In the makeshift delivery room, the incandescent light overhead emitted a cool, white halo.
"Ah! It hurts so much!"
Lin Qian breathed heavily, her beautiful face covered with glistening sweat.
"Don't panic, exhale, inhale..."
The doctor directed methodically.
Lin Qian clenched her teeth, her clothes already soaked through.
She was going to have a baby!
"Push a little harder, I can already see the baby's head."
Excitement tinged the doctor's voice, Lin Qian screamed out loud, and pushed...
"Wah..."
The baby's loud cry allowed Lin Qian to open her exhausted eyes.
"They are boy and girl twins."
The doctor lifted two babies from between her legs.
Lin Qian felt completely drained and looked at the doctor with difficulty, "Doctor, let me see the babies..."
"Have they been born? Quickly, hand the babies to me." Lin Hai's voice came from the doorway.
Lin Qian's heart skipped a beat as she watched the man walk in, a bad premonition looming.
"Dad, where are you taking my babies?"
"Ha, ha, boy and girl twins? That's great, two kids, now I have more leverage."
Lin Hai ignored Lin Qian, took the babies from the doctor's hands, and strode outside.
More leverage!
What on earth did the father want with the babies!
"No, don't take the babies away. Dad, give them back to me."
Lin Qian's face was filled with terror, she struggled to get out of bed, but fell weakly to the ground.
The physical pain was nothing compared to the heartache, Lin Qian bit her lip and crawled forward with difficulty, trying to catch up to Lin Jian.
Her trail of blood was strikingly visible.
"Dad, don't go, my babies, my babies!"
Those were her babies she had carried for ten months.
How could her father be so cruel!
Nine months ago, she had become pregnant with a stranger's child.
For nine months, her father had arranged for her to stay in a small house in the suburbs to give birth.
She went from initially resisting to gradually accepting the little life in her womb, ready for the child's arrival.
Yet, in the end, her father wanted to take her baby away!
The door of the delivery room slowly closed, Lin Hai took her babies away.
She didn't even get a chance to see what they looked like!
Lin Qian's heart was wrenching, her vision darkened, but a contraction snapped her back to reality.
"Ah!"
The pain struck again, followed by the faint cry of another child.
She had given birth again!
There was another one in her belly!
Lin Qian gasped deeply.
Shadows fell over her head, Lin Qian looked up in fear at the person who approached and extended a hand, "Doctor, please, help me, don't tell anyone!"
....
Four years later, in Lijing Garden of Su City.
"Baby, mommy is going down to buy some things."
Lin Qian tidied her hair by her ears and walked to the door to change shoes.
"Wait, Mommy."
The childish voice sounded, and Lin Zirui walked out of the room.
On her delicately featured face, a pair of shiny black eyes sparkled clearly.
Though young, he already had a mischievous air about him.
"What's wrong?"
Lin Qian straightened up, her eyes warm as she looked towards her son.
Lin Zirui's bright black eyes scanned Lin Qian up and down, his youthful voice feigning aloofness.
"Mommy, did you bring your phone? Did you take your purse? If a man approaches you, stay alert and call me immediately if you notice anything, okay?"
Lin Qian: "..."
Her little housekeeper had started nagging again.
Lin Qian felt a tender warmth in her heart, bent down to cup her son's face, and gave him a sweet kiss.
"I know, my dear caring boy."
Four years ago, she had lost two children in one night.
Fortunately, Heaven had spared her this lovable son to accompany her through the toughest times in her life.
As long as she saw her son's delicately carved face and his concern despite his young age, all her hardships and fatigue seemed worthwhile.
Unable to keep up his serious facade any longer after receiving Lin Qian's kiss, Lin Zirui's face slightly relaxed.
"Hurry back, and bring me a dessert for after dinner."
"Okay, I'm off then."
Lin Qian ruffled her little one's smooth soft hair, picked up her purse, and left.
After closing the door, she looked around their new home of one week, a slight smile curving her lips.
The owner of this new home was named Xu Xinyi, the doctor who had delivered her four years ago.
Back then, fearing that her father would take away her last child, she had begged Xu Xinyi to help conceal Lin Zirui's birth.
Moved by her plight, Xu Xinyi not only helped her conceal the birth but also arranged her travel abroad.
For the past four years, she had survived in Country F thanks to Xu Xinyi's aid.
She was grateful to have met Xu Xinyi, a girl with a kind heart.
This time, her return to the country was to look for her two lost children.
Those poor children, taken away by their father at birth, their whereabouts unknown.
She had hired a private detective to locate her father, Lin Hai.
Only by finding her father could she possibly find the two children she had lost.
Thinking of those children, Lin Qian's eyes welled up with tears.
Sniffling, she suppressed the sourness in her nose, did some shopping at the supermarket, and prepared to head back.
Passing by a dessert shop, remembering her son's request for a post-dinner treat, Lin Qian smiled and walked in.
Her son had inherited her sweet tooth.
Looking at the myriad of dessert boxes in the showcase, Lin Qian picked out a few and asked the clerk to package them.
Just as she was about to pay, she felt a warmth on her leg as if someone was tugging at her trousers.
Looking down, Lin Qian saw a little girl in a princess dress, with two pigtails, looking like a doll, pulling at her trousers and clutching the showcase, her shiny black eyes fixated on the desserts with yearning.
Such a beautiful and delicate little girl.
Lin Qian blinked, glanced around, and saw no adults accompanying her.
"Little cutie, why are you alone?"
"Mummy, can you buy Candy some cake?"
The childlike words took Lin Qian aback.
Mummy?
Was the little cutie calling her?
Somehow, Lin Qian felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, and she crouched down to meet her gaze.
"Is your name Candy? Sweetie, have you mistaken me for someone else?"
The girl's eyes looked just like her own son's.
If her daughter hadn't been taken away, would she also be as adorable as her?
"No mistake, mummy, you are Candy's mummy. Don't you like Candy?"
The little girl looked up at Lin Qian with big watery eyes, her plump little mouth pouting, a picture of utter dejection.