Chapter 41: Pregnancy
None of them had any intention of returning to rest, so they simply went for a stroll along the shore. Victoria Harbour at night, neon lights dominating the skyline, the water swaying and carrying them to the bustling shore. Everyone was chatting and taking photos, adapting to the local customs. After all, each day was a day, and expressed worries would find their own way out. Tomorrow morning, it would be the same for congee, rice, noodles, braised goose, and roast duck.
"Mom, it's windy here. Are you cold? Put on your scarf. Or should we go back to the hotel early?" Dad Mai saw that his mother was not as energetic as before dinner, so he hugged her shoulders.
"It's not cold this month. I've only seen the sea a few times in my life. Let me walk around more. There's no rush."
"Mom, when did you put those earrings on?" He saw the simple pair of handmade silver earrings on his mother's ears. One was a lotus pod, the other a lotus flower. They looked old, indeed older than he was.
"I had it in my bag the whole time. I didn't wear it because I was afraid I'd lose it on the way. At least your dad came with me."
A strand of hair tucked around his mother's ear. Father Mai reached out to fix it, and suddenly realized how thoroughly old she had become, a haggard, frail old woman. He, too, was no longer the reckless young man he once was. They hadn't spoken much since their father's passing, and it had even been a long time since they'd walked together.
"You have so many things, and this is all you brought?"
Hang Liumei looked at the buildings on the other side of the river, recalled the past, and smiled: "The first piece of jewelry your father gave me was a hairpin, but it broke. This is the second piece of jewelry, and he gave it to me after I proposed to him. I wore it when I got married. A gift is not about the price, but the thought. It's enough for people to remember it."
"Mom, after we get back this time, I'll take you back to Dunhuang for a tour. Or maybe we can go to a beach, like Sanya, and eat seafood and enjoy the sea view every day. Do you want to go?"
"Why are you saying this suddenly?" Hang Liumei looked at her son in confusion. "Are you afraid that Sui Sui won't reconcile with you? We haven't even met her yet, so we can't let our morale get destroyed..."
"It's not about this," Mai's father interrupted Hang Liumei. "It's just that seeing how happy you were this time, I thought if I had brought you out earlier, maybe you would have gotten over it a long time ago. Don't blame Mai Sui for not showing any mercy until now. It's just that I'm so bad. As a son, as a husband, as a father, I'm worse than the last." After saying this, Mai's father turned to look at Xiaomai, who was following behind him. His son was taller than he was. Turning around, he fell silent.
Seeing him like this, Hang Liumei felt sorry for her son.
It's not you who's bad, it's Mom who's bad. Mom owes the family something, Hang Liumei thought sadly.
She became a mother at the age of 25. She seemed to know from the beginning that the child was coming to her. At first, she felt a heavy pain in her stomach, and then she lost her appetite. She didn't have any period for a month. Lao Jiang accompanied her to the county hospital for a checkup, and it was confirmed.
Lao Jiang couldn't sleep at night, but he didn't dare move, for fear that turning over would disturb Hang Liumei.
"You haven't fallen asleep yet?" Hang Liumei asked.
Hearing this, Old Jiang sat up and said, "Why aren't you sleeping yet? The doctor said you're malnourished and need to eat well, sleep well, and rest well."
"I couldn't sleep. Sister Xiuchun gave birth to Yingying for a whole day and night. What do you think she felt when she was in the ward?"
"Xiuchun was suffering alone at the time. Even with you, she must have been thinking about her husband. You wouldn't be like that." Lao Jiang wanted to reassure her that he would take good care of her, but he kept his words to himself. Lao Jiang was usually a talkative person, but he wasn't good at speaking in critical moments. These words were on the tip of his tongue, but he thought that action was more important.
He got off the kang, took his shoes and the bench to the other side, and muttered to himself: "Next time you get up at night, you must call me, and when you walk, you must watch where you are, and don't be tripped by these things." After that, he went to the table and poured her half a bowl of water.
Hang Liumei took the coarse porcelain bowl and drank while looking at Lao Jiang and smiling: "Is that all?"
Lao Jiang sat on the edge of the bed, scratching his head stupidly. "You have to make progress slowly. I'll write a letter home right away to get some clothes for the kids. After we finish eating what we bought this time, I'll take you to the county town to buy some red dates and raisins next time, okay? You stopped me today, otherwise I would have brought you more. From now on, I'll buy you whatever you want to eat."
