Zhong Li brought Ning Jia's father to the hospital. The nurses had just finished their rounds, and the caregiver was helping Ning Jia wipe his face.
When she saw Zhong Li enter with Ning Jia's father, she immediately straightened up and looked at them.
"Mr. Zhong." The caregiver glanced at Ning Jia's father behind Zhong Li, looking somewhat hesitant.
Zhong Li nodded at her and asked, "How is he? Has he woken up at all?"
The caregiver shook her head. "No. Mr. Ning has been unconscious the entire time."
"I understand. You can go out first. Mr. Ning's father and I will watch over him."
"Okay."
The moment the caregiver left, Ning Jia's father could no longer hold himself together. He rushed to the bedside in a few strides.
"Jiajia! Jiajia, wake up. Dad's here!" Seeing Ning Jia in this state sent a sharp pain through Ning Jia's father's heart.
The last time he had seen Ning Jia like this was when he learned that Ning Jia's mother had abused him and rushed over to take his child away.
Back then, Ning Jia had looked much the same. His mother had beaten him black and blue. A teenage boy huddled in the corner of his room like a frightened hedgehog, curling up in terror whenever anyone approached, clutching his head as he babbled incoherent pleas and apologies.
When Ning Jia's father saw him like that, he could hardly believe that this was his own son.
Not long before, during their video calls, his son had still been a sunny, smiling boy. How had he become like this in the blink of an eye?
What Ning Jia's father found even harder to believe was that his son had ended up this way entirely because of his biological mother.
And while Ning