TIPS – Chapter 86

It’s getting late.” Hu Changchun hurriedly packed up his things and said, “Let’s go quickly, to your house.”

“Ah, ah!” His urgency made Yang Shi flustered.

“By the way, how’s the milk goat prepared?” Hu Chengchun asked as he walked quickly.

“It’s been ready for a long time!” That was for the eldest grandson, so they had taken extra care.

“That’s good.”

That night, Doctor Hu stayed at the Shen family’s main house. His words turned out to be prophetic. Originally, Song Jingwei had been eating and sleeping well without any symptoms or warning signs. But that night, he fell asleep quickly as usual.

In the middle of the night, Song Jingwei was woken up by a full bladder. Feeling around in the dark, he called, “Shen Junxi?”

After calling twice, Shen Junxi woke up immediately. He had been on edge lately, waking at the slightest movement. Hearing his wife’s voice, he quickly got up, lit the oil lamp in the room, rubbed his eyes, and signed, “What’s wrong?”

“I need to use the restroom,” Song Jingwei said, moving to get out of bed.

“Mm.” Hearing this, Shen Junxi bent down to help him put on cotton shoes and carefully supported him to the bathroom door. But when they arrived, Song Jingwei refused to let him in and said, “Just wait here for me.”

Although worried, Shen Junxi knew that Song Jingwei was very insistent.

After relieving himself, Song Jingwei was tying his pants when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his stomach. He thought he had eaten something bad and was about to have diarrhea, so he quickly loosened his waistband again. But when he looked down, he saw something unusual—something was trickling down his leg.

“Shen Junxi,” he said calmly, “come in for a moment.”

Hearing this, Shen Junxi was both confused and alarmed, but he dared not delay. He immediately pushed the door open and signed, “What’s wrong?”

Leaning on the screen, Song Jingwei waited for him to come closer before saying, “I think I’m going into labor…” Just then, another contraction hit, making his voice much weaker than usual.

“…” Shen Junxi was stunned for a moment, then immediately dashed out. After taking a few steps, he rushed back to help his wife onto the bed.

“No, it’s too messy…” Song Jingwei held onto the bedpost, unwilling to sit down. “Go call for help, I’ll be fine like this.”

“Mm, mm!” Shen Junxi was extremely anxious. After settling his wife, he ran out to wake everyone up.

Since he couldn’t speak, he had to knock on doors one by one. First, he knocked on Yang Shi and Shen Dongming’s door. When they opened it, he frantically signed, “My wife is going into labor!”

Yang Shi widened her eyes in disbelief. “What? He’s going into labor?”

Shen Junxi nodded repeatedly, his expression full of urgency. He pointed toward Doctor Hu’s room, signaling Yang Shi to go.

“Alright, alright!” Yang Shi quickly turned to her husband. “Go call the doctor! Our daughter-in-law is about to give birth—I need to boil water!”

Shen Dongming agreed without hesitation. Without caring about the cold, he dashed out into the chilly night in just a thin cotton jacket. Compared to his grandson’s birth, what did a little cold matter?

“Xi’er, how is your wife now?” Yang Shi grabbed her son and asked.

“He’s still okay. I’m going back to be with him. Please come over soon.” Shen Junxi signed, his expression finally a little calmer.

“Alright, alright, go accompany him. I’ll be right there.” Yang Shi was flustered, but before letting him go, she reminded him again, “Oh! Make sure he keeps walking as much as possible—don’t let him lie down too soon!”

“Mm!” After nodding, Shen Junxi rushed back to the room. Thinking about how difficult childbirth was, his anxiety returned. What if something went wrong?

At this moment, Song Jingwei was still standing, leaning against the bedpost. The contractions were coming in waves, but they weren’t unbearably painful yet. What bothered him most was the warm liquid continuously trickling down his legs, gradually cooling on his skin.

“Is the doctor here yet?” he asked Shen Junxi, whose face was filled with nervousness.

“Father went to call him, and Mother is boiling water… Does it hurt?” Shen Junxi frowned, signing with concern.

“It’s not the worst pain yet. I can handle it.” Song Jingwei took deep breaths, trying to adjust his state of mind to prepare for labor. He reached out his hand to Shen Junxi and said, “Help me walk.”

Shen Junxi carefully supported him, matching his pace as they walked slowly around the room.

Seeing his wife in pain but still insisting on moving, his heart ached.

“Better to endure now than later. I’ve heard that walking helps labor progress more smoothly,” Song Jingwei gritted his teeth and said, his forehead already covered in a thin layer of sweat.

“Mm.” Shen Junxi nodded. His mother had said the same thing, but knowing it was one thing—doing it was another. His wife must be in so much pain.

They walked around the room several times before Shen Dongming returned with Hu Chengchun in tow.

Seeing the two of them moving around, Hu Chengchun immediately asked, “What’s the situation? Has the water broken?”

Guessing that the liquid running down his legs was amniotic fluid, Song Jingwei nodded with difficulty and continued walking forward.

