The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 391 - 393. Difficult labor

Chapter 391: 393. Difficult labor

Fu Hengyi’s hands were clenched into fists as he stared at the tightly closed door of the delivery room.

"Qinglan, has Qinglan gone in?" Chu Yunrong hurried over, having just gone home to grab some clothes when she received Fu Hengyi’s call informing her that Shen Qinglan was about to give birth.

"Yes, she has already gone in," Fu Hengyi said, his eyes not moving from the door.

Chu Yunrong, having given birth to two children naturally herself, seemed very nervous at first, but now that Shen Qinglan had actually gone in, she calmed down, sitting down on a chair in the corridor, "Hengyi, don’t worry, the doctor said earlier that Qinglan’s condition is very good, there won’t be a problem."

Fu Hengyi came back to his senses, "Mom, how long did it take when you gave birth to Jun Yu?"

"When I gave birth to Jun Yu, it was relatively easy, just a few hours and he was born, but it was difficult giving birth to Qinglan, it was almost a disaster," Chu Yunrong noticed Fu Hengyi’s nervousness and chatted with him, trying to divert his attention.

"Qinglan was put in an incubator as soon as she was born, so from then on, I always favored her a bit more. I still remember when your grandfather brought you over to play, you would just love to stare at Qinglan," perhaps reminded of Shen Qinglan’s childhood, a smile appeared in Chu Yunrong’s eyes, "And Qinglan liked following you around too, she was always so happy every time you came."

With this reminder from Chu Yunrong, Fu Hengyi vaguely recalled those deep, buried memories, his eyes growing warmer with the smile.

"Every time she saw you, she would drool, I even told her father that Qinglan would definitely grow up to be a little heartthrob," Chu Yunrong reminisced the past, unhesitatingly betraying her daughter.

As they were chatting, the two old gentlemen arrived, "Where’s Lanlan?" Old Sir Shen asked.

Chu Yunrong explained, "She just went in, it definitely won’t be so quick, dad, Uncle Fu, why don’t you sit down and rest a bit."

"No, no sitting. Sitting just makes me anxious," Old Sir Fu waved his hand, listened for a while and then said, "Isn’t Qinglan having a natural birth? Why is there no movement in the delivery room?"

Which pregnant woman doesn’t scream her lungs out during childbirth? It was unlike Shen Qinglan, being so quiet.

With that said, Fu Hengyi’s thoughts returned to Shen Qinglan, a trace of worry appearing in his eyes. Chu Yunrong, with her experience, reassured, "Uncle Fu, she hasn’t reached the pushing stage yet. Qinglan has a strong tolerance, she won’t cry out until she really can’t bear it."

Inside the delivery room, Shen Qinglan lay quietly on the delivery bed while the doctor and nurses were still making the final preparations, "Mrs. Fu, don’t be scared, your cervix isn’t fully open yet. Conserve your strength as much as possible and wait until the cervix is fully dilated before you start pushing, and follow my lead. I will help you."

Shen Qinglan was composed, nodding her head.

The pain was slowly intensifying, Shen Qinglan felt it all in her lower body, biting her teeth to prevent herself from making any noises, knowing Fu Hengyi was waiting outside, worried that crying out would frighten him.

"Mrs. Fu, if it hurts you can actually cry out," the doctor, seeing Shen Qinglan clenching her teeth, kindly suggested.

Shen Qinglan nodded, "I can handle it, doctor, is the cervix fully dilated yet?"

"It’s not yet, only dilated to eight centimeters." Shen Qinglan’s cervix was dilating slower than the doctor had anticipated, but it was still within the normal range.

They had also checked the fetal heart rate with a device, and everything was normal.

Outside the delivery room, the palms of Fu Hengyi’s hands gradually became sweaty, he sat silently in a wheelchair while Eden entered from outside and whispered a few words in Fu Hengyi’s ear. Fu Hengyi’s expression turned slightly cold, but since there were other family members present, especially the elders, he didn’t say anything, only giving Eden a pleading look, to which Eden nodded, giving him an assuring gaze.

