The days of pregnancy flowed beneath a surface calm.
Shen Yunmian's body gradually adapted. The nausea eased, her appetite improved, and her spirits lifted considerably.
However, the sense of responsibility deeply rooted in her bones made it impossible for her to truly let go of work. She didn't dare use the computer for long, so she had Su Qingyu print key documents and bring them to the ward. She would dictate her opinions, which were then relayed back.
Seeing that her condition seemed stable, Yu Sheng did not stop her, only instructing Su Qingyu to closely monitor her state.
One afternoon, Su Qingyu brought an urgent evaluation report on an overseas emerging market acquisition. The project involved a huge sum and complex factors.
Leaning against the headboard, Shen Yunmian carefully reviewed the thick stack of documents, her expression growing increasingly serious.
The risks of this project were greater than she had anticipated. Several key data points seemed questionable.
"Qingyu, here." She pointed to a financial model in the report, frowning. "This assumption is overly optimistic. The potential policy risks aren't reflected at all. And here—the competitor analysis isn't deep enough. Their recent technological breakthrough will directly impact our market share."
She spoke quickly, fully focused, and before she realized it, nearly two hours had passed in discussion.
Seeing fine beads of sweat form on her forehead, Su Qingyu quickly urged, "President Shen, the rest isn't urgent. You should rest first—your complexion doesn't look good."
Shen Yunmian waved her hand, forcing herself to continue. "It's fine, just a little more. This project can't be delayed…"
Before she could finish, she suddenly let out a muffled groan. Her hand instinctively clutched her abdomen, her brows tightly knitted, all color draining from her face.
"President Shen!" Su Qingyu cried out in alarm. Shen Yunmian curled up in pain, cold sweat covering her forehead.
"It hurts…" Shen Yunmian's voice trembled.
Su Qingyu immediately pressed the emergency call button, her voice shaking. "Doctor! Get a doctor! The patient has abdominal pain!"
Medical staff rushed in. After a preliminary examination, their expressions turned grave. "Abnormal contractions, signs of threatened miscarriage. Move her to the emergency room immediately!"
Amid the chaos, Shen Yunmian was quickly transferred. The intense pain and overwhelming fear blurred her consciousness. Only one thought remained clear: the child… her child…
At the top-floor conference room of Yu Group, the atmosphere was tense.
Negotiations were underway. Yu Sheng sat at the head, her expression cold as she engaged in a final tug-of-war over key terms.
Suddenly, the meeting room door was gently pushed open. Pale-faced, Su Qingyu hurried to Yu Sheng's side and leaned down to whisper urgently in her ear.
Yu Sheng's hand holding the document froze. The calm on her face shattered like ice, and a flicker of panic—never seen before—flashed in her eyes.
"Apologies, everyone." She stood up abruptly, not even offering an explanation. She quickly instructed the vice president beside her, "You take over," then grabbed her phone and rushed out of the room, leaving stunned executives and partners behind.
The elevator descended unbearably slowly; every second felt like torture.
Yu Sheng pressed her lips tightly together, repeatedly checking the latest message from Su Qingyu on her phone:
[She's been sent to the emergency room. The doctors are doing everything they can.]
The car sped all the way to the hospital. As soon as the brakes screeched to a halt, Yu Sheng pushed the door open and got out. Her heels struck the ground in rapid succession as she nearly ran through the hospital lobby toward the obstetrics emergency area.
The red light outside the emergency room glowed harshly.
Su Qingyu came forward, her voice anxious. "President Yu, President Shen, she—"
"How is she?" Yu Sheng cut her off, her voice hoarse, her eyes fixed on the tightly shut door.
"The doctors are still inside. They said it's severe contractions caused by overexertion…"
Before Su Qingyu could finish, the emergency room door opened.
The doctor stepped out. Yu Sheng immediately stepped forward, asking anxiously, "How is she? And the baby?"
"President Yu, please stay calm," the doctor said quickly, understanding her emotions. "Fortunately, she was brought in on time. We've administered the strongest medication to suppress the contractions, and the situation is temporarily stabilized. But the patient must remain on strict bed rest and avoid any emotional fluctuations or exertion. Otherwise, next time, we cannot guarantee the fetus can be saved."
The tension in Yu Sheng's body suddenly eased, and she forced herself to calm down. "Can I go in and see her now?"
"You may, but the patient needs rest. Please don't talk for too long."
Yu Sheng pushed open the ward door and walked in, her steps light.
On the hospital bed, Shen Yunmian's face was pale as paper. Her eyes were closed, and faint tear marks still clung to her long eyelashes. An IV was inserted into the back of one hand, while the other rested unconsciously on her slightly swollen abdomen.
Yu Sheng's heart tightened. She walked to the bedside and slowly sat down, her gaze falling on Shen Yunmian's face with complicated emotion. Then, carefully, she reached out and gently held the fingers resting on her abdomen.
The warmth from her fingertips made Shen Yunmian's lashes tremble. She slowly opened her eyes.
When she saw Yu Sheng by the bed, moisture instantly welled up in her eyes. Her lips moved, her voice weak and choked. "Sheng Sheng… I'm sorry… I made you worry…"
Yu Sheng didn't speak, only tightened her grip on her hand.
