44-year-old Du Xinglin publicly stated during a live stream that she wants another child, sparking public discussion about the high risks of her advanced maternal age and the hidden complexities of the family.
The live stream was flooded with comments—nothing but question marks and exclamation points.Du Xinglin, 44, looked into the camera and, in front of hundreds of thousands of online viewers, candidly admitted that she wanted to have another child. Sitting beside her was 75-year-old Zhang Jizhong, who, upon hearing this, did not respond but simply kept running his finger along the edge of the table, his head bowed so low it nearly touched his chest.
No one expected that an ordinary live-streamed product showcase would bring to the forefront a question the public had been wondering about for years: Just how many children does Zhang Jizhong have?This isn’t the first time Du Xinglin has mentioned wanting a fifth child; previously, her remarks had always been vague. But by making this public statement in front of a national audience, she has finally laid all the cards on the table.Many viewers glued to their screens were stunned by this revelation—this was clearly not a simple choice about having a child, but one that would entail immense physical risks.
Du Xinglin is 44 years old this year, making her a typical advanced-age pregnant woman.Of her four previous children, three were delivered via cesarean section within the past five years, and her youngest child is just over one year old. If she were to become pregnant again, any complication—such as a scar pregnancy, uterine rupture, or pregnancy-induced hypertension—could be life-threatening. Many viewers who saw this segment couldn’t help but feel anxious.Some have also pointed out that Zhang Jizhong comes from a wealthy family and faces no financial pressure in raising children. While there is some truth to this, it only tells half the story.
The cost of
raising four children is already enormous, and since Zhang Jizhong is now 75 years old, it remains uncertain how many more years he will be able to work and earn an income. Furthermore, he has children from his first two marriages, and all of his children are legal heirs; there is currently no clear plan for how the family’s assets will be distributed in the future.Having learned these details, the public has gradually come to realize that this marriage and family are not as glamorous as they appear on the surface; the underlying circumstances and considerations are far more complex than what outsiders can see.
With a 31-year age gap between
them, the couple has been in the public eye ever since they got married.Zhang Jizhong has spent most of his life working his way up in the film and television industry. He has always been a man who takes charge, yet he has never directly addressed the rumors circulating about him. He’s typically the quiet one during live streams, but now that he’s reached this stage in his life, he’s started hosting live streams to sell products and supplement the family income.Previously, while driving his child somewhere, he was involved in a minor fender-bender. An inconsiderate child looked up at him and asked, “Grandpa, when are you going to die?” He stood there stunned for a long time, but in the end, he simply smiled and replied that he was sure to live to be 100. Anyone reading this cannot help but feel a pang of sadness in their heart.
The challenges
before them were crystal clear: they already had four children at home; the risks associated with Du Xinglin giving birth at an advanced age were well-documented; Zhang Ji was getting on in years and had limited energy; and there was no guarantee of a stable income in the future—each of these was a major issue that required careful consideration.Having a child is ultimately a personal choice, but when the time comes to make a decision, anyone would weigh whether their body can handle it and consider how to raise the child over the next two or three decades.Life is rarely smooth sailing; any choice requires weighing the pros and cons and cannot be made with an eye solely on the present. If you were in their shoes, how would you approach this decision? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.
