Chapter 120 Prenatal Checkup
Tao Nanfeng took half a day off, and Xiangbei accompanied her to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of the Provincial People's Hospital for registration and consultation.
After getting off the bus, it takes another seven or eight minutes to walk to the hospital.
It was already hot in Jiangcheng in June, and people felt dizzy under the sun.
Tao Nanfeng has gained a lot of weight now, and her figure is quite plump. Even wearing a round-necked long dress with floral patterns, she still feels hot. The sweat on her forehead wet her hair, making it stick to her temples in a messy manner.
In the past, Tao Nanfeng was immune to cold and heat, and even in the hot summer, he could still feel cool and sweat-free. But pregnancy changed her physical condition, causing her to have internal heat, sweat a lot, and be afraid of heat.
Xiangbei looked at him with great pity. With one hand he took out a wide-brimmed sun hat from his bag and helped Tao Nanfeng put it on. With the other hand he waved a palm-leaf fan, which attracted the attention of others.
The woman envied: "Look at that man, he takes such good care of his wife."
Men despise: "A man fanning a woman? Pah! It's a disgrace to us men."
Xiangbei has never been a person who cares about other people's opinions. He just fanned himself with a palm-leaf fan and walked slowly with Tao Nanfeng.
A cool breeze blew, and Tao Nanfeng finally caught his breath.
Xiangbei said, "Let's buy a car. It's too tiring for you to take the bus when you go out."
Tao Nanfeng said, "Huh?" "Are individuals allowed to buy cars?"
Xiangbei smiled and said, "It's not allowed, but the company can buy it. The cigarette wholesale department is the office of Xiufeng Cigarette Factory in Jiangcheng. I bought an old car and registered it under the name of the farm. It should be possible to operate it."
Tao Nanfeng knew that Xiangbei had a driver's license and was an excellent driver. He looked up at the scorching sun and smiled brightly: "Okay, buy it! This will make it easier for you to deliver goods."
The two of them casually decided to buy a car. The speed at which Xiangbei's cigarette wholesale department made money was so astonishing that it was the first time that Tao Nanfeng realized that doing business was so profitable.
Previously, the daily supply was about 100 boxes. Later, as sales outlets were expanded from Jiangcheng to surrounding cities, the daily supply increased from 100 boxes to 200 and then to 300 boxes...
There is already more than 10,000 yuan in the passbook.
Deposits exceed ten thousand! This was in the 1970s, when an egg cost one cent and a pack of cigarettes cost 28 cents.
Buying a used car doesn't seem to be a difficult thing.
They arrived at the hospital and registered for a checkup. After listening to Tao Nanfeng's description, the doctor looked at her stomach, motioned Xiangbei to wait outside, and took Tao Nanfeng to the back of the clinic.
Tao Nanfeng was a little nervous: "Doctor, will my child be okay?"
The female doctor had no expression on her face. She pointed to the bed and said, "Lie down and lift up your skirt. I'll check you out."
Tao Nanfeng became more and more nervous.
During this period, I have been eating normally, attending classes, completing homework, and doing a lot of desk work. Will this affect my child's growth? Last time I was playing with a steel pipe at the construction site, I hope I didn’t hurt the child?
Seeing her pursed lips and a worried look on her face, the doctor said softly, "Don't be afraid, it's just a normal prenatal checkup. You're still young, and it's normal for the fetus to grow rapidly after 24 weeks of pregnancy."
Tao Nanfeng finally calmed down and waited quietly for the doctor's palpation.
When measuring the waist circumference, the doctor glanced at the measuring tape and sighed, "This waist circumference is quite large."
Tao Nanfeng usually acts cleanly and efficiently, and is decisive in killing people at infrastructure construction sites. But today, as he lay on this cold hospital bed, his heart was beating fast, and it seemed that his emotions were completely affected by the doctor's words.
"Big? Is that abnormal? Is there something wrong?"
The doctor stood up and took out a bell-shaped stethoscope. Unlike the usual disc-shaped stethoscope, this stethoscope looked like a small bell with a trumpet mouth. The doctor placed the stethoscope under Tao Nanfeng's belly button and listened carefully.
Listen and move slowly.
Tao Nanfeng held his breath and dared not move. The clinic became increasingly quiet, so quiet that Tao Nanfeng seemed to be able to hear his own heartbeat.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
Xiangbei stood outside the clinic and waited for a long time but didn't see Tao Nanfeng come out, so he felt a little nervous.
He moved closer to the light on the door and stretched his head to look inside. The white screen blocked the view and nothing could be seen.
I put my ear against the door, trying to listen to what was being said inside, but not a single sound came out.