Tears rolled down Shen Yunmian's cheeks, filled with deep guilt and lingering fear. "I just… didn't want to put all the burden on you alone. I'm sorry…"
Seeing her like this, Yu Sheng sighed softly. "Don't think so much. Just rest well." She paused, her gaze falling on Shen Yunmian's abdomen, her tone low and clear. "As for the company, Qingyu and I will handle it. Your most important task now is to take care of yourself and the child."
These comforting words were like a warm current, instantly flowing through Shen Yunmian's entire body.
She looked at Yu Sheng in disbelief, then clasped her hand tightly in return, nodding through tears. "Mm… I understand… I will…"
Yu Sheng let her hold on, not pulling away.
The crisis was temporarily resolved, but the seed of dependence had already quietly taken root in the soil of fear.
That heart-stopping incident at the hospital became a dividing line, subtly changing the delicate balance between them.
When she was discharged, Yu Sheng didn't ask for Shen Yunmian's opinion. She directly instructed Su Qingyu, "Move everything to Jingshui Bay. She'll stay at my place for now."
Shen Yunmian's heart felt as if it had been soaked in warm water, soft all over, and she couldn't help but smile.
And so, Shen Yunmian moved into Yu Sheng's apartment.
At first, the atmosphere was still somewhat stiff and tentative.
Yu Sheng's apartment had a minimalist, cool-toned style. Now, it was filled with pregnancy pillows, slippers, preserved plums and nuts on the coffee table, and loose, soft maternity clothes drying on the balcony. Warmth gradually seeped into the once cold space.
Yu Sheng's life ran with clockwork precision, but Shen Yunmian's pregnancy required frequent small meals, making their routines inevitably different.
After a few days, a small insulated cabinet appeared in a corner of Yu Sheng's study, always keeping warm soups or snacks suitable for a pregnant woman.
At one dinner, the steamed fish prepared by the nutritionist made Shen Yunmian frown after just one bite. The changes in her taste during pregnancy made her unusually sensitive to the fishy smell.
Yu Sheng glanced at her but said nothing.
A moment later, she stood up and walked into the kitchen.
Shen Yunmian heard the faint sounds of cooking. After a while, Yu Sheng came out carrying a small plate of golden, appetizing scrambled eggs and placed it in front of her.
"Try this." Her tone was calm, as if it were nothing special.
Shen Yunmian picked up a piece and put it in her mouth. The fragrance of the eggs, combined with a slight tang of vinegar, perfectly soothed the discomfort in her stomach.
Her eyes grew warm. "Thank you."
"Mm." Yu Sheng responded and continued eating as if she hadn't been the one who cooked just now.
At night, Yu Sheng worked in the study, while Shen Yunmian leaned on the living room sofa reading parenting magazines.
In the quiet space, only the soft sounds of turning pages and tapping keys could be heard.
What Shen Yunmian felt most was the change in those unconscious moments of intimacy.
One late night in the third trimester, her calf suddenly cramped. The intense pain woke her instantly, and she cried out.
Almost at the same moment, Yu Sheng sat up immediately, her voice still drowsy but tense. "What's wrong?"
"My leg… it's cramping…" Shen Yunmian's voice trembled in pain.
Yu Sheng immediately leaned over. Her warm palm accurately grasped the cramped calf, pressing and kneading with just the right strength—her technique even seemed practiced.
"Here?" she asked softly, her fingertips feeling the tightness of the muscle.
"Mm… a little lighter…" Shen Yunmian inhaled sharply.
Yu Sheng slowed her movements, patiently easing her pain.
In the darkness, their breathing was clearly audible.
Only when the cramping gradually subsided did Yu Sheng let go, her voice still hoarse with sleep. "It's fine now. Sleep."
She lay back down, as if everything just now had been nothing more than instinct.
But Shen Yunmian stared at her back, unable to fall asleep for a long time. The lingering warmth on her calf spread all the way into her heart.
She greedily absorbed this hard-earned tenderness, her heart filled with overwhelming happiness, almost to the point of overflowing.
Yet she still restrained herself, carefully protecting this fragile balance, never bringing up remarriage.
Days flowed quietly like a stream, the apartment filled with a simple yet real sense of life.
They would spend weekend afternoons together discussing plans for the baby's room.
"How about this crib?" Shen Yunmian pointed at a wooden crib in a catalog, turning to ask Yu Sheng's opinion.
Yu Sheng put down her financial magazine and glanced at it. "The edges are too sharp. Not safe. Choose one with rounded curves."
Shen Yunmian listened seriously, smiling. "Okay, I'll listen to you."
They would also take slow walks in the garden downstairs when the weather was nice in the evening.
Yu Sheng would slow her pace to match Shen Yunmian's heavy steps.
The setting sun stretched their shadows long, occasionally overlapping.
Shen Yunmian often secretly watched Yu Sheng's profile when she focused on parenting materials or unconsciously placed her hand on Shen Yunmian's abdomen to feel the baby move.
Under the light, Yu Sheng's features seemed softer than ever before.
Shen Yunmian's heart was filled with an unprecedented sense of peace and satisfaction.
She knew that the solid ice between them was slowly melting. Though the future was still unclear, the warmth of the present was enough to illuminate all her persistence.
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