Chapter 94: Giving Birth
Xie Sicheng placed the snacks on the table and cleared his throat to get Chi Wang’s attention.
Chi Wang looked up and saw that he had returned. The arrogant smile on his face quickly diminished a bit, and he hurriedly flipped through a few pages of the photo album, praising, “Wow, Senior, this photo is so good! Only six years old? You look like you’re ten! You grew up so well.”
Xie Sicheng: “…”
There’s no need to be so stiff.
Chu Qing laughed and said, “He was tall, you know. He stood out in height since he was young, with a big frame. I suffered a lot giving birth to him back then—couldn’t deliver naturally and had to switch to a cesarean.”
Chi Wang’s attention quickly shifted away from Xie Sicheng. He asked, “How much did Senior weigh at birth?”
Chu Qing replied, “He was heavy—eight and a half jin. Not that he was fat, just big-boned. You’ve seen his father—tall and sturdy. How could his child be small? But I’m tall too; two tall people can’t have a small baby.”
Chi Wang: “…”
But I’m tall too; why is my baby still small?
The baby wasn’t even born yet, and he was already worrying about the baby’s size and whether it would have any implications. The prenatal check-ups were all normal; there was no mention of any genetic anomalies.
Chu Qing asked, “Have you decided on a name yet?”
At the mention of this, Chi Wang felt a headache coming on. Lately, he and Xie Sicheng had been idle and tried to come up with both a nickname and a formal name for the baby, but they couldn’t find one they were satisfied with.
Seeing the troubled expression on his face, Chu Qing quickly said, “No rush. It’s fine to decide after the baby is born.”
Indeed, Chi Wang thought so too, so he wasn’t in a hurry.
The two of them continued chatting, once again leaving Xie Sicheng ignored.
Xie Sicheng: “…”
He sat down beside them, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank silently.
Chu Qing didn’t stay long and soon left.
Even if they got married, Chu Qing didn’t plan to live with them. Young couples need their private space; there’s no need to live with the in-laws.
When the time comes to help Chi Wang during his postpartum confinement, she would just oversee the professional staff.
Speaking of which, Chi Wang hadn’t started calling them “Mom” and “Dad” yet; he still addressed them as “Auntie” and “Uncle.”
Chu Qing thought about it and decided to let nature take its course; after all, they weren’t married yet.
Chu Qing and the others left, but the photo album was left behind.
Chi Wang didn’t dare look at it much; Xie Sicheng was eyeing him like a hawk. He put the album down and said to Xie, “Senior, you’re back.”
Xie Sicheng said, “Eat the glutinous rice cakes before they get cold.”
“Oh.” Chi Wang picked up the paper bag containing the rice cakes, felt them—they were still warm—and quickly ate them.
He also finished the cut fruits, feeling a bit full, so he stood up to stretch his waist.
As he stretched, he felt a slight pain in his belly.
Chi Wang wasn’t very sensitive to pain; this kind of pain felt like a mosquito bite—a faint, sharp sting.
He hesitated, quietly sensed himself for a while, and since he felt nothing more, he thought it was an illusion. He sat back down to consider eating something else. But as soon as he sat, he felt a bit strange. He stood up again, looked down, and saw that there were some wet spots on the genuine leather sofa. Where did the water come from?
He grabbed a few tissues to wipe the sofa clean, then sat down again. Not long after, he felt a bit wet again. He stood up, turned around, and saw glistening water stains on the sofa. He was silent for a moment and called Xie over.
Xie was busy hiding his own photo album. Hearing Chi Wang call, he casually placed the album on the display cabinet and walked over to him, asking softly, “What’s wrong?”
Chi Wang looked dazed, pointing to the sofa. “Look at this—is this amniotic fluid?”
Xie: “??”
Xie: “…”
He reached out to lift Chi Wang’s shirt. Today, Chi Wang was wearing an oversized white T-shirt with a red and white striped short-sleeved shirt over it. His pants were light tea-colored shorts, which would darken if wet. Indeed, his pants were wet.
Xie immediately took out his phone to call the driver.
Chu Qing and Xie Yunting, who had just left not long ago, also received the news that Chi Wang was going into labor and immediately turned the car around to head to the hospital.
Xiao Fu was the last to know. He hurried over and happened to see Chi Wang and Xie already waiting at the door.
He rushed over and asked, “How is it now? Does it hurt?”
