Chapter 6 (1/2)
In the intensive care unit, the man lying on the bed slowly opened his eyes.
He was caught in a tiny trance from the whiteness that engulfed him. After a careful look around, he was certain he was lying in a hospital ward; there was a needle settled in the back of his hand, connected to a bag of fluid transporting a transparent liquid into his body, as well as colorful wires sticking onto his being, giving readings to the monitor stationed beside him.
Is he…not dead?
An Luo gently closed his eyes and slowly reopened them, only to find that nothing has changed, everything in the room still remaining the same. This wasn't an illusion, he was indeed lying in an unfamiliar hospital ward.
He remembered the plane exploding in the air and how he should've been blown to ashes with it. Even if he was lucky enough to survive from that blast, falling from such a height would've resulted in him splatting into a puddle of blood and flesh. How could he still be alive, lying on a hospital bed?
For a while, An Luo could not comprehend his current situation. With some doubts, he moved his fingers to his chest and abruptly, a burst of intense pain hit him, the ache causing him to frown. Judging from the intensity of the sting, he seemed to have been cut by a knife. The fact that it hurt further proved this wasn't a dream.
He stared blankly into the distance, his mind in alarms. Then, he began to accept the fact that he did not die.
He wanted to move his legs, but realized he couldn't feel anything from below the knees.
At that moment, the ward's door opened, and in came a young man wearing a snowy white overcoat. The man walked to him with questioning eyes, then said with a faint smile, ”An Luo, you're finally awake. Do you feel discomfort anywhere?”
The man's smile was gentle and familiar.
-Is he asking me? An Luo's line of sight travelled to the badge on the man's chest. He searched his memories for the name ‘Zhou Chengping’, but nothing clicked. Feeling somewhat puzzled, An Luo asked, ”Are you the doctor in charge of me?”
Zhou Chengping's outstretched hand froze in the air.
For a long time, an awkward silence ensued. Zhou Chengping looked at the numbers on the thermometer uncertainly. ”No fever, strange… You don't remember me? I am Chengping.”
An Luo shook his head. ”I don't remember.”
Startled, Zhou Chengping continued to poke: ”Then, do you remember what happened before?”
”I don't remember.”
”When you were kidnapped and nearly lost your life?”
”I don't remember.”
Zhou Chengping became silent, his expression heavy.
Seeming to recall something, An Luo frowned. ”What about An Yang? Is he alive?”
The doctor was stunned. ”Who is An Yang?”
”…” It was like a chicken talking to a duck.
An Luo eyes fluttered shut, he no longer spoke.
The other man stood rigidly in place for half a day before he rapidly turned around and walked outside, fingers dialing a number on his phone. ”Professor Chen of Neurosurgery? h.e.l.lo, I'm Zhou Chengping. Is it possible for you to go to the ICU at once? My Biao Ge, An Luo, appears to have a serious problem with his memory. I don't know if his brain suffered any damage…”
A brief moment later, a group of medical staff hurried to the ICU ward and give An Luo an emergency CT scan. Several doctors discussed the results for a long time when at last, Professor Chen came to a conclusion: ”Chengping, according to the CT scan, there are no indicators showing that your Biao Ge's brain suffered any harm.”
Zhou Chengping doubted the authenticity of that statement. ”Then what's going on with his memory? He's mentioned an An Yang I've never heard of.”
”This… there was previously a case of a man who fell down and was comatose for a few days. When he woke up, he suddenly could speak eight different languages.” He sighed. ”In this world, there are actually a great number of things we are incapable of making reasonable explanations for scientifically.”
Zhou Chengping stood in silence as he watched Professor Chen turned to leave. At last, he reluctantly let out a breath.
Alright. Unexplainable amnesia, huh?
He didn't know how An Ze’s face will twist after hearing the news.
Yesterday, they had said that dying directly during surgery and going into a vegetative state were the worst possible outcomes of this ordeal. Yet now, there was suddenly the matter of amnesia… An Luo, are you playing with us?
Zhou Chengping returned to the ward and walked toward An Luo, staring at him in the eyes.
His eyes were still as clear as ever before, amber pupils pure and bright. But, they were without the usual arrogance and indifference, now crowded with only doubts and alert.
His sight was on Zhou Chengping until the later stopped by his bed, then he asked, ”Have the doctors come to a conclusion?”
Oppressing his emotions, Zhou Chengping nodded his head.
An Luo calmly continued, ”Dr. Zhou, can you explain my condition to me?”
Zhou Chengping hesitated before indulging, ”Yesterday, when you arrived to the hospital, your heartbeat had already stopped. After 40 minutes, we were finally able to rescue you and your vital signs gradually returned to normal. Now that the critical moments have pa.s.sed, there are no dangers to your life. However, your legs temporarily won't be able to move, still requiring further surgery.”
An Luo nodded. ”How serious are the injuries on my legs? I can't feel them at all.”
”That…” Looking at his bright pair of eyes clouded with mistrust, Zhou Chengping didn't have the heart to tell the truth. ”Both of your legs are fractured… the right one is relatively serious. After the surgery, it may require… a comparatively long period of time to… recover.”