After being separated from my family, I became a darling of the military region thanks to my medical

Ye Zhen woke up at 6:30 the next morning.

Gu Zheng was still asleep, and an arm was wrapped around her waist, pressing down on her quite heavily. Ye Zhen supported his wrist, moved the arm back under the covers, and quietly got out of bed.

My stomach churned up again while I was brushing my teeth.

She steadied herself against the sink, waited for the nausea to subside, and then rinsed her mouth again. She didn't vomit; this early pregnancy symptom wasn't severe, just intermittent and quite bothersome.

Ye Zhen took out a mercury sphygmomanometer and a notebook from the cabinet, tucked them under her arm, and pushed open the door to the guest room.

Zhao Xiuxiu was already awake and sitting on the edge of the bed. Her trousers were rolled up to her calves, and she pressed her ankle with her fingertips; the indentation took a few seconds to return to its original shape.

Ye Cheng was not in the house.

"Where's my brother?"

"She went downstairs, saying she'd help you sweep the yard." Zhao Xiuxiu pulled down her trousers and rubbed her hands on her floral-patterned cotton jacket. "She left before dawn; I couldn't stop her."

Ye Zhen placed the blood pressure monitor on the bedside table and removed the cuff.

"Sister-in-law, let's take your blood pressure first. How did you sleep last night?"

"It's alright, I just had to get up twice during the night." Zhao Xiuxiu stretched out her arm. "Zhenzhen, I've been thinking about this all night. Is it because I ate too much salt that my blood pressure is high? I promise I won't eat salt anymore, okay?"

"Don't try to determine the cause of the illness yourself."

Ye Zhen wrapped the cuffs properly and tightened the valve.

"Relax your arms and don't talk."

The mercury column rose, then gradually fell back as the valve was released.

First round, right arm, 148/96.

Ye Zhen didn't rush to remove the cuff, but let Zhao Xiuxiu rest against the headboard for five minutes before switching to the left arm for a second test.

147/95.

She wrote the two numbers down in her notebook.

Last night's reading was 145/95, and it remained high twice this morning. Despite the absence of the unfamiliar environment at home causing stress, the reading hasn't come down.

Three measurements are sufficient to demonstrate that this is not an occasional fluctuation.

Adding to this the fact that she had been experiencing leg swelling, headaches, and blurred vision for more than two weeks, Ye Zhen's judgment was further elevated.

However, diagnosis cannot rely solely on experience.

The remaining issues are proteinuria and liver and kidney function.

"Sister-in-law, let's talk after the check-up today. We'll leave at eight o'clock. You can't eat anything before the blood draw."

"I've got it."

Zhao Xiuxiu nodded and placed her hand on her stomach.

"Zhenzhen, is the child alright now?"

"No obvious abnormalities have been found so far. We'll have to wait for the test results to determine the specifics."

Ye Zhen didn't offer her empty words of comfort.

At this point, downplaying the risks isn't helping her.

Ye Zhen put away the blood pressure monitor, poured Zhao Xiuxiu a glass of warm water, and then went back to her room to call Gu Zheng.

Gu Zheng turned over and sat up.

"What time is it?"

"6:50."

Ye Zhen handed him the blood pressure record.

"I'm taking my sister-in-law to the hospital today. Could you please contact Dr. Zhang Huilan, the head of the obstetrics and gynecology department, for me?"

"That Director Zhang from the obstetrics and gynecology department?"

"Yes, she has the most experience with high-risk pregnancies at the main hospital."

Gu Zheng got out of bed to look for his pants.

"How much did you get this morning, sister-in-law?"

"Right arm 148/96, left arm 147/95."

Gu Zheng paused for a second while pulling on his pants.

"It's gotten taller again?"

"Um."

Without further delay, he picked up the phone, dialed the on-call operator, and then transferred to the obstetrics and gynecology department. In less than three minutes, the examination time and the attending doctor were arranged.

At seven o'clock, Ye Cheng returned from downstairs, his hands covered in dust and his forehead sweating.

"Zhenzhen, some bricks under the jujube tree in the yard were loose, so I rebuilt them. This will prevent water from accumulating when it rains."

Ye Zhen handed him a towel.

"Brother, wash your face and change your clothes. We'll go with your wife to the checkup later."

Ye Cheng took the towel but didn't touch it.

