After confirming the pregnancy, Shen Yunmian's life shifted entirely.
She handed over most of Shen Group's daily operations to a management team led by Su Qingyu, retaining only the most critical strategic decisions.
Her entire world seemed to revolve around the tiny embryo in her womb.
Early pregnancy symptoms soon appeared.
Morning nausea, sudden fatigue, and subtle changes in taste.
Shen Yunmian endured all of it silently, never complaining—on the contrary, she accepted it with a kind of willing sweetness.
She strictly followed the nutritionist's advice, even forcing herself to eat foods she normally disliked for the sake of the child.
Yu Sheng saw all of this.
She remained busy, but with a pregnant woman now in the apartment requiring special care, the rhythm of her life was inevitably disrupted.
She allowed nutritionists and doctors to visit regularly.
She allowed Shen Yunmian to stay over long-term.
She even allowed the gradual appearance of pregnancy-related items throughout the home.
Yet, their communication did not increase.
Most of the time, they simply coexisted in silence.
That night, late, Yu Sheng returned to the bedroom after finishing work in her study and found Shen Yunmian still awake, leaning against the headboard, brows slightly furrowed, one hand resting lightly on her stomach.
"Not feeling well?" Yu Sheng asked casually as she walked to her side of the bed.
Shen Yunmian seemed surprised by the concern. After a brief pause, she quickly shook her head. "I'm fine, just a bit nauseous. It'll pass." She hesitated, her voice lowering. "Did I wake you? I can move to the guest room next time…"
"No need," Yu Sheng interrupted, lifting the blanket and lying down. "Sleep."
In the darkness, listening to the steady rhythm of Yu Sheng's breathing, Shen Yunmian felt her discomfort ease slightly.
She quietly turned onto her side, gazing at Yu Sheng's calm profile in the dim light, a warmth rising in her chest.
This quiet coexistence—even with its faint distance—was already a great happiness to her.
Yet beneath the calm, currents stirred.
As the pregnancy progressed, after a routine check-up, the doctor privately made a suggestion to both of them.
"Miss Yu, Miss Shen," the doctor said cautiously while reviewing the report, "considering Miss Shen's physical condition… not particularly robust, and this being her first pregnancy, along with her age—To ensure the safety of both mother and child, and to minimize risks during pregnancy and delivery, we recommend considering 'dormant gestation' technology."
"Dormant gestation?" Yu Sheng frowned slightly.
She had heard of it—a medical method that places the mother into a near-hibernation physiological state, minimizing the burden of pregnancy on the body, though requiring continuous monitoring in a specialized medical pod.
Shen Yunmian's face paled slightly. Her hand instinctively covered her abdomen, a trace of resistance flashing in her eyes.
It meant she would spend more than half a year in near isolation, unable to move freely.
The doctor continued, "The technology is very mature and highly safe. It can effectively prevent complications like gestational hypertension and diabetes, and provide the most stable developmental environment for the fetus. It's especially suitable for cases like Miss Shen's… where extra caution is needed."
Yu Sheng fell silent for a moment before turning to Shen Yunmian. "What do you think?"
Shen Yunmian bit her lip, struggling briefly. Then she looked at Yu Sheng, her gaze filled with dependence. "I… I'll follow your decision. What do you think?"
Yu Sheng looked at the data in the report, then at Shen Yunmian's pale face and uneasy eyes. Rationally, this was the safest option.
"If the doctor recommends it, then we'll proceed. Safety comes first."
A faint trace of disappointment flickered through Shen Yunmian's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by the thought that this was best for the baby.
"Okay," she said softly.
The process was quickly arranged.
This meant Shen Yunmian would need to be admitted in advance to a specialized hospital suite for preparation.
The night before admission, Shen Yunmian packed a few personal belongings in the apartment.
Her movements were slow, filled with reluctance.
This place had held the warmth she had almost stolen over the past few months.
Yu Sheng stood by the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room, looking out at the night, silent.
After finishing, Shen Yunmian walked behind her and said softly, "I'll go to the hospital early tomorrow morning."
"Mm," Yu Sheng replied without turning.
Silence spread between them.
Gathering her courage, Shen Yunmian stepped closer, almost able to catch the faint scent in Yu Sheng's hair.
Her voice trembled slightly with a hint of pleading: "Sheng Sheng… will you… come see me?"
Yu Sheng didn't answer immediately.
Just as Shen Yunmian's heart began to sink, Yu Sheng turned around. Her gaze lingered on her face for two seconds before shifting to the luggage beside her, her tone softening slightly:
"Take care of yourself. I'll arrange for things to be sent regularly. If there are important check-ups, Qingyu will notify me."
A trace of bitterness mixed with faint comfort settled in Shen Yunmian's heart.
"…Okay. I understand," she said softly, lowering her head.
After being admitted, Shen Yunmian soon entered medically induced dormancy.
She lay quietly in a pristine medical pod, connected to various monitors, like a sleeping spirit.
Under professional supervision, the fetus developed steadily.
Yu Sheng's life seemed to return to its previous routine.
Company. Apartment. Back and forth.
