After Shen Feng took Du Xinshi to the hospital, the doctor quickly examined her condition. Initially, they thought it was anemia, but after performing an electrocardiogram, they immediately discovered abnormalities. Du Xinshi had a heart rate problem, with her heart sometimes beating rapidly and at other times slowly.
"Doctor, she has congenital heart disease. Should we consider surgery now?" Shen Feng asked urgently.
After the examination, the doctor quickly inquired, "City Lord, she was fine before. How did she end up like this? The situation isn't particularly severe yet, and she can still recover. If it were more serious, Miss Du would have experienced cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital."
Heart disease can be very serious when it strikes, requiring the use of nitroglycerin, administered sublingually. If that fails, procedures like coronary artery bypass surgery or even a heart transplant might be necessary.
The fact that Du Xinshi managed to reach the hospital indicated that her condition had not yet reached that critical stage. Heart disease can be fatal within ten minutes of onset, and without immediate medical intervention, the mortality rate is very high.
Shen Feng said helplessly, "It's because she was emotionally agitated, which triggered her heart condition. Doctor, what do you think of her situation?"
The doctor replied, "City Lord, it's difficult to say whether the situation is good or bad. Administering an injection can stabilize her condition for now, but it's best for her to avoid significant emotional fluctuations in the future. Both extreme sadness and joy are detrimental to the heart. Also, there's some bad news."
"What bad news?" Shen Feng asked quickly.
The doctor noticed the slap mark on Shen Feng's face but dared not inquire who had inflicted it. Coupled with Du Xinshi's sudden return, it suggested a possible entanglement within a prominent family. As a doctor, it was best to feign ignorance and avoid meddling in anything other than the medical condition.
"City Lord, Miss Du's current condition is stable. With continued emotional stability, she should be able to continue living. However, regarding the child in her womb, it would be best to induce labor. Otherwise, she might not survive the delivery," the doctor said cautiously.
Shen Feng was utterly shocked by this news, as he had never anticipated such a development. It had never been an issue before, and now he was confronted with such unexpected information. Shen Feng was caught completely off guard.
Shen Feng couldn't help but ask, "Why is this happening? They said everything was fine before. Why can't she have children now?"
The doctor earnestly replied, "City Lord, please listen to my explanation. I would never deceive you. The current situation is primarily because Miss Du suffers from heart disease. Childbirth is inherently a high-risk event. Considering that Miss Du successfully gave birth before, a second pregnancy should have been manageable. However, now, pregnancy places a significant burden on individuals with heart disease, especially with the recent onset of symptoms. It is truly too risky to carry the child to term."
Upon hearing this explanation, Shen Feng became hesitant. For individuals with special abilities, childbirth was a major concern. He and Chang Jianyi had been together for three years and had only one child. Chu Chaoyan had shown no signs of pregnancy. Now that Du Xinshi was finally pregnant, aborting the child felt like losing something precious.
The doctor continued, "City Lord, please consider this carefully. The earlier the induction, the less harm it will cause to the mother. The child is only three months old. If the embryo continues to develop, even with surgery, there will still be risks."
Hearing this, Shen Feng could only offer a wry smile. While a child was important, he couldn't ignore Du Xinshi's safety. Ultimately, he said with resignation, "Then let's abort it. Fortunately, it's just an embryo. Fortunately, it hasn't fully formed. Fortunately, it has no soul, so it won't resent me later."
For Du Xinshi's safety, Shen Feng had to painfully give up the child. The choice between saving the mother or the child was never a question; Shen Feng always cared about those who were by his side.
However, at that moment, a weak voice echoed, "No, I want to give birth to the child."
Shen Feng quickly looked towards Du Xinshi on the hospital bed. She had woken up and her condition had improved significantly, her heart rate returning to normal. However, her face was still pale. Her eyes were filled with a determination that seemed incongruous with her current frailty.
"But your body doesn't allow it," Shen Feng said urgently.
"I will safely give birth to the child. You can rest assured of that. I know my own physical condition," Du Xinshi stated earnestly.
Shen Feng couldn't help but smile wryly. He hadn't expected things to escalate to this point. From the moment Du Xinshi fainted today, the situation had already spiraled beyond his expectations. Now, he could only take things one step at a time, unable to do anything else.
"There's no need for this. Your health is the most important thing. As for the child in your womb, it's just an embryo now, without any consciousness. It... it's not important," Shen Feng tried to persuade her.
As he spoke, Shen Feng subtly gestured with his finger towards the outside of the hospital room. The doctor nodded, understanding Shen Feng's intention. The doctor then left the room, closing the door behind him, leaving Shen Feng and Du Xinshi alone.
Du Xinshi then said, "I have no other way to prove my love for you. Just as the Madam said, perhaps I am only infatuated with your power. If I can't even keep the child, then I truly have no last way to prove my love for you. But what can I do? My body is not good. My congenital deficiency is severe. Unlike the two Madams, there is so little I can do to help you. I am merely a vase."
Shen Feng was clearly taken aback by Du Xinshi's deep-seated concerns. Once he understood her worries, Shen Feng no longer had any reason to try and dissuade her.
