Chapter 76 The Finale
Within twenty minutes, Gao Yinxi was helped into a car and taken to the hospital.
Yu Shi and Gao Yanshu accompanied them in two cars, one in front and one behind.
At the hospital, the doctor performed a thorough examination on Gao Yinxi and confirmed that her water had ruptured prematurely, requiring immediate preparation for delivery.
"Your cervix is only dilated to two centimeters; there's still some time before delivery," the doctor told the anxious family members. "I suggest that the family members present take turns accompanying you, while the others can go back and wait for news."
Yuan Er held Gao Yinxi's hand tightly, refusing to let go no matter what.
Gao Yanshu also expressed his intention to stay.
Finally, Yu Shi felt there was no need to stay, and since he hadn't gotten a free meal and was starving, he had no choice but to go home alone.
Li Chian and Xu Zhuwen stayed with Gao Yinxi at the hospital until evening, when Gao Yinxi persuaded them to leave the ward and wait in the rest area outside.
“I remember when I gave birth to Zuizui, I was in pain for a full twenty hours,” Li Chian told Xu Zhuwen. “Yinxi’s pregnancy seems to be going faster; the doctor said her cervix is dilating very quickly.”
Xu Zhuwen shook her head with a sigh: "Life is truly amazing. We were just discussing work together a moment ago, and now we're about to welcome a new life."
Around 8 p.m., Gao Yinxi was wheeled into the delivery room.
Yuan Ergeng, Gao Yanshu, Li Chi'an and Xu Zhuwen all waited outside the delivery room.
Hearing Gao Yinxi's suppressed groans coming from the delivery room, Yuan Er became even more nervous, breaking out in a cold sweat and pacing back and forth.
"Brother, you're making me dizzy just watching you walk around like that," Gao Yanshu said, though he was also nervous.
Suddenly, a loud cry of a newborn baby came from the delivery room, and the four people outside the door were instantly alerted.
The door opened, and a nurse came out carrying a swaddled baby. "Congratulations, it's a girl, weighing six pounds and eight ounces. Mother and daughter are safe and sound."
Yuan Ergeng almost knelt down outside the delivery room, but Li Chi'an and Xu Zhuwen quickly pulled him up.
"I have a daughter," Yuan Ergeng murmured to himself, then suddenly realized, "Where's Yinxi? How's my wife?"
"The mother is doing very well and will be moved back to her ward shortly," the nurse replied with a smile.
When Gao Yanshu heard that it was a girl, he was overjoyed and immediately sent red envelopes in various group chats to share the good news.
When Gao Yinxi was wheeled out of the delivery room, she was covered with two blankets.
Fortunately, although she was exhausted, she was still conscious.
"Baby, how are you feeling now?" Several people quickly gathered around.
"I feel so cold," Gao Yinxi said softly.
Yuan Er leaned closer to her mouth before he could hear what she was saying.
"Doctor, she says she's so cold, what should I do?"
Normally, with so many blankets covering you, you shouldn't feel cold.
"She's been given anesthesia and had an episiotomy, so it's normal to feel cold," the doctor explained. "Take her to the ward and take good care of her. Turn up the air conditioning temperature for her."
"Where's the child? Did you see her clearly?" she asked Xu Zhuwen and Li Chian weakly. "Who does she look like?"
Just now in the delivery room, the doctor told her that she had given birth to a girl, and she was so moved that she almost cried.
“We see clearly,” Li Chian and Xu Zhuwen answered together, “We think the child looks like Ergeng.”
Yuan Ergeng quickly stepped forward and grasped Gao Yinxi's hand, "The child will be placed in an incubator for observation. She is very healthy and beautiful, just like you."
Gao Yanshu's world has collapsed.
He was a little unhappy.
His main concern was that his older sister's daughter would look just like her, so the Gao family would have a beautiful little princess like his sister, whom he could love and pamper from a young age.
Now, the Gao family has a little princess, but she looks like Yuan Ergeng.
Family members, how can he love that face that looks just like Yuan Ergeng's?
Li Chi'an noticed Gao Yanshu's absent-minded appearance and patted his arm, "Kids change every day, don't be too anxious."
Gao Yanshu looked at Li Chi'an with a wronged expression, "I hope so, sister."
After Gao Yinxi was settled in a ward to receive an IV drip and rest, Li Chian and Xu Zhuwen left with peace of mind.
It was already past 10 p.m.
"I'll take you home," Xu Zhuwen said. "It's hard to get a taxi at this hour."
Li Chi'an shook his head, "No need, you and I don't go that way, and it'll be too late for you to get home after you drop me off. It's easy for me to call a car."
The two said goodbye at the hospital entrance and went home separately.
When Li Chi'an returned home and opened the door, he was surprised to find Yu Shi sitting in the living room.
"Why are you here?" she asked in surprise.
Yu Shi stood up and took her bag. "I know you're tired today. I wanted to see you before I left, otherwise I wouldn't feel at ease."
