Peng Fei was finally transferred out of the intensive care unit.
However, a week had passed, and there was still no sign of him waking up.
He had multiple fractures all over his body, had undergone surgery for internal injuries, and his head was swollen like a pig's head.
Now, he looked not only like a mummy but also like an extra-large, supersized mummy.
Even though she visited him daily, Zhan Jingchun still felt her heart pound with fear every time she saw his appearance.
Nannn's father had already been arrested. The evidence was substantial, and he was charged with attempted murder. But this was far from enough to quell Zhan Jingchun's hatred.
Even the doctors couldn't guarantee if Peng Fei would ever wake up in his lifetime. She couldn't imagine how she would live the rest of her life if he became a vegetable.
Although everyone advised her that what happened to Peng Fei was not her fault, she always felt he had reached this point because of her. If he truly never woke up, she would carry the burden of guilt for the rest of her life and never be able to live a normal life.
Fangfang still had to go to school, and her sister had children to take care of. Staying there any longer was useless. In the end, only Peng Fei's mother and Zhan Jingchun remained.
Other than necessary daily conversations, the two rarely spoke, taking turns guarding the hospital bed.
Another week passed in the blink of an eye, and Peng Fei was still the same.
Zhan Beijue invited a team of more skilled expert professors from abroad. After discussion, they decided to conduct a brain-awakening experiment, analyzing which tactile or auditory stimuli Peng Fei would be most sensitive to, and then proceeding from there.
After a period of research, they discovered that his heart rate fluctuated more when he heard Zhan Jingchun's voice. This meant that, currently, only Zhan Jingchun's voice could stimulate him; nothing else had any effect.
The doctors started from this point, asking Zhan Jingchun to spend more time talking to him daily. Zhan Jingchun then took storybooks and sat by his side every day to read to him.
A few more days passed in a flash. She had finished reading a whole book with no effect.
That day, as night fell, looking at Peng Fei lying there unconsciously, unable to eat, drink, or move, Zhan Jingchun suddenly felt overwhelmed.
She couldn't understand what sins she had committed in her past life for fate to send someone to punish her like this.
She poured a large amount of energy and hope into him every day, yet received no response. It was truly frustrating, and she felt like crying.
Peng Fei's mother had finished her night shift and went back to sleep. Looking at Peng Fei's large, rough hand placed beside him, she couldn't help but pick it up and press it to her face, breaking down in tears.
"When will you wake up? I won't break up with you anymore! Hurry up and get up."
"I give up. I won't argue with you anymore. I'll do whatever you say. Stop torturing me like this, okay? Just wake up. I have so many, many things I want to tell you, so many things I want you to do with me. Besides you, I'm not interested in anyone else anymore. You can't just provoke me and then leave me alone."
"Sob, sob, tell me, what do I have to do to get you to get up? Please, just say a word to me!"
"As long as you get better, I'll listen to you and do everything you say, isn't that enough?"
The more she spoke, the sadder she became, and the more pitiful she felt. She cried until she was gasping for breath.
Suddenly, the heart monitor on Peng Fei's left side beeped twice.
Zhan Jingchun jolted and opened her eyes to look at the machine. The fluctuating waves on the screen seemed to have become larger.
What was going on? Was he feeling unwell, or was his heart fluctuating because he heard her cry?
Zhan Jingchun, startled, let go of his hand and hurried to call for a doctor.
As soon as she let go, Peng Fei grunted in his throat.
Zhan Jingchun lowered her head and looked at his face. She saw that Peng Fei's face, gradually de-swelling and returning to its usual appearance, had two clear tears sliding down from the corners of his eyes.
He was reacting. He was conscious. He heard her talking?
Zhan Jingchun, overwhelmed with excitement, sat back down and hugged his arm.
"You heard me, didn't you? You're going to wake up, aren't you? Peng Fei, you're going to get better?"
"Hurry and open your eyes, answer me! You're not going to punish me anymore, are you? Speak up, don't scare me, what's wrong? When can you talk to me?"
Peng Fei's fingers trembled slightly, and he grunted again.
Zhan Jingchun was now certain. He was truly conscious. He was going to wake up.
"You, don't move, don't get excited! I'm going to call the doctor, I'll be right back, you must be okay, wait for me!"
Zhan Jingchun in a flurry called the doctor over. After a thorough examination, the doctor joyfully told her.
Peng Fei was indeed going to get better. Many of his indicators had returned to normal standards, and he was now conscious.
"Don't let him get excited for now. Keep him stable. He could wake up at any moment."
That night, Zhan Jingchun was so excited that she didn't sleep at all. Every few seconds, she would glance at his face to see if he had opened his eyes. By the next morning, succumbing to exhaustion, she finally fell asleep beside his hand.
As soon as she fell asleep, Peng Fei woke up and slowly opened his eyes.
Peng Fei felt as though he had had a very, very long dream.
In the dream, he was being chased by a group of monsters, struggling desperately, exhausted, but unable to shake them off. He was so tired, he wanted to give up, until he saw Zhan Jingchun in front of him.
Zhan Jingchun kept waving at him. He knew that as long as he ran to her, he would be safe, so he didn't give up, running with gritted teeth.
But the distance between them was so vast. He was already dead tired but hadn't reached her yet.
He couldn't run anymore. If he ran any further, he would die. He fell to the ground, but Zhan Jingchun started crying over there.
She asked Peng Fei, "If you stop running and get caught by the monsters, what will I do?"
Peng Fei was also scared. She was so foolish and naive. If he left, what would happen to her alone?
He persisted, crawling if necessary, to get to her.
Finally, he could see Zhan Jingchun's face clearly. There was only a chasm between them. If he could cross it, he could reach her.
Peng Fei desperately reached the chasm, but it was too deep and too wide; he couldn't cross it.
Seeing Zhan Jingchun crying uncontrollably, he gritted his teeth, stood up, backed up dozens of meters, and tried to charge across.
But in the end, he couldn't make it across. He fell into the chasm, his whole body shook, and he woke up.
Opening his eyes, everything was blinding white, and his nostrils were filled with the smell of disinfectant.
He knew he was in the hospital. He remembered the events before the accident.
But he wasn't sure if the Zhan Jingchun from his dream was still there. He wanted to find her, but his body wouldn't move, so he could only reach out to feel around.
Fortunately, after a few casual touches, he found her.
Zhan Jingchun's hair, ears, and jaw – the touch of every part was so familiar. She was lying right beside him!
Peng Fei's heart settled, and he woke up completely.