Chapter 127 – Noticed by Brother

As Jian Mei opened his eyes, he saw a group of people standing not far away.

It had been a long time since he had seen them, and at first, he almost didn’t recognize them. Despite how much they had changed, he could still tell right away who they were.

Standing across from his hospital bed were four people, all looking back at him. In the middle was Xiao Pang. He had successfully lost weight and now looked tall and slim. His face wasn’t as round as it used to be, giving him a slightly dopey but more spirited appearance. Jian Mei had heard that Xiao Pang had been accepted into a prestigious research program and was now a very accomplished student.

Next to him was Cai Zhenzhen.

She had become even more beautiful, with curly golden hair, thick eyebrows, and big eyes. She was dressed fashionably, carrying a designer bag, looking every bit like a socialite. Cai Zhenzhen’s lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she remained silent and just took a step closer, as if to get a better look at Jian Mei’s face.

Standing beside her was the class monitor.

She looked much the same as before, still quiet and composed. She wore a beige long dress, her hair reaching down to her waist, and her eyes were filled with concern as she looked at Jian Mei. While she hadn’t changed much, there was a new maturity about her.

Finally, there was Cheng Yu.

The one who had changed the most was probably Cheng Yu. Dressed in a suit, he exuded an air of maturity and steadiness, but Jian Mei wasn’t surprised at all. Somehow, deep down, he always knew Cheng Yu would shine; some people are just like that—they always find a way to stand out.

Jian Mei sat up and smiled at them. “It’s been a long time. Thank you for coming to see me.”

Xiao Pang rushed over, exclaiming, “You really woke up!”

“Ouch,” Jian Mei laughed, “Be gentle.”

Xiao Pang quickly pulled back his hand and gave a sheepish grin. “Sorry, Mei Mei, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Jian Mei playfully made a face at him. “I was just messing with you, it didn’t hurt at all.”

Xiao Pang froze for a moment, then realized he had been tricked and burst out laughing, joining in on the joke, “Oh, you! You got me good.”

Although it was just a simple joke, it managed to break the ice and dissolve some of the awkwardness and distance that had built up over time, making the atmosphere in the room much more relaxed and lively.

Cheng Yu came over and gently intervened, “Alright, he just woke up. Don’t get too rough.”

Xiao Pang, now pulled away by Cheng Yu, pouted, “He’s been sleeping for so long.”

Jian Mei showed a gentle smile and said, “Sorry, I guess I slept a bit too much.”

His slightly humorous and light-hearted comment opened up the conversation.

“You guys have changed a lot!” Jian Mei smiled as he looked at them. “You all look like handsome men and beautiful women, and you’ve achieved so much! Unlike me—I might have to go back to senior year and retake the exams. To be honest, I’ve forgotten all the study material, so I might even need to start over from freshman year.”

Cheng Yu looked at him and said, “You don’t need to. We can help you catch up.”

The class monitor finally had a chance to chime in. She said, “Mei Mei, we’ve actually been keeping notes from class just for you. We were waiting for you to wake up so you could review them.”

Cai Zhenzhen rolled her eyes. “Come on, class monitor. Those notes are a year or two old now. Do you really think the content is still relevant? Let’s not lead Mei Mei astray.”

The class monitor blushed as she realized this. “You’re right. But we can still help you with tutoring.”

Jian Mei was touched but a bit embarrassed. “But you guys are all in college now. Do you even have the time?”

Cai Zhenzhen sat down on the nearby sofa and said, “I don’t mind. Even though I’m pretty busy, I can still find some time to help you with your homework and exercises.”

Cheng Yu smiled and said, “You don’t need to worry about it. Just focus on your studies. My company is nearby, so it’s more convenient for me.”

Cai Zhenzhen gave him a look. “Can you focus on your work, Mr. Cheng? Weren’t you just saying how busy you are, barely having time to catch your breath? And now you’re offering to tutor someone?”

Jian Mei watched them banter back and forth, feeling a bit helpless. But this familiar scene of playful arguing also gave him a comforting sense of being home. He had truly come back—back to his family and friends.

Jian Mei smiled and said, “It’s okay. I can take care of myself.”

Everyone responded in unison, “No way!”

…

Jian Mei sighed. “I’m not a kid anymore.”

For a moment, everyone fell silent.

Then, Cheng Yu’s gentle eyes rested on Jian Mei. He looked him over from head to toe and said, “Mei Mei, you say we’ve changed a lot, but do you know? You’re almost exactly the same as before. You haven’t changed a bit.”

It was as if time had left no trace on Jian Mei.

He still had that youthful, innocent look, clean and pure. When he smiled, it was as if they were all transported back to their high school days, sitting in the classroom, chatting and laughing, carefree and unburdened.

Those days were precious, and so were the people in front of him.

Jian Mei, feeling a bit embarrassed, scratched his head. “Maybe it’s because I’ve been sleeping for so long.”

“Then you must be out of touch with a lot of things since you just woke up,” Xiao Pang said. “When you get discharged, it’ll be just in time for the New Year. We can take you out to have some fun.”

Jian Mei, however, declined, “I have more important things to do for now.”

Everyone looked at him with curiosity.

Jian Mei smiled and placed his index finger over his lips, “It’s a secret for now.”

…

In the afternoon

Jian Mei’s father and Jian Changjia never expected that during their visit to Jian Mei for a brief rest, he would pull them into a discussion about medical formulas.

As they researched together, Jian Mei described the symptoms of a certain disease, the patients’ reactions, and the stages of change after administering certain medications.

His father fell into deep thought and said, “This situation is quite complex. There hasn’t been a pandemic like this in modern times in our country.”

Jian Mei, worried, asked, “Are there records of this in ancient texts?”

His father replied, “We’ll have to look it up. Your grandfather might actually know more about this than I do. He’s on his way back, so we can ask him when he arrives.”

Jian Mei had been thinking the same thing.

He showed a nostalgic expression, “I haven’t seen Grandpa in a long time. I wonder how he’s doing.”

His father patted his head, “He misses you a lot. When you see him, make sure to spend some good time with him, alright?”

Jian Mei nodded earnestly, “Okay!”

Jian Changjia, who had been quiet until then, finally spoke up after their father left, “I have a question for you.”

Jian Mei looked at his brother in confusion.

“Why are you asking these things?” Jian Changjia looked at him seriously. “Is something wrong?”

Jian Mei was surprised by his brother’s perceptiveness, but he didn’t dare to mention the disturbing events he had experienced. He also didn’t want to worry his family, so he casually replied, “I was just asking, no big deal. Why are you being so serious, Brother?”

Jian Changjia let out a cold laugh, “Just asking casually? And you were taking notes so seriously?”

Jian Mei was at a loss for words.

It seemed that Jian Changjia had completely seen through him. His gaze became sharper, and he pressed on, “This illness isn’t something you just asked about casually. It’s real, and you’ve encountered it, haven’t you?”

Jian Mei, not good at lying, stammered, “I…”

“Tell me,” Jian Changjia’s stern eyes locked onto him, “Does this illness have anything to do with your coma? And will it cause you to fall into another coma?”