Yan Xixi didn’t utter a word and went to bed early. After tossing and turning for a good while, she finally fell into a drowsy sleep, only to be suddenly jolted awake. Wan Donglin had been dozing off by the side. The piercing scream startled him, and he quickly got up. Upon seeing her, his face turned pale. Yan Xixi was sheet-white, clutching her stomach tightly and shivering against the wall. "Xixi, what’s wrong?" Following her gaze, he noticed a faint trace of blood seeping into her white hospital pants. She bit down hard on her lip, and tears tumbled down her cheeks. Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by NoveI~Fire.net He gasped and held her firmly. "Help! We need help..." Cradled in his arms, her quivering intensified. Blood clots were already emerging. There was no turning back now. She even thought she might die too. The blood felt searingly hot between her legs, like life slowly ebbing away. "Xixi, don’t be scared, don’t be scared... It will be all right... It really will be all right..." His attempts at comforting her were disjointed. He was even more frightened than she was. This was the first time in his life he had witnessed such a scene—the profound agony of a woman. But he was helpless. He could only hold her closely, repeating meaninglessly, "Xixi, don’t be scared. I’m here, I’m here..." The doors to the operating room swung open and quickly shut again. Wan Donglin paced anxiously outside, his heart in torment. This was the first time he had ever been so tense. His hands were clasped so tightly together that his knuckles turned white. The department head had come especially to keep him company. Seeing Donglin’s pallid complexion, he tried to console him ceaselessly, but Wan Donglin didn’t take in a word. He had yearned for this child, though he himself didn’t know why. It was as though, like a farmer, he had joyfully watched a sapling grow, only for a fierce storm to uproot it. As she had eaten a lot that evening, general anesthesia wasn’t an option. Yan Xixi had to remain fully conscious during the D&C procedure to clear her womb. The two doctors conducting the procedure chatted softly while looking at the monitor. "The fetus must have been dead in the womb for several days already..." "Yes, indeed. It seems that trying to save a pregnancy within the first three months is often futile. Like with seeds, survival of the fittest has its reasons. That’s why I’ve never advocated for forcibly trying to save pregnancies in the first trimester..." "Sigh, cases like these are becoming all too common. The pollution is severe; it’s something that really needs to be addressed..." Yan Xixi listened, hearing everything clearly. When the cold steel of the instrument entered her body, she let out an uncontrollable scream of agony. But the emotional agony overshadowed the physical pain. She suddenly thought of "Silent Scream." Even though the fetus had been dead for a while, devoid of any life force, and couldn’t possibly feel any more pain or fear, she still couldn’t help but sob uncontrollably. This was the affliction women had to bear. To give birth was agony, but not to give birth was an even greater agony. Fortunately, the pain only lasted a few minutes. When she finally lay back down on the hospital bed, she could hardly straighten her back. Her vision dimmed, and she almost passed out. Wan Donglin, anxiously waiting outside, heard her heart-rending screams very clearly, his heart burning with anxiety. Suddenly, silence fell from within. Pale with fright, he rushed in. The doctors were walking out one by one. Seeing him, one said immediately, "Mr. Wan, it’s over. You can go in now." He dashed inside only to find Xixi lying on the bed, curled up like a shrimp, her forehead drenched in cold sweat. "Xixi, Xixi, what’s wrong?" She kept her eyes tightly shut, feeling as though all her strength had been drained from her body. He held her hand tightly, but even after a very long time, her hand remained icy cold.