The Mafia King's First Love

"I am let down because you take pride in demeaning people who are suffering. Do you have any idea how hurt Li has been ever since he learned this? Every couple desires to have a child someday. But is it wrong if one of them is having problems? You all claim to fight for my rights and are even advising me to leave Li because he cannot make me happy anymore? You... who do you think you are to decide my feelings and happiness?

Is a partner supposed to leave if their better half is facing hardships? Is that what marriage is all about? Do you want to me pack my bags and leave to find another man who can give me a child? Isn't that utterly selfish and horrible of you all? Before pointing your fingers at him, did you even try to understand his situation? He is like this now because he went through a serious accident eighteen months back. His car crashed into an abandoned chemical factory and the harmful toxins formed a tumor inside him, affecting his fertility."

The reporters gasped and exchanged shocked glances. They whispered amongst themselves.

Tears formed in her eyes as she stared at them. "So, tell me. What is Li being accused of exactly? Is it his fault that he went to Shanghai that year? Is it his fault that his car crashed into a factory? Is it his fault that some enemies targeted him to take his life and planned his murder? Is it his fault that he inhaled the chemical gases which led him to his condition? Tell me. What has Li done so wrong that everybody is bashing him so hard?"

"If you want to accuse him of lying, then think about it. Who are the ones who have forced him to take this step? It's people like you who only know how to target people. The world claims that it has moved forward with acceptance but this incident has opened my eyes. You are not making fun of just my husband but all those hundreds of people who face a similar situation like him. You are mocking the effort of all the doctors who are working hard in helping people by giving them a ray of hope to have a child. You all are... laughing in someone else's misery. What can be any more pathetic than this?"

The reporters felt a little uncomfortable and uneasily shifted in their chairs.

Jiang Lanying said, "Why is everyone laughing as if Li is the only one with problems? Don't we all have problems in our life? Somebody might have failed a test, someone else might have not gotten admission to his or her desired college. Maybe somebody cheated on you and dumped you or maybe somebody doesn't return your feelings. Maybe someone's project has gone wrong or maybe your parents constantly fight and argue. Maybe people bully you wherever you go or maybe you just have difficulty in talking and expressing yourself to others.

There are so many different kinds of problems everybody faces at some point in time. If you face harassment like this, if people mock and snicker at your situation that you are finding it difficult to handle, how would you feel? Is it so amusing to find enjoyment in others' troubles?"

Jiang Lanying slowly got up.

"I am Jiang Li's wife. I am proud to be his wife. Li has given me nothing but happiness. To protect my feelings, he has endured a lot on his own. He has suffered in silence. I will always stand by his side no matter what happens. Even if we could never have a child, it doesn't matter to me. To unconditionally love and support your partner is what a marriage is to me and I will fulfill my responsibilities until the very end."

Suddenly, everybody heard footsteps coming from the back and a woman stepped in. She nodded at Jiang Lanying and she smiled in return.

The woman faced the cameras and said, "I am Jin Zhilan and the doctor who is treating Jiang Li. Ever since I learned about this, I wanted to come forward and talk about this but Jiang Li stopped me. But Mrs. Jiang called me today for help and I was more than happy to."

"It is true that Jiang Li is suffering. He has a tumor formed because of the harmful toxins he inhaled. But they are difficult to completely flush out of his system which is why all the tests are failing. We are able to lower the severity of the tumor but it's still a difficult road ahead. But not impossible and incurable. Every day, medical science is doing its best to bring out a cure and new techniques for couples to have a child where either partner has any problem.

And as a doctor, it's my responsibility to spread awareness. It's not the end of the world for any couple having fertility problems. It's not shameful. So please stop making people's lives miserable by your harsh comments when you don't understand their pain. There are so many couples who don't report about these issues and refuse to get a diagnosis only because they are afraid of society's judgment."

Jin Zhilan looked calm but her countenance was stern and unyielding as she spoke, "We doctors want them to come out and reach out to us for help. We want to aid them in their cure. But many won't take a step forward just because they are embarrassed to let others know about it. I take this as an opportunity to convey my message to stop targeting such couples."

She scowled. "So fix your own life first before laughing at someone else's. I am sure nobody lives a completely carefree life here. If you cannot empathize with the person, then it's better to leave them alone rather than pouring salt over their wounds. As for Jiang Li, he is giving it all to recover. He even distanced himself from his wife and you have no idea how hard it was for him. I have seen him up close how much pain he was in. I have seen the sadness behind his smile. You have no right to laugh at that grief. He is my patient and I won't tolerate any mental harassment anymore!"