Plunder-Chapter 306: Utter Disappointment

A sharp pain swept through her abdomen.

It was like electricity, quick and intense.

Lin Youyou instinctively gripped the seat, "Driver, please go a little faster."

She had scheduled a visit for eight in the morning, eager to see Cheng Lu as soon as possible.

While others had their romantic dates amidst flowers or under the moon, she and Cheng Lu had their rendezvous in the visitation room.

The thick glass separated them, but seeing each other through the glass, they found joy in each other’s eyes.

"Miss Lin, this is as fast as I can go."

The driver had not noticed anything unusual.

Lin Youyou struggled to maintain her composure, gripping the car door handle tightly.

But the pain turned her complexion increasingly awful, large beads of sweat rolled incessantly down her cheeks.

Yet even so, she did not cry out in pain.

By the time the car reached the prison entrance, Lin Youyou was in too much pain to get out of the car.

It was then the driver noticed something amiss, "Miss Lin, what’s wrong with you?"

Lin Youyou weakly shook her head, unable to speak, "I’m fine, please help me out of the car."

She grabbed the lunch box with one hand and reached for the car door with the other.

The driver hurriedly stepped forward to assist her, but he quickly noticed the wetness beneath Lin Youyou.

"Miss Lin, are you going into labor? I should take you to the hospital now."

The due date was set for the eighth of next month, a day considered auspicious.

That day was also the day Cheng Lu would be released from prison.

She shook her head, "Not yet."

But this being her first pregnancy, she was not very familiar with preterm labor.

Though the driver was a man, he had just become a father not long ago.

"Miss Lin, I really should take you to the hospital. This seems very much like when my wife went into labor, you might be having a premature birth."

"No, I’ve promised to meet him at eight."

Seeing that the time was approaching, Lin Youyou knew that their monthly meeting was Cheng Lu’s greatest anticipation inside.

She could not let him down.

The driver became anxious, "Miss Lin, you could be risking your life, let’s do this—I’ll have someone take the items inside for you, and pass him a message."

Lin Youyou could no longer care about anything else, the pain in her abdomen overwhelmed everything else.

The driver immediately grabbed the lunch box and handed it over to the staff at the registration desk.

He originally intended to pass a message, but he forgot in the end.

Eight o’clock, the visiting room.

Cheng Lu waited anxiously.

Last month, today, he and Lin Youyou had agreed to meet this morning at eight.

However, a minute passed, and Lin Youyou did not appear.

He sat there, nervously stretching his neck to look at the entrance.

Each meeting session with Lin Youyou lasted only half an hour.

Every second was precious to them.

But as time ticked away, Lin Youyou still did not show up.

His eyebrows had already furrowed into a deep frown, his eyes narrowed with anxiety, his heart gnawed by a thousand ants.

Did she not show up because something unexpected had happened?

Or, had she grown weary of this tiresome and monotonous routine?

Numerous thoughts churned through Cheng Lu’s mind.

Until the visiting time ended, Lin Youyou had not appeared.

The box of sushi remained at the registration desk, never delivered to Cheng Lu; he never got to taste the delicacy Lin Youyou had lovingly prepared.

Meanwhile, the driver, with Lin Youyou en route to the hospital, unexpectedly encountered the morning rush.

The asphalt road was packed with cars, jammed everywhere.

Lin Youyou, in agony, slumped in the backseat, clutching her abdomen.

"Miss Lin, hang in there, we’ll arrive soon," the driver comforted her while incessantly honking the car horn.

"Director Zhou, Miss Lin may be giving birth."

He called Zhou Jin’an.

At that moment, Zhou Jin’an had just arrived in Nanchen.

"Where are you now?"

Zhou Jin’an’s expression became tense at once, the driver explained the situation, and Zhou Jin’an immediately strode out.

"Take good care of her, I’ll coordinate the traffic."

As Zhou Jin’an walked out, he continued to make phone calls.

First, he coordinated with the hospital, which dispatched an ambulance immediately; on the other side, he contacted the traffic management department for assistance.

"Contact the Young Madam," said Lin Youyou amidst the chaos, speaking to the driver.

She was about to give birth, and she felt uncertain.

She still hadn’t told her parents about the pregnancy; contacting them now clearly seemed inappropriate. Cheng Lu was still inside; she couldn’t be without someone dependable by her side.

Thus, she thought of Qiao En.

The driver immediately called Qiao En.

"Young Madam, Miss Lin is about to give birth."