Li Chi'an felt a warmth in her heart, and only then did she remember to ask him, "Have you eaten?"
"I had a claypot rice downstairs," Yu Shi said with a smile. "Zui Zui called and said he had a lot of fun at his grandparents' house. Song Shi will bring him back tomorrow."
The claypot rice downstairs from Li Chi'an's house is famous throughout the city; it's inexpensive and delicious.
Hearing Yu Shi's words, Li Chian felt relieved.
She nodded and sat down wearily on the sofa.
Yu Shi took the initiative to go to the kitchen and pour her a glass of warm water.
"How is Yinxi now?" he asked.
“He fell asleep.” Li Chi’an took the water glass and took a sip. “You know, when Yuan Ergeng heard that his daughter was born, he was so happy that he almost knelt down outside the delivery room. It was Zhu Wen and I who pulled him up.”
Yu Shi chuckled, "President Yuan's dream has come true, it's truly enviable."
After a moment of silence, Li Chi'an suddenly said, "Today at the hospital, watching the birth of a new life, I suddenly understood a lot of things."
Yu Shi watched her quietly, waiting for her to continue, "Life is unpredictable, we never know what will happen tomorrow, so we must cherish good relationships."
"I've always thought so," Yu Shi said with a smile, pulling Li Chi'an into his arms.
After seeing Yu Shi off, Li Chi'an stood by the window, gazing at the bright moon in the night sky, his heart filled with wonderful anticipation for the New Year.
...
Two weeks later, Gao Yinxi and her daughter were discharged from the hospital.
To celebrate the birth of the little princess, a small welcome celebration was held at Rose Manor on the day of her full moon.
In early spring, although the roses have not yet bloomed, early spring flowers have already adorned the lush green garden.
The sun was shining brightly, a gentle breeze was blowing, and everyone sat together in the glass greenhouse in the garden.
Gao Yinxi sat in the main seat with her daughter in her arms, generously accepting photos from the photographer and others, her slightly round face radiating happiness.
Yuan Ergeng stayed by her side without leaving her side, afraid that she would get tired.
"Have you named it yet?" Xu Zhuwen asked, teasing the baby's little hand.
Gao Yinxi and Yuan Ergeng exchanged a smile. "Her name is Gao Muyan, and her nickname is 'Rose'."
"It's Huang Yimei's rose."
"Wow!" Xu Zhuwen asked happily, "Does it mean we hope our little rose will be as beautiful, confident, and strong as a rose?"
"Yes." Gao Yinxi really liked the character design of Huang Yimei in the TV series.
I've been eyeing Xiao Chu for a long time.
Now that I've had a daughter, nicknamed Rose, it feels like my dream has come true.
"What a wonderful name," Li Chi'an exclaimed. "Our Little Rose is destined to have an inextricable connection with this manor."
Gao Yanshu took his niece from his sister's arms. Little Mu Yan was only one month old. She was soft and fluffy in his arms, but he held her very steadily.
I can tell from the fact that I've been hugging him quite a bit lately.
After leaving the hospital, Gao Yinxi moved directly into Bishui Villa. In addition to the two nannies who had taken care of her before, she also hired a professional postpartum nanny. Furthermore, Yuan Ergeng and Gao Yanshu also moved in with her.
After chatting for a while, everyone raised their glasses together, "Cheers to our little rose, may her life be as splendid and beautiful as a rose."
After raising their glasses in celebration, the conversation naturally turned to the plans for the Rose Manor in the new year.
“Chi’an, I’ve thought about the new retail concept you mentioned last time carefully, and I think it has great potential,” Gao Yinxi said. “Could you elaborate on how we should implement it?”
Li Chi'an put down his water glass and focused on explaining, "I think Rose Manor can start from three aspects. First, establish an online platform, through social media and its own e-commerce, so that customers who cannot visit the manor in person can also purchase our products."
Yu Shi added, "I know some friends who work in e-commerce, and I can help introduce them if needed."
Li Chi'an continued, "Secondly, we will optimize the offline experience. In addition to admiring roses, we can develop more interactive activities, such as flower arranging classes, fragrance workshops, and themed weddings, to make the manor a diversified leisure destination."
Xu Zhuwen excitedly chimed in, “That’s a great idea! We can design different themed events based on the different seasons. In spring, we can have flower-viewing tea parties; in summer, we can have stargazing concerts; in autumn, we can have harvest celebrations; and in winter, we can have greenhouse flower shows.”
Li Chi'an smiled and said, "Third, we will integrate online and offline channels to achieve omnichannel retail. For example, online ticket purchases can enjoy discounts, and offline visitors can scan a QR code to purchase their favorite rose varieties online. More importantly, we want to improve the flow of information, capital, and logistics to make it easier for customers to connect with our products and services."
Gao Yanshu nodded repeatedly, "These ideas are all great. They may take time to implement, but the direction is right."
