Niu Dasao took out her phone and sent a text message to Tian Jing.
At the same time, Tian Jing received text messages from Song Tianzhu and Ding Zhaogui.
With the three messages cross-referenced, Tian Jing had a clearer picture.
She texted Ding Zhaogui, asking him to keep an eye on the newborn male infant and to try and check for any special marks on the baby.
She texted Song Tianzhu, asking him to go to the county hospital and watch out for Niu Xiaosao among the expectant mothers who would be admitted from now on.
Then, she went out herself to keep watch and confirm Niu Xiaosao's delivery hospital.
...
Sitting in the car, Niu Xiaosao feigned groans, and Niu Dama urged her youngest son to drive faster.
Twenty years later, Niu Xiaoge, about to become a father again, felt flustered.
This car was borrowed for backup, and he was unfamiliar with its performance. With Niu Dama urging him on, he became flustered and almost collided with an oncoming car at the Five Li Slope bend.
He swerved the steering wheel with both hands and slammed on the brakes, narrowly avoiding a traffic accident.
Although the collision was averted, the car's right side scraped against the mountainside, and the sudden braking caused the occupants to lurch forward.
Under this heart-stopping jolt, Niu Xiaosao's stomach really started to hurt.
The car could no longer move, Niu Xiaosao's groans grew louder, and Niu Xiaoge was at a loss.
Tian Jing, who was following in her seven-seater car, also broke out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, she had kept a good distance.
"Beep beep beep!" Tian Jing's car drove forward a short distance and honked the horn. "Niu Xiaoge, what's wrong?"
Niu Xiaoge heard it as if it were a heavenly sound: "Captain Tian, please help, your Niu Xiaosao is about to give birth, and my car..."
Tian Jing, feigning great urgency, said, "Quick, quick, help Niu Xiaosao into my car."
Niu Xiaoge stayed to call a towing company, while Tian Jing took Niu Dama and Niu Xiaosao towards the county town.
Niu Xiaosao was sweating profusely from the pain, and Niu Dama urged Tian Jing to drive faster.
Tian Jing understood Niu Xiaoge's situation. "Niu Dama, you can't rush when driving. Niu Xiaoge is already nervous. With Niu Xiaosao groaning continuously, and you urging him on, how can he concentrate on driving?"
Niu Dama fell silent.
Tian Jing stepped on the accelerator, driving at 80 mph. "Niu Dama, which hospital are we going to?"
"The county hospital."
"The Traditional Chinese Medicine hospital."
The county hospital was Niu Dama's choice, while the Traditional Chinese Medicine hospital was Niu Xiaosao's.
Tian Jing raised an eyebrow. "Which hospital is it, then?"
"The Traditional Chinese Medicine hospital." This was Niu Dama's revised choice.
Tian Jing glanced at Niu Xiaosao in the rearview mirror. "Niu Xiaosao, is it the Traditional Chinese Medicine hospital? Have you booked a bed?"
Niu Xiaosao gritted her teeth and nodded. "Traditional Chinese Medicine hospital, it's booked."
Tian Jing floored the accelerator, maintaining absolute safety while driving at 100 mph. Twenty minutes later, they entered the county town.
Traffic slowed down upon entering the county town. The Traditional Chinese Medicine hospital was in the south of the town, and there were many traffic lights to pass. Tian Jing advised Niu Xiaosao to go to the county hospital, but Niu Xiaosao refused.
When they arrived at the Traditional Chinese Medicine hospital, the emergency department was reluctant to admit her.
It was only after Tian Jing showed her work ID and stated that the patient had booked a ward in the obstetrics and gynecology department that the emergency department agreed to admit her, but they would have to perform a cesarean section in conjunction with the obstetrics and gynecology department.
Tian Jing asked Niu Xiaosao, who was in a daze from the pain, and Niu Xiaosao agreed to a cesarean section.
She also asked Tian Jing to call her maternal family for them to sign the consent form.
Tian Jing was truly impressed by this woman. "Niu Xiaosao, your life is in danger right now. If you don't have the surgery immediately, both mother and child might not survive. By the time your family arrives, will they be picking up your body?"
Niu Xiaosao's face turned even paler. "Then, ask my mother-in-law to sign."
