Chapter 49 Illness

The autumn rain drizzled down, carrying a chill as it fell on my face.

There were no pharmacies near the embassy, ​​so I drove around for two blocks before I could buy a pregnancy test.

Finally arriving at the dormitory, Lin Ke sat blankly in the car.

From leaving the embassy to buying a pregnancy test and then returning here, her mind was still in a daze.

If it really happens...

She's only been working for a short time; her career is just starting out...

Should we abort it?

But if she stays, she'll be nine months pregnant and the child will be one year old, which will delay her pregnancy for another two years.

My mind is a complete mess.

Lin Ke pushed open the car door, got out, and ran into the apartment building, shielding herself from the increasingly heavy rain with her bag.

She ran into Yun Zheng on the way. He seemed to call her name, but she didn't notice and wasn't in the mood to, so she strode upstairs.

Upon entering the house, Lin Ke stood in the entryway, took a deep breath, and took out a pregnancy test from her bag.

More than five years ago, she found out she was pregnant on a sunny spring day. The weather was particularly nice that day, and she pushed her grandfather in a stroller to the yard to bask in the sun. Two or three-year-old Manman was playing nearby, making her grandfather laugh from time to time.

She ate something that triggered the reaction; she vomited quite severely at the time. Her family doctor rushed over, took her pulse, and said she was pregnant.

Lin Ke was stunned and speechless. That day, until Si Yuming returned, she still felt it was unreal.

Grandpa told her to tell him herself, but she didn't know how to start. She watched as his mouth opened and closed repeatedly, and finally managed to squeeze out a weak "We're going to have a baby."

He seemed very happy, hugged her, and held her for several minutes.

Regardless of what happened later, Si Xiaotie, this new life, was an unexpected and delightful gift in her life, and also an unbreakable bond between her and Si Yuming.

Now......

Lin Ke couldn't tell if she was surprised or sad; several emotions were intertwined, chaotic and complicated.

She composed herself, picked up her phone, and typed a message: "I have something to tell you."

Then he went into the bathroom.

soon.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the red bloodstains on my underwear.

My period came, but I'm not pregnant.

Lin Ke found it amusing to look at the pregnancy test that she couldn't use. What a blunder! It had caused her emotions to fluctuate for over an hour.

I picked up my phone again, and there was a reply: "What's up?"

Lin Ke: [I should be able to go back next month.]

Si Yuming: [Okay.]

Lin Ke: [Where's the baby? Is he asleep?]

Si Yuming: [I'm asleep, wanna video call?]

Lin Ke: [Hmm.]

He called her on video. After answering, Lin Ke yawned. She didn't know if she had caught a cold, but she didn't feel unwell, so she didn't pay much attention and looked at the camera.

Seeing that he was still in the office, she asked, "Still working overtime?"

"Um."

Lin Ke stared at the face that was more mature and charming than it had been five years ago for a while, and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Si Yuming asked in confusion, "What are you laughing at?"

They can now talk about more and more topics, work, daily life, and even explore deeper emotions. She sat down at the dining table and looked at her phone: "I suddenly remembered the day I found out I was pregnant. I wanted to ask you, how did you feel at that time?"

Seeing that she was serious, Si Yuming put down what she was doing. "Actually, Grandpa told me as soon as he found out that day."

Lin Ke asked in surprise, "Really?"

"Really, but he told me to pretend I didn't know. He said I had to tell you myself."

"You did a pretty good job of pretending. I could tell you were quite surprised at the time."

"Yes, I was so surprised that day, and for the next few days, that I was in no mood to work."

Lin Ke held her chin up with both hands and clicked her tongue: "Is it really that exaggerated? Didn't you go to work very calmly the next day?"

"It's all an act."

"..." The woman grinned, "You're quite the actor."

Si Yuming recalled, "You asked me how I felt... I don't know how to describe it, I just felt that my life was complete. Do you understand?"

Yes, because she felt the same way—surprise and a sense of fulfillment.

There's also a bit of regret: "If you had shared your feelings with me back then, maybe we wouldn't have had those two years in the middle."

Si Yuming looked at the camera, his voice softening, "It's not too late now. I feel my life is fulfilling now, and I'm highly motivated to work every day. Wife, I..."

"Ahhh, I need to go cook." Lin Ke interrupted hurriedly. She really wasn't used to him saying things like that. This guy should just be aloof.

