291: Chapter 291 The Birth of the First Child

In the Medical Room, Su Yuran lay on the delivery bed, while Han Qing was busy at the foot of the bed.

The work of the circulating nurse had been handed over to the Medical Room's newly equipped intelligent nursing System, with mechanical arms flexibly delivering instruments and consumables.

"Breathe, take a deep breath, exhale slowly, don't hold your breath." Han Qing's voice was not loud, but very steady.

Su Yuran did as she was told, her hands gripping Qin Lin's tightly, her fingernails digging deep into the back of his hand.

Qin Lin did not pull his hand away, using his other hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead.

The contractions were becoming more frequent, going from once every ten minutes to once every five minutes, and from once every five minutes to once every two minutes.

Every time a contraction came, Su Yuran's body would tense up, biting her lip and letting out a low, muffled groan.

She did not scream; it wasn't because it didn't hurt, but because she didn't want everyone to worry.

Qin Lin watched her, feeling that his previous understanding of her was still far from enough.

She was much stronger than he had imagined.

Time passed second by second.

None of the women in the living room left, nor did anyone speak.

Wang Xiulan had brewed a large pot of tea at some point and poured a cup for everyone.

The hot tea was held in their hands, warm, but no one drank it.

Everyone was holding their cups, or had placed them on their knees or the coffee table, their eyes never leaving the closed door of the Medical Room.

Han Yurou leaned against the sofa, clutching a throw pillow with her chin resting on it, her eyes wide open.

Li Ying lay on the massage chair next to her, the massage function turned off, lying there quietly.

Xu Xue held Xia Qiuyan's hand.

Lin Xiaoyue leaned on Lin Fang's shoulder.

Su Yuling stood at the entrance of the Medical Room, with Li Ran standing next to her, her arm around her shoulder.

Su Yuling's eyes were red, but she wasn't crying. She just stood there, watching that door without moving.

When Qin Lin walked out, everyone looked up in unison.

"How is it?"

Someone asked, the voice sounding very soft in the quiet space.

Before Qin Lin could speak, a loud cry of a baby came from the Medical Room.

It wasn't the kind of weak sound like a kitten's mewling, but a loud, robust cry.

Everyone was stunned.

Then, Han Qing poked her head out of the Medical Room with a smile on her face, her eyes red: "It's born, it's a boy, six jin and eight liang, both mother and child are safe."

Qin Lin stood at the Medical Room entrance, looking at Su Yuran on the delivery bed.

She was exhausted, lying there, her face pale, her hair soaked with sweat and clinging to her forehead.

But the corners of her mouth were turned up.

Han Qing placed a small thing wrapped in a white towel beside her pillow.

It was very small, its face wrinkled, eyes closed, mouth opening and closing, still crying.

The sound was not loud, but powerful, coming in bursts, as if announcing its arrival.

Su Yuran turned her head to look at the little person, tears sliding down from the corners of her eyes.

Qin Lin walked over, stood by the bed, and looked down at the baby.

He was tiny, his face slightly deformed from being squeezed through the birth canal, his skin wrinkled like a little old man.

His fingers were curled, his nails like transparent thin flakes.

His head was covered with a layer of fine, soft fuzz; his hair was black, the same color as Su Yuran's.

Qin Lin looked at that wrinkled little face, and a feeling he had never experienced before welled up in his heart.

He couldn't quite describe what it was.

It wasn't joy, nor excitement, and certainly not relief.

It was something deeper, as if his heart had been gently held by a hand—not heavy, not painful, but letting him know that from this moment on, his life was no longer his own.

Su Yuran looked at the baby and whispered: "Qin An."

Her voice was very, very soft.

Qin Lin looked at her.

Su Yuran looked up, meeting his gaze, the corners of her mouth turning up as she said: "Qin An, the 'An' for peace. In this apocalypse, I hope he can grow up safely; that is my greatest wish."

Qin Lin nodded.