Yuan Ergeng had been listening quietly, but then suddenly spoke up, “I have a suggestion. To celebrate the birth of our little rose, we can set up an area in the manor to display rose-related artworks and invite local artists to create them. This will not only enhance the cultural atmosphere of the manor but also support the arts community.”
"That's a great idea!" Gao Yinxi smiled at Yuan Ergeng. "I never thought you'd be thinking about art like this."
"I have a daughter now, don't I?" Yuan Ergeng laughed heartily. "Besides, after spending so much time with you guys, I should know a little bit about it. If I don't, I'm afraid you won't include me in your games anymore."
Everyone laughed.
Looking at the scene before him, Li Chi'an sighed, "It's amazing how fate works. We came together by various circumstances, and now we're not only friends, but also running a business together."
Xu Zhuwen nodded, "Yes, when we met thirteen years ago, who could have imagined things would turn out this way?"
Yu Shi looked at the early spring roses that were beginning to bloom outside the glass greenhouse and whispered in Li Chi'an's ear, "Sometimes life is like this, the best arrangements are always unexpected."
After the party, everyone strolled along the paths of the manor.
Li Chi'an and Yu Shi walked at the back, and the distance between them had obviously decreased a lot.
“Next weekend, let’s take Zuizui to the newly opened science museum. He’s been wanting to go for a while,” Yu Shi suggested. “It’s spring now, and I want to take him out more.”
“Great, he’ll be very happy.”
Gao Yinxi and Yuan Ergeng, who were walking ahead of them, were talking in hushed tones.
"Rose is asleep," Gao Yinxi said softly. "We should go back."
Yuan Er carefully adjusted his daughter in the baby carrier, freeing one hand to put his arm around Gao Yinxi's shoulder. "Okay, let's go home."
Xu Zhuwen and Gao Yanshu walked side by side at the front, discussing the estate's financial plans.
“Renovating the manor according to Sister An’s suggestion may require a large initial investment,” Gao Yanshu said. “I think we can take it slowly and not rush it.”
Xu Zhuwen nodded, "You're right. Moreover, we can use the manor's profits to implement it in stages, starting with small-scale pilot projects, such as developing an online store first, and then gradually adding other functions."
As the sun sets, the shadows of the six people stretch out among the rose bushes, intertwining, just as all those who come to the manor meet and are connected through the Rose Manor.
At the moment of parting, everyone stood at the gate of the manor, reluctant to say goodbye.
"When our little princess turns 100 days old, we'll hold a banquet at the manor," Yuan Ergeng said, holding his daughter and extending an invitation to everyone.
Gao Yanshu immediately interjected, "Sister, Dad said he's going to personally prepare a 100-day celebration for Rose. Judging from his expression, it seems like he's going to hold it at Six Senses. He's invited a lot of people."
Yuan Er covered his face, "Wife, what should we do?"
Gao Yinxi laughed, "Anything is fine."
She looked at Gao Yanshu and said, "If he's willing to pay, we can put it in Liushan."
“Six Senses is fine too,” Xu Zhuwen said with a smile. “Just let me know when you’ve decided on a date, and I’ll definitely be there. I still want to be Little Rose’s godmother.”
Li Chi'an laughed, "Then you'll have to wait in line. I've already made a reservation."
"How could you be so fast?!" Xu Zhuwen scolded playfully. "Tell me, when did this happen?"
"While you were on your phone flirting with your Italian hottie," Li Chi'an said with a smile, his gaze falling on the ring on Xu Zhuwen's ring finger. His cousin had taken it off earlier to show her and Yinxi the ring; it was a gift from Andre, with "REBIRTH" engraved on the inner band.
Amidst laughter and cheerful conversation, everyone got into their cars and drove away.
On the way back, Li Chi'an leaned against Yu Shi's car seat, watching the scenery rushing past the window, and suddenly said, "Yu Shi, I love you."
At this moment, her heart was filled with gratitude.
Love overflows naturally.
Life is like a rose, with its brilliant bloom and its painful thorns, but no matter what, life will always find its way forward, moving forward with love and hope.
"What are you thinking about?" Yu Shi held the steering wheel with one hand and reached the passenger seat with the other, taking Li Chi'an's hand in his.
Li Chi'an leaned on his shoulder and said with a smile, "Let's think about our bright tomorrow."
Is there anything else?
“And…” Li Chi’an turned his head, his gentle gaze falling on Yu Shi’s ink-painted profile, “And I think that what we should be searching for throughout our lives is the lifestyle we like and the person we want to become.”
So it's okay to take a few detours, it's okay to spend a lot of time on the road, and it's okay to be different from what the world or others expect.
As long as a person is on the path to becoming themselves, that's enough.
The roses in the distance swayed gently in the evening breeze, as if telling an eternal story about love and being loved, rebirth and hope.
And everyone's story has only just begun.
—End of article—
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