"Yes, Zhouzhou, wake up..."
"Grandpa and Grandma are both here..."
"Zhouzhou, listen to me, open your eyes and look..."
However, no matter how many times they called out to Zhouzhou, or how gently and earnestly they called out to her, Zhouzhou remained lying quietly on the bed.
With her eyelashes closed and her breathing steady, she seemed to have completely shut out all external sounds, offering no response whatsoever.
At this moment, the sky outside the window is already showing a hazy gray-white hue; it's almost midnight.
Almost ten hours had passed since Zhouzhou fell into a coma.
Hope, as time goes by, is gradually becoming fainter.
Looking at Zhouzhou's lifeless little face, everyone's eyes couldn't help but well up with tears again.
Even the usually calm and strong Zhou Qiqi could no longer hold back at this moment. Tears streamed down her face like broken beads, silently dripping onto Zhouzhou's hand.
Qin Peilan saw this and felt heartbroken. She knew that if her daughter-in-law continued to wallow in grief, she would likely break down first.
Previously, her daughter-in-law helped her distract herself; now it's her turn to step forward.
She forced herself to appear relaxed, deliberately changing the subject, and said softly:
"Qiqi, we haven't had enough of these paintings yet. Can you tell us more about them? When were they painted? What were the circumstances at the time?"
Shen Zhenbang immediately understood his wife's meaning and quickly echoed her sentiment:
"Yes, yes, and also, how did Master Wu take a liking to Zhouzhou and make him his disciple? You explained it too simply before, tell us in more detail!"
Shen Huaichuan didn't say anything, but gently squeezed Zhou Qiqi's hand to show his support.
Zhou Qiqi knew everyone meant well and didn't want to disappoint them.
She nodded, took a deep breath, and prepared to let go of Zhouzhou's hand first. She turned around to get the picture book and forced herself to shift her attention.
But just as she was about to let go—
She felt it very clearly: in her palm, Zhouzhou's lifeless little fingers suddenly... curled up slightly!
The movement was so subtle that it was almost an illusion.
But Zhou Qiqi was absolutely certain! She felt it!
Zhou Qiqi suddenly raised her head, extremely excited, and eagerly called out to her family members who were gathered around her:
"Dad! Mom! Huaichuan! Look! Zhouzhou moved! Her hand moved! She seems to be waking up!"
Upon hearing this, Shen Zhenbang, Qin Peilan, and Shen Huaichuan were both surprised and delighted, their hearts leaping into their throats.
"What?! Really?!"
"Zhouzhou is awake?!"
The three of them immediately gathered around the bed again, their eyes fixed on Zhouzhou's small hand, which was being held by Zhou Qiqi. They even held their breath, waiting for Zhouzhou to make a move.
After watching for a while, Zhouzhou's little hand remained quietly in Zhou Qiqi's palm, showing no sign of moving.
The child on the bed still had his eyes closed and was breathing steadily, showing no signs of waking up.
The excitement on the three faces slowly faded, replaced by worry, and they all looked at Zhou Qiqi.
Zhou Qiqi panicked and quickly explained:
"It's true! I really felt it just now! Her finger touched my palm! It was so light, but I'm sure I didn't mistake it!"
The two elderly people in the Shen family were willing to believe in their daughter-in-law and their granddaughter that she had woken up.
But they stared at Zhouzhou's hand for a long time, and the little hand remained quietly there, motionless.
Qin Peilan sighed inwardly as she looked at her daughter-in-law's anxious face.
She's been through it all; she understands this feeling all too well.
She was in the same situation back when she was taking care of her second son and daughter-in-law, who were in a vegetative state.
If the person in bed makes even the slightest movement, even if it's just a slight twitch of the eyelid, she will excitedly call for the doctor.
But it was repeatedly proven that it was nothing more than a nerve reflex, or an illusion caused by her own excessive expectations.
She couldn't bear to discourage her daughter-in-law, but still gently comforted her:
"Qiqi, my good child, Mom knows how you feel. Perhaps you've been lying down for too long and unconsciously twitched, or... you're just too tired and so eager for Zhouzhou to wake up that your senses are a little off..."
Fearing that her daughter-in-law might become overly sensitive due to her inability to accept reality, she quickly suggested:
"Why don't you and Mom go out for some fresh air and calm down?"
Although Shen Zhenbang and Shen Huaichuan did not speak, their eyes conveyed a similar sentiment, showing their deep concern for Zhou Qiqi's physical and mental exhaustion.
As Zhou Qiqi listened to her mother-in-law's words and looked at Zhouzhou, who was still unresponsive on the bed, the little hope that had just been ignited in her heart dimmed again.
Yes, so much time has passed, and hope is growing increasingly faint...
Perhaps, just perhaps, that moment was really just a hallucination caused by my excessive grief.
A bitter smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She bit her lower lip and whispered:
"Okay, fine, maybe...maybe I was just too impatient..."
As she spoke, she reluctantly let go of Zhouzhou's hand and prepared to stand up.
However--
Just as her fingertips were about to completely slip out of Zhouzhou's palm!
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