Chapter 12.1
I do not think too much, Chen Mo and I said our good byes, I went straight to the train station. Going on the plane required ident.i.ty cards, I wasn’t so stupid. Travelling by train who can check my destination?
Up until the express train pulled out of the station, my heart was still tight because I wasn’t willing to think of what I wanted to do, what am I going to do with little soy bean that’s in my womb, I simply don’t want to stay, stay to confront Lu Yu Jiang, confronting everything, confronting these I had no choice, so I ran. But that soy small black spot in my brain, it always going to threaten my life.
Hiding in the north was impossible, however I can stay hidden in the city, so my destination was China’s first big city—— Shanghai. Trying to find me within hundreds of millions of people, I estimate even if Chi Fei Fan was a junior of a high-ranking official, he wouldn’t have this ability. The ticket I brought was the upper bunk, there was no other choice, when I brought the ticket there was only these tickets left. Before I may also could carelessly climb up, but now with little soy bean in my womb and a small bean time bomb in my brain, I was also pessimistic, there was a moment of hesitation as I thought of how to safely climb up.
The world most care free Chinese Aunty in the lower bunk stood there staring at me, and asked me, “Miss, what’s wrong?”
I shamelessly told her, “I’m pregnant, so I’m thinking how to safely climb up there.”
“Oh! How can you climb up there?!” Aunty was especially enthusiastic, “Judging from your appearance you’re no more than three months, it’s not stable during this time, don’t climb, I’ll sleep up there, you can sleep here.”
I thanked Aunty profusely, Aunty’s body who was light as a swallow has already gone up, she turned back and smile at me, “You two big belly, just sleep together.” On the lower bunk there was also a pregnant woman, but her belly was way bigger, she should be seven or eight months pregnant. She laid there gently smiling at me, her smile was so nice, maybe this was the so-called maternal glory. I also smiled at her, and then laid down. This was a direct express evening to morning train, along the way the train does not stop at any site, arriving at Shanghai the following morning.
In the middle of the night I slept soundly, when I was suddenly awakened by moans. In a daze I rubbed my eyes, Aunty was also awakened, she stuck her head out to ask, “What’s wrong?”
The pregnant woman before us even spoke feebly, “My stomach hurts.”
I was shocked, I didn’t even feel sleepy any more. I’ve seen the news on TV about a pregnant on the train in crisis, but never in my dreams would I thought that I’ll encounter such situations. Aunty “oh no” a sound, all of a sudden I grabbed my shoes and went to look for one of the train employees. By the time I found one of the train employee, Aunty already have taken a cup and feed the pregnant women some water. But the pregnant women was in so much pain that she was profusely sweating, she couldn’t even drink. Aunty who has gave birth to a child before, had more experience, she said, “Her amniotic fluid has broken, I’m afraid she’s going into labour.”
The train employee seeing this situation also has become more frantic, turning the whole train lights on, and then went to find the train conductor. The train conductor was anxious, “The train is a direct express, we shouldn’t be stopping any stations along the way, even if we temporary try to reschedule now, I’m afraid it’ll be too late.” He went the broadcast and tried to find a doctor, everyone was awakened by the sound of it, those who heard about the matter were very enthusiastic, some brought milk, other found some blankets, but there were not doctors on the train. The radio broadcast several times, finally a man from another carriage came. We all thought he was a doctor, he especially guilty and said, “I am a vet……”
The train conductor rolled his eyes, the man said, “I’m originally a vet from the Wolong Panda base [1], specifically responsible for the giant panda, I have delivered a lot of giant panda cub, but I have never delivered humans before……” The global Chinese free forum, “rolling” ah…… that caused people fall into an ecstasy “rolling”…… He was the legendary Panda doctor. I looked at this doctor who treated our national treasure with infinite worship. I have yearned for a long time regarding his occupation, I really did not expect to meet people within this profession. “It’s extremely urgent! There is no other doctors!” The train conductor ran round in circles, “If he can treat our national treasure, then he can treat humans, humans and giant panda should be about the same, besides we’re both mammals!” If the situations didn’t have such urgency, I estimated everyone would have been amused by the train’s conductor sentence. But at a time like no one could laugh, even me someone who was so heartless felt nervous.
[1] Wolong Panda Base should be referring to the Wolong National Nature Reserve is a protected area located in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province. Wolong National Nature Reserve houses more than 150 highly endangered giant pandas.
The Panda doctor head had crustily skin, the train conductor got pieces of blanket and surrounded the sleeping area. Then the train employee went and got boiling water, there were enthusiastic pa.s.sengers that brought out new towels, the Panda Doctor asked Aunty and me to stay and help. My legs weaken, “I don’t know how to do anything!”
“It’s all right, you can help pa.s.s things to me, whatever I need/want you get them.” The doctor turned and commanded, “Aunty, you go help her, don’t let her get into a state of panic……” I have never seen a person give birth before, I estimated that most people like me, have only seen this on TV. The TV drama was very exaggerated, there were piercing cries. But today I finally realised how it’s acted out in TV was not exaggerated, the cries are really piercing. When I just got into the train, the pregnant lady was refined and quiet person ah, I still remember her smile, gentle and shy. Now she’s with dishevelled hair and a dirty face, exactly the opposite, the muscle on her face was distorted, she was covered in sweat. Aunty desperately tried to comfort her, encouraging her hard, but her cries was more miserable than the last, causing my legs to weaken upon hearing this.
