The news of Zhou Xueran’s awakening was notified to Tang Yige by the hospital the day after the Lantern Festival. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Si Nan was analyzing a case in the study. Upon hearing Tang Yige say she was going to the hospital, he immediately put down his work and accompanied her to the hospital.

When Si Nan and Tang Yige arrived at the hospital, Zhou Xueran had already been transferred from the ICU to a VIP ward.

Tang Yige hurried to the ward.

Upon reaching the ward, as soon as Tang Yige pushed open the door, Zhou Xueran, lying on the bed, immediately looked over.

Seeing it was Tang Yige, Zhou Xueran’s eyes instantly welled up with tears.

Tang Yige quickly walked over, knelt by Zhou Xueran’s side, reached out to grasp her thin hand, and with red eyes, looked at Zhou Xueran, "Mom."

After uttering "Mom."

Tears poured like a flood from the corners of Zhou Xueran’s eyes, and in a hoarse voice, she said, "I’m sorry, my Yige, my daughter."

"Mom, I’m just glad you’re awake." Tang Yige reached out to caress Zhou Xueran’s pale face, holding back a sob.

"Forgive me, Mom."

Zhou Xueran, with the little strength she had, grabbed Tang Yige’s hand and looked at Yige with tearful eyes filled with longing.

"As long as you’re okay, I’m happy."

Tang Yige tried to smile at her.

"...I’m sorry," Zhou Xueran sobbed.

Tang Yige shook her head, "Mom, you just woke up, you shouldn’t cry, don’t cry."

"I feel like I’ve slept a lifetime! Sleeping away Zhou Xueran’s whole life."

Zhou Xueran held tightly onto Yige’s hand, "The Zhou Xueran who’s awake now is only for my daughter, Yige."

"..." Tang Yige bit her lower lip, her eyes stinging.

"Give Mom a chance, alright?" Zhou Xueran said, then looked at Tang Yige earnestly as tears fell again.

Tang Yige stood up, sat by the bedside, leaned over, and gently embraced Zhou Xueran, "Mom, did you feel it? When you were asleep, I was always talking to you. I said, as long as you wake up, I’ll take you with me. I’ll have you live with me, and I’ll take care of you."

"Silly child, silly child..."

Zhou Xueran felt a stab in her heart and cried painfully.

How could someone be so silly?

Her Yige...

"Mmm..."

"Mom, please stop crying; if you keep crying, I’ll start crying too."

Tang Yige let go of her, reached out to wipe the tears off her face, sniffed her reddened nose, and said hoarsely.

"Mm... Silly, so silly."

Zhou Xueran patted Yige’s hand, the tears simply wouldn’t stop.

Tang Yige pursed her lips, "What mother calls her daughter silly all the time?"

Zhou Xueran looked at Tang Yige with heartache.

Remembering the things she had said and done before, she truly felt she wasn’t fit to be a mother!

"Yige, I was an unqualified mother before, but from now on, I’ll be a good and competent mother. Believe me." Zhou Xueran looked at Tang Yige and said with a determined voice.

Tang Yige lowered her head and didn’t immediately answer Zhou Xueran.

After a while.

Tang Yige raised her head with a smile, looking at Zhou Xueran, "Mm."

"Yige..."

Zhou Xueran, moved and happy, reached out an arm to Yige.

Tang Yige leaned down and hugged her.

Zhou Xueran also gently hugged Tang Yige’s back, her eyes blurred with tears, "Thank you."

This was the first meeting of Tang Yige and Zhou Xueran after narrowly escaping a final farewell.

Si Nan, standing thoughtfully on the side, did not interrupt Tang Yige and Zhou Xueran’s reunion.

At the same time, Si Nan could see that Zhou Xueran, after experiencing life and death, had genuinely become much more open and transformed.

At this moment.

Hearing those affectionate words Zhou Xueran said to Tang Yige, Si Nan believed these were indeed Zhou Xueran’s truest emotional expressions at the time!

Si Nan slightly narrowed his eyes.

Hopefully.

This sense of clarity is not just temporary!

...

Tang Yuwen and Tang Ruan arrived at the hospital in the afternoon after Zhou Xueran woke up.

After not seeing them for a month or two, Tang Yuwen had lost quite a bit of weight again.

The whole person looked old, short, and thin, with an unnaturally sallow complexion. As he walked into the hospital room and saw Tang Yige and Rong Sinan, his eyes were clouded, staring at them for a moment before he recognized them.

Tang Yuwen snorted coldly, didn’t say anything, and walked towards Zhou Xueran.

