It’s Anzhi
Mu Wan had overestimated her ability to tolerate pain.
The pain of childbirth was completely different from the pain she had endured before.
It felt as though her body were being torn apart from the middle.
By the later stages of pregnancy, her belly had grown enormous.
She became increasingly lethargic in everything she did.
Even her appetite had decreased considerably.
When Auntie Wu learned about it, she simply moved into the Liu residence.
Aside from taking care of Mu Wan, she also prepared her three meals every day.
When Mu Wan’s mother had given birth to her all those years ago, Auntie Wu had been the one caring for her as well.
The food Auntie Wu made suited Mu Wan’s tastes particularly well.
After lunch one day, Auntie Wu was clearing the table.
Seeing that Mu Wan was becoming sleepy again, she reminded her,
“Wanwan, get up and walk around first.”
It was midsummer again.
Even the small garden outside was unbearably hot at noon.
These days, Mu Wan usually walked indoors instead.
Hearing Auntie Wu’s reminder, she came back to herself and pushed herself up from the chair.
The instant she stood, her body suddenly stiffened.
For several seconds, Mu Wan did not move.
Auntie Wu looked over.
“What is it?”
Mu Wan’s abdomen hurt.
Her brows drew together.
She looked down.
Somewhat uncertainly, she said,
“My stomach hurts. I think... I might be going into labor.”
Auntie Wu’s expression immediately became tense.
She hurried over and checked Mu Wan.
After one brief moment of panic, she instantly regained her composure.
“Take deep breaths first.”
She helped Mu Wan sit back down.
Then her small figure rushed toward the entrance.
Mu Wan leaned against the chair.
A moment later, she heard Auntie Wu shout at the top of her lungs.
“Uncle Li! Hurry! We’re going to the hospital!”
At this point, Mu Wan was only experiencing intermittent contractions.
She could still tolerate them.
She had never imagined someone as small as Auntie Wu could shout that loudly.
Mu Wan even laughed.
That single shout alerted the entire Liu residence.
People flooded into the room.
It was almost as though they had rehearsed this exact moment beforehand.
Everyone immediately divided up their responsibilities.
Within moments, Mu Wan had been carefully helped into the car.
She sat in the van with Auntie Wu beside her.
Several other people followed as well, including her nutritionist, postpartum caregiver, and nanny.
Someone beside her coached her through her breathing.
Everything happened so quickly.
Everything felt unfamiliar.
Mu Wan felt as though she were dreaming.
The contractions gradually became stronger.
By the time they reached the hospital, Liu Qianxiu was already waiting outside.
When Mu Wan got out of the vehicle, she called,
“Liu Qianxiu.”
He immediately steadied her.
“Mm.”
His answer was quiet.
But Mu Wan heard the faint tremor in his voice.
Only then did everything finally begin to feel real.
Dr. Chen had long been arranged to handle the delivery.
Mu Wan had gone into labor half a week before her due date.
She was taken into the delivery room.
Liu Qianxiu went in with her.
“She hasn’t dilated yet.”
After examining Mu Wan, Dr. Chen looked at Liu Qianxiu.
“Take her walking for a while.”
Mu Wan saw Liu Qianxiu’s brows tighten slightly.
His lips pressed into a straight line.
The hand holding hers was unusually tight.
Mu Wan moved her fingers.
“Help me up.”
“All right.”
Liu Qianxiu lifted her.
The pain had begun.
It was stronger than the pain from most injuries she had experienced before, but she could still tolerate it.
Holding Liu Qianxiu’s hand, Mu Wan walked slowly through the corridor with him.
Trying to distract herself, she said,
“I wonder whether it’s Laizhi or Anzhi.”
Liu Qianxiu walked beside her.
He watched her profile carefully, constantly observing her expression.
“Who do you want to come?”
“I want both of them.”
Another contraction struck.
Mu Wan tightened her grip on Liu Qianxiu’s hand.
Her smile turned pale.
“It would be nice if I could have both in one pregnancy.”
But their prenatal examinations had confirmed from the beginning that there was only one baby.
The moment she finished speaking, Mu Wan suddenly stopped.
She bent over.
Her fingers tightened around Liu Qianxiu’s hand little by little.
The pain drained the strength from her body.
“This really... hurts too much now.”
Liu Qianxiu’s Adam’s apple moved.
He lifted Mu Wan into his arms and carried her back into the delivery room.
She was three centimeters dilated.
Mu Wan received an epidural.
But once she had dilated enough, the anesthetic was stopped so that she could push the baby out herself.
That was when the pain became worst.
Mu Wan nearly cried.
She clutched Liu Qianxiu’s hand.
As she struggled and pushed, she saw the tension in his eyes, buried beneath the pain he felt for her.
They had been together for so long.
This was the first time Mu Wan had ever seen that kind of expression in his eyes.
Gritting her teeth, Mu Wan pushed again.
With the last of her strength, she bore down.
Then suddenly—
her entire body emptied.
The baby was born.
A ringing filled Mu Wan’s ears.
Through it, she heard a newborn crying.
She stared up at the ceiling and breathed in great gulps.
Liu Qianxiu held her and kissed her damp cheek.
“Come cut the umbilical cord,” Dr. Chen said with a smile.
Liu Qianxiu went over and cut it.
After the baby’s basic information was recorded, the newborn was placed in Mu Wan’s arms.
Freshly born, the baby was red and wrinkled.
Nowhere near as pretty as Huai Jing and Xu Xingkong’s Huai Mukong had looked when Mu Wan first met him.
But Mu Wan thought she was unbearably adorable.
She smiled.
Then she looked up at Liu Qianxiu.
“It’s Anzhi.”
She had given him a daughter.
“Mm.”
Liu Qianxiu gathered Mu Wan and their daughter into his arms.
“Thank you.”
“I love you.”
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