Side Story 9: The Arrival of a New Family Member

 

Today, the three kids had their final exams. If not for that, they would have taken the day off to accompany Lin Chuxia to the hospital. As soon as the exams were over, they rushed home, worried that something had happened to her.

 

The moment they stepped through the door, they froze, staring at the table filled with a feast. Confusion spread among them—wasn’t mom supposed to be sick? Why was there such a banquet laid out?

 

Was being sick… a good thing?

 

As young teenagers, they couldn’t fully grasp what was going on. Still confused, they entered the room and called out, “Mom, we’re home!”

 

“My darlings! Come eat!” Lin Chuxia waved at the trio with a big smile on her face.

 

“Mom, did something… good happen?” asked Xie Xingrong, the youngest of the three, who was the most food-loving and had already sat down at the table, cheerfully eyeing the dishes.

 

Looking at her cheerful and adorable Sanzai, Lin Chuxia smiled warmly. She mentally praised herself for raising them in such a good environment, proud of the way they had turned out. She believed that the baby in her belly would turn out just as well.

 

“Mom is pregnant!” came Xie Jingming’s voice from the kitchen as he brought out a steaming pot of chicken soup. Though he spoke calmly, his tone couldn’t hide the smile in his voice.

 

“Really? Is it a boy or a girl?” Xie Xingrong’s eyes lit up immediately, asking excitedly. Although they were middle schoolers now and had matured significantly, the fact that they were adopted had long faded from their minds.

 

Dazai and Erzai also beamed with joy. “That’s great! Soon, we’ll have another addition to the family.”

 

The three siblings were more excited than Xie Jingming himself, and after finishing their meal, they crowded around Lin Chuxia, asking her how she was feeling and making sure she was comfortable.

 

The following months passed smoothly for Lin Chuxia. News of her pregnancy spread to her coworkers at the cultural troupe, and they lightened her workload, giving her less physically demanding tasks. Even her rehearsals were postponed to ensure her well-being.

 

As her belly grew, the three children became more cautious, always watching over her. They were particularly protective when she went up and down the stairs, as if they feared she might trip and fall.

 

“I’m fine,” Lin Chuxia reassured her second child, Xie Xinghe, who insisted on accompanying her up and down the stairs. “I can take it slow; there’s no need to be so nervous.”

 

At night, when her feet swelled or she experienced leg cramps, Xie Jingming would wake up and massage her legs until she felt better. Despite the discomfort, the baby inside was relatively calm, not causing too much trouble, so Lin Chuxia’s pregnancy went smoothly overall.

 

Finally, the day of delivery arrived. The whole family accompanied her to the hospital, their faces filled with tension and worry. They seemed more anxious than Lin Chuxia, who lay in the hospital bed preparing for the birth.

 

“What if there are complications?” one of the boys asked nervously.

 

“Don’t say that! No such thing will happen!” another one immediately retorted. “Mom will be fine, and she’ll give us a healthy sibling.”

 

“Yeah, I’d really like a little sister,” the third one chimed in, sparking a new debate over whether they wanted a brother or a sister.

 

As they playfully argued, Lin Chuxia suddenly gasped, her hand instinctively going to her belly. She looked up at Xie Jingming in a panic. “I… I think it’s happening!”

 

At that moment, real fear washed over her. She had heard so many stories about how painful childbirth could be, and now that the moment was here, she couldn’t help but worry about complications.

 

Xie Jingming hurried to call for the doctor. Lin Chuxia reached out and grabbed the hand of one of the children nearby, her voice trembling as she asked her eldest, “Will I be okay?”

 

Seeing their mother’s vulnerability, Xie Hongchu comforted her. “Of course you’ll be fine, mom. Don’t worry.”

 

Erzai and Sanzai chimed in, offering their own reassurances.

 

Soon, the doctor arrived, smiling confidently. “Don’t worry, our hospital has never had a case of complications. You’re in good hands!”

 

As they wheeled Lin Chuxia into the delivery room, the four men—Xie Jingming and the three boys—were left waiting outside, their anxiety evident as they sat in the corridor. The sounds of labor reached their ears, making them even more nervous. The three boys kept glaring at Xie Jingming, as if blaming him for putting their mother in this situation.

 

Xie Jingming, now truly realizing the pain and difficulty of childbirth, could only sit silently, tapping his leg with impatience. He had never fully understood how hard giving birth was until now.

 

From morning until the afternoon, they waited. Xie Xinghe went downstairs to buy five bowls of wonton soup, wondering if they could give some to Lin Chuxia to replenish her energy between contractions.

 

Then, finally, the sound of a baby’s cry pierced through the hospital, breaking the tense atmosphere. The door to the delivery room opened, and the doctor emerged, smiling.

 

“Congratulations! It’s a healthy baby girl. Mother and child are both doing well.”

 

“Thank you! Thank you!” Xie Jingming exclaimed, his face lighting up with joy. He wanted to rush into the room but was stopped as the bed with Lin Chuxia and the newborn were wheeled out.

 

The three boys rushed to their mother’s side, worried when they saw her asleep. The doctor reassured them that she was simply exhausted and would wake up soon.

 

Turning their attention to the newborn in the crib, the boys’ faces turned solemn.

 

“She’s… so ugly,” the second son, Xie Xinghe, hesitated, his face showing clear discomfort as he voiced what the other two were thinking.

 

The eldest son, Xie Hongchu, stared at the wrinkled, redfaced baby and frowned. With a serious expression, he said, “Are you sure this is the right baby?”

 

Xie Xingrong, the youngest, fiddled with the edge of his shirt, feeling conflicted. After all, this was their new little sister, born after so much anticipation, but… she really wasn’t what they had expected.

 

“What if someone makes fun of her for being ugly?” Xie Xingrong asked, worried about how others might react.

 

Hearing this, the other two immediately grew serious. It was a valid concern. What if someone teased their little sister for her appearance?

 

“You all need to stop worrying!” Xie Jingming, who had returned from speaking with the doctor, overheard their conversation. “Babies look like this when they’re born. She’ll grow out of it.”

 

But even he had to admit to himself… She did look a bit like a wrinkled monkey. He tried to maintain his calm facade, but the concern lingered in his mind. Would their daughter grow up to be as cute as they hoped?

 

Seeing that their father was equally worried, the three boys exchanged determined glances. No matter what, they would defend their sister from any mockery or teasing.

 

As the family settled into their new routine, Xie Jingming returned home to fetch some chicken soup for Lin Chuxia. On his way, he ran into several neighbors who greeted him with smiles and congratulations.

 

“Congratulations, Commander Xie! How’s the baby?”

 

For a moment, Xie Jingming hesitated. The image of his wrinkly daughter flashed in his mind. “She’s a bit… well… she’s a girl.”

 

“Oh, congratulations!” the neighbors exclaimed.

 

“A daughter is wonderful! Girls are such blessings. Chairman Mao said that women hold up half the sky.”

 

“When’s the full-moon banquet?” they asked, still smiling brightly.

 

Xie Jingming gave them a polite nod and thanked them, hurrying home to heat the soup. Yet in his heart, he couldn’t help but worry. Would their little girl grow up to be as cute as they hoped?

 

However, his rushed demeanor gave the wrong impression. Seeing his concern, the neighbors began whispering among themselves. “Did you see that? I think Commander Xie is disappointed that it’s a girl.”

 

“How could that be? He already has three boys!”

 

“Maybe he’s just one of those old-fashioned types who value boys over girls.”

 

Thus, rumors began to spread. By the time Xie Jingming returned to the hospital, he was unaware that his superior would soon pull him aside for a lecture on gender equality. But that, of course, was a story for another day.