According to public reports, Zhang Xuefeng became unwell after running on the afternoon of 2026-03-24, was rushed to the hospital, and passed away despite rescue efforts. On the other hand, official media in recent weeks have also been intensively disseminating scientific knowledge, stating that China’s annual number of sudden cardiac deaths exceeds 550,000, and the proportion among people aged 18 to 35 continues to rise significantly over the years. Do you think this panic is self-induced? To a certain extent, no. It is genuinely a real risk. The problem is that what resonated with many people was not just, “Will I suddenly die?” but rather, “Is the way I am living now worth me wearing out like this?”

Chest discomfort might not always be related to the heart

I used to think that terms like ‘chest tightness’ were far from me—something only middle-aged people would seriously discuss. I was wrong. If you have poor sleep for a period, high stress levels, an inability to quiet your mind, and then scroll through a few articles about sudden death, even the smallest physical symptom will be infinitely magnified.

However, I also don’t want to dismiss this entirely as emotional; just thinking positively won’t solve everything. That’s not right either. Public resources repeatedly mention signals like chest tightness, chest pain, palpitations, and dizziness. If these symptoms are more pronounced after physical activity, slightly better when resting, or have appeared repeatedly, then you shouldn’t simply dismiss them by saying, “I’m probably just anxious.” It is particularly dangerous to think that a short rest will suffice when the longer you wait, the riskier it becomes—that’s truly reckless.

Therefore, my current understanding is that chest discomfort might have two meanings.

Layer one; maybe it truly is the body sounding an alarm.

Second layer, and it also lives in alarm.

If a person lives in an uncomfortable state for a long time, their body will likely not cooperate either. Staying up late, sitting for long periods, high pressure, and emotional tension, combined with a little bit of “I’ll just tough it out” chance, it would be strange if one wasn’t anxious mentally at this point. Ultimately, many people don’t suddenly break down; they have been overdrawing their reserves all along, but it’s not visible on the outside.

Long-Distance Couples: Keeping Hearts Hanging by a Thread

I am increasingly understanding why being a long-distance couple has become such a representative state of this era.

It’s not that I don’t want to go back; it’s just that I don’t know what I could even do there. I also don’t know if I would be able to adjust once I return. My work opportunities, income, pace of life, and habits have already been molded by this current lifestyle. It’s genuinely hard for people to suddenly turn back; they may not even have the courage. But maintaining things like this all the time is also uncomfortable. The marriage seems to exist, but our lives aren’t truly together. We both end up using reality (our circumstances) to explain our sense of powerlessness.

The most draining aspect of this situation isn’t the constant fighting, nor is it that anyone genuinely wants to break up. Quite the opposite; often we understand each other very well, and there are no fundamental disagreements—it’s just that our lives have been separated by physical distance. It’s hard to say that you are living a bad life; you still go to work, you still earn money, and the relationship hasn’t collapsed, but there is always this lingering feeling of uneasiness in your heart.

Taking a few days off makes this feeling more noticeable. According to Madam, I’m having my “big auntie” period again; it happens several times every year, and it will pass soon enough. She sounds right. When I’m normally busy, it’s fine—being driven by workflows actually stops me from thinking too much. But when I really stop, all the questions that were usually suppressed by work start bubbling up: What am I doing this job for? Who is this money I’m saving for? Will I ever go back (to X)? What will happen in the future?

What is the point of working? I can’t explain it either.

I always used to feel that there had to be some kind of system or rules when people go to work.

Saving money for the next generation? No.

Saving money for myself to spend? It seems like it won’t be spent much.

When you talk about dignity, for ordinary people, it often just means getting a stable salary, having nothing major happen, and still having some money left at the end of the month. When you talk about passion, something like that, when placed within a daily repetitive workflow, is easily diluted/eroded.

I’m more willing to admit one thing now: many people go to work not because they truly understand its meaning, but because the feeling of disorientation after quitting is scarier. As long as the desk exists and paychecks are issued, life feels like it has a hard shell supporting you. Even if that shell is uncomfortable, people will instinctively hide within it first.

This is also why news of sudden deaths can make people feel distressed. It doesn’t merely remind you that life is fragile; it also raises another question: If people can truly cease to exist so easily, then what exactly am I trading my time for here every day?

Low-Effort ‘Lying Flat’: Sounds Like a Fallback Plan, But Is Actually an Escape Route

Lately, there’s a common narrative that our generation actually has a perk: we can settle into a low-key lifestyle with minimal expenses. No marriage, no kids—just rent an apartment in a place with low housing costs and spend enough on daily necessities like food and drink; it won’t cost much. I haven’t failed to calculate this ‘account.’ To be honest, the figures on paper really aren’t bad.