"Good, let's call him Qin An."

Han Qing picked up the baby, gently wiped his body with warm water, and then wrapped him in a soft blanket.

The newborn stopped crying, his eyes still closed, but his lips were moving as if looking for something to eat.

Han Qing brought him to Su Yuran's side; she was already able to turn slightly.

Su Yuran reached out a finger and gently touched Qin An's hand. The little hand immediately grasped her finger, holding it very tightly.

Su Yuran's tears fell again, but this time she didn't wipe them away.

Qin Lin reached out and carefully took the baby from Han Qing's hands.

It wasn't the first time he had held a baby, but it was the first time he had held his own child.

His hands trembled slightly, not out of fear, but because the feeling of "this is my child" was so intense, so strong that he didn't know where to put his hands, afraid to use force, yet afraid he wouldn't hold him steadily.

Qin An moved in his arms, his face wrinkling for a moment, then slowly relaxing, the corners of his mouth turning up as if he were having a sweet dream.

Su Yuling walked in from the doorway, stood beside Qin Lin, and looked down at the baby.

"So small," she whispered.

Li Ran followed behind her, took one look at the baby, and her eyes turned red, tears streaming down uncontrollably.

She wiped with the back of her hand, then wiped again, but couldn't stop them.

Han Qing handed her a tissue; Li Ran took it, wiped her eyes, her voice hoarse: "I'm fine, I'm just happy."

Qin Lin held Qin An, feeling an indescribable sensation.

Su Yuling hugged him from behind, pressing her face against his back: "Brother Qin Lin, many more children will be born in the future."

Qin Lin held Qin An, feeling the tiny, warm weight in his arms, hearing his breathing and Su Yuling's voice in his ears.

He looked down at Qin An; Qin An's face had relaxed a bit more than before, and the wrinkled skin was slowly becoming smoother.

His tiny lips were pink, moving again and again as if nursing in a dream.

Qin Lin felt that the apocalypse didn't seem so terrifying anymore.

Not because the The Ark had become stronger, not because there were more crystal stones, but because this little thing in his arms gave him a reason to live on.

He wanted to let Qin An see the sky that only existed before the apocalypse, see the real sun and moon, and see the Flower Garden full of flowers swaying in the breeze on an afternoon.

He wanted to tell him that this world was once very beautiful, and that there could still be beauty after the apocalypse.

Su Yuling hugged him from behind, her cheek pressed against his shoulder blade, and said: "Brother Qin Lin, Qin An looks a lot like you."

Qin Lin looked down at Qin An again; Qin An's face was slowly relaxing from its wrinkled state, and he could indeed see his own shadow in his brows and eyes.

"He looks like your sister too."

Su Yuling smiled and reached out a finger to gently touch Qin An's little hand.

Qin An's fingers immediately grasped her finger, holding it very tightly, like a tiny pair of pliers.

"He has so much strength," Su Yuling's eyes lit up.

Qin Lin walked out of the Medical Room.

Everyone was in the living room; no one had gone to sleep.

Lin Wanwan stood at the very front with her big belly, hands supporting her waist. Seeing Qin Lin come out holding the baby, her eyes turned red, but she didn't cry.

Wang Xiulan stood next to her, supporting her.

Han Yurou jumped up from the sofa and ran over to crowd around Qin Lin.

Li Ying sat up from the massage chair and walked over, supporting her belly. Xu Xue and Xia Qiuyan walked over one after the other, with Xia Qiuyan supporting Xu Xue's arm.

Zhou Lingling stood behind the sofa, holding Zhou Yueyue's hand. Lin Xiaoyue stood by the dining table, holding Lin Fang's hand.

Everyone gathered around.

Qin Lin stood in place, holding Qin An, surrounded by a circle of pregnant women with big bellies.

Han Yurou craned her neck to see Qin An's face, standing on tiptoe, but her belly was too big to bend down.

"Let me see, let me see! Has he opened his eyes? Who does he look like?"