Idol Chapter 182

When the doctors and nurses rushed in, the scene was a complete mess.

Originally, the four of them had evolved into mature men in their twenties, but faced with this situation, they were as flustered as kindergarteners.

The moment Huo Ren made eye contact with Chi Ji, he raised his hand and smashed a mug. Bo Jue nearly crashed into a glass door in his rush out, only saving his face by making a sharp turn.

Xie Lianyun was so panicked that he wanted to hide away and calm down for ten days to half a month before returning. Mei Shengyao, like a little monster, had already grabbed someone and started crying noisily.

Huo Ren, holding Chi Ji and being embraced by Mei Shengyao, found a moment to catch his breath, fearing Chi Ji would fall asleep.

“How are you feeling now? Can you speak?”

He reached out to pass him a water glass but only realized there was a pool of broken glass and water after the fact.

“Everyone calm down.” The doctor quickly moved unrelated individuals aside to cool down their brains and checked Chi Ji’s physical condition with the nurse.

The prognosis for vegetative patients varies; post-surgery recovery and awakening need specific diagnoses.

Some may only be in a brief coma for three to four months and recover quickly, while others might take years to wake up, and being able to live normally is a blessing.

As for post-awakening rehabilitation and adjustments, these depend on the patient’s physical condition.

The young man, like a snowflake sealed in a coffin for two years, still retained most of his memories and impressions from the moment before his leap, trembling slightly.

“Mr. Chi, relax,” the doctor’s voice was cold but unexpectedly calm and steady, “you are safe now, no one can hurt you.”

They removed various monitoring devices from Chi Ji’s chest and wrists, freeing him from these chain-like wires.

It was as if granting complete freedom to this reborn individual.

“We need to monitor his heart rate and other metrics soon, but there shouldn’t be any major issues.”

“Mr. Chi hasn’t eaten on his own for a long time, even if he’s hungry, he must control his intake to protect…”

“There are two medication plans to consider…”

The four of them stayed by the bedside, incessantly calling and texting Long Jia.

Unfortunately, due to the time difference, it was the middle of a night meeting over there.

It took until the fourth call to connect.

“Ren Ren, there’s a bit of trouble with my satellite phone,” the elder brother’s voice sounded weary, “Is everything okay back home? Nothing happened to Xiao Jue and the others, right?”

“Brother, I know you’re busy,” Huo Ren gripped Chi Ji’s hand tightly, trying to keep his rising tone under control, “Chi Chi has woken up—”

Xie Lianyun swiftly pulled the phone away from his ear.

A sudden explosion of a very loud voice burst out: “What—!!!”

“I can’t believe I missed it overseas!!!”

“Ren Ren, are you telling the truth!!!”

“Ren Ren Ren Ren where are you—ah ah ah ah—”

“Long Jia, calm down,” Bo Jue, his hair tousled beyond recognition, forcibly took over the phone to interrupt, “The doctor just checked him, prescribed medication and a recovery plan, let’s talk when you get back.”

“But,” the scratching of a big lion could be heard from the phone, “Ah, I can’t believe I’m not there, damn it, ah ah ah—”

“Get some sleep, drink less coffee, stay safe, I’m hanging up now,” Bo Jue quickly glanced at all his teammates, his face flushing, “Everyone misses you, I miss you too, come back safely.”

After hanging up the phone, Mei Shengyao carefully poked Chi Ji.

“Brother Chi, you’re awake?”

Chi Ji, having been asleep for two and a half years, struggled to make any sound, like a mermaid poisoned into muteness, desperate and slightly distressed.

Everyone, trying to remain mature and composed for the past few years, could no longer hold back and took turns embracing him tightly, reluctant to let go.

“Have some honey water first, no rush, take it slow.”

Huo Ren quickly found a new cup and, after preparing it, first sipped it himself to make sure it was warm before feeding it to Chi Ji’s lips.

Surrounded by everyone, Chi Ji drank while his eyes reddened and tears fell.

“Don’t cry, don’t cry, it’s good that you’re awake…” Bo Jue, heartbroken, reached out to wipe his eyes and hugged Chi Ji, ruffling his hair: “Everyone has been waiting for you, it’s alright Chi Chi, don’t be scared.”

Unable to squeeze in, Mei Shengyao leaned on the bedside, watching him and called out again: “Brother Chi, drink slowly, I’ll make you another later.”

After a small bowl of honey water, Chi Ji finally began to recover a bit, his face gradually regaining color.

When he moved his wrists, it was still somewhat difficult, and when he tried to speak, he first struggled to control his tongue before speaking intermittently.

His breath was very light, like a floating feather.

“I’m… sorry…”

Huo Ren, unable to control his emotions again, hugged him tightly and trembled.

“It’s not like that, Chi Chi, you can’t blame yourself, it’s not your fault…”

His turmoil was like returning to their under-twenty days, wanting to say everything to Chi Ji but choked up.

