Story: Shen Xihan 3
1.6k 5 34
X
Reading Options
Font Size
A- 15px A+
Width
Reset
X
Table of Contents
Loading... please wait.

a/n: I'm no doctor/nurse any medical person so please bare with my logic.

It's for the plot, readers. I'm sorry if my knowledge isn't accurate but brother Google is the fastest help I could get. Please be understanding. *bows*

And also, I did mention at the very beginning to which my work is inspired to right? Sorry if i couldn't satisfy you with this reveal but this had always been the truth since day 1 ╮(︶▽︶)╭

==============

He and Uncle Mo went through the terminal gate and Shen Liangxi easily spotted them as their presence stood out of the crowd. 

Shen Liangxi wasn't sure of what to do. Now that he was older he ... understood a lot more about things.

He tried looking away and act cool but his heart was telling him to face his brother and when he did, one fact was clear.

His big brother came home.

Overwhelmed by the delightful beat of his heart, his body rushed up to him and crouched, surprising Xihan with a tight, welcoming embrace.

Excitement bubbled inside him after arriving the airport and Shen Liangxi was all jumpy unable to stay still when he waited. He had been pacing around the terminal gate and constantly walked from the time table and back. He was a grown man but as a person who was headstrong and did whatever he liked, like that one time he ditched a blind date from his parents to go on a fishing trip with his friends, the questioning looks of the people around him wasn't a bother at all.

And besides, that woman was ugly asfk. Not up to his standards. 

She was a model though. (^▽^)

"Ge! Damn! It's been so f*cking long I missed you so much!" he expressed his longing with a cuss.

"..." Shen Xihan who avoided any bodily contact for years sat frozen in his wheelchair. He didn't expect a tight, touchy welcome so being taken into someone's arms like this left him taken a back-

"Ge! I have so much to tell you! How have you been? How was living overseas? Was it fun?!"

"Ah ... that-" He couldn't even reply as he was soon released from Liangxi's arms and his little brother rambled on.

"Ooh~ Ge! you really became quite a man! Handsome! Hey Ge, I can drink now. Should we go to a bar? I know a good place!" He quickly took the phone in his hand.

"..." Shen Xihan was still trying to process this cheery atmosphere which confused him. The little brother in his memories didn't seem this ... loud?

"Ah! But first let's go home! Go! Go! Mom and Dad are waiting for you! Especially Mom, she couldn't sleep last night! Let's go!" Shen Liangxi took the handles of wheelchair and quickly pushed it in excitement which made his big brother jerk.

His little brother was pushing him in a slightly faster walking pace yet because he wasn't used to the speed Shen Xihan reflexively hold tight afraid to eventually fall off.

A wheelchair wasn't a cart! (ಠ_ಠ)

Xihan didn't speak up about his discomfort to dampen his little brother's energy and after distracting himself, they reached the car in no time. Shen Liangxi had no experience in helping someone disabled into the car however he still wanted to help and approached his big brother. Shen Xihan raised a hand to stop him though.

"No need... I can do it alone." he positioned his wheelchair as close to the car. With the help of his arms, he lifted his weight and sat on the back seat.Gently, he raised each leg one by one and snugly pushed himself back for comfort.

Uncle Mo swiftly disassembled the wheel chair and stored it in the trunk.

The adrenaline rush that Shen Liangxi felt trickled down and silently watched them. When Uncle Mo looked at him did he respond with a wry smile and went around the car to seat beside his brother.

By the time that his little brother sat beside him, Shen Xihan already took a file from his briefcase as this was the most comfortable and natural thing for him.

The atmosphere cooled and the siblings who had long separated found it hard to interact with each other.

"Ah, Ge ... how was it over there? How was work?" Shen Liangxi was somehow nervous and rubbed his neck while asking.

"Bearable." 

"Was living there good?"

"Alright."

"Did you travel a lot?"

"For work."

"Oh." The replies were too curt leaving Shen Liangxi in the cold. He reached out for his phone in his pocket as a habit but he didn't took it out. Spiking up a conversation was a tough challenge yet still, he didn't want it to stay this way ...

Shen Xihan wasn't blind to this as one thing didn't change from the little brother in his memories and that was how his thoughts were always clearly reflected on his face. He decided to close the file in his hands to look at him.

