I Became the Mother of His Child

As the New Year approached, the weather turned colder, and snow fell. The two drivers in the village who ran tricycles back and forth between the county and the village had no plans to operate. If it hadn't been for Father Song asking a favor to get someone to help, it would have been a bit of trouble for Song Yuanhuan and Xu Xiuxiu's family to get home easily today.

"Let's hurry then!" Song Yuanhuan nodded, with no need to worry about his son and luggage anymore. All his attention could be focused on Xu Xiuxiu. Supporting his wife, he became even more cautious because of the wind and snow outside.

On the path from the county to the village, there were some bumps. Xu Xiuxiu was still wrapped in a military coat and nestled in Song Yuanhuan's arms. The open tricycle, as it moved along, was met with howling wind and a flurry of snowflakes, which could nearly kill a person. Even though Xu Xiuxiu was fully protected, she couldn't help but bury her head into Song Yuanhuan's chest to escape the knife-like cold wind, not even intending to expose her eyes to the chilly air.

Having finally arrived home from the county, braving the cold wind the whole way, everyone on the tricycle breathed a sigh of relief. Xu Xiuxiu, who had been carefully held in Song Yuanhuan's arms the entire time, began to break out in a cold sweat on her forehead. Compared to her usual anxiety, at this moment, she had a calm realization that it might be the baby struggling to come out.

"Xiuxiu, come on, give me your hand, I'll carry you down." Song Yuanhuan was the first to hop off the tricycle and reached out his hands to help Xu Xiuxiu, only to see her sitting motionless in her seat, her eyes shining brightly as they fixed on him.

"Mr. Song..." The tremble in Xu Xiuxiu's voice was impossible to hide.

Song Yuanhuan's originally gentle and careful expression twisted instantly, becoming stern and tense: "Wife... What's wrong with you?" Song Yuanhuan indicated that he really didn't mean to stammer, it was just the look in Xu Xiuxiu's eyes was too frightening.

It shouldn't be what he was thinking, right? Yes, it shouldn't be. She's only nine months pregnant, and although the due date is close, it can't be that coincidental, right? They had just arrived home; could it be the baby is in such a hurry to come out now? Why couldn't the child wait until after the New Year? Tomorrow would be New Year's Eve!

"Mr. Song, I... my stomach hurts!" Xu Xiuxiu, on the verge of tears, lifted her hand to pull away the green military coat covering her nose, revealing a pale face breathing heavily with her mouth open, fear and worry visible on her face. There were two babies in her belly! Having twins was much more dangerous than just one, and could she manage without going to the hospital to give birth?

To be honest, Xu Xiuxiu was really not confident.

"Heaven..." The one who let out that exclamation was Song Yuan Yao, the little sister-in-law who had witnessed Wang Qinghua giving birth and knew roughly what it entailed. Seeing her sister-in-law sitting motionless and her brother completely dumbfounded, she immediately let out a cry of surprise.

"What's going on! What's happening?" Mrs. Song had been eagerly poking her head out of the main room since early on, and when she heard the sound of the tricycle outside, she became extremely excited. But as she hurried to open the yard gate, she heard her younger daughter's cry of alarm.

"Mom, it looks like my sister-in-law is about to give birth." Song Yuan Yao also heard her mother's question, turned her head to look at Mrs. Song coming out of the wooden gate, and her little face also showed panic. What were they to do now? If it had happened earlier, they could have taken her straight to the county hospital, but now that they were home, it was enough to drive someone to their wit's end!

"What! She's giving birth already?" Song's Mother Liu Shuxiang also exclaimed in surprise, then instantly raised her hand to smack her stunned second son on the back, "Hurry up and carry your wife inside." Mrs. Song yelled, her voice quite loud, "Yuanying, quickly put the luggage inside the house, and go to Aunt Song's place at the edge of the village. Call Aunt Song over." Although most people nowadays go to the county to have their babies, Aunt Song was an old midwife of the previous generation. Children in the village like Song Yuanhuan's age were almost all delivered by her. Xu Xiuxiu was clearly in trouble because of the bumpy car ride, and it might be too late to go back to the county hospital for the delivery. Desperate times called for desperate measures; they had to deal with the birth at home.

Luckily, Aunt Song was reliable and shouldn't cause any issues—or so Mrs. Song kept reassuring herself.

"Yuanhuan, hurry and carry your wife into the room on the right," Mrs. Song instructed. Thinking that she hadn't taken much care of her second daughter-in-law, she had cleaned up the room on their side and then tidied up the room originally lived in by Song Yuanhuan. She thought about occasionally having them stay over so that she, as a mother-in-law, could take good care of her daughter-in-law. Now it seemed to have been a wise decision.

"Mom, no, Xiuxiu's belly is too big; I have to take her to the county hospital!" Song Yuanhuan finally regained his composure. He knew that the village's Aunt Song had reliable midwifery skills, but his wife's belly was really big, and it would be safer to go to the county hospital. If worst came to worst, they could have a cesarean delivery; otherwise, he wouldn't be at ease.

"My child, how could you make it to the county hospital in time now? Just let Xiuxiu give birth at home! Aunt Song is skilled enough. The last birth in the village, at the Song Butcher's house, was delivered by Aunt Song, and the baby is healthy!" Mrs. Song actually hoped that her second daughter-in-law would go to the county hospital to give birth, but they couldn't risk delaying. What if something happened on the way to the county hospital and the baby came out on the road? At least at home, she wouldn't be exposed to the wind, there would be hot water and everything, and with Aunt Song, the experienced midwife, in control, it would be much better.

"Mom, stop it, I must take my wife to the county hospital to give birth. Wife, can you hold on?" Song Yuanhuan said stubbornly, refusing Mrs. Song's suggestion, his gaze fixed on Xu Xiuxiu with trust and inquiry.

"Mhm, I can endure," Xu Xiuxiu nodded while gritting her teeth.

She really didn't have the courage to give birth at home. It was the eighties, after all, and although the obstetricians at the county hospital didn't have the level of delivery or cesarean skills they would have later, they were still much more reassuring than a rural midwife. Moreover, she had twins in her belly! Even if she had to grit her teeth, she had to hold out until reaching the county hospital. She was too scared to give birth at home, for safety reasons and so much more.

"Ah, you two..." Mrs. Song, with a helpless frown, looked at her son and daughter-in-law and then nodded, "Then go to the county hospital, hurry up and don't dawdle." After all, her daughter-in-law had just started labor, and they should be able to make it to the county hospital in time.

When Song Yuanhuan heard Mrs. Song's urging, he immediately turned to the driver, Song Jiabao, Uncle Song, "Uncle Song, I'm afraid I'm going to have to trouble you with another trip to the county."