Chapter 219: Pan Yue Production
When Aunt Xie caught wind of the harassment, she immediately stepped out and gave Captain Wu’s mother a stern talking-to. Knowing better than to provoke the Political Commissar’s wife, the older woman had no choice but to trudge back home, seething with dissatisfaction.
“The Wu family truly has no sense of decency,” Aunt Xie scoffed.
“Exactly! If she keeps coming around to block the door every single day, how is Wanyan supposed to get any rest?” Mother Sheng agreed.
As an experienced woman, Aunt Xie had already deduced that Sheng Wanyan was in a delicate state. After all, Gu Tingxiao was waking up at the crack of dawn to cook all three meals and constantly rushing in and out of the courtyard to check on her. Living right next door, Aunt Xie noticed everything. Furthermore, Sheng Wanyan never cooked anymore; her chimney had been completely devoid of smoke. If Aunt Xie couldn’t put two and two together, she would have lived all these years in vain.
If anything went wrong, Captain Gu would absolutely lose his mind!
Aunt Xie decided she needed to speak with her husband. Sheng Wanyan was a recognized national talent; they couldn’t afford any mishaps.
That night, Aunt Xie relayed the situation to Political Commissar Xie. Upon hearing the details, the Commissar was furious.
“This is utter nonsense!” he barked. “This harassment needs to stop immediately. If something happens to Captain Gu’s wife, no one will be able to take responsibility for the fallout.”
Ever since Wanyan developed the revolutionary hemostatic drug, the high command had kept a close eye on her. Moreover, while the rest of the base might be ignorant of Gu Tingxiao’s true background, the senior leaders certainly knew! General Gu was an idol to all soldiers. If Wanyan was harmed, the Gu family wouldn’t let the matter rest. Let alone the Gu family, the state itself wouldn’t tolerate it! She was a premier national talent, only twenty-one years old with an extraordinarily promising future.
“And judging by how she looks, it’s highly likely that the captain’s wife is pregnant,” Aunt Xie added. “If something actually happens to her, it won’t be a simple joke.”
Commissar Xie bolted upright. “Is this true?”
“Nine times out of ten, it is. If it’s true and something happens, we’re talking about two lives.”
Commissar Xie recognized the severe gravity of the situation. It had to be resolved immediately. “Thank goodness for your sharp eyes. This cannot be delayed.”
He got out of bed and quickly changed into his uniform. Seeing him dress, Aunt Xie realized he was heading back to the office. “It’s the middle of the night and snowing heavily! What are you doing?”
“I’m heading back to the base. Go back to sleep,” he said, stepping out into the freezing wind and snow.
Aunt Xie grumbled, “Couldn’t it wait until dawn?” But she shook her head, knowing her husband was an absolute workaholic who dedicated every ounce of his passion to the nation and the military.
In the dead of night, Captain Wu was abruptly summoned by Political Commissar Xie. Thinking a massive emergency had occurred, he rushed over, only to receive a blistering reprimand. By the time he trudged back home, he was so furious his entire body was stiff.
When his mother and Zhang Zhaodi woke up the next morning, they found Captain Wu sitting rigidly in the living room.
“Son, why did you get up so early? Why don’t you get some more sleep?” his mother asked.
Captain Wu scowled at her and his wife. Why were the women in his family so obsessed with causing trouble?
“How could I sleep? I’m suffocating from anger!”
Captain Wu’s mother immediately glared at Zhang Zhaodi. The younger woman quickly shrank back two steps.
“Is this bitch causing trouble again?” the older woman snapped.
“Mother-in-law, I… I didn’t do anything!” Zhang Zhaodi stammered.
“You still dare deny it? Who else could it be but you!” With that, Captain Wu’s mother lunged forward and grabbed Zhang Zhaodi by the hair. Instantly, the small apartment echoed with the sounds of a vicious brawl.
Captain Wu rubbed his throbbing temples, his chest aching with suppressed rage. “That’s enough!” he roared.
Terrified, the two women immediately let go of each other and stood frozen.