"You ... how have you been?" he also didn't like the stillness in the car so asking, would be good?

For Shen Liangxi, this was enough to make him extremely happy.

He talked about how he missed his older brother a lot, how lonely it was to grow up without him and how dissatisfying it was to keep contact through calls. He recounted the memorable memories of school and his slightly messy private life. Shen Liangxi would talk about one thing then two, and another one next. It was all jumbled up still, Shen Xihan patiently lend an ear and listened.

Uncle Mo who lived with Shen Xihan peeked through the rear view mirror and smiled. Although his young master didn't smile, the contours of his face softened and this made him delighted.

Suddenly, some f*cking car cut through the lane making Uncle Mo hit the break for an abrupt stop making the car pulled forwards.

"WTF! Who's that stupid motherf*cker! Hey!" Shen Liangxi was mad and rolled down the window and shouted. The lane beside them was opened up and the same car took the chance and sped away without a care.

"The f*ck ... Ge, are you okay?" Shen Xihan was looking down and clutched his arms, he was trembling slightly yet almost instantly, he sat back straight and reply in a calm tone.

"What were you saying?" Shen Liangxi easily picked up from where they left off throwing back what happened in the back of his mind.

Uncle Mo couldn't wait for them to reach the Mansion and took the shortest way there.

Shen Xihan couldn't hide it from him. The look of fear that flashed on his face and the tight fist that he hid from his little brother's sight.

-

"Xiaohan!" Mother Shen similarly rushed and hugged his eldest son.

"Mother ..." Shen Xihan saw a middle aged man who stood a distance away as he was quickly deserted by his wife. Although frowning, he walked up to him and nodded his head in greeting.

"Father."

"Tch. You're back huh? For someone who never came home home to visit aren't you looking well!" Still sharp tongued as ever.

"You damn old man! Ay, if you're not going to say anything nice anyway then cant you just shut your mouth?!" Mother Shen instantly became a protective mother Hen and stood her ground.

"Aye woman! how can you talk to me like this-"

"Mom, Dad how about we talk more inside okay? You're making brother uncomfortable." Shen Liangxi who had been living in the same house grew tired of this. Using his brother as an excuse did the couple stopped and Mother Shen focused all her attention on his eldest son.

"Xiaohan, are you hungry? Should we eat first? I cooked your favorite meals! are your tastes still the same?"

"I'm going to shower first."

"Okay, do you have something you want mom to do? I can still cook something if you want."

Shen Xihan glanced at the dining table filled with food. "No."

"Okay the Mom will wait here for you. Ah, do you want something special to drink?"

"..." The Shen Father and pair who were forgotten unhappily watched as things unfold. ( ̄- ̄)

"Dad, did mom ever treated us that well?" 

"pah! that woman is clearly taking favorites!" (╬'益')

"She never forgave me when I skipped school and went to a half a month trip to Hawaii ..."

"Brat! You deserved that!" 

"..." Shen Liangxi couldn't one up his Dad to support him. (¬_¬;)

Unlike the festive atmosphere within the Manor, Shen Xihan took his antidepressant and went to the shower to cool his head. 

His head was prone to triggers and the drive earlier was just, bad. He really needed a cold shower for as soon as he entered this room, he wanted to trash everything inside as an outlet. It was even a lot harder to contain as Uncle Mo wasn't present in the room.

He didn't took to long and was about to head out when Father Shen entered the room.

"Father."

"..." Father Shen finally had the chance to have a good look at his eldest.

Similar. Awfully similar to him.

His older son didn't inherit his sharp tongue but the atmosphere around him, one that welcome no one reminded him of the past where his wife could not be seen by his side.

At that time, his thoughts was to never come off as weak. To be able to intimidate people, make them feel little of themselves as he stood at the top. For some, such feat was noteworthy leaving a strong impression to the crowd but truth was, it was only to protect a fragile heart.

Back then, Father Shen was afraid of letting people into his heart for losing them would make everything crumble in one swoop. The life of the rich and influential was treacherous, trusting someone ... was hard to do.

His son was currently taking a similar road, similar for Father Shen knew that there was something more darker. A feeling that scares him for if that darkness were to take over, it might just take his older son away.

Father Shen sat beside him and showed him a card.

"Do you remember Gu Wuji? Here is his contact details. Im not telling you to treat your leg but he knows a lot of people, you need a psychiatrist don't you?"

