Qi Yuancheng and Qin Rou were both taken aback and turned to look at Gu Jianing, their voices filled with excitement. “Dr. Gu, you… you can treat this?”
“Of course I can!”
“This isn’t some incurable disease.”
“If the issue is oligospermia, then we just need to increase the sperm count.”
“Medication plus acupuncture will do the trick.”
“I can prescribe the medicine now. As for the acupuncture, it depends on when Battalion Commander Qi is available. A week of acupuncture and half a month of medication should suffice.”
Since Qi Yuancheng and Qin Rou had come to see her, they naturally trusted Gu Jianing. Hearing that she could treat the condition and even proposed a treatment plan, they were overjoyed.
“Thank you, Dr. Gu. Thank you so much.”
Afterward, Gu Jianing wrote a prescription for Qi Yuancheng. As for the acupuncture, Qi Yuancheng would need to coordinate his schedule. Today wasn’t possible, but Gu Jianing was confident she could cure his oligospermia.
The visit from Qi Yuancheng and his wife seemed to set a positive tone for Gu Jianing’s practice. That same day, two more couples came, seeking her help to overcome fertility challenges and conceive.
Of course, there were also some… peculiar cases.
For instance, an overbearing mother-in-law brought her pregnant daughter-in-law, demanding that Gu Jianing determine the baby’s gender. The mother-in-law was domineering, while the daughter-in-law appeared timid and miserable.
After just a few sentences, Gu Jianing understood the situation: the family favored boys over girls. The daughter-in-law had already given birth to four daughters, and this was her sixth pregnancy.
The fifth pregnancy had been terminated because the mother-in-law dreamed it was another girl. Since it was still early, the fetus’s gender couldn’t be confirmed.
Now, the daughter-in-law was seven months along, and the mother-in-law was dragging her around to various doctors, hoping someone could reveal the baby’s sex.
Though the old woman didn’t say it outright, Gu Jianing knew that if she confirmed it was another girl, the mother-in-law would likely force another abortion—even at seven months. And even if the baby were born, the girl’s fate would be bleak.
The moment they walked in, Gu Jianing had already scanned the fetus.
The result? A girl.
“Sorry, my skills are limited. I can’t determine the gender,” Gu Jianing said.
She felt that telling the truth would indirectly lead to the death of an innocent life. By withholding the answer, at least the baby would have a chance to be born.
And once born, there was hope.
The next evening, the military auditorium held an awards ceremony to honor those who had performed exceptionally during the rescue mission in Xinghua Village. Nearly half the military base attended.
Gu Jianing was among the awardees, though she didn’t dress up specially—just her usual attire.
The only thing dampening her joy was that Sheng Zexi was still away on a mission and hadn’t returned.
Fortunately, she had Zhang Shuwan and Guoguo by her side.
By now, Gu Jianing was three months pregnant, with a slight baby bump. But since she wore loose clothing, it wasn’t very noticeable.
Zhang Shuwan, on the other hand, was a month further along and carrying twins, so her belly was much more obvious even under her clothes.
Gu Jianing held Guoguo’s hand with one hand and had Zhang Shuwan’s arm looped through the other.
Zhang Shuwan eyed Gu Jianing’s increasingly radiant post-pregnancy complexion and sighed. “It’s not fair. Just not fair.”
Gu Jianing blinked. “Huh?”
“We’re both pregnant, but I keep getting uglier, with rougher skin, while you just get prettier.”
“Look at this—skin so fair and smooth, like a peeled egg.”
“And your figure’s still perfect. Only your belly’s showing; everything else is still slim where it should be and curvy where it counts.”
“I’m almost jealous!”
Of course, Zhang Shuwan said this in jest. Jealousy was out of the question—envy, maybe.
Who wouldn’t envy Gu Jianing’s pregnancy condition?
Hearing Zhang Shuwan’s words, Gu Jianing couldn’t help but laugh softly.
The reason she was in such good shape was because she had taken the **Pregnancy Holy Body Pill** and the **Pregnancy Comfort Pill**.
Zhang Shuwan continued, “Look at you—no morning sickness, no symptoms at all except for being a little sleepier. If you weren’t already a doctor and your belly wasn’t starting to show, I’d almost think you weren’t even pregnant!”
Unlike Gu Jianing, Zhang Shuwan had suffered terribly from morning sickness early on, vomiting relentlessly and struggling to eat. It had only recently gotten slightly better.
She figured that as her pregnancy progressed, she’d likely face swollen legs, cramps, and sleepless nights.
“Do you regret it?” Gu Jianing asked.
Regret what? Regret getting pregnant?
Zhang Shuwan immediately shook her head. “Of course not.”
“These two babies were hard-won. Just like Guoguo, they’re my treasures.”
“No matter how much I suffer, as long as I can carry them and bring them safely into the world, it’s all worth it. I’d endure it willingly.”
Gu Jianing felt a swell of emotion. Mothers truly were incredible.
At this moment, she could deeply empathize with Zhang Shuwan.
In her past life, she, too, had desperately prayed for a child.
But fate had denied her.
Now, reborn into a new life, she had made different choices—and was now carrying a child of her own.
The baby in her belly was just as precious to her.
Like Zhang Shuwan said, no matter how much hardship came with it, she would embrace it gladly.
On the way, they ran into Jiang Baihe, Qin Rou, and others.
The group walked together toward the auditorium.
Since award recipients were seated in the first two rows, Gu Jianing couldn’t sit with Zhang Shuwan and the others.
If Sheng Zexi were here, at least they could have sat together.
But now, she had to sit alone.
The last time she’d been in this auditorium, they had been side by side. Now, with him away on a mission, she didn’t even know how he was doing.
A sudden wave of loneliness washed over her.
**Sheng Zexi, I really miss you.**
Soon, the host took the stage. After an impassioned and moving opening speech, the awards ceremony began.
Gu Jianing watched as recipients went up one by one. Before she knew it, the host announced:
“Next, we honor an outstanding medical professional who performed exceptionally during the rescue mission.”
“With remarkable medical skills, she repeatedly pulled the critically injured back from the brink of death. Despite being pregnant herself, she worked tirelessly for a full day and night to save lives.”
“She is both an exceptional doctor and a remarkable mother.”
“Please welcome Dr. Gu Jianing to the stage to receive her award.”
Amid applause, Gu Jianing calmly walked up.
From the moment she stood up until she reached the stage, nearly everyone in the auditorium watched her.
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