640. Father and Mother
Chen Yao nervously paced back and forth in the hospital’s delivery room waiting area.
His brow was furrowed, dark circles framed his eyes, his beard was unkempt, and his hair looked like it had been styled by a tornado. Since a few days ago, he hadn’t had a wink of sleep.
His unease only escalated after Lin Nan was wheeled into the delivery room, and with every tick of the clock, his agitation grew.
He half-wished he could burst into the room like in a drama, grabbing Lin Nan’s hand or even offering his hand for her to bite. Too bad this wasn’t a soap opera; this was a modern, straight-laced hospital.
After aimlessly walking for what felt like forever, Chen Yao could no longer contain himself. He stomped over to the delivery room door, pressed his ear against it, and strained to catch any sounds from inside.
Nothing. No screams, no wails.
That only heightened his anxiety. He knew Lin Nan well—there was no way she could endure the pain without making a fuss. During her earlier contractions, she had cried out like a banshee, demanding he stayed by her side for support and moral encouragement.
But now? Crickets.
Maybe the soundproofing in the delivery room was top-notch. Or maybe something had gone terribly wrong.
As a chill ran down his spine, he pressed his ear even closer to the door, desperate to hear Lin Nan’s voice.
Still nothing, but he could faintly pick up the sounds of doctors bustling about.
That sent him into a panic. He turned to the two ladies sitting nervously on a bench in the hallway.
Aunt and Mother were there, holding hands and looking equally anxious.
“What’s taking Lin Nan so long?” Chen Yao blurted, worry seeping into his voice.
“It doesn’t happen this quickly. The doctor said it could take an hour or two,” Mother replied, though she was fidgeting with equal restlessness.
Chen Yao felt helpless, the sweat dripping down his forehead unnoticed. He clenched his fists, hands trembling, continuing his anxious pacing outside the delivery room.
Surely nothing can go wrong?
With today’s medical technology, mishaps were unlikely, right?
What’s happening with Lin Nan right now?
He pressed his lips together, throat dry, feeling utterly powerless after years beside Lin Nan.
He should have just gotten rid of it.
A deep sense of regret gnawed at him over the decision he’d made—regret as profound as the time that had passed, watching Lin Nan struggle through morning sickness, then grow rounder and rounder, and finally, yesterday, see her in anguish from contractions that left her in tears.
Now, with her inside the delivery room, wrapped in silence, his anxiety reached new heights.
Guilt and regret made his pacing more frantic.
He should have quit his job to be there for Lin Nan!
But every night, he got home by ten, sharing a bed with his wife yet only spending precious hours together, hardly enough time to care for her properly.
He suddenly slapped himself. Eyes red, he resumed staring at the delivery room door.
An hour passed. Chen Yao was practically trembling, his legs feeling like jelly, almost losing his balance.
Once more, he pressed his ear against the heavy door, and to his surprise, he picked up muted cries and moans.
It was Lin Nan!
Hearing some activity eased his heart a little.
But those heart-wrenching cries only twisted the kn*fe deeper in his gut. His throat dried out more, his nose feeling stuffy, eyes burning. Unbeknownst to him, tears began to spill down his cheeks.
It was probably the first time he had cried in ten years.
“Mom, what do I do?” he whimpered like a lost child, looking to the two ladies, “Lin Nan… Lin Nan…”
But Aunt and Mother were equally helpless, left only to comfort Chen Yao with words.
Suddenly, the delivery room door swung open.
With the door opening, the wails of a newborn erupted from within. A female nurse stepped out holding the baby, beaming like she’d just won the lottery. “Three pounds five ounces! It’s a boy, and very healthy!”
“Where’s Lin Nan?” Chen Yao barely glanced at the baby, his eyes locked onto the nurse, frantic.
“She’s still in the delivery room being monitored. It’ll take another two hours.” The nurse glanced at the anxious faces of Lin Nan’s mother and aunt, “Only one person can go in now, so you…”
“I’ll go!” Chen Yao shot back without hesitation.
Moments later, he was inside the delivery room.
