Chapter Twenty-Five: Assisting at Birth

  Zheng Tian Sheng glanced silently at Ning Qing Mian through the rearview mirror, then turned his gaze away and said: "Hua, tomorrow bring the little girl's file to the general manager's office, just in time as we're short of a clerk."

  "General Manager, I'm still a university student, just came to work part-time, and will leave in three days." Ning Qingming hastily added, "Thank you for the General Manager's appreciation!"

  "Oh!" Zheng Tian Sheng was slightly surprised. "In that case, leave your contact number and address for now, you're welcome to come back during winter or summer break to do some part-time work."

  Just as he was speaking, Zheng Tian Sheng suddenly slammed on the brakes and stuck his head out to say: "Want to die?"

  There was a man in front of the car, stretching out his hands in a flustered manner, as if afraid that the car would drive away. He anxiously said: "My wife is about to give birth, my car broke down here and died on me. We're stranded halfway, could you please give us a ride?"

  Zheng Tiancheng used the car's headlights to take a look at the man, who was in his thirties and looked anxious. He was wearing a leather jacket that appeared to be genuine. Then he turned his head to look at the side of the road and saw a private car parked there. A pregnant woman was standing beside the car, one hand holding onto the door handle and the other clutching her abdomen in pain.

  "Get on!" Zheng Tian Sheng took a look at the pregnant woman and judged that she was not pretending, then let Du Huahua sit in the front.

  Ning Qing hurriedly put down the shopping bag in her hand and sat back into a corner, yielding a large part of the seat.

  The man helped the pregnant woman onto the bus, thanking him repeatedly.

  The car sped forward rapidly.

  "It hurts so much! It hurts so much!" The pregnant woman moaned. "I can't take it anymore, I just can't take it anymore!"

  "Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. It's almost here!" The man held onto the pregnant woman's upper body, in a state of extreme urgency.

  Ning Qing shrunk into a corner. Clearly saw the pregnant woman's cold sweat dripping down. Her lips were trembling. Hurriedly stretched out her hand to the back to grab some tissue paper and handed it to the man. Also turned on the small light on the car top. So that the man could carefully help his wife wipe away the sweat.

  "Thank you!" The man glanced at Ning Qingmian and took over the tissue.

  "Oh, it hurts so much!" The pregnant woman's face seemed to have shifted. Her mouth was open and she let out a loud cry.

  "We're almost at the hospital. It'll be alright!" The man tried his best to comfort her, but his fingers trembled slightly, revealing his own anxiety.

  Originally, giving birth was as exaggerated as it was on TV. The pregnant woman struggled. It seemed like there was a Monkey King in her belly, turning the world upside down and messing around, wanting to mix up all her intestines and internal organs.

  "It's coming out! It's coming out!" The pregnant woman struggled to look at Ning Qingmian, "There is only you one girl here, can you...?"

  Ning Qing was stunned, did she want me to deliver the baby? Heaven, don't let this happen to me!

  "I'm scared, I'm scared!" The pregnant woman was covered in sweat, her short hair plastered to her head, wet and terrifying.

  "So many people are here, you don't have to be afraid!" Ning Qing also broke out in a cold sweat, the fact is, it's too scary!

  "Auntie, just bear with it a bit longer, we'll be at the hospital soon!" Du Huahua turned around from the front seat to comfort the pregnant woman.

  How terrible! Ning Qingming was called by the pregnant woman and panicked, barely calming down to say: "Don't be afraid, giving birth is a woman's instinct. When my mom gave birth to me, she was alone at home too, nothing happened!"

  "Really?" The pregnant woman seemed less afraid now.

  "Really!" Ning Qing nodded affirmatively, about to tell a stabilizing lie at the critical moment. In fact, her mother had been struggling in the hospital for a long time before giving birth to her.

  The man supported the pregnant woman's head and saw that she was no longer as panicked as before. She looked at Ning Qingmian with gratitude.

  Zheng Tiancheng sped up and ran a red light.

