In the afternoon, Shen Yin let them practice the moves again.
"Mommy, Zhengzheng's tummy is itchy," Zhengzheng ran up to her, lifted up his shirt, and revealed his pale belly, which had a few scratch marks.
"When did it start itching?" Shen Yin looked anxious.
Zhengzheng pondered for a moment, rubbed his tummy, and said, "At noon."
The little one scratched occasionally, and the scratch marks grew more numerous. Shen Yin's mind went blank; she had never faced such a situation before. Little Bao was too young, and although she had some medical skills, she did not know how to handle this.
Shen Yin immediately called Xu Xiuhe.
Xu Xiuhe also became anxious. Zhengzheng had been relatively healthy from a young age and had rarely fallen sick.
"Okay, don't panic for now. The driver is outside, and I'm also driving to the children's dermatology hospital. Don't worry."
"Okay."
Shen Yin hung up the phone and turned to her students, saying, "You guys keep practicing. We'll have a group chat later. I have something to take care of, so I'll be gone for a bit."
Shen Yin held Zhengzheng and got into the car.
"Zhengzheng, don't scratch, or you'll get scars."
Zhengzheng nodded.
Shen Yin held Zhengzheng with one hand and took out her phone with the other to search on Baidu.
"Why does a baby's tummy itch?"
There were many answers, and Shen Yin read one of them.
[A baby's itchy tummy can have many reasons. It could be a bacterial infection, a skin condition, or even an allergic reaction.]
Shen Yin recollected that Zhengzheng had not been exposed to anything abnormal recently, and even the pets were bathed daily.
The driver sensed Shen Yin's anxiety and drove rather quickly. When they arrived at the hospital, Xu Xiuhe was already there, having arranged for a doctor.
Several doctors came out to greet them.
Soon, the diagnosis was out: urticaria.
The doctor explained the treatment while applying ointment to Zhengzheng's rash.
"Don't let the baby scratch, as it will only make the itching worse. The main reason is that scratching raises the local temperature, causing the blood to release more histamine (allergen), which will further aggravate the condition."
Shen Yin began to blame herself, wondering if she had not taken good enough care of Zhengzheng, leading to this illness.
Xu Xiuhe noticed Shen Yin's distraction and gently patted her shoulder, reassuring her not to blame herself too much.
The doctor, perceptive as well, continued, "Urticaria in a two-year-old child is a swelling reaction caused by dilation and increased permeability of small blood vessels in the skin and mucous membranes. The main causes for a two-year-old child are infection, genetic factors, and physical stimuli. Infections can include viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites, such as viruses causing upper respiratory infections or hepatitis viruses, which can alter the body's reactivity and cause urticaria.
Genetic factors: If the baby's family has a history of urticaria, the baby's serum may contain a high concentration of a specific protein called IgE immunoglobulin, which is an intrinsic pathogenic factor for acute urticaria.
Physical stimuli: These include cold, heat, light, water, and mechanical pressure, such as immediate and delayed dermographic urticaria and delayed pressure urticaria. About 4% of people have dermographism, where firm stroking of the skin causes wheals and erythematous flares."
After all that, the only thing Xu Xiuhe heard was "genetic."
If he remembered correctly, Xu Guimin, his biological father, had suffered from urticaria when Xu Xiuhe was young, and his mother had applied medication for Xu Guimin.
The difference was that Xu Guimin's urticaria had been on his back.
At the thought of it being genetic, Xu Xiuhe felt guilty, wondering why it wasn't passed on to him instead of having this young child suffer.
"Don't worry too much. The baby's condition is not severe, and it was caught early. A few days of applying the ointment, and it will be fine. During the illness, the baby should minimize outdoor activities, as wind, cold, sweating, or friction can worsen the condition."
"Will it recur?" Shen Yin asked worriedly.
"No, our chief is an authority in pediatric dermatology, and he personally developed this ointment," a younger doctor chimed in.
"Does the baby need to follow a special diet?" Xu Xiuhe asked.
"During the urticaria period, the baby should avoid spicy, stimulating, and high-protein foods like fish, shrimp, milk, chicken, garlic sprouts, mangoes, etc. Cucumber, carrots, sesame, apples, and bananas are suitable," the doctor replied.
Upon hearing the doctor's words, Xu Yunzheng, lying on the bed with his tummy exposed, immediately sat up.
"Daddy, Mommy, Zhengzheng is no longer itchy. Zhengzheng is better," Xu Yunzheng said anxiously, wondering why he couldn't eat meat.
Shen Yin and Xu Xiuhe naturally understood what the little one was thinking.
"Zhengzheng, if you don't listen to the doctor, you'll get itchier," Shen Yin walked over and picked up Zhengzheng.
Zhengzheng became unhappy, tightly hugging Shen Yin's neck and burying his head in her shoulder.
Shen Yin felt sorry for him, gently patting his back and saying softly, "In a few days, when you're better, we can eat meat again. Zhengzheng is a smart, good boy. As soon as you felt uncomfortable, you told Mommy. It's not severe, and you'll get better soon."
"Mommy," Zhengzheng whimpered.
"Don't worry, Mommy will make you something even more delicious than meat."
"Okay."
The doctors watched the family of three, not daring to speak. This man was frequently in the news as a wealthy person. They dared not be negligent, as a single word of displeasure from him could result in him buying the hospital and firing them.
On the way back, it was getting late. Xu Xiuhe drove, while Shen Yin and Zhengzheng sat in the back.
Shen Yin had no time to think about the dream she had the previous night. Her mind was preoccupied with how to take care of Zhengzheng and prepare delicious meals for him.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine," Xu Xiuhe reassured.
"Okay."
"You don't need to feel guilty. If anyone should feel guilty, it's me. My biological father had this illness, so it's not because you didn't take good care of Zhengzheng."
Shen Yin felt a little less guilty upon hearing this, but she still felt distressed, as what mother wouldn't worry about her child?
"You and your father?" Shen Yin asked cautiously.
"He's only my father in name," Xu Xiuhe replied.
"Do you have any feelings for him?"
"It's complicated. He used to treat me well, but ever since he brought his other son back..."
Xu Xiuhe didn't finish, but Shen Yin could empathize with his situation.
They really do seem like it.
"Yang Cui?"
"She was my father's former secretary."
Shen Yin recalled the woman she saw at the cafe when she first arrived here.
Indeed, she had a nice appearance and looked quite young, and seemed rather calculating.
"She has ties with Zhou Man, or more precisely, Zhou Man and Xu Zhengyang have an unusual relationship."
Upon hearing this, Shen Yin felt shocked. Indeed, the matter was not simple and was becoming increasingly complicated.
