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Li hope stared blankly at the man in front of her, her heart filled with a mixture of melancholy and longing. In fact, the image of that woman who wasn't there but was very important to her also floated into her mind.
But from today onwards, her relationship with him will become unbreakable.
However, just as the ring touched Lixi's fingertip and he uttered the word "I," his cell phone rang in his pocket.
Although it disrupted the rhythm, Banami didn't intend to pay attention to it.
But Xiangzi, who was holding Lixi's phone next to him, seemed to have received a call as well.
Then, the Shiina couple also received phone calls one after another, and they seemed to be in a great hurry.
"Tachiki, Banami, we got a call from the hospital saying that Maki has woken up!"
Banami never got to put on the ring, and she never got to say "I do" in the end.
Chapter Sixty: I Accidentally Licked Your Finger
Lixi never imagined that her wedding would be interrupted like this.
In fact, she had even fantasized about Xiangzi or Su Shi coming to steal the bride, but she never expected that the ceremony would be interrupted by the news that her sister had woken up.
But this is a happy occasion, something to be joyful about.
After all, Shiina Maki had been asleep for almost eight years. The Shiina family members, including Ritsuki, didn't even have time to change their clothes. Ritsuki simply told Shoko and Suze to be in charge of the church scene, and then he grabbed Banami and drove to the hospital in a hurry.
The patients coming and going stared in astonishment at the two dressed in wedding gowns. Such attire in a hospital was already quite bizarre, but Li hope and Banai couldn't wait to change.
With mixed feelings, the two rushed into Maki's hospital room. As soon as they stopped, they were already panting, and then, as if in disbelief, they looked at Shiina Maki lying on the bed.
Her face was very pale, and being bedridden for a long time made her look very thin, like a fragile flower that could break at any moment.
The two were so used to Maki always having her eyes closed that the sight of her blinking at them gave both Hanami and Ritsuki a strange feeling.
Could they be dreaming? Because they've been thinking about it all day, they're having dreams about Maki waking up at night.
But Maki said with some difficulty to the nurse next to her, "Excuse me... I've had enough..."
At this moment, the nurse next to her was helping her to replenish fluids. Although Maki seemed to have regained consciousness, her physical functions had not yet caught up, and she even had difficulty speaking.
Even so, Maki still looked at the two of them gently and said, "Congratulations... to you, Tachiki... and Hanami... on your... happy marriage."
Maki, who had just woken up, probably understood what was going on the moment she saw the two people who looked so different and their clothes.
Then, she naturally offered her congratulations on her sister's wedding to her "ex-boyfriend."
Upon hearing her sister's words, Lixi, still on the ground, collapsed onto the floor in her white wedding dress, weeping with joy.
No matter what happened, she was the older sister who had accompanied her as she grew up. How could Lixi not be happy to see her recover and heal?
The same was true for the Shiina couple behind them. Over the years, Riki had done very well, which made them feel at ease. However, their eldest daughter, who had become a vegetable, kept them awake at night.
Now that their daughter has woken up, the elderly couple embraced each other with relief and wept.
Only Banami looked at the thinner woman in front of him with a bewildered expression.
Her every smile and gesture is the same as when she was in high school, but now she looks more slender and mature.
"It's been a long time... I haven't seen you... I'm here with you, Hana." Maki smiled, although she was physically unwell and even her speech was a little stammering, her eyes were still so bright.
She looked at her brother-in-law with genuine joy and... a hint of tender affection that was hard to detect.
But ironically, this tiny, subtle emotion was accurately captured by Banami.
He opened his mouth, his throat trying to make a sound, past images flashing through his mind. In the end, he only said in a slightly hoarse voice, "It's really good that you're awake."
He genuinely believed this.
Time flies, and two months have passed in the blink of an eye. The season when cherry blossoms were in full bloom has now given way to the sound of cicadas chirping.
Although the wedding was not yet completely over, Yanagi Yuu, who was already recognized as the son-in-law of the Shiina family, gently pushed open the door of the ward and went in.
At this moment, Shiina Maki was still lying in bed, but compared to when she had just woken up, her complexion was much rosier. Although she was still a little thin and her waist-length hair had not yet been trimmed, after two months of conditioning, her previously dry hair had become shiny, like a black waterfall, radiating a little luster under the sunlight outside.
"Here, this is your favorite soft tofu," Mrs. Shiina said with a smile.
