Chapter 175: Zhou Xingfan's Amnesia

Shutang... Shutang...

Zhou Xingfan, who had lain silent on the sickbed for fourteen years, suddenly moved her cracked lips ever so lightly and let out a breathy sound.

Meng Shutang, who was talking with Gu Yunci by the bedside, froze, slowly turned around, and glanced at the mother on the sickbed.

Zhou Xingfan still lay there quietly, no different from before.

That breathy sound just now was entirely her illusion.

Gu Yunci saw it and asked, "What's wrong?"

Meng Shutang turned back and continued slicing the apple, "I thought my mother had spoken."

Gu Yunci's sword‑like brows furrowed slightly as he lifted his eyes to look at Zhou Xingfan.

Meng Shutang let out a snort of laughter, "It was my illusion."

Just as Meng Shutang mocked herself, Gu Yunci saw Zhou Xingfan's tightly shut eyelids tremble lightly and slowly open a slit.

Even though it was only a tiny slit, it carried the weakness and haze of long sleep, and the hand resting at the bedside curled slightly.

"It's not an illusion, Auntie really woke up."

As Gu Yunci finished speaking, the curve on the monitor suddenly jumped, emitting a steady, strong sound.

Meng Shutang was stunned for a moment, then turned around.

Gu Yunci saw it, immediately took the apple and kitchen knife from her hands and placed them on the nearby table, then got up and went outside to call Huo Yanchen.

Seeing Zhou Xingfan open her eyes, Meng Shutang burst into tears, "Mom, you really woke up, I'm so happy, Grandma will be glad to hear it too."

Meng Shutang spoke with a trembling voice, the ending instantly went hoarse, and scorching tears unexpectedly splashed onto the back of her hand.

She didn't dare to exert too much force, carefully leaning forward, her voice shaking uncontrollably, "Mom, I'm here, I'm Shutang…"

Zhou Xingfan emitted a few vague soft sounds from her throat, her gaze slowly focused, the scattered look gradually gaining a hint of light.

She mustered all her strength to move a finger, weak yet stubborn, gently grasping Meng Shutang's hand again.

With that single slight movement, Meng Shutang could no longer hold back; the emotions suppressed for fourteen years burst forth like a dam breaking.

She leaned over, burying herself at the bedside, her shoulders shaking violently, her sobs suppressed yet collapsing; fearing to disturb the newly awakened mother, she bit her lip hard, emitting only tiny whimpers.

Fourteen years of waiting, torment, and dedication, at this moment, all turned into a regained ecstatic joy and choking sobs.

Huo Yanchen heard the sound and came over at once; while he examined Zhou Xingfan, Gu Yunci lifted Meng Shutang from the bed and held her in his arms.

Meng Shutang was very sensible, trying to control herself, and did not cry again.

After a brief examination, Huo Yanchen faced Meng Shutang and said, "Aunt Zhou has performed a miracle, she has already awakened. From this moment we officially commence the Fifth Treatment Course, aiming to have her get out of bed and walk within a month."

Meng Shutang nodded vigorously.

After the doctor left, Meng Shutang called Li Xiuyun to tell her the news of Zhou Xingfan's awakening, and Gu Yunci drove to pick up her and Xin Xin.

Li Xiuyun grabbed Zhou Xingfan's hand, also so moved she could not speak through tears, "Xingfan, you woke up, your hard days are finally over."

Although Xin Xin was young, she had visited the doctor many times and had heard Meng Shutang introduce the person on the sickbed.

She knew Zhou Xingfan was Mom's mother, the daughter of Grandma.

When Li Xiuyun, emotional and about to cry again, Meng Shutang pulled her aside to comfort her, "Grandma, stop crying.

Mom waking up is a good thing; if you keep crying, Mom will feel distressed again."

Li Xiuyun wiped away tears, stopped crying, "Yes, your mom waking up is good; she had been lying there, crying wouldn't help."

While Li Xiuyun and Meng Shutang were talking, Xin Xin tiptoed, pressed her chubby little hand to the bedside, grabbed Zhou Xingfan's hand, and in a babyish voice said, "Hello Grandma, I'm Xin Xin," then walked over and pulled Gu Yunci over, "This is my dad."

Meng Shutang was startled; she hadn't expected Xin Xin, after introducing herself, to voluntarily introduce Gu Yunci.

Zhou Xingfan didn't know Gu Yunci, but had heard the name before she fully awoke.

She turned her gaze slightly toward the man standing there, "Thank you."

After speaking, she raised her hand slightly, intending to pull Xin Xin.

But her hand lacked strength, only moving a little; Xin Xin saw this and immediately held onto her.

"You're awake, now you can play with me, Xin Xin will give you candy~"

Saying that, she tilted her head and smiled at Zhou Xingfan, showing a pair of deep dimples, eyes curved like tiny crescents, completely unaware of life‑and‑death torment, her face full of joy that only a relative had revived.

While Zhou Xingfan stared earnestly at Xin Xin, Xin Xin took a lollipop out of her pocket.

She carefully opened it, placed it in Zhou Xingfan's mouth, but upon hearing Meng Shutang's uncertainty about whether Grandma could eat it, she obediently let Zhou Xingfan lick just one bite before removing it.

After letting Li Xiuyun and Xin Xin stay at the hospital for a while, Gu Yunci took the two of them back.

Aunt Li, who had previously cared for Xin Xin, had a funeral in her family; after the duties were done, she continued to come over to look after Xin Xin.

During Zhou Xingfan's awakening period, Meng Shutang cared for her day and night; Gu Yunci, fearing her body couldn't handle it, also hired two senior caregivers.

Zhou Xingfan had lain on the bed for fourteen years; although she had undergone various rehabilitation trainings before, the prolonged lying caused severe muscle atrophy, osteoporosis, and her cardiopulmonary function was also poor.

In the upcoming nearly one‑year treatment, speech training and mobility therapy will be the top priorities.

After a period of recovery, Zhou Xingfan's consciousness gradually cleared, allowing simple daily communication.

Meng Shutang wanted to find out exactly what happened on the day of her car accident, but after some inquiries learned that Zhou Xingfan had amnesia.

She remembered no one besides Li Xiuyun and Meng Shutang.

Especially when Meng Shutang mentioned Meng Zhibang, she looked bewildered, "Who are you talking about?"

Meng Shutang took out her phone and showed a wedding photo of herself and Meng Zhibang, "You really don't recognize him?"

Zhou Xingfan looked at it seriously, tilting her head. From her expression, one could see she had an impression of the man, but just couldn't recall who he was.

Especially when Meng Shutang played a recording of Meng Zhibang speaking, she displayed a courteous distant demeanor, as if to a complete stranger.

Clearly while comatose, mentioning others elicited no response; only when Meng Zhibang was mentioned did she react.

Why, after waking, did she change completely?

Meng Shutang told Huo Yanchen about this, and Huo Yanchen thought it was normal.

"Long‑term vegetative state causes great damage to memory areas; selective amnesia after awakening is common."

But I think she didn't forget on purpose; it's a brain's protective mechanism that blocked the memory with the strongest emotions.

"You mean that back then she truly loved my father. It's not that she doesn't love him now; she has hidden her affection in her subconscious, right?"

Huo Yanchen nodded, "As the body gradually recovers, the fragmented memories will also return.

But I'm very curious why she can't recall your father.

If it were just an affair, she should resent him; she couldn't have forgotten him. Is there something else between them?"