But what makes this whole concept truly appealing is not how sophisticated it is, but that it feels like an escape hatch. When you can’t find clear answers in your career or personal life, all you want is to build a minimalist backup plan for yourself. At worst, I quit the hustle. At worst, I withdraw entirely. At worst, I just move somewhere cheap and live out my days.

The problem is here.

For someone who hasn’t gotten married yet, this might genuinely be an option. But for those who are already married, or bound by relationships, the so-called low-effort “lying flat” is often not a viable solution, but rather a mental escape. It can provide temporary comfort, but it may not truly solve the issues currently holding you back. The work problems remain, the relationship issues remain, and your underlying physical health status remains. You have merely changed location while continuing to face them.

So now I’m hesitant to speak about “lying flat” too lightly. Of course, it might be a genuine way of life, but the prerequisite is that you have truly thought things through—rather than simply looking for a temporary escape because you are burned out by work, scared by the news, or drained from living away from home.

Conclusion

As I write this piece, I still haven’t figured out what the point of going to work actually is.

However, several things have become increasingly clear.

First, don’t attribute all instances of chest tightness/shortness of breath solely to emotions, and likewise, don’t dismiss all emotional experiences as overreactions or exaggeration. If testing is necessary, get it done. Especially if the symptoms recur or become more obvious after physical activity—don’t just tough it out.

Secondly, many people fear dying suddenly. It’s not merely the fear of death itself; it’s the fear that they are constantly depleting themselves without having lived life the way they truly desire.

Third, regarding the so-called “going back,” “persevering,” or “lying flat”—none of these can be solved merely with a slogan. The struggles faced by ordinary people are often not due to a lack of answers, but rather because every answer comes with its own cost.

So now, what is most realistic for me might not be immediately understanding the meaning of life, but rather fixing my basic physical foundation first—not sacrificing my health for a commitment that I myself can’t even clearly explain. Also, I need to leave some room to pivot regarding my marriage and future; I shouldn’t always postpone issues by saying things like, “Let’s just do it this way for now.”

Sometimes, to move forward at this stage of life, you don’t have to understand everything perfectly.

But at least, don’t act as if nothing is wrong when you feel like things could fall apart at any minute.

References

• How to prevent cardiac sudden death tragedies after Zhang Xuefeng’s passing?
• Excess is harmful! Ensuring reasonable exercise intensity is key
• Avoiding cardiac sudden death: This knowledge can save lives
• Making emergency equipment gradually “easy to find and easy to use” (Frontline of Public Life)
• [Expert: Cardiac sudden death is not without signs; be alert to the body’s early warning signals](https://health.people.com.cn/

Author’s Notes

Original Prompt

Zhang Xuefeng died suddenly, cardiac sudden death. Recently I've seen many cases of cardiac sudden death in the news, which makes me feel chest tightness sometimes; I even suspect that I might drop dead at any moment. Long-distance couples are one feature of modern society. It's not that I don't want to go back, but what can I do there? I don't know. Can I adapt back? I don't know either. Sometimes when I take a break and skip work, my wife says I am like an uncle to her sister—it happens several times a year, but I’ll be fine after a while. Sometimes I also can't figure out the meaning of going to work. Saving money for the next generation? No. Saving money to spend on myself? It seems like I don't even spend much. Some people say that our generation has a perk: we can live "flat" (low-key) at a very low cost. Don't get married, don't have kids; just find an area with low housing prices, rent an apartment, and spend little money every day eating and drinking.

Writing Approach Summary

• Start directly with the trigger point, “feeling breathless after seeing sudden death news,” and reveal the core judgment/premise within the first two paragraphs. The main thread should not be medical popular science, but rather the life stagnation of middle-aged people.
• In the main body, split “breathlessness” into two meanings: one layer as a physical signal, and one layer as a life signal. Both layers must have clear focus points in the article.
• For the section on long-distance couples, focus heavily on the state of “nothing major has happened, yet it feels constantly suspended/tense,” without expanding it into a deep analysis of marital relationships.
• Handle the meaning of working and low-cost opting out (lying flat) together, emphasizing that the latter is more like an internal escape route/mental refuge rather than a flimsy or perfect solution.
• At the end of the article, bring the focus back to physical health costs (body reserves), marital leeway/margin, and the cost of choices, avoiding a purely emotional exclamation at the conclusion.
• This piece deliberately does not elaborate on specific medical examination protocols, nor does it write about which city is suitable for “opting out” (lying flat); all side branches have been suppressed/omitted.