I saw the Pandas Doctor also had a head of full sweat, I estimate him more nervous than the pregnant women. The train conductor came back with two buckets of boiling water, he also brought new towels and a plastic basin. Every time I saw people giving birth on TV there was boiling water, I do not know why they needed hot water, but the doctor said “towel”, I handed him a towel, the doctor said, “alcohol”, there was no alcohol, I shouted to the train employee, the train employee found a bottle of liquor, which also would do.
I don’t know how long it will take to give birth to a child, but we’re all covered in sweats, even the train employee, the train conductor, even pa.s.sengers from the next carriage, we all had a tense expression, we were all mentally stressed. When we finally heard the baby crying, I was stunned. The doctor asked me to get a towel, I hadn’t had time to react until he repeated himself again, I handed him the towel. Not waiting for my response he has already quickly and neatly wrapped the baby and placed a soft thing into my bosom, “You hold the child.”
I stared the pear size face, so tiny, his eyes were not opened. His small head was about the same size as my fist, but with long strands of black hair. I have never seen such a small baby, so delicately wrapped up in a towel, like a doll. There were many dolls in the shopping centre that was bigger than him, but he was warm, soft, crying loudly in my arms, this wasn’t what I had envisioned of a newborn baby.
The mother’s that was lying on the bed her voice was hoa.r.s.e, but she struggled to raise her head, “Baby……”
I carried the baby towards her, “You see! He’s crying.”
She was very happy, “His a big fat baby, look at his tiny arms and legs, so much power! You hear his voice, his crying loudly!”
The new mother with her newborn baby was overwhelmed with emotion as she cried. Not to mention her, Aunty and I was so happy that we wanted to cry. The train employee was also happy, he excitedly went to the dining carriage to cook some sugar egg, and warm up some cow’s milk for the baby. The train conductor heard that the mother and the baby were doing well, he smiled squinting his eyes, “Everything has been arranged, the ambulance is waiting on the platform, once we reached the station, the adult and the baby can go to the hospital, to ensure that everything is all right.”
I felt like I was a guest struck with fright at a blockbuster movie, tired and weary. The doctor looked more tired, he was the leading man ah, although the child had no relations with him, but he was the hero that saved by the mother and the baby.
I just have time to go to restroom now, all along the way the pa.s.sengers who weren’t asleep asked me, “She given birth?”
I look cheerful, replied one after another, “Oh, yes she has given birth!”
There were pa.s.sengers on the upper bunk who eagerly stuck out their heads and asked me, “Is it a girl or a boy?”
“A big fat boy!”
“Oh! Congratulations!”
“Thank you, thank you!” I was happy as if I was the one who has given birth to my own child. The train will be bursting with happiness, and a Aunty specially came up, from her luggage gave me a tea eggs [2], “You must be tired, Miss, eat something to restore your energy.”
[2] Tea/spiced eggs uses ingredients like salt, soy sauce, pepper, ginger to braise. It’s a cold food, which is nutrient rich and taste delicious.
I simply refuse, she still shoved the whole package towards me, “If you can’t eat all of it, give some to the doctor for me. You have been busy for half of the night, it’s really not easy!”
Who says that the modern social humanity was indifferent? The pa.s.sengers on the train were all strangers to each other, but all everyone was warm-hearted. When I came back from the restroom, the train employee was looking for me, he pulled me towards the dining carriage, “Hustling about for half the night you must be hungry, eat a bowl of hot soup, everyone has worked hard.”
“Then the adult and the baby……”
“Another train staff will help take care of it, don’t worry.”
The dining carriage chef specially cooked up some noodles for us, under the noodles laid several egg. After becoming pregnant my appet.i.te was particularly good, I was bursting full. The doctor was also bursting full. I placed the whole bag of tea/spiced egg towards him, “An aunty gave this, she said you have worked hard and said I must give these to you!”
The doctor was very moved, he ate one boiled egg and gave the rest of the train conductor asking him to share it with everyone.
He said, “In my home town, when you gave birth to a child you’ll eat red eggs.” An authentic Sichuan [3] words just come out. I just remember he was a vet at the Wolong panda base, specializing in taking care of pandas it was my life most desirable occupation, so I seized the opportunity to ask him, “Is it fun to raise panda?”
[3] Sichuan is a province of the People’s Republic of China, located in the south-west of the country.
“It’s fun, they can act like a spoiled brat, they can listen to you, when you call them over, they would come over. There are times when they seem just like little kids.”
I just noticed that he was already over forty, I asked him, “Do you have children?”
“When he was in high school his performance was particularly good.” He paused a bit, “His eyebrow was quite high” His speech was a father full of pride, he slightly paused, said, “In May this year there was an earthquake, he and his mother went together, they’re not here any more.”
I stood there, thoroughly startled and foolishly looked at him, I didn’t know how to comfort him. His fingers unintentionally rubbed the edge of the bowl, “On the 12th I was working at the base, he and his mother were in the upper town, when the earthquake came they couldn’t escape.”