Hang Liumei finished drinking and lay down, covering herself with the quilt. "Don't worry, don't tell anyone. People always say you can't tell anyone in the first three months. The doctor also said that the baby can't sit still in these three months, so it's easy to fall out."
"Don't talk nonsense, and don't let your imagination run wild. As long as it's destined to be our baby, then it will definitely come smoothly."
Hang Liumei's heart was in turmoil. She looked at the old newspapers on the roof that were rustling in the wind and stopped talking.
This child was a real strain on Hang Liumei. After becoming pregnant, she couldn't work as hard as before, needing to rest after painting for a while. Once, she was so engrossed in her painting that she nearly fainted in the cave due to hypoglycemia. This made Lao Jiang nervous, too. He'd check in on her even while working, even though he couldn't see her most of the time. Whenever Lao Jiang had a free moment, he'd go and keep her company, running around until his legs were thin.
After finally getting the baby, Hang Liumei was plagued by severe morning sickness. She vomited whenever she ate, and felt hungry whenever she vomited. Her stomach and throat burned with pain. She felt miserable, and she worried about the baby. She was so upset she cried several times, and Lao Jiang was so anxious she couldn't eat. Her colleagues at the institute offered them solutions: yam peel water, fried rice soup, and shredded ginger. The vomiting gradually subsided, but she still felt bloated. Hang Liumei persevered.
One night, before she had fallen asleep for long, Hang Liumei began to vomit acid between her teeth. She turned over and retched into the spittoon. After she vomited, her sleepiness disappeared. Lao Jiang patted her back and handed her a cup of water.
Hang Liumei saw a light in the distant sky and asked him what that was.
Lao Jiang said, you forgot, today is the day for the movie.
Dunhuang only started showing movies this year. With only two department stores and a sugar and salt bureau, there wasn't much to do in such a small county. The only movies playing were "Tunnel Warfare," "Landmine Warfare," and "The Five Heroes of Langya Mountain." But everyone still happily followed the big screen. However, the screenings always had to wait until the city screenings were over before they could be shown at the remote research institute, so the researchers often woke up in the middle of the night to catch a movie.
"What movie is playing today?" Hang Liumei asked Lao Jiang.
"I heard them say this afternoon that it was 'Southern and Northern Wars', right?"
"I haven't seen this one yet. I fell asleep last time. Come on! Let's join in the fun!" Hang Liumei said as she put on her clothes and shoes.
Lao Jiang quickly stopped her and said, "How can you do this? You're pregnant now, and you're running around in the middle of the night. I'm worried about you. No, no, no."
Hang Liumei has already started combing her hair. Oh, I just vomited so hard that I can't fall asleep for a while. It won't be a problem if I just go out for this once. Maybe I'll feel sleepy after walking around.
Lao Jiang couldn't persuade her, so he had to accompany her to the movies. Hang Liumei hugged Lao Jiang's arm and rested her head on his shoulder. This was the most relaxing night she had spent since she became pregnant. Not long into the movie, Hang Liumei felt hungry. Lao Jiang, upon hearing this, ran to the kitchen to cook for her, and soon brought her a bowl of steaming hot dumpling soup.
Lao Jiang had meticulously blended the noodles with chopsticks until they resembled tiny, finely chopped noodles. The broth, which contained persimmons and eggs, had the other colleagues salivating in anticipation while watching the movie. Hang Liumei, with her surprisingly good appetite, devoured a large bowl in one sitting without feeling bloated or nauseous. Afterward, she fell asleep leaning against Lao Jiang, who then carried her back to bed.
After that night, Hang Liumei's morning sickness gradually improved.
Her belly grew larger, and her due date drew closer. Both families sent diapers, clothes, and blankets for the baby. Accommodation at the facility was tight, and her mother-in-law and mother-in-law couldn't come over, so all the chores fell on Lao Jiang.
Lao Jiang suddenly had to go on a business trip for three or five days, and he had to go. Before leaving, he gave him detailed instructions, saying, "Don't wash these clothes, leave them until I come back, remember to cook the remaining eggs every day, sleep inside at night and don't fall on the edge of the bed..." Hang Liumei agreed repeatedly before sending him away.
She had stopped copying a few months ago and was now helping to process research materials. She had just finished work that day and stood up to put the books she had moved back on the shelf. As soon as she exerted a little force, she felt something strange running down her legs, and she was a little scared.
