Zheng Chao's gaze swept coldly over at the sound of Xiao Manxue's words. This damned girl really had a sharp tongue and spoke with such cruelty. They were in a hospital now, so he couldn't do anything, but one day, eventually, he'd make them regret this.
At the entrance to the delivery room, other expectant family members were also waiting outside, occasionally glancing over at the commotion.
An older woman couldn't help but speak up: "Young lady, even if you've cut ties with her, she's still your mother. She may have said some harsh things just now, but maybe she was frightened by the labor. You need to be a bit understanding."
"There are no wrong parents in this world. As a daughter, you have no right to judge your parents' faults. And your stepfather is an elder—how can you speak to him that way?"
"Hurry up and apologize to your elders. Look at you two sisters, always arguing with your elders like this. It's truly unfilial."
Hearing this, Old Lady Wang began pouring out her grievances to the woman: "My daughter just thought, once she gives birth she won't be able to go out easily, so she wanted to take the chance now to come see her two daughters. But once she got here, we couldn't even get through the door. Sigh, it really is true that daughters turn outward. This eldest granddaughter of mine has a rather domineering personality—she quarreled with her in-laws and got a divorce. My daughter also worried about her and wanted to come persuade the couple. As you can see, this girl won't listen to a single word. My daughter's life has been so bitter."
Old Lady Wang even moved herself to tears and wiped at her eyes.
Hearing this, the woman became even more enthusiastic: "Oh my, you're divorced yourself. How can you not understand your own mother? Young as you are, how big a deal could it be that you needed a divorce? Women can't be too strong. You need to learn to be tolerant. With a personality like yours, you won't last with anyone."
Xiao Mandong held back Xiao Manxue, who was about to speak. Her own reputation was already ruined; she didn't want to drag Xiao Manxue into it too.
"Ma'am, I've already cut ties with my mother. Do you know what that means? My mother and father divorced only a year ago, and now she's eight months pregnant. Do you understand what that implies?"
She had heard Old Lady Wang telling the doctor about the patient's condition—it turned out Wang Meixia was already eight months pregnant, and the baby just wasn't developing well, which is why her belly looked small.
Seeing the woman's face turn unpleasant from being cornered, Xiao Mandong had no intention of letting her off the hook. Served her right for running her mouth: "You're so kind? Then lend us your baby's swaddling blanket, why don't you? Do you know what kindness really means? Kindness is: don't preach about someone else's pain unless you've walked in their shoes. I got divorced because my husband was sleeping around with his widowed sister-in-law. I'm not as generous as you, ma'am—I can't share my husband with his sister-in-law. Your constant lecturing is honestly disgusting."
"You... you're simply sharp-tongued! With such an unkind demeanor, no wonder your husband ran off with his sister-in-law..." The woman's face flushed red with anger, and she looked like she wanted to tear Xiao Mandong's mouth apart.
Just then, a young woman beside her pulled the older woman back: "Mom, stop it. She's not wrong. We don't know the actual situation, so we shouldn't jump in like this. Divorced a year ago, now eight months pregnant—such a murky situation, why are we getting involved? What does their divorce have to do with us?"
She was truly fed up with this mother-in-law. Everywhere she went, she was meddling, wanting to lecture everyone. Her own daughter was inside giving birth, and the husband's side hadn't even shown up—yet she wouldn't reflect on herself and wanted to poke her nose into other people's business instead.
"What's all the noise? Didn't you know you're not supposed to shout at the delivery room entrance?" the nurse scolded angrily. The woman cursing inside, the family fighting outside—it really was bad luck having to deal with this family on her shift.
The nurse casually handed over a slip of paper: "Go pay the hospitalization fee."
Xiao Mandong didn't take it and stepped back. The nurse paused, then understood—given how viciously the woman had cursed, no one would want to take care of her.
Xiao Mandong pointed at Zheng Chao: "That man there is her husband. Have him go pay."
The nurse handed the bill over to him, but Zheng Chao also stepped back: "I left in a hurry and didn't bring any money." The contempt in the nurse's eyes was obvious.
Zheng Chao looked at Old Lady Wang: "Mom, help me cover it first. I'll pay you back when we get home."
Right now, they didn't know if the woman would live or die. His ex-wife had died during childbirth. If he paid the medical fees and she didn't survive, he'd have spent the money for nothing—a loss on both ends. Though if she came out fine, he could pay the money back once they got home. That wasn't out of the question either.
Old Lady Wang narrowed her eyes. She could see right through his little scheme. But she wasn't afraid that this bastard wouldn't pay her back—she held leverage over him.
Old Lady Wang handed the bill to Wang Fugui: "Go pay it first. I'll give you the money when we get home."
Wang Fugui said nothing and took the bill to pay.
The delivery room entrance finally quieted down. Then, from inside, the cry of a newborn baby rang out. Moments later, a nurse walked out cradling an infant. "Family of Liu Guixiang, come collect the baby."
The nosy woman trotted over cheerfully: "Doctor, is it a boy or a girl?"
"Six jin four liang. A girl." The old woman's outstretched hand immediately snapped back:
"You must have mixed up the babies. We already had someone check—my daughter's carrying a boy."
The nurse wasn't happy: "There are only two women in labor in this room, and the other one is still cursing away—can't you hear that? Do you want the baby or not? Just take it. We're busy."
"Help! Doctor, please save my mommy!" A little girl, around seven or eight years old, came running in, sobbing: "Wah... my mommy's about to give birth, and my daddy isn't home."
The nurse quickly asked, "Where's your mother?"
The girl pointed toward the door, where a heavily pregnant woman stood at the entrance, pale-faced. She was carrying a large bundle—probably her birth supplies—with bloodstains on her pant legs.
The nurse hurriedly shoved the baby into the nosy woman's arms and called for a gurney, helping the mother onto it, preparing to wheel her into the delivery room.
Just as she was about to enter, the woman stuffed a wad of cash into the girl's hands, telling her not to leave the hospital and not to go off with strangers.
The girl nodded obediently. After the mother was wheeled into the delivery room, the girl crouched by the door, wiping away her tears.
The nurse soon came out, handed the girl a bill slip, and took her to pay.
Around then, the cry of another newborn echoed from the delivery room. Not long after, a nurse walked out: "Family of Lin Wenhui? It's a boy, seven jin two liang."
A baby growing to seven jin in the womb meant the family was fairly well-off, and the baby's swaddling was fine cotton with little floral prints.
The nosy woman looked around, her eyes darting. The nurse who had just handed her the baby had gone with the little girl to pay, and this new nurse she didn't recognize. So, plucking up her courage, she stepped forward and reached out to take the baby. But the nurse immediately stepped back: "Are you Lin Wenhui's family?"
"Yes, I'm her aunt. Just give me the baby."