Seeing this, Hu Chengchun said, “You seem to have a good sense of judgment. Call me when you feel it’s time. For now, just keep walking.” He had delivered many babies before, but he had never seen someone in labor who was so strong and rational, knowing exactly what was best for themselves.

Before long, Yang Shi, who had been boiling water in the kitchen, rushed over and anxiously asked about the situation. Seeing her daughter-in-law struggling so much, she felt helpless.

“You two should step out for now. If I need anything, I’ll call you,” Hu Chengchun said to Yang Shi and Shen Dongming, seeing that the time was drawing near.

Shen Dongming had no objections—he knew it was improper for him to witness his daughter-in-law giving birth. But Yang Shi was reluctant to leave. “Why don’t I stay and help? It’s just the two of you men in here. Are you sure you can handle it?” She was deeply worried and simply couldn’t bring herself to leave.

“Your daughter-in-law is also a man,” Hu Chengchun waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t worry, everything will be fine. Just go.”

Shen Dongming agreed. “Let’s not cause trouble. With the doctor and Xi’er inside, everything will be fine.”

“That’s right, just wait outside.” Hu Chengchun ushered them out before tidying up the bedding. Then he turned to Shen Junxi and said, “Quick, help your wife over here.”

Outside, Shen Dongming and Yang Shi anxiously waited at the door. Time seemed to freeze—no matter how long they waited, nothing changed. The sky remained dark, the wind remained cold, and it felt as if dawn would never come.

People always said childbirth was dangerous. A single misstep could cost both mother and child their lives. The worry gnawed at them, making their mouths go dry with anxiety.

“Husband… it’s been so long… why hasn’t the baby come yet?” Yang Shi’s voice trembled as she started scaring herself.

“Don’t talk nonsense! Everything will be fine!” Shen Dongming clenched his hands tightly. He was scared too, but he couldn’t show it—he had to stay strong for his wife.

“I should have stayed inside! I should have helped…” Yang Shi regretted leaving. She felt completely on edge, not knowing what was happening inside.

“Stay for what? Just wait. They might need hot water any moment now,” Shen Dongming reassured her. Needing hot water meant the baby was about to be born, and both mother and child would need cleaning.

Just as Yang Shi was about to say something else, a voice called from inside, “Bring a basin of hot water, quickly!”

The couple froze for a moment. Then, Shen Dongming reacted first, dashing toward the kitchen. They worked like a relay team—he filled the basin with hot water, and Yang Shi grabbed it and ran back toward the birthing room.

Shen Junxi cracked the door open just enough to take the hot water from them.

“How is my daughter-in-law?” Yang Shi asked hurriedly.

“Mm.” Shen Junxi had no time for explanations. He simply nodded before disappearing back inside.

“What does that even mean?” Yang Shi was still anxious. What was her son trying to say?

“He nodded—it means everything is okay,” Shen Dongming panted, exhausted from running back and forth.

“Oh, oh, that’s good then.” Yang Shi fixed her gaze on the birthing room, wishing she could barge in to see for herself.

Luckily, they didn’t have to wait too much longer. Just as the sky began to lighten, a loud, clear cry of a newborn echoed from inside.

At that moment, the weight of worry lifted from Shen Dongming and Yang Shi’s hearts. Their bodies relaxed as they looked at each other, heaving a sigh of relief before breaking into tearful smiles. It was a mix of exhaustion, joy, and overwhelming emotion.

“The baby is finally born!” Yang Shi murmured, muttering prayers of gratitude. She thanked the gods, the spirits, and every deity she could think of.

“This little rascal finally decided to come out at dawn,” Shen Dongming chuckled, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Before long, the door opened from the inside. Shen Junxi, beaming with joy, peeked out and signed to his mother, “Come in and bathe the baby.”

Yang Shi nodded eagerly. Overcome with happiness, she felt as if she were floating on air as she stepped inside, unable to believe this was real. She murmured, “How is my grandson? How is my daughter-in-law?”

Shen Junxi signed back, “They are both fine.”

“Good, good!” Yang Shi’s eyes turned red, and she felt an urge to cry.

When she saw the little baby wrapped snugly in a blanket, his dark eyes darting around without focus, her heart melted. Then, looking over at her daughter-in-law, weak from labor but safe, she whispered, “Is Jingwei asleep? He’s okay, right?”

Doctor Hu was packing up his things, ready to leave. He overheard and said, “He’s strong and had a relatively smooth labor. You don’t need to worry. Just make sure he rests well during postpartum recovery, and everything will be fine.”

Yang Shi nodded vigorously. “Of course, of course! Postpartum care is important—I know that.” She had already prepared old ginger, aged vinegar, and all the nourishing foods needed for recovery.

After paying the doctor and seeing him off, Shen Junxi gently picked up the baby from beside Song Jingwei and handed him to his mother.

“Oh my little treasure…” Yang Shi cradled the chubby baby in her arms like he was the most precious thing in the world. In that moment, she felt as if she had everything she could ever want.

