Inside the shack, the woman on the bed was already in agony, but the fear in her heart was even stronger than the pain in her body.
In these years of war and chaos, she had heard of many pregnant women dying in difficult births. She understood something of her own condition, too: she was in grave danger. All she could do was endure, occasionally letting out a low cry of pain.
By the time Yi Shuyuan entered, the pregnant woman's consciousness had grown hazy, but she dimly realized someone had come to deliver her baby, and fierce hope rose in her heart again.
"Save... save me and my baby."
Yi Shuyuan walked to the bedside and touched the pressure point beneath her nose. As his finger made contact, a tiny wisp of spiritual energy entered her body, gradually restoring her awareness.
When the woman's vision cleared, she saw the reassuring, serene face of the young woman beside her bed. Rather than being startled by how young this person was, she felt comforted.
"Your waters have only broken a little. Right now, you need to rest. I'll feed you something to restore your strength while we wait for your cervix to open. Don't worry. You'll be all right."
The voice carried a power that soothed the heart, and the mother nodded instinctively. Yi Shuyuan smiled at her and began rolling up his sleeves.
The mother's mother-in-law and another woman entered the shack. Although they did their best to move lightly and quickly, opening the door stirred a gust of wind. Yi Shuyuan gently swept his left sleeve to block it, then looked back at the newcomers.
"We still have time. Draw the curtain, then bring a bowl of hot porridge."
While preparations for the delivery were underway, cavalry had already