RPS – Chapter 95 Childbirth

At first, Li Feng didn’t pay much attention to the pain. He just gently caressed his belly, soothing the baby inside. He thought, like before, that the baby was just being playful. The closer it got to the final month, the more the baby moved around, playing all kinds of “games” inside his belly. More than once, Li Feng thought he was about to go into labor, only for it to turn out to be a false alarm.

So now, when he felt the tight contractions in his belly, he still thought it was just the baby fooling around again—even though this time, the pain made him cry out involuntarily.

The others were already used to Li Feng’s occasional sudden yelps, so they didn’t think much of it. They figured the baby had just kicked a few times and would settle down soon. So they kept chatting among themselves, while Li wrapped his arms around Li Feng and rubbed his belly with one hand to comfort him.

“Uh…” A sudden stabbing pain hit, leaving Li Feng unable to speak. He could only groan lowly, his fingers clamping down hard on Li’s arm.

This time, Li realized something was wrong. Li Feng seemed to be in real pain—the strength in his grip was shockingly strong, much stronger than Li Feng’s usual. “What’s wrong?” he asked, noticing the pale shade on Li Feng’s face.

“Mhm, it’s nothing…” Li Feng let out a sigh as he rubbed his belly. The pain had passed, though it had been excruciating. “It’s much better now. Doesn’t hurt anymore. Probably just the baby being mischievous again.”

An was nestled in Nuo’s arms, but the moment he heard “baby,” he looked toward Li Feng. “Papa, Papa…” he called, stretching out his little hands, wanting Li Feng to hold him.

Recently, Li Feng hadn’t been feeling well. His back ached, his lower belly felt heavy, and he had to run to the toilet often—whether for small or big needs. His belly was so big that holding the baby for long was impossible. Just a few minutes of carrying left him exhausted, so most of the time, someone else had to hold An. Because of this, the little one had grown dissatisfied—he wanted his papa to hold him himself…

Looking at his baby stretching out his hands like a little chick begging to be picked up, Li Feng smiled warmly and reached out. He had just lifted the baby into his arms, not yet settled against his chest, when another sharp pain shot through his belly. It hurt so much he nearly dropped the child.

Quickly passing An back to Nuo, the little one grew upset—Papa had just picked him up, only to hand him away again. His mouth pouted, and tears welled in his eyes. Seeing Li Feng clutching his stomach with both hands, the little one burst into loud sobs, mouth wide open, tears streaming down.

In his small heart, he thought—Papa didn’t want him anymore. Papa only cared about the baby brother inside his belly. Papa always said there was a little brother, and now… Papa really didn’t love him anymore. With that thought, his wailing only grew louder.

His mouth opened wide as he cried, eyes squeezed shut, tears flowing like a stream. His tiny red throat trembled with every sob, his little hands still reaching out for his papa. The sight was unbearably pitiful.

Li Feng’s heart ached. He wanted to reach out to hold An, but the pain in his belly was too sharp, leaving him weak and powerless. Enduring it, he spoke softly, his voice faint, “Baby, don’t cry… don’t cry, alright? You’re Papa’s best little one. Let Uncle Nuo hold you and take you to eat something, okay?”

Nuo, understanding the situation, carried the pitifully crying child to the kitchen to get food. He remembered there was still some milk being warmed for the baby. To him, Li Feng’s pain seemed no different from before, so he didn’t worry too much. After all, Li was with him—surely things would be fine in a little while. Pregnancy really was tough! At first, seeing Li Feng pregnant, he’d felt a bit envious. But as the months went on, he only felt sympathy. He never knew that even before giving birth, things could be so uncomfortable. Li Feng’s legs were badly swollen, his belly enormous, and even walking a few steps left him groaning in exhaustion. Sitting and standing were both a struggle every day.

“Hu…” Li Feng let out a long breath. “What’s going on? The pain has already come several times… every few minutes it hits again. And it’s getting worse?”

“Could it be time? Is it happening this time?” Li asked, his warm hand gently massaging Li Feng’s belly.

“I don’t know, I’ve never—” Li Feng began, almost blurting out I’ve never given birth before when he spotted Nuo coming back with the child. He patted his chest—close call, almost slipped up.

“What?” Li was confused by Li Feng’s half-finished words.

“Uh, nothing—” Before he could finish, another wave of pain tore through him. Li Feng clutched his stomach, waiting for the pain to pass. “Baby, stop fussing and sleep, alright? Papa’s tired… Once you come out, we’ll play again, okay?”

“It’s still not better? Why is it lasting so long this time?” Nuo said as he fed An milk from a small bowl.

“I don’t know. Who knows what’s going on?” Li Feng muttered. Usually the pain would stop after two or three contractions, four at most. But this time it had gone on for so long…

If Li Feng didn’t know, the others knew even less. None of them had any experience. “Uncle Li Feng, is the little brother in your tummy coming out now?” Lu, Mo, and Dian looked curiously at his big belly, asking. Ka also stared, full of curiosity. A man being pregnant—he’d never seen such a thing before. Was Li Feng really about to give birth? So it was the same as with women, with a huge belly. But then… where would the child come out from?

