"Huaichuan!"
Zhou Qiqi was not fully conscious, and in her dazed state, she blurted out this name.
Shen Huaichuan's voice was very indistinct just now, as if it were very far away from her.
But to her surprise, her call was immediately answered:
"Qiqi! I'm here! It's me, Huaichuan! I'm here!"
The sound was so close, it felt like it was right next to my ear.
Zhou Qiqi was puzzled and struggled to open her heavy eyelids.
Her blurry vision gradually focused, and she saw that Shen Huaichuan was indeed right beside her!
He was still wearing the black fleece shirt he wore when he saved her that day, with dark bloodstains clearly visible on it.
I don't know how long I've been guarding this place without sleep or rest.
His eyes were dark and bluish, and he had a stubble on his chin, making him look extremely haggard.
He was holding her hand tightly, his eyes bloodshot and brimming with tears.
The moment she opened her eyes, he was so excited he was almost incoherent, saying:
"Qiqi! You're awake! You're really awake! That's wonderful!"
Zhou Qiqi was stunned and subconsciously looked around.
The familiar white walls, the smell of disinfectant, and the light-colored curtains by the window with the words "Military Hospital" printed on them...
This is a ward at the military hospital!
She's come here several times in the past six months for various reasons, so we're very familiar with each other.
Is she... back again?
From that desperate mine, from that brink of death, he returned to the reality that was his.
The overwhelming sense of unreality made her feel dizzy, as if something was blocking her throat, preventing her from making a sound. She could only stare blankly at Shen Huaichuan.
Seeing her pale face and blank stare, Shen Huaichuan assumed she was in pain from her wound or something was wrong, and felt extremely distressed.
He quickly took her hand to his lips, kissed her fingers tenderly, and softly comforted her:
"Are you feeling unwell anywhere? You've been unconscious for a long time, and your brow has been furrowed the whole time. Don't worry, I'll call the doctor to take a look at you!"
As he spoke, not wanting to waste a single second, he turned and shouted towards the door of the ward before Zhou Qiqi could react:
"Doctor! Doctor! She's awake! Come quick!"
It was late at night, and there weren't many doctors or nurses outside.
Moreover, he didn't know how long he hadn't drunk water; his throat was terribly dry and hoarse, and his voice was pitifully soft.
He was extremely anxious and immediately got up to go out and find a doctor.
But as soon as he moved, his hand was gently pulled by a small hand.
"No...don't go...don't leave me..."
She held Shen Huaichuan's hand tightly, feeling the warmth from his palm.
Zhou Qiqi then truly realized—
It's true! She really came back! She's back by his side!
As the mind calms down, other bodily sensations gradually become clearer.
She frowned in surprise and subconsciously raised her hand to touch her heart.
She clearly remembered that Brother Long's two stabs were aimed at her heart; that tearing pain was absolutely certain.
But why now...?
Apart from some dull pain in her body, she felt that her heart was beating steadily and strongly, without the fatal pain she had expected.
"What happened?"
She looked at Shen Huaichuan with a puzzled expression, "Shouldn't I..."
But Shen Huaichuan wouldn't let her say that word. His face paled, and he gently covered her mouth with his hand.
"Don't talk nonsense! You're fine! You're alright! Don't say that word!"
Seeing his still-shaken expression, Zhou Qiqi's heart softened. She nodded obediently, took his hand in hers, and softly asked:
"Fine, I won't tell you. Then tell me what happened?"
Shen Huaichuan breathed a sigh of relief and turned to grope around on the bedside table.
Zhou Qiqi's heart tightened, thinking he was about to leave again, and her hand unconsciously tightened its grip.
Sensing her unease, Shen Huaichuan immediately stopped what he was doing and gently reassured her, "I'm not leaving, I'll stay right here."
He turned to the side and carefully took out a small dark blue velvet bag from the military satchel on the bedside table.
Untie the drawstring and pour out a jade pendant.
Zhou Qiqi recognized it at a glance—it was the only keepsake left by her father, Zhou Shuisheng.
After returning from Xujia Village with Aunt Zhou Shuhua's family, Zhou Shuhua insisted on returning the ancestral jade pendant to her, even though it was the only memento left by her younger brother.
My aunt, with tears in her eyes, said that this was a family heirloom passed down through generations to ensure the safety of future generations, and that Qiqi was the most suitable person to wear it.
Although she had no memory of her biological father, having absorbed the original owner's emotions, she had long regarded Zhou Shuisheng as her father, and thus always wore the jade pendant close to her body as a keepsake.
Shen Huaichuan gently placed the jade pendant in Zhou Qiqi's palm, his tone full of relief:
"When the doctor was operating on you, they found that when Brother Long stabbed you, the tip of the knife was blocked by this jade pendant. The force was deflected, and the blade moved down a few inches, avoiding a vital spot... So, it's just a flesh wound, not fatal."
"So that's how it is..."
Zhou Qiqi suddenly realized what was going on. She took the jade pendant and looked down at it.
Two diagonal chips have appeared on the originally white jade pendant.
An indescribable warmth welled up in her heart.
Was it her father's spirit in heaven protecting her?
Or was it the protection of the Zhou family ancestors?
She felt incredibly lucky amidst her misfortune.
No wonder she only feels pain in her abdominal wound, but her heart feels perfectly fine.
But soon, she frowned again, a deeper confusion appearing in her eyes, and asked:
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com