I remember it was an ordinary Saturday, and I sat on a wicker chair on the balcony as usual, holding a cup of freshly brewed green tea in my hand, thinking about the changes in my family during this time.
My wife, Han Han, has been pregnant for five months and she is very careful every day in case there are any problems.
I remember that day, she said to my wife and me with excitement and embarrassment, "I'm pregnant. Han Han was stunned for a while, and then couldn't help laughing.
According to the customs on our side, the mother-in-law was supposed to take care of Hanhan's confinement, but now the situation is special, and the mother-in-law herself also needs to be confined.
I smiled and patted him on the shoulder, "Dad, what's so difficult about this, we should be happy that we have a baby at home."
At the moment when I was preparing the confinement supplies, I deeply felt the expansion of my family. My mother-in-law would occasionally feel guilty and say, "It's all my fault, it's still at this age..."
Joy, apprehension, and an unspeakable hint of tension are intertwined. Under special circumstances, after discussing with Hanhan, I decided to hire a professional confinement lady to take care of the two mothers.
However, Han Han looked at her mother-in-law firmly: "Mom, you and the baby need to be taken care of."
Han Han's mother-in-law entered the process of giving birth a week earlier than Han Han. My mother-in-law was moaning in pain in the delivery room, and Hanhan and I waited anxiously outside the delivery room.
Suddenly, the cry of a newborn was heard in the delivery room, and we knew that a new life had come into the world.
During my mother-in-law's confinement, the family was extremely busy. I tried my best to help with household chores outside of work, and even though Hanhan's body was getting heavier, she still patiently took care of my mother-in-law.
Every night, we would sit around the living room and listen to our mother-in-law tell stories of the past, or tell stories to future children.
One night, my mother-in-law suddenly called me aside. She took out a box containing a small blanket that she had knitted by herself, and asked me, "This is the blanket I knitted for the little one, what do you think?" I took the box, and saw the delicate and soft lines intertwined, the colors were bright and warm, I didn't say too much, just hugged her tightly: "Mom, thank you very much, this blanket is so beautiful."
And Han Han seemed a little preoccupied, which made me suspicious. That night, I heard her whispering in a half-asleep voice, "I hope that our family will be harmonious, and that mother and baby will be healthy."
Hanhan's due date is approaching, and the atmosphere at home becomes tense. Everything is almost ready, just waiting for Hanhan to produce safely.
Hanhan's due date arrived, the day after her mother-in-law had just finished confinement. I remember that early that morning, the birdsong was particularly crisp, as if to herald the upcoming challenge.
Although we should be more relaxed with our previous experiences, our emotions are still tense and complicated.
I was very troubled when I noticed that my father-in-law and mother-in-law were embarrassed. It turned out that my mother-in-law's physical recovery was not as ideal as we imagined, and the report of the pathological examination was not optimistic, but she never told us, and it was only when Hanhan gave birth that my father-in-law told me.
This news put me in a dilemma: on the one hand, my mother-in-law's physical condition needs to be taken care of, and on the other hand, my wife, who is about to give birth.
At this difficult moment, I decided to take Hanhan to the hospital first.
In the hospital, Han Han frowned and endured labor pains. I held her hand tightly and did everything I could to give her courage and comfort.
After hours of waiting, with a cry, our two treasures were born. Hanhan looked at me tired but full of joy, and I immediately handed over the newborn baby into her arms.
Just when I was deeply affected by this innocence, the hospital called and told me that there was bad news from my father-in-law's side, and that my mother-in-law's health had suddenly deteriorated and she needed immediate surgery.
Han Han could see my hesitation and struggle, and even though she was exhausted, she still said to me, "Go ahead, the baby and I will wait for you."
I hurried out of the delivery room, my mind in confusion. The sudden change left me unprepared, I was afraid, afraid that I would lose someone I loved so much.
This love is so deep, but it has also become a heavy burden on my shoulders.
When I arrived at the hospital where my parents-in-law were, I waited nervously. The door to the operating room was tightly closed, the red light was on, and my father-in-law and I supported each other, neither of us speaking.
The story is abruptly interrupted at this moment, the life and death of the mother-in-law is uncertain, and the newborn baby and the woman who is working hard to fight for her life weave the future of this family together.