Chronicle of a Blood Merchant

CHAPTER FOUR

The obstetrician said, “You’re already bawling like a baby, and the hard part is still to come.”

Xu Yulan lay supine on the delivery table, legs splayed in the air, arms fastened to each side of the bed as the doctor stood to one side urging her to “push harder!” Furious with pain, she cursed with each contraction. “Xu Sanguan! You son of a bitch. . Where are you hiding?. . You turtle’s egg!. . You ought to be shot!. . Oh, you’re happy all right!. . The pain is killing me, and you’re ecstatic!. . Xu Sanguan, where are you?. . Come help me push!. . I can’t do it anymore. . Get in here, Xu Sanguan!. . Doctor, has the baby come out yet?”

“Push harder,” the doctor said. “You have a long way to go.”

“Oh mother!. . Xu Sanguan. . it’s all your fault. . Men are all animals!. . Only out for themselves. . They have their fun and leave us with the dirty work. . A woman’s fate is cruel. . It hurts!. . It’s killing me!. . I’ve carried this thing around for nine months already. . It hurts!. . Where are you?. . Xu Sanguan!. . Doctor, has the baby come out yet?”

“Push harder,” the doctor said. “The head’s out.”

“The head is out. . I’m pushing, I’m pushing. . I can’t do it anymore. . Xu Sanguan, help me!. . Xu Sanguan, I’m going to die. . I’m dying. .”

THE OBSTETRICIAN SAID, “You’re screaming and carrying on like it was the first time.”

Xu Yulan was covered with sweat, gasping for air, shouting between each moan. “Aiya, aiya. . It hurts. . hurts!. . Xu Sanguan. . You’ve done it to me again. . Aiya, aiya. . I hate you!. . It hurts. . hurts!. . If I make it through this. . aiya. . I’ll never let you sleep with me again. . even if it kills me!. . Ouch. . You think that’s funny?. . Even if you get down on your hands and knees and beg me!. . I still won’t let you do it. . I won’t even let you sleep. . aiya. . in the same bed!. . aiya, aiya. . It hurts. . I’m pushing. . harder.”

THE OBSTETRICIAN SAID, “Harder, push harder.”

Xu Yulan pushed as hard as she could, until her back arched up off the table, and she shouted, “Xu Sanguan! You con artist! You turtle’s egg! You ought to be shot!. . Xu Sanguan. . black-hearted son of a bitch. . I hope you get pockmarks all over your head!”

“Why are you screaming?” the nurse said. “It’s all over.”

“The baby’s come out?” Xu Yulan propped herself up. “So soon?”

IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME Xu Yulan gave birth to three sons. Xu Sanguan called his sons Yile (First Joy), Erle (Second Joy), and Sanle (Third Joy).

One day when Sanle was one year and three months old, Xu Yulan grabbed hold of Xu Sanguan’s ear and asked, “When I was giving birth, you were standing outside and enjoying a good laugh, right?”

“I didn’t laugh,” Xu Sanguan said. “I was just chuckling, that’s all. I never laughed aloud.”

“Aiya!” Xu Yulan called out. “That’s why you called the kids Yile, Erle, and Sanle. Because each of the three times I went through all that pain, you were outside enjoying yourself.”