"I have a surprise for you though", Xi Mishi said and Chen Lihua raised her head to look at her
"What surprise", she asked and saw Xi Mishi point in a direction, she looked at where she was pointing at, standing by the door was a young teenage boy in black crazy jeans, white tshirt, white sneakers and a denim jacket, there was a locket around his neck and a backpack on his back.
What shocked Chen Lihua was his face he looked a mini version of her dad with the same facial features and stature only his eye color was the same as hers which she got from her mother.
She looked at the young boy in front of her carefully and turned back to look at Xi Mishi
"Aunt Mishi he is..", Chen Lihua didn't finish her statement before Xi Mishi nodded
"Yes he is your eight years long lost younger brother Chen Zixi", Xi Mishi said and Chen Lihua burst into more tears, she tried to sit up on the bed but quickly laid back down because of the extreme pain in her back.
"Careful", Chen Zixi shouted dropping his backpack and ran to support Chen Lihua, he carefully supported her back with pillows and the both of them looked at each other before bursting into tears, Xi Mishi left with her daughter and granddaughter to give the siblings their private time.
"Zixi is it really you, my little Apple", Chen Lihua said rubbing Chen Zixi's face
"Yes", Chen Zixi replied nodding only the heavens know how much he missed his elder sister.
"I am so sorry Little Apple I had no idea and I completely forgot about you. I am so sorry",
"Its Ok Sister Lihua, it wasn't your fault. I am just so glad you are alive and well", Chen Zixi said and hugged her tightly.
"I was washed to the shores by the waves and an old man found me before the rescue team could. I woke up three months later in the old man's house", "After I told him who I was and how I got to the shores he tried his best to help me but it was to no avail. I was already pronounced dead and since then I lived with the old man and he sponsored me to school I would always watch international news trying to get a glimpse of you, mom and dad".
"I was devastated when I heard about father's death on the news and even more sad when mother passed away as well after that I tried everything I could to enter China and the old man I helped me but by the time I succeeded I was met with the news of your accident. I was devastated and I tried to commit suicide when the old man forcefully brought me back to America. I tried to carry on with my life but I would still cry everynight and I couldn't eat nor sleep properly I was later diagnosed with depression and the old man got me admitted to the hospital.
"I was discharged a month later but I still had to go for check up every week it was during of those visits that I heard a nurse mention your name, when I asked her she told me you were admitted to that hospital, I ran straight to the ward she directed me to and I saw you laying there motionlessly on that table with tubes fixed all over your body, I met Aunt Mishi and Sister Ming and they recognised me immediately, they were the ones that told me that you were brought to America for more intensive treatment a few weeks after the accident because of how critical your condition was".
"I moved to the hospital to stay with you ever since, the doctors already gave up hope since there were no improvements in your condition after so many months and they were going to pronounce you dead, Aunt Mishi and I asked them to bring you here and treat you from home and we got old man's Personal doctor to watch over you. You were in a coma for six months Sister Lihua, and you don't know just how excited I was when Aunt Mishi called me that you had woken up, I immediately left college and came here, thank you for coming back Cherry", Chen Zixi said with a smile and wiped Chen Lihua's tears his sister was finally back.
....
"Mom I know what you are doing, you used Chen Zixi to distract Chen Lihua from asking about her condition and everything that happened In the last six months right", Xi Ming said standing in front of her mother with her arms crossed on her chest
"Yes that's what I did, you are a doctor Xi Ming and you should know better than anyone that Chen Lihua can't be shocked now, she just woke up from a coma If she finds out about everything she might just enter another one and that's the last thing we want so I thought of giving her the good instead of the bad news,", Xi Mishi replied entering the kitchen
"Yes but till when mom, we have to tell her everything sooner or later",
"Let's just hold it till Lifei and Mian get here, they are the ones in the best position to explain everything to Chen Lihua", Xi Mishi replied and Xi Ming shrugged her shoulders
"I just hope she will be fine",
"How are you feeling Miss Chen", Doctor Steven asked entering Chen Lihua's room
"I am fine doctor", Chen Lihua replied with a small smile
"Miss Chen what have you noticed ever since you woke up", Doctor Steven asked adjusting his glasses
"That I can't move my limbs both my hands and legs, I can't even feel them",
"Miss Chen your accident was really fatal and it is already a huge miracle you are alive right now, because of the fatality of your car accident I am sorry to inform you but you have become paralyzed, you might never be able to walk or use your hands again, and four of your ribs were broken".
"You have also fractured your neck and you have a small injury in your spine but it unfortunately affected your uterus and it might become very difficult if not impossible for you to become a mother in the future", Doctor Steven said and by the time he was done Chen Lihua could feel her whole life crumble before her eyes, was she just rendered useless for life.
"Wha..tt. I am completely paralyzed", Chen Lihua asked hoping she heard wrong but Doctor Steven nodded and she could feel hot tears stream down her eyes
"NO", she yelled and Chen Zixi quickly held her down
"Calm down Cherry, please. Your paralysis isn't permanent with the right treatment and time you will be back to normal you just have to stay strong", he comforted hugging her.
"Zixi, what if I am unable to use my body again then what will become of me", Chen Lihua asked with tears all over her face she looked so broken, and everyone in the room couldn't stop their tears "the person on the bed didn't look like The Chen Lihua at all, she looked too weak and pathetic for that great woman who wielded power in her hands. How was she reduced to this",
"You will walk Cherry, I promise you, you will be able to use your body again and we will give it all it takes, just have faith Sister please, be strong if not for anyone but for me. Please Sister Lihua", Chen Zixi begged still tightly hugging Chen Lihua, "every single person that was involved in reducing my sister to this state will definitely pay with their lives and that's a promise".
Chen Lihua cried for a long time and Chen Zixi just kept on hugging her until she calmed down and went to sleep. Once she was asleep he cleaned her tear soaked face and massaged her swollen eyes, he only left once he was sure she was comfortable.
"When are Sister Lifei and Sister Mian coming", Chen Zixi asked Xi Mishi downstairs
"They will be here in three days time, we will tell her everything else then", Xi Mishi replied and they all looked at each other. What scared them the most right now was how Chen Lihua would react to the rest of the news.