Chi Wang sensed for a moment and said, “It doesn’t hurt much; it’s just that the amniotic fluid keeps leaking—flowing slowly though, haha.”
Seeing his nonchalant demeanor, Xiao Fu was shocked. “How can you still laugh? Aren’t you scared?”
Chi Wang uttered an “Uh” and replied, “Of course I’m scared. Who isn’t scared of giving birth? But at this critical moment, I feel okay.”
Now that it was time, Chi Wang wasn’t as afraid. Since he had to go through this, being scared was unnecessary.
Xiao Fu was momentarily speechless. He was very anxious and asked again, “Really doesn’t hurt?”
Chi Wang: “Really doesn’t hurt. It’s just that my underwear is all wet; I want to change into a new pair.”
Xie, standing beside him, said softly, “In a moment, you’ll have surgery. There’s no need to wear underwear.”
Chi Wang: “Oh, okay.”
Xiao Fu: “…”
He didn’t say anything more, waiting anxiously by their side. He seemed even more like the baby’s father than Xie. Feeling a surge of frustration, he snapped at Xie, “Chi Wang is about to give birth, and you’re so calm?”
Before Xie could speak, Chi Wang interjected, “Brother, not everyone wears their emotions on their sleeve like you. Senior is just not showing his joy or anger. In ancient times, he’d be emperor material. Besides, being anxious doesn’t help. If I’m not anxious, you shouldn’t be either. Everything will be fine.”
Xiao Fu: “…”
Why is he flattering him now?
He remembered that their family didn’t have a gene for being love-struck.
Xiao Fu didn’t dare say more.
At this time, Xie finally spoke, “Even if we get there now, they can’t perform the surgery immediately. There are preoperative checks and fasting required.”
As they spoke, the driver arrived. He drove quickly, without any delays.
Xie and Chi Wang sat in the back seat; Xiao Fu sat in the front passenger seat.
The driver sped to the hospital like a bolt of lightning. Fortunately, it wasn’t rush hour; the roads weren’t congested, and they arrived at the hospital in just over twenty minutes.
Chu Qing and Xie Yunting were already waiting at the hospital and had completed the admission procedures for Chi Wang.
As soon as they entered the hospital, they began a flurry of examinations. After the tests, a large group of people crowded into the doctor’s office.
Such a grand scene startled the doctor, who said helplessly, “All the test indicators are good. The intrauterine situation is also fine, and the fetal heartbeat is strong. We can delay the cesarean a bit—perform the surgery at 8 p.m. tonight or tomorrow morning; both are acceptable.”
Chi Wang said, “Then tonight. That way, I can get a good night’s sleep.”
Doctor: “Alright.”
Xiao Fu tugged at Chi Wang’s sleeve and whispered in his ear, “Why not tomorrow? Having the surgery tonight seems a bit rushed.”
Chi Wang said firmly, “Tonight. If I wait until tomorrow, I won’t be able to sleep tonight. Better to get it done early so I can sleep well.”
Since Chi Wang had spoken, no one objected, and the surgery time was set.
They went to the hospital room—a VIP suite. The space was large, with a bed, sofa, TV, and kitchen. Chi Wang was amazed. “The hospital can be like this?” Then he realized it was a private hospital, which made sense.
The room soon filled with people. Chu Qing instructed Xie to go back and bring daily necessities. “Bring the bedsheets and quilts. No need to bring too many clothes; you’ll only stay a few days, then go directly to the postpartum care center.”
Xie nodded, released Chi Wang’s hand, which he had been holding, and said to him, “I’ll be back soon.”
Chi Wang said, “Got it.”
After Xie left, Chu Qing also sent Xie Yunting to ask the doctor about the surgery. Xiao Fu wanted to go along. Chi Wang remembered something, grabbed his arm, and asked, “Did you apologize to the doctor?”
Xiao Fu said irritably, “Isn’t it too late to ask now? I already apologized and offered gifts. The doctor has forgiven me.”
Chi Wang breathed a sigh of relief. “Sorry, I forgot and just remembered now.”
Amid the hustle and bustle, evening came quickly.
Chi Wang was placed on a gurney by Xie, and several people escorted him to the operating room.
Xiao Fu was so anxious he couldn’t sit still. Turning his head, he saw Xie sitting on a chair, back straight, eyes downcast as if his mind was elsewhere, which made him even more annoyed.
