Wen Yan's eyelids twitched as she lay in a coma.
Hearing the repeated cries of "Mommy," her heartbeat involuntarily quickened.
Fragnted images in her mind slowly rged into a complete picture, and deeply buried mories began to surface.
She was Wen Yan, but she was also Ke Man.
When she was twenty-three, her eldest brother had arranged an engagent for her.
Her brother was too overbearing, completely disregarding her wishes. Knowing that resistance was futile, she ran away on the night of her engagent and fled to Haicheng.
On her second day in Haicheng, a classmate took her to a business reception. Her original intention was to find a job there, but because she drank too much, she entered the wrong room. By the ti she woke up the next morning, she knew everything was ruined.
However, when she saw the man's face, she felt that perhaps heaven was looking out for her. It was actually her long-ti crush.
She had first seen Ji Zhiyuan at an outstanding alumni speech in Los Angeles. Of course, she only knew him; he had no idea who she was. She had fallen in love at first sight and wrote about him in her diary.
He was a responsible man and imdiately proposed marriage.
No one could refuse a proposal from the man of their dreams.
He was indeed a good husband. He would accompany her to prenatal checkups, remind her to take her dicine, and occasionally take walks with her... until Lan Rouxue got divorced and returned to the country heavily pregnant. Then, everything changed.
Ji Zhiyuan beca incredibly busy.
He was always keeping Lan Rouxue company. Even though she knew he and Lan Rouxue had not crossed any lines, it was still hard for her to accept.
Later, when Lan Rouxue gave birth to a daughter, Ji Zhiyuan grew even busier...
As for her, she grew more silent and gained weight day by day. She cried every day and every night. She was in pain, miserable, and had no outlet for her emotions...
On the day she went into labor, she was taking a walk alone in the courtyard when her water suddenly broke. It was Old Master Ji who shouted for the servants to take her to the hospital.
She still rembered that the baby she gave birth to was fair, chubby, and incredibly cute. She had even kissed the baby's face. Then, suddenly, there was a massive hemorrhage... All her mories after that beca chaotic and blurry...
Later on, she transford from Ke Man into Wen Yan.
Mommy...
Mommy...
The repeated calls made Wen Yan snap her eyes open.
She felt a heavy weight on her chest. Looking down, she saw Duoduo asleep, resting against her.
You are finally awake. Ke Yan looked at her with great joy. Little sister, we will process your discharge tomorrow, and I will take you back ho to Los Angeles.
Wen Yan gently stroked Duoduo's face. She couldn't get enough of looking at her, no matter how long she stared.
Her expression made Ke Yan's heart skip a beat. Little sister, you...
Brother, I rember now. Wen Yan's voice was very soft. Duoduo is my daughter, my biological daughter. I missed the most important five years of Duoduo's life.
Ke Yan was left speechless.
If he had never t Duoduo, he could have said all sorts of bad things about the child.
However, in the short half-day he had spent with Duoduo, he didn't even realize when he had grown fond of the little girl.
The thought that Duoduo had been without a mother for five whole years because of him made him feel a bit suffocated.
Brother, six years ago, you ignored my wishes and forced to get engaged, so I ran away. Wen Yan's voice was hoarse. Five years ago, I suffered a massive hemorrhage during a difficult labor, but it wasn't life-threatening. Yet, to force to leave the Ji family, you spun a massive lie. By the ti I was out of danger, I was already in Los Angeles. You forbade from returning to the country to see my daughter. You ordered to forget Ji Zhiyuan and the baby, but I couldn't forget. So what did you do next?
She smiled bitterly. You hired a hypnotist to selectively seal away my mories and sent for costic micro-adjustnts.
Ke Yan pressed his lips tightly together.
Hiring the hypnotist was an act of desperation because his little sister was in too much pain and couldn't forget her past in Haicheng.
After the hypnosis cleared her mories, everything went exactly as he had hoped.
But looking into Wen Yan's pained eyes, he couldn't help but reflect. Did he really do the wrong thing back then?
You always say it is for my own good. You always use your own way of thinking to control my life, never allowing to have a single thought of my own. Wen Yan said softly. Back then, no matter where Ji Zhiyuan and I ended up, whether we continued the marriage or chose to divorce, whatever the outco, it should have been a choice I made after careful consideration, not sothing you forcibly changed, brother.
Ke Yan's lips began to tremble. Little sister, I...
You care so much about , brother, so why couldn't you spare a little sympathy for my daughter? Wen Yan's tears fell onto Duoduo's face. She was so tiny, yet she lost her mother. For five whole years, my daughter had no mother to accompany her. How envious she must have been of others... Brother, tell , how am I supposed to forgive you?
Ke Yan couldn't utter a single word.
Wen Yan looked up and saw the man standing in the doorway.
Ji Zhiyuan had been standing there for a while. He stepped inside, his voice husky. Doctor Wen... no, Ke Man. I must apologize to you for my actions five years ago. It was because I failed in my duties as a husband and lost your trust that Mr. Ke made such a decision. Don't bla Mr. Ke. Bla .
Lying in Wen Yan's arms, Duoduo rubbed her eyes and opened them. Upon seeing Wen Yan, she instantly beca overjoyed. Wow, Mommy, you're awake! Oh, right, Mommy, let tell you a secret. It turns out you really are my mommy! Daddy said so. You are my mommy, my real mommy. You are not allowed to leave behind ever again, okay? Let's pinky promise...
Wen Yan smiled tenderly. Okay, pinky promise.
Ke Yan let out a defeated sigh.
He knew his little sister would never leave Haicheng now.
He stood up. Ji Zhiyuan, I will leave my sister in your care for now. I...
Before he could finish, Wen Yan interrupted him. Brother, I am Duoduo's mother, and I am an independent individual. I do not need you to hand over to anyone.
Ke Yan paused, looking away. Since you have a stable job in Haicheng, I won't force you to return to Los Angeles. I will be leaving now.
If he didn't leave soon, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to control himself from forcibly taking his sister away.
The room suddenly fell quiet.
Ji Zhiyuan cleared his throat. Duoduo, it's already past eleven at night. Daddy will take you ho to rest.
No! Duoduo hugged Wen Yan's neck tightly. I want to sleep here with Mommy. The mommies and daddies of my friends at kindergarten all sleep in the sa bed. Daddy, you should co lie down too.
Ji Zhiyuan's face darkened. Stop this nonsense.
Deep down, Duoduo was still a little afraid of him. She imdiately shrank into Wen Yan's embrace. Perhaps having her mother there made her braver, because she even secretly made a funny face at Ji Zhiyuan.
Ji Zhiyuan felt helpless. Then I will have to trouble Doctor Wen to look after Duoduo. I will co back tomorrow morning.
Wen Yan couldn't have asked for anything more. Don't worry, I will take good care of Duoduo.
The next morning, after staying at the hospital for a little while, Ji Zhiyuan went to see the elders off at the airport.
Rong Yu, Sheng Qingyan, Sheng Ciyuan, and Old Master Ji, who had insisted on tagging along, boarded a flight to Beijing.
During the three days he had stayed at the Ji family residence, Sheng Ciyuan had clearly noticed that his eldest brother was acting more and more like a normal person.
His brother would communicate normally with Rong Yu.
His brother would have staring contests with Old Master Ji.
His brother would teach Ji Zhouye how to do math problems.
His brother would lift Duoduo up high in the air.
He believed the master's words that his older brother would definitely recover during his zodiac year.
Perhaps going to pay his respects to the remains of the fallen heroes aboard the Zhenhua would be the turning point...
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