Looking at her concern for Maki at this moment, who can say that she doesn't treat Maki as her own child?
Realizing someone had entered, Mrs. Shiina turned around and greeted her son-in-law, saying, "Ah, Hanami-kun is here too. Where's Ritsuki?"
"She and her father are handling the discharge procedures, so they asked me to come over first." Banami asked casually, but he felt Maki's slender eyes smiling at him, but she didn't say anything, which made him feel quite uncomfortable.
Since waking up, Shiina Maki's recovery speed has even exceeded the doctors' expectations.
Although she can only barely get out of bed now and needs help to walk, the doctor asserts that with normal rehabilitation therapy, Shiina Maki can return to a healthy, normal person.
This made the Shiina family genuinely happy, as if good things were happening to them every day.
Mrs. Shiina agreed and turned around to continue feeding Maki, but her forehead furrowed slightly, and she didn't seem to be in a good mood.
"Mom, is your back hurting again?" Maki immediately realized.
Hana quickly went over to help Mrs. Shiina up and said, "Is your herniated disc acting up again?"
“It’s an old problem, nothing… hiss…” But Mrs. Shiina’s expression didn’t say that.
Hana helped her to sit down on the sofa, but Mrs. Shiina said, "But Maki hasn't eaten yet, let me feed her first."
Maki said, "Why don't you let Hanami feed me? Mom, you can sit down and rest. If you hadn't been taking care of me these past two months, your back wouldn't be hurting like this."
Although her younger sister Riki and brother-in-law Banami often came to visit, the person who took care of her most was ultimately her mother, Mrs. Shiina. Although she was happy, it did exhaust her.
Mrs. Shiina thought about it for a moment, but didn't think much of it. She then handed the rice bowl to Hanami and said, "Thank you for your help, Hanami."
Right now, for this elderly mother, Maki's recovery is probably the most important thing, and she hasn't thought about anything else.
A slight ripple stirred in Banami's heart, but she still took the rice bowl.
Then, Banami sat down next to the hospital bed and looked at the woman in front of her, who was recovering from a serious illness and had a delicate beauty that resembled "Xi Shi holding her heart".
In the past, when he visited Maki, he was always accompanied by Riki.
Although Riki is in the hospital now, he is not by her bedside, and Mrs. Shiina knows nothing about it.
Two people who were once lovers can now be completely different in status when they meet again.
Even so, Maki still smiled and looked at the man.
"You seem more mature and composed now, Hanami-kun," Maki said softly.
Banami didn't answer, but instead took a spoon and slowly scooped up the food, placing it near Maki's mouth.
Maki obediently ate it, chewing and swallowing slowly, but her eyes remained fixed on the man as she whispered, "It's a pity, I must be very ugly now."
Banami silently scooped up some rice and brought it to her lips, saying, "No, Maki-nee will look beautiful again after she recovers."
Words that sounded like polite formalities.
"I'm so happy to hear you say that, Hanami-kun."
Even though she could tell from the other person's perfunctory tone, Maki still seemed happy.
Maki ate her rice again. Even though she had just woken up, her demeanor remained elegant. Or rather, with the passage of time, she looked even more dignified and approachable.
"I heard that I interrupted your wedding that day. Did I wake up at the wrong time?"
Banami lowered her brows, as if she were using herself as a tool to be fed, and scooped up another spoonful of soft tofu and placed it next to her, saying, "No, seeing you wake up is the best wedding gift for me and Riki."
“But you’re not wearing a wedding ring yet,” Maki said softly.
Banami's heart skipped a beat. Afterwards, although Riki was quite happy that her sister woke up, she was also a little disappointed that the wedding was canceled halfway. Therefore, the two of them discussed it and decided to hold the wedding on another day.
The matter of the ring has been temporarily put on hold.
That's because...
"Mom, she's asleep." Suddenly, Maki interrupted him.
Hana turned her head in surprise. Perhaps because she was tired, Mrs. Shiina had fallen asleep on the sofa, supporting her back.
But the next moment, his fingers felt a damp, warm touch.
He turned his head again, only to see Maki gently eating the tofu from the soup spoon.
She said in a soft voice, "I'm sorry, I accidentally... because you were fidgeting..."
"I've licked your finger," Maki's slender eyes seemed to reveal a hint of cunning and joy, instantly throwing Banami's heart into turmoil.
