At this point, he could no longer pay any attention to his mouth. Du Heng slowly stepped down from the bed. "Alright," he said, "I’ll leave the rest to you. You must ensure the safety of both mother and child."
Huo Yinhua looked as if she had acquired a precious treasure, her face flushed with excitent. "Don’t worry, Dean. We’ll take care of the rest."
"Good."
Du Heng, having completed his task, left the room.
He didn’t intend to participate in the delivery, nor did he want to get involved.
After all, he was a man, and this was the countryside, where such things could be misconstrued.
The mouths of so people in the countryside are as foul as sothing dragged out of a cesspit, stinking to high heaven. None of those people are here now, not one offering to help. But once this is all over, when it’s ti to stir up trouble and spread rumors, they’ll undoubtedly be first in line.
Moreover, as a doctor with Gynecology and Pediatrics Expertise, he knew what a woman looked like while giving birth, and he felt he lacked the courage to witness the mont life erged.
And there are surely many others like him.
Many n, after accompanying their wives out of the delivery room, end up divorced within a few years.
This isn’t because the n’s feelings changed, but because they were traumatized by what they witnessed during childbirth in the delivery room.
The trauma was both psychological and physiological.
When the cervix dilates to ten fingers, what you see and what you imagine are always two entirely different things.
Stepping into the courtyard, Du Heng removed his mask. His swollen, burning mouth was finally liberated, offering a slight sense of relief.
Du Heng touched the blisters around his lips. I understand now, he thought, I can never be an Obstetrician in this lifeti.
The Gynecological Diseases he had treated so far were all cases of infertility. He wondered if he would react the sa way if he encountered conditions requiring a physical examination, like pruritus vulvae, and swelling.
If it really stays like this, then this reward is half wasted.
However, just being a ’Guanyin of Child Delivery’ might not be so bad after all!!
After a mont of reflection, Du Heng took out his phone and made a call.
His first call was to the Municipal First Hospital to inquire about the ambulance’s location.
The answer was much as he expected: the ambulance was still stuck in traffic and hadn’t even left the downtown area.
Alas, it’s better to rely on oneself than on others.
He hung up and then dialed the driver who was out getting the car fixed. "How are the car repairs going?"
"I asked my friend to bring a spare tire. He just found a suitable one and is about to set off."
"Alright, tell your friend to hurry."
"I’ve been urging him."
The midwife who had been in the yard was nowhere to be seen; presumably, she had truly fled this ti.
Du Heng stood alone in the courtyard, listening to the faint sounds coming from the room, and couldn’t resist touching his painfully tight lips again.
For no particular reason, he suddenly craved a cigarette.
Du Heng didn’t go looking for the Woman in childbirth’s mother-in-law, nor did he search for Zhao Bin. He knew that if they managed to find a vehicle that could transport her, they would rush back to tell him.
All he could do now was wait. Anxiety was pointless.
Before his thoughts could settle, a man stumbled into the courtyard, his expression urgent and panicked.
Rushing in, he rely glanced at Du Heng in his white gown before heading straight for the room without a backward look.
As they were about to pass each other, Du Heng reached out and grabbed him.
The man, caught off balance, angrily shook his arm. "Let go! I need to see my wife!"
Du Heng remained unmoved, holding tightly to the man’s clothes. "Calm down. There are doctors and nurses from our hospital in there."
The man stopped, and as if all the air had gone out of him, he slumped to the ground.
Du Heng quickly asked him, "How did you get here? Did you drive yourself, or what?"
"I ca in a passenger minibus."
"Where’s the car?"
"It’s turning around at the slope entrance."
Du Heng let go of the man. "Don’t go in," he instructed, then sprinted out the door.
The Health Clinic’s car was broken, and private car owners were superstitious and unwilling to help. Surely, the minibuses that ran for profit would be willing.
Afraid the minibus might have already left, Du Heng ran quickly. When he reached the slope entrance, he saw Zhao Bin tightly gripping the passenger-side window of a minibus, talking to the driver inside.
Even the driver who was supposed to be fixing their car was standing nearby, constantly gesturing about sothing.
As Du Heng ran downhill, he caught the minibus driver’s voice coming from inside the car, "Friend, it’s not that I don’t want to help; I just don’t dare. It’s a difficult Labor! If she dies in my car, how could I ever take passengers again? My whole family depends on this car to make a living. Besides, what if her family cos after ? Would they even let live?"
Zhao Bin, growing desperate, said urgently, "Sir, we’ll give you more money—200 yuan! If that’s not enough, 300 yuan! Or you can na your price. Please, help us. Consider it a good deed. The woman and the child in her womb can’t hold on much longer!"
The minibus driver was already pressing the accelerator, and the vehicle began to move forward slowly. If he hadn’t been afraid of dragging Zhao Bin, who was clinging to the window, and causing him to fall, the driver would likely have sped off and disappeared by now.
"Friend, let go! I really can’t. Even if you gave a new car in exchange for this one, I wouldn’t dare. If sothing happened, and they ca after , I’d have to pay with my life."
The car’s speed gradually increased. Zhao Bin, unable to hold on any longer, released his grip on the door and watched helplessly as the minibus drove away.
Du Heng, who had just run over, stopped, panting heavily.
Zhao Bin turned to look at Du Heng, his voice filled with frustration and helplessness. "Once they hear it’s a Woman in childbirth having a difficult Labor, no one is willing to help, not even for money."
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