Lin Hanbing returned in short order.
She just couldn’t stop worrying about Cheng Zhanya.
Having just given birth, Zhanya was alone in the quiet hospital room.
Lin Hanbing felt like she’d lost her mind a little.
Ever since she’d seen Cheng Zhanya passing out from the agony of her contractions, Lin Hanbing had been utterly terrified.
She must have developed some kind of trauma from it.
She was afraid Cheng Zhanya couldn’t handle things on her own.
What if the baby started crying?
Zhanya hadn’t recovered yet—could she manage?
The more Lin Hanbing thought about it, the more anxious she became. She hurriedly bought a few things and rushed back.
When she got back to the hospital, her wife seemed to be asleep, and the little one was quiet as a mouse, not bothering Cheng Zhanya at all.
Lin Hanbing let out a sigh of relief and quietly set the items down.
Cheng Zhanya had only been dozing lightly out of boredom. She hadn’t expected Lin Hanbing to return so quickly.
“You’re back?” Cheng Zhanya sounded a little surprised.
“Mm-hmm.” Lin Hanbing chuckled softly and brought the items over.
As she opened them, she said, “I just grabbed a few things. You’ve just given birth, so something easy to digest like this will be better for you.”
“Okay.” Cheng Zhanya nodded obediently.
“I’ll feed you.”
“…”
Cheng Zhanya didn’t refuse. She ate bite by bite, and perhaps she really was hungry because she polished off the bowl of porridge in no time.
“Want more?”
“There’s soup too.”
Even though the baby had been born, Cheng Zhanya’s belly wasn’t completely flat yet. After downing the porridge, it swelled up again, almost as if there were still one inside.
She patted her stomach, feeling deeply satisfied.
“No more, thanks.”
No sooner had the words left her mouth than Cheng Zhanya yawned. As if in passing, she asked, “Do… do Mom and Dad know I had the baby?”
“They do.”
Lin Hanbing knew how much this mattered to her. With a soft laugh, she added, “Mom and Dad already came by. Dad’s really taken with Chengcheng.”
“Really?”
“Of course. When have I ever lied to you?”
Cheng Zhanya nodded faintly, accepting Lin Hanbing’s words at face value.
Lin Hanbing really never had deceived her.
Thinking back to how her parents had abruptly left the Lin Residence the day before at noon still sent a shiver through Cheng Zhanya.
It was her own immaturity that had caused it.
Lin Hanbing gently poked her forehead with an index finger. “No overthinking allowed.”
“Mom and Dad will be here tomorrow morning.”
“Our parents are both coming.”
Cheng Zhanya bit her lip, a mix of anticipation and nerves flickering in her eyes.
“It’s getting late. Want to sleep a bit more?”
“Mm.”
Cheng Zhanya was still exhausted, her body aching and weary.
She glanced at the dark circles under Lin Hanbing’s eyes and slowly made space on the bed, patting it. “You should rest too.”
“I’m fine like this.”
Lin Hanbing didn’t budge. She was afraid of accidentally hurting Cheng Zhanya.
Cheng Zhanya frowned. “No, you’re not.”
When Lin Hanbing still hesitated, Cheng Zhanya’s expression darkened with unmistakable authority.
Unable to hold out against her, Lin Hanbing kicked off her shoes and socks and was just about to lie down when a loud wail exploded through the empty room.
It was a cry both strange and familiar.
Right—they still had a baby to care for.
The two women exchanged a glance. Lin Hanbing rubbed her temple with a hint of headache and signaled for Cheng Zhanya to rest first while she picked up their daughter.
Her movements were clumsy but gentle.
Then a strange, foul odor wafted through the air, and Lin Hanbing’s face changed.
Her hand was right under the baby’s bottom, and she felt a distinct warm wetness against her palm.
The sensation was utterly alien.
She gritted her teeth, realizing what had happened, and couldn’t help but laugh wryly.
Of course it was her daughter.
What a welcome-home gift.
The little one kept crying weakly, as if exerting every ounce of strength, mouth wide open and throat straining so Mama wouldn’t miss it.
It was a cold winter night, and Lin Hanbing’s mind blanked for a moment before she recalled what she’d learned and swiftly changed the soiled receiving blanket.
The process wasn’t perfectly smooth, but she managed to get it done.
The little one stopped crying and merely hiccuped now, her eyes brimming with tears as she smacked her lips and let out soft, unintelligible whimpers.
With the baby crying, Cheng Zhanya couldn’t sleep a wink.
She craned her neck curiously. “Let me hold her.”
Lin Hanbing carried their daughter over and gently handed her off.
Cheng Zhanya cooed at the little one, then said out of the blue, “Guess what she’s saying?”
“…”
“Baby talk, maybe.”
A newborn had no real desire to communicate. The grunts and coos were just natural reflexes.
“Hm?”
Lin Hanbing had answered so earnestly that Cheng Zhanya blinked, momentarily thrown.
Baby talk? In English?
She mouthed it to herself twice before it clicked. She burst out laughing.
It was the first time she’d seen Lin Hanbing attempt a serious joke.
Somehow… it was kind of cute.
Motherhood seemed to have softened Lin Hanbing, bringing out a more human side.
More human—or more childlike, really.
Grinning, Cheng Zhanya instinctively lifted her shirt to nurse the baby.
The habitual motion bypassed her thoughts, sparing her the embarrassment she’d felt earlier with Lin Hanbing right there.
It wasn’t until the little one latched on that Cheng Zhanya snapped back to reality.