What's going on? Why has the person not come out after being inside for more than 20 minutes? Nothing really happened, right?
Xiangbei leaned dejectedly against the wall, wishing he could hit himself a few times. For a woman, pregnancy and childbirth is a journey through the gates of hell. Why didn’t she think of bringing Nanfeng for regular checkups? It's been six months now, and I feel my belly is growing too fast. It was only after my mother reminded me that I brought Nanfeng here.
What a dereliction of duty!
We can't stop caring about Nanfeng just because she is sensible, and we can't assume that she can handle everything on her own just because she is capable. She is a woman, her own lover, and the mother of her children. She also worries, is afraid, and feels tired.
Xiang Bei's face became paler and paler. The patient's family members nearby saw this, looked at him with sympathy, and talked about it in whispers.
"Look at that man. Is he in trouble? He's standing at the door of the obstetrics and gynecology department with a sad face. Is there something wrong with his wife and child?"
"Men like you usually only care about your own happiness and never care about your wives, children and elders. You have to wait until something happens before you feel sad. Alas!"
These words irritated Xiangbei even more. His heart seemed to be boiling in a frying pan and the pain was beyond words.
What if something happens to Nanfeng? What if something happens to the child?
There was darkness before his eyes, and Xiangbei could not imagine this possibility at all. He bit his lip hard, trying to keep himself awake. Nanfeng is still checking inside, nothing is certain yet, don't scare yourself.
Amidst my anxiety, the door of the clinic opened with a slight "creak".
Tao Nanfeng came out, his face showing an expression of unknown sadness or joy.
Xiangbei felt his legs going a little weak, but his willpower helped him to gather himself. He walked quickly to her, hugged her, and half-supported and half-carried her to the bench in the corridor.
He squatted on the ground, looked up at Tao Nanfeng, and asked pleadingly: "How is it?"
Tao Nanfeng's eyes met his and he understood his worry and anxiety. He raised his hand and gently rubbed his short hair. He opened his lips slightly and Xiangbei could understand every word he said, but when they were put together, Xiangbei was confused.
"In the future, you and mom may have to work hard."
Xiangbei's heart trembled, and he opened his mouth in confusion: "It's hard...what do you mean by hard? Are you and the child okay?"
Tao Nanfeng couldn't bear to see him worried, so he smiled and said, "I'm fine, it's just the children... I have to say the children."
Children? Xiangbei stood up suddenly!
He stared at Tao Nanfeng blankly, his voice trembling: "Two, two?"
Tao Nanfeng nodded.
Just now, the doctor listened carefully to the fetal heartbeat and told her seriously: "It's twins, there are two clear and strong fetal heartbeats. The baby is very healthy, but twins will consume a lot of the mother's nutrition, physical strength, and energy, so you have to be mentally prepared..."
The doctor talked a lot and Tao Nanfeng felt like he was in a dream.
She has two children in her belly? No wonder she has such a good appetite, no wonder her belly has grown so fast recently, and no wonder she always feels like she doesn’t get enough sleep every day.
It turns out she has two babies in her belly!
The sudden feeling of happiness made Tao Nanfeng feel a little dizzy. Seeing Xiang Bei's face full of confusion due to the heavy news, Tao Nanfeng laughed.
The smile is gentle and affectionate, as beautiful as a lotus blooming under the moonlight in a lotus pond. The pink petals are layered, and the stamens in the center are glowing golden.
Xiangbei hugged her tightly, his eyes slightly red, his voice choked with sobs: "Thank you! Thank you!"
Thank you for being willing to marry me; thank you for being willing to endure the pain of childbirth; thank you for being willing to be the mother of two children.
The couple hugged each other tightly. From low to high, the emotional fluctuations made them feel that only by leaning on each other could they calm down.
A nurse came out of the consulting room: "Tao Nanfeng, is Tao Nanfeng's family here?"
Xiangbei let go of Tao Nanfeng and asked her to sit in the chair and wait. He then quickly ran to the nurse and said, "Yes, I'm here."
The nurse handed Xiang Bei a mimeographed booklet and instructed her very seriously: "This is the 'Pregnant Women's Handbook' compiled by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of our hospital. Your wife is pregnant with twins, so remember to come for a checkup once a month. You should also get more rest and pay attention to your nutrition. You are her lover, so you must take good care of her even if you are busy at work."
The nurse said something and Xiangbei nodded.
After she finished speaking, Xiang Bei held the booklet gratefully and said, "Thank you very much."
The nurse looked at him and saw that he had a good attitude. Her expression eased a little. "It is very hard for a woman to be pregnant. You men can't just sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor."
Xiangbei nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes."
