"Zhaozhao—!!!"
The moment Lu Qi burst through the door, a strong stench of blood mixed with the smell of medicine assaulted his senses. Inside the delivery room, candlelight flickered, illuminating the busy and solemn figures of the midwives.
Shen Zhao lay on the delivery bed, soaked to the bone, her face as pale as paper, her long hair disheveled and stuck to her sweaty forehead, her eyes closed, her breath so faint as if she might dissipate at any moment.
Just when Lu Qi was terrified and thought the worst had happened—
"Wow--!"
"Whoa—!"
Two loud yet tender cries of newborns rang out almost simultaneously, like heavenly music breaking through the gloom!
"They're born! They're born! Congratulations, General! Congratulations, General! It's a blessed union of dragon and phoenix! A little boy and a little girl!" The most experienced nanny, Wang, held the two swaddled babies, her voice trembling with excitement and relief, her face beaming with joy.
Lu Qi paid no heed! In his world, there was only the person on the bed, barely breathing. He rushed to the bedside like a hurricane, slamming his knees heavily on the footstool, his trembling hands carefully, almost fearfully, cupping Shen Zhao's cold, sweaty cheeks.
"Zhao Zhao? Zhao Zhao! Open your eyes and look at me! Zhao Zhao!" His voice was hoarse and broken, with a heavy nasal tone and unprecedented fear. His bloodshot eyes saw only her, nothing else.
The midwife, holding the baby, tried to bring it closer for him to see: "General, look at the young master and young lady..."
"Get out of my way!" Lu Qi roared without turning his head, like a fierce beast protecting its cub, all his attention locked on Shen Zhao. "Zhao Zhao! Answer me! Answer me!" His thumb rubbed her cold cheek again and again, trying to transfer warmth.
An'an had just cut the umbilical cord of her second child, her hands still stained with blood. Looking at Lu Qi's condition, she understood. She shook her head slightly at the somewhat bewildered midwives, indicating they should focus on the children and their own tasks, and not worry about Lu Qi: "It's alright, let him stay put. Take the baby to be washed, wrapped, and warmed, and examine him carefully." Her voice was tired but steady, the only source of support in the chaotic delivery room.
As Lu Qi called out to her repeatedly, his voice choked with sobs, and as the warmth of his palm continued to emanate from her, Shen Zhao's thick eyelashes trembled slightly, like butterfly wings, before finally opening a tiny slit. Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes had lost their former luster, appearing empty and weary. It took her a long time to focus and finally make out the bloodshot face before her, a face filled with fear and deep affection.
“Lu…Lu Qi…” Her voice was so faint it was almost inaudible.
"I'm here! Zhaozhao, I'm here!" Lu Qi instantly gripped her hand tightly, as if he had grasped a lost treasure. Overwhelmed with joy and lingering fear, his voice trembled. "How are you? Does it still hurt? Where does it hurt? You scared me to death! You scared me to death, you know that!" He was incoherent, his forehead pressed against the back of her hand, hot liquid dripping onto her cold skin.
“Child…child…” Shen Zhao’s gaze turned with difficulty to the direction from which faint crying came from.
"The babies are fine! They're twins! Both are safe and sound!" An'an quickly carried the two swaddled babies closer and gently placed the two red, wrinkled little ones next to Shen Zhao's pillow. "Look, this is the older brother, and this is the younger sister. They're both healthy."
Shen Zhao's gaze fell on the two tiny newborns nestled together, and a weak, yet incredibly content, smile finally appeared on her exhausted face. She moved her fingers, as if wanting to touch them.
Lu Qi glanced at them quickly, as if he'd just seen a child. His eyes held concern, but even more so, a desire to confirm their safety and whether they were making Shen Zhao more tired. He immediately looked away, his gaze fixed on Shen Zhao: "Don't move, you rest well." He turned to An'an, asking anxiously, "Sister-in-law, Zhao Zhao, she…"
"She lost quite a bit of blood and is a little exhausted, but her pulse has stabilized and she's fine. With proper care, she'll recover in a few months." An'an nodded affirmatively and brought over a bowl of ginseng soup, which was warm in hot water and had a rich medicinal aroma and a faint sweetness. "Here, feed her this soup first to replenish her energy."
Lu Qi immediately took the bowl, carefully scooped up a little with a spoon, blew on it to cool it down before bringing it to Shen Zhao's lips. His movements were clumsy but extremely gentle: "Zhao Zhao, open your mouth and drink slowly."
Shen Zhao took small sips of the warm soup from his hand. The warmth slid down her throat, as if infusing her with strength. She looked at Lu Qi's bloodshot yet tender eyes, at the undried sweat on his forehead and the obvious tears and bloodstains on his brocade robe on his back (the marks left from when he cushioned her fall), and her heart ached with a mixture of sorrow and tenderness.
“You…are injured…” she said softly.
“It’s just a minor injury! It’s nothing!” Lu Qi immediately shook his head, as if it didn’t exist, focusing only on feeding her. “It’s good that you’re alright…it’s good that you’re alright…” He repeated, as if speaking to her, but more like speaking to himself, confirming the immense luck of having her back. He picked up a clean, soft towel and gently wiped the sweat from her forehead and neck, his movements as reverent as if he were wiping a rare treasure.
Inside the delivery room, the smell of blood lingered, and the newborn's cries were weak, but a profound sense of peace and warmth, as if surviving a catastrophe and regaining what was lost, silently permeated the air as Lu Qi clumsily fed the soup and Shen Zhao looked on with dependence.
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