Since last year, a strange illness has been spreading in Shangyang Village. Only men are afflicted with this illness, causing their bellies to swell like those of pregnant women.
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In recent years, Shangyang Village's population has been sparse, with very few fertile women. Rumors began circulating that the village had become a "Daughters' Kingdom," where even men could give birth.
(Tn: It's a metaphorical way of saying that the women or "daughters" in this village have an unusual amount of influence or importance due to the unique circumstances involving the men's condition.)
However, nobody had seen these men actually give birth. Some speculated that they might have indeed given birth but were pretending their wives were the ones giving birth to save face. While their wives worked in the fields all day, these men remained hidden for months, eventually exposing the lie.
Later on, the legend grew darker. It evolved into a bizarre tale about a woman with flowing hair standing at the village entrance at night. She held a bowl of water with a blood moon in it and invited passing men to drink. Those who drank would suffer from high fever and abdominal pain the next day, and within half a month, their bellies would swell like small hills.
On a winter day last year, in a restaurant in town, a waiter bent down to pick up a piece of clothing dropped on the ground. As he leaned over, his shirt got caught on a table corner, and a customer who glanced accidentally let out a scream. It turned out the waiter had yellowed cloth strips wound around his waist, and when they loosened as he bent, red spots appeared on his lower back skin. His lower abdomen was noticeably bulging, but the loose-fitting outer coat he wore concealed it, making him appear ordinary.
The whole restaurant erupted into chaos. People screamed, pushed, and shoved, overturning tables and kicking chairs, scrambling to flee outside. Within minutes, the restaurant emptied out.
The owner of the restaurant, wide-eyed and shocked, confronted the situation and learned that the waiter had fled from Shangyang Village to make a living. He berated him and then used a tablecloth to cover the waiter's face and proceeded to beat him.
From then on, Shangyang villagers working in town were also driven back to the village.
Early one morning, Feng Bao Nan was having tea in the living room when he heard barking in the yard. Frowning, he put down his tea bowl and pushed the door open. He saw Feng You shielding a young man behind him, waving his hand at the dog and making shooing noises. The young man clung tightly to Feng You's clothes, lips trembling, and his face had turned pale.
A Huang emitted a series of low growls from its throat. Seeing Feng You wave at it, it reluctantly walked over to the side, crouched in a corner, with its two bright eyes still fixed on the newcomer, displaying a vigilant posture.
(Tn: Huang in chinese can mean yellow. So A Huang can be literally translated as little yellow.)
"It's okay, just stand next to me. It's well-behaved," Feng You slightly tilted his head and reassured the person behind him.
The person still didn't let go, his voice carrying a hint of a sob as he whispered, "Feng brother, it won't bite me, right? I've been afraid of dogs since I was a child..."
Feng You was about to comfort him when he caught a glimpse of someone standing in front of the door. He raised his head, and his gaze collided with his father's gaze from across the room. Feng Bao Nan stood silently on the doorstep, his expression slightly gloomy, arms crossed, his eyes fixed on Feng You's face.
The smile that hadn't fully formed on Feng You's face froze, and his spine inexplicably felt a chill. He cleared his throat and managed to force a smile, looking up with a friendly face as he addressed his father.
Feng Bao Nan remained silent with a stern face.
Feng You forced a dry laugh, pushing the person behind him forward and saying, "Dad! This is Doctor Fang, Fang Ji. I met him in town! He's really amazing! He says he can treat the... the illness in our village!"
Feng Bao Nan squinted, raising his eyes to assess the newcomer from head to toe. The person's face still bore the remnants of a frightened pallor. He appeared to be around twenty years old, dressed somewhat like a student in a white hoodie. Two slender and fair forearms were visible under the white sleeves, like a delicate flower that withers at the touch of frost.
With a slightly awkward bow, Fang Ji attempted to force a polite smile as he began to greet Feng Bao Nan. However, Feng Bao Nan had already averted his gaze and entered the house.
Fang Ji was left half-open-mouthed, awkwardly frozen in place. Feng You blushed for a moment, scratched his head, and mustered his courage to say, "It's okay, come inside to talk."
