Chapter 117

 

When Miss Ming shouted earlier, who would have thought her water had already broken?

At first, Ming Xi thought she had lost bladder control—but in the next instant, she realized: her water had broken.

The baby was eager to come out.

As she came downstairs, Gu Shuangyang rushed out of the study with lightning speed.

Yang Minwen was still in the kitchen, personally stewing soup, wearing an apron. Hearing the commotion, he froze in disbelief, hurriedly untied the apron, spun half a circle in nervousness, and rushed forward, intending to help Ming Xi sit down on the sofa.

Sit down? Was she supposed to have a cup of tea to calm herself too?

“What sitting? Go to the hospital immediately!” Gu Shuangyang cut him off sharply. Always composed in crises, she had already taken out her phone to call the driver—but the moment the call connected, she hung up again.

The situation was urgent, and there was no time to wait for the driver.

Making a swift decision, she had Xiao Ge drive while she accompanied Ming Xi to the hospital.

Yang Minwen dashed out to the garage. Just as he opened the car door, it suddenly struck him—Ming Xi’s hospital bag hadn’t been taken!

It seemed to be in Liang Jiancheng’s car…

But at a time like this, who cared about a hospital bag? The priority was getting her to the hospital. If Ming Xi’s condition hadn’t been relatively stable, Gu Shuangyang might have even arranged for a doctor to come directly to the house.

Although the baby was arriving early, the hospital and obstetric team had already been arranged. The well-known private maternity hospital was less than five kilometers from Gu Shuangyang’s villa.

Once in the car, Gu Shuangyang reminded Yang Minwen to drive steadily while making a series of calls to coordinate everything. In less than twenty minutes, Ming Xi was wheeled straight into the delivery room.

After examination, the doctor explained that most women experience bleeding before their water breaks. Cases like Ming Xi’s—where the water breaks first—were less common, but fortunately, the baby’s heartbeat was strong and stable. They would first try inducing labor to assist a natural delivery; if complications arose, surgery would be considered.

“Don’t worry, Director Gu. For now, everything looks fine,” the chief doctor, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, personally came out to reassure them. Then, with a gentle smile, he asked, “We can arrange for a family member to accompany her during delivery. Would you like that? Have you decided who it will be?”

Gu Shuangyang nodded and was just about to call Liang Jiancheng when the elevator doors suddenly opened—

Liang Jiancheng, dressed in a blue shirt and gray trousers, rushed out with a tense expression and hurried steps, clutching his car keys tightly, almost lunging towards the delivery room.

After signing the consent forms, he was about to go in when Gu Shuangyang grabbed his arm. “Are you sure you want to go in? Do you need me to help instead?”

After all, she was a woman, and she’s been through this herself.

“Director Gu, if you go in, are you planning to hold a meeting with Ming Xi?” Liang Jiancheng actually managed to crack a dry joke despite the tension.

Gu Shuangyang rolled her eyes at him.

Seeing this, Yang Minwen smiled helplessly. He knew that beneath Liang Jiancheng’s composure was a mix of nervousness and anticipation—just like his own. He had never particularly looked forward to becoming a father himself, but Liang Jiancheng and Ming Xi were his closest family, and the little one about to arrive might become the most important member of this household. Everyone was waiting for this child.

He guided Gu Shuangyang to the waiting area, then suddenly remembered, “Should we notify Professor Liang?”

Gu Shuangyang: …almost forgot.

But of course they had to. As the baby’s grandfather—and someone Ming Xi deeply respected—if he wasn’t informed now, it would surely lead to complaints later. Ever since learning that Ming Xi’s due date was in July, Professor Liang had returned to Haigang in late June and settled into retirement.

Gu Shuangyang dialed his number, her tone concise and efficient. “Old Liang, Ming Xi has gone into labor early. The doctor estimates delivery within three hours. If you’re available, I can send a car to pick you up. If not, I’ll send you photos after the baby arrives.”

On the other end, Professor Liang made his choice without hesitation. “Thank you, Director Gu. I’ll take a taxi myself.”

If it weren’t for the upcoming happy event, Professor Liang’s usual cold and indifferent response would have been even more pronounced.

What does “completed delivery” mean… does it mean reporting when production work is done?

…

On July 5, 2009, Ming Xi experienced childbirth for the first time in her life.

Although she and Liang Jiancheng had taken classes together beforehand, diligently learning about childbirth and preparing herself mentally for the impending pain, when the contractions surged like crashing waves, the unimaginable agony nearly shattered all of Ming Xi’s rationality and willpower. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead, and every breath became unbearably difficult, as if she were in a living hell.

Throughout the entire process, Liang Jiancheng remained by her side without moving, his handsome face close to hers, his hand tightly holding hers.

For the first time, Ming Xi felt Liang Jiancheng was utterly useless in this situation—she almost wished he would disappear from sight. As time passed and the pain intensified, Ming Xi, who had always been strong and enduring, gritted her teeth, trying to push through in one go.

But work could be completed in one burst—giving birth was not so simple…

When the anesthesia took effect and the pain eased slightly, the midwife gently suggested, “You can talk a bit, it may help distract you.”