“Mom,” Captain Wu gritted out, “have you been going to Captain Gu’s house every single day to block his wife?”
“I… I just wanted to make amends for what happened!” she stammered. “I wasn’t doing anything wrong!”
“Mom, do you really think I don’t know what you’re scheming?”
His mother lowered her head in embarrassment.
“Mom, Captain Gu is not someone we can afford to mess with,” Captain Wu warned grimly. “Political Commissar Xie gave me his final warning last night. If this happens again, we can all pack our bags and leave the base for good!”
Hearing this, his mother grabbed his arm in a panic. “This… I was only trying to apologize on behalf of your wife! If she hadn’t caused all that trouble in the first place, would I have needed to go?”
Knowing his mother was ultimately acting out of misguided concern for his career, Captain Wu softened his tone slightly. “Mom, if you don’t want to see me stripped of my rank and discharged, just calm down and leave them alone.”
His mother nodded hastily, not daring to gamble with her son’s future.
Captain Wu then turned a lethal glare on his wife. “And you, Zhang Zhaodi. Keep your mouth shut from now on. If you cause me one more ounce of trouble, I will divorce you!”
With that, Captain Wu stormed out to report for morning drills. He had been dragged out of bed for a severe dressing-down in the middle of the night and still had to lead training the next day. No one was more humiliated than him! When he eventually returned from his shift, his face was so pale and exhausted that it scared both women out of their wits.
Following Political Commissar Xie’s strict intervention, Sheng Wanyan’s life finally returned to its peaceful routine. When the neighborhood gossip eventually reached her regarding the Wu family’s domestic strife, she simply shrugged and feigned ignorance.
The days flew by, and soon it was January. Pan Yue’s due date was fast approaching.
Knowing the unpredictability of labor, Mother Sheng insisted Pan Yue check into the hospital a few days early. If her water broke at home during a heavy snowstorm, transporting her would be incredibly dangerous and inconvenient.
On her third day at the hospital, Pan Yue finally went into labor and was wheeled into the delivery room. Thankfully, Mother Sheng had the foresight to prepare all the essentials in advance, waiting smoothly for the delivery to begin.
Back at the compound, Wanyan was having dinner with her grandparents and father when Gu Tingxiao unexpectedly rushed in to drive them to the hospital.
“Is Xiaoyue about to give birth?” Grandma Sheng asked, instantly guessing the reason for his sudden return during working hours.
“Yes,” Gu Tingxiao confirmed. “Aunt Pan just called Uncle Pan’s office, and he asked me to come pick you all up.”
“Hurry, hurry! Let’s go! There were no signs at all yesterday; it’s so sudden!” Grandma Sheng urged.
Just the night before, Pan Yue had been sitting in her hospital bed, happily laughing and chatting with Mother Sheng and Mother Pan. But early this morning, right after breakfast, she had been hit with sudden stomach cramps and a heavy, dropping sensation in her lower abdomen.
The moment Mother Sheng noticed the shift in Pan Yue’s expression, she knew it was time and immediately called for the medical staff.
As for Sheng Wanze, he had been sitting there completely dumbfounded. He never expected that his wife could be brightly laughing one second and in agonizing labor the next.
By the time Wanyan, her grandparents, and Father Sheng arrived at the hospital, Pan Yue had already been transferred to the delivery room. Mother Pan had scrubbed in to supervise the birth, while Father Pan had also rushed over, pacing anxiously outside the doors and waiting for any sound from within.
“How is she? How is Xiaoyue doing?” Grandma Sheng asked, grabbing Mother Sheng’s hand the moment she reached the corridor. Father Sheng and Grandpa Sheng hovered nervously behind her.
“The doctor said she was ready to give birth the moment they wheeled her in,” Mother Sheng quickly explained. “Her mother is in there with her now.”
Grandma Sheng nodded, her face pale as she began pacing back and forth outside the delivery room doors in a daze.
Wanyan turned to look at Sheng Wanze. It would have been fine if she hadn’t looked, but the moment her eyes landed on her brother, she was absolutely shocked.
