Chapter 20 – Only One Can Be Saved

“This really can’t be helped—what, are we supposed to just watch both the mother and child die?” Wang Daniu’s mother avoided making eye contact with her son.

“Get out! All of you, get out!” Wang Daniu, red-eyed, pushed both women aside.

“Daniu, what are you doing? I’m trying to save your son!” The midwife staggered back, her tone turning hostile.

“You’re trying to kill my wife! And I’m supposed to just stand by and let you do it?” Wang Daniu held his ground firmly.

“You ungrateful fool! I came here with good intentions to help deliver your child, and this is how you treat me? Fine! Just wait and see—go ahead and prepare the bodies of your wife and child!” the midwife snapped, angered.

She was the most respected midwife in the entire region, delivering over 90% of the local babies. People usually treated her with great respect. This was the first time someone had spoken to her like this.

“Don’t talk nonsense! I’ve already found a doctor. My wife and child will be fine! If you curse them again, I swear I’ll fight you!” Wang Daniu threatened, furious.

The midwife stepped back a few paces, startled.

She shot a cold glance at Su Miaomiao, who was examining Daniu’s wife.

“Daniu, where’d you find this young girl? She hasn’t even had a child herself, right? And you’re calling her a doctor? Don’t come crying when both your wife and baby die because of her.” The midwife scoffed.

“You—” Wang Daniu clenched his fists, seething as he heard her curse his wife and child again and again. He was just about to lunge forward and tear into her—

When suddenly, a faint voice called out from behind:

“Daniu…”

Wang Daniu spun around immediately at the sound of his wife’s voice.

To his shock, Huang Chunhua, who had seemed moments away from death, had opened her eyes. Her face even looked a bit better than before.

“Ah Hua, you’re awake. You finally woke up.” Wang Daniu was overwhelmed, tears welling in his eyes.

“Go boil some water and get clean towels. Right now I’ve only used medicine to keep her alive temporarily—we need to get the baby delivered immediately.” Su Miaomiao instructed firmly.

Just earlier, she had secretly placed a ginseng slice into Huang Chunhua’s mouth.

After all, the baby still had to be delivered by the mother. If she lost consciousness again, it really would become a tragedy for both lives.

“Right! Right! I’ll go now!” Wang Daniu, seeing his wife awake, obeyed Su Miaomiao without hesitation and ran off to prepare hot water and towels.

Meanwhile, the midwife stood frozen, staring at the scene.

How could this be possible?

She had just clearly seen the woman at death’s door. How could she suddenly wake up?

What did this girl do to her?

The midwife’s gaze lingered on Su Miaomiao, eyes filled with suspicion.

But Su Miaomiao ignored her entirely, focusing her attention on Huang Chunhua.

“Hold the ginseng slice in your mouth and try to conserve your energy. Right now the baby is breech—I need to reposition it.”

Huang Chunhua nodded weakly.

Su Miaomiao finally turned her attention to the woman’s belly.

The baby was in a breech position. In most cases like this, if not corrected before labor, a cesarean section would be the only solution.

But in their current situation, they didn’t have the proper medical resources. And it was too late to send her to the county hospital.

Their only option now was to attempt a manual reposition.

The midwife, seeing what Su Miaomiao was about to do, immediately tried to discourage her:

“I’ve already tried repositioning the baby. This one’s too far turned—there’s no way to fix it. You’re just wasting your energy.”

“Just because you couldn’t do it doesn’t mean I can’t.” Su Miaomiao replied without even lifting her head.

“You!” The midwife’s face darkened with anger, but she quickly suppressed her emotions. “Fine, I want to see just how capable you really are. Don’t come crying later when it ends in two lives lost and you’ve brought misfortune upon yourself.”

Su Miaomiao couldn’t be bothered to respond. She gently placed her hands on Huang Chunhua’s belly and began to push slowly.

This kind of manual fetal repositioning required extreme caution—one wrong move could seriously harm the baby inside.

Huang Chunhua winced in sharp pain, nearly fainting again. She bit down hard on the ginseng slice in her mouth, forcing herself to stay conscious.

Su Miaomiao’s movements looked slow and steady, but under her hands, the baby inside the belly began to gradually shift position.

Finally, when the baby’s head turned downward, Su Miaomiao exhaled deeply in relief.

“The baby is in the correct position now. I’m going to guide you through delivery. Follow my instructions—don’t push at random. Only push when I tell you to, understand?” Su Miaomiao moved between Huang Chunhua’s legs.

Huang Chunhua weakly nodded.

“You really turned the baby around?” the midwife gasped in disbelief.

Su Miaomiao had no time to answer. She raised Huang Chunhua’s legs and began coaching her breathing and pushing.

“Okay, now inhale… and push, just like you’re trying to have a bowel movement—gently and steadily.”

The tone in Su Miaomiao’s voice was so calm and soothing that it seemed to have a grounding effect.

Under her guidance, Huang Chunhua’s panic slowly began to fade.

After a few rounds, a loud, clear cry suddenly filled the room.

“The baby’s out.” Su Miaomiao looked at the child in her hands, a bright smile appearing on her face.

“I… I really gave birth to my child…” Huang Chunhua, drenched in sweat, still had a joyful expression.

Su Miaomiao picked up the scissors and cut the umbilical cord, wrapped the baby in a cloth nearby, and placed it on the heated bed next to them.

Just as she turned to check on Huang Chunhua’s condition, she noticed the mat was soaked in blood.

“She’s hemorrhaging!” the midwife cried out. She was no stranger to this kind of emergency.

Su Miaomiao frowned deeply. The delivery had been delayed too long…

“Everyone out!” she shouted to Wang Daniu.

“My wife…” Wang Daniu was shaking all over.

“If you want your wife to live, then get everyone out of here!” Su Miaomiao ordered.

Snapping back to his senses, Wang Daniu hurried to clear the room.

“Take the baby out too,” Su Miaomiao added.

He immediately turned around, picked up the baby with extreme care—this was his first child, after all—and rushed out quickly, not daring to delay her work.

“Close the door!” Su Miaomiao called.

Wang Daniu asked a neighbor to shut the door firmly.

The room now held only Su Miaomiao and the unconscious Huang Chunhua.

At this point, Huang Chunhua had passed out. The ginseng slice only gave her just enough strength to deliver the baby.

Su Miaomiao knit her brows tightly and pulled out a cloth pouch from her spatial storage. Opening it revealed rows of silver needles.

Her traditional Chinese medicine skills had been taught by one of the most esteemed masters in the field, specially invited by the organization.

With her needles, she could “sew flesh to bone and bring the dead back to life.”

But using this needle technique consumed an immense amount of mental energy.

Unless a life was truly on the line, she would never use it lightly.