Chi Ji struggled to control his hand to gently pat his back, his gaze lingering on everyone as if trying to memorize their faces.

“I… know,” he paused a lot while speaking, but stubbornly wanted to complete his thoughts: “That… person, intentionally… wanted me to see… those things…”

“I shouldn’t have… looked…” he tried hard to explain what had happened, his eyes reddening: “I’m sorry… at that time… it was like being possessed…”

In the second before his fall, he had suddenly become aware, but it was too late.

In those brief ten minutes, many things had happened as if under a spell, controlling his soul, shattering all his rationality.

Huo Ren, with tears streaming, wiped his face, continuously shaking his head while whispering comforts.

“It’s not your fault, Chi Chi, really, it’s not your fault.”

They massaged his arms, shoulders, and neck, telling him about everything that had happened in the past two years.

Honest and transparent, no longer withholding any information.

Chi Ji, whose language skills hadn’t fully recovered, listened earnestly nestled in their embrace, occasionally unable to suppress a laugh.

“When Xie Lianyun stole the ashes, I directly contacted the best psychiatrist for him,” Bo Jue muttered, “Who could have thought such things would happen…”

Mei Shengyao, sitting nearby helping with his hair, remarked, “Bro Jue, you should keep some imagination for normal days.”

Chi Ji turned his head toward Xie Lianyun, blinking to inquire.

The person adjusted his glasses and looked out the window: “Fake, there was no such thing.”

“But it was Shengyao who first rushed to the scene. According to Director Su, he directly moved a mannequin as tall as you from the wardrobe, and Director Su’s scalp went numb watching the whole process…”

“Not at all! It was a very cute mannequin, okay! The cat whiskers I drew earlier were wiped off by Dr. Wu!!”

It took Chi Ji a while to recover, and they helped him out of bed, slowly relearning how to walk as if using his legs for the first time.

“I actually… had been waking up intermittently before,” he said.

Huo Ren let him half-hug his shoulder, leading him forward.

Xie Lianyun walked beside them, quietly listening.

Chi Ji sometimes fell asleep for a while, and sometimes regained consciousness.

He could feel them taking care of him, aware of sunbathing or eating some liquid food.

His consciousness seemed to float in an empty darkness, unable to find control over his body or communicate with his friends’ voices.

Sometimes, hearing an important topic, he desperately wanted to wave his hand or sit up, but couldn’t do anything.

“I… I always wanted… to wake up,” he endured the pain and walked step by step, speaking intermittently: “Just… couldn’t manage it…”

But the doctor’s voice, the sound of everyone talking, gradually became clearer.

The five of them stayed from the afternoon until evening, none wanting to leave.

A new problem lay before them.

In the eyes of society, Chi Ji was already considered deceased.

Every year on February 17th, his sisters from Sunny Days held memorial events, planting many green trees in the desert and continuing to sponsor orphanages and Hope Schools.

Everyone thought he had passed away.

The direct perpetrator was Han Qu, but the long-term slander and malicious rumors online had also done their damage.

Xie Lianyun had been unusually quiet today.

He was the first to choose Chi Ji when accompanying Jiang Shu to select candidates for Project Corona, and he had repented for this decision many times.

Now, with the opportunity to start over, it also meant that all choices needed to be reconsidered.

If you could live your life again, Chi Ji, which path would you choose?

One person’s life had paused for two years, while the others had moved forward, each to different destinations.

Yet, none of them had truly been happy.

They sat back on the couch, each with a cup of hot milk, facing the question once again.

“Maybe… there’s no need to rush the decision now,” Huo Ren said gently. “Chi Chi needs another year or two to fully recover. Once he’s completely healthy, we can figure it out together.”

Chi Ji thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.

He still loved musicals, the stage, and everything from his past that made him feel like he was burning bright.

“It’s such a pity,” Chi Ji said with a rueful smile, “we won awards, and yet we disbanded like this, without even a proper goodbye.”

Bo Jue shook his head, “The announcement from SPF actually preserved our group, but halted operations.”

The 17th floor was still there, the official forum was still there, and the six of them… were always there.

“What if, after a year or two, we hold a farewell concert?” Xie Lianyun suddenly suggested.

“What?”

“You want to tell them Chi Chi came back to life?”

“No, there’s a better way,” Xie Lianyun took a deep breath and turned to look at everyone.

“There’s no need to ask Brother Long, Ren Ren is already back to normal, Shengyao and I haven’t changed, Bo Jue, do you want to have another concert with us?”

Bo Jue paused for a few seconds, then burst out laughing.

“Being a professor and then going out to perform in a concert, those students of mine will make a fuss again.”

Chi Ji attempted to raise his hand, “So, should I… go?”

“You’re going too,” Mei Shengyao turned to him with a bright gaze, “You definitely will go.”