Niu Dama had attended literacy classes and, though not highly educated, could sign her name.
It took another ten minutes for blood tests and an ultrasound. Niu Xiaosao was then wheeled into the operating room.
Niu Xiaoge, sweating profusely, found his way to the operating room. Niu Dama urged her youngest son to quickly call his father-in-law.
An hour later, Niu Xiaosao's maternal family arrived – her mother, over seventy years old, and her elder sister-in-law, over fifty.
As soon as Niu Xiaosao's mother arrived, she berated Niu Xiaoge.
Niu Xiaoge lowered his head and listened.
Niu Dama was unhappy with her in-laws for treating her youngest son that way, but since her youngest son had caused the accident, she felt partly responsible and remained silent.
Niu Xiaosao's sister-in-law pulled her mother-in-law, gesturing for her to look at Tian Jing.
Niu Xiaosao's mother paused, then immediately broke into a smile and walked towards Tian Jing.
"Captain Tian, thank you so much. If it weren't for you, my daughter would have been in danger."
Tian Jing smiled faintly. "You're welcome."
"Look..." Niu Xiaosao's mother hesitated. "This has also taken up a lot of your time. Why don't you go back first?"
Tian Jing shook her head. "No, I brought her here. I won't rest assured until I see her come out safely."
"If anything goes wrong, and she blames me for driving slowly or something, I won't be able to bear it."
"The county hospital is in the north of town, not far after entering the county. There's no traffic there. Niu Xiaosao was in so much pain, yet she insisted on coming to the Traditional Chinese Medicine hospital."
"The Traditional Chinese Medicine hospital was reluctant to admit her. I had to force them to accept her. I'm not leaving."
Niu Xiaosao's mother froze, her face turning pale. "Is it very dangerous?"
"I don't know."
Tian Jing stared at the red light of the operating room. She wasn't a doctor.
Her staying here was not just for the reasons she'd given. She also wanted to see how Niu Xiaosao, who had been admitted to the emergency operating room, would attempt the "substitute dragon for phoenix" trick.
After accompanying Niu Xiaosao to the ultrasound room for examination, she watched as the midwife pushed Niu Xiaosao away. She then showed her work ID to the ultrasound doctor and asked if the baby in Niu Xiaosao's womb was a boy or a girl. The doctor confirmed it was a girl.
After confirming multiple times that Niu Xiaosao was carrying a girl, she waited for the news from the operating room.
Seeing that Tian Jing was ignoring her, Niu Xiaosao's mother gave her elder daughter-in-law a look.
Niu Xiaosao's elder sister-in-law walked over with a smile. "Captain Tian, shall we sit over there? It's too oppressive here."
Tian Jing looked at her with a half-smile.
Niu Xiaosao's elder sister-in-law paused, her eyes flickered, but she insisted on inviting Tian Jing to sit on chairs farther away.
Tian Jing considered it. She had to give them a chance. Besides, Niu Dage intended to use this opportunity to teach his younger brother and two sons a lesson, and to also teach the wavering Niu Dama a lesson.
Seeing Tian Jing leave, Niu Xiaosao's mother told her son-in-law to take her mother-in-law away. An eighty-year-old old lady waiting outside the operating room was too much to bear, wasn't it? She would stay by the operating room door.
Niu Xiaoge didn't dare to disobey and brought Niu Dama to sit opposite Tian Jing.
Tian Jing cast a distant glance at Niu Xiaosao's mother by the operating room door, and scoffed inwardly. Niu Xiaosao's maternal family, in their desire to seize the Niu family's assets, had mobilized the entire family.
After another hour, the operating room door opened, and a nurse appeared at the entrance holding a swaddled baby.
Niu Xiaosao's mother took the bundle from the nurse and repeatedly thanked her.
The nurse waved her hand and returned to the operating room.
Niu Xiaoge helped Niu Dama to the front of the operating room. Niu Xiaosao's mother said something to the mother and son, and Niu Dama clasped her hands together and bowed to the sky several times, then raised her hand to wipe her eyes.
Niu Xiaoge's face bloomed into a smile.
Niu Xiaosao's elder sister-in-law stood up. "Captain Tian, shall we go take a look?"
Tian Jing smiled and nodded. "Sure."