation, a slightly weaker cry came from the delivery room, and the second child was born.
A few minutes later, amid everyone’s anxious anticipation, the door to the delivery room finally swung open.
Immediately, a young nurse emerged from the delivery room and called out, “Who is Jiang Xue’s family member?”
“I am… I am…”
Before Li Yi could finish his sentence, Jiang Shiying stepped in front of him and said, “I’m her father. How are Xiao Xue and the baby?”
“Both the mother and the babies are doing well. Mother and… daughter are safe and sound!”
The nurse continued, “The two babies were born at 11:59 p.m. and 12:01 a.m., respectively. The first to be born was a son, and the second was a daughter!”
Upon hearing the nurse’s words, Jiang Shiying and Ye Lingyun were overjoyed, and everyone else was equally delighted.
When a woman gives birth, nothing is more heartwarming than hearing that both mother and child—or mother and daughter—are safe and sound.
As for Li Yi, he was in a daze at that moment, grinning like an idiot while tears streamed down his face.
Jiang Longcheng patted him on the shoulder and said, “Why are you crying? It’s just two kids—we can certainly afford to raise them!”
Hearing this, everyone gathered at the door burst into laughter.
Jiang Shiying and Liu Yunlong, seeing that Li Yi was actually moved to tears by his daughter’s delivery, both nodded with satisfaction.
But they had no idea what Li Yi was truly feeling at that moment. No one knew how long he had waited for these two children—not just the few hours outside the delivery room, nor the nine months of Jiang Xue’s pregnancy, but across two lifetimes spanning time and space.
In his previous life, after he refused to marry Jiang Xue, he never imagined she would become pregnant.
By the time he heard news of Jiang Xue again, she had already passed away, and only then did he learn that she had been carrying his child.
That sense of regret, hatred, and despair—only those who have experienced it firsthand can truly understand.
So, even in this life, after he learned that what happened that night wasn’t him taking advantage of “Tang Xue” but her making the first move, he continued to treat her as he always had.
He feared that if he wasn’t careful, he might harm her—and the child—once again.
Today, after waiting through two lifetimes, he finally witnessed the birth of his children.
Even someone like Li Yi, who had weathered countless storms, couldn’t help but have tears well up in his eyes.
With that thought, he immediately pulled a sealed red envelope from his pocket, handed it to the nurse, and kept thanking her profusely.
The young nurse was clearly used to this sort of thing; she didn’t refuse, took the envelope, and returned to the delivery room.
After about twenty minutes, the delivery room door opened again, and Jiang Xue, wrapped in a blanket, was wheeled out.
Behind her, two nurses each held a baby; one of them was quietly sobbing, though not very loudly—it must have been the younger sister, born later.
Shortly after, surrounded by the crowd, Jiang Xue and the babies were escorted to the ward.
Once back in the ward, the nurse shooed out all the men except Li Yi, then asked him to help dress Jiang Xue.
When he lifted the blanket, Li Yi realized his wife was completely naked, not a single thread on her.
Wow, the sight made Li Yi involuntarily swallow hard…
Although it was an unconscious reflex, the young nurse saw it and immediately said, “The new mother has just given birth; her body is very weak, and her lower body hasn’t recovered yet. You must not have intercourse for a while!”
Li Yi’s face flushed instantly, and he hurriedly replied, “Uh… I understand!”
With the help of several female nurses, Li Yi finally managed to dress the sleeping Jiang Xue.
After settling her into bed, Li Yi finally had a moment to take a good look at his two children…
…….