"Authorities have recovered a body from Beach that they believe belongs to an individual who fell from Sky Tower in South City approximately two months ago. The victim has not yet been identified due to significant decomposition and trauma to the remains, though preliminary examination has revealed multiple gunshot wounds."
Outside a private hospital room in R country, a nurse was watching the TV from her station.
"Such a pity..." she muttered, clicking her tongue.
On the screen, there was a video of a beach displayed, where yellow police tape fluttered in the ocean breeze. Detective vehicles lined the shore, and forensics teams could be seen working methodically around a covered area on the sand.
"The discovery has raised new questions about security measures at the city's tallest buildings. Sky Tower management declined to comment."
The nurse yawned and glanced at her watch. Only two more hours until she could go home. She gathered her medication cart and began her routine rounds.
Inside a hospital's intensive care unit, a girl who couldn't be older than seven lay motionless in the bed. Her chest barely rose under the blanket. Her cheeks were hollow, and her eyes were shadowed by deep, dark circles. Black hair with silvery roots spread across the white pillow. Various tubes ran in and out of her frail body, hooking her up to monitors and feeding her nutrition.
Jane Doe, they'd called her at first. She was brought in during the worst condition a child could be in and had been in a coma since then. Later, they'd learned her name was Shen Yelan, but it hardly mattered. No one called her name except the doctors during their rounds. She had been in the hospital for two months now, yet hardly anyone came here for her. Her family would send a servant to pay her hospital bills, but they never came themselves
When the nurse entered the room to check on her, she froze completely in the doorway.
Dark gray eyes were staring directly at her.
"Oh my God," she whispered, moving closer to the bed. "You are awake."
The girl on the bed didn't make a sound. Her expression remained completely blank, emotionless, but her gaze followed the nurse's movement. Immediately, the nurse pressed the call button repeatedly.
Within minutes, the room was flooded with medical staff. They crowded around Shen Yelan's bed, running tests and asking questions. The excitement in their voices was obvious as they discussed what they called a "miraculous recovery."
.
.
A week later....
Shen Yelan was currently sitting in a wheelchair by the window. Outside, it was raining softly.
She had been sitting here for a long while, watching the world beyond the window as she sorted out the memories of the original owner. This was all she had been doing since she woke up from the coma.
Two months ago, she knew the condition of her body was worse, but she had not expected to slip into a coma the moment she lost consciousness. According to the reports, she had multiple broken bones, internal bleeding, and a severe head injury. The fact that she was even alive was a miracle.
And they were right, in a way. It was definitely a miracle.
She was, after all, dead.
She still could not understand how she woke up in this body, but she did not care, nor did she bother to find any answers.
She was alive, and that was all that mattered.
The door opened and someone entered. She did not turn around to look at the person but she could see his blured reflection on the window.
It was a man in his fifties, wearing an expensive suit and an even more expensive watch on his wrist. His black hair was peppered with gray at the temples. Beneath the suit, his tummy bulged noticeably, pushing against the buttons of his vest.
She immediately recognized him as the father of this body. Shen Chenwei.
Shen Chengwei stared at her and a frown appeared on his face. He looked her up and down, taking in her small form, lips twisting in distaste. From the reports that had been to him by the person he had sent to keep an eye on her, she had changed. He could see that himself now. But he did not think much about it and thought it was the effect of trauma.
"The doctor told me you are recovering well," Shen Chengwei said. There wasn't a trace of concern in his voice or any hint that he was talking about his own daughter, who'd nearly died in the most horrific circumstances imaginable.
Shen Yelan kept staring outside the window, giving him no reaction. His expression grew darker.
"You should consider yourself fortunate," he began, his anger suddenly spiking as he thought about all the trouble this girl had caused him. "How many times have I told you to stop causing trouble? How many times? But no, you never listen. You never think about anyone but yourself. Now look where it's gotten you. I hope you're satisfied."
Her right hand, resting on the arm of the wheechair slightly twitched. If this were her past life, this man would have died by now for even raising his voice at her, let alone saying those words.
She did not care if he was the father of this body. After everything he'd done to the original Shen Yelan, or rather, everything he hadn't done, he did not deserve the right to be her father. Besides, this man was only related to this body, not her. And she was not someone like the real Shen Yelan, who was sentimental about relationships.
But no matter how dark her thoughts turned, no matter how much she wanted to reach out and wrap her fingers around his throat, she couldn't do anything right now. She needed him, as much as she hated to admit it. She needed his resources, his ability to keep her safe while she figured out her next move.
"Do you know how much this little drama of yours has affected others? I had to drop everything and fly to R country for you. Do you know how much work I left behind and the damage this will caused the company?"
Shen Yelan raised an eyebrow. So the life and death of his daughter was nothing but a drama?
"Do you know how much it affected Wanwan? She had an important piano recital, but she couldn't focus because she was worried about you. Such a great opportunity, yet it was lost because of your selfishness. If you had just listened to me, if you had stayed home like I told you to, none of this would have happened."
He kept on talking for a long time. Finally, he ran out of steam. He stood there, breathing hard, staring at the back of her head. After a long silence, he sighed.
Forget it, he will forgive her this one time.
"The doctor cleared you for discharge. Get your things ready. Our flight leaves in two hours."
He turned and walked toward the door.