When Shen's father was being carried onto the ambulance, Shen Xuyue instructed Zhao Mingyue: "Mingyue, go to my eldest sister's house and tell my eldest brother and sister that Dad is hospitalized at B University Hospital."

Zhao Mingyue nodded: "Okay, I'll go there now."

Chen's mother took some daily necessities and went to the hospital with the ambulance.

Zhao Mingyue glanced at the thick snow, looked down at her ankle boots, went back to change into rain boots, locked the door, and headed towards Ping'an Lane. With such heavy snow, riding a bicycle was definitely out of the question, and there were no buses to her older sister's house, so she had to walk. It was already daylight, and the sunlight shone on the white snow, making the ground incredibly bright. Luckily, there was no sun, or it would have been blinding.

The ground was covered in snow, making it impossible to see the road conditions underneath. Zhao Mingyue dared not walk on the sidewalk and could only walk on the road, because there were no potholes on the road and she didn't have to worry about twisting her ankle.

Zhao Mingyue stumbled through the snow to Shen Fuyu's house, leaving two crooked trails of footprints behind her. When Zhao Mingyue arrived, Shen Qixue was in the yard with Jingjing, shoveling snow and building a snowman. Upon seeing Zhao Mingyue, he stopped what he was doing; his intuition told him something bad had happened. Jingjing, however, was oblivious and excitedly rushed over, exclaiming, "Auntie!"

Zhao Mingyue helped Jingjing up and looked up at Shen Qixue: "Big brother, Dad is sick." As Zhao Mingyue said this, her eyes reddened.

Shen Qixue threw down the shovel in his hand and strode over: "What happened? What's wrong with Dad?"

Zhao Mingyue wiped away the tears that rolled down her cheeks and said in a trembling voice, "Dad had a stroke this morning."

Shen Qixue moved his neck, swallowed hard in disbelief, and his eyes suddenly reddened: "You mean it?"

Shen Fuyu was making breakfast inside when she heard the commotion outside and quickly ran out: "Sister-in-law, what happened? What's wrong with Dad?"

Zhao Mingyue turned to look at Shen Fuyu and sniffed, "Dad had a stroke and was taken to the hospital."

The shovel in Shen Fuyu's hand clattered to the ground: "Really?"

Zhao Mingyue nodded: "He couldn't get out of bed this morning and his speech was slurred. We gave him first aid and he's been taken to the hospital now. We don't know his exact condition. Xu Yue asked me to come and let you know first."

Shen Qixue took a deep sniff and turned to walk out: "Which hospital?"

Shen Fuyu realized what was happening and said, "Qixue, don't worry, Dad will be alright."

Shen Qixue hurriedly asked again, "Which hospital are you in?"

Zhao Mingyue quickly replied, "It's at B University Hospital."

Shen Qixue nodded, then took off running, with Shen Fuyu calling after him but unable to stop him. Zhao Mingyue also quickly chased after him, but was stopped by Shen Fuyu: "Sister-in-law, wait a minute, let's go together. Jingjing, come on, let's go to the hospital to see Grandpa with Mom."

Zhao Mingyue asked, "Sister, don't you have to go to work?"

Shen Fuyu paused for a moment: "Then I'll go to the school first and find a teacher to cover my get out of class. I'll come back later." Her job was different from Zhao Mingyue's. She was in charge of a class of children by herself, with dozens of children waiting for her to teach. If she didn't go, the children would cause a huge commotion.

Zhao Mingyue turned and headed to the hospital, but Shen Qixue had already run off. Zhao Mingyue knew that Shen Qixue was now filled with regret. His grandfather had fallen ill at this time, and it had happened right after the father and son's argument. He would definitely take all the blame upon himself, and if anything happened to him, he would never have peace for the rest of his life. Now, all she could do was pray that nothing bad would happen to his grandfather.

Following in Shen Qixue's footsteps, Zhao Mingyue hurried towards the hospital. Upon arriving at the hospital entrance, she glanced around, bought some breakfast from a shop, and then entered. She inquired about Shen's father's condition from the nurse at the desk. When she found his ward, the old man had already completed his examinations and was receiving an IV drip.

Shen Qixue squatted beside his father's bed, his head buried in the bed, seemingly crying. Shen's mother wiped away her tears. Shen Xuyue comforted his elder brother and then tried to comfort his mother. He turned around and saw his wife standing at the door, so he came over to take the things from her hands.

