Chapter 1123: (Title is a Spoiler)

Long Jinjing sighed when Lu Zihao remained motionless and unresponsive to her words. Her chest felt tight as if her own ribs were squeezing her heart to death. She was also realizing just how much she loved this man now that he was comatose and even the doctors couldn't answer when he would wake up or what exactly was wrong with him. 

The heartbreak from separating with him and trying to move on from their month-long relationship was nothing compared to the pain that she was experiencing right now worrying about him. 

When would he wake up? Would he still wake up? Was he ill? Would he be healthy again after waking up?

She stroked his hair and caressed his cheek. His scarred face was already growing some beard and mustache but the facial hair only made him look more masculine in her eyes. 

He still looked bulky with all his impressive muscles but it was obvious that he lost a lot of weight from being comatose for this long. His cheekbones and jaw had become sharper as if they could cut her. 

She pinched his cheek, hoping that the pain would wake him up. No response. Sighing, she headed to the ensuite bathroom to take a shower. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]

Ever since his collapse, she had been staying with him at the hospital and accompanying Grandpa Lu after leaving work. She packed some of her clothes, toiletries, and other essentials to make it more convenient for her. As a result, the ensuite bathroom in Lu Zihao's room was filled with Orchidia Beauty products that she used regularly. 

She had been driving herself using her own car at first, but one day, Robin and Shun appeared and offered to chauffeur her whenever she was headed to the hospital. She initially declined but eventually gave in when they kept on popping up in front of her. Robin and Shun had figured out their own schedule on who would pick her up at what time. 

After showering, drying her hair, and changing into a comfortable set of pyjamas, she sat beside Lu Zihao's bed to just stare at him. It was already almost 4 AM. She was exhausted from all the running around making sure that Jin Chonglin's launch event would go smoothly. Now that the launch was over, her body was bone-tired but her mind was still fully awake.

"Nikolai," she whispered while rubbing his rough, scarred hand against her soft cheek. "Please wake up. If you do, I promise to try again with you one more time. I know that you don't love me as much as I love you but…I'll do my best to make you fall in love with me, too. Even if I fail…at least I tried. So please…I beg you. Wake up, Nikolai."

A tear escaped out of the corner of her eye and slid down to his hand, wetting it. She quickly wiped it with the sleeve of her shirt before giving his hand a gentle pat. 

She stayed sitting beside his bed, not realizing that she had fallen asleep with her head pillowed on her own arm, while she was still holding his hand. 

Time passed. The sky was still dark outside and the temperature inside the room had become colder.

She woke up shivering. She was about to move to the sofa bed and sleep there when her eyes caught something, making her gasp. Her heart felt like it stopped. 

Lu Zihao was looking at her. His dark, fathomless eyes were open.

They were open!

"Nikolai?"

"Hm."

Her shivering body turned to full-blown trembling as she could barely contain her emotions. "Am I still dreaming? Are you really awake? Oh, please tell me I'm not dreaming and you're really awake!"

"Jin…jing," he croaked in a raspy voice.

"Oh, Nikolai!" She threw herself over his chest and hugged him, crying out loud. 

Within seconds, his subordinates rushed inside to see what was going on, alarmed by her loud cries. When they saw that their boss was finally awake, someone immediately pressed the call button to alert the nurses. 

"What in the bloody world is happening?!" a loud booming voice asked from outside the room. "Did something happen to my Haohao? Tell me, I want to know!"

"Sir Lu, Boss Hao is awake," someone told him.

"What, really?! My boy is awake?!" 

Grandpa Lu rushed inside the room where he saw a sobbing Long Jinjing clinging to his grandson. Lu Zihao was also hugging his woman and rubbing her back, trying to comfort her. 

"My boy! You're awake!" Grandpa Lu patted his grandson's thigh covered by the blanket. Tears also filled his old, tired eyes but they didn't fall. Instead, the tears magnified the joy and relief shining through his expression.

"G-grand…pa…."

"You pinhead! You made us so worried about you, stinky boy! Do you know how long we waited for you to wake up?! Jinjing my girl and I would've already started growing bloody mushrooms on top of our heads if we waited any longer! Hah!" 

It was at that time that the doctor and nurses arrived to check on Lu Zihao. Long Jinjing looked reluctant to let go of him but still forced herself to give way to the medical staff. After a few minutes, the doctor finished the preliminary examination.

"It's still very early so we'll do the rest of the tests in a few hours when our medical technicians arrive for the workday," the doctor said.

"No need," Lu Zihao replied. "I'm fine. No need for those useless tests. Discharge me immediately."

"Nik—Zihao!"

"You dunderhead! Why don't you listen to the doctor, you smelly rascal?! I want to know!"

Lu Zihao tried to intimidate the doctor with his cold stare but the doctor this time was made of tougher stuff. 

"Mr. Lu, of course I'll discharge you but only after I make sure that nothing is really wrong with you based on your tests results. In addition, my colleague Dr. Wang told me to take extra care of you and I intend to do just that. Dr. Wang will most likely want to analyze your test results with me as well. So please get some rest for now."

The doctor didn't bother with the scowling Lu Zihao anymore and proceeded to speak with Grandpa Lu. Long Jinjing returned to Lu Zihao's side and looked like she would stay there forever. 

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