“Ah, it hurts!”
Why did it hurt so much?
Hua Wanxi felt as if her entire body were being torn apart. The pain was especially intense in her lower abdomen, coming in relentless waves that made her writhe uncontrollably.
“Ah!”
She forced her eyes open and woke up from the pain.
“Hiss! It’s so cold! My stomach hurts so much!”
Strange. Hadn’t she hit her head?
She reached up and touched the back of her head. Why didn’t her head hurt? Why was her stomach hurting so badly instead?
Instinctively, she reached for the blanket beside her to cover herself.
Huh?
Why was this blanket so stiff? It wasn’t warm at all!
She looked around carefully.
This wasn’t her home!
It was the middle of the night. Outside the window, the moon hung bright in the sparse sky. Chilly gusts of wind whistled through the broken window frame.
What a shabby room.
Supporting herself with trembling arms, she sat up, only to be struck by another sharp pain in her abdomen.
Huh?
Why was her belly so big?
Huh?
Why was there so much blood between her legs?
Huh?
And what was that wriggling thing by her feet?
A small oil lamp flickered beside her, casting a weak, wavering glow. Using the dim light, Hua Wanxi looked more closely and discovered that the wriggling thing was actually a baby!
Holy crap!
In weather this cold, the baby was completely naked. If it stayed exposed for a few more minutes, it might freeze to death!
She hurriedly picked up the child and wrapped it inside the stiff blanket. As she moved the baby, the long umbilical cord attached to it dragged along as well.
Hua Wanxi didn’t even have time to be shocked. Just as she was about to deal with the umbilical cord, another wave of agonizing pain struck her abdomen.
“Ah!”
She collapsed back onto the bed, curling up and clutching her stomach.
“It hurts so much!”
She felt something moving inside her belly.
Then a terrifying realization hit her.
Don’t tell me…
Am I giving birth?
Was this baby beside me the one I just delivered?
And is there still another one inside?
Holy crap!
Was she dreaming, or what?
This was way too bizarre!
Before she could think further, another contraction hit. The pain came in waves, and she felt warm liquid continuously flowing from between her legs.
No!
She had to get the baby out as quickly as possible. She couldn’t keep losing blood like this.
Remembering scenes she’d seen in television dramas, Hua Wanxi lay flat on her back, spread her legs, and began pushing with all her strength.
It hurt. It hurt so much.
But staying alive was more important.
She gritted her teeth and pushed with everything she had.
Finally, after several minutes, a large warm mass slid out of her body.
At last, she was free.
A faint cry, like the mewing of a kitten, echoed through the room.
Supporting herself with trembling arms, Hua Wanxi sat up and gathered the newborn into her arms, wrapping the second baby inside the blanket as well.
The bed was a complete mess.
So was her body.
The room was filled with the thick metallic smell of blood.
Dragging her exhausted body around the room, she searched for anything useful. Eventually, she found a pair of scissors and a set of clean clothes.
She heated the scissors over the oil lamp flame and used them to cut the umbilical cords of both newborns.
Afterward, she changed into clean clothes and did her best to tidy up the bed.
Her head was spinning too badly to worry about anything else.
Climbing beneath the blanket, she lay down beside the two babies.
Then she lost consciousness.
When she woke up again, daylight had already filled the room.
Someone was moving around beside her.
Hua Wanxi slowly opened her eyes.
“Oh! Second Sister-in-law, you’re awake!”
A woman’s voice reached her ears.
Looking at the unfamiliar room and the unfamiliar person standing before her, Hua Wanxi was completely confused.
Why hasn’t this dream ended yet?
“Who are you?” she asked hesitantly.
She didn’t know this woman at all.