Chapter 150: The Truth of the Matter

As Xie Qingtang’s words faded, Ah Ben stood frozen in place, stunned with joy, as motionless as a wooden statue. It was not until A-Xiang poked him in the waist with a light laugh, saying shyly, "You silly log, what are you daydreaming about?" that he snapped out of it.

"A-Xiang, I don't even know what to say. There are actually two babies in your belly! What are we going to do?" Once he regained his senses, Ah Ben began pacing back and forth in the Cunshan Clinic, looking utterly flustered.

He then approached Xie Qingtang with an anxious expression. After his lips moved for a long while, he finally blurted out, "Dr. Xie, is it possible... not to let A-Xiang have two babies?"

The room fell silent. Both Xie Qingtang and A-Xiang were stunned, neither understanding why Ah Ben would make such a request.

"Ah Ben, what are you saying? Having two children in her belly is a blessing. Besides, they will be born together—how could you possibly choose not to let her have two?" Xie Qingtang was completely baffled, unable to grasp his logic.

A-Xiang stood up, looking somewhat angry, and said to him, "Ah Ben, what do you mean by that? Are you unhappy that I’m carrying twins? Do you want one of them to not be born? Are you wishing for one of them to die inside me?"

Seeing her anger, Ah Ben quickly waved his hands. He supported her with a clumsy, tender touch, urging her to sit down before explaining, "I’ve heard from the elders that for a woman, giving birth is like walking through the gates of hell. Even having one child is a brush with death, so wouldn't having two be stepping straight into the abyss? I love you, A-Xiang. I’d be happy even without children. Having two is too dangerous; let’s just have one."

Hearing his clumsy explanation, Xie Qingtang was momentarily stunned before bursting into uncontrollable laughter. A-Xiang, both embarrassed and touched, tapped him on the chest.

"You silly, foolish man! The two babies are coming together; you can't just pick one. Since they are both here, it is a blessing from heaven. You’re not only refusing the blessing, but you’re also afraid of it," A-Xiang said, her previous indignation melting into sweetness as she realized his concern was entirely for her safety. She glared at him with feigned annoyance.

Ah Ben stood there, scratching his head in embarrassment. He looked at Xie Qingtang, who was laughing until tears streamed down her face, and asked, "Dr. Xie, please don’t laugh at me. I don’t know anything about these things, but having two babies must be much more dangerous than having one, right?"

"Oh, my stomach hurts from laughing," Xie Qingtang wiped the tears from her eyes and turned serious. "You are right about one thing: a twin pregnancy is indeed riskier than a single one. That is something you both need to be mindful of."

These words made Ah Ben nervous again. Xie Qingtang, intending to tease him a bit further, paused before adding, "Usually, when twins are born, one is weaker than the other. And as A-Xiang feared, it is not impossible for one to be lost during the pregnancy."

"Ah! Then what should we do?" Ah Ben, being a simple-minded man, failed to notice the playful glint in Xie Qingtang’s eyes. A-Xiang, however, sat to the side, stifling a giggle.

Xie Qingtang coughed a few times, stood up, and paced around the clinic in silence. Her hesitation made Ah Ben pace behind her, scratching his head and face until he was bright red.

"Dr. Xie, please, just tell me! If we must sacrifice one to save A-Xiang, I’m willing. In my heart, nothing is more important than A-Xiang," Ah Ben finally gritted out, inadvertently showering the room with his devotion.

Having had her fill of his display of affection, Xie Qingtang stopped teasing him. She patted his shoulder and said, "Alright, I’ll stop playing with you. A-Xiang is indeed carrying twins, and while it is slightly riskier, I’ve checked her pulse and she is in decent condition. If you’re truly worried, let her stay here at the Cunshan Clinic until she gives birth safely."

Hearing this, Ah Ben finally breathed a sigh of relief. He thought about their home in the remote mountains, how difficult it was to travel to the city, and how the bumpy journey would be bad for A-Xiang. He immediately agreed to her proposal.

"Dr. Xie, you’re right. I’ll leave A-Xiang here at the clinic. I trust your medical skills completely; I know you’ll take good care of her. I’ll go back right now and bring all her things." With that, Ah Ben hurried out of the clinic, rushing off to fetch her belongings.

Watching his retreating figure, Xie Qingtang smiled with a touch of envy. She turned to A-Xiang and said, "You must have been restless back home. You probably did quite a bit of work, didn't you?"

"Women in the mountains don't fuss over such things. I even came here on an ox cart," A-Xiang said dismissively. To her, working while pregnant was common practice in the mountain villages.

Xie Qingtang shook her head, her brow furrowing. "I didn't want to say it in front of Ah Ben, but your body is very weak. It’s because of constant overwork and a lack of proper nutrition. If you were carrying a single child, it might not be so severe, but with twins, your body is in desperate need of nourishment."

"So, stay here at the clinic for now. I will help you build up your strength, otherwise, it will be very difficult to carry these children to term."

Hearing this, A-Xiang stumbled slightly. The women in the mountains knew nothing of such dangers, and she hadn't even realized she was carrying twins—she had simply thought her belly was growing larger than usual.

Truth be told, if they had arrived any later, it was highly likely that one of the twins would have perished due to malnutrition.

"Don't worry. Since you’ve come to my clinic, I will do everything in my power to ensure both of your children are born safely," Xie Qingtang said, sighing as she looked at A-Xiang’s pale face and patted her shoulder comfortingly.

A-Xiang nodded, placing both hands over her belly, her eyes filled with newfound determination.