CHAPTER 363: CHAPTER 355: THE INEVITABLE ARRIVAL

As the due date for delivery drew nearer, Qin Guanglin’s heart tightened with anxiety.

That feeling was like he was about to become a father... well, he was indeed about to become a father.

Due to her pregnancy, He Fang had to get up several times each night to use the bathroom, and every slight noise would wake Qin Guanglin. He would rise as well, helping her out of bed, slipping her feet into slippers, then following her to the bathroom door to wait quietly.

The slippers had already been replaced with thick-soled cotton ones to ensure they were not slippery, and after every shower, the bathroom floor was dried with a clean mop—their child could not afford any accidents. Every child in an ordinary family is precious, but theirs held an extraordinary significance.

If anything went wrong, even if He Fang did not collapse, she would harbor lifelong regret, leaving her with an incurable scar on her heart.

"Do you want to be there for the birth?"

"If you don’t mind, I’d like to be there."

Qin Guanglin couldn’t bear the thought of her being alone inside while he waited outside.

The idea of the husband being present during childbirth was initially uncommon but became more popular as demand increased. Many hospitals added the service, yet in recent years, due to various reasons, some hospitals had opted to discontinue the program.

On one hand, husbands could be left with emotional trauma; on the other, the pregnant woman’s unstable emotions might be bolstered by the presence of a partner, potentially making her more needy and fragile. What could have been a natural birth might get influenced into necessitating a C-section, and this varied from person to person.

He believed that He Fang would not become more fragile because of his presence. On the contrary, it was only with him by her side that He Fang would feel at ease, a truth he knew without needing to say it, just as he needed to watch over He Fang to feel at peace himself.

During the most painful moments, one needed support, not to struggle alone.

"Aren’t you afraid of getting a psychological trauma?" He Fang asked.

"Did I get it the last time I was present? Was there a trauma?" Qin Guanglin, too lazy to ponder, directly asked her for the answer.

If he wasn’t there last time, he was determined to be there this time; if he had been there and experienced no trauma, he had even more reason to be present; if there had been a trauma from last time... then he would just close his eyes and be there.

Regardless, as long as He Fang agreed, he would go in and be by her side—unless He Fang didn’t want him to see her at her worst. He would respect He Fang’s choice.

Qin Guanglin had thoroughly researched the pros and cons of being present at childbirth. Not just that, but from preparation for delivery to the postpartum confinement period, he had examined countless examples and articles during his free time. His understanding was crystal clear, and he had considered everything, leaving the choice up to He Fang.

Sure enough, He Fang shook her head: "You weren’t there last time. I didn’t want you to see me at my worst, so I didn’t let you in."

"But I don’t want to wait outside. Although I haven’t experienced it, the wait must be unbearable."

Whenever Qin Guanglin even thought of himself pacing outside the delivery room, watching the light on the door and wringing his hands, he felt the agony.

After a pause, he continued, "I heard some deliveries are quick, just taking tens of minutes, while others take several hours... could you really let me wait outside for hours?"

"I wasn’t that slow last time."

"You didn’t over-nutritioned last time either."

"...Alright, when the time comes, you’ll go in with me." He Fang smiled and caressed his face, "I’ve already decided, this time you’re staying with me."

Everything could be shared, happiness as well as messiness.

The two of them were inseparable.

...

New Year’s Day is of the Solar Calendar. In previous years, a meal together was customary, but this year it was simple, due to He Fang’s pending childbirth, no different from any other day.

In the afternoon, Qin’s Mom came by, bringing a change of clothes and moving into the room they had prepared for her in advance, ready to take care of her daughter-in-law from that moment until the end of the confinement period.

Both children were first-time parents and lacked experience—at least that’s what Qin’s Mom thought. Constantly worried about Qin Guanglin not being attentive enough, she felt more at ease watching him adeptly handle meals and walks with He Fang. She inspected the house; sharp objects had been safely stowed away, and thick foam was taped to the corners of tables and walls—her son was even more meticulous than she had been as a mother.

"The due date is in about ten days, isn’t it? Do you want to go to the hospital and stay there in advance?"

Qin’s Mom had given birth at home and was not very familiar with modern hospital birthing procedures. She hesitated and then asked Qin Guanglin and his wife.

"No rush. The doctor says everything is normal. We’ll go in the days leading up to the birth."

Qin Guanglin had also considered the idea, thinking it would be better to be under constant watch in the hospital rather than at home. He had initially dismissed He Fang’s objections, but after consulting with the doctor, he gave up the idea and explained to Qin’s Mom, "The hospital ward is cleaner than our home, but other places like the corridors and restrooms are not necessarily so. Then there’s the... the stress it puts on the pregnant women, meals and all... rest... A familiar home environment is better for pregnant women."

"Oh... That’s true."

"You don’t have to worry about these things. Giving birth... we’re not panicking, so you shouldn’t either. Everything is perfectly arranged." Qin Guanglin reassured while massaging He Fang’s somewhat swollen legs, making a promise.

The task of becoming a father was not one he wanted others to interfere with if not necessary. Even including the older generation, it seemed unkind to refuse his mother’s good intentions, so he did his best to handle everything as much as possible by himself.

It was difficult enough to raise him, and now that he was having his own child, he didn’t want to burden the elderly.

Qin’s Mom had longed to be a grandmother and felt obliged to help with the caring, both emotionally and rationally; it wasn’t right to stand by idly, let alone that she was eager to get involved. So the small family—at that point, more accurately three and a half—gave He Fang that sensation of being the center of everyone’s universe.