The main room was spacious and well-lit. The landscape calligraphy and paintings on the walls had curled and yellowed with age. On the table sat an old rotary telephone, the only one in the entire village. Feng Bao Nan sat on a dark red lacquered wooden chair beside the table, sipping tea and treating the two as though they were invisible.
Feng You cleared his throat and slowly shifted to a chair on the other side, chuckling nervously as he said, "Dad, this Doctor Fang says he can treat the illness in our village. What do you think..."
Only then did Feng Bao Nan raise his eyelids, casting a cool glance at him. His face showed no expression. Suddenly, he beckoned to him, motioning for him to come closer. Feng You didn't understand why but stood up and approached Feng Bao Nan. Feng Bao Nan squinted, then delivered a swift slap across his face. Caught off guard, Feng You staggered and nearly fell.
"Do you have any idea what you've done by coming back?! If someone recognizes you, losing an arm or a leg would be the least of your problems!"
Holding his swollen cheek, Feng You argued, "I didn't have 'Shangyang Village' written on my forehead! Who the hell could tell where I'm from just by looking at me? Is that really necessary? I've been out several times without any issues!"
"Nonsense! And you even brought someone back with you?! How did that beaten-up Sun kid die?! Have you fucking forgotten? If it weren't for that quack of a doctor 'treating' him, he could've kept his life!"
"That's their family! Fang Ji said it's free, and he can..."
Feng Bao Nan sneered, "Cut the bullshit! Don't think I don't know. You've been going to those shady places again, swallowing all sorts of garbage and thinking you're a genius. If you ever contract some filthy disease, I'll break your legs first!"
Feng You's face reddened in an instant. He was about to argue back when Fang Ji suddenly stepped forward, placing a hand on his wrist and giving a slight shake of the head.
Fang Ji turned to Feng Bao Nan and said, "Village head, Feng, you've misunderstood. Feng You was drinking at the inn a few days ago and got drunk. I happened to be there and provided first aid..."
Feng Bao Nan froze for a moment, glanced at Feng You, who immediately lowered his head to avoid his gaze.
Feng Bao Nan's anger turned into a mocking smile. He suppressed the rising anger within him, turned to Fang Ji, and said, "So you're Fang Ji? I apologize, the youngest one in our family isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, you see. Sorry for the trouble! As for those rumors about all sorts of diseases, those are just baseless gossip from the outside. You've come a long way. How about staying for a meal before you leave?"
While he smiled on the surface, his eyes held no mirth. He was essentially trying to rush the guest.
Feng You's eyes lit up at the suggestion. He grabbed Fang Ji's hand and enthusiastically added, "Absolutely, absolutely! Have a meal first. After you're full, I'll show you around..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Feng Bao Nan abruptly stood up, grabbed Feng You by the back of his collar, and began dragging him towards the door. Feng You let out a shout as he stumbled along, being pulled out of the house. Fang Ji's expression shifted slightly, and he hurriedly followed, reaching out to grab Feng Bao Nan's arm and urgently saying, "! Village head, Feng, Please don't get angry! I came here to tell you that the situation in your village isn't uncommon!"
"Shut up!" Feng Bao Nan's expression changed suddenly. He turned his head, stared coldly at Fang Ji's face, and gritted his teeth, "What the hell are you really trying to do?!"
Fang Ji lifted his head, met his gaze squarely, and earnestly said, "Village head Feng, I've been to several villages in the south where men exhibit signs of pregnancy. They are seen as outcasts, and at first, they could hide it under their clothes. But over time, their abdominal outlines become more pronounced. They're forced to stay indoors all the time and, when they can't hide it anymore, they have to hide in remote corners of the deep mountains and wait for death. Not only do they suffer, even their close relatives under the same roof are ostracized. As time goes on, the number of affected men in the village increases. Those capable of leaving for work have all left the village. Within a few years, the village is left with only the elderly, women, children, and sick men who can't move. Such a village is doomed to extinction within fifty years."
Feng Bao Nan's face darkened. "Are you trying to threaten me?!"
"No," Fang Ji looked down, his expression carrying a hint of sorrow. "Village head Feng, I've been doing this... to atone."
Feng Bao Nan was taken aback. "Atone?"