Zhao Mingyue asked, "How is Dad doing?"

Shen Xuyue said, "The doctor said it was a moderate stroke. We can't tell if the condition is good or bad right now. We'll have to wait until the acute phase is over to know for sure. We'll have to see how well the patient recovers."

Zhao Mingyue nodded: "Then Daddy can talk now, right?"

"That's enough." Shen Xuyue brought the things to the bedside: "Mom, Big Brother, don't be sad, have breakfast."

Zhao Mingyue brought over a bowl of porridge: "Dad, are you hungry? I bought you some porridge, would you like some?"

As Mr. Shen lay in bed, a single, cloudy tear rolled down his cheek. Zhao Mingyue placed the porridge on the table, took out a handkerchief, and wiped away his tears. The sight of this veteran, who had spent his life in the military, shedding tears revealed the helplessness and sorrow in his heart. She comforted him, saying, "Dad, don't worry, you'll get better. Don't overthink it. Just focus on your recovery. As long as you can eat and sleep, you'll definitely recover completely."

Father Shen nodded slightly. Zhao Mingyue said, "Dad, shall I help you up to have breakfast?"

Father Shen nodded again. He had no appetite at the moment, but he knew that food was essential for health, and that he needed to eat and get nutrition in order to recover faster.

Shen Xuyue gently raised the bed a little for his father, and Shen Qixue got up and took the porridge from Zhao Mingyue's hand: "Sister-in-law, let me do it."

Zhao Mingyue handed the porridge to Shen Qixue, then stepped aside. Shen's mother turned her face to the window and sobbed. Zhao Mingyue put her arm around her mother-in-law's shoulder and whispered, "Mom, don't be sad. Dad will get better. We can't lose faith. We have to give him encouragement and courage. If we believe he will get better, he will have confidence."

Mother Shen nodded: "Yes."

Shen Xuyue quickly said, "Mom, let's eat."

Mother Shen sighed and nodded, but didn't eat anything. Zhao Mingyue handed the steamed bun from Shen Xuyue's hand to Mother Shen. Mother Shen wiped away her tears and sat down to eat breakfast. As she ate, she couldn't help but shed tears, as if she had remembered something sad again.

Shen Xuyue pulled Zhao Mingyue outside: "The doctor said that how well Dad will recover depends on him. As it stands, his limbs are fine and he hasn't suffered any hemiplegia. If he recovers well, he will be able to take care of himself. If he doesn't recover well, he may need someone to take care of him in the future."

Zhao Mingyue felt a chill run down her spine. Was this all her once powerful and influential father was destined for? She felt that fate was truly unfair to the old man. He had dedicated his entire life to the country and had been persecuted for over a decade. Would he only be able to spend the rest of his life in a hospital bed? She said, "Dad will get better. He'll be alright."

Shen Xuyue nodded: "Of course, I also believe that things will get better. The hospital is using the best medicine to treat you, but as your children, we must also prepare for the worst."

Zhao Mingyue nodded: "I'm worried that my brother won't be able to accept this fact. Why didn't Mom and Dad tell us that he had a stroke before? That way, he would understand." Poor communication can really kill people.

Shen Xuyue sighed: "I hope Dad will get better, so that my older brother won't have to carry this psychological burden."

Zhao Mingyue said, "Where can I make a phone call to ask for leave from my workplace?"

Shen Xuyue nodded: "Okay, I'll make the call. What's your office phone number again?"

Zhao Mingyue told him.

After Shen Xuyue left, Zhao Mingyue returned to the ward. Shen's father was staying in a VIP ward, a private room. The room was very nice; apart from the snow-white hospital bed, everything else was just like home furnishings, giving a feeling of being at home. Such an environment should be conducive to recovery.

Shen Qixue was still feeding his father breakfast. After finishing his porridge, Shen's father nodded and said, "Alright. Go to work." He spoke to Shen Qixue with a slurred speech.

Hearing his father's voice, Shen Qixue's eyes welled up with tears again: "Dad, I'll stay and take care of you. I won't go to work today."

Father Shen waved his hand: "Go, everyone go to work. Your mother will take care of me."

Shen Qixue remained silent and stood still. Zhao Mingyue walked over and said, "Dad, I've already asked for leave. I'll stay here today to take care of you."