Li Feng could only stare at them in exasperation, black lines forming across his forehead. Beside him, Li continued to rub his belly to ease the pain. “We’re not sure yet,” he said.

By now, no one was chatting idly anymore. Everyone gathered around Li Feng, whispering and commenting endlessly, the noisy chatter making his head ache. And all the while, the baby inside kept causing trouble. With a sigh, Li Feng buried his face into Li’s chest.

Half an hour passed, but the contractions kept coming. Every few minutes, the pain returned, and by now it wasn’t just his belly. His whole body hurt—especially his stomach, back, hips, and even his heels.

At first, the pain was just dull and bearable. But soon, it grew sharper, the intervals shorter, the duration longer. Even if Li Feng was clueless, he wasn’t that clueless. He had seen enough melodramatic modern TV dramas to recognize this—this was clearly labor contractions! Damn it… he was going into labor.

“Help me up, I need to walk,” Li Feng said weakly from where he leaned against Li’s chest. “This time, I think it’s real. The baby’s coming!”

Everyone froze at those words, then immediately panicked. Seeing him try to stand, they rushed to stop him, insisting he should lie down and rest. The house turned chaotic—boiling water, spreading blankets, preparing food and supplies. But the closer it got, the more flustered they became, not knowing what to do. More than once, Nuo and Bu nearly collided before rushing off in opposite directions again.

But Li Feng refused to lie in bed. Though he longed to sit down and rest, he knew this was only the beginning—just the contractions. The birth itself might still be hours away. He’d heard some women could labor for an entire day and night, which was terrifying to imagine. Shaking away those frightening thoughts, he reminded himself—he had to conserve his strength. He also needed to walk, to help his body prepare, to let the birth canal open more quickly. That way, when the time came, it might be just a little easier.

At any rate, he didn’t even have a uterus, so he wasn’t sure if walking to help open the birth canal was actually useful for him. But for now, it was better than nothing—at least it couldn’t hurt. Supported half-held by Li, Li Feng began cradling his belly as he forced himself to walk. After only two steps, the pain became unbearable—painful and exhausting at the same time—but still he clenched his teeth and endured, insisting on continuing.

In truth, Li was already walking very slowly, but to Li Feng, it still felt far too fast. He could barely move one step at a time, his whole body wracked with pain—swollen legs, aching muscles, the weight dragging in his lower abdomen. Each step forward was agonizing.
“Ugh… it hurts so much…” Li Feng dug his fingers into Li’s arm, clenching his teeth until he was nearly at his limit. He wanted to curse out loud.

“Just hold on a little longer, the baby will be born soon. Think of the baby, it’ll feel better,” Li could only say, though he knew words of comfort couldn’t ease Li Feng’s pain.

Li Feng wasn’t sure if he had amniotic fluid or not—surely he did—but he had walked for so long and the waters still hadn’t broken. If they didn’t break, that meant it wasn’t yet the time for birth! He grew anxious—he wanted this over quickly, to deliver and be done. Right now, he even wished he could just faint outright, anything to escape the waves of torment tearing him apart. His legs trembled, ready to give out beneath him. What kept him standing were two things: Li’s presence at his side—gentle no matter how much he struck or kicked—and the restless baby inside him. He could feel the child’s agitation in his belly. Did the baby also want to come out quickly?

Time lost all meaning. For Li Feng, every second dragged like an hour. Mechanically, with Li’s support, he staggered forward—two steps, then a rest—until, at the very moment he thought he would smash his head against the wall from the pain, he suddenly felt a hot gush flow down from between his thighs, like wetting himself.

“Help me… to… the bed!” he gasped, barely managing to speak a full sentence.

By now it was deep into the night, though it was impossible to tell outside. The thick white snow blurred the sense of day and night, flakes still drifting through the sky. Indoors, torches and braziers blazed to keep the chill away. On the bed, Li Feng lay with his legs spread wide. Only Li and Nuo remained inside; everyone else had been driven out, waiting anxiously in the main room.

His upper body was covered with a fur blanket, while his lower garments had long since been stripped away, exposing his pale, slender legs. Li sat on the bed, holding him close, keeping the blanket tucked around his shoulders. Li Feng felt none of the cold though—he could neither hear nor see anything outside. All he knew was pain. The tearing, rending agony in his belly, and the even sharper, searing pain at his most private place.

“Ahhh—!” Li Feng had long lost sense of what he was shouting. The pain flooded his nerves, overwhelming his mind. The more he focused, the sharper it became. His hands clawed at Li’s arm, leaving purple-black bruises and bloody scratches. His teeth clamped down on Li’s chest hard enough to nearly bite through flesh—thankfully there was cloth between, or he might have torn the skin right off.

“Don’t panic, slow and steady—breathe, breathe…” Nuo massaged his belly, following the steps Li Feng had once taught him. He had practiced many times under Li Feng’s supervision, and though nervous, he managed fairly smoothly.

