Peng Fei was finally transferred out of the intensive care unit.
But 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.
He now looked not just like a mummy, but like an extra-large, plus-sized mummy.
Even though she visited him every day, Zhan Jingchun's heart still leaped into her throat every time she saw his appearance.
Nannan's father had already been arrested. The evidence was conclusive, and he was indicted for attempted murder. But this was far from enough to quell Zhan Jingchun's anger.
Even the doctors couldn't guarantee if Peng Fei would ever wake up in his life. She couldn't imagine how she would live the rest of her life if he became a vegetable.
Although everyone advised her that Peng Fei's current state was not her fault, she always felt that he had come to this point because of her. If he never woke up, she would carry a lifelong burden of guilt and could never live a normal life.
Fangfang still had to go to school, and her sister had children to take care of. Staying here for too long was useless. In the end, only Peng's mother and Zhan Jingchun remained.
Apart from the necessary daily conversations, the two hardly 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 more formidable team of expert professors from abroad. After much discussion, they decided to conduct a brain-awakening experiment to analyze which tactile or auditory stimuli Peng Fei might be sensitive to, and then proceed from there.
After a period of research, they discovered that his heart rate fluctuated significantly when he heard Zhan Jingchun's voice. This meant that, currently, only Zhan Jingchun's voice could stimulate him; nothing else worked.
The doctors started from this point, asking Zhan Jingchun to spend more time talking to him every day. Zhan Jingchun took a storybook and sat by his side to read to him daily.
A few more days passed in a flash, and even after finishing a book, there was no effect.
That day, as night fell, looking at Peng Fei lying there without any sensation, 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 heaven to send someone to punish her so severely.
She poured so much energy and hope into him every day, yet received no response. It was truly frustrating, and she felt like crying.
Peng's mother had finished her night shift and had gone 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 against her face, bursting into tears.
"When are you going to wake up? I won't break up with you anymore, okay? Just get up quickly."
"I give up. I won't argue with you anymore. I'll listen to you about everything. Please stop torturing me like this, okay? Wake up quickly. I have so many, many things to tell you, so many things I want to do with you. Besides you, I'm not interested in anyone else anymore. You can't just mess with me and then leave me alone."
"Wuwu, tell me, what exactly do I need to do for you to get up? Please, just say something to me!"
"As long as you get better, I'll listen to you about everything and do everything you say, okay?"
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, looking at the machine. It seemed the fluctuations of the wave lines had increased.
What was happening? Was he feeling unwell, or was his heart fluctuating because of her crying?
Zhan Jingchun, startled, put his hand down and was about to rush out to call the doctor.
As soon as she let go, Peng Fei let out a muffled sound from his throat.
Zhan Jingchun looked down at his face. She saw that Peng Fei's face, which was gradually de-swelling and returning to its usual appearance, had two clear lines of tears sliding down from the corners of his eyes.
He was reacting, he was conscious, he could hear her talking?
Zhan Jingchun, overcome 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, don't scare me, what's wrong? When will you be able to talk to me?"
Peng Fei's fingers trembled slightly, and he then let out another muffled sound.
Zhan Jingchun was now certain that he was truly conscious and was about 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 not have any accidents, wait for me!"
Zhan Jingchun frantically called the doctor over. After a series of examinations, the doctor happily told her.
Peng Fei was indeed getting better. Many of his indicators had returned to normal standards, and he was now conscious.
"Don't let him get too 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 look at his face, checking if he had opened his eyes. It wasn't until the next morning that she couldn't bear the fatigue and finally fell asleep with her head resting on his arm.
As soon as she fell asleep, Peng Fei woke up and slowly opened his eyes.
Peng Fei felt as if he had had a very, very long dream.
In the dream, he was being chased by a group of monsters. He tried desperately to break free, exhausted, but couldn't 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 and ran with all his might, gritting his teeth.
But the distance between them was so far. He was exhausted but still hadn't reached her.
He couldn't run anymore; if he ran any further, he would die. He fell to the ground, but Zhan Jingchun started crying on the other side.
She asked Peng Fei, "If you stop running and get caught by the monsters, what will happen to me?"
Peng Fei was also scared. She was so foolish and naive. If he left, what would happen to her alone?
He persevered again, crawling if he had to, just to reach her.
Finally, he could see Zhan Jingchun's face clearly. There was only a沟壑 (gully/chasm) left between them. As long as he crossed it, he could touch her.
Peng Fei desperately reached the chasm, but it was so deep and wide, he couldn't cross it.
Seeing Zhan Jingchun crying uncontrollably, he gritted his teeth, stood up, retreated dozens of meters, and tried to charge across.
But he ultimately failed to cross it, falling into the chasm. With a jolt, he woke up.
Opening his eyes, he saw a blinding white, and his nostrils were filled with the smell of disinfectant.
He knew he was in the hospital. He remembered what happened before the accident.
But he wasn't sure if the Zhan Jingchun in his dream was still there. He wanted to find her, but his body wouldn't move, so he could only reach out to search.
Fortunately, after a few random touches, he found her.
Zhan Jingchun's hair, ears, and jawline – the touch of every part was so familiar. She was lying right beside him!
Peng Fei's heart settled, and he woke up completely.