340 Reunion 35 (1/2)
An Xiaoning followed his lead and continued to grab his hand tightly.
The doctor and nurses soon arrived. Realizing that An Xiaoning was not able to move at all, the doctor had no choice but to carry out the delivery right in her hospital ward.
”I've come across many expectant mothers, but I've never encountered anyone as eager to deliver as you are. Give it a push,” the doctor instructed.
An Xiaoning grabbed onto Gu Beicheng with one hand and held the doctor's hand with the other.
She pushed with all her might and expended all her energy to give birth to her child.
Yet, images of Jin Qingyan kept flashing through her mind as she burst into tears uncontrollably due to the immense pain.
”Keep pushing, the baby is almost out.” The doctor let go of her hand and pressed both his hands onto her stomach.
An Xiaoning was incapacitated and could not speak due to the pain, which also caused her to break out in cold sweat. Panting heavily, she clenched her jaw and persisted on.
After another few minutes of torment, An Xiaoning felt like the fetus was about to slide out of her and all she needed to give was all her energy. Otherwise, the fetus might suffocate in her womb.
Feeling as if she was about to be pried open further, An Xiaoning tightened her grip on Gu Beicheng's hand and exclaimed in agony, ”Beicheng… I feel like I'm going to die soon. Ahh!!!”
Gu Beicheng was thrown into a state of frenzy along with An Xiaoning's shrieks.
”The baby's head is out. An Xiaoning, please give it one last push! Hurry!” the doctor exclaimed, egging her on.
Drenched in sweat, An Xiaoning was exhausted beyond her limits and felt as if she was crippled from head to toe.
However, she managed to gather every last bit of energy in her and gave a final push to deliver her child.
The next thing she knew, the room was filled with the sounds of her newborn crying.
”Quick, take a look at the time.”
”8:46!”
The doctor swiftly grabbed the scissors and asked Gu Beicheng, ”Would you like to cut the umbilical cord?”
”Yes.”
Gu Beicheng took the scissors from the doctor's hands and cut the cord according to the latter's instruction. A smile formed on his face as he gazed at the newborn, who was still covered in the amniotic fluids.
The nurse hurriedly wrapped the infant in a towel and carried him to let An Xiaoning have a look before bringing him away for a wash-up. The doctor then proceeded to help An Xiaoning clean up.
Gu Beicheng carried An Xiaoning onto another bed while the nurses hurriedly replaced the bed sheets and blanket, after which Gu Beicheng then carried her again back onto the bed.
An Xiaoning closed her eyes, dog-tired and exhausted beyond limits.
The nurses helped An Xiaoning change her undergarments underneath the blanket and put on a sanitary pad for her, lest her bodily fluids stain the sheets.
”Why didn't you ask about the gender of your child?” asked Gu Beicheng, who was accompanying her by her side.
”It's still my child regardless of the gender.”
”You still ought to know anyway. It's a boy,” said Gu Beicheng, grinning from ear to ear and beaming with joy, as if she had just given birth to his child.
”Call Father and Mother to inform them about it,” An Xiaoning instructed.
”Oh, right. Yes, yes, I totally forgot about that.” Gu Beicheng hurriedly proceeded to give Mrs. Gu a call and break the good news to them.
Minutes later, the nurse returned to the ward with the child in her arms, bringing along a baby's cot.
Gu Beicheng carried the child into his arms carefully before taking a seat beside An Xiaoning's bed to let her have a look. ”Look, it's your son.”
An Xiaoning took a glance at her child, who only had one eye open, and blurted, ”He's hideous.”
”Hey! What do you mean hideous? He's a newborn, of course his features aren't going to be developed yet. Who says that about their own child?” Gu Beicheng chided.
Gazing at her child, An Xiaoning felt her heart fill with love and warmth, though her abdomen was still twitching with a dull ache since her womb was still in recovery.
”Beicheng, who do you think the child looks like?”
Pinching the newborn's tiny hand, Gu Beicheng answered smilingly, ”I think he looks like me.”
An Xiaoning snorted with laughter. ”You really enjoy being thick-skinned, don't you?”
”That's not being thick-skinned. I'm just stating facts. But, one of his features does resemble yours.”
”Which?” An Xiaoning asked as she began scrutinizing her child's face.
”His nose. It's very nice and well shaped. Well, as for the rest, he resembles his father.” As much as he hated to admit it, he found that the child's features were simply too strikingly similar to Jin Qingyan's.
An Xiaoning took a closer look to realize that it was indeed so and could not stop smiling.