In a hotel room across from the hospital, Allen was gazing at the hospital’s entrance, with the housekeeper standing beside him, quietly updating, "Young Master, we haven’t noticed any suspicious people near the hospital, nor have we seen Qin Yan."

"What about Cissily and the others?" Allen asked.

"They’re all at the hospital, Young Master. Should we avoid them?"

"Hehe, these little cats still have sharp claws. Let’s just leave them for now, no need to deliberately avoid them. Clever cats know what they should do now. If you happen to meet them, drop a message for me, ’If anything happens to Xiaoqi, they might as well not exist.’" Allen said indifferently. The housekeeper replied affirmatively and went out to make arrangements.

"I thought you’d take this chance to take Shen Qinglan away, but you are choosing to protect her and another man’s child. Allen, I’m beginning to see you in a new light." Peter, leaning on the sofa, slouched comfortably.

Allen’s expression was cold, too lazy to respond to Peter, who had long been accustomed to it and continued to enjoy the sunshine outside the window, "The soil and water here really aren’t as good as in Country Y. Let’s hurry back once this is done. Every time you come here, you get all moody. You’re more like yourself when you’re gloomy in Country Y."

Peter teasingly taunted Allen, knowing well that Allen’s entire focus was on the hospital opposite, and that anything he said would be ignored.

Jin Enxi and others soon noticed Allen’s men. Eden had already met them, and after hearing the message relayed by the housekeeper, Eden’s expression shifted slightly. They were all personally trained by Allen and understood his methods better than others, so he informed Jin Enxi.

"Is Allen really not here to cause trouble?" Jin Enxi was skeptical, still remembering what Allen tried to disrupt at the wedding.

Cissily’s face was stern, "He shouldn’t be." Her instinct told her that Allen wasn’t here to wreak havoc this time, and with Allen’s participation, it wouldn’t be easy for Qin Yan to make any sneaky moves.

Not far from the hospital, in a nondescript corner, a plain private car was parked, attracting everyone’s thoughts. Right now, Qin Yan sat inside it, with a young man by her side, full of respect, "Madam, our people can’t get close to the delivery room."

A slight smile played on Qin Yan’s lips, not surprised by the situation at all, "Wait for the right opportunity to make a move. If it’s not feasible, create some chaos. The messier, the better. If we can ensure Shen Qinglan dies along with her child, that would be ideal. If not, just kidnap her child—the Shen and Fu families’ only great-grandchild. That should drive them mad."

Just the thought of it filled Qin Yan’s heart with glee. She remembered how Chu Yunrong went crazy looking for her child in the streets like a lunatic when Shen Qinglan had disappeared. Recalling it was still a pleasant memory.

But back then, it took her a lot of effort to get rid of Shen Qinglan. If she hadn’t planned meticulously, the Shen family would have found the child much sooner, especially when they were unprepared. This time they were prepared, which would likely make things more difficult.

Frowning, Qin Yan wondered how to make her plan succeed. In the midst of her thoughts, she saw Allen standing in front of her, staring gloomily at her.

Qin Yan got out of the car, slightly stunned, then smiled, "Allen, I didn’t expect to see you here."

Her demeanor was natural, showing none of the dissatisfaction from being imprisoned by Allen before, "You’re not here for me, are you?" She glanced casually in the direction of the hospital, "If you want Shen Qinglan, I can help you."

Upon hearing this, Allen laughed, but his words were chilling, "Qin Yan, if you dare harm a hair on her head today, not only will I feed Carl’s ashes to a dog, but I’ll also stew that dog to feed to sharks."

Qin Yan’s face darkened, "Are you threatening me?"

"Hmm, indeed, a threat. But, of course, you can choose not to take it."

Her face turned livid, then she burst into laughter, "Allen, you can only threaten me with your father’s ashes. He’s been dead for over twenty years, do you think I still care?"

"We’ll see if you care if you try," Allen said nonchalantly, "Housekeeper, call back home and have them feed that bastard’s ashes to the dogs right now." His face was cruel.

The housekeeper took out his phone to make the call, but Qin Yan’s expression finally shifted, "Wait."

She looked at Allen, "I know you hate him, but he was still your father, and he’s been dead for so long. You can’t treat him like this."

