Chapter 461: Three Cries Herald Spring Dawn

In the corridor of the obstetrics department of Shenzhen Renmin Yiyuan, the distinctive, slightly pungent smell of disinfectant water lingered.

The lighting was a grim white, shining on the smooth terrazzo floor and reflecting a cold, bleak glow.

On the long bench sat several men with differing expressions.

Li Ping'an sat at the far edge, spine straight, hands clasped on his knees, his gaze level at the "Jing" sign on the opposite wall, his face revealing no expression.

Yet every few minutes, he would subtly lift his wrist and glance at his watch face.

Sha Zhu sat beside him, and was not so composed.

He kept rubbing his hands, shifting his hips on the chair as if sitting on a furnace.

His eyes stared fixedly at the two tightly shut, pale‑green painted doors of the Chan Fang, his ears perked up high, catching any faint sound from within.

Chen Jianghe sat on the other side, holding a dog‑eared copy of "International Trade Practice", yet not turning a page for ages.

His gaze behind the glasses was unfocused, clearly his mind not on the book.

Time drifted slowly amid the disinfectant smell and the silent tension.

The daylight streaming through the windows at the corridor's end gradually shifted from bright white to a soft amber.

The sunset's afterglow brushed a fleeting warm hue over the cold corridor.

Suddenly—

A crack opened in the Chan Fang door.

A nurse wearing a light‑blue mask stuck her head out.

"Is He Xiao's family here?"

Sha Zhu sprang up like a spring, nearly flipping his chair.

"Here, here, here! I'm his dad! What's the news?"

"Delivered—a boy, six jin two liang, Mother and Child Safety." The nurse spoke quickly, "The mother still needs observation for a while; after the baby is cleaned and wrapped, he'll be taken out."

Sha Zhu opened his mouth wide, froze for two seconds, then swung his fist forcefully.

"Good! Good boy! I'm a grandfather now!" He gave his thigh a hard pat, his face instantly blooming with a radiant, almost foolish grin, joy spilling into the wrinkles at his eyes.

Chen Jianghe closed his book, stood up, and laughed, congratulating Sha Zhu: "Zhuzi, congratulations!"

Li Ping'an gave a slight nod, a trace of a smile appearing: "Congratulations."

Soon, another nurse emerged, cradling a swaddled bundle tightly wrapped in a small floral blanket.

"He Xiao's family, come see the baby."

Sha Zhu lunged forward, yet his movement became exceedingly gentle as he approached, as if fearing to disturb something.

He clumsily yet carefully took the tiny bundle.

Inside the swaddle, a reddened, wrinkled little face emerged, eyes tightly shut, occasionally opening its tiny mouth with a soft gasp.

Sha Zhu watched, his eyes instantly wet, a grin forming, yet a hoarse sound escaped his throat.

"Like… like Xiaozi when she was little…" he murmured, his finger reaching to touch the child's cheek, then pausing mid‑air, fearing his rough hand might hurt the soft bundle.

Li Ping'an and Chen Jianghe also leaned in to look.

The pure joy brought by the new life diluted the corridor's tense atmosphere.

Just as Sha Zhu, cradling his grandson, was reluctant to let go, the Chan Fang door opened again.

Another nurse called out, "Chen Anbang's family!"

Chen Jianghe straightened instantly, nudged his glasses, and hurried forward.

"Delivered—a girl, five jin eight liang, Mother and Daughter Safety."

Chen Jianghe let out a long sigh, his shoulders visibly relaxing, his face breaking into a smile of relieved burden and utter satisfaction.

"Good, good, as long as they're safe."

The girl was taken out first.

Compared with the boy from He Xiao's family earlier, this baby girl appeared more delicate, with fair skin and jet‑black hair.

Chen Jianghe took the child, his movements a bit more practiced than Sha Zhu's, yet still cautious.

He lowered his head, gazing at his daughter's daughter, his eyes soft enough to weep.

"So wonderful…" he whispered, as if speaking to the child and also to himself.

Sha Zhu, cradling his grandson, moved closer; the two grown men stood side by side, each looking at the little life in their arms, exchanging smiles, everything unspoken.

Li Ping'an remained standing a short distance away, watching the scene, a gentle smile at the corner of his mouth.