While Chu Qing and Xie Yunting went to buy water, Xiao Fu sat next to Xie and said, “Chi Wang is undergoing surgery, and you don’t look worried at all?”
Xie: “…”
He lifted his thin eyelids to glance at Xiao Fu, his tone indifferent. “Not everyone shows their emotions outwardly like you.”
Xiao Fu wanted to sneer a few words, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something. He looked down slightly and saw that Xie’s fingers were interlocked, fingertips digging into the flesh on the back of his hands, already drawing blood.
Xiao Fu: “…”
He said nothing more.
Chu Qing and Xie Yunting returned soon, bringing some hot red bean soup drinks, which were more comforting than plain water.
Chu Qing said, “It should be fine. Yuhan said that Chi Wang is in great physical condition. Although the surgery is complicated, he’s confident. Trust your Brother Yuhan.”
Xie Yunting remained silent, but at this moment, worry was evident in his eyes.
Time passed slowly. For the first time, Xie felt the expression “a day feels like a year” become literal; every minute and second of waiting was torturous.
He didn’t know how much time had passed; his sense of time was completely distorted. The doctor walked out of the operating room, smiling, and said, “The surgery was very successful. Also, the baby is a boy, weighing six jin and three liang. Congratulations!”
Xie stood up and asked, “Can I go in to see Chi Wang?”
The doctor said, “Yes, but after the surgery, he needs to be observed for two hours. You can see the baby first.”
The nurse brought out the baby for them. Chu Qing quickly took him, opened the swaddling cloth for a look. The baby had already cried; his face was a bit wet, his little mouth smacking. His face wasn’t very clear, all reddish. She showed him to Xie Yunting, who glanced and said, “Ugly, looks like a monkey.”
Chu Qing: “…If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything.”
She showed the baby to Xie. Xie glanced absentmindedly and asked the doctor, “How is Chi Wang’s condition?”
The doctor chuckled, “After surgery, he’ll naturally be weak, but otherwise, he’s fine. After a week, just make sure he gets good nutrition. This week, avoid heavy foods.”
He carefully explained many precautions and added, “The baby is very healthy but still needs to be observed for two hours. If all is well, you can start feeding him formula at home. Chi Wang probably won’t have milk, and there’s no need to force lactation. After all, he’s male; he can’t perform miracles. His chest swelling may last for a month or so, but once hormone levels drop, it’ll be fine.”
After saying all this, the doctor and nurse left.
They then entered the operating room together. Chi Wang was already awake—he had no choice. He learned for the first time that after surgery, the nurse would slap him awake. A few slaps woke him up, and the force was quite strong, making his face hurt.
Seeing Xie Sicheng and the others come in, Chi Wang was still feeling weak all over; the anesthesia hadn’t worn off yet, but he still had the strength to speak. “Lift up my clothes and take a picture for me. I want to see how the stitching looks.”
Hearing this, Xie Sicheng took out his phone and lifted Chi Wang’s hospital gown. The wound was covered with gauze, so the incision wasn’t visible. Xie took a photo of the area. As he was taking the picture, he asked, “Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?”
Chi Wang said, “Not really, just thirsty—my mouth is dry.”
Xie replied earnestly, “The doctor instructed that you can’t drink water.”
Chi Wang retorted, “Listen to you! I didn’t ask you for water; I’m just stating how I feel.”
Chu Qing watched their exchange and quickly interjected, wanting to show Chi Wang the baby. Chi Wang hurriedly said, “I’ve seen him; no need to show me.”
He didn’t have the strength to hold the baby right now; he wouldn’t want to drop him. Better to be cautious.
Chu Qing then wanted to hand the baby to Xie Sicheng, but Xie wasn’t in the mood to hold him. He said directly, “Mom, you hold him. I’ll hold him later.”
Chi Wang looked at the photo Xie had taken and clicked his tongue. “It’s all wrapped up? Never mind then.”
Xiao Fu, standing nearby, saw the long strip of gauze on Chi Wang’s lower abdomen and gasped, also a bit shocked. “The wound is so big? How long will it take to heal?”
Chi Wang, the person involved, had a good mindset and said, “It’s fine. The stitching looks good; it’ll heal in about a month.”
Xie said, “A month might not be enough.”
As they spoke, the baby started to cry, his voice loud and clear.