Allen dug at his ear, "Don’t repeat the same thing over and over. I’m tired of hearing it."

Qin Yan took a deep breath, "Alright, I’ll tell you something you care about. I can take Shen Qinglan out and give her to you, and I’ll just take her child."

"Qin Yan, you’re seeking death," Allen said, clearly disapproving of her suggestion.

Qin Yan looked at the dark muzzle pointed at her, her expression unchanged. "Allen, think carefully about my suggestion. That child is hers with someone else, not yours. My taking her away would remove an obstacle between you two, which would be beneficial for you. Moreover, I believe with your means, if you really wanted to trap Shen Qinglan, you surely would have a way."

Allen remained unmoved. "Qin Yan, no matter what your plan is today, leave this place; otherwise, you know the consequences."

"Allen, do you really want to stop me?" Qin Yan asked coldly, and the young man by her side immediately aimed the gun at Allen’s temple, but Qin Yan did not stop him.

For the first time, she harbored the intent to kill Allen.

Allen, as if he did not see the gun, kept his gaze fixed on Qin Yan.

"Allen, do you think just because you are Carl’s only son I wouldn’t dare to kill you?"

"Go ahead and do it. I’m looking forward to a world where no one remembers that damned bastard. His soul does not deserve redemption," Allen said.

A flash of anger crossed Qin Yan’s eyes. She snatched the gun from the man’s hand and pulled the trigger at Allen. Allen grunted, a blossom of blood appearing on his body.

At the same time, a bullet pierced through Qin Yan’s chest, avoiding the heart but causing her body to tremble.

The sudden change stunned everyone present.

"Fine, Allen, you’ve won. But remember, this is the last time. Next time, I won’t be so merciful. Take good care of your Shen Qinglan," Qin Yan said coldly, covering her wound, then turned and got into her car to leave.

Allen’s clothes were quickly soaked with blood, but his expression was numb, as if he felt no pain. It was only after Qin Yan had left that he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted.

A car quickly stopped in front of them. Peter alighted from the car, rapidly helped Allen into the vehicle, while the housekeeper stayed at the scene to clean up the traces.

Fortunately, this was a blind spot away from prying eyes, with no surveillance cameras nearby. Otherwise, the armed confrontation under the broad daylight would have attracted police attention, which would not have been so easily resolved.

The housekeeper efficiently cleaned up the scene and quickly left the area. When no one was around, Jin Enxi stepped out from the shadows. She watched the direction they left with a thoughtful look in her eyes.

Cissily listened to Jin Enxi’s words and remained silent, finally speaking after a long time, "Actually, Allen isn’t really bad to An, if you ignore his inhumanity."

Jin Enxi chuckled, "But you said it yourself, he is an inhuman person. Who knows what he is planning with this act. Don’t forget, it was he who provided An’s identity details to An’s father."

Cissily thought it over and agreed, setting aside that issue, she then remembered something else. "What exactly is the relationship between Qin Yan and Allen’s father, that even the ashes of a man dead for over twenty years could threaten her?"

"It’s nothing but deep attachment, I suppose. It’s just unexpected that someone like Qin Yan could also have someone she deeply cared for," Jin Enxi said. "But still, we mustn’t let our guard down. These two are foxes, who knows whether their words are true or false."

Cissily nodded, continuing to focus on her computer.

Outside the delivery room.

Shen Qinglan had been inside for three hours already, but there was still no sign of activity from the delivery room. Chu Yun Rong was getting anxious too. Fu Hengyi wanted to go inside to check the situation, but Shen Qinglan wouldn’t allow it.

Inside the delivery room, Shen Qinglan’s face was pale, covered in sweat. Three hours had passed, and her cervix had just fully dilated. The actual birth had just begun, and even the doctor wiped off a cold sweat, having never seen a laboring mother’s cervix dilate so slowly. Later on, the doctor even resorted to using labor-inducing injections.

"Okay, Mrs. Fu, the cervix is fully dilated, you can start pushing now," said the doctor.

The hours of continuous labor pains had drenched Shen Qinglan in sweat, soaking her hair. Her hands tightly gripped the edges of the bed, her veins visibly bulging. She could even feel the baby slowly leaving her body.

