Chapter 5 — My Mother-in-Law Forced Me to Give Birth at Home

I am merely sharing my life experience.

Su Le let out a cold laugh.

Do you also call a paid chat group life experience?

At that very moment, a notification chime broke the silence, and a new message flashed across the phone screen.

Sister Xuan Binh, did your daughter-in-law give birth last night? Send the link for the home-delivery kit again; my daughter-in-law is due next month.

The medical team opened the messaging app. The group was named Economical Mothers-in-Law Delivery Club. The membership fee was two hundred and ninety-nine yuan. The pinned group announcement stated clearly:

If you can wait it out at home, do not go to the hospital.

Do not soften your heart immediately when your daughter-in-law complains of pain.

It is best for the mother-in-law to centrally manage all identity documents and bank cards.

If the hospital insists on a C-section, refuse it first and delay for a while; many cases will end up as natural births.

The home-delivery kit is an absolute must-have; at critical moments, it can save a huge sum of money.

The hospital room fell into a terrifying silence. Zhao Xuan Binh still stubbornly attempted to defend herself.

Everyone here is an adult who joined of their own free will. I did not force anyone.

Doctor La spoke in an icy tone.

You do not hold a medical license, yet you instruct others to delay treatment and refuse necessary surgeries. Do you have any idea that this could cost lives?

Zhao Xuan Binh’s gaze wavered uneasily.

How could it possibly be that serious?

Qin Yan Chu suddenly asked in a sharp voice.

Mother, where is the baby preparation money that I gave you?

Zhao Xuan Binh’s expression froze.

What baby preparation money?

Three months ago, I transferred one hundred and fifty thousand yuan to you, telling you to pay the hospital deposit, book a postpartum caregiver for mother and baby, and purchase newborn supplies.

Zhao Xuan Binh’s eyes darted around in panic.

It is gone, it was all spent on Tang Tang.

Qin Yan Chu pulled up his mobile banking transaction history.

The hospital has no record of a deposit, and the postpartum care agency has no appointment on file. Where is the money?

He raised his head to stare at her, all warmth completely drained from his eyes.

Where did the money go?

The trail of transfers was quickly uncovered. Thirty thousand yuan was used to pay off debts for her younger brother. Twenty-eight thousand yuan was spent on health supplements. Forty-as thousand yuan was transferred to a course on profiting from home-birth assistance. Another sixty thousand yuan was paid directly to a private postpartum care center. The transfer memo read: Premium package reserved for Qin Yue. Qin Yue’s face instantly turned pale.

Mother?

Zhao Xuan Binh snatched her phone back immediately.

Yue Yue has a frail constitution, so what is wrong with me preparing this in advance for her? She is my daughter!

Qin Yan Chu’s voice trembled visibly.

She is not even pregnant yet, and you already booked a sixty-thousand-yuan postpartum care package for her?

And Wen Tang is about to give birth, yet you forced her to use a three-thousand-yuan home-delivery kit?

Zhao Xuan Binh flushed a deep crimson.

She has already married into our family, why must family members calculate things so clearly?

I suddenly burst out laughing. It turns out that so-called frugality was only ever meant to be applied when it was my turn.

Zhao Xuan Binh still refused to admit her wrongdoing. She sat outside the hospital ward, crying at the top of her lungs.

Was I not just temporarily using a bit of money? The family is facing hardships, what is wrong with taking it out to tide things over first?

Qin Yan Chu demanded of her.

Why did you not tell me?

She immediately raised her voice defensively.

If I had told you, would you have allowed me to take the money to help your uncle? The debt collectors were already blocking our front door, could I just stand by and ignore it?

So you used Wen Tang’s maternity funds to plug the hole.

And did I not figure out a solution afterward? Giving birth at home would have saved money.

As soon as those words left her mouth, Qin Yan Chu closed his eyes tightly. I could see his hands shaking uncontrollably. Su Le was so furious she laughed out loud.

You are finally willing to speak the truth.

It was never about wanting me to have a natural birth. It was never about what was best for the child. It was simply because the money was already gone, and she was terrified that going to the hospital would expose her deceit. Zhao Xuan Binh still tried to rationalize her actions.

But giving birth at home is not impossible! I bought the course, studied many things, and even invited sisters over to help out.

The medical staff continued searching through her phone. In the draft folder, there was an unposted video. In the footage, Zhao Xuan Binh had laid out the delivery kit on the living room coffee table, smiling directly into the camera lens.

My daughter-in-law showed bloody show tonight. Her fetal presentation has a slight issue, but I have already learned how to handle it.

As long as this case is successful, my practical course on economical mother-in-law childbirth assistance can finally be launched.

A real-life case study holds far more persuasive power than merely lecturing on theory.

Once the video finished playing, the hospital room fell into a dead silence. Qin Yue’s face was as white as a sheet of paper. At first, she had wanted to put in a few good words for her mother, but now she could not squeeze out a single syllable. Qin Yan Chu stared intently at Zhao Xuan Binh.

Did you use my wife as a demonstration case?

Zhao Xuan Binh finally panicked for real.

I was just casually speaking nonsense! When making videos, do you not always have to exaggerate things a bit?

I clutched the edge of the bed and slowly pulled myself up into an upright position.

If it were not for Su Le, for the ambulance, and for Yan Chu returning in the nick of time last night, how exactly did you plan to end this?

Zhao Xuan Binh bit her lip and remained silent. Doctor La spoke coldly.