  "I can't take it anymore!" The pregnant woman said intermittently, looking frightened.

  Ning Qing hastily retreated to the front of the chair and vacated the entire seat, gesturing for the man to help the pregnant woman lie down.

  The man also squatted down in front of the chair, took off his coat and put it under the pregnant woman, and said urgently: "You little stinker, wait until we get to the hospital before coming out! If you dare come out at this time, I'll name you 'Che Sheng' (meaning 'born in a car'), so everyone will know how you came into this world."

  Everyone wants to smile, but their emotions are complicated and they can't bring themselves to laugh.

  "Ah......" A miserable cry echoed in the car.

  The man held the pregnant woman's head with one hand, afraid she would struggle too hard and fall off the chair. With his other hand, he stroked her abdomen, also pale with fear, but kept saying: "We're almost at the hospital, we're almost at the hospital..."

  "Ah...ah..." The pregnant woman gasped, her voice trembling with tears: "He won't wait any longer, he's coming out!" As she spoke, her legs spread apart, her face contorted, and she let out a loud, hoarse cry.

  Ning Qingmin looked under the chair and found it was all dark red stains.

  Blood flows like rivers!

  Ning Qing was so frightened that she stood there stupidly, not knowing what to do.

  At this time, the car stopped at the hospital entrance, Du Huahua quickly got out of the car and went in to call a nurse.

  Ning Qingmin was just about to help the man lift up the pregnant woman, when she caught a glimpse of the black head of a baby peeking out from under the woman's lifted skirt, as if considering: should I be born? Should I not be born?

  The pregnant woman suddenly straightened her whole body, clenched her teeth tightly and let out a mournful cry: "Ah!"

  Ning Qing stared blankly at what was happening in front of her.

  A baby is born!

  "Wah wah……"

  The baby is red and soft, with closed eyes crying.

  Can't let the baby catch a chill, Ning Qing thought vaguely, taking off her jacket to cover the baby.

  The man was at a loss and had no idea what to do at this time.

  Several nurses rushed out of the hospital entrance, and when they opened the car door, they heard the "wa wa" crying sound of a baby. They all shook their heads and said: "We've already arrived at the entrance, can't wait any longer."

  The pregnant woman and the baby were put together on a stretcher and taken into the hospital. Ning Qing let out a sigh of relief, only to realize that she was only wearing her sweater, so she quickly grabbed the shopping bag and put on the new coat.

  "It's gone!" Zheng Tiancheng stuck his head out to take a look under the back seat of the car, "It's all bloody, need to go wash the car."

  "General manager, wait a minute, see if the mother and child are safe before leaving!" That baby was almost delivered by herself, Ning Qing felt sentimental.

  "I'll go take a look!" Du Huahua jumped off the car.

  Not long after, the man followed Du Huahua out and said with joy: "Mother and son are safe! Thank you so much tonight!" He then pulled out his wallet, took out a few hundred yuan, and handed it to Zheng Tiancheng, saying: "The car got dirty, this is for the car wash fee!"

  Zheng Tiancheng pushed away the man's hand, with a hint of a smile in his eyes: "No need, hearing that the mother and son are safe, we also feel a sense of accomplishment."

  "Haha......" The man laughed and turned his gaze to Ning Qingmian, saying: "I must especially thank you, little girl. Otherwise, I'd have to compensate you for a new coat. Just now, my son covered your jacket with his."

  "No need, I just bought a new coat." Ning Qingming showed off his new coat.

  "May I have your contact information? My son will visit you after he's discharged from the hospital!" The man had a big smile on his face.

  Zheng Tiancheng handed a card to the man and said: "Let's have tea when you're free!"

  The man pulled out two cards from his body, gave one to Zheng Tian Sheng, and stuffed the other into Ning Qing Min's hand, saying: "Call me later, I'll buy you a coat." He turned around and said, "I still have to go accompany my wife, contact you guys later!"

  Three people in the car couldn't help but exchange a smile, what a thrilling night!