Zhang Mei knelt beside Li Chen's body, her trembling hands clutching his still fingers as if she could somehow transfer the life force from herself into him. Her eyes, swollen and red from endless tears, were fixed on his face, willing him to wake up. But no matter how many times she whispered his name, no matter how desperately she begged, his body remained cold and unmoving.
In her heart, Zhang Mei couldn't believe it. *How could he be gone?* Her husband, the father of her unborn twins, the man she loved with every fiber of her being—he couldn't just leave her like this. It wasn't real. It couldn't be. But the truth lay bare in front of her, undeniable in its finality.