But his gaze, most of the time, still rested on that tightly shut door.

Inside, his daughter‑in‑law A Zhen was still there.

Nearly an hour passed again.

For Li Ping'an, this hour felt longer than the half‑day they had waited before.

The corridor's lighting dimmed completely, the ceiling lights all switched on, once again a sea of grim white.

Finally, that door opened again.

The doctor emerging this time wore a noticeably more relaxed expression.

"Li Yaozong's family."

Li Ping'an's heartbeat quickened imperceptibly by a beat.

He stepped forward steadily.

"Delivered—a boy, seven jin one liang, Mother and Child Safety. The baby is of decent size, the mother was a bit weary, but everything went smoothly."

A rush of heat surged into Li Ping'an's chest, rushing toward his eyes.

He blinked hard, pushing the moisture back down.

"Thank you, doctor, you've worked hard." His voice was a bit deeper than usual, yet still steady.

When the nurse came out holding the swaddling cloth that was clearly a whole circle larger than the previous two, Li Ping'an reached out his hand.

His movements were steady and precise, carrying a sense of settled strength.

The child was in his hand, heavy.

He gently adjusted the curve of his arm, letting the little fellow lie more comfortably.

He lifted a corner of the blanket.

The little fellow's hair was thick, his face round and plump; although it was also rosy and wrinkled, one could faintly see traces of Li Yaozong in his brows, and even… a hint of Li Ping'an's own youthful features.

At this moment the little fellow was clenching a tiny fist against his cheek, sleeping soundly.

Li Ping'an quietly watched the grandson in his arms.

A strange feeling spread out.

It was the tangible sense of blood‑line continuation.

It was the awe of life's cycle.

Moreover, the responsibility called "family" on his shoulders suddenly became a more concrete and heavy clarity.

Yaozong's child.

His great‑grandson.

"Dad." Li Yaozong, at some point, also came over from the Chan Fang; his face still bore the fatigue and post‑excitement flush, his eyes sparkling, "A Zhen is doing fine, just tired and fell asleep. The child…"

He leaned in to look at the son in his father's arms, his gaze soft to the point of mush.

"Ping'an, let me see." Lin Xueqing also rushed over, with Ma Dongmei and Li Pingle following her.

The three mothers' faces were all radiating uncontrollable joy and eagerness.

Li Ping'an gently handed the child to Lin Xueqing.

Lin Xueqing took it, and after just one glance, tears fell.

"Good child… so good…" she choked, bowed her head to kiss the grandson's forehead, then quickly lifted her head and asked Li Yaozong, "How is A Zhen? Does the wound hurt? What does she want to eat? I'll go back and stew soup…"

Ma Dongmei and Li Pingle also gathered around, looking at their respective little grandchildren, both laughing and wiping tears.

For a moment the corridor was filled with low, joyful sobs and gentle murmurs.

The cold scent of disinfectant seemed diluted by this rich human joy.

In the following days, the VIP ward of the Fuchan Ke at Yi Yuan became the Li Clan's temporary gathering place.

Three adjacent rooms housed three new mothers.

Lin Xueqing, Ma Dongmei, and Li Pingle, the three grandmothers, began a busy and happy "work" life.

They strictly observed the unwritten rule "each family manages its own daughter‑in‑law," yet they helped each other and shared experience.

Lin Xueqing varied the soups she stewed each day.

Carp‑tofu soup, peanut pork‑leg soup, free‑range chicken soup… she packed them in a thermos and delivered them to A Zhen's bedside on time.

She carefully helped A Zhen wash, massaged her legs, urged her to rest, and also taught the experience and precautions she had when giving birth to Li Yaozong.

Her tone was gentle, her movements light, causing the other patients' families in the ward to look on with envy.

Ma Dongmei fully embodied the down‑to‑earth post‑partum care of northern women.

The millet porridge she brought was so thick it could stand a chopstick upright; red‑sugar egg dishes were served several times a day.

Xiao Ling had a good appetite, and she was so delighted she could not close her mouth.

"Eat more! Eat more to produce milk! My great‑grandson is waiting!"

She had a loud voice and a quick temper, but when caring for her daughter‑in‑law and grandson, she was exceedingly meticulous.