Mr. Shen waved his hand, indicating that it wasn't necessary. Zhao Mingyue turned to look at Mrs. Shen, who walked over and said, "Old man, Xiao Liu and I will stay here to take care of you. Let the children go back to work."

Father Shen closed his eyes briefly, indicating his agreement.

Shen Xuyue is back. Zhao Mingyue said, "Dad told us all to go to work."

Shen Xuyue said, "I've already asked for leave. Why don't you go back to work first? I'll stay here to take care of Dad today. Big brother, you should go to work too."

Shen Qixue remained silent, which made his father anxious. He raised his hand, which hadn't been injected, and slapped the bed. Shen Xuyue pulled Shen Qixue out of the room and said, "Brother, are you going to report to your workplace? If so, go today. This matter can't be delayed, and we shouldn't let Dad down."

Shen Qixue nodded: "Okay. You stay here with Dad during the day, and I'll come over to keep watch at night." Although there was a bodyguard named Xiao Liu here, he was still an outsider after all.

Shen Xuyue nodded: "Okay."

Zhao Mingyue took the bus back to school. The snow on the main road was being cleared, and the bus moved slowly, inching forward. The whole of Beijing was covered in a blanket of white. The people on the bus were in no hurry, chatting leisurely about the heavy snow. Usually, when there is such a heavy snow, companies don't require employees to arrive at work on time.

Zhao Mingyue had rarely seen such heavy snowfall in Beijing. Normally, this would be a cause for great joy, but today's snow wasn't as enchanting as it seemed on the surface. At least for the Shen family, it felt like some kind of omen. The old man must be frantic with worry; his two sons hadn't even grown up yet, and he'd already collapsed.

Zhao Mingyue was somewhat absent-minded at work that day. Communication was difficult, and she was unaware of the situation on the other side, her heart filled with anxiety. It wasn't until she finished work in the afternoon, when she was about to go to the hospital to visit Shen's father, that Shen Xuyue returned. Zhao Mingyue asked, "Is Dad feeling better?"

Shen Xuyue let out a long sigh and lay down on the bed: "I can get out of bed to go to the toilet this afternoon."

"Didn't the doctor say I should lie down and rest?"

Shen Xuyue shook his head: "The old man is very stubborn. He insisted on proving that he was not disabled and wanted to get out of bed. He was very determined, so I helped him down. Fortunately, he could walk, but his legs were weak and he didn't have much strength."

Zhao Mingyue nodded: "Did your older brother go over there?"

"Yes, he came over this afternoon. He's just reporting to work today, and he'll officially start work tomorrow," Shen Xuyue said. "Come and sit down."

Zhao Mingyue walked over and sat down. Shen Xuyue hugged her waist and pressed his head against her stomach: "Thanks to you today, otherwise I would have been frantic and things would have gone wrong. The doctor said that it was fortunate that emergency measures were taken, otherwise the situation would have been much worse."

Zhao Mingyue stroked his head with her hand: "As long as Dad is alright, that's all that matters."

Shen Xuyue said, "My father's former leaders and comrades-in-arms came to see him today."

"Did you say anything?"

"No, let him rest and recover. It's not a good time to say anything now. I reckon Dad will retire after this; he's no longer up to the task." Shen Xuyue sighed.

"Shall we go check on Dad again in a bit?"

"Forget it, let's go tomorrow. My older brother is with him there now, and my older sister is too," Shen Xuyue said with his eyes closed.

Zhao Mingyue said, "Then I'll take the day off tomorrow to go and take care of my dad."

“Xiao Liu is taking care of things there, so it’s not very convenient for you to take care of Dad. Just go and check on him after get off work tomorrow,” Shen Xuyue said.

"Don't you need to cook for your parents?" Zhao Mingyue asked.

Shen Xuyue shook his head: "Mom can do it herself, the snow has melted, and the hospital isn't far from home."

Zhao Mingyue said, "I'll still go. Although I can't be of much help, our good intentions will make the old man feel better. There's not much going on at school. I've taken care of most of it today, and I've already asked my supervisor for leave."

Shen Xuyue nuzzled Zhao Mingyue's belly: "Okay."