"Very good, yes, just like that," instructed the doctor while encouraging Shen Qinglan. She was definitely the most enduring pregnant woman the doctor had ever seen. The agony of three hours of labor would have been unbearable for anyone, yet Shen Qinglan hadn’t made a sound, just silently enduring.

"Mrs. Fu, if it hurts, you can scream," said the doctor, noticing her about to bite her lips through.

Shen Qinglan shook her head, squeezing out two words, "Continue."

The doctor shook her head.

Shen Qinglan only felt as if her body was being torn apart. This pain, compared to all others she had experienced before, made her previous injuries seem trivial.

However, not long after, the doctor’s expression began to change. She glanced at Shen Qinglan and then exchanged a look with another doctor who came over and checked, his expression slightly altering. The midwife, experienced as she was, was the second to notice something amiss.

The expressions of the three became significantly grave—the childbirth process, which was expected to be smooth, was encountering unexpected incidents.

"Mrs. Fu, push hard, the baby is almost out," the doctor told Shen Qinglan.

"Doctor, is there a problem?" Shen Qinglan noticed the suddenly somber atmosphere.

After exchanging looks, the doctor decided to tell Shen Qinglan the truth, "Mrs. Fu, there’s a slight complication with the baby."

Shen Qinglan’s expression changed slightly. "What’s wrong with the baby?"

"The baby’s head has turned sideways," the doctor explained, having only just noticed it herself. Despite numerous checks before, the baby had been fine. It was unpredictable that an issue would arise during childbirth.

"Mrs. Fu, don’t be scared. Although rare, this situation isn’t unheard of. I’ve dealt with this before where the baby’s head turned during childbirth. I’ll try to adjust it, just cooperate with me."

Her face stoic, Shen Qinglan responded, "Okay, but please don’t tell my family yet, especially not my husband. Doctor, I’d like you to go out and reassure my family that I’m fine, that everything is going well." She’d been inside for so long, Fu Hengyi must be getting anxious.

The doctor hesitated but finally nodded under Shen Qinglan’s insistent gaze. Another doctor went out; she needed to calm the family since the labor had been lengthy.

Fu Hengyi was getting restless, about to enter when the doctor came out.

"Doctor, how is my daughter? Why is it taking so long?"

"The dilation of the cervix was slow; it took quite some time, but her condition is still okay. Please, as her family, be patient," the doctor explained.

"Doctor, why is my daughter-in-law so quiet?" Old Sir Fu couldn’t help but ask.

"Mrs. Fu is the strongest mother I’ve ever seen," the doctor responded before quickly turning to go back inside, worried that any delay might make them suspect something was wrong.

"Doctor, I would like to go in and be with her during the delivery," Fu Hengyi requested.

"Mr. Fu, I understand how you feel, but Mrs. Fu said she wants you to wait outside for her," the doctor relayed what Shen Qinglan had specifically instructed before she left the room.

Fu Hengyi’s eyes darkened as he watched the delivery room door close in front of him, a feeling of unease gradually spreading within him.

"Do you have a cigarette?" he asked Eden. Fu Hengyi had a smoking addiction when he was younger and had only gradually quit in recent years, but now he suddenly felt the urge to smoke to calm down.

Eden shook his head; he never smoked. "Shall I take you for a walk downstairs?"

"I’ll just wait here," Fu Hengyi said.

For a moment, the hallway fell into a brief silence as everyone waited. Suddenly, a scream came from the delivery room—it was Shen Qinglan’s voice. Everyone’s faces changed, especially Fu Hengyi’s, which turned deathly pale.

She hadn’t made a sound for so long, and now she screamed. It was obvious that the pain had exceeded her tolerance, especially known to Fu Hengyi and Eden who were aware of Shen Qinglan’s past.

Fu Hengyi abruptly stood up from the wheelchair but staggered, thankfully Eden was quick to support him.

After that scream, there was silence in the delivery room. After a while, the door opened and a nurse hurried out, her expression grave. Chu Yunrong ran over immediately, "Nurse, how is my daughter?"

