Reborn as the Villain's Wife, I Shine in 80s-Chapter 554 - 538 Zhao Chun on maternity leave

"Jiang Jinghuai, Jiang Jinghuai..." She called out his name over and over again.

It was this man’s name, the man she both loved and hated—Jiang Jinghuai.

He had once promised that he’d come back before she gave birth. But he didn’t. Just like now, as she kept calling his name, again and again, hoping for a miracle to happen.

But there was no miracle. All she could hear was her own voice, and the nervous voices of the doctors. Her pain was always hers to bear alone. Whenever she needed Jiang Jinghuai, he was never by her side.

So she endured. She gritted her teeth and told herself it was fine. Because it was all due to his profession. But this time, she truly couldn’t endure. At this moment, what she wished most was for him to share her pain.

This was her flesh and blood, and it was his too.

The sharp pain twisted through her like a storm. A violent wave of agony hit her, and she suddenly threw her head back, clutching the bedsheet beneath her tightly, the scream stuck in her throat unable to come out.

Her consciousness began to scatter, as if someone were choking her.

"Miss Tian, push! You can’t pass out!"

"Come on, stay strong!"

"What is she calling out?" A doctor leaned down to catch her fragmented murmurs. "It’s Jiang Jinghuai..."

"Must be the father of the child."

This wasn’t a normal labor. Clearly, something had triggered the childbirth prematurely, causing the water to break. In situations like this, all the doctors could do was provide encouragement.

What truly needed to be addressed was the state of the mother’s mind. Above all else, it was critical to keep her psychological defenses intact and restore her hope for survival.

"The patient’s willpower is weak, and her condition is deteriorating."

"At this rate, it’s going to be very dangerous."

Outside, Zhao Chun was pacing anxiously, sitting down again only to stand up moments later. Back and forth, he muttered to himself, "It’s been hours. Why hasn’t she given birth yet?"

Meng Shuyan was crying uncontrollably, her eyes red and swollen as she stared blankly at the door of the delivery room.

Ye Binyi’s face was pale. "Yes, there hasn’t been a sound. Could the child be holding back, too?"

As she spoke, a piercing cry suddenly rang out from inside, startling everyone and making them shudder.

Meng Shuyan sprang to her feet. "Mom!"

Zhao Chun froze, his eyes reddened as he stared toward the room.

A doctor came out and pulled the door open. "The mother’s weak willpower is severely impeding the progress of labor. She keeps calling out for Jiang Jinghuai—Is Jiang Jinghuai here? If he can go in and speak to her, perhaps the delivery will go smoothly. Otherwise, we’ll have to proceed with a C-section."

Ye Binyi instantly covered her face and burst into tears. The daughter-in-law was crying out for her son, but her son was not there. She was overcome with grief and guilt. She had always harbored resentment toward her daughter-in-law, thinking she was insincere, but now she realized that her daughter-in-law had sacrificed no less than her son.

"Doctor, let me go in and see her." Zhao Chun pressed his parched lips together. "I can help her find herself."

The doctor nodded.

Zhao Chun entered the delivery room. The heavy scent of blood hit him instantly. He saw her lying there in agonizing pain, her black hair soaked with sweat, her face covered with beads of perspiration rolling in large drops.

Her complexion was as pale as paper.

One look at her and his chest tightened, his breathing grew painful.

He walked to the bedside, knelt down on his knees, and grasped her tightly clenched hands, their fingers pale and bloodless against the bedsheet.

"Sangsang."

She didn’t seem to hear him, merely murmuring with closed eyes, "Jiang Jinghuai..."

"Sangsang." Zhao Chun gripped her hands harder. "Hang in there, Sangsang. He’s already gone. You have to safely deliver this child. Listen to me, focus on pushing, okay? If you don’t, neither you nor the baby will make it!"

"You still have your child!" He spoke firmly into her ear. "Wake up! Are you going to let a dead man make you ignore the life inside you?"

Tian Sangsang’s tears rolled down her cheeks at his words. She struggled to keep herself awake, pulling herself out of the memories that threatened to trap her.

Yes, the child. She had to give birth to the child. She had already lost the man—she couldn’t lose her child too. The baby, the baby she had carried through ten long months, struggling inside her now to break free, how could she bear to hold him back, to prevent him from entering the world? The child’s struggle was so fierce.

At that moment, Jiang Jinghuai was dead to her—completely dead.

She endured the pain and turned her head slightly to glance at him.

"Zhao Chun?"

"Yes."

"Zhao Chun."

"I’m here."

"Leave."

"No."

"You can’t. I look awful right now. I can’t let you see me like this again." Her face was pale as she whispered thinly, "I... ah!"

Her scream echoed near his ear.

At that moment, Zhao Chun couldn’t hear anything else. That scream was so wrenchingly painful, he felt as if he were experiencing it himself.

"Sangsang, Sangsang, keep going!"

The joyful voice of the doctor followed closely, "Almost there, almost there!"

"Push, Miss Tian, we can already see the head!"

What, what? The head? Zhao Chun’s legs nearly gave way.

"Sangsang!"

"Sangsang!"

He shouted, even more excited than Tian Sangsang!

"If there’s a next life, I’d rather be a woman and give birth for you!"

Through her labor pains, Tian Sangsang managed to respond, "If I’m a man in the next life, I’ll marry you! Damn it... giving birth... ah!" The pain was unbearable—ahhh!

Wave after wave of excruciating pain consumed her entire being. Every sense focused on it and on Zhao Chun’s hand. That warm hand kept giving her strength.

"Push, push harder, Miss Tian!"

Her spirit jolted awake. She bit down hard, pushed with every ounce of energy she had left. Then, weakly, she tilted the corners of her mouth...

The baby was born. Was it born?

"It’s out, it’s out!" the doctor announced while cutting the umbilical cord.

Tian Sangsang finally fainted, but before losing consciousness, she heard the loud cries of her baby.

Zhao Chun collapsed onto the ground, as if he had fought a hard battle and had nothing left. He breathed heavily, listening to the crying baby nearby. It was truly the most beautiful sound in the world.

The doctor held the baby as they came out. "Congratulations, it’s a boy!"

Ye Binyi and Jiang’s father exchanged glances full of relief and smiled, stepping forward to look at the baby.

Meng Shuyan asked anxiously, "How’s my mom?"

"Yes, Doctor, how is my daughter-in-law?"

The doctor chuckled, "The mother’s fine, just exhausted and passed out from fatigue."

Meng Shuyan felt like she would faint too.

Tian Sangsang slept for a long time before finally waking up in that same room.

"Mom," Meng Shuyan leaned against the edge of the bed, his big round eyes fixed on her face, his nose red, "Do you still hurt?"

Tian Sangsang reached out to pat his head, her voice soft and gentle, "It doesn’t hurt anymore. Did you cry, Yanyan?"

"I was scared."

"Don’t be afraid. You’re a big brother now, you have to be stronger."

Zhao Chun pushed the door open and entered, surprised and delighted. "You’re awake. Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?"

Tian Sangsang shook her head. Instead, she asked, "Where’s the baby?"

"Your parents are watching him. I just checked on him. He looks like you," Zhao Chun said.