Situ Jin snorted, “This is nothing. There’s another who hasn’t returned yet, who might run away.”
Ying Feng quickly understood, “Qi Feng knows too? Isn’t the exhibition not over?”
“Thinking of this, he suddenly frowned, ‘Where would he go?’
Qi Feng’s solitary nature meant he had no friends and spent his days at home or the company. Where could he possibly go?
Ru Feng nervously stood up, ‘I don’t know where my second brother would go. What should we do?’
‘Don’t panic, let me ask around,’ Ying Feng comforted her, making several phone calls. Finally, when he called the company, his eyebrows relaxed. He told Ru Feng, ‘He’s in the office.’
Situ Jin felt both heartache and amusement. ‘What a good child, even running away from home without wandering around.’
Ru Feng twisted her fingers. ‘What if he’s still angry with me?’
Situ Jin patted her hand. ‘Explain your reasons to him. He will understand.’
‘Speaking of which,’ Ru Feng muttered, ‘Dad and my second brother are the same—they get angry without asking for my reasons.’
Situ Jin looked at her, ‘You think I’ve forgiven you? I’m still angry. No reason can justify this.’
If Ru Feng didn’t dare to argue anymore, she said, ‘I’ll go find my second brother.’
She stood up, walked a few steps, then turned back. ‘Dad, I have one more question.’
‘What?’
‘I’ve taken birth control pills before. Will it affect the child?’
Situ Jin stood up, raising his voice. ‘What?’
Ru Feng bit her lip, feeling like she had instantly become the target of family criticism.”
Situ Jin’s face turned ashen. After catching his breath, he said, “Bring me the medication, and I’ll have someone check its ingredients.”
“Then, shall I go pick up my second brother?”
“Go get me the medication, now!”
By the time Ru Feng finished her errands and arrived at the company in the afternoon, the office was dark. She turned on the light but found no one. “Huh, where is he?” Wasn’t her second brother supposed to be in the office?
Looking around suspiciously, she glanced behind the desk and froze. Qi Feng was sitting on the floor, his head buried in his bent knees, motionless.
“Second brother!” Ru Feng rushed over, feeling his body was stiff and cold, instantly frightened. “Second brother, what’s wrong? Answer me!”
She tried to pull his hand to check his pulse, but it was tightly pressed under his head and couldn’t be moved. Anxiously shaking his arm, she said, “Second brother, don’t scare me. I don’t want the baby. It’s strange you haven’t been suffering from burning torment recently; it’s because of the baby. I don’t want him to suffer for his father’s sake.”
Qi Feng suddenly lifted his head and grabbed her hand, “You mean, you don’t not want my child?”
Ru Feng nodded, “Second brother, I love him too much to bear losing him.”
Qi Feng blinked, “You mean the baby has replaced me in suffering?”
Ru Feng took his hand and placed it on her belly, “Yes, because of him, you no longer feel pain.”
Qi Feng’s hand trembled slightly as he looked reverently at her belly, “He’s so small, yet already so understanding?”
“Yes, so don’t overthink it. I didn’t mean to not want him.”
Sensation returned, and his body temperature gradually recovered. Qi Feng stared at her, his voice hoarse and uneasy, “You don’t want me, so you don’t want him?”
Ru Feng hugged him tightly, “Silly second brother, you’re the best. How could I not want you?”
Qi Feng wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her silently.
Ru Feng shifted slightly, and he tightened his grip, “Feng’er.”
“Second brother, this position is uncomfortable. Can we sit down?”
Qi Feng lifted her and sat her on the sofa, burying his head in her neck.
After a long while, Qi Feng finally let her go and gently stroked her belly, “Feng’er, let’s go to the hospital.”
“Second brother?” Ru Feng was startled.
Qi Feng smiled, a bleak expression on his face, “You’re right. How can we watch the child suffer? I’ve experienced that torment.”
How could such a small child endure it?” His eyes reddened. “Feng’er, you are right.”
The room was silent, but Ru Feng could see his hands clenched into tight fists, obviously suppressing something.
Ru Feng made her decision and gently hugged him. “No, second brother. I’m the mother. I want to protect him.”
Qi Feng’s expression pained. “But…”
“No buts,” Ru Feng said. “Dad is right. Life should be respected. Although we are his parents, we cannot decide his life and death. We should be his protectors when he cannot protect himself. His ability to be born is a miracle, an extraordinary gift. How can we deprive him of the life he has struggled so hard to obtain?”
She grabbed Qi Feng’s hand. “He hurts, and you and I hurt with him. Who can say who hurts more? We’ll hurt together. We are family.”
This is the meaning of life: respecting and cherishing every opportunity to exist, not easily giving up or abandoning. Perhaps every challenge creates a miracle.
“Okay!” Qi Feng hugged her tightly. “Since he is our child, this is his destiny.”
“Second brother, how did you know?” Ru Feng asked when they returned home that night. She didn’t believe he had some telepathic connection with the child.
Qi Feng looked straight ahead, letting out a heavy snort from his nose.
“Second brother!” She carefully sidled up, holding his hand and shaking it.
Qi Feng ignored her, still upset about her earlier concealment.
“Second brother, I promise to tell you everything next time.” She raised her right hand as if taking an oath.
Qi Feng finally glanced at her, “From the moment you left home, someone has been reporting your every move to me.”
Ru Feng suddenly stood up, “You’re monitoring me?”
“How is it monitoring? It’s protection.”
“I have lost my personal freedom; that is surveillance. Second Brother, I hate you.”
“Wait until you stop getting injured every few days, and then we can discuss this personal freedom issue.”
“Second Brother, let’s negotiate. Don’t let someone follow me. Having a tail doesn’t feel good!” She hugged his arm and leaned in closer.
Qi Feng didn’t look at her, “Fortunately someone is following you, or else our child would have been gone.”
Ru Feng was speechless. After a moment, she muttered softly, “Who says it must be a son?”
Qi Feng replied, “Whether it’s a son or daughter, they almost didn’t make it!” His expression darkened, “I hope it’s a son.”
Ru Feng looked up at him. He turned away, “If it’s a daughter, I’ll be even more heartbroken.”
Ru Feng said nothing more and gently hugged him.
A few days later, Si Tu Jin approached Ru Feng with a strange expression, “Feng’er, are you sure this is the contraceptive pill you said you were taking?”
Ru Feng took the test report and pill bottle, stunned. “Vitamin C tablets?”
Suddenly remembering something, she searched her bag, taking out another bottle. Looking at Si Tu Jin and Si Tu Qi Feng beside her, she bit her lip.
“Feng’er, you didn’t take the wrong medication, did you?” Qi Feng asked with concern.
Ru Feng laughed awkwardly. “That day when I went to buy medicine, I was in a hurry and stuffed it deep in my bag. Later, when taking medicine, I didn’t look carefully, so I…” Her voice trailed off.
Qi Feng shook his head and hugged her. “Dad, it seems we occasionally have to thank her carelessness.”
Si Tu Jin looked at her belly and smiled. “This child is truly a miracle! Given Ru Feng’s careful nature, it’s hard to believe she made such a mistake.”
Qi Feng gently caressed her belly. “Look, this child was destined.”
“Mm!” Ru Feng replied, placing her hand over his.
The experience of having this child was filled with wonder and emotion.
One night, when Ru Feng was twenty weeks pregnant, she suddenly woke from a dream and screamed, nearly startling Qi Feng off the bed.
He scrambled over, nervously embracing her. “Feng’er, what’s wrong?”
