Indistinct noise echoed at the edges of his consciousness, a cacophony punctuated by a woman's weeping. The voice held a faint familiarity, but before he could pinpoint its source, he drifted back into unconsciousness.
He had no idea how long he had been asleep. Upon opening his eyes, everything appeared blurred. He blinked, his vision slowly clearing to reveal a pristine white ceiling and the harsh glow of overhead lights.
Turning his head slightly, he took in the sight of an IV bag hanging from the corner of his bed and various medical equipment he couldn't identify arranged nearby. It was eerily quiet, an indication of late night.
He was, undeniably, in a hospital.
As his mind sharpened, memories began to return. Yang Haoran remembered how he had ended up here, recalling an accidental injury to his lower body. Could he have rendered himself impotent?
This thought sent a wave of panic through him.
Was it a joke? At a tender age of 16, was he to be incapacitated for life?
What would be the point of living then?
The more Yang Haoran pondered, the darker his outlook became, his life seemed to be sinking into an abyss.
He didn't feel any pain in his lower body.
'What had happened? Had it been amputated?' Panicking, he propped himself up on his elbows, intending to sit up and investigate.
His movements startled the weary woman sleeping by his bed.
"Haoran, don't move, stay still." Liu Ruoxi awoke and hurriedly pressed down on her son's shoulders, urging him to lie back down.
Only then did Yang Haoran notice the figure who had been lying at the foot of his bed—it was his mother, Liu Ruoxi.
"Mother, am I ruined?" Yang Haoran's face crumpled as he choked out the words.
"Don't overthink it, the doctor said it's fine, it's just a tear in the erectile... " Liu Ruoxi's voice trailed off, a sudden realization hitting her.
How could she possibly be so blunt with her son?
Mustering a smile, she assured him, "It's alright, Haoran. The doctor spoke with your mom, it's just a strain. You'll be fine after a little rest."
"Everything is fine, your mom promises."
In all his life, Yang Haoran had never seen his mother speak so tenderly to him, her face adorned with a smile.
Was this really his mother?
Her unusual response only deepened his anxiety.
Now, he was utterly terrified.
"Mom, is it... is it still there?" Yang Haoran's voice trembled as he asked the horrifying question.
His biggest fear was losing it altogether, which would mean the end!
Liu Ruoxi knew she should maintain her usual cold demeanour around her son to avoid causing suspicion, but seeing him laid out on the hospital bed, she found it impossible to wear her customary mask.
She gently stroked her son's wrist, soothing him in a soft voice, "It's really okay, don't fret. You should rest here in the hospital for a while, and I'll stay with you."
"But what about the company?" Yang Haoran knew that his mother was the CEO of a public company and was usually very busy.
"I've already arranged for everything at the company, so you don't need to worry." Liu Ruoxi understood her son's concerns and reassured him softly.
If he weren't lying in the hospital, Yang Haoran would have enjoyed his mother's gentle demeanour. But the price he paid for this moment was too high, and he couldn't find joy in it.
His face remained sorrowful.
"Are you hungry? I made some porridge for you. Would you like some?" Liu Ruoxi spoke softly, her face full of worry as she retrieved a thermos from the side table.
"No, mother, how long have I been unconscious?" Unsure of the severity of his injury, Yang Haoran wasn't in the mood to eat.
He could only pray inwardly that his mother wasn't lying to him, though logic told him the chances were slim.
"Two days and two nights. You've been surviving on IV fluids, you really should eat something. This is a porridge I made especially for you. You used to love it when you were little, remember?" Saying this, Liu Ruoxi opened the lid of the thermos, took a spoonful of porridge, and tested its temperature. Sensing it was a bit hot, she blew on it carefully. Once it cooled down to the right temperature, she brought it up to her son's mouth.
Yang Haoran had no appetite, but seeing his mother's somewhat haggard face, he couldn't help but feel heartache. He knew, without asking, that she must have kept a round-the-clock vigil by his side for the past two days and nights.
He opened his dry lips and his mother carefully spooned the porridge into his mouth. Some dribbled down the side of his mouth and his mother wiped it away with the corner of her dress, completely disregarding that her clothing was custom made from an expensive material.