The driver explained Lin Youyou’s situation, and Qiao En’s heart suddenly rose to her throat.

Giving birth was a major event, and a single mishap could lead to disaster.

She had given birth before and had experience.

"Youyou, listen to me, just relax and breathe; nothing will happen, I’m on my way to the hospital, and I’ll stay with you throughout."

"Hmm, thank you, Young Madam."

When Lin Youyou heard Qiao En’s voice, she suddenly felt a surge of strength.

The call wasn’t hung up, and Qiao En continuously encouraged Lin Youyou.

Lin Youyou hadn’t prepared items like a maternity package.

Anxious to reach the hospital, Qiao En, along with Sister Rong and Auntie Jiang who were carrying the child, dashed directly to the mall to gather supplies.

Soon, the traffic police cleared the way, and the ambulance arrived at the scene.

Lin Youyou was quickly lifted onto a stretcher.

Just as Qiao En arrived at the hospital, Lin Youyou was also brought in.

On the way to the operating room, Qiao En held her hand the entire time.

Lin Youyou was very scared, her fingers trembling non-stop, "Young Madam, will it be very painful?"

Tears slowly slid down her cheeks.

Qiao En tenderly wiped away her tears, "Not at all, it won’t hurt one bit. Youyou, you’re the luckiest person right now, you’ll soon see your two adorable babies."

Lin Youyou smiled, her tears flowing even more intensely.

"Young Madam, if something unexpected happens later, remember to tell the doctors to save the children first."

Her voice choked up.

"Silly girl, don’t think too much, you and the children will be safe."

Qiao En stroked Lin Youyou’s head with her hand.

She simply let go and cried aloud, "I’m so scared now, could I die?"

"You won’t, you’ll be reborn. Youyou, you’re going to be a mother soon."

Lin Youyou stopped crying, but soon, she began to cry again.

That day, she cried an unusual amount.

"But I’m still a child myself, Young Madam, if my parents find out I’ve had two children, do you think they’ll beat me to death?"

"How could they? They will definitely be proud of you. Do you want me to contact them now?"

Qiao En tentatively suggested.

Lin Youyou immediately shook her head, "Not now, don’t tell them yet. My mother has high blood pressure, I’m afraid it might upset her. Once the children are born, I’ll go back and visit them with Assistant Cheng and the kids."

Qiao En nodded vigorously, "Youyou, you’re great, you’re truly wonderful."

Lin Youyou suddenly remembered the box of sushi, "Young Madam, I stood him up today. He must be utterly disappointed."

That was Lin Youyou’s regret.

"He’ll understand, the next time you meet, everything you bring will be a total surprise, Youyou, you’ve worked hard."

The pain struck again, Lin Youyou endured the immense pain, she bit her lip tightly, determined not to cry out.

But childbirth wasn’t so quick; from morning to night, Lin Youyou suffered all day, yet it still wasn’t time to deliver.

"I never want to give birth again, it hurts so much."

Lin Youyou complained like a child; despite the pain, she kept grasping Qiao En’s hand.

Two equally frail women, holding onto each other as if they were clutching strength itself.

Lin Youyou was finally taken to the operating room by ten o’clock that evening.

Zhou Jin’an brought some food, but Qiao En couldn’t eat a bite.

"Who knew that accompanying someone during childbirth could be so exhausting?"

She sighed deeply, sitting down on the bench.

Zhou Jin’an, feeling compassionate, pulled Qiao En to his side, letting her lean on his broad shoulder.

"You’ve worked hard, wife."

Qiao En looked affectionately at Zhou Jin’an, "Husband, you’ve worked hard."

Understanding is the warmest love language between partners.

He knew what Qiao En was trying to express. To avoid making the atmosphere too solemn, he decided to cheer up Qiao En a bit.

"Once Assistant Cheng is out, we’ll make him treat us to a big meal."

At the mention of a feast, Qiao En suddenly remembered the sushi.

She recounted the story of Lin Youyou waking up early in the morning to make sushi for Cheng Lu, and upon hearing it, Zhou Jin’an immediately had an idea.

"I’ll handle this; I guarantee Cheng Lu will receive that lovingly made sushi."

He made just one phone call, and the sushi was taken care of.

Lin Youyou had made that sushi hoping to cheer up Cheng Lu.

But Zhou Jin’an turned it into a huge joke, causing Cheng Lu’s mood to instantaneously plummet to the depths.