Chapter 210

Pei Jing put her down and held out his index finger to clasp her hand.

The nurse felt Pei Jing's abdomen a few times, as if examining something, and her calm voice came, "It will still take a while before she can give birth. Family members please go out and wait."

ZhiXia's pain had subsided for the moment as she breathed heavily to catch her breath.

She didn't know why, but this time the pain was much more intense than when she gave birth to the dragon and phoenix twins. Last time, as soon as the pain started, her water broke, but this time it still hadn't broken.

Pei Jing's gaze remained fixed on ZhiXia, making ZhiXia's heart tighten. She spoke to the nurse, "Nurse, can I stay here with her? Or wait until it's almost time for her to give birth before I leave?"

"I'm afraid that's not allowed. Please go out and wait."

Pei Jing frowned deeply, reached out to touch ZhiXia's forehead, and bent over to whisper reassuringly in her ear, "ZhiXia, don't get angry. I'll explain everything to you when you get out, okay? Or you can hit me or yell at me if you want. Just don't get angry with yourself, I would feel terrible."

ZhiXia didn't even know what exactly she was angry about. Perhaps she was just feeling uneasy.

Her clasped hand suddenly tightened painfully. Sweat began beading on her skin, her fingers trembling uncontrollably, and she was too weak even to speak.

There was a surge below, and the midwife urged, "Her water broke. Family members, please leave quickly."

As reluctant as Pei Jing was, he could only stand up and leave, looking back every three steps.

When he was a few steps from the bed, the nurse whisked the curtain closed, completely blocking his view.

She then emerged from behind the curtain herself and shut the door tightly after Pei Jing left the room.

Having seen countless women give birth, she couldn't help rolling her eyes to herself. This was the first time she had seen such a tall, handsome yet overdramatic man. He really didn't match his appearance at all.

But then again, it was understandable since his wife was so beautiful that he would be worried about her.

With the door closed, Pei Jing hurried off to find An ZhiXian.

It was already midday. An ZhiXian had just finished seeing a patient when Pei Jing rushed over. "ZhiXia has gone into labor. Do you have time to let the family know so they can come over?"

The children's things and change of clothes were still in the delivery room, and someone would need to look after both the three children and ZhiXia. He alone would not be enough. As soon as he heard the news, even Doctor An ZhiXian couldn't help feeling nervous. "Why are you running around when she's about to give birth? What if something happens and the family can't be reached? Go back and keep watch. I'll let the family know." School hadn't started yet, so he couldn't reach anyone by phone either. He'd have to go home to notify them.

Fortunately, over the past few days, he had already arranged with his colleagues to find someone to cover for him as soon as there was any news from ZhiXia.

In fact, his colleagues were also puzzled why he as ZhiXia's brother had asked for leave. How could he be of any help when the family already had plenty of people to provide care?

The Pei family and An family arrived quickly. They found Pei Jing pacing tensely outside the delivery room, hands clasped showing his anxiety.

"What's going on? Has she given birth yet?" Zhou Nan stepped forward and asked worriedly.

Although it was just past New Year’s and still cold weather, she had broken out in a full sweat and felt incredibly stuffy.

"She's been in there for a while but there's no news yet." Pei Jing replied mechanically.

Just then a shriek pierced the air from the next delivery room, the woman's shrill voice filled with agony, "I can't do this anymore, I'm going to die from the pain..."

Everyone's hearts lurched.

If giving birth to one child was already so painful, ZhiXia was having triplets.

They hadn't been present last time when she gave birth to the twins, so while they were concerned, it was mostly joy upon hearing of the babies' arrival.

But waiting outside this time, they truly felt how tense things were.

ZhiXia's delivery room remained eerily quiet while the woman next door kept screaming, making the waiting even more nerve wracking not knowing exactly what was going on.

Of them all, An Zhiren had the least experience and knowledge about childbirth. Hearing the difference between the two delivery rooms, he worried: "There's been no sound from ZhiXia's side. Could something be wrong?"

"Shame on you, boy, for saying something so ill-omened!" The old lady flushed angrily and gave him a resounding slap on the back. "Every woman's labor progresses differently. Some are in terrible pain the whole time, some don't even feel anything before the baby pops out, and some have a very high pain tolerance..." She said this part to Pei Jing.

Giving birth was always an ordeal for women. Ten months of pregnancy only to suffer through delivery for that one day. The agony was not just physical but also psychological as they became mothers. One could not take this lightly.

Besides, giving birth did a number on a woman's health. Many were hale and hearty before having children but prone to colds, fever, back pain afterwards, their constitution clearly not what it was in their maiden days.

Pei Jing's whole mind was focused on the delivery room even though he couldn't hear anything.

He had personally cared for ZhiXia when she gave birth to the twins, so he knew full well how difficult it was.

And this time, there had also been the unpleasantness with Zhao Runze. Remembering how she had endured in silence when he first entered earlier, Pei Jing felt wretched.

Why did he have to pick then of all times to get to the bottom of that piece of paper? He shouldn't have done so right before she went into labor.

He even wondered if his questioning had brought on her labor prematurely, although it was already about her due date.

"Wah..."

From waiting since noon until afternoon, the first baby's cries finally sounded from the delivery room.

The door remained closed though, since they knew she was having triplets. Despite their anxiety, those waiting outside still had to be patient. A nurse pushed a trolley to the delivery room door, opened it, and went inside.

Zhou Nan took the chance when the door opened to peek inside but only saw the curtain blocking any view.

"It's lunchtime. I'll keep watch here while you all go eat," the nurse with the trolley called to those delivering the babies.

"The mother is doing well. She's delivered a big, fat baby boy and still has two inside. We should keep delivering."

The nurse with the trolley looked at ZhiXia, drenched in sweat and with ashen complexion, clearly in a dazed state.

"Oh right, go let the family outside know. Get the mother something to eat to keep up her strength." said the midwife.

"Got it. Take the baby out for them to hold first then." The baby still had some blood and was hastily cleaned before being wrapped up.

The nurse with the trolley stepped forward. "Let me do that."

Just then a call came from inside, "Here comes another, hurry back to help!"

The nurse hugged the baby out past the curtain, quickly cleaned him up, and took him outside.

"Congratulations, it's a girl. The mother is delivering again. Family members can get her something to eat to replenish her strength."

Pei Jing was closest so he immediately took the baby from her.

The nurse headed back inside before wheeling her trolley away.

Zhou Nan rushed over to take a look before going to get food for ZhiXia. But at first glance, she was shocked. "Does this baby look a little off?"

Pei Jing noticed something wrong too. He touched the baby and found her worryingly hot.

An ZhiXian hastily took over the baby, lifting her eyelids for a look. Her condition did not seem like she was merely sleeping.

He checked her pulse and his heart plummeted.

He was not a neonatal doctor but understood that in this state, she was beyond saving.

"The baby cried loudly at birth so she shouldn't have died." Although technically still breathing, she was essentially gone, the difference being that slight breath left.

If something had truly been wrong, the nurse who first brought her out could not have missed it.

Understanding immediately, An ZhiXian and Pei Jing exchanged a look before Pei Jing rushed off after the nurse with the trolley while shouting back for them to urgently ask what was going on inside the delivery room.

Still confused, Zhou Nan asked, "What exactly is happening?"

"No time to explain now!" An ZhiXian pounded urgently on the delivery room door. "Open the door, hurry..."

The wooden door swiftly opened and the midwife's annoyed voice carried out, "What's with the racket? The mother is still giving birth! What are you all doing?"