"The parturient is having a difficult labor and losing a lot of blood." The nurse said hurriedly and pushed past Chu Yunrong, running towards the blood bank.

Chu Yunrong’s legs gave way, and she sat down on the floor. The doctor came out, "Shen Qinglan’s family."

Fu Hengyi rushed forward, "I am her husband."

"Mr. Fu, the parturient encountered complications during delivery that caused significant blood loss. It’s likely that we can only save either the adult or the child. Which one do you want to save?"

Save the adult or the child? Fu Hengyi’s mind went blank, as if he didn’t understand the meaning of the doctor’s words, freezing in place.

"You as the family need to make a decision quickly; time is money, and every minute you waste puts the parturient in more danger," the doctor urged.

Old Sir Fu was the first to regain his composure, his voice solemn, "Save the adult, we must save the adult."

The doctor handed a consent form to Fu Hengyi, "Sign here."

Trembling, Fu Hengyi picked up the pen and signed his name at the end of the consent form.

The doctor turned and entered the delivery room. Fu Hengyi tried to follow but was pushed out by the doctor.

In the delivery room, Shen Qinglan’s face was whiter than paper. She was breathing heavily. She didn’t hear what the doctor was saying beside her ear. Gripping the doctor’s hand tightly, she pleaded, "Doctor, save the child, please save the child."

The doctor reassured her, "Don’t worry, we will save the child."

"Doctor Tang, I can see the baby’s head," the midwife exclaimed excitedly.

Hearing this, the doctor perked up, "Mrs. Fu, did you hear that? The baby’s head is out. Push harder, you can do it."

Shen Qinglan instinctively followed the doctor’s instructions despite the intensifying pain and her fading consciousness.

"Doctor, the parturient is weakening, and the fetus is stuck in the birth canal, what do we do now?" the midwife’s voice sounded.

"The parturient is still losing a lot of blood, increase the blood output," the doctor responded.

"Mrs. Fu, the baby is almost out, hang in there," another doctor’s voice rang out.

Shen Qinglan felt all her strength being drained; she was extremely tired but still remembered her baby hadn’t come out yet. She wanted to exert force but couldn’t muster it, and her mind was blurring. Suddenly, her hand was grasped tightly, and Fu Hengyi’s voice sounded in her ear.

Struggling to open her eyes, she saw Fu Hengyi’s face close to hers, "Qinglan, I am here, don’t be afraid."

"How did you get in here? Get out," Shen Qinglan said through gritted teeth.

Fu Hengyi shook his head, looking softly into her eyes, "I won’t leave, Qinglan. I’m staying with you, don’t be afraid."

"Fu Hengyi, I’m so tired," Shen Qinglan said.

Fu Hengyi’s heart trembled. He raised his hand to wipe the sweat from Shen Qinglan’s forehead, his movements gentle. "Qinglan, hold on a little longer; the baby is about to come out. Didn’t you say that once the baby is born, you wanted to take her on a vacation with us? You can’t sleep now; you absolutely mustn’t sleep, understand?"

"Qinglan, this family is complete with you, and my life only has a different meaning because of you. You said you would be with me for a lifetime; you can’t get tired halfway and sneak away," Fu Hengyi whispered gently, clutching Shen Qinglan’s hand.

The doctor, standing on the other side of Shen Qinglan, spoke up, "Mrs. Fu, half the baby’s body is out now; just one last push."

Upon hearing this, Shen Qinglan gripped Fu Hengyi’s hand tightly, mustering all the strength in her body.

"Waah." A loud cry of a newborn echoed around them.

"Qinglan!" Fu Hengyi shouted, his voice filled with sorrow.

**

Time rewound to an hour earlier.

Jin Enxi watched someone lurking near the delivery room through the monitor, his eyes slightly cold. After speaking a word to Cissily, he left the surveillance room.

Jin Enxi approached Annie in the hallway of the maternity ward and patted her shoulder heavily, "Hey, Miss Annie, long time no see. Didn’t expect to run into you here."

Annie uttered a sound, startled by Jin Enxi, and also from pain. She gently patted her chest, facing Jin Enxi’s half-smiling eyes, her face flashing an unnatural look.

"It’s you."