The baby’s crying unsettled Chi Wang, making him feel distressed. “Why is he crying?”
Chu Qing quickly said, “He’s hungry. I’ll go make some formula for him. You rest.”
Chu Qing took the baby away to care for him.
Actually, she didn’t have much experience taking care of babies. When Xie Sicheng was born, there were professionals to take care of him; she hardly had to do anything herself. But she knew the basics. After feeding the baby formula, his crying stopped.
The weather was already getting hot, but Chu Qing didn’t slack off, wrapping the baby tightly from head to toe.
Newborn babies are susceptible to catching a cold and getting sick.
Xie Yunting followed Chu Qing, leaving only Chi Wang, Xie Sicheng, and Xiao Fu in the operating room.
Chi Wang glanced at Xie, then at Xiao Fu, and said, “Shouldn’t we think about what to name the baby?”
Xie: “…”
Actually, over the past few months, they hadn’t discussed the baby’s nickname less, but they couldn’t come up with anything satisfactory. They both felt that the baby’s nickname was important and couldn’t be chosen casually. It had to sound good and be catchy. As time went on, they procrastinated until now.
The actual delivery was eight days earlier than the due date, catching them somewhat off guard. So up to now, the baby hasn’t had a nickname.
He remained silent. Xiao Fu stepped up, proactively saying, “I’ve thought a lot over these months. Let me show you.”
He brought his phone over for Chi Wang to see. “These are nicknames I’ve carefully selected. Take a look.”
Chi Wang looked carefully and read them aloud, “Xuanxuan, Haohao, Tiantian, Xiaoxiao, Xingxing, Beibei…”
Xie spoke up, “Why don’t we just call him ‘Baby’ as his nickname? We’re used to calling him that anyway.”
Xiao Fu agreed, “That’s fine. It’s a good name; I like it.”
Chi Wang wouldn’t let him call him ‘Baby,’ so calling the child that shouldn’t be a problem.
It was the first time he stood on the same side as Xie.
Chi Wang: “…”
So you’re both terrible at naming?
In the end, Chi Wang didn’t choose any of them. He went back to the initial plan and decided, “Let’s not call him ‘Baby.’ When he grows up, he’ll be embarrassed. Let’s call him ‘An An’—peace and safety are most important.”
Xie didn’t say anything.
And so, the baby’s nickname was decided.
As for his formal name… the three of them, all terrible at naming, felt a headache coming on and decided to set it aside for later.
A few days later, Chi Wang was discharged from the hospital.
Perhaps because he’s male, or maybe due to his excellent physical condition, after the anesthesia wore off, he could get out of bed. Because he wasn’t very sensitive to pain, he didn’t feel much discomfort.
On the contrary, he felt his body was much lighter; his limbs were free again. Before being discharged, he excitedly said to Xie, “Do you know how I feel right now?”
Xie looked at him gently and cooperatively asked, “How do you feel?”
Chi Wang said, “It’s like when Sun Wukong was released from under the Five Elements Mountain by Tang Monk.”
Xie: “?”
Chi Wang continued, “I really want to be a wild monkey in the mountains, swinging from this tree to that tree.”
Xie: “…”
Chi Wang couldn’t suppress the smile at the corners of his mouth. “Bloodline awakening—I’m going to the mountains to be a macaque.”
Xie: “…”
It’s obvious he’s been holding back for too long.
- Jin : A traditional Chinese unit of weight, where 1 jin = 500 grams. So, eight and a half jin is approximately 4.25 kilograms, or about 9.37 pounds.
- Jin and Liang : Traditional Chinese units of weight. One jin is equivalent to 500 grams, and one liang is equivalent to 50 grams. So six jin three liang is approximately 3.15 kilograms or about 6.94 pounds.
- Sun Wukong and the Five Elements Mountain: In the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, Sun Wukong (the Monkey King) was trapped under the Five Elements Mountain by Buddha for 500 years until he was released by the monk Tang Sanzang (Tang Monk). Chi Wang is comparing his feeling of freedom to that of Sun Wukong’s release.
- “Bloodline awakening—I’m going to the mountains to be a macaque.” A humorous way of saying that he feels so liberated that he wants to return to his “primal” state. The term “bloodline awakening” is often used in Chinese fantasy novels where a character unlocks ancestral powers. Here, he’s joking that his “monkey” bloodline is awakening, and he wants to be a monkey in the mountains.