That worked too. Clenching her teeth, Ming Xi suddenly blurted out, “What anti-dumping tariff rate did Mingzhou receive?”

Liang Jiancheng: “…”

Was it really appropriate to talk about anti-dumping tariffs at a time like this? But whatever Ming Xi wanted to hear, he would answer.

“Twenty-six percent…” Liang Jiancheng told her the truth.

What? Twenty-six percent! That was outright bullying—completely unfair! Whenever they couldn’t win, they resorted to this trick! Enraged, Ming Xi trembled all over and, in the midst of extreme pain, burst out cursing, “Fuck you!”

She rarely cursed like this, but under such intense pain, her voice rang out with full force.

One “Fuck you” wasn’t enough to vent her anger—she added another: “Go to hell!”

Unexpectedly, these outbursts became a driving force for her labor. The midwife had originally suggested talking to relax the mother, but discovered that this kind of reverse stimulation worked surprisingly well.

Meanwhile, Liang Jiancheng continuously wiped the sweat from her forehead with medical wipes using his right hand, while his left hand—slightly trembling with tension—gently smoothed her damp hair.

At the same time, with a serious expression and solemn expression, he leaned down and earnestly assured her, “Once the baby is born, Mingzhou will immediately respond to the lawsuit. I will hire the best and most experienced lawyer for Miss Ming, and we will definitely win this international case!”

The midwife who assisted Ming Xi today was the most experienced midwife in this international women and children’s hospital. Over the years, she had helped deliver the babies of many celebrities and wealthy families. She had seen husbands use all sorts of incentives—houses, cars—to encourage their wives during labor. But this was the first time she had seen someone offer… a lawsuit victory as a reward!

Truly a first in her long career.

And unexpectedly, it worked incredibly well. The mother seemed to have her energy channels fully opened, strength surging from within.

Hearing Liang Jiancheng’s promise, Ming Xi held his hand with complete focus—firmly, resolutely. Their hands remained tightly clasped. Then, as the midwife announced that only one final push remained, Ming Xi gathered all her strength. With deep, powerful breaths, she exerted every ounce of energy and successfully completed the most important “task” of her life—efficiently and smoothly.

The delivery, which doctors had initially predicted would take three hours, was completed in less than two.

At 12:12 PM on July 5, 2009, Ming Xi successfully gave birth to a baby boy.

The little one weighed six jin and six liang (about 3.3 kg), with fair skin and jet-black hair. Although his tiny face was flushed red from birth, his small fists were tightly clenched, full of strength.

When Ming Xi extended a finger, the baby instinctively grasped it. The warm, firm touch—tight and comforting—carried a natural sense of connection.

Turning her head slightly, Ming Xi gazed at the swaddled little life before her, and a single tear slowly fell.

That tear fully expressed the depth and complexity of her emotions at that moment: relief after a safe delivery, the profound feeling of finally having a blood-related family member, and an indescribable joy.

It felt as though the world had gained another bond of shared fate and mutual connection—one that would bring her endless creativity and strength.

The baby’s nickname was Minglang, echoing the brand Bright (“ming liang,” meaning brightness) that Mingzhou had built over the years.

Ming Xi jokingly hoped that if she couldn’t take Bright to the international market in her lifetime, Minglang could fulfill that dream for her… As if sensing the pressure of this “advanced” career, Little Minglang let out a loud cry in the delivery room.

Because he was born five days early, out of caution, Little Minglang was placed in an incubator after birth.

Although he looked strong and healthy, with round, bright eyes…

24 hours later, the nurses reluctantly returned Little Minglang to his parents. The nurses were so reluctant not because Little Minglang was particularly well-behaved, but because the baby was just too beautiful.

It’s rare for newborns to have a high, well-defined nose bridge—Minglang had one.

It’s rare for newborns to have enough hair at birth to style—Minglang did.

His fair skin resembled his mother’s—delicate and refined.

With double eyelids and a small, lovely mouth, he was exceptionally good-looking even among Chinese babies, drawing constant admiration from the nurses.

At first, they wondered if the baby had won the “genetic lottery.” But after seeing his parents in person, they understood—it wasn’t an extraordinary result… it was simply “normal.”

Looking closely, Little Minglang resembled Ming Xi more. Aside from his nose and mouth, which were like Liang Jiancheng’s, almost everything else mirrored his mother.

After the baby returned to her side, Ming Xi, driven by maternal curiosity, first studied his features, and then began observing his personality.

As for the baby’s gender, Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng had always held equal expectations. Not having a daughter was a slight regret, but they loved their son just the same—after all, he was their own flesh and blood, and the little one was so adorable.

Aside from crying loudly right after birth in the delivery room, afterward—whether in the incubator or by Ming Xi’s side—he was extremely well-behaved. Sometimes, Little Minglang would use those clear yet slightly “strange” eyes to look at his mother for a few moments, then lower his eyelids and fall into a deep sleep.

Indeed, Little Minglang loved to sleep. He was very steady, hardly ever crying or fussing. Especially when feeding, he was unhurried and calm, never needing to worry about choking on milk.

