TSWPF -Chapter 426 She Gave Birth

When Hu Juanjuan saw Liu Zhimou enter, she removed the handkerchief from Li Qingling’s mouth, tactfully stepped aside, and gave up her spot to him.

Liu Zhimou sat by the bed. With one hand holding Li Qingling’s hand and the other gently stroking her sweat-damp hair, he asked with heartache, “Does it hurt a lot?”

Li Qingling looked at him and softly asked, “Why did you come in?”

“I came to stay with you.” If he didn’t come in to see her, he would be so nervous he might collapse. Seeing the bloodstain on her bitten lower lip, his heart ached. He gently touched it and brought his hand to her mouth.

“Bite me. Don’t bite yourself.”

Knowing he was worried about her, Li Qingling held his hand instead and shook her head.

“I bit it accidentally just now. It’s fine. Don’t worry.”

Enduring another wave of pain, she said, “Husband, go outside and wait for me.”

Although she really wanted him by her side, she didn’t want him to see her in such a painful, disheveled state.

After struggling inwardly for a moment, she chose to let him leave.

“Wife, I’ll stay here with you.”

“No need. You being here will only distract me.” She clenched the bedsheet tightly with her left hand and persuaded him through the pain.

“Husband, go outside and wait, alright?”

Hearing this, Nanny Yao seized the chance to come over and urged Liu Zhimou to go out so he wouldn’t disturb Li Qingling.

After hesitating for a moment, Liu Zhimou nodded helplessly. He bent down and kissed Li Qingling’s forehead.

“Be good. I’ll wait for you outside.”

Li Qingling hummed in response and said she would give birth safely, telling him not to worry.

He kissed her again before reluctantly leaving, turning back every few steps.

Once the door of the delivery room closed, Li Qingling’s expression changed, and she groaned in pain.

“M-Madam… how many centimeters am I dilated?”

Nanny Yao froze for a moment, then understood what she meant. She went to ask the midwife about the situation.

The midwife frowned and said the cervix hadn’t fully opened yet. They had to wait.

Nanny Yao thought for a moment, then returned to comfort Li Qingling, telling her to wait a bit longer and eat some noodles to build up her strength.

Hearing this, Li Qingling knew she wasn’t fully dilated yet and hadn’t reached the stage for delivery.

She took a deep breath and nodded.

Even though she didn’t want to eat, she had to force herself to.

Hu Juanjuan stepped forward, helped her sit up, and supported her while she ate.

Li Qingling thanked her. After eating a few slow bites, she couldn’t continue and shook her head.

“I can’t eat anymore.”

Seeing this, Nanny Yao didn’t force her. After discussing with the midwife, they had Li Qingling get out of bed and walk around to help with labor.

Holding her stomach, Li Qingling nodded and struggled to get up. With Hu Juanjuan and Nanny Yao supporting her, she walked in circles around the room.

After a few rounds, she couldn’t take it anymore.

“I can’t… I really can’t… It hurts too much…”

They helped her back onto the bed.

Nanny Yao comforted her, telling her to relax and not panic—first births usually took longer.

Li Qingling blinked and nodded. She was in too much pain to speak.

They said childbirth was as painful as breaking twenty ribs. She felt she had already experienced half of that.

She hoped she could safely get through the rest.

With a sigh, Nanny Yao brought over a prepared wooden bite block and handed it to Hu Juanjuan.

“When she can’t take it anymore, let her bite this.”

Hu Juanjuan accepted it solemnly.

Time passed little by little. From morning to evening, Li Qingling still hadn’t given birth.

Outside, Liu Zhimou had almost turned into a statue at the door.

“Deputy Magistrate Ma, when your wife gave birth, did it take this long?” he asked.

Ma nodded.

“It took my wife a whole day and night to give birth to our first son. The next three were much faster.”

A whole day and night?

Liu Zhimou’s heart trembled.

Would his wife have to suffer for that long too?

If he had known earlier… he wouldn’t have let her get pregnant.

One child was enough. Truly enough.

He couldn’t bear to see her suffer like this again.

Seeing his expression, Ma hurriedly added, “Madam might not take that long.”

He was afraid Liu Zhimou would faint.

Indeed, Liu Zhimou pressed his ear to the door, unable to hear anything.

Panic surged in his heart.

“Wife? Wife, are you okay?”

In response, Li Qingling’s painful cries rang out.

Liu Zhimou shouted even louder.

Suddenly, the door opened. Nanny Yao glared at him.

“Don’t cause trouble.”

As she spoke, she stepped aside and let Nianxia carry out a basin of bloody water.

Seeing it, Liu Zhimou’s vision went black. He almost collapsed, saved only by Ma’s quick support.

“Nanny Yao… my wife… she…”

“She’s fine. She’ll be out soon. Wait patiently.”

Then she closed the door again.

Liu Zhimou stared blankly at the door.

“She’ll be fine, right?”

Ma nodded firmly.

“She will. Someone as good as Madam won’t come to harm.”

At this tense moment, Ah Huang and its family ran over. Little Diandian rushed to Liu Zhimou and whimpered softly.

Liu Zhimou patted its head.

“Don’t make noise. You’ll disturb her.”

Diandian stared intensely at the door.

After a long time, Li Qingling suddenly screamed.

Everyone jumped.

“Wife! Don’t be afraid, I’m here!” Liu Zhimou shouted.

Li Qingning ran over and cried at the door.

“Sister, don’t be afraid. We’re outside with you!”

Tears covered her face. She was terrified.

Finally, following the midwife’s instructions, Li Qingling pushed with all her strength.

“Almost there! I can see the head!” the midwife cried excitedly.

“Madam, one more push!”

With a final scream, Li Qingling felt the baby slide out.

“It’s born! It’s born!”

Li Qingling panted and smiled weakly.

Finally… it was over.

Hu Juanjuan wiped her sweat and congratulated her.

“Thank you, Madam Hu,” Li Qingling said sincerely.

The midwife cleaned the baby and said nervously, “It’s a girl.”

Nanny Yao took the baby and smiled.

“Flowers first, fruit later.”

She carried the baby out.

“My lord, here—hold your daughter.”

She placed the baby into Liu Zhimou’s arms.

He froze completely.

Nanny Yao patted him. “Relax.”

He carefully adjusted his posture and looked at the tiny face, slowly smiling.

“She… she’s so small.”

“I want to see! Let me see!” Li Qingning jumped anxiously.

Diandian also whimpered.

Master Luo took the baby briefly and said softly, “We’ll have to think of a good name.”

“Let’s call her Xiaoxiao,” Liu Zhimou suggested.

“So small and precious.”

Master Luo nodded.

The children crowded around, urging him to lower her so they could see.

Diandian squeezed in, eyes full of wonder.

“She’s so cute,” Li Qingning exclaimed.

“Xiaoxiao, I’m your aunt.”

Finally… she wasn’t the youngest anymore.