She stood up, but then remembered a question and stopped: "Si Yuming, do you want a second child?"

The man frowned, then quickly realized something: "You're pregnant?"

Lin Ke didn't hide it from him: "No, I thought I was pregnant just now, I was so scared, I only breathed a sigh of relief when I saw it was my period."

Si Yuming's heart, which had been in his throat, relaxed. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"It's alright now."

He then answered the previous question: "I'll leave the matter of having a second child to you. If you want it, you can have it; if you don't, you can have it."

The woman frowned seriously, "We can't shirk responsibility like this."

Si Yuming smiled, not trying to shirk responsibility, but speaking from the heart, saying it was fine whether she wanted it or not, it was up to her.

But now that he's said it, he thought for a moment before saying, "No, thank you."

She had just started working, and getting pregnant again would take too much time off. Besides, Si Xiaotie was enough for him; he wasn't that keen on having another child.

Lin Ke looked at him quietly.

Her earlier panic and hesitation stemmed from this; deep down, she didn't want it either.

You can have one or two more children, but your daughter will only ever have one mother.

If there were more siblings, Si Xiaotie's only mother would be taken away in half, just like Lin Qiliang. The birth of a new life in the family left him with no energy to focus on another child. She knew it wasn't intentional or because she disliked herself, it was just the reality.

Seeing her lost in thought, Si Yuming asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Lin Ke snapped out of her daze: "It's nothing, then don't bother."

"Okay, aren't you going to cook? Go ahead, don't hang up."

"Um."

......

The next day at work, I clarified with Sister Zhang that I had my period, not that I was pregnant.

When Sister Zhang heard this, she was quite disappointed. "That's a pity. It would be good to have another one, so that my daughter would have a companion."

Lin Ke didn't argue with her. Everyone has different ages and experiences, so their thoughts are naturally different.

The younger girl next to her, Xiao Qin, laughed and said, "Sister Zhang, you don't understand the thinking of young people these days. Raising one child already requires a lot of effort, and raising another one would be too much pressure. Besides, with our jobs, having a child is quite a hardship, since you can't see or touch them."

Sister Zhang: "That's true. Anyway, it's up to you whether you want it or not. I didn't want one before, but I couldn't resist the gossip from both sets of parents and all the relatives. In the end, I was forced to have one. Xiaolin, if you really don't want one, you should discuss it with your husband and face it together."

She didn't feel any pressure in that regard; her parents were practically irrelevant to her, and Si Yun never mentioned it.

I briefly asked Si Yuming last night, and he agreed with me, so I don't feel any pressure.

Lin Ke agreed, pushed a document over to end the casual conversation, and said, "Sister Zhang, take a look at this document."

Everyone got serious when they started working.

However, I think I caught a chill last night. When I woke up this morning, my nose was stuffy and I felt a little dizzy. Plus, it was the first day of my period, so I didn't feel very energetic.

After flipping through a few pages of documents, Lin Ke went to get a cup of hot water, took a couple of sips, and felt a little warmer.

But by the afternoon, he couldn't hold on any longer, and when his temperature was taken, he found that he had developed a low-grade fever.

Sister Zhang went to ask for leave for her and Yunzheng, and the two of them came over together shortly afterward.

Yun Zheng asked, "Are you alright?"

"It should be fine, just a chill."

"Shall I take you home?"

The temperature is even lower today, and walking back will only make things worse. Driving in her current dizzy state is also dangerous, so she could only nod and say, "Thank you, Director."

Yun Zheng escorted her to her dormitory entrance. "Do you have any medicine?"

"have."

"If you're still not feeling well, you should see a doctor. Do you know how to get medical treatment here?"

"I know." Lin Ke was a little embarrassed. "I'm fine, Director, you can go back to work."

"OK."

Lin Ke went inside, boiled some water, changed into her pajamas, and settled into the sofa.

It's cold outside, but thankfully the indoor heating is on, so the temperature isn't too low.

It was around 7 or 8 pm in China at that time. Si Xiaotie should have just finished eating, but she had a cold and her voice was a little nasal, so I didn't dare to call her and just sent her a message.

She also sent a message to Si Yuming, but he was probably busy and didn't reply.

She hugged a cushion, leaned against the sofa, and drifted off to sleep.

However, the dull pain in her lower abdomen and the low-grade fever from a cold made her sleep restless, waking up from time to time and having nightmares repeatedly.

