Ethan's fragmented memories were disturbingly inconsistent. He had no knowledge of who this "grandfather" was or what their relationship entailed.
Ethan delved into the original owner's memories, hoping to piece together what he had missed. During this search, he uncovered something alarming.
The man's mind had four separate memory storage areas, and Ethan could only access one of them!
Ethan had encountered this situation once before when he possessed a high-ranking cultivator in the realm of immortals. That man's mind had also been compartmentalized. It turned out that he had undergone a deviation in his cultivation, resulting in two distinct personalities. One personality retained memories of both, while the other had no recollection of the demonic self.
Could this man have undergone three deviations in cultivation? No, this was a lower-dimensional world...
Ethan's expression grew increasingly peculiar. Could this person be suffering from multiple personality disorder?
Which personality was he now?
The situation was far from ideal.
The elderly man continued his monologue for about half an hour until a woman in a khaki trench coat entered the room.
The woman in the khaki trench coat had a clear purpose. She walked straight to Ethan, checked his pupils, and then slowly injected a substance into his bloodstream from a syringe in her pocket.
"Brother, you're finally awake." After discarding the syringe, the woman exhaled in relief, her stern face softening as she looked at Ethan apologetically. "Brother, I'm sorry. I wronged you in the past."
Ethan lowered his head slightly, pressing his lips together in silence. He was waiting for the elderly man to explain.
As expected, the old man immediately jumped up to mediate. "Oh dear, oh dear, it's all in the past now. Ethan, Sarah didn't know about the earlier matters. This time, she's the one who saved your life. She's been taking care of you for four years. Don't be mad at her anymore."
Four years?! That means Andy is already seven! No wonder the mission involves curing Andy; it's all connected!
Setting aside Andy's situation for now, so this woman was Sarah. There was also mention of someone named Alex.
Seeing Ethan remain silent, Sarah didn't dwell on it. She began to massage Ethan's legs. Ethan had been bedridden for over four years, and Sarah visited regularly to massage his muscles, preventing atrophy.
The elderly man often came to learn how to help, but due to his age, his strength was insufficient to make a difference. His efforts were more symbolic than effective.
As for Alex, he used the money Ethan had sent to the old man to start a small company. He was incredibly busy, but the orphanage now had a stable source of income, no longer living hand-to-mouth.
Alex was probably still busy at the company at this hour.
Ethan was unaware of Alex's situation and would have to uncover it later.
The old man, eager to fill in the gaps, began recounting the events of the past four years. He feared missing any details, repeating some parts for emphasis, making it impossible for Ethan to remain uninformed.
Sarah, who was on her way to work, had switched shifts with another doctor to come here. After a quick dinner, she hurried back to the hospital.
Watching Sarah's busy figure, Ethan felt a pang of sorrow. Elaine and her son were likely still suffering abroad, but for now, he needed to recover fully before making any plans.
This body had been quite famous four years ago. Even though the entertainment industry changed rapidly, the original owner's reputation was still significant. Many people could recognize him.
Even the original owner, who had once been worth billions, couldn't pay off his breach-of-contract fines. After four years, it was even less likely. The immediate priority was to earn money to pay off those exorbitant fines; otherwise, any future plans would be hampered.
As for the drug allegations, if it was indeed a case of multiple personalities, they should surface one by one. It would be better to sort through those memories later rather than speculating now.
Around nine in the evening, the elusive Alex finally made his appearance.
A young man in his early twenties, with a resolute demeanor and average looks.
"Brother, you're finally awake." His opening line was almost identical to Sarah's, followed by an apology. "I'm sorry, brother. I wanted to close up early today, but the company ran into some issues, so I'm late."
Seeing the exhaustion in Alex's eyes, Ethan reassured him, "It's okay."
The old man couldn't help but interject, "Ethan, Alex has been working tirelessly. Tonight is actually an early night for him. Last week, he was getting home around two in the morning. I told him to shut down the company, but he wouldn't listen."
Ethan's curiosity was piqued. He looked at Alex. "What happened? What's the problem?"
"It's not a big deal," Alex instinctively downplayed it. He didn't want to burden his newly awakened brother with his troubles. But looking into Ethan's eyes, which were as gentle and calming as a tranquil sea, he couldn't help but feel a wave of trust.
"Don't worry, just tell me. Maybe I can help," Ethan said, subtly enhancing his aura of credibility.
Taking a deep breath, Alex began to explain, "The company has hit a snag. My abilities are limited, and despite long negotiations, I haven't been able to resolve it with our client. To keep the company afloat, I've been working overtime. Hopefully, we'll get through this rough patch, but I'm worried the client won't wait."
Ethan thought for a moment and asked, "What kind of company do you run?"
"It's a tech firm specializing in outsourcing smartphone screens. Brother, this company was started with the money you left behind. If we can get through this, I'll return the company to you. If not, I'll declare bankruptcy and won't drag you down."
"No need," Ethan replied, understanding the situation. Although he was confident he could lead any company to success, this being a tech firm was particularly fortuitous. Fresh from a stint in a high-tech interstellar world, he had no shortage of knowledge to offer.
"The company will remain with the orphanage."
Taking the cane from his spry but elderly grandfather, Ethan began a regimen of rehabilitation and work.
Having been sustained by injections for four years, he was now emaciated, with dark circles under his eyes. Despite his handsome features, he hardly resembled the radiant star from five years ago.
Ethan's use of a cane at work sparked discussions among the employees.