She tried to turn away, to shield the view.
But Lin Hanbing wouldn’t allow it.
With firm yet tender hands, she held Cheng Zhanya’s shoulders in place. “It’ll hurt again otherwise.”
Cheng Zhanya rubbed her nose and looked down at their vigorously nursing daughter.
After a moment, she couldn’t help muttering, “Chengcheng just ate. How’s she hungry again?”
“Babies have tiny stomachs and don’t eat much at a time.” Lin Hanbing eyed where their daughter was latched on, her expression complicated. “They need to eat little and often.”
That made sense.
Cheng Zhanya focused on feeding the baby. Soon enough, the little one let go.
After her nap, she was full of energy. Her dark, currant-like eyes darted around, taking in the new surroundings.
Nursing left Cheng Zhanya even more drained.
Night deepened, and sleep pulled at her.
She drifted off quickly, only vaguely registering the sound of crying again in her haze.
But she was too exhausted to get up.
The cries soon stopped, replaced by soft murmurs that inexplicably soothed her to peace.
Morning came.
She woke to the sound of voices chatting.
Familiar tones filled her ears, mingled with the baby’s coos and gurgles.
“I think she looks more like Lele.”
“Her nose does.”
“But the face shape takes after our Xiaoya…”
Under Yu Shujing and Yang Meijing’s discussion, Cheng Zhanya slowly opened her eyes. Feebly, she murmured, “Mom…”
“Hey, Xiaoya’s awake.”
Yu Shujing and Yang Meijing responded in unison.
“Mm.” Cheng Zhanya nodded and scanned the room, but Lin Hanbing was nowhere in sight. A strange pang of emptiness hit her.
She turned to the bundled baby and asked, “Where’s Hanbing?”
“In the next room over.”
Yu Shujing nudged the privacy screen aside gently.
Sometime during the night, an extra bed had been added nearby. Lin Hanbing lay there quietly, undisturbed by her mothers’ chatter.
“Lele’s been up for over two days straight now.”
Since Cheng Zhanya had been admitted to give birth, Lin Hanbing had stayed by her side day and night, tending to everything personally. Even an iron man would wear out.
When they’d arrived that morning, Lin Hanbing had been holding the baby, eyes half-closed and shadowed with exhaustion.
The little one, by contrast, was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
She’d tugged faintly at Lin Hanbing’s hair, her round, plump eyes sparkling.
Babies changed by the day.
In just three days, the little one’s newborn redness had mostly faded, leaving her pink and adorable.
She didn’t fuss even with both grandmas there, just eyed them curiously.
Kids weren’t ruined by spoiling—they ruined their parents.
How true that was. Yu Shujing and Yang Meijing had both endured it firsthand.
Lin Hanbing looked haggard and disheveled, her complexion sallow, hair unkempt from neglect.
It clashed sharply with her usual impeccable self.
Yu Shujing couldn’t stand seeing it. She took the baby and shooed Lin Hanbing off to sleep.
At first, Lin Hanbing resisted.
Only when the nurse added the extra bed to Cheng Zhanya’s room did she agree to rest.
Even so, Lin Hanbing slept fitfully, brows perpetually furrowed.
At least she didn’t wake.
With Cheng Zhanya awake, Yang Meijing’s attention shifted straight to her daughter.
Childbirth or no, Cheng Zhanya was still a kid in her eyes.
Seeing how worn out she looked tugged at Yang Meijing’s heart.
“How’s your body feeling?”
“Still hurting?”
Yang Meijing spoke softly, her voice brimming with tenderness.
She clasped Cheng Zhanya’s hand, scrutinizing her closely. She still looked exhausted but finally had a bit of color back.
“Mom, I’m okay.”
Cheng Zhanya managed a smile, her face pale. “Hanbing’s taken great care of me.”
“Does it hurt?”
“Yes.” Cheng Zhanya didn’t hide her true feelings.
That ripping, soul-shattering pain—she knew she’d never forget it.
It had hurt so much.
Even in her muddled state of mind, she’d felt that crushing pressure vividly.
As if someone were tearing her apart from the inside, the agony endless.
It was terrifying, all too real.
Exhausted as she was, she hadn’t been able to push Chengcheng out.
Stuck halfway, strength gone—she remembered the despair all too well.
“It’s okay now, all over.” Holding the baby in one arm, Yu Shujing patted Cheng Zhanya’s hand with the other. “You did it. You brought Chengcheng into the world safe and sound.”
Cheng Zhanya drew a breath.
The pain in her abdomen seemed a touch lighter, not as sharp.
She breathed again, testing it.
Yes, definitely better.
“You’re young, and it was a natural birth, so you’ll recover faster.”
Cheng Zhanya nodded.
She knew.
Yang Meijing sighed. “You’ve slept so long, you must be hungry. I brought soup from home—it’s still hot. Have some?”
“Okay, thanks, Mom.”
Taking the bowl of soup, Cheng Zhanya sipped as she asked, “Where are Dad and Grandma?”
“Grandma’s been so worked up these past few days that she’s resting at home.” It was Yu Shujing who answered, her tone a mix of exasperation and fondness. “The old lady never takes her own health seriously.”
“Is Grandma okay?”
The elderly couldn’t handle too much excitement or agitation.
Cheng Zhanya worried.
“She’s fine.”
“Grandma’s doing great. You focus on recovering.” Yu Shujing urged.
Cheng Zhanya didn’t reply. She stared down at her hands, fidgeting idly with her fingers.
“When can I go home?”