Tang Ruan wrapped herself tightly, almost to the point where her eyes couldn’t be seen.

She stood against the wall beside the hospital room door, cowering, with her wrapped face directed at Rong Sinan and Yige, as if she was very afraid of them, not daring to move forward.

Tang Yige glanced at her, then withdrew her gaze expressionlessly.

Rong Sinan, however, stared intensely at Tang Ruan, a chill in her eyes.

Tang Ruan’s back pressed harder against the wall, her shoulders hunched, and her head lowered.

"When did the doctor say you can be discharged?"

This was the first thing Tang Yuwen said to Zhou Xueran.

Cold and very impatient.

Just like he always was with her over the past decades.

Zhou Xueran covered her eyelids and didn’t say anything.

Tang Yuwen frowned, stared at Zhou Xueran, paused for a moment, and continued, "You should be thankful you’re awake now and can still see me and Ruan Ruan. If you woke up a few days later, you might only be able to find us in the cemetery!"

Zhou Xueran lifted her eyes, not looking at Tang Yuwen, but calmly at Tang Ruan who was pressed against the wall.

"...Mom."

Tang Ruan spoke at this moment, her voice hoarse, timid, and pitiful.

Zhou Xueran didn’t react much, dropping her eyelids again.

She also didn’t say anything to Tang Yuwen.

Tang Yuwen looked at Zhou Xueran, never having much patience for her.

It’s the same this time.

"Are you deaf or dumb!" Tang Yuwen glared sternly at Zhou Xueran.

Zhou Xueran’s eyelashes didn’t even blink.

Tang Yige clenched her hand, curling her lips coldly at Tang Yuwen, about to say something when

Zhou Xueran suddenly grasped her hand.

Tang Yige paused, looked down at Zhou Xueran.

Zhou Xueran lifted her eyes and smiled at her.

Tang Yige frowned in confusion.

Zhou Xueran took two deep breaths, then slowly turned to Tang Yuwen, "After I get discharged, let’s go to the civil affairs bureau and get the divorce over with."

Zhou Xueran’s voice was soft, just like when she usually talked to Tang Yuwen.

But to Tang Yuwen now, it sounded different!

Because from the start, he could clearly feel that Zhou Xueran... had changed!

Tang Yuwen’s eyes widened, "What nonsense are you talking? At this age, what divorce? Aren’t you afraid of being mocked behind your back!"

Tang Yige did not expect Zhou Xueran to have the courage to propose a divorce to Tang Yuwen.

Her eyes, filled with surprise, looked at her.

Tang Ruan tightened her hand, her fingertips digging into her palm.

The pair of eyes under the hat were revealed more prominently, filled with resentment and jealousy.

Rong Sinan kept staring at Tang Ruan, seeing the emotions in her eyes with absolute clarity.

Rong Sinan squinted, put one hand in his pants pocket, tapped twice on the phone case inside, then took it out.

Tang Ruan’s gaze shifted, looking at Rong Sinan.

She saw Rong Sinan lowering his head, his slender fingers sliding on the phone screen.

From a distance, she couldn’t see clearly what he was doing exactly.

Tang Ruan’s eyes flickered, and she slowly lowered her eyes again.

"In this life, haven’t I, Zhou Xueran, been ridiculed and laughed at behind my back enough? What more mockery am I afraid of?" Zhou Xueran’s tone had no warmth.

"I think you’ve gone muddle-headed from the collision!" Tang Yuwen snorted coldly.

"Quite the opposite. This collision thoroughly woke me up. Only now do I realize, the life I led before wasn’t even comparable to a dog’s."

Zhou Xueran’s tone was slow, unlike resentment, with no hatred, very calm.

"Before, I was brainwashed by you, always feeling that I should bear your criticisms and harsh demands. Unconditionally accept your temper and, when you’re displeased, your physical assaults on me! I should obey all your thoughts and accept, execute them!"

"Over time, Zhou Xueran ceased to be Zhou Xueran. She became your puppet, your captive, your punching bag, your servant!"

Zhou Xueran spoke calmly, but her eyes still inadvertently tinged with streaks and wisps of red.

Zhou Xueran paused, her throat slid slightly a few times, then continued, "Fortunately, that Zhou Xueran died in the car accident! The present Zhou Xueran is no longer the old Zhou Xueran. She will no longer blindly follow anyone. Her eyes are open now, able to distinguish right from wrong, know what courtesy, integrity, and shame mean, understand correct values!"

Tang Yuwen, "..." Hearing her say this, his heart was indeed shocked.