Fang Ji nodded and fell silent for a moment before speaking, "Around this time last year, one of my patients died right in front of me. Prior to her death, the symptoms she displayed were no different from a normal pregnancy process. All her tests were within normal range. Her husband had been with her the whole time and didn't notice anything unusual..."
As he said this, Feng Bao Nan's expression suddenly changed. He grabbed Fang Ji's arm tightly and asked, "A woman?! You're saying women can also get this illness?!"
Fang Ji hesitated briefly, then nodded, "Although the majority of cases are men, there are also instances in women. This disease has no clinical record. Perhaps it occurred before, but it was mistaken for unexplained miscarriages. Compared to men, it's even less detectable in women."
Feng You's face also changed, and he exclaimed anxiously, "Dad! If women can also get the disease, then A...!"
"Shut up!" Before Feng You could finish speaking, Feng Bao Nan slapped him across the face, silencing the words he was about to utter.
Fang Ji was taken aback and asked, "What's going on? Could it be that in your village..."
"What happened to that female patient afterward?"
"She... the day before she passed away, during a B-scan ultrasound, I found a parasite inside her uterus," Fang Ji paused, noticing Feng Bao Nan's pale face. He continued, "As for the fetus, only half of its body remained."
(Tn: The "B" in B-scan stands for "brightness", the ultrasound produces grayscale images where different shades of gray represent variations in tissue density or reflectivity. These images are useful for medical professionals to evaluate the size, shape, and location of abnormalities or structures within the body.)
Feng You's scalp tingled, and he exclaimed in shock, "Parasite? What's that? And how did the fetus end up being only half?"
"If the parasite inhabits a male or a non-pregnant female body, it resides in the intestines, feeding on the person's flesh and blood. However, if it infests a pregnant female's body, it will reside in the uterus, competing with the fetus for maternal nutrients, or even consuming the fetus. At that moment, I was horrified. I couldn't contain my shock and let out a cry in front of her. She asked me what was wrong, and although I didn't intend to say anything, she already knew that something was wrong with the baby..." Fang Ji seemed to struggle to continue. He paused for a moment and continued in a somber tone, "I don't recall what happened after that very well. I vaguely remember her crying and causing a commotion. It became impossible to hide the truth. She learned that her unborn child had died, and she completely lost her mind. The next day... she took her own life. Since then, I resigned from my position. In the village where that pregnant woman was from, I gathered information and found out that more men were afflicted there. After becoming ill, they were seen as ominous and shunned by others. They were also unwilling to seek medical help. Consequently, this disease has never truly come to the public's attention."
Feng You's back was covered in goosebumps, and he asked, "So, how did the parasite get inside?"
Fang Ji let out a soft sigh and continued, "The information I have is still limited, and I can't draw any definitive conclusions right now. However, I heard later that during the autopsy of the pregnant woman's body, the parasite inside her abdomen was no longer present. Instead, they found fragments of the parasite in her uterus. For men, fragments were found in their intestines. This suggests that once the parasite reaches a certain stage of growth, it detaches from the host body. As for how it detaches and how it enters, that's still unclear."
Feng Bao Nan squinted, staring at Fang Ji's face, and asked, "Can you cure this disease?"
"With my current abilities, I can only cure some of the patients. It's difficult to cure those with underlying conditions or those who are older. For such cases, all I can do is use medication to manage their condition and alleviate their suffering. But to fully restore them to their pre-illness state, we need more clinical data."
Feng Bao Nan's expression darkened slightly, and he remained silent for a moment. Fang Ji looked at his face and continued, "Village head Feng, six months ago, I encountered a pregnant woman with the same symptoms as my first patient. Fortunately, she was younger and had good overall bodily functions. Medication inhibited the parasite's growth, preventing it from fully forming. She gave birth successfully. That's also the reason why I've come here. I can't say that it's solely about saving lives. More so, it's my personal desire to atone. While my personal capabilities are limited and I can't cure everyone, I can gather more information related to this disease. With your permission, I'd like to inform everyone here that they are not evil entities. They are our fellow sufferers. Even if they leave, they should leave with dignity. Village head Feng, instead of waiting to die amidst others' criticism, why not give me a chance? What do you think?"
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Tn: I promise, this is a very interesting book. Give it a chance.
Also, I am done translating the book, I only need to edit it and publish so the updates will be frequent and mostly regular.