She was standing there, bewildered, when Teacher Gong came in and immediately realized her water had broken. She quickly called other colleagues to take her to the hospital. Hang Liumei was panicked and terrified. Only when she lay down on the hospital bed did she realize she was shaking. Her hands and feet were as cold as the rusty iron railings at the head of the bed.
While waiting for the contraction, the doctor came in to examine her and asked her to take off her clothes. Teacher Gong sat aside. Hang Liumei felt embarrassed and was slow, so she was inevitably scolded by the doctor.
This was the same hospital where Xiuchun had given birth and Yingying had been treated. Hang Liumei looked at the familiar ward, her hand rubbing the bed, trying to sit up, but felt a row of scratches. She shuddered, a sudden sadness filling her heart, though she couldn't describe it to anyone else. "Lao Jiang promised to stay with me, why hasn't he come back yet?" Hang Liumei told herself that she couldn't be a pampered mother, but the more she reminded herself, the more she couldn't control her tears.
Teacher Gong saw through her thoughts but didn't expose them. He gently wiped her tears with a handkerchief and comforted her, saying, "This is your first child. It's natural to be nervous and afraid. The doctor just said you're in good condition, so don't worry, it's not that scary. Just push as hard as they tell you to. When it hurts, just think that your child is trying too hard, and the pain is helping you. Then you'll realize that the baby is born before you even realize it..."
Hang Liumei nodded, her throat choked with sobs, unable to speak. She was terrified that Teacher Gong would leave, and her hand unconsciously grasped Teacher Gong's sleeve. She hoped Teacher Gong would say more. Listening to Teacher Gong's gentle words would make her feel less tormented.
Teacher Gong seemed to know what she was thinking. He stroked her hair and continued chatting with her, "Look at you two, one with big eyes and the other with a high nose. Your child will definitely be very beautiful. Have you picked a name yet? Jiang Yunyi, it sounds like the name of a hero in a martial arts novel. Is it for a boy or a girl? Coincidentally, this name also has the character 'yun' in it."
When Teacher Gong said this, she suddenly realized that she shouldn't have mentioned this. She just suddenly remembered that Qi Xiuchun's daughter was called "Huang Xinyu".
This is the name for both boys and girls. Hang Liumei didn't care. After she answered, she closed her eyes in drowsiness. She was tired and scared after the journey, and she finally couldn't hold on any longer and fell asleep.
But she was soon awakened by stomach pain. The contractions became more and more intense, as if they were going to split her in half. The doctor came in several times and said to wait a little longer. It seemed like an eternity passed. Hang Liumei was in so much pain that she almost lost consciousness. She wished she could knock herself out and die. She didn't know when this torture would end.
Seeing Hang Liumei kneeling on the ground in pain, Teacher Gong went out to call a doctor. The doctor reached out to perform an internal examination on Hang Liumei and said that her cervix was dilated and she could go to the delivery room.
Then Teacher Gong disappeared. Hang Liumei was surrounded by two white coats, her legs spread apart. The pain surged through her like a tidal wave. She couldn't help but let out a soft cry, but the doctor immediately stopped her. "Don't scream! The more you scream, the more pain it causes. How can you give birth if you've used up all your energy screaming?" Those who screamed loudly were taken away for surgery. "Can you just let it go?" she asked.
No one was around her anymore; now it was just her and her child. Hang Liumei fought back, her hair wet with sweat and sticking to her face as she followed the doctor's instructions to push harder. With each push, she felt like she was going to collapse. Then, remembering Teacher Gong's words that this pain was meant to help her and her child reunite, she gathered her strength and gritted her teeth, persevering for another round.
I don’t know how long it took, but the doctor said it was born. Now, look, did you say it was a son or a daughter?
Hang Liumei glanced at the naked child and answered weakly, "Son."
Strangely, she felt nothing at all, as if she were looking at a stranger. She had given birth, she was a mother, but why didn't she love her child? The doctor took the baby away from her. Hang Liumei didn't understand what was going on. She just moved her fingers when the nurse pushed her down and said, "Let me clean up the baby. You'll be able to see it later. Where's your family? Someone will have to watch you. Don't go to the bathroom by yourself."
"I don't know either—" Hang Liumei lost even the helpless sadness she felt. Later, she was wheeled into the ward, naked while someone cleaned her wounds. She felt like a naked pig on the butcher's table during Chinese New Year.
Fortunately, she gave birth to the child without knowing anything. If she had known that she would suffer such a great pain, she would have been terrified.
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