After enjoying the spicy noodles Luo Dan prepared, alongside the side dishes left by Grandmother Han in the refrigerator, Xu Nuan was filled with satisfaction. She had intentions of staying up late, engaging in card games and board games for amusement with Jia Fei and Luo Dan.
They had been planning this sleepover for ages. How could she pass up this golden opportunity to let loose and have fun with her girlfriends?
However, her body couldn't withstand the weight of fatigue. Spotting the weariness etched on Xu Nuan's face, Luo Dan suggested that she retire to her room for a good night's rest. She had already eaten, and staying up late could prove detrimental to her health.
Resisting the pull of sleep no longer, Xu Nuan conceded and retreated to the guest room for some much-needed rest. Ever since she entered her third trimester, Han Zihao had swapped their rooms, relocating their bedroom to the guest room on the ground floor.
Given that their original bedroom was located on the first floor, it wasn't safe for Xu Nuan to navigate the stairs in her delicate condition. Han Zihao was worried that with her natural talent for tripping over thin air, this might lead to a disastrous tumble.
The mere thought was terrifying for him; how could he allow her to come to harm? That is why he decided to convert the guest room into their primary bedroom.
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Once Xu Nuan had settled down for the night in the guest room, Jia Fei and Luo Dan decided to call it a day as well. To stay close to Xu Nuan, they too decided to sleep in the guest room.
Luo Dan climbed into bed to sleep next to Xu Nuan, while Jia Fei staked a claim on the roomy couch in the guest room. Despite the bed being ample enough for all three of them, Jia Fei decided the couch was a safer bet.
She chose the couch because she was worried she might accidentally roll over in her sleep and squish Xu Nuan's belly. And if that happens, Han Zihao will never allow her to hang out with Xu Nuan in the future.
Everyone knew the guy was super protective of his wife.
In the hushed hours of the night, Xu Nuan found herself huddled on her side, her grip on the pillow unyielding, her body slick with cold sweat. A wave of pain had her in its clutches, making her tremble uncontrollably.
As she neared the ninth month of her pregnancy, her contractions had morphed into relentless beasts. While once they used to recede within mere seconds, they now hung around, their intensity increasing with each wave.
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As they sped towards the hospital, Luo Dan was in the backseat of the car with Xu Nuan, offering words of comfort while Jia Fei was at the wheel.
"I'll call Han Zihao," Luo Dan said, reaching for her phone.
She felt the need to inform Han Zihao about Xu Nuan's condition and reached out to her phone to dial his number. However, Xu Nuan stopped her.
"No," Xu Nuan managed to say, "It might be... another false alarm." She was worried that this could simply be another bout of contractions. The last thing she wanted was to disrupt his important business trip over a potential false alarm.
If Han Zihao were to discover that she was heading to the hospital in the middle of the night, he would undoubtedly drop everything he was doing and rush back to her side without a second thought.
"But this time, it feels different," Luo Dan responded, anxiety creeping into her voice.
Luo Dan found herself wrestling with indecision. Still, her instincts were screaming that this wasn't your everyday contraction. Xu Nuan had never been this distressed from contractions before, and they would always dissipate relatively quickly.
If she were to go into labor while Han Zihao wasn't there, she didn't want him to miss such a significant moment, and moreover, she didn't want Xu Nuan to feel his absence during such a crucial time.
Overruling Xu Nuan's suggestion, Luo Dan decided to get in touch with Han Zihao. She dialed his number, only to find that his phone was switched off.
When Luo Dan found she couldn't reach Han Zihao, she quickly dialed Han Liang, who at the time was in the midst of a deep sleep in his apartment.
Roused from his sleep, Han Liang snapped to attention at Luo Dan's urgent news. "Okay, got it! I'll call Feng Sheng right now and get him to inform my brother about Xu Nuan."
"Don't worry, I'm on my way to the hospital too," he assured her, quickly dressing while simultaneously trying to get in touch with Feng Sheng.