Seeing his grandson behave so delightfully, Professor Liang—who had personally raised Liang Jiancheng—couldn’t help but remark nostalgically, “He definitely didn’t inherit this from his father.”

Every time Professor Liang brought up “old stories” and threw shade at Liang Jiancheng’s infancy, no matter how good Liang Jiancheng’s memory or logic was, he had no way to defend himself.

That period of Liang Jiancheng’s childhood had long passed, and no one could testify for him—not even his own mother, Gu Shuangyang.

Sorry, Gu Shuangyang didn’t spend much time with Liang Jiancheng…

The arrival of Little Minglang not only brought out Professor Liang’s somewhat disdainful memories of Liang Jiancheng’s infancy (since he had been a sensitive baby), but also allowed Ming Xi to frequently see scenes of Professor Liang, Director Gu, and Xiao Ge all together.

Although Professor Liang didn’t visit often, whenever he came, he would stay for a while, spend time with the baby, and give some instructions before leaving. Yang Minwen now had fewer responsibilities and was technically the most available, but given his identity, it wasn’t entirely appropriate for him to stay too long. Still, whenever Gu Shuangyang came to visit her grandson, Yang Minwen never missed a single time.

Moreover, Yang Minwen was clearly far more skilled at holding a baby than Gu Shuangyang… by a significant margin.

It wasn’t that Gu Shuangyang didn’t know how; it was just that after years of giving orders, when it came to delicate tasks like holding a baby or feeding, she inevitably felt a bit rusty. However, when Little Minglang first came out of the incubator, the first person to hold him was Gu Shuangyang.

That tiny bundle nestled in her arms stirred memories of when she had first become a mother. In her life, she had never been constrained by the identity of “mother”—there had been fortunate aspects to that, but also unspoken helplessness and regret. Yet now, a softness she had never felt before seemed to fall quietly within her heart like a gentle March rain after Minglang’s birth, leaving behind a clear, glistening pool—reflecting a maternal instinct that even a strong woman could not resist.

Instinct was one thing; nervousness was another. When the baby moved more vigorously in her arms, Director Gu—still composed on the surface—reacted immediately by calling out, “Xiao Ge, Xiao Ge, he moved!”

Just then, Professor Liang walked in.

Ming Xi was sitting on the sofa, drinking millet porridge. She casually looked up and happened to see Professor Liang roll his eyes naturally. Who that eye-roll was for needed no explanation.

The professor’s eye roll was subtle, yet sharp.

Ming Xi lowered her head as if nothing had happened, pretending she hadn’t seen anything.

She had grown up without a proper family. Now she was married and had a child, and this “family” felt somewhat pieced together—but in the end, they were still a family. One bound by kinship, if not entirely by affection…

Professor Liang was a dignified man. For Minglang’s sake, he was always polite when he visited, and equally so when he left. Likewise, Yang Minwen showed him great courtesy.

Gu Shuangyang and Professor Liang now interacted entirely as old acquaintances. Once, Gu Shuangyang suddenly changed how she addressed him—from “Old Liang” to “Grandpa Liang.” Ming Xi then saw Professor Liang, whose temper had been improving, quietly turn away. Having once caught him rolling his eyes, Ming Xi instinctively guessed that his silent turn must have been another restrained eye-roll.

Everyone in this family knew how to manage things well. Ming Xi’s postpartum confinement went smoothly and wasn’t boring at all.

After a month, although her waistline had temporarily widened by several centimeters, her overall appearance hadn’t changed much. Especially after a month and a half, when she tied up her hair, put on professional attire, and returned to Mingzhou Foreign Trade’s office building, she was still Miss Ming—whose smile was even more beautiful than her looks.

The first thing Sister CC, whose child was already in kindergarten, did upon seeing her boss return was to step forward and touch Ming Xi’s stomach and waist.

“The swelling went down so quickly!” she exclaimed incredulously.

“Maybe… it’s from being angered by the Americans,” Ming Xi said frankly, shaking her head slightly.

This month, every time she read international trade news, she got angry. When she got angry, she drank water; drinking water sped up her metabolism, which made her postpartum recovery unusually fast.

As the saying goes, anger reduces swelling!

Because she had a meeting with lawyers today, Ming Xi arrived at her company early.

Originally, she didn’t need to come in person. Liang Jiancheng would have preferred to bring the legal team to Gu Shuangyang’s place rather than have Ming Xi end her confinement so early. But Mingzhou being listed in the anti-dumping entity list was a matter of reputation—how could someone like her sit still?

So not only did Gu Shuangyang allow her daughter-in-law to go out, she personally arranged a driver to take her to the company.

When Ming Xi, fully dressed and ready, pushed open the door to the CEO’s office, her eyes lit up with a familiar smile.

In her office, besides Liang Jiancheng who got up to greet her, there was another slightly familiar face—Zhou Mingjun, the international business lawyer from the renowned law firm.

Years ago in Seoul, when he had left Liang Jiancheng’s hotel room, he had extended his hand to her—then still a Haiou sales representative—and said, “Miss Ming, I look forward to working with you in the future. See you again.”

Fate truly was a winding, meticulously arranged encounter.

That “see you again” from years ago had indeed led to this meeting now.

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