“It’s me, Auntie Zhou~”
Hearing the name, Xingxing and Yueyue immediately stood up.
They knew Auntie Zhou.
She was the auntie Dad had hired to take care of Mom.
But wasn’t Auntie Zhou supposed to be at the hospital with Mom, looking after her?
Why was she here?
“Did something happen to Mom?” Yueyue couldn’t help but rush toward the door, her eyes already reddening.
“Wait, it’s all wind and rain outside. Don’t be so hasty—I’ll go with you.” Xingxing quickly grabbed the impulsive Yueyue.
“Here’s an umbrella. I’ll get it for you.” Goudan hurriedly fetched an umbrella and opened it. “Come on, I’ll walk you to the gate to see.”
“Thank you, Brother Goudan.”
Soon, Goudan was holding the umbrella, shielding Xingxing and Yueyue, who were holding hands beneath it.
When Sister-in-law Zhao left earlier, she had closed the door behind her.
Now, as Goudan opened it, the strong wind immediately blew it wide open.
The wind was fierce, and the rain was heavy. Goudan gripped the umbrella with both hands, struggling to keep it from being ripped away.
Xingxing and Yueyue, being just over two years old, were small and light. If the wind was too strong, the two little ones wouldn’t be safe either.
So Goudan shielded them with his body.
As the door opened, the figure outside became clear.
Xingxing and Yueyue recognized the person—it was indeed Auntie Zhou, the woman Dad had hired to care for Mom.
After Mom was hospitalized, Dad had taken them to visit her once.
Back then, they had also met Auntie Zhou, who was taking care of Mom at the hospital.
So they remembered her.
“Auntie Zhou, why are you here? What’s wrong with Mom?” Yueyue asked anxiously.
Before Auntie Zhou could speak, her eyes reddened.
Her silence and expression made Xingxing and Yueyue’s hearts sink.
Even the usually calm Xingxing grew frantic.
“Auntie Zhou, tell us—what’s wrong with Mom? Is she in danger?”
“Yeah, Auntie Zhou, hurry up and tell us! What happened to Mom?” Yueyue tugged at Auntie Zhou’s sleeve.
Under their urgent questioning, Auntie Zhou finally spoke.
“Xingxing, Yueyue… your mom… she’s not doing well…”
From Auntie Zhou’s explanation, Xingxing and Yueyue learned that Mom had gone into labor the night before—meaning the baby was coming.
But after struggling all the way until morning, Mom still hadn’t given birth.
“…The doctor said Dr. Gu is having a difficult delivery. The baby is too big.”
“Dr. Gu has been fighting all night, and now she’s exhausted.”
“Now… now I’m afraid she might not make it.”
“So… so…”
As she spoke, Auntie Zhou’s tears began to fall.
“I tried to find your dad—Regiment Commander Sheng—but I couldn’t locate him. I don’t know where he is.”
“I had no choice but to come to you two. After all… you are Dr. Gu’s children.”
When Xingxing and Yueyue heard that their mom was having a difficult delivery, their little faces turned deathly pale.
Actually, Xingxing and Yueyue knew that giving birth was a very dangerous thing for any mother.
Back when they were at the daycare, they had met an older boy who played outside in the dirt but didn’t attend the daycare.
Xingxing and Yueyue’s friend had told them—
This little brother’s mother had died while giving birth to him.
Later, his father remarried.
His stepmother treated him poorly.
So the little brother grew thin, never had enough to eat or warm clothes to wear, and couldn’t even go to school. He could only play in the mud all day.
At the time, it just so happened that Gu Jianing was also pregnant.
Because of this incident, Xingxing and Yueyue had been terrified.
That very night, they had nightmares and developed a fever.
Though they recovered by the next day,
the incident left a deep shadow in their hearts.
So they understood how hard it was for their mother during pregnancy—
the hardship of carrying them, and now the hardship of carrying their younger sibling.
They never mentioned this to their parents,
but from then on, they became even more careful and attentive toward their mother.
Especially when they saw her belly growing bigger and bigger—sometimes just looking at it made their hearts race.
When their mother went to the hospital to prepare for delivery, at first, they had wanted to go with her.
But they worried that, being just children, their mother would have to divide her attention between giving birth and taking care of them.
So in the end, they chose to listen to their father and stay with Auntie Zhao.
Yet now, their worst fear had come true.
Yueyue’s tears fell instantly.
Her small hands clutched her brother’s sleeve. “Brother, I want to see Mom. Yueyue wants to see Mom!”
At this moment, Yueyue was completely panicked.
Her only thought was to see her mother.
Xingxing was just as frantic.
“Okay, let’s go together,” Xingxing said.
“Xingxing, Yueyue, are you going to the hospital to see Auntie Gu?” Goudan asked.
“Yes, Brother Goudan. Mom’s not doing well, and Dad isn’t around. We have to go see her!”
“But my mom said we can’t leave.”
“Brother Goudan… Yueyue wants to see Mom…”
Goudan looked at the crying Yueyue. He had heard what Auntie Zhou said earlier.
He imagined if it were him—
if his mother were in danger, he would definitely want to fly to her side immediately and stay with her.
But right now…
If his mom were here, he wouldn’t feel so panicked.
But she had gone out.
Now, as the oldest one at home, the responsibility fell on him.
Faced with Xingxing and Yueyue’s pleading eyes, Goudan finally gritted his teeth and said, “Alright, let’s go. But I’m coming with you.”
Goudan felt that since his mother had entrusted Xingxing and Yueyue to him, he had to take responsibility for them.
He would accompany them to the hospital.
Maybe he could even see his own parents there.
“Okay, let’s go together.” Xingxing and Yueyue also understood that Brother Goudan was worried about them.
“Wait a moment—we need to prepare.”
Goudan first went back inside and told his 7-year-old younger brother to take care of their two little sisters at home. He also explained that he was going to the hospital with Xingxing and Yueyue.
Then, he started putting on rain hats and raincoats for himself, Xingxing, and Yueyue.
Fortunately, their family had many children, so there were child-sized raincoats available.
Though they were a bit big for Xingxing and Yueyue, they could still wear them.
“Auntie Zhou, let’s go,” Xingxing said after they were all dressed.
“Alright, let’s go.”
Following Auntie Zhou, Xingxing, Yueyue, and Goudan braved the wind and rain, stepping out into the storm…
Meanwhile, at the county hospital—
Gu Jianing had just gone into labor.
Wave after wave of contractions wracked her body.
But…
When she looked up, Auntie Zhou wasn’t there.
She suddenly remembered—Auntie Zhou had mentioned earlier that her home was right in the path of the typhoon’s landfall, and she wanted to go check on it.
Because Auntie Zhou had seemed so anxious and distressed, Gu Jianing had agreed.
But now, just as her labor had started, Auntie Zhou was gone.
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