When I opened my eyes again, it was already past 5 p.m. Si Xiaotie replied to my phone, saying he was going to sleep. Si Yuming also replied, saying he had to work overtime today and was still at the company.

My stomach seems to be hurting more, and painkillers haven't helped.

Her experience over the years told her that she could only endure it.

Lin Ke, with her stomach full, poured herself another glass of warm water. She didn't have the energy to cook and was just about to order takeout when the doorbell rang.

Yun Zheng was carrying a lunchbox.

"I got you some food at the cafeteria, just have something simple to eat."

Lin Ke didn't stand on ceremony and accepted it, saying, "Thank you."

Seeing that her face was a little pale, and recalling her somewhat absent-minded state last night, Yun Zheng asked again, "Are you really alright?"

"It's nothing." Lin Ke knew she didn't look well, so to avoid making him worry, she said, "It's just that my period started."

The man's expression froze for a moment, then he said nothing more and went upstairs.

Lin Ke carried the lunchbox into the house.

I don't have much of an appetite, but I still have to eat a little bit.

While we were eating, Si Yuming called on video. As soon as he saw me, he sensed something was wrong. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Lin Ke nodded, "It's my period."

Si Yuming knew that she wasn't feeling well for the first two days of her period, and his eyes showed concern for her.

Before, when we lived together, I could pour her water and rub her stomach, but now there's nothing I can do. "Does it hurt?"

"fine."

He noticed the lunchbox in front of her. "Did you order takeout?"

"No, Director Yun got it for me from the cafeteria."

There was a moment of silence on the other end, then the question was asked again: "Have you taken your medicine?"

"Eating it won't help."

"Go see a doctor."

"I'm not going... You know I'll be fine tomorrow."

In the video, the man sighs helplessly, "Get some rest tonight, don't take a shower yet."

"good."

Lin Ke wasn't feeling well; video calls were too tiring for her, so she said a few words and hung up.

My head was still spinning, and gradually I lost even the strength to walk.

She managed to eat a few bites of food and then rested her head on the table.

So tired...

If only he and the baby were here...

Since going abroad, I've had many moments of missing my family—eating alone, going to and from get off work alone, sleeping alone... This little room is always quiet, only a couple of days when Si Xiaotie came did it come alive.

I miss my baby so much...

I miss him so much...

In just over ten minutes, the fever seemed to be rising higher and higher...

I tried to get up to get the thermometer, but I accidentally knocked over a bowl on the table, and the bowl and chopsticks clattered to the ground.

Before I fainted, I thought I heard someone knocking on the door.

......

Si Yuming hung up the phone, feeling somewhat uneasy.

He shut down his computer, left work, and went home. On the way, he called Meng Jing and asked him to go check on Lin Ke.

Meng Jing laughed: "You want me to go see your wife when she's on her period?"

Si Yuming knew something was wrong, but Lin Ke's condition in the video seemed off, so he lowered his voice again and said, "Go check on her."

Meng Jing: "Okay, I'll go take a look. You wait here."

When Si Yuming got home, he went upstairs to see his daughter first.

Si Xiaotie slept soundly, hugging her dinosaur doll, while Lele lay comfortably in her arms.

He bent down, kissed the little girl's forehead, whispered goodnight, and left.

Si Yun, who hadn't slept, came out after going downstairs to get some water. Seeing the man at the table looking lost in thought, she asked, "What's wrong?"

"fine."

"Are you really alright?"

"It's okay, go to sleep."

He's an adult and can handle things on his own, so Si Yun didn't ask any more questions and brought warm water into the house.

The night was quiet, with only the faint sound of the refrigerator running.

The man held a water bottle in his hand, his eyes fixed on his phone.

It was almost midnight when the screen finally lit up.

Meng Jing's WeChat message popped up.

He hurriedly picked it up and opened it.

A photograph.

In the hospital, a pale-faced woman receiving an IV drip leaned against an emergency room sofa.

The photo shows half a man's figure next to the camera.

Yunzheng.

Si Yuming paused for about half a minute before looking at Lin Ke again. She looked very uncomfortable, with her brows tightly furrowed, her face pale, and her lips white.

He switched to another app and made a call; his voice lacked its usual composure and sounded slightly hurried.

"Xu Lin, book me the earliest flight to Moscow."

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Author's note: Good morning~ Little red envelope~