I Became a Vicious Supporting Role in the '70s
Chapter 74: Going to the County Hospital

Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Going to the County Hospital

When the ox cart arrived at the entrance of the county hospital, a hospital gurney had already been positioned there, with nurses holding various items ready for action. Upon seeing Xie Jinghao’s arrival, Lu Jiasheng hurried over and lifted him onto the bed, and the doctors and nurses swiftly pushed Xie Jinghao towards the delivery room.

Shen Meng also quickly picked up the sleepy Xiao Gang.

"Uncle Guai, thank you for your hard work, please take a rest here!"

"Go on in, hurry and keep an eye on things, I’ll park the ox cart and come over to help you out."

After everyone had left, Uncle Guai wiped away his sweat, his heart aching as he gently patted the old ox’s hindquarters. In their rush to arrive, he had whipped the ox harder than even during the busiest farming seasons, causing the old ox to run panting, its buttocks turning red. He felt terrible about it.

"I’m sorry, old pal; this was to save a life. Look, you’re even angry, I feel for you too. If we were slow, the mother and child might’ve been in danger. Do you remember when your little calf was born? There, there, when we get back, I’ll take good care of you. I’ll prepare a good meal for you, alright?"

The old ox snorted indifferently, grinding its hooves as if annoyed by his rambling.

After Xie Jinghao was taken into the operating room, Lu Jiasheng finally sat down on the ground, drained and covered in cold sweat. Before he could catch his breath, he heard a piercing scream from the operating room, which startled him to his feet.

He ran over and leaned against the operating room door, peering inside eagerly. Mody, a nurse holding a tray, came out from the inside. He took a glance, and saw a large blood-stained cotton mass on the tray, which made his heart thump wildly, trembling all over.

"Doctor, how’s my wife, doctor, is that my wife’s blood, doctor?"

"Family, wait over there, don’t stand in front of the OR."

The nurse hurriedly carried the tray away.

When Shen Meng, holding Xiao Gang, arrived, she saw Lu Jiasheng crouched on the ground, a picture of near tears, clutching his head.

"Jiasheng, what are you doing? Sit down here. Jinghao will be fine, don’t worry so much. You have to trust the doctors."

Lu Jiasheng looked at Shen Meng holding Xiao Gang, wanting to call her elder sister-in-law, but when he opened his mouth, no sound came out; all that could be heard were muffled sobs, incoherent against what his elder sister-in-law was saying.

Xiao Gang, frightened by the sight of his dad, tightened his grip on Shen Meng’s hand. Shen Meng hurriedly patted the child’s back comforting him.

"It’s okay, Xiao Gang. Your mom has gone to give you a little sister. She’ll be out in a while, then you’ll see your mom and meet your cute little sister, okay? Your dad is just exhausted from cycling. Think about the long road from our home to the county, he’s just tired. Don’t be afraid, your elder aunt is here!"

Reassured by his elder aunt’s gentle words, Xiao Gang finally relaxed, nuzzling his head against Shen Meng’s neck.

"I don’t want a little sister, I want Mom."

A twinge of sadness struck Shen Meng, and she gently stroked Xiao Gang’s hair.

"It’s all right. Your mom will be fine too, your elder aunt promises."

After Uncle Guai had taken care of the old ox, he quickly carried the items that Xie Jinghao and the child would need to the entrance of the operating room.

"How’s things going? Any news yet?"

Shen Meng shook her head and nodded slightly toward Uncle Guai, thinking he should try persuading Lu Jiasheng, who had been holding his head in his hands for quite a while. If he suddenly stood up, he would surely be dizzy and disoriented, blabbering about anything and everything, unable to be calmed down.

"Jiasheng, Jiasheng, get up quickly. What are you doing squatting there? You’re embarrassing yourself. Can Jinghao and the baby still count on you later?"

Lu Jiasheng didn’t move an inch. He wanted to show some spirit and calmly stand up, take the baby from his elder sister-in-law’s arms, and then sit down quietly waiting for Jinghao to come out of the operating room. But he just couldn’t do it, the woman who had been screaming heartbreakingly in the operating room was his wife, and she was currently fighting for her life to give birth to his child!

Uncle Guai clicked his tongue, frowned, set things down on the bamboo chair, then took a thermos out of his pocket.

"Zhenping’s wife, keep watch here. I’m going to get some hot water. Jinghao might need it when she comes out."

"Ah, thank you for your trouble, Uncle Guai."

Uncle Guai chuckled and waved his hand, "Hey, what trouble is it? We’re all neighbors and you’re the younger generation. Just watch!"

He carried the thermos out, asked someone for directions to the water room, and went there.

Thinking about the praise he received from his wife and daughter when he got home that day, he was in high spirits, thinking that if Zhenping’s wife needed help with anything in the future, he should lend a hand more often, as she is a good kid.

His wife also told him about the cotton tickets Shen Meng had prepared for their Xiangxiang. Both of them agreed they had to return them to her. Even though their family was in need, the cotton tickets were not easy for others to save. If he took someone else’s stuff, he would feel terribly guilty.

His wife had tried several times to return the cotton tickets, but Zhenping’s wife was reluctant to accept them, even pretending to be angry. In the end, she said if she returned them, they would not associate with each other anymore, and if it felt inappropriate, to just help tidy up her reserved land instead.

His wife told him that Zhenping’s wife was just pretending, giving cotton tickets as a way to reassure them so they would help with the reserved land. He used to believe such talk, but... thinking about how Zhenping’s wife worked that day, heh, it’s quite possible she really did want their help.

"The hot water costs one cent, how many water tickets do you want?" The person managing the water room asked, holding a small red piece of paper and a notebook in their hands.

Uncle Guai looked around confidently, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a pile of small change – this was given by his wife before he left home. He spat on his hand and counted for a while, then picked out five cents from it.

"Give me five tickets!"

The woman running the water room nearly rolled her eyes to the sky, thinking, what’s the point of all this fuss for just five cents? The five-cent note was right on top, wasn’t it?

When Uncle Guai returned to the entrance of the delivery room with the hot water, Xie Jinghao still hadn’t given birth. He felt a bit anxious. Even the old cattle’s hindquarters were whipped red – hopefully, nothing was wrong with Jiasheng’s wife?

"Zhenping’s wife, how’s it going?"

"It’s done, it’s done, Jinghao has given birth to a girl. The baby was taken by a nurse for observation. In a while, when Jinghao comes out, they will be sent to the ward together," Shen Meng joyfully said.

"Then why is Jiasheng still sitting there like that?" He was exactly the same as when Uncle Guai had left, still crouching on the ground!

Shen Meng also couldn’t help but laugh. When the nurse came out with the baby, he didn’t dare to take a look, continuously calling for Xie Jing. The nurse was rendered speechless by his persistence.

Seeing Lu Jiasheng in this state, she couldn’t help but feel a warm sensation in her heart. After all, this man was not like the other members of the Lu Family. Just now, when the nurse came out and asked him to sign the consent form for a cesarean section, he was trembling and unwilling to sign, insisting to protect the bigger picture, and only after the nurse yelled at him did he finally sign.

Anyway, the very fact that he was so focused on Jinghao already made him better than many men.