Ultimately, Shen Feng arranged for a small building to be prepared in Yuzhou City, where Du Xinshi was settled. He then asked Zhang Xixi to come and take care of Du Xinshi, bringing Xiaolong along as well.
Xiaolong's name was Du Fansheng. The meaning was simple: his surname followed his mother's, and his given name signified being ordinary yet great. Du Xinshi hoped that her son, Xiaolong, would have an ordinary life, and if possible, achieve something great within that ordinary life.
Zhang Xixi was unaware of what had transpired. However, upon learning that Du Xinshi was pregnant, she looked at Shen Feng with a peculiar gaze, clearly recalling many rumors. Some of these rumors suggested that Shen Feng actually preferred older, more mature women, and Du Xinshi fit this description. It seemed the gossip circulating in the market might be true.
Shen Feng was oblivious to Zhang Xixi's thoughts. He said earnestly, "I have work to do during normal hours and cannot take care of Sister Du. You will be responsible for her care during this time. I will also arrange for servants to come here, but you are more considerate. Do you understand?"
Zhang Xixi could only nod silently.
Meanwhile, Shen Feng took up residence outside Fengshen Palace. Although he went to the City Lord's Mansion daily to handle official duties, Chang Jianyi had found a new office and chose not to meet with Shen Feng. In such circumstances, if any important matters needed discussion, Chu Chaoyan had to act as an intermediary.
When Chang Jianyi learned that Shen Feng was living elsewhere, she was furious. She was angry that Shen Feng was distancing himself from her for the sake of another woman. However, deeper within Chang Jianyi's heart lay a hidden fear: the fear that Shen Feng would never return.
"Chaoyan, go and tell Shen Feng that if he apologizes, I am willing to let him and Du Xinshi return to Fengshen Palace to live. I will pretend that nothing has happened," Chang Jianyi finally decided to compromise. As the saying goes, patience brings peace, and taking a step back opens up a wider horizon.
Chu Chaoyan then relayed the message to Shen Feng and advised, "Afeng, it's just an apology. As long as you apologize, everything will be fine. It's not good for things to escalate, and Miss Du can also receive better care at Fengshen Palace. You should just yield a little."
Upon receiving Chu Chaoyan's message, Shen Feng understood that his senior sister was making a concession, a rare and valuable one. After all, Shen Feng and Du Xinshi were the ones at fault. Now that she was willing to accept Du Xinshi, all conflicts would be resolved.
However, Shen Feng reconsidered. Du Xinshi could not be subjected to any emotional distress at the moment. If she were to return to Fengshen Palace and be reminded of the insults she endured, it might trigger her condition again. Furthermore, even if Du Xinshi were happy, such strong emotions would still be detrimental to her heart.
Both extreme sadness and joy were unfavorable to the heart. Shen Feng knew this and could not allow Du Xinshi to be agitated.
Shen Feng then said earnestly to Chu Chaoyan, "Apologize? I will. But not now. I will personally seek out my senior sister to atone for my mistakes after some time. Not yet."
Chu Chaoyan was suddenly at a loss as to how to handle the situation. Although Chu Chaoyan had also spoken out against Shen Feng earlier, the argument had devolved into a dispute between Shen Feng and Chang Jianyi. Chu Chaoyan wanted to mediate, but it was too late. Shen Feng had been slapped by Chang Jianyi, and after that, Shen Feng had left Fengshen Palace and had not returned for several days.
"Sigh, a perfectly good family has become like this. What should I do?" Chu Chaoyan lamented inwardly, feeling utterly exhausted at this moment.
Chu Chaoyan then informed Chang Jianyi of Shen Feng's reply. Chang Jianyi remained silent, her head bowed as she continued to process documents, her smile gone.
Chu Chaoyan keenly noticed that Chang Jianyi's hand, gripping the pen, was trembling slightly. She began to wonder, "Could Chang Jianyi also be afraid right now?"
...
Upon receiving the mission, Xu Xing immediately set off for Jiucheng upstream on the Yangtze River. Traveling from Yuzhou to Jiucheng upstream was originally a simple matter, requiring only a small boat. Traveling by water along the Yangtze was a common practice; the Golden Waterway was not named in vain.
However, Yuzhou no longer had gasoline. Thus, Xu Xing had no choice but to ride a bicycle upstream.
Lin Yue also followed suit, riding his bicycle. The journey ahead was quite pleasant, cycling through the mountains and forests, with many beautiful sights to behold. In the post-apocalyptic world, it was not the desolate scene one might imagine. Instead, there were endless beautiful landscapes of mountains and rivers. It seemed that the environment damaged by humans in the past had recovered within a mere three years.
Although it was winter, half of the trees in the surrounding forests were bare. However, being in the south, there were still many evergreen trees, so the mountains were still adorned with much greenery.
Yet, as Xu Xing passed through many mountain villages and towns, he could only see ruins. A inhabited village, no matter how old, always exuded a sense of vitality. Villages abandoned by humans, after only a few years, had become dilapidated, with weeds even growing through concrete pillars.
Every time Xu Xing witnessed such scenes, he felt a surge of emotion. How prosperous humanity once was, but now, apart from the cities, everything else had become desolate. Perhaps, humanity's perceived prosperity was merely an illusion in the face of natural disasters. Once these disasters struck, human prosperity would vanish like a dream.