"It's been long enough. Let me hope nothing bad is happening in there," whispered Jing Yue's mother to Li Fei. "I hope the same. Jing Yue is so nervous right now," she replied as they watched him leaning against the wall. He hadn't seated for even a second ever since they arrived. Just that moment, the door to the delivery room was opened and the doctor came out.
"What happened doctor?" Jing Yue asked standing right in front of him.
"I need you to sign here. We are going to perform a C-section," he informed him.
He frowned but nevertheless, grabbed the pen and signed the first document. "Is it that bad?" asked Jing Yue's mother. "It was expected since her pregnancy had complications," replied the doctor as Jing Yue hurriedly signed the documents.
Giving them back to him, he said," Listen doctor, in case of anything, my wife's life should be your top priority."
"You don't have to worry Mr Jing Yue," replied the doctor before getting the papers from him. Before the doctor could leave, his mother said," Please do everything you can to save them all." He nodded and said, "Please excuse me."
Jing Yue's anxiety multiplied as he kept pacing back and forth outside the delivery room. A long while later, they heard a sound of a baby crying and those who were seated stood up.
Walking to where Jing Yue was standing, his mother asked," Did you hear that?!" He nodded his head, waiting for when the door will be opened.
When it finally opened, the doctor came out with a nurse who was carrying one baby with her. "How is my wife?" Jing Yue asked before anything.
"She's fine. She's just still unconscious," the nurse replied and he sighed in relief.
"Where are the other babies?" Ms Jing asked as she got the baby from the nurse.
"Uhm, the boy was born healthy but the girls... one is placed in the incubator as she was a premature while the other, wasn't able to make it. We are so sorry," explained the doctor.
Silence filled the place and Jing Yue closed his eyes as he wondered how he was going to break the news to Liling. Just then, the unconscious Liling was brought out and taken towards the room.
Jin Liwei walked over to Jing Yue and patted his shoulder, urging him to be strong.
Walking towards them, Li Fei said," I'm sorry Jing Yue about what happened."
"It's fine. I'm more worried about how she will take it," he said. "I don't think we should tell her before we are sure that she is fine," suggested Li Fei. "But how shall we be able to hide it?" he asked. "We can tell her that both the girls are in the incubator," she said. "She will be very mad when she finds out."
"I know but it's better that way. Her condition is not yet fit to receive the news," she said.
As they were still talking, Jing Yue's parents brought the baby to where they were.
"Jing Yue see, he looks just like you," his mother said as she removed the shawl to show his face.
His heart melted the instant he saw their son, who was sucking on his finger. He asked to hold him and he was given to him, gently.
As he was still looking at him, the doctor came to inform them that Liling was allowed to receive visitors and he returned the baby back to her so that he could go and see his wife.
It was coming to dusk when Liling woke up.
She opened her eyes and looked around the place before her eyes fell on Jing Yue who was resting his head on her bed, as he was seated on a chair. Her eyes searched for her babies in the room and she caught sight of one crib making her wonder where the others were. Just then, the door opened and Li Fei came in. When she saw her, she exclaimed," Liling! You're awake?!"
This woke Jing Yue who was sleeping and his eyes widened when he saw that she was indeed awake. "My love, you're awake. How are you feeling?" he asked sitting up.
"My babies, where are they?" she asked as she attempted to sit, and she winced when she felt pain. It was because the anaesthesia had worn out from the cut she had received.
"You cannot sit yet. Stay sleeping," said Jing Yue as he was quick in putting her back on the bed.
When she slept back, she asked," Where are my babies?" "Uh," muttered Jing Yue as he turned to look at Li Fei. "Our son is here, sleeping peacefully. Mother has just fed him."
"Then our girls?" she asked observing his reaction.
Li Fei intervened and said," Liling, the girls are fine. Their lungs were not fully developed and they were taken to the incubator but it will take a short time." At those words, tears gathered in her eyes and she covered her face with both her hands. "How long will it take?" she asked. "Uhm, the doctor didn't tell us," replied Li Fei. "I want to hold him," she said and Jing Yue walked to the crib before getting the baby and brought him to her. "Careful with your wound," he warned as he gave him to her. She opened the shawl to look at his face and that instant, he woke up. Looking at Jing Yue, she said," He has your eyes." He nodded and replied," And he looks just like me. That's how I look like in my childhood pictures."