Chapter 744 - I Really Like You, Meili (2)
The events that unfurled next were a flurry of movements and chaotic orders shouted back and forth between the laboring mother and Zhang Jiren who was suddenly thrown into shock when his pregnant wife suddenly started going into labor.
"Moyu Jie, could you go with us?" Zhang Jiren didn't even realize what he called Tang Moyu out of panic. Li Meili still had a few weeks before her due so both of them were caught off guard with this sudden event.
It seemed that Zhang Leyan was eager to come early and see the world for herself. Ah, she was truly Tang Beixuan's child, Tang Moyu thought. Her little brother also had an impulsive and unpredictable trait which he no doubt passed onto his daughter.
"There's no need for you to ask. Go and bring Meili to the hospital. Tianyi and I will follow shortly," Tang Moyu replied, glancing at the backseat of Zhang Jiren's car, seeing her best friend starting to sweat profusely.
Li Meili had never thought that giving birth would make her want to cry not from pain but from frustration. It wasn't that painful so far— it's something she thought she could tolerate, but as the dull pain on her lower back persisted, she hoped Leyan would come out soon.
For the Tang twins, however, the two were surprised that their Auntie Mei's baby would share the same birthday as them. They were allowed to stay up past their bedtime for the first time as they accompanied their parents to the hospital, but then later taken home by Feng Tianyi, leaving Tang Moyu with Zhang Jiren outside the delivery room.
Tang Moyu leaned her head back against the wall and shut her eyes. Thankfully, they were able to have a decent dinner before all of these happened.
"This may take longer," she told Zhang Jiren. She couldn't believe she had to wait yet again outside the delivery room for the second time that month. Hadn't it only been two weeks since Gu Yuyao gave birth to her child?
"How long?" Zhang Jiren asked. This was also new to him. He never knew any pregnant woman in the past, and had no idea how to deal with fatherhood that awaited him.
"It depends. Sometimes, it can last up to ten hours. Others have to wait for a whole day before their baby comes out," she replied.
"What about you?" Zhang Jiren asked curiously. When Tang Moyu gave birth in New York, he was busy tending to their ill father.
"Around sixteen hours or so."
"That long?" Zhang Jiren couldn't believe women had to suffer long hours before they were able to give birth to a child.
"Meili should be fine," Tang Moyu assured him as she opened her eyes. But she didn't look at him and kept her eyes trained on the shiny floor. "If anything, her past brawls were more painful than this"
There was an awkward silence between them as Zhang Jiren suddenly, randomly pondered if she still hated and blamed their father till this day.
"I'm sorry," he unexpectedly uttered, confusing Tang Moyu with his words.
"Why are you apologizing? Have you done something to Meili?" She narrowed her eyes at him.
"No. No." Zhang Jiren shook his head. "Of course, not. I would never dare hurt her."
The empress fell silent and chewed her lower lip. Damn, she did it again. Why did she have to imply in her cold words that she didn't trust him? She was supposed to mend her relationship with him as his twin sister.
"Then what were you apologizing for?" she asked. It was hard for her to know what was going on in Zhang Jiren's mind as she hadn't spent enough time with him. Also, her previous prejudice against him had closed up her mind, preventing her from getting to know him.
"I'm sorry, Moyu" Zhang Jiren repeated himself. "These were Dad's last words before he passed away. He thought that you despised him for abandoning you— for not helping you," he explained.
"He should have told me that himself." Tang Moyu's eyes turned misty but she refused to shed a tear for her deceased father.
"But he couldn't," her twin brother replied. "He wanted so badly to see you and his grandchildren but he couldn't."
Tang Lixue's sickness had already spread out through his body that left him completely bedridden until his last breath. He was only able to see the pictures of his grandchildren and never had the chance to see nor to meet them in person.
"It wouldn't change anything. You know this." She chuckled and crossed her arms over her c.h.e.s.t. If Tang Lixue truly loved her and cared for her, he should be the first one to defend her against his crazy wife.
"I know. Just letting you know. Regret is stronger than gratitude and I don't want to add more regrets in my life." He turned to face his twin sister, feeling helpless.
It had been an error on his part when he started to grow feelings for Li Meili, but this was something he had decided to keep a secret that he'd bring to his grave. The last thing he wanted right now was for his twin sister and Li Meili to hate him.
In the two years that he was going to spend with Li Meili, he would cherish the memories in his heart. As he waited outside the delivery room with his twin sister, he mentally counted the days he still had left with Li Meili and Leyan.
There were times he woke up in the middle of the night having a nightmare that they were gone, leaving him alone again, only to find a sleeping Li Meili curled up next to him as she slept. He only had over a year with Li Meili, and whether he would be able to teach himself to forget about her and their memories together was almost impossible by now.
With a bitter smile, their 'promise' echoed in his mind.
'We agreed to a contract where we 'pretend' to love each other. When the time comes, I hope we separate with smiles on our faces.'
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