As night deepened, the living room of the lunar base was still brightly lit. Amid the chattering noise and occasional bursts of laughter, it formed a warm yet lively scene.
And amid this banter-filled daily routine, thoughts about the new life soon to arrive, as well as all kinds of future possibilities, quietly brewed into boundless anticipation.
A few days later, the base's alarm system suddenly sounded a gentle notification tone. Einstein lifted her gaze toward the screen and helplessly adjusted her glasses,
"Bishop Theresa's ship has arrived, half an hour earlier than expected."
No sooner had she finished speaking than a familiar shout rang out from the end of the corridor, tinged with barely restrained excitement, "Kiana☆! Auntie's here! I even took several days off just for you!" Hehehe, finally I can take a proper break with a legitimate excuse.
Kiana☆ stood up, the corner of her mouth twitching, "As expected, Auntie always makes such a grand entrance."
When everyone arrived, they saw Theresa in her bishop's uniform, followed by a team of medical staff in white coats, pushing various pieces of medical equipment.
Theresa herself was also hugging a bulging box to her chest, stopped at the entrance by staff sent by Einstein.
"Why can't I bring this in! These are nutritional supplements I prepared for Kiana☆!" Theresa planted her hands on her hips, trying to force her way past. "Bitter melon juice is rich in vitamins, good for pregnant women and babies!"
"Bishop, you previously agreed not to bring in any items unrelated to medical use," Einstein stepped forward and replied expressionlessly.
"How is bitter melon juice unrelated! This is very important nutritional supplementation!"
Theresa argued stubbornly and tried to shove the box inside. She lost her footing, and the box fell to the ground. Cans of bitter melon juice rolled everywhere, along with several brightly packaged baby clothes and toys spilling out.
Looking at the bitter melon juice scattered all over the floor, Kiana☆ pressed a hand to her forehead and said helplessly, "Auntie~"
Fu Shi squatted down, picked up a Judas-shaped baby rattle, and couldn't help but complain, "Old antique, look at this rattle, Theresa's actually pretty creative?"
Fu Hua's mouth twitched, but she said nothing.
Just as everyone was busy checking the medical equipment and confiscating Theresa's "contraband," Kiana☆ suddenly frowned. Her hand tightened over her pregnant belly, her face turning slightly pale, "Hiss… wait, don't tell me it's now?"
"What's wrong?" Fu Lin immediately hurried over, nervously supporting her arm.
"My stomach… it hurts a bit." Kiana☆ bit her lower lip, fine beads of sweat seeping from her forehead. "It feels like… I'm about to give birth?"
The moment she said that, the entire room fell silent.
Theresa forgot all about grabbing the bitter melon juice and rushed over at once, her face full of panic, "Kiana☆! Hold on a little longer! I brought doctors with me! Quick, where's the bed? Get the bed over here!"
The once orderly medical staff instantly burst into activity, pushing a bed over. Theresa hurried forward to help, muttering nonstop, "Don't panic, don't panic! Deep breaths! My dear niece, you're the Herrscher of the End, you'll definitely be fine…"
With a loud clang, before she could finish speaking, Fu Lin lunged forward with quick reflexes and clamped a hand over her mouth, his tone both urgent and helpless, "Great aunt! This is not the time to set flags!"
After that, Fu Lin followed Kiana☆ into the prepared delivery room. His palm tightly wrapped around her pale hand, his fingers gently rubbing the back of her hand, his voice soft and steady, "Don't be afraid. I'll stay here with you the whole time."
Kiana☆ bit her lower lip, enduring wave after wave of pain. Fine sweat beaded at her temples, yet she still forced out a faint smile at him, her breathing a little unsteady, "Don't worry… I'm fine… it's just too sudden. The baby must already be eager to see us."
The doctors began to get busy.
Theresa stood outside the door, even more nervous than the person involved, muttering nonstop, "Please let everything be safe! I even prepared lots of bitter melon juice for nutritional supplementation!"
"Theresa!" Fu Shi held her forehead from the side, rolling her eyes hard. "At a time like this, you're still thinking about your bitter melon juice?!"
The warm light in the delivery room wrapped the tense atmosphere within it. The soft clinks of medical instruments scattered through the air, intertwining with Kiana☆'s suppressed groans of pain.
A sharp contraction hit. She suddenly clenched the bedsheets, her knuckles turning white as sweat slid down her cheeks. A complaint burst out before she could stop herself, "Ugh! … Giving birth actually hurts this much! If I'd known it'd be this miserable, I wouldn't have given birth at all, I might as well have just locked you up obediently!"
Fu Lin froze on the spot, his face full of shock and helpless confusion, pupils slightly dilated. "Huh?"
At a moment like this, he truly didn't know how to respond.
He steadied himself and immediately placed his hand gently against her lips. His palm was slightly cool, his voice soft and steady, "If it hurts, bite my hand. I'll hurt together with you."
Kiana☆ bit her lower lip, her knuckles whitening from the force. The intense pain from the contractions made her whole body tremble, yet she still forced herself to turn her head aside, her breath broken and shaky, "You… you don't need to worry… I'm just…"
Before she could finish, an even fiercer wave of pain swept over her. She clenched her fists tightly, sweat on her forehead falling like beads from a snapped string, splashing onto the white bedsheets and blooming into small damp marks.
In the corridor outside, everyone could no longer contain their anxiety. Theresa paced back and forth, murmuring under her breath. Even Fu Hua frowned, her gaze fixed tightly on the delivery room door.
Hearing Kiana☆'s suppressed yet piercing cries of pain from inside, Fu Shi couldn't help shuddering. She subconsciously touched her own stomach, her face full of relief, and muttered quietly, "Tsk, so even the Herrscher of the End can't handle childbirth pain? Fu Lin and I have done it so many times, and it's a good thing I never got pregnant!"
Mei☆, "..."
Time slowly passed. Suddenly, a clear, bright cry rang out from the delivery room, the sound crisp and lively, like a stream breaking through spring ice, instantly dispelling all the tension in the room.
"The child's born! A healthy girl!"
The nurse's voice carried unmistakable joy as she carefully carried the wrinkly little bundle aside to be cleaned.
Kiana☆ collapsed weakly against the pillow, sweat sliding uncontrollably down her face, yet her eyes curved into a smile, "Fu Lin… our baby…"
Fu Lin leaned down to wipe the sweat from her face, his eyes filled with irrepressible tenderness, his voice carrying a trace of hoarseness he didn't even notice, "Mm. I just took a look, she'll definitely be as beautiful as you in the future."
As the delivery room door was gently pushed open, Theresa and Siegfried were the first to rush in.
Their previously anxious expressions instantly softened when they saw the little child in swaddling clothes, their steps unconsciously lightening, "Let me see! Let me see my granddaughter (grand-niece)!"
Elysia also leaned over by the crib. Looking at the little one's wrinkled face and flailing tiny fists, she couldn't help lowering her voice in an excited gasp, "Wow… so tiny! She's already this cute even with her eyes closed~?"
Fu Shi squeezed over as well, craning her neck to look for a long while. She raised an eyebrow, smacked her lips, and spoke bluntly without mercy, "This little thing is kind of peculiar. All wrinkly like a little old man, where's the cuteness? She's honestly kind of ugly."
Everyone, "..." If you can't speak nicely, then don't speak at all!