Li Pingle's temperament was gentle; his care for Wen Jing also emphasized science and precision.

She not only prepared meals, but also brought a radio and played soft music for Wen Jing.

Every day she performed gentle touch on the granddaughter, a technique she had deliberately learned from the nurses.

The three mothers' styles differed, yet their unconditional love and dedication to their daughters‑in‑law and grandchildren were the same.

Li Ping'an, Sha Zhu, and Chen Jianghe, the three men, were mainly responsible for outer security and emotional support.

They came to Yi Yuan every day, looking at the child through the ward glass, softly asking about the mothers' conditions, then swapping their respective wives back to rest.

Li Ping'an did not speak much, but each visit he would carefully ask about A Zhen's condition and check on the grandson's state.

He would use the back of his hand to lightly tap the grandson's little face, feeling the warm vitality.

His gaze's steadiness now carried a few barely noticeable extra softness compared to usual.

Sha Zhu was the most flamboyant grandfather.

He almost wanted to beat drums and gongs to tell the whole world he had become a grandfather.

He bought a huge pile of toys for the grandson (though he couldn't play with them now), and handed out candy to anyone he met.

In the hospital corridor, when he met an acquaintance, his voice rang out: "Hey! Lao Zhang! I'm a grandfather now! Big‑fat kid!"

Chen Jianghe was immersed in the joy of having a "little cotton‑coat".

He did not speak much, but each day he had to hold the granddaughter, learning to pat her burp, his motions quickly shifting from stiff to proficient.

Behind his glasses, his eyes always shimmered with gentle smiles.

The naming was put on the agenda.

Li Yaozong discussed it with Li Ping'an.

"Dad, please give a name." Li Yaozong said solemnly.

Li Ping'an pondered for a long while.

"Let's call him Li Chengye." he said slowly, "Cheng means inherit. Ye means both the family business and a career, even the foundation we strive for. I hope he can inherit it steadily and forge ahead solidly."

Li Chengye.

The name was grand and steady, bearing the elders' deep expectations.

He Xiao's side was already much livelier.

Sha Zhu argued with He Xiao for half a day.

Sha Zhu wanted to name him "He Family Pillar," implying a national pillar.

He Xiao thought it too formal and wanted to call him "He Jun," like a prized steed.

In the end, Ma Dongmei clapped the table and said, "Let the nickname be 'Shitou', sturdy! The formal name… He Jia jun! The family pillar and the fine steed combined! No one loses!"

He Jia jun.

Both hopeful and full of vigor.

Chen Anbang and Wen Jing are both cultured, so their naming is more elegant.

After discussion, they settled on the name "Chen Jing shu."

A tranquil maiden, meaning serene and beautiful.

Three names, three styles, also reflecting the different temperaments of the three small families.

On the full‑moon day, there was no grand banquet.

Only at Li Ping'an's house, a warm family dinner was held.

The three little ones were carried out, dressed in brand‑new clothes and tiger‑head caps, becoming the undisputed stars of the gathering.

The adults took turns holding and teasing them, laughter never ceasing.

Li Ping'an held his grandson Li Chengye, seated at the head of the table.

He looked at the sleeping infant in his arms, then at the harmonious extended family in the hall.

His son is mature and steady; his daughter‑in‑law gentle and virtuous.

Old friends are all well, families blissful.

New life brings endless hope.

Outside the window, Shenzhen's night glitters.

This city, like his life, is stepping into a new, vibrant stage that bridges past and future.

The wine is poured to the brim.

Li Ping'an raised his cup, his gaze sweeping over everyone.

"Today, our family welcomes a new addition—a great joy. I'll say little else, just wish these three little ones a safe, healthy growth. And wish everyone here a prosperous household and all things going smoothly."

"Cheers!"

The glasses clink lightly, producing a crisp, pleasant sound.

Accompanying it are the occasional baby‑like coos from the children and the adults' satisfied, cheerful chuckles.

The earthly, smoky atmosphere most comforts mortal hearts.

And this simple yet profound joy and warmth that expands around the new life is precisely the treasure Li Ping'an, traversing endless time, most wishes to hold tightly in his hands.

The night is gentle, the lights friendly.

The future, in this lingering scent of milk and laughter, slowly unfurls a brand‑new scroll.