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Jiang He and Xu Yiman crouched beside Wang Chao, eager to see if there were any signs of him waking up. Guan Deng, watching the video, noticed Wang Chao's arm move slightly. Given Guan Deng's personality, he would never text Jiang He unless he was absolutely certain.
Jiang He stared intently at Wang Chao's arm, as if trying to see through it. Xu Yiman gently called out Wang Chao's name near his ear. As a former surgeon, Xu Yiman was far more professional than Jiang He.
“How do we wake up a person in a vegetative state?” Jiang He asked.
Xu Yiman shot him a glare and replied, “According to various medical theories, a person must be in a coma for at least three months to be considered in a vegetative state. If Wang Chao is indeed showing any response, it means there’s a significant chance he can wake up. We need to provide him with some external stimulation; he should be able to perceive it.”
“What kind of stimulation?” Jiang He questioned. “Should we poke him in the butt?”
“Of course not!” Xu Yiman said. “He must have received some external stimulus earlier that triggered a reaction in his brain, which is why his arm moved. But what exactly was the stimulus?”
Jiang He’s mind began analyzing everything that had happened since they entered the hospital room; it was an easy task for him.
“The case!” Jiang He exclaimed. “It’s likely related to our investigation; the chances are high!”
“Exactly!” Xu Yiman quickly added. “Wang Chao has no other hobbies but solving cases.”
Leaning closer to Wang Chao’s ear, Xu Yiman urged, “Wake up quickly; we have a new case! It’s about school violence—several people attacking a girl. Jiang He has already figured out that those kids are students from Dragon City Fourth High School just by using a phone, but we still need your help…”
At this point, Wang Chao’s arm indeed moved again. His fingers began to show signs of gripping, as if he were about to wake up.
“I’ll go call the doctor!” Jiang He said hurriedly.
Xu Yiman lifted Wang Chao's eyelid with her hand and urged, “Hurry!”
Before long, the attending physician arrived at the bedside, and Xu Yiman quickly stepped aside.
“I’ll go call Sister Wenjing,” Xu Yiman said.
Jiang He nodded.
The doctor examined Wang Chao, and after a series of procedures that Jiang He couldn't understand, he said to Jiang He, "Just wait. He is recovering; within three hours, he will definitely wake up."
"Okay," Jiang He replied.
"It seems you already knew he would wake up," the doctor observed, looking at Jiang He. "You don't seem excited at all."
Jiang He didn't know how to respond to that; he didn't understand why he should be excited.
Before long, Xu Yiman returned with Zhao Wenjing. Zhao Wenjing had been outside buying lunch for a few people, but upon receiving Xu Yiman's call, she rushed back without a second thought about the food.
"Doctor, how is he?" Zhao Wenjing asked.
The doctor reassured her, "Don't worry. He will wake up within three hours at most. However, his injuries are severe; it will take at least a year and a half for him to fully recover. You all should let him rest more; his body hasn't recovered yet, and he has too many injuries. You police officers have worked hard."
"It's all for saving lives," Xu Yiman replied.
"Then we'll take our leave," the doctor said before departing.
"I'll inform Old Shao. Once Wang Chao is better, we can act again," Xu Yiman stated.
At that moment, however, Zhao Wenjing stopped Xu Yiman. She turned to both Xu Yiman and Jiang He and said, "Can you two step outside with me for a moment?"
It seemed Zhao Wenjing had something to discuss with them. The three of them closed the door and stepped outside. After walking for a short distance, Zhao Wenjing finally stopped.
"What's going on?" Xu Yiman asked, looking at Zhao Wenjing in confusion.
At that moment, Zhao Wenjing suddenly knelt down on the ground. Looking at the two people, tears welled up in her eyes as she said, "Jiang He, Xu Yiman, I am a bit older than you, and there are some things I shouldn't say, but I have no choice; I must say them..."
"Sister Zhao!" Xu Yiman hurried to support Zhao Wenjing. "What are you doing?"
But Zhao Wenjing would not get up. She held Xu Yiman's hand and said, "You haven't started your own families yet. You don't understand the worries a wife has for her husband. I know you are both trying to save people; you are good people. But does being a good person mean you have to have a short life? You are police officers; this is your choice. I shouldn't be involved with you."
"I know I'm being selfish, but this is just the heartfelt words of a wife and a mother. I don’t want to lose my father at such a young age. Look at how many injuries he has; it’s a miracle he can wake up this time. But who has such good luck to wake up every time? He is already forty years old; he should be sitting in an office like everyone else. Why does he still have to go to the front lines?"