Mr. Shen was in the hospital, receiving consultations from top-notch doctors and using the best medications. His recovery was progressing reasonably well, but due to his age, it wasn't as fast as he had hoped. After about a week, he felt he should be discharged, but the hospital insisted he stay for another week until his condition was completely stable. His children also urged him to stay a few more days until his health was fully stable before being discharged.

However, Mr. Shen felt uncomfortable and stifled in the hospital, finding it too quiet and unpleasant to stay in. He preferred to be home. No matter how good the hospital conditions were, it was still a hospital, and the atmosphere was tense. It couldn't compare to the comfort of his own home. In the end, everyone had no choice but to agree to let him go home, but they would have to trouble his professional doctor to come to their home every day to give him injections and check up on his health.

The old man doesn't seem to be seriously injured, but his reactions are noticeably slower. After all, a stroke damages blood vessels in the brain, which can compress nerves and lead to loss or weakening of certain functions. It's fortunate that Mr. Shen is in this situation; if he had suffered limb damage or mobility issues, it would have been incredibly distressing for him. As for whether he can recover to his pre-illness condition, nobody knows.

Because the old man was ill, Shen Xuyue and his wife simply moved into their home to take care of him. The eldest sister's family also came back frequently, and old friends and comrades-in-arms would come over every few days to visit. Everyone wanted to spend more time with him, to cheer him up, and to help him think less about unpleasant things. This way, he would be in a better mood and recover faster.

The only one who couldn't come home often was Shen Qixue. He was in the army and only had one chance to go home each month. He felt the most guilty towards his father. To ease his psychological burden, Shen's father and Shen Xuyue both talked to him and helped him let go of his worries. In truth, this wasn't his fault; it was just an accident.

More than a month passed, and Mr. Shen's health gradually improved. He voluntarily requested to return to his workplace, not to work, but to apply for retirement. He was well aware of his physical condition, especially his mental abilities, which were no longer what they used to be. If he didn't retire, no one would say anything to him, but that would be a classic case of occupying a position without fulfilling its duties, something Mr. Shen would never do. Now he could retire with peace of mind. At least before that, he had already arranged a future for his eldest son and helped his eldest daughter-in-law arrange a job transfer.

After Mr. Shen retired, his bodyguards and official car were all dismissed, and the family didn't need to move; they could live there until after Mr. and Mrs. Shen passed away. These changes were not without their impact; Mr. and Mrs. Shen were clearly struggling to adapt for a while, and their spirits were somewhat low.

Fang Zhen came from Guangzhou on New Year's Day. Shen Qixue picked her up from the station, and everyone was shocked when they saw her complexion. Was she sick?

But Shen Qixue showed no sign of worry; instead, his face lit up with joy: "Dad, Mom, Fang Zhen is pregnant."

The whole family was overjoyed and quickly offered their congratulations. This was finally the first happy event in a long time, and the clouds of worry that had been hanging over the family had finally dissipated. The whole courtyard was filled with joyful laughter.

At dinner that evening, the whole family of over ten people were present. Yang Maolin didn't go out; he stayed home to celebrate New Year's Day. The table was laden with various delicacies and local specialties he had brought back from out of town. Mr. Shen happily said, "Our whole family is finally together for the first time! And it's a joyous occasion! Today is a good day; tomorrow is New Year's Day, the beginning of a new life. Let's have a drink together to celebrate!"

Of course, Shen's father couldn't drink alcohol. He, Jingjing, and Fang Zhen all drank fruit juice, while the rest of them drank alcohol. Zhao Mingyue took a small sip of wine, and Shen Xuyue picked up a sea cucumber and put it in Zhao Mingyue's bowl: "Eat this, it's said to be very nourishing."

The smell of sea cucumbers made Zhao Mingyue suddenly feel nauseous, her stomach churning. She quickly ran outside to vomit. Shen Xuyue's expression changed, and he rushed out, asking, "Mingyue, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Zhao Mingyue opened her mouth and vomited again. Chen's mother followed from behind and asked, "What's wrong? Are you sick?"

Zhao Mingyue took a deep breath and shook her head: "No, I just suddenly felt a little nauseous." Shen Xuyue brought her water to rinse her mouth, and she rinsed her mouth before going inside.

