Chapter 954: Chapter 934: Look, the baby has grown a lot
The butler, George, was originally supposed to return with Huo Tianpei to G City. However, as the young master brought Jiayi to America for recovery, under the old master’s instructions, George temporarily stayed behind to assist the young master in caring for Jiayi. Any changes in Jiayi’s condition could also be reported to the old master over the phone at any time.
After knocking on the door, a man’s low and subdued voice came from inside the room: "Come in."
The voice was deliberately softened, as if afraid of disturbing the patient lying in bed.
The butler walked in.
As usual, Huo Zhenyang was sitting at the bedside, with a carved basin filled with fresh water at his side, carefully washing Jiayi’s hair.
George’s expression shifted slightly, and he suggested, "Why don’t we cut Miss Jiayi’s hair short? It’s more convenient for a patient to have short hair, and it would also save you the trouble."
"No need." Huo Zhenyang frowned, displeased by his suggestion. "She loves having long hair. If I cut it off, she’ll argue with me once she wakes up."
George said nothing more and could only watch as the young master patiently washed and dried Jiayi’s long hair, strand by strand.
She had been asleep for over two months, yet her limbs remained slender and delicate, without the swelling common in bedridden patients, thanks to the young master’s frequent care in moving her limbs.
The only exception was her abdomen, which now showed a faint curve.
In fact, when the young master first brought Miss Jiayi to LA, the American doctors had suggested aborting the child.
With her unconscious state, her body was undoubtedly not as resilient as a healthy person’s, and the fetus required nutrients. A pregnancy under such circumstances might result in inadequate nourishment for the baby, making it unlikely to be healthy; an abortion seemed a better choice.
The young master had only asked the doctor one question: "Will the pregnancy affect Jiayi’s recovery?"
The doctor replied that there was no direct link between the two, and theoretically, it shouldn’t.
Without hesitation, the young master decided with four firm words: "Then keep the baby."
George understood that Miss Jiayi must value this child deeply, which is why the young master worked relentlessly to preserve this pregnancy.
Now, the baby in Miss Jiayi’s womb is entirely dependent on American technology and medication to maintain its life and normal development.
For an unconscious patient, carrying a pregnancy without affecting the child is already a formidable challenge.
Yet, as the fetus grew daily, Miss Jiayi’s body might ultimately fail to endure, leading to a potential miscarriage or the necessity of surgical abortion.
After a long pause, George watched as the young master nearly finished his chores and cautiously asked, "A company in China just called, saying there’s business requiring you to fly back and meet with the client. But you didn’t answer the call and had the servants decline on your behalf?"
His hands never stopped moving. "Huo Family has countless business opportunities every day."
The implication was clear—he didn’t have to personally attend to every single matter.
"But this business is crucial. The other party is one of the top three natural gas corporations. If the collaboration succeeds, Huo Family could claim a significant share of the Central Asia natural gas market."
Important?
His thin lips curved slightly into a dismissive smirk as he tucked the petite woman with freshly dried hair into the bedding.
Though he said nothing, George understood his response.
No matter how important the business was, it couldn’t measure up to even a single strand of Miss Jiayi’s hair.
At least, not until Miss Jiayi regained consciousness—he wouldn’t leave her side.
But what if, what if Miss Jiayi never woke up?
Though the staff at LA’s Huo Mansion wouldn’t dare say it aloud, deep down, they all suspected that Miss Jiayi’s chances of waking up were slim.
It had been over two months; if she were to wake, she would have shown signs by now—at least some reaction.
But Jiayi remained entirely unresponsive, lost in her deep sleep.
In just a few more days, it would mark three full months.
The doctor had said that if she didn’t wake within three months, she would become a permanent vegetative state, with little to no hope of regaining consciousness.
Was it right to let the young master neglect the entire corporation and linger at LA’s Huo Mansion, simply to wait like this?
The young master had fought hard to assert control over the corporation, replacing the old master and securing his position as the top leader of the company.
If he gave it all up this way, wouldn’t it be a pity?
Feeling deeply regretful, George summoned his courage and said, "What if Miss Jiayi never wakes up? The Huo Family still needs you to lead and manage."
"Leave." Two frigid words slipped from the man’s mouth.
"Young master, perhaps you should return to handle the corporate affairs. Miss Jiayi and the baby—we’ll take good care of them..."
"Leave." The interruption was sharp and merciless, this time laced with an unmistakable chill.
George could tell the young master was on the brink of an explosive fury. If he pushed further, regardless of who he was, the young master wouldn’t spare him even a shred of courtesy.
Sighing, George eventually turned away, closed the door, and left the room.
Huo Zhenyang straightened the bedding, lingered for a few seconds, and gazed at her.
On the four-poster carved princess bed, the petite woman lay in serene repose. Her freshly cleansed hair released a sweet, fruity aroma of shampoo blended with her natural scent, as if she had merely drifted off for an afternoon nap, ready to wake and rub her eyes at any moment.
How could she resemble a vegetative state?
She appeared more alive than many who were awake.
He never believed she would remain in this prolonged sleep forever.
His fingers gently grazed her delicate cheek.
"Did you hear that? They’re urging me to return to handle business back in China. Please wake up soon, or at least give me some sign—I could shut them up." His voice was mellow and tender, coaxing her softly.
Her breathing was steady and tranquil, without any change, as if she could sleep like this indefinitely.
"Enough," he murmured, furrowing his brows. His slender fingers curled slightly, giving her cheek a light pinch—not harsh, not gentle. His gaze shifted again to her abdomen. "Do you know how long you’ve been sleeping? Four months. Look, the baby has grown quite a bit."
He kept speaking calmly, as if holding a one-sided conversation with no replies, until a servant’s voice emerged cautiously: "Young master, the old master called from China and wishes to speak with you."
Unable to contact the young master, the company had turned to the old master instead.
Huo Zhenyang wasn’t surprised. He frowned slightly and stood, walking out of the bedroom.
As the door clicked shut, the soft mattress cradling Jiayi’s body stirred faintly. Her fingers quivered ever so subtly, and her eyelashes fluttered, heavy like delicate wings trapped in a silken cocoon, unable to fully move.
Eventually, the small, fleeting motions dissipated completely, as if they had never occurred; the silence returned.
...
Mist—a blanket of white mist.
Jiayi walked forward slowly.
This place—she didn’t know where it was, nor how long she had been here.
All she understood was that it felt like a boundless cage, confining her entirely.
She could still recall that day, driving with boundless joy, ready to go back and tell him about her pregnancy. Then—BOOM!—a deafening roar shattered the moment. A violent force slammed into her from behind, the airbags exploded open with a bang. Her first instinct was to hunch over instinctively, tightly shielding her abdomen, doing her utmost to protect her baby...
Afterward, faint voices reached her ears—the doctor’s voice, her parents sobbing beside her, Fang Yao’s voice, George’s voice, even Brother Yixiao’s voice.
Then there was his whispering—soft and steady, pleading for her to wake up.
She knew she wasn’t dead. She wanted to escape this place, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t.