Xu Yiman and Wang Chao fell silent.
Zhao Wenjing continued, "I just want a husband who can come home on time, someone who can give my daughter a childhood with a father by her side. I want Wang Chao to live a safe and sound life; is that such an unreasonable request? I know that once Wang Chao wakes up, he will still follow you; he will definitely continue going to the front lines."
"Yes," Xu Yiman said. "Brother Wang Chao would do that."
"So I can only plead with you!" Zhao Wenjing cried. "He and everyone in my project team are exceptionally skilled; they are one in a million. But Wang Chao is just an ordinary person, an ordinary person who loves to show off. I know he feels inadequate when solving cases and wonders why he is so slow-witted. He is just an ordinary person; can you not take him along for cases anymore? I just want an ordinary life."
Every word from Zhao Wenjing was reasonable and heartfelt; these were her sincere wishes as a wife and mother.
But often, some things cannot be had together, which is the cruel reality of this world.
"I... we can't make that decision. Let me ask Old Shao," Xu Yiman said as she looked at the kneeling Zhao Wenjing and then at Jiang He.
"Jiang He, make the call. Sister Zhao, please get up," Xu Yiman urged.
But Zhao Wenjing refused to rise. There were other nurses and patients moving about in the corridor, but Zhao Wenjing paid no attention to them.
She said, "I know I'm being selfish; what I'm doing lacks dignity. But if pleading with you doesn't work, then I'll seek help from someone who can."
The call connected, and Jiang He emotionlessly relayed the events to Old Shao.
Old Shao first heard the news of Wang Chao waking up, and he was so delighted that he could hardly contain his smile. However, soon after, Old Shao listened to Zhao Wenjing's plea on her knees. In truth, given Wang Chao's capabilities, he shouldn't have been included in the project team. Yet, Wang Chao's enthusiasm touched Old Shao, reminding him of his younger self.
It was a pursuit of justice, a desire to dispel darkness with one's own strength. Old Shao couldn't bear to let Wang Chao's aspirations go unfulfilled, so he fabricated a reason for Wang Chao to join and take on some minor tasks. However, Old Shao also understood that a job like the project team—running around and facing dangers at any moment—was indeed not suitable for a husband or a father.
Perhaps the project team wasn't suitable for an ordinary person; Yuan Jun and Wang Chao might be the only normal ones among them.
"If that's the case, then let him recover in peace; we won't involve him anymore," Old Shao said softly.
Jiang He nodded and said to Zhao Wenjing, "Old Shao has agreed to your request. If there are any more cases, we won't bring Wang Chao along."
"Thank you, thank you!" Zhao Wenjing hurriedly expressed her gratitude.
"Get up quickly," Xu Yiman said.
"Then I'll go keep Wang Chao company and talk with him more," Zhao Wenjing replied.
The two nodded in agreement.
Jiang He spoke up, "Sometimes this profession just isn't suitable for those with families."
"Is that so?" Xu Yiman asked. "Jiang He, I've always been curious about one thing: have you ever thought about getting married and having children?"
"I have," Jiang He answered.
Xu Yiman looked at Jiang He in surprise. "I thought someone like you would never consider marriage or children."
Jiang He said, "There was a time when I was very interested in the matters between the sexes because I wanted to know what necessary preparations are needed for two people to form a family. What exactly causes two individuals to decide to unite into a whole, willing to relinquish part of their rights to the other for safekeeping..."
"Enough!" Xu Yiman waved her hand and said, "I shouldn't have asked you this question. If I didn't know better, I would think we were discussing social philosophy."
"What about you?" Jiang He, interrupted, did not continue but instead asked Xu Yiman.
Xu Yiman shook her head and replied, "I can't even take care of myself, so how can I look for another person?"
"I see." Jiang He nodded.
Suddenly, Xu Yiman playfully said to Jiang He, "You know, if we're both fifty years old and still single, why don't we just get together and make it work?"
Jiang He firmly rejected her proposal: "I've never thought about relinquishing my rights to someone else. I believe there is much more that one person can do. Besides, there are still many things I haven't figured out yet. I won't waste my time trying to please another person, and honestly, I don't even know how to do that."
"You're really lacking in romance," Xu Yiman said. "You don't think I'm good enough? Well, I don't think you're good enough either, silly."
"Then should we investigate the matter of Fourth High School?" Jiang He asked.
"Yes," Xu Yiman replied. "Since we have nothing else to do."
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