After forcing down a bit, he couldn't continue. Seeing his mother extend the spoon again, he gently shook his head.
"Get some sleep. Your body is injured, you need to rest." Liu Ruoxi stowed away the thermos and gently stroked her son's face, speaking softly.
"I can't sleep." Yang Haoran gently shook his head. After lying down for two days and nights, he wasn't the least bit sleepy.
Gently stroking her son's face, Liu Ruoxi looked guilty. In a low voice, she said, "This is all my fault. I shouldn't have treated you like that."
"It's okay, mom. I've gotten used to it over the years." Her son's comforting words were like a sharp needle piercing Liu Ruoxi's heart, causing an ache in her chest.
Guilt, like an unending tsunami, threatened to engulf her.
She looked a bit dazed, as if remembering something.
When Haoran was young, she had just started the Yangtian Group. Being ambitious and competitive, she worked from dawn to dusk to expand the company, neglecting her son's discipline, which led him to develop a mischievous nature from an early age.
Later, her hard work paid off and the company went public. But the habits of a lifetime and her naturally cold demeanour meant that she didn't often show her son a kind face.
Reflecting on all of this now, she couldn't help but wonder, was she unfit to be a mother?
Seeing his mother suddenly fall silent, Yang Haoran felt a bit panicked inside. Had he said something wrong again?
After a while, Liu Ruoxi finally snapped out of her thoughts. With a gentle look at her son, she softly asked a question that was directed either at herself or him: "Haoran, am I not a good enough mother?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Haoran was taken aback for a moment, but he quickly gathered his thoughts. He knew he couldn't let his mother continue down this path of self-doubt, and he needed to interrupt.
His expression changed to something overdone and humorous: "Oh, my beautiful and kind-hearted mother, how can you think that way?"
"To have someone like you as my mother, I must have saved the entire universe in past life!
"Pfft." Liu Ruoxi let out a soft laugh at his joke, "Nonsense, where did you get this idea of a past life?"
The atmosphere between the mother and son became amicable as they chatted for a while. Yang Haoran's frail body couldn't muster much energy, and he soon fell into a drowsy sleep.
Liu Ruoxi leaned in close to her son's forehead. Her full, tender red lips seemed sensually appealing as she softly kissed his forehead and murmured: "Sleep, my son."
This was the closest they had been in their relationship as mother and son in so many years.
...
There were no words spoken overnight, and by the time Yang Haoran woke up again, it was already his third day in the hospital.
Opening his eyes, the first thing that came into his sight was still that strikingly beautiful face. Despite the tired expression, her beauty couldn't be hidden. If anything, the haggard look added a touch of gentleness that was previously unseen.
"Haoran, you're awake. Are you feeling any better?" Liu Ruoxi had been keeping vigil by Yang Haoran's side since last night, staying awake all through.
Seeing her son wake up once again, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Mmm."
Yang Haoran noticed the weariness on his mother's face and felt a pang of concern, "Mom, didn't you sleep last night?"
"It's fine, I'm not tired."
Liu Ruoxi shook her head, but the faint bags under her eyes betrayed her.
"You stay here, I'll go get Dr. Hao to check on you."
Liu Ruoxi left the room and returned after a moment with a female doctor in a white coat.
Although the doctor was dressed in a loose hospital uniform, it failed to hide her impressive figure, especially her bosom, which pushed up against the loose clothing, creating a form-fitting effect.
As she walked towards him, the slight movements of her chest were eye-catching.
Her face was also quite pretty, a classic oval shape with long hair tied up high. Her eyebrows were delicate, her skin as white as snow, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses on her high-bridged nose added an intellectual charm.
Her full, alluring lips gleamed faintly in the sunlight, tempting one to bite and savour them.
In terms of figure and looks, she was undoubtedly a beauty.
However, compared to Liu Ruoxi standing beside her, she seemed like green leaves setting off the blooming flower.
Liu Ruoxi had a completely different kind of figure, with better proportions, a more delicate face, and a stunning beauty like a frozen beauty stepping out from an ancient painting.
Setting aside the fact that Liu Ruoxi was his mother, Yang Haoran still thought she was as beautiful as a fairy who had descended to the mortal world! In terms of strict facial features, it was likely that no one in the world was her opponent!