“It hurts too much! I don’t want to do this—I don’t want to give birth, it’s all your fault!” Li Feng screamed and struck at Li even as he writhed. The pain had barely begun, and already it was worse than anything he’d ever felt. Not even when he had been struck by lightning had it been like this—then, it had only been a sudden heat, a flash of blankness, and then transmigration. This pain was endless torment.

Li could only soothe him carefully. At this point, there was no turning back—the child had to be born. He knew Li Feng’s words were only venting, so he let him curse and beat him as he liked.

Li Feng panted heavily, but his mouth didn’t stop spitting every curse he could think of: “You @#￥#@#@$%&…”

Outside, everyone pressed their ears to the door, listening to the terrible cries and angry shouts from within. They couldn’t understand most of the words, assuming Li Feng was only screaming from the pain. Their faces lined up along the doorframe, anxious hearts pounding. The baby outside cried too, frightened by the noise, wailing for his father.

“Bl-blood… so much blood…” Nuo stammered, staring at the torn flesh below Li Feng, where the baby struggled to force its way out. Amniotic fluid had long since poured out, soaking the bed, now mixed with blood. The opening had stretched until it was ripped and bleeding, crimson flowing in alarming amounts. The baby’s head was still not visible, only the bright red flow of blood. Nuo’s mind froze in horror—so much blood, could Li Feng possibly survive this?

Li Feng couldn’t hear his broken words, but Li frowned and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“So much blood! He’s bleeding so much!” Nuo nearly lost his composure. Though Li Feng had explained the birthing process, he never expected it to be this terrifying, blood everywhere. This was his first time actually delivering—it was overwhelming.

Li, however, managed to stay calm. “Don’t panic. Just follow the steps Li Feng taught you.” He had been present when Li Feng gave birth to An, so he knew the sight of blood was normal. Even so, his own heart was burning with worry. But he couldn’t afford panic—if he lost control, Nuo would collapse too, and Li Feng still needed them both.

Nuo bit down on his own arm hard until the pain cleared his head. Forcing himself steady, he wiped the blood clean with a hot towel, then continued massaging Li Feng’s belly and the torn flesh around it. The bleeding didn’t stop, filling basins with dark red water. Each time a basin was carried out, a fresh one of hot water was brought quickly to the door—no one was allowed inside, and the door was shut at once to keep the room warm.

Li Feng bit onto Li’s clothing now, telling himself not to scream anymore. He was running out of strength—what he needed most was to conserve what remained. Who knew how long this ordeal would last? At least he was grateful he had eaten before labor started; if his stomach had been empty, he would have had even less energy. His mind wandered in delirium, until suddenly a wave of excruciating, bone-deep pain slammed through him. He cried out sharply, then his mind went blank—he knew nothing.

Outside, the listeners heard everything—none of it pleasant. But this scream was the loudest yet, making everyone shudder with fright. What had happened inside? The baby outside, startled again, woke crying for his father.

Li, terrified, hugged Li Feng tight, looking down at his sweat-drenched, ashen face. Thankfully, he was still conscious, not yet fainted. Nuo, however, had been so startled that his hand slipped, accidentally pinching Li Feng’s thigh—but that pain didn’t even register anymore, drowned by the overwhelming agony.

“Is it born? I heard… a baby cry!” Li Feng forced out weakly, his voice barely a whisper.

“Not yet, but soon. That was An crying,” Li murmured softly into his ear.

Li Feng’s heart clenched. Not yet born? Then what was that searing pain earlier? His lower body was almost numb, his legs unfeeling, but the pain between them still cut like knives. Inside, the baby pressed desperately to push out. His belly roiled, and he felt something hard straining at the opening—it must be the head, lodged there. But he couldn’t see, and numbness dulled his senses. How much longer would this take?

“Li Feng, push harder! I can see the baby’s head—it’s almost out!” Nuo urged, massaging and encouraging.

Gathering his last reserves, Li Feng resolved to give everything in one final effort. If the head was already visible, then one strong push might be enough. Gritting his teeth, he arched his back, summoning every ounce of strength—“Ahhh—!” The agony flared again, and he blacked out on the spot.

Outside, everyone’s hearts raced with terror. They saw clean basins of water carried in, only for basins of bloody water to come out. The children trembled, horrified by the inhuman cries from within. Bu sat frowning deeply, his calm expression finally shaken. Pot after pot of water boiled as the hours crawled past—yet still no baby.

An had been put to bed, finally sleeping. Bu urged the other children to rest as well—it was too late already. Only he and Ka would stay, while Juhao and his brother went to sleep with Mo and the others. Ka continued boiling water tirelessly, fire never allowed to die. The wait was agonizing, every cry from inside twisting their hearts. They prayed only for safety.

“They’ll be safe. With Li and Nuo inside helping, they’ll be fine,” Ka said as he carried another basin of water, glancing at the barred door that did nothing to block the sounds.

…

“Li Feng—!” Suddenly, inside the room, both Nuo and Li cried out sharply. Outside, faces blanched in dread. Listening closely—they could no longer hear Li Feng’s voice. Could it be…?