Jin Enxi shrugged, "Yep, it’s me."

"What are you doing here?" Annie asked.

With a half-smile, Jin Enxi replied, "Shen Qinglan is giving birth today, it’s not strange for me to be here. But you, what are you doing here?" His tone grew colder as he spoke.

Annie’s expression stiffened, feigning surprise, "Is today Miss Shen’s delivery day? I... I didn’t know. I came here today to find Eden."

"Heh." Jin Enxi sneered, "You sure know a lot about Eden’s whereabouts."

"I..." A quick flash of panic crossed Annie’s eyes, her gaze involuntarily flickering, "I... a friend saw him in the hospital and called me."

"Did you just arrive?"

Annie nodded, "I was looking for Eden, but couldn’t find him. I was about to leave when I ran into you."

Hmm, the reason sounded pretty convincing. If she hadn’t been keeping an eye on her in the surveillance room for a long time, she might have believed her, of course, if one ignored how tightly she was clutching the strap of her bag.

Jin Enxi smiled and put her hand on Annie’s shoulder, "Wanting to see Eden is easy; I know where he is. Let me take you to him."

Annie tried to shake off Jin Enxi’s hand, but it felt like a clamp on her shoulder, "No need. I just remembered I have something else to do. I’ll have to leave now and maybe find him another day."

"Don’t rush to leave. You’re here already, and it’d be a pity not to see him since he is right here. You can see him if you just walk over," Jin Enxi insisted on taking her to see Eden.

"No need. I don’t want to see him right now. Let me go. I want to go home," Annie said in a panic.

Jin Enxi’s eyes darkened, staring intensely into Annie’s eyes, "You seem very nervous?"

Annie lowered her eyes, avoiding direct eye contact with Jin Enxi, "No, I’m not nervous."

"Why is your hand trembling if you’re not nervous?"

Annie lowered her hand, "I told you I’m not nervous. I have things to take care of and I need to leave now."

Jin Enxi held her by the shoulder, "Miss Annie, we’ve known each other so long, and I’ve never even treated you to coffee. Come on, let’s go to the café across from the hospital."

"I’m not going!" Annie got agitated, her voice raised slightly, drawing the attention of those around. She lowered her head, "I really have something else to do. I need to go now. Goodbye!"

Jin Enxi watched her rushing off, panic-stricken and decided not to let her leave. He quickly followed and caught up, "Then let me give you a ride; I have a car!" He said, pulling her hand towards the parking area without further discussion. Annie struggled, but couldn’t overpower Jin Enxi and didn’t dare to scream; she could only follow him passively.

Jin Enxi led her to his car, shoved her into the back seat, and locked the door, "Tell me, what were you really doing at the hospital?"

Annie kept her head down, "I didn’t do anything. I was just looking for Eden."

"Heh, not willing to tell the truth, huh?" A coldness crept into Jin Enxi’s eyes.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about," Annie replied, "Even if Eden doesn’t like me, it’s not illegal for me to find him. It’s you who’s dragging me into your car—what do you mean by this?"

Annie gave a gentle smile, but on her doll-like face, it took on a sinister edge, "What are you trying to do?"

"I’m not trying to do anything; I told you I want to treat you to coffee. It’s just that I’m very busy right now and don’t have time to sit for coffee. So, you’ll have to wait here for a moment."

"What do you mean? Let me go, otherwise I’ll scream," Annie said coldly.

Jin Enxi sighed, "I think I’m starting to understand why Eden doesn’t like you, Miss Annie. It’s not my place to say, but your thinking is too strange. How can you misinterpret someone’s intentions? I have no malice toward you; I simply want to invite you for coffee just like you came to the hospital purely to see Eden."

Annie felt very anxious inside. Jin Enxi’s words always gave her the impression that he knew everything she had done. She tightly grasped the strap of her bag, "I don’t want any coffee right now. If you want some, we can make plans another day."

"I’m really sorry, Miss Annie, but I wanted to have coffee with you today, and I can’t wait for another day. Let’s go now."

"You’re kidnapping me, it’s illegal," Annie exclaimed loudly.