"Zhenzhen, how was your blood pressure this morning?"

"It's still high, we'll be able to determine it after the tests are done. Don't guess now, wash your hands first."

Water washed over Ye Cheng's hand, and the ash stains gradually dispersed.

He washed his hands twice, turning them inside out, and didn't ask any more questions.

At 8:00 AM sharp, Xiao Wang drove his military green Jeep downstairs.

He drove very steadily, slowing down in advance when he encountered road seams. The family dormitory wasn't far from the outpatient building, but Zhao Xiuxiu was heavily pregnant and her legs were swollen, so every step she took was a step less.

The obstetrics and gynecology department is located on the third floor of the outpatient building.

Zhang Huilan had already arrived at the consultation room. She was in her early fifties, with gray hair, and her reading glasses were hanging from her chest on a thin string. On the table were medical records and a stethoscope.

Ye Zhen first placed the three blood pressure readings in front of her.

「孕三十四周，昨晚145/95，今早右臂148/96，左臂147/95。」

"I have had pitting edema in both lower limbs for more than two weeks, and I occasionally experience headaches and blurred vision. The town health center has not checked for proteinuria or performed any blood tests."

Zhang Huilan put on her reading glasses and flipped through her notes.

"You suspect preeclampsia?"

"We need to gather all the evidence."

Zhang Huilan picked up her pen and started writing the order.

"Complete blood count, urinalysis, liver function tests, kidney function tests, coagulation tests, and then an ultrasound."

Ye Zhen added a sentence.

"Random urine protein and urine creatinine are tested together, and a 24-hour urine sample is collected for verification after hospitalization."

"OK."

Zhang Huilan completed the project and also started fetal heart rate monitoring.

The checklist was a full page long.

Ye Cheng stood by the table and took the form. He flipped the paper back and forth twice, unable to understand a single item, and finally handed it back to Ye Zhen.

When Zhao Xiuxiu had her blood drawn, she rolled up her sleeves very high.

The nurse's first vein had slow blood return, and she had to stop after drawing blood from the second vein, so she had to try the other side. Zhao Xiuxiu didn't cry out in pain, but just turned her face to the wall, her jaw clenching until it ached.

Ye Cheng paced back and forth outside the door.

The soles of my shoes scraped across the terrazzo floor, one trip after another.

After having three tubes of blood drawn, Zhao Xiuxiu went to collect her urine. She stayed in the bathroom for a while, and came out holding the urine collection cup.

"Zhenzhen, shall I deliver it over?"

"Give it to me."

Ye Zhen took the sample and personally delivered it to the testing window.

At 9:30, it was time for the ultrasound.

Zhang Huilan operated the device herself. The coupling gel was a bit cool, and as soon as the probe was pressed against her abdomen, Zhao Xiuxiu flinched.

Black and white images spread out on the screen.

Biparietal diameter, femur length, abdominal circumference—Zhang Huilan recorded these measurements on the report paper.

"The fetus is a little small, but still within the normal range."

The probe was moved to the right side of her abdomen, and Zhang Huilan stopped to take the measurement again.

"Placement maturity grade II, locally approaching grade III. This condition at 34 weeks requires attention, but it cannot be used to determine placental blood supply alone."

Ye Zhen asked, "Where's the amniotic fluid?"

Zhang Huilan remeasured in four quadrants.

"The amniotic fluid index is 82 mm, which is in the low range and has not yet reached the diagnostic threshold for oligohydramnios."

She added two lines to the report.

"A combined assessment of hypertension and proteinuria is necessary."

Zhao Xiuxiu understood the words "low value".

"Zhenzhen, your amniotic fluid is low. Will this affect the baby?"

"It's still within the normal range."

Ye Zhen used gauze to wipe away the coupling gel from her abdomen.

"It's too early to draw conclusions. Let's wait for the blood and urine results first."

Zhao Xiuxiu pulled her clothes up, covered her stomach with both hands, and didn't ask any more questions.

Ye Cheng stood guard at the door of the consultation room. As soon as the three of them came out, he came up to greet them.

"How is the child?"

"There are no major problems at the moment. The baby is a little small, and the amniotic fluid level is in the low range. Other results are not yet available."

Ye Zhen glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Brother, you go sit downstairs with your wife. I'm going to the lab to check on the results."