Chapter Two: Awakening

Scalding tears, sobbing cries, and faint words pierced through the barrier like a lightning bolt, connecting the inner and outer consciousness of Jingzhu Jiang—these were the voices of her parents, brothers, and sisters!

In an instant, the flood of memories rushed to the most crucial missing fragment. Jingzhu recalled being pushed, colliding, and falling on the steps; it was so sudden that the back side of her head struck the ground.

The chaotic words that brushed past her ears before losing consciousness indicated the severity of her fall. The injuries had alarmed her family deeply. At the thought of causing her family such anguish and worry, Jingzhu’s consciousness summoned every ounce of strength to surge forward. Her family’s voices were like guiding lights piercing through the darkness and fog—she had to wake up!

For the first time in her life, she struggled with all her might to awaken.

Jingping Jiang, with his face pressed against his little sister’s hand, immediately sensed the movement signaling her recovery. He stiffened all over in disbelief and, raising his head in shock, exclaimed, “She moved! Zhu Zhu’s finger just twitched!”

His shout instantly drew the attention of the other three family members. They all focused their gaze on the hospital bed, staring unblinkingly with hope. Yet, that fleeting movement seemed like an illusion to Jingping—they did not witness it again.

Just as their flickering hope was about to be extinguished, the four of them suddenly saw Jingzhu’s eyelids twitching repeatedly. Through the thin lids, they clearly saw the subtle rotation of her eyeballs.

“Zhu Zhu’s eyelids are moving! Zhu Zhu’s eyelids are moving! She’s waking up!” Their precious Zhu Zhu was waking up! “Zhu Zhu, Zhu Zhu, it’s Mom! Don’t be afraid, Dad and Mom are here, waiting for you. Wake up soon, and you’ll see us!”

Shufen Tong called out in rapid succession, overcome with emotion, fearing her daughter would lose her way back to consciousness.

In their family, the parents usually called their children by single syllables. Only Zhu Zhu had ever spoken to them in the sweet, doubled baby talk of her childhood. Both she and the father had grown accustomed to these affectionate double syllable names.

If it weren’t for modern sensibilities against old superstitions, she would have wanted to perform the traditional soul-calling ritual loudly to bring her daughter back.

“Zhu Zhu, Zhu Zhu, it’s Second Brother (Eldest Sister), Second Brother is here too! We’re all here!” Jing’an Jiang lifted his head, holding his little sister’s hand along with the eldest sister, their voices solemn and united in prayer.

Under the eager, expectant gazes of her family, Jingzhu finally opened her heavy, exhausted eyes. The unfamiliar brightness startled her, instinctively making her want to close them and hide, but she forced herself to keep them wide open, struggling against the discomfort until the images around her gradually came into view.

She finally saw her mother and eldest sister, tear-streaked and weeping bitterly by her bedside. She saw her father, eyes glistening with tears, and her second brother.

“Dad, Mom, Eldest Sister, Little Brother!” Jingzhu parted her lips, but her throat was dry and hoarse, making it impossible to produce sound. She could only silently call out, heart aching for her family. It felt as if a lump was lodged in her throat, tears of guilt slipping down from the corners of her eyes.

Her unfilial neglect had made her parents suffer and worry. In just a few days, the once jet-black hair of her parents had been streaked with frost. Eldest Sister’s eyes were swollen like decayed peaches, and Little Brother’s temples had already turned white.

She did not regret standing up for her professor that day but cursed herself for not being more careful, for causing her family such distress.

“Damn it, my dear girl, you’ve finally woken up!” Shufen Tong, overcome with emotion, pressed close to the bedside, her eyes fixed intently on her daughter. As long as Zhu Zhu was awake, she would thank all the gods and spirits in heaven, willing to sacrifice her own years for Zhu Zhu’s complete recovery.

“Dad, Mom!” Jingzhu summoned her strength to speak, but her voice was barely audible.

“Zhu Zhu, you’ve slept so long and just woke up. Dad heard you, we all heard you. No rush, no rush!” Jiang Baoshan burst out of the ward, calling out in a disordered yet joyful manner.

“Doctor! Doctor! Come quickly and see! The child is awake! My child is awake! Please come and see!”

Awake? A miracle had happened. It was almost certain that the patient previously deemed a vegetative state had awakened. The doctors and nurses responsible for Jingzhu hurried over.

After thorough examination, the attending physician Han Dingyuan confirmed that this patient, once nearly abandoned, had truly awakened. Her consciousness was remarkably intact, with no memory loss and exceptional clarity. This was a blessing in disguise, saving a family from despair.

“Congratulations to all of you, congratulations to you, Student Jiang, on seeing the world’s beauty once more!” Han Dingyuan smiled warmly. This was the Affiliated Hospital of Huining Medical University. The Medical University was adjacent to the Institute of Technology, their sibling schools with a long history of close ties since the founding of the nation. Many doctors from the medical school and professors from the tech school had married and often called each other ‘classmates’ as a sign of camaraderie.

Whether as allied alumni or as a physician, witnessing a fellow student awaken, with full hope for a healthy life ahead, was an immensely joyful event. He was as delighted as the family.

He carefully advised, “Student Jiang’s vocal cords, muscles, and nerves are all within normal ranges. The fatigue is normal after such a long coma. She needs time to regain physiological function. Getting up and speaking should be done gradually—proper rest will lead to recovery. The external wounds have scabbed and are healing. For safety, she will remain under observation in the hospital for two more days. If there are no complications, she can be discharged.”

“Thank you, thank you, Doctor Han. Thanks to your superb skills, you’ve brought our child back. Our whole family bows to you!” Jiang Baoshan grasped the doctor’s hands deeply in gratitude.

To have saved Zhu Zhu and brought her back to consciousness, he would willingly kneel before the doctor!

“Please don’t say that. I only did what was necessary. There’s no need for such fervent thanks. It was Student Jiang’s own strong will to survive!” Han Dingyuan smiled wryly. He could not bear such sincere and heavy gratitude. Those with true skill were already caught up in greater crises. He was just a novice who managed to pull her out from the brink.

“All I did was stop the bleeding, bandage, and maintain vital signs—that’s basic first aid. It would be dishonest to claim credit for her awakening!” Neurology was not his specialty. For cases like this, neurology mostly managed minor issues; serious cases were left to fate, with few targeted treatments.

“That’s more than enough. Doctor Han and all the medical staff’s professional emergency care and treatment gave the child a chance to wake up!” Just their expert emergency response at the time of Zhu Zhu’s injury was commendable.

“We also thank Nurse Liu and all the nursing staff. Thank you for your devoted care of the child these past days!” Shufen Tong and Jingnan Jiang, mother and daughter, expressed their heartfelt thanks to the attending nurses. The child’s awakening filled them with indescribable joy and gratitude. The four family members bowed deeply to all the doctors and nurses present.

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