Chapter 655: Girl

Ma Suyun felt like her life was being drained away, but she forced herself to ask, with dry lips, "Is my son okay?"

The midwife had long since lost her patience.

In all the years she’d been delivering babies, she’d never seen someone like Ma Suyun who could scream and struggle so much.

She screamed from day into night, and the more she was told to conserve her energy, the louder she screamed.

The baby was clearly not big, yet it just wouldn’t come out.

And when Qin Wen hired her, he even haggled over the price. She’d never heard of bargaining for a delivery.

If conditions hadn’t improved and everyone had started going to hospitals to give birth, leaving her with less work, she never would have taken this job.

In the end, she didn’t earn much more money, but spent twice the effort.

Hearing Ma Suyun’s question, she replied impatiently, "What son? It’s a girl, and she’s fine."

But Ma Suyun didn’t hear the part about her being fine; she insisted on getting up, "What girl? It’s supposed to be a son."

The midwife immediately held the child up for her to see, "Look for yourself, is there anything there?"

Ma Suyun saw the child clearly, felt the world spinning, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted.

Qin Wen, who was outside, heard this too, and rushed in after lifting the curtain.

He stared intently at the child in the midwife’s hands, his eyes bloodshot...

...............

After Mrs. Qin left, all matters fell upon the new parents, Qin Yang and Lin Chuxia.

Lin Chuxia was very confident.

Qi Qi was well-behaved, sleeping and eating all day. If not for crying when wet, hungry, or having an accident, the baby was peaceful. She’d even found a pattern to it over these days.

Qin Yang, however, was not at ease. After breakfast, he left a pot of soup he’d been simmering for Lin Chuxia all morning on the stove, knowing it was almost time for work. He repeatedly reminded her not to touch the diapers and wait for him to clean them together after work, forbidding her from washing them casually herself.

His mother had emphasized before that although it was summer, postpartum women should not touch cold water.

Fortunately, the window air conditioner from the mother-in-law had cooled the room quite a bit; otherwise, he couldn’t guarantee his wife would behave.

Lin Chuxia was almost used to his nagging, "Alright, alright, I know. Don’t worry. If anything happens, I’ll call you, plus, in just a few hours you’ll be back from work."

Qin Yang wanted to say he couldn’t rest easy when he didn’t see the two of them, even for a while.

Just about to leave, he heard a commotion outside and saw Zhuang Jingshu coming in with a bag.

She smiled gently at Qin Yang, "Worried your mom’s departure left you two overwhelmed, so I came early today. Hope I’m not disturbing you?"

Qin Yang wasn’t ungrateful. He’d noticed everything Zhuang Jingshu had done for them recently.

He also knew his wife already accepted this mother.

Yet, there still seemed to be this thin layer of barrier between them that they couldn’t quite break.

"No, I was just about to head to work. You’re just in time; I’m indeed a bit worried about Xiaxia."

Through spending time together recently, Zhuang Jingshu became increasingly satisfied with her son-in-law Qin Yang.

Her daughter, treated unjustly by her adoptive family, was pampered in her husband’s home like a princess, which was her sole comfort.

After Qin Yang left, seeing that the baby was asleep, she talked to Lin Chuxia about the Lin Family.

She hadn’t hidden from Lin Chuxia that she’d gone to Daqing Mountain Village yesterday. She intended to conclude affairs over there, but hadn’t told Lin Chuxia she planned to unilaterally sever ties between Lin Chuxia and the Lin Family.

"Originally, I wanted you to handle this matter yourself, but back then, I couldn’t bear it. In such a circumstance, Guo Cuihua kept trying to soil your reputation. I couldn’t imagine what mean, extreme things she might say face to face..."

Just thinking about it made Zhuang Jingshu’s heart ache.

That’s why she spoke out angrily.

Those were her true feelings, but for Lin Chuxia, the person involved, she had overstepped.

If Lin Chuxia still had feelings for the Lin Family, she wouldn’t stop her from contacting them.

But no matter how Lin Chuxia felt about the Lin Family, it was her emotion towards them, not something the Lin Family reciprocated with nurturing sentiment to her.

They weren’t worthy.

Looking at her pained expression, Lin Chuxia smiled gently, "How could I blame you for this? I know you meant well for me. As for the Lin Family, I suppose I’ve paid back any affection owed," in my past life, it was already settled.

Her smile was calm, yet in Lin Chuxia’s eyes, Zhuang Jingshu saw something different.

It was a sort of indifference and disillusionment.

How much disappointment and coldness had her daughter endured to become indifferent and disillusioned towards the family she grew up with.

Finally, Zhuang Jingshu couldn’t help but cry.

Since finding out Lin Chuxia was her biological daughter, Zhuang Jingshu hadn’t shed a tear.

Even though remembering Lin Chuxia’s experiences over the years felt like a knife repeatedly piercing her heart, she didn’t cry.

She feared her emotions would affect her daughter, yet at this moment, she couldn’t hold back anymore.

Her daughter seemed to handle everything indifferently, dealing with everything effectively.

Yet precisely because of that, Zhuang Jingshu deeply understood that her daughter didn’t seem to need her anymore.

She tightly covered her mouth, tears flowing endlessly, clueless about how to interact with her daughter going forward.

What lay ahead.

She returned to fulfill her wish of finding her daughter, yet after finding her, realized it was irreparable.

Lin Chuxia watched her quietly, waiting for her catharsis to subside, then reached out and patted her shoulder.

Zhuang Jingshu finally calmed down, took a deep sniff, and wiped her tears away.

"I’m... I’m just too emotional. Don’t take it to heart, I’m fine."

Crying so hard yet offering comfort in return, Lin Chuxia felt that strange feeling rise again.

Zhuang Jingshu stood up, "I’ll go wash my face outside. I bought strawberries when passing through the market this morning. I heard you like strawberries the most, let me wash some for you."

"Mom!"

Zhuang Jingshu’s hurried steps came to an abrupt halt and she turned back in disbelief.

Lin Chuxia smiled gently, "Mom, thank you!"

Zhuang Jingshu’s tears suddenly poured out again, and she rushed out of the room in a panic.

Lin Chuxia’s face still bore a gentle smile.

Being able to live again, meet such wonderful Qin Family members, encounter Qin Yang, and have Qi Qi, she was deeply grateful.

Now, she even had her biological mother.

She’d never blamed her mother, so why be so cautious and tentative?

Why not openly embrace happiness?

Lin Chuxia gazed down at Qi Qi’s peacefully sleeping face.

What she yearned for in her past life was completely fulfilled in this one.

Qin Yang returned from work and immediately sensed a change in the household atmosphere.

Zhuang Jingshu was already preparing lunch, and Qin Yang hurriedly washed up to help in the kitchen.

With a smile, Zhuang Jingshu said to him, "Today, let me show you my cooking skills. Go and keep Chuxia company. Qi Qi started making sounds today; Chuxia’s been talking to him half the day. You should go and see too."