On the way back, Xiangbei protected Tao Nanfeng tightly as if he were a rare treasure. Although there were many people on the bus, someone gave up his seat, so Tao Nanfeng sat down and stretched her arms to the north to create a space in front of her body. When getting off the car, I carefully held her arm and watched her feet land nervously, for fear that she would be bumped.
Tao Nanfeng is now calm and has accepted the fact that there are two babies in her belly.
Pregnancy and childbirth take up too much time and energy, which will affect your studies and career. When his father said that he would only have one child, Tao Nanfeng agreed.
But sometimes, when he saw how much Liang Yinzhen loved children and wanted the home to be lively, Tao Nanfeng felt a little soft-hearted and couldn't bear to disappoint this elder who had always cared for him.
Now, I can have two children at once, which is the best of both worlds.
Xiangbei was both happy and worried. He was happy that he would be the father of two children, but he was worried that raising twins would be difficult. Even with his parents and himself taking care of them, it would still take up a lot of Nanfeng's energy.
After returning home, Liang Yinzhen hurried forward and looked at Tao Nanfeng's face: "How is it? Is everything okay? Is there anything I need to pay attention to?"
Xiangbei helped Tao Nanfeng to sit down in the armchair in the main hall, then turned to look at his mother, gave her a big smile, and said loudly: "Nanfeng is pregnant with twins!"
Twins? Liang Yinzhen couldn't believe her ears.
She quickly ran to Tao Nanfeng and touched her bulging belly with great joy. Tears flashed in her eyes and her lips trembled for a long time before she said, "That's great!"
When Tao Shouxin came home from get off work, he felt mixed emotions when he heard the news.
Xiangbei knew what his father-in-law was worried about, so he took out the "Pregnancy Handbook" and assured her, "Don't worry, Dad. I will strictly follow what is written in the book. I will have a monthly prenatal checkup and go to the hospital to give birth in advance. I will never let Nanfeng get into trouble. In addition, I plan to buy an old car in the name of the farm, so that it will be more convenient to take Nanfeng to the hospital on weekdays."
Liang Yinzhen said, "We are not afraid of big cities and big hospitals. For two children... the swaddles, diapers, and small clothes I prepared before are not enough. I need to buy some more cotton cloth."
She glanced at Xiang Yongfu and gave her husband a rare order: "Don't be idle. Having two grandchildren at once is a blessing that no one can hope for. Stop working on the bamboo strips and find someone to make two wolves."
Xiang Yongfu nodded repeatedly: "Okay, okay."
Tao Shouxin slowly calmed down and stroked his daughter's hair lovingly: "Nanfeng, thank you for your hard work."
Tao Nanfeng smiled and said, "Dad, one child is called Xiang Taoran, what's the other one's name?"
When Tao Shouxin heard this, he exclaimed "Ah" and went to the study. He took out the paper with names written on it again and handed it to Tao Nanfeng: "There are still many alternative plans. Then choose another one?"
Everyone gathered in front of the paper.
Liang Yinzhen and Xiang Yongfu were illiterate, so they could only look at Tao Nanfeng eagerly: "Pick another one."
Tao Nanfeng pointed at a line of words and said with a smile, "One surname is Tao, the other is Xiang, and it has to have the flavor of twins. I think this name is good."
Tingzhi and Tingyu.
The orchids and jade trees grow in the courtyard, which means that the children in the family should be like the orchids and jade trees, and become people of high quality, high taste and integrity. This name is suitable for both boys and girls.
Xiang Yongfu always remembered the promise he made when he proposed marriage, and reminded him: "The eldest son's surname is Tao, and the second son's surname is Xiang." Tao Shouxin said: "The boy's surname is Xiang, and the girl's surname is Tao."
The two in-laws smiled at each other.
Tao Tingzhi and Xiang Tingyu, although they have different surnames, they look like twins at first glance.
Everyone nodded together: "Okay, let's decide on these two names."
According to rural rules, twins need to be confined for two months. Liang Yinzhen was afraid that the chickens at home would not be enough, so she bought seven or eight more chickens from several chicken farmers in the village behind the courtyard. She set up a net in the bamboo forest and raised more than 20 chickens freely.
Xiang Yongfu resumed his work as a bamboo craftsman and made two exquisite and graceful baby cradles.
Xiangbei took good care of Tao Nanfeng, picking her up and sending her out every day. After the exam in June, Tao Nanfeng stayed at home to rest and take care of her pregnancy.
On this day, Tao Shouxin returned home and hesitated when he saw his daughter's big belly: "Nanfeng, Fan Yajun wants to see you for something, will you meet her?"
The author has something to say:
It’s time to work!
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