But now, on her desk, there was a small digital frame displaying real-time data from the hospital's monitoring system—heart rate, fetal heartbeat, nutrient levels…
Cold numbers, silently proving the existence of another life.
Su Qingyu would regularly report to her on Shen Yunmian and the fetus—everything was stable.
Yu Sheng would occasionally, after hearing the report, ask one or two follow-up questions in a calm tone, then say no more.
She did not visit the hospital as frequently as Shen Yunmian had hoped.
In fact, during the first two months after Shen Yunmian entered dormancy, she only went once.
It was a weekend afternoon. After finishing work, on a whim, she had the driver take her to the hospital.
Alone, she walked through the quiet, almost solemn corridor of the special care ward, standing for a long time outside the large glass window of the monitoring room. Through the glass, she saw Shen Yunmian lying quietly inside the chamber, her complexion rosy, her breathing steady, as if she were merely in a deep sleep.
The medical staff moved about silently, adjusting the instruments.
Yu Sheng just stood there, watching for a long time. No one knew what she was thinking.
In the end, she turned and left without disturbing anyone.
Time passed steadily under precise medical supervision.
The fetus developed well, reaching the standard to leave the dormancy environment earlier than expected.
After a comprehensive evaluation by the medical team, it was decided to begin Shen Yunmian's revival procedure.
The revival process went smoothly.
When Shen Yunmian's long eyelashes trembled and she slowly opened her eyes, awakening from her long sleep, her consciousness had not yet fully returned, but a strange, full sensation flooded her body and mind first.
Subconsciously, she raised her hand and gently placed it over her noticeably swollen abdomen.
There, a real heartbeat pulsed, strong and in sync with her own.
"Baby…" she murmured hoarsely, tears instantly welling up and sliding down the corners of her eyes.
This wasn't a dream.
Her child was growing well inside her.
The medical staff carefully examined her, smiling as they congratulated her. "Miss Shen, congratulations. The revival was very successful. The baby is very healthy and is almost 28 weeks."
Feeling the movement of life within her, an indescribable, wondrous sensation arose in Shen Yunmian's heart.
The gloom and despair of her past life seemed to have been dispelled quite a bit by this resilient little life.
She was transferred to a top-tier obstetrics VIP ward for continued rest and observation. Though her body remained weak, her mind was clearer than ever and filled with anticipation.
The news of her awakening was immediately relayed to Yu Sheng by Su Qingyu.
At the time, Yu Sheng was in a meeting.
After hearing Su Qingyu's quiet report, she merely gave an almost imperceptible nod, and the meeting continued as usual.
It wasn't until the meeting ended and everyone had left that she picked up her phone and called the attending physician.
"How is she?" Her voice revealed little emotion.
"President Yu, please rest assured. Miss Shen and the fetus have all normal indicators. She just needs time to adapt and recover her strength."
"Mm." Yu Sheng hung up. Her fingertips lingered on the screen for a moment, but in the end, she still didn't dial the ward number she knew by heart.
That evening, however, Yu Sheng finished work earlier than usual.
She had the driver take her to the hospital, but she sat in the car for nearly half an hour. Only after night had fully fallen did she go upstairs alone.
The ward was quiet, lit only by a soft bedside lamp.
Shen Yunmian leaned against the headboard, one hand gently resting on her swollen abdomen, seemingly asleep, her breathing even.
The warm light outlined her soft profile and the rounded curve of her belly, stripping away her usual coldness and giving her a serene maternal glow.
Yu Sheng stood at the doorway, watching quietly for a while without entering to disturb her.
Her gaze fell on the hand resting over the abdomen, her expression unreadable.
In the end, she turned and left silently, just as she had come.
However, starting the next day, Yu Sheng's visits to the hospital noticeably increased.
Sometimes it was in the evening, bringing urgent company documents that required her review. Sometimes on weekend afternoons, she would sit on the sofa in the ward, handling work for two or three hours at a time.
There was still not much conversation between them.
Often, Yu Sheng worked while Shen Yunmian leaned against the bed reading, or resting with her eyes closed, feeling the baby's movements.
A strange sense of peace flowed through the air.
Once, Yu Sheng closed her laptop and rubbed her brow. Her gaze casually swept over the thick "Encyclopedia of Childcare" beside Shen Yunmian.
Noticing her glance, Shen Yunmian spoke softly, with a hint of hesitation. "The doctor said the baby's hearing has been developing quickly recently—it can hear sounds from outside now… Do you… want to try talking to it?"
Yu Sheng paused and looked at her.
There was a cautious expectation in Shen Yunmian's eyes.
After a few seconds of silence, Yu Sheng stood up and walked to the bedside. She didn't sit down, only bent slightly, leaning close to Shen Yunmian's abdomen, and said in a very low voice, "Baby, grow up quickly."
After speaking, she straightened up, her expression returning to its usual calm.
"I have another meeting. I'll go first."
Shen Yunmian watched her leaving figure, then looked down at her own belly, the corners of her lips unable to stop lifting.
Though it was only four words, it was the first time Yu Sheng had taken the initiative to speak to the baby.
This small breakthrough filled her heart with immense joy and hope.
—
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