Chapter Sixty-One: Inviting a Wolf into the House
The damp, warm touch on his fingers stirred up Banami's heart, but just as he was about to say something, he heard the door to the ward open, and then he saw his wife, Shiina Ritsuki, slowly walk in.
When she saw Banami feeding her sister, she was stunned for a moment, as if her mind had gone blank for a instant.
"Lixi, why did you suddenly stop here? I almost bumped into you." After saying this, Mr. Shiina walked around his youngest daughter and also saw the scene.
However, he noticed his wife sleeping on the sofa and said, "I'm sorry, Banami-kun, your mother-in-law has been exhausted these past few days. You have to feed her."
At this moment, Lixi finally came to her senses and saw how exhausted her mother looked. She also understood why it was her husband feeding her sister.
She didn't say much, but walked over, took the bowl of rice from her husband's hands, and said, "Let me do it."
Banami gave a soft "hmm," seemingly relieved, while Maki didn't react much, only maintaining her usual gentle smile.
Watching her younger sister feed her, Maki teased, "Your movements are much rougher than Hanami's."
"I'm sorry for having such a rough personality."
"Seriously, I almost didn't recognize her," Maki said with some emotion.
After all, for Maki, it was just a matter of taking a nap, but her family and the relationships between them had changed drastically. It would be a lie to say that she wasn't terrified.
"...After you are discharged from the hospital today, we will send you to your parents' house so they can take care of you. Banami and I will visit you often," she said softly.
Maki tilted her head slightly and said, "You don't live at home anymore?"
Li hope shook his head slightly and said, "Last year, I bought an apartment near the agency with Banami, and we live there now."
"Look at you, you're doing pretty well. When you were in high school, your parents were always worried about your future," Maki said with a smile.
“Now… I’m much better than my sister,” Li hope said calmly.
After all, compared to her sister who had been in a coma for eight years, Lixi had been working hard all these years and had achieved corresponding results.
Recalling the inferiority complex she felt when facing her older sister in high school, Li hope seemed to feel as if it were a distant memory.
Just then, Mrs. Shiina seemed to wake up as well: "Huh, was I asleep? Hmm..."
Just as everyone turned to look at Mrs. Shiina, she clutched her waist, a pained expression on her face.
"Mom, how are you?" Lixi immediately put down her rice bowl and came to her mother.
After another flurry of activity, Maki lay on the bed alone, looking around the room for who knows how long, until finally, Hanami pushed her wheelchair in.
"How is Mom?" Maki asked.
Banami said, "It is indeed a problem with the lumbar spine. The doctor is currently examining her, and the results will be available later."
"It's all my fault. My mother is so old, and not only have I failed to help her, but I've also caused her to fall ill from overwork." Maki's eyes dimmed slightly, and she looked like a flower about to wither.
Banami felt a pang of heartache for no reason and went over to say, "If you think like that, wouldn't all the hard work Auntie has put into taking care of you during this time be in vain? Only when you get better can she feel comforted."
He excitedly grasped Maki's slender hand, but quickly realized what was happening, let out a soft "Ah," and hurriedly let go.
"Sorry, I didn't hurt you, did I?" Banami said.
"So you still prefer to call me 'Auntie'?" For some reason, Maki's tone was somewhat lighthearted.
Maki suddenly uttered a somewhat inexplicable remark, which made him feel inexplicably ashamed.
"After all... we've only been married for a short time," Yana thought to herself.
But he quickly said, "Dad told me to push you out in a wheelchair first. Can you get up now?"
Actually, Maki was already able to get out of bed and walk with difficulty before, but she needed someone to help her. However, she shook her head slightly, a sly expression on her face, and said, "I don't feel well today, and I don't want to force myself."
Since the patient had said so, Banami naturally wouldn't insist, and simply said, "In that case, I'll call a nurse in to hold you..."
Maki gently shook her head and said, "You know I don't like strangers touching my body. Let's leave aside when I was in a vegetative state, but now... it doesn't need to be so complicated. You can just carry me to the wheelchair, Banami."
Maki's words are like a foxtail grass, always able to gently stir a man's heart, but no one can say for sure whether she does it on purpose or not.
She didn't like strangers touching her body, so Banami was certainly not a stranger, but... could he touch her body?
“Or, if you find it inconvenient, let’s have Tachibana come over,” Maki said casually.
But right now, Riki is busy taking care of Mrs. Shiina's medical needs.
Banami let out a breath, thinking to herself, the more thoughts you have, the more distracting ideas you have in your mind.
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