Chapter 153 Production
Gu Xiao half-supported and half-carried her, feeling her body weight leaning more and more against him, her steps becoming increasingly unsteady, making him feel extremely uncomfortable.
He helped her back to her bedside and sat her down, then pressed the call button.
Soon, the doctor and nurses came to check the condition of the cervix.
"It's dilated to four centimeters, which is a good progress. At this rate, it might not even be until tomorrow morning."
Upon hearing this, Gu Xiao could only smile bitterly. After enduring so much pain, she had only managed to go from two fingers to four fingers. She was in so much pain that she was drenched in sweat. Was this what they called good progress?
The nurse noticed his emotional state and gently comforted him, "Commander Gu, your wife is very strong. The labor is progressing normally, so don't worry too much."
After the doctors and nurses left, Wu's mother slapped her thigh and exclaimed, "Look at me, so senile! I've been worrying all this time. Zhiyi, are you hungry? You need to eat something to build up your strength! You'll still need to work hard in the future!"
Gu Xiao also realized what was happening and hurriedly said, "Yes, we need to eat something. Aunt Wu, please get us something to eat quickly. Xiao Li is still outside, have him drive you home, hurry up."
"Yes, yes, I'll go home and get it right away!" Aunt Wu replied quickly, then instructed Gu Xiao, "Commander Gu, please keep an eye on Zhiyi, I'll be right back!"
Aunt Wu left in a flurry.
About an hour later, Wu Ma rushed back carrying a thermos.
She opened the lid, and inside was a thick, fragrant millet porridge, with two poached eggs thoughtfully placed inside. The golden yolks were almost set, looking incredibly tempting.
The other small bowl next to it contained a side dish with a few drops of sesame oil, which was appetizing and refreshing.
Gu Xiao took the millet porridge and fed it to Nan Zhiyi spoonful by spoonful.
Nan Zhiyi didn't really have much of an appetite, but knowing she would need strength later, she forced herself to eat a little bit with Gu Xiao's help.
After eating, she felt some strength return to her body.
She asked Gu Xiao to wipe her body with warm water and change her into a dry hospital gown. Feeling a bit more comfortable, she insisted on getting out of bed and walking around.
Gu Xiao couldn't refuse her, so he could only support her every step of the way, and the two slowly walked in circles in the corridor outside the ward.
After walking for a short while, Nan Zhiyi stopped.
"This time...it seems to hurt even more..."
Gu Xiao quickly told Wu Ma to call for help.
The doctor arrived quickly.
"Your cervix is almost dilated, take you to the delivery room!"
The nurse brought in a wheelchair, and Gu Xiao carefully lifted Nan Zhiyi onto it, holding her hand tightly. He, along with Wu Ma and Xiao Li, followed the nurse and walked quickly toward the delivery room.
The red light outside the delivery room was on, and the faint cries of other women in labor could be heard from inside, making one's heart pound with fear.
"The family members are waiting outside," the nurse stopped them.
Nan Zhiyi gave Gu Xiao and Wu Ma a reassuring smile: "Don't worry, I'll be out soon."
Hearing the sounds coming from inside, Gu Xiao grabbed the nurse and asked urgently, "Is someone taking care of her inside? She's all alone..."
Just then, Director Zhang arrived.
"Commander Gu, don't worry, I rushed over as soon as I received the news. I'll be there to watch over the delivery, and our most experienced midwives will assist throughout the process to ensure the safety of both mother and child."
When Gu Xiao saw Director Zhang and heard her assurance, his tense nerves relaxed slightly: "Thank you, Director Zhang, thank you for your trouble!"
Director Zhang nodded and gestured for the nurse to push Nan Zhiyi inside.
The delivery room was brightly lit, and the air was filled with the strong smell of disinfectant and blood.
On the delivery bed, a woman was pushing under the guidance of the doctor and midwife, screaming in pain.
On another delivery bed, another woman was also writhing and groaning.
Director Zhang arranged for Nan Zhiyi to sit next to an empty delivery bed and gave a few instructions to a middle-aged midwife.
The middle-aged midwife quickly went to Nan Zhiyi's side. She saw Nan Zhiyi gritting her teeth and struggling to get off the wheelchair. She then held onto the edge of the bed and slowly paced back and forth in the open space next to the bed without making a sound. The midwife was quite surprised.
"Comrade, you're really good at holding your breath! I've delivered so many babies, and I've rarely seen you so quiet."
Nan Zhiyi didn't mean she didn't want to call out; she just felt that calling out would be a waste of energy and would only make her more flustered.
She used all her willpower to fight the excruciating pain until she could no longer bear it for a few seconds, at which point she bent over and grabbed the metal bed rails, tears mingling with sweat as they streamed down her face.
The woman giving birth next to her was screaming even louder, so the young midwife raised her voice: "Look at her! She's giving birth without making a sound, saving her energy! You should learn from her, stop screaming, and focus on pushing!"
Nan Zhiyi was in so much pain that her consciousness was a little hazy, but a thought of bittersweet joy flashed through her mind: Well, at least someone shouted it out for her, and the sound was quite relieving.
Not long after, the middle-aged midwife came to check and looked up at Director Zhang and Nan Zhiyi, saying, "All done, the cervix is fully dilated, get on the delivery bed."
The delivery bed was cold and hard, and the lights were so bright they made it hard to open your eyes.
Nan Zhiyi was helped to lie down by the middle-aged midwife and nurse, her legs spread apart, exposing herself to the group in a completely unprotected manner.
Intense contractions came relentlessly, threatening to crush her.
......
She felt like an animal waiting to be slaughtered, strapped to a chopping board, about to be disemboweled, with no dignity whatsoever.
This was a thousand times more terrifying than any of the worst scenarios she could have imagined.
Fear and excruciating pain overwhelmed her reason.
The middle-aged midwife shouted encouragement from the side: "Push! I can see the hair... push one more time!"
Ke Nan Zhiyi felt as if all her strength had been drained, and every effort she exerted felt like the last bit of her life force was being exhausted.
She finally broke down in quiet sobs: "It hurts so much...it really hurts...I don't want to give birth anymore...can't we just not have children..."
She even desperately grabbed at Director Zhang's sleeve, pleading, "Director Zhang... help me... it hurts so much... please... is there any other way... can you cut it open and take it out... I can't take it anymore..."
She burst into tears, as if she had returned to her childhood, when she had been wronged and had nowhere to confide in, repeatedly calling out, "Mommy...Mommy...Mommy, it hurts so much...Mommy...".
This helpless cry is more heartbreaking than any desperate scream.
Director Zhang is very experienced and has seen too many women break down during the most difficult moments of labor.
She leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Comrade Xiao Nan, I know you're in a lot of pain. But we've reached the final stage; the baby is about to come out. A C-section wouldn't be possible, and it would be more harmful to you. You're very brave; hang in there a little longer..."
The midwife called out at just the right moment, "Yes! The baby's head is almost out!"
Nan Zhiyi's vision was blurred with tears, and she couldn't hear the sounds around her. The immense, tearing pain seemed endless.
She knew she had no way out; she could only muster her last ounce of willpower, gather her strength, and struggle downwards with all her might...
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