Ignoring the surrounding nurses and doctors, he rushed to the bedside, taking in Lin Nan’s frail figure covered by a thin sheet, hair matted wet and messy, beads of sweat dotting her face.
He didn’t bother with a chair; he plopped down next to her. Leaning close, he whispered in her ear, “You did great.”
Lin Nan’s eyelashes fluttered, she opened her eyes weakly, turned her head to Chen Yao, and with a faint smile, noticed the tear streaks on his face.
“Have you been crying?”
“Of course not!”
“Your eyes look scary red.” Lin Nan waved off the issue and moved on to complain, “You know what? I started using magic at first.”
“Hmm?”
“Then I didn’t feel pain anymore, but the baby wouldn’t come out! The doctors thought I was odd since I wasn’t in pain at all.”
Chen Yao gently caressed Lin Nan’s cheek, feeling her perspiration, his heart tightening as tears streamed down his face.
“Hey, stop crying or people will think it’s you giving birth,” she said, extending her hand to wipe away his tears, her voice still weak, “I’ve never seen you cry before. Maybe we should take a photo… capture this epic moment?”
“Seriously? Not happening.”
“Eventually, when the magic wore off, oh boy, did it hurt! Like every one to two minutes, the pain got worse…” Lin Nan continued babbling, then paused to ask, “Hey, they can’t hear me in there, right?”
“Not a chance.”
“Well, good! That would be super embarrassing.” She took a moment, then continued, “So I followed the doctor’s advice and pushed when it hurt. And voilà!”
Chen Yao nodded, “As long as you’re okay.”
After lingering in tenderness for a bit, Lin Nan suddenly remembered, “What’s our baby’s name? I heard it’s a boy?”
The nurse had shown her the baby earlier, but the memories were hazy because of the pain. She only managed a light touch.
“Call him whatever! Once that little rascal grows up, I’ll give him a good whack!”
“Right… Does he look more like you or me?” Lin Nan asked again.
Chen Yao hesitated, he had only given the baby a cursory glance before handing him over to Mother. So, he had to improvise, “He’s a perfect mix of my good looks and your beauty, but he’s slightly more like you.”
“Like me? Oh no, that’ll make him a bit of a softy,” Lin Nan replied, shaking her head, her big eyes growing heavier, but she fought to stay alert, gripping Chen Yao’s hand.
Chen Yao paused, gazing at his wife, “It won’t happen again.”
“It’s all Lilith’s fault; I thought her magic would keep me from getting knocked up…” Lin Nan wiggled closer like a kitten, resting her head on Chen Yao’s other arm, nuzzling against him. “Then I remembered her memories… she’s not even human. There’s a reproductive barrier!”
“Really?”
“Yep! Just like gorillas and humans, you know… Have we put on the baby’s wristband? What if he gets swapped with some other baby?”
“Not a chance, Grandma’s right there.”
Lin Nan looked a bit dazed, “So many doctors and nurses watched me give birth… so embarrassing! You’re the only one who has ever seen me like this…”
As she talked, her voice dwindled, and soon, under Chen Yao’s watchful eyes, she dozed off, soft snores escaping her lips.
Chen Yao looked up at the doctors around him, “Is she okay?”
“She’s fine, just a bit weak. No signs of major bleeding, but we need to monitor her.”
“Then I’ll just wait here…” Chen Yao felt a wave of relief wash over him as he found a chair and slumped into it, staring blankly at Lin Nan’s peaceful face. Every now and then, he tenderly wiped the sweat off her brow, straightening her hair.
He had never seen Lin Nan looking so worn out, yet somehow, she seemed even more beautiful.
Gradually, his anxiety faded away, though Lin Nan was a restless sleeper—frowning, tossing her head, grinding her teeth, even kicking her legs. Yet, no matter what, her hand held tightly onto Chen Yao’s.
Taking a deep breath, he wiped his cheeks dry, sat up straight.
From now on, he would be a father.
He felt no joy, just a heavy heart full of concern for Lin Nan and the looming pressure ahead.