She held the baby and gently washed him, while Shen Junxi used a warm towel to wipe his wife’s face and hands, which were sweaty from labor. Lastly, he carefully and gently cleaned the lower part of his wife’s body with another warm towel.

Once that was done, the baby had also finished his bath. Wrapped snugly in a soft blanket by Yang Shi, he smacked his tiny lips, clearly hungry.

Song Jingwei was settled in and quickly fell into a deep sleep from exhaustion. Shen Junxi stayed by his side the entire time, not leaving for even a moment.

Yang Shi approached with the baby in her arms and said, “The baby is hungry. I’ll have your father milk the goat and bring in the small stove, okay?”

Shen Junxi glanced at his sleeping wife and quietly signed, “Alright, let Father come in, but keep it quiet.”

Yang Shi nodded. “I understand.” She gently placed the baby in Shen Junxi’s arms and stepped outside to speak with Shen Dongming.

The couple worked together—one milked the goat, the other carried in the small stove.

A milk-producing goat was brought into the courtyard, and its milk was collected into a bowl at the door before being heated inside over a small stove.

Shen Dongming sat a short distance away from the stove, cradling his grandson, while Yang Shi carefully spoon-fed the baby warm goat’s milk.

“So well-behaved…” Shen Dongming murmured as he watched his grandson drink eagerly. The baby was easy to feed, not fussy at all. He sighed, “Just like his father. When he was little, he was obedient—just a little slow-witted.”

Yang Shi chuckled. “Being like his father is good. He grew up to be smart.”

“That’s true.” Shen Dongming laughed softly, full of joy. If not for the fact that his daughter-in-law was asleep, he would have burst out laughing.

“What a good child, so adorable,” Yang Shi said affectionately, the more she looked, the more she loved and cherished him.

“He’s our precious little one.” Shen Dongming gazed at his grandson with deep fondness. As the saying went, “A youngest son and an eldest grandson are a family’s treasures.” It wasn’t favoritism—Shen Junxi was their only son, so of course, they doted on him. As for future grandchildren, whether eldest or youngest, they would love them all the same.

Sitting by his wife’s side, Shen Junxi listened to his parents’ joyful chatter, feeling warmth spread through his heart. His entire world now revolved around his wife and child. There was no one else he would ever care for as deeply as them.

Once the baby was fed, they placed him back beside Song Jingwei, carefully tucking him in. Quietly, they told Shen Junxi, “Take good care of them. I’ll go prepare breakfast so that when your wife wakes up, he can have something warm to eat. He was exhausted all night—he must be starving.”

Shen Junxi nodded gently, his eyes never leaving his wife and child.

While Yang Shi prepared postpartum meals—ginger soup, yellow wine broth—Song Jingwei slowly woke up, feeling sore and weak as if his whole body had fallen apart.

Shen Junxi noticed immediately, tenderly touching his wife’s face, brushing aside the damp strands of hair on his forehead. He signed, “Are you feeling unwell? Are you hungry?”

Song Jingwei stared blankly for a moment before suddenly turning his head. Sure enough, beside him lay a tiny, fair-skinned baby, sleeping soundly with flushed cheeks and a little pout.

As he stared, Shen Junxi also watched them both, frozen in a blissful daze.

“Is he really my son?” the newly made father asked in a hoarse whisper.

Shen Junxi nodded seriously, his eyes filled with warmth and joy.

“Oh…” Song Jingwei murmured, then slowly broke into a smile. The more he smiled, the warmer he felt. Finally, he tilted his head down and gently kissed his son’s forehead, only then believing it was real. After almost a year of carrying him, he had finally given birth.

Shen Junxi watched this moment with overwhelming happiness. His heart swelled with warmth and joy—this was a scene he would never forget, something too precious and rare.

“I’m hungry,” Song Jingwei said after greeting his son. His stomach felt completely empty, as if a whole piece of him had disappeared. He just wanted to fill it up quickly.

Shen Junxi immediately got up to fetch the food but couldn’t help looking back at his wife with a gentle gaze. He stroked his face tenderly.

Then, mimicking Song Jingwei, he bent down and kissed his son’s forehead before finally stepping out to get the meal.

Yang Shi, upon hearing that her daughter-in-law had woken up, quickly prepared a full postpartum meal—yellow wine and egg soup, along with a bowl of pig’s trotters stewed in aged vinegar.

“Tell your wife, even if he doesn’t have an appetite, he must eat. Right now, he has to replenish his strength, understand?”

“Mm.” Shen Junxi looked at the large meal, worried his wife might not be able to finish it, but since his mother insisted, he carried everything inside.

Before eating, Song Jingwei wanted to wash up and freshen himself, but Shen Junxi signed, “No baths, no washing your hair—you can’t bathe for an entire month.”

“What?!” Song Jingwei raised his eyebrows in shock. “You expect me to go a whole month without bathing?”

“Two days without a bath is already my limit. How is a whole month even possible?!”

_{Awww! We have our little master now. Bless you with world’s happiness and luck.}