Jin Enxi shivered, putting on a fearful expression, "Oh, I’m so scared." Her eyes suddenly sharpened, "Ha, I wasn’t raised to be frightened off. Since you think it’s kidnapping, let it be. Just tell me honestly, what you’re doing in the hospital, and I might consider letting you go."

Where dared Annie say? She insisted she was there to find Eden. The more she hid her intentions, the more it proved she had something to hide; Jin Enxi naturally couldn’t let her go, not knowing what she intended to do.

"Well, there’s no helping it. Since you hold such deep feelings for Eden, I will spare you the trouble and let Eden come see you. Don’t be too grateful," Jin Enxi mocked. "To prevent you from calling anyone else, I’ll have to inconvenience you for a bit."

Annie hadn’t fully grasped his meaning when a sudden pain struck her nape, her vision went dark, and she lost consciousness.

Jin Enxi blew on her palm, humming, "That hit made my hand hurt; her neck must be made of stone. But that should keep her out for a while," she muttered to herself, though not entirely reassured. Leaving the car, she quickly returned from the hospital with a syringe filled with a clear liquid in hand. She lifted Annie’s arm, adjusted her to lean against the backseat, making her look just asleep.

"Alright, this dose should keep you asleep for a whole day." Jin Enxi nodded in satisfaction, took out her phone from the bag, hit the power button to turn it off, and threw it back. Digging further in Annie’s bag, she spotted a check. She took it out, glanced at it— a million; quite generous. Seeing Annie’s signature at the bottom right, it seemed intended for someone, though who it was intended for was unclear.

Jin Enxi returned the check, dusted off her hands, locked the car door, and left.

**

Today, Shen Jun Yu and Han Yi were discussing business in the office, as the newly formed company was going to be registered under Yu Xiaoxuan’s name, who was also present.

"I wonder if Qinglan has given birth yet," Yu Xiaoxuan mused, lying on the sofa. She had visited Shen Qinglan yesterday, and Shen Qinglan’s belly hadn’t shown any signs of activity.

Hearing this, Shen Junyu remembered how unusually quiet his phone had been today; no one from home had called, which he suddenly found weird. Usually, Sister-in-law Song or Aunt Zhao would update him daily on Shen Qinglan’s condition.

He called home, but no one answered. Frowning, he then dialed Chu Yunrong’s mobile, which took a long time to connect; eventually, Sister-in-law Song answered, "Jun Yu, Qinglan’s having a difficult labor."

Shen Junyu’s face immediately changed color, "I’m coming right away," he said and rushed off.

"Jun Yu, where are you going?" Han Yi asked.

"Lanlan’s in labor trouble," Shen Junyu hurriedly replied. Han Yi’s and Yu Xiaoxuan’s expressions changed at the news, and they hurriedly followed him.

On his way, Shen Junyu called Wen Xiyao; she was already near the hospital as she had come to visit Shen Qinglan.

After Shen Qinglan was taken into the delivery room, Fu Hengyi had called home. The family rushed in such a hurry they forgot to inform others, including Shen Qian, who only learned about his daughter’s labor when Shen Junyu called him to inquire about Shen Qinglan’s condition.

Wen Xiyao arrived just before Shen Junyu, who just heard Fu Hengyi’s shout as he arrived.

Faces of those outside the delivery room turned pale, Chu Yunrong was on the ground unable to stand up, "Qinglan, my Qinglan, what’s happened to Qinglan!" She struggled to stand but couldn’t.

Wen Xiyao went over to help her up, "Mom."

Chu Yunrong leaned on her, drained of strength, "Qinglan, Qinglan..." she murmured Shen Qinglan’s name while Wen Xiyao gently comforted her, "Mom, don’t worry, Qinglan will be alright."

She, too, had just arrived and only knew of Shen Qinglan’s difficult labor. Not knowing the specifics, but seeing everyone’s grim expressions, she realized the severity, looking anxiously towards the delivery room door.

Tears filled Yu Xiaoxuan’s eyes as she tightly grasped Han Yi’s hand, "Han Yi, Qinglan, she..." Fu Hengyi’s cries of panic and sorrow had clearly conveyed the extent of alarm to everyone present, causing everyone’s hearts to tighten.