Beloexperience.
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*
In the sterile white ward, thick with the sharp scent of antiseptic, Ji Feng lay motionless on the hospital bed, still trapped in a deep coma.
Yet, within the recesses of his mind, an unfamiliar voice echoed relentlessly.
"Bioelectric stimulation initiated. Searching for fusion opportunity…"
…
"Mental fluctuations stable. Neural connections established…"
…
"Host's central nervous system fully integrated…"
…
"Intelligent Brain No. 1 commencing fusion with host…"
…
"Fusion complete. Database activation in progress… *Ding!*"
…
"Host body enhancement protocol initiated…"
…
After an indeterminate stretch of time, Ji Feng's consciousness slowly stirred. His eyes fluttered open, and the first sight to greet him was a tear-streaked face hovering above him.
"Mom…" he murmured instinctively, his voice hoarse. Suddenly, he jolted upright, his gaze sweeping the unfamiliar surroundings in confusion. "Mom, where am I? Is this a hospital?"
Sitting beside the bed was his mother, Xiao Sumei, her eyes red and swollen from crying.
"Feng'er, you're awake!" Xiao Sumei's face lit up with relief. She hurriedly wiped her tears, grasping her son's hand tightly. "How do you feel, Feng'er? Are you okay?"
Ji Feng nodded absently, his mind still foggy. "Mom, what happened? Why are you crying?"
Wiping away fresh tears, Xiao Sumei forced a smile. "You silly boy! On the first day of school, you skipped class and fainted on the street from heatstroke. If a kind stranger hadn't brought you here, I… I might have lost you!"
*Skipped class? Heatstroke?*
Ji Feng's face paled as memories flooded back. He hadn't fainted from heatstroke. He had fled the school in a daze, unable to bear the pain of Hu Xuehui's cruel words—her mocking him as an "illegitimate child," her ruthless rejection. The weight of her betrayal had driven him to wander the streets, lost in despair.
Seeing her son's ashen expression, Xiao Sumei's concern deepened. "Feng'er, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"I'm fine, Mom," Ji Feng said quickly, stopping her as she reached for the call button. Her anxious expression pierced his heart, and guilt washed over him. "I'm so sorry, Mom. I've made you worry. I promise—I'll never skip class again. I'll study hard and make sure you never have to worry about me anymore."
Xiao Sumei's eyes brimmed with tears of joy at her son's words. "Good, good! My Feng'er is so sensible."
*Sensible?* Ji Feng's heart twisted with self-loathing. Sensible? If he were truly sensible, he wouldn't have forgotten his mother's sacrifices—the countless hours she spent toiling to raise him, selling vegetables to pay for his education. Instead, he had let himself be consumed by his infatuation with Hu Xuehui, neglecting the one person who had always stood by him.
*What a worthless son I've been,* he thought bitterly, hating the person he used to be.
Xiao Sumei hailed from a rural village, but her life had been upended when she became pregnant out of wedlock. Her parents had disowned her, casting her out as a disgrace. The scorn of relatives and neighbors, coupled with the world's cold indifference, had forced her to flee to the county town while pregnant with Ji Feng.
With the help of kind-hearted strangers, Xiao Sumei had managed to rent a small, rundown house and give birth to her son. Life had been grueling. When Ji Feng was young, she carried him on her back while working as a nanny during the day and scavenging for scraps at night to sell for meager earnings.
As Ji Feng grew older, Xiao Sumei's burdens eased slightly. With a neighbor's help, she purchased a pedal tricycle and began selling vegetables. Though the income was modest, it was enough to cover Ji Feng's tuition and keep them afloat.
From a young age, Ji Feng had been considerate, often helping his mother at the vegetable market after school. But ever since he started dating Hu Xuehui, he had used his studies as an excuse to spend less time helping and more time with her.
Reflecting on it now, Ji Feng's heart ached with regret. How could he have been so blind? How could he have ignored his mother's sacrifices for a girl who cared only for wealth and status?
"Mom, I'm so sorry," Ji Feng said earnestly, his voice heavy with resolve. "From now on, I won't let you suffer anymore. I'll make sure you live a good life. Those who mocked and looked down on you—they'll come to regret it. I'll make you proud to call me your son."
In that moment, seeing his mother's tearful yet hopeful eyes, Ji Feng felt reborn. This was his first solemn vow in his new life—a promise to honor the woman who had given everything for him.
"Okay, okay!" Xiao Sumei pulled her son into a tight embrace, tears streaming down her cheeks. The hardships of the past decade melted away in that moment. To have such a filial son made every struggle worthwhile.
As mother and son clung to each other, Ji Feng vowed silently to himself, *Ji Feng, forget Hu Xuehui. From today onward, be a new man—a son worthy of your mother's love.*
The ward was filled with warmth and tenderness, a sanctuary of their bond amidst the sterile surroundings.
But the moment was shattered when the door burst open with a loud *bang*.
Mother and son turned to see a heavyset nurse striding in, her face twisted with disdain. "Xiao Sumei," she said coldly, "your three-day hospital stay expires in twenty minutes. If you want to stay longer, pay up. Otherwise, pack your things and get out!"
Xiao Sumei stood quickly, her voice trembling but polite. "Nurse, my son just woke up and is still weak. Could we have a little more time? We'll leave within an hour, I promise."
"Hmph!" the nurse scoffed, her tone dripping with contempt. "More time? This is a proper hospital, not some backwater clinic. If you can't afford to stay, don't pretend you can. Pay up or leave!"
Xiao Sumei's face flushed with humiliation, but she swallowed her anger. Thinking of her son's condition, she gritted her teeth. "I'll pay."
"Mom!" Ji Feng's voice was low, his expression darkening as he fixed the nurse with an icy stare. He slid off the bed, standing tall despite his weakened state. "Our ward is paid for another twenty minutes, correct?"
The nurse sneered. "That's right. What, you think you can intimidate me? Hmph!"
"Good," Ji Feng said, his voice cold with suppressed fury. "Then for these twenty minutes, this ward belongs to us."
"What are you getting at?" the nurse snapped, growing impatient. "I don't have time for this. If you're leaving, do it now!"
"Get out," Ji Feng said, his voice like steel.
"What did you say?" The nurse blinked, caught off guard.
"I said, *get out*," Ji Feng repeated, each word deliberate and sharp. "For these twenty minutes, we're still the ones in charge of this ward. And I'm telling you to leave."
"You—!" The nurse's face reddened with rage, but she had no grounds to argue. Within those twenty minutes, Ji Feng was within his rights to control the ward, as long as he adhered to hospital rules.
Finally, she spat, "If you're not gone in twenty minutes, I'll have security drag you out!" With a final huff, she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
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**