Everyone looked at her. Zhao Mingyue smiled apologetically, "It's okay, everyone, let's eat." She sat down at the table, and the smell of the seafood in her bowl still made her feel a little uncomfortable. She picked it up and gave it to Shen Xuyue, "I don't want to eat this, I'll eat something else." Looking at the chicken, duck, fish, and meat, she suddenly lost her appetite. These were rare treats, and now that she saw them, she had no appetite at all. Zhao Mingyue's heart suddenly skipped a beat: Could she be pregnant?

Fang Zhen, who was sitting next to her, watched her keep picking at cabbage and tofu, and quietly asked her, "Mingyue, are you pregnant too?"

Zhao Mingyue said, "I didn't know that. I hadn't noticed this situation before."

Fang Zhen said, "Let's go to the hospital for a checkup."

Zhao Mingyue nodded: "Okay."

After the meal, Shen Fuyu asked, "Mingyue, do you not like seafood?"

Zhao Mingyue said embarrassedly, "This is the first time I've encountered this situation. I've eaten seafood before, and I've never had this reaction."

"I noticed you haven't eaten much meat today. Is your stomach upset?" Shen Fuyu asked.

Zhao Mingyue shook her head: "I just feel a little nauseous and want to vomit."

Shen Fuyu laughed and turned to her mother, saying, "Mom, maybe Mingyue will have one too."

Mother Chen smiled and said, "Actually, I had my doubts too. But it seems Mingyue doesn't know either, so let's go to the hospital for a check-up tomorrow."

Shen Xuyue was stunned when he heard the news. He turned to look at his wife and asked, "Is it true? Is she really pregnant?" He was going to be a father?

Zhao Mingyue wasn't sure, so she didn't give him much hope and shook her head, saying, "I don't know either. We'll have to go to the hospital for a checkup to find out."

"I'll go to the hospital with you tomorrow." Shen Xuyue was practically ecstatic.

While resting that night, Shen Xuyue kept staring at Zhao Mingyue's stomach, trying to see something out of it. Zhao Mingyue pushed his head away: "Are you stupid? Do you think you have X-ray vision and can see right through my stomach? You'll find out at the hospital tomorrow."

Shen Xuyue nodded vigorously: "Okay, honey, let's go to sleep."

Zhao Mingyue climbed into bed and snuggled under the covers. Shen Xuyue hugged her waist, his ear pressed against her stomach. Zhao Mingyue was both amused and exasperated: "I told you, I can't hear anything at all."

"I heard something throbbing."

Zhao Mingyue stared at the ceiling: "That's my heartbeat." How childish this man can be sometimes.

Shen Xuyue chuckled and said, "If it really is a baby, we can have a baby together with Big Brother."

Zhao Mingyue said, "It's impossible for us to be together. My sister-in-law's baby is almost four months old, and ours is only a little over a month old at most."

"That's about right. I'm three years younger than my brother, and my child is only three months younger than his. That's progress! We're almost catching up with him." Shen Xuyue started rambling incoherently as he got excited.

Zhao Mingyue couldn't help but find it amusing: "So what if we caught up?"

"It means we're making progress, and they're falling behind."

The young couple lay in bed, dreaming about their child's future. Shen Xuyue was the one really thinking, even starting to name the baby. Zhao Mingyue felt it wasn't worth having too high hopes, so while Shen Xuyue was daydreaming, she couldn't help but remind him, "This isn't settled yet. Let's wait until it's confirmed, okay?"

Shen Xuyue said, "It's the same as preparing it in advance, since we'll need it anyway."

Shen Xuyue had such high expectations for the child, which made Zhao Mingyue both happy and a little worried. She hoped that she was really pregnant and that there would be no problems in giving birth to the child smoothly. Then, her life would be complete.

The next morning, Shen Xuyue wanted to accompany Zhao Mingyue to the hospital, but Zhao Mingyue said, "The hospital doesn't open until eight o'clock, so going so early will only mean waiting."

So Shen Xuyue had no choice but to nod: "Alright then, let's eat first, and then we'll go over."

Everyone teased Shen Xuyue: "Xiao Xu is just like a young lad. You're thirty years old, how can you be so impetuous?"

Shen Xuyue didn't mind at all: "You have to understand how it feels to be a father for the first time."

Shen Qixue said, "Why are you in such a hurry? What's meant to come will come."

Shen Xuyue rolled his eyes at his brother: "Of course you're not in a hurry. What you were looking for has already arrived."