"..." Shen Xihan already expected for his Father to know but for it to come out of his mouth made him stiffen.

"You're old now, you know how to take care of yourself!"

"Mother ..."

"That woman knows nothing. I don't want to die early from the hands of that ox woman."

Father Shen patted Shen Xihan's back before standing up.

"You ... since you came home at least stay for a week. That woman often cries so at least act filial and make her happy ... and also ... " Father Shen cleared his throat and looked at him.

"It's good that you're back. Now hurry up, this Father of yours is starving!" The door closed loudly leaving him alone in the room.

Shen Xihan was really grateful that he had a Father like him. Father Shen always seem to reassure him that he didn't need to worry about them too much and how he should focus on himself.

Since he was the one who was broken.

-

"I can stay here for a week but i won't be living here." As expected his mother didn't like it.

"Xiaohan why can't you? Doesn't living alone feels lonely? Mom has nothing much to do so why not accompany mom in the house?.." Mother Shen went quiet to think of ways to convince his eldest.

She was about to say more when Father Shen pinched her hand and she yelped. She started hitting Father Shen's shoulder and was met with a glare.

"Do you think a grown man like him would want to drink his mother's milk?! The man wants to live independently, what's the point of you squeezing into the young ones life?"

"Ah, then Dad can I live alone too?"

"You think I'd let a little troublemaker like you waltz freely?!" Father Shen.

"Shen Liangxi behave yourself!" Mother Shen.

"..." Shen Liangxi was turned down in a flash. (; ̄Д ̄)

"I already bought a house near the company. Uncle Mo will be staying with me as it was." While saying this, Shen Xihan continued to eat his food not giving his mother the chance to disagree with him.

Mother Shen really wished for his eldest to stay home. When he left, she felt as if she lacked as a mother for his eldest and wanted to have that chance to do more. There were mostly rice on his son's dish and she quickly put more food on his plate coaxing him to eat more.

Shen Xihan solemnly stared at his bowl before glancing at his family. His heart swelled at the sight of them and his nose crinkled to hold in the tears. 

He will never tell them this but the years he spent outside made him miss his family a lot.

The road to success was a lonely road for all he did was study and work.

Still, this warmth was a double edged blade. At this moment he was happy and he wanted his memory of them to stay this way.

No one wondered why he talked less and Shen Xihan understood that they were silently waiting for him to tell them. They weren't forcing him to open up.

He finished eating but didn't leave the dining table. Father Shen lowered his chopstick to look at him. Mother Shen and Shen Liangxi noticed it and followed suit, gazing at him.

Shen Xihan raised his headd and ever so slightly he raised the corner of his lips into awkward smile.

"I'm home..."

When they heard this, his family, even the stern looking Father Shen sported a wide grin that reached his eyes.

"Welcome home."

-

After eating, Father Shen still had work to do and mother Shen received a call from  friend to meet up. Shen Xihan convinced her to leave as he himself had some work to settle so reluctantly, Mother Shen finally left with a happy heart. She was about to tell her friends that his eldest finally came home.

Shen Liangxi took this chance to barge into his brother's room and share a brotherly chat. Another reason was because there's something that he really wanted his big brother to do for him. 

"Ge, can we talk?"

Shen Xihan was in a call so he simply sat on the couch. Although Xihan left the company overseas there was still some left over work to do. His former secretary was on the phone and after a while of talking over a subject did he ended the call. He couldn't help but rub his forehead again but even though he was already tired, he was willing to chat for a bit.

 "What is it?"

"Do you know what i've been up to recently?"

"I do." Shen Xihan wasn't that clueless with whatever had been happening back home. 

Shen Liangxi was really smart. His focus wasn't in business but in Science and Medical Technology and due to his genius in this field, he became well known within the circle from such a young age. His little brother was even rumored to be pioneer for the advancement in his field and if his current project was deemed to be a success, he may well be deserving of that title.

His little brother opened his mouth and explained about his project in detail.

'M E M O R Y'

Due to the concern of increasing numbers of coma and vegetative state patients that were unplugged from their life support after a given time limit or a family member's decision, Shen Liangxi started this project.

It was an equipment that would allow someone to intrude into someone's consciousness and create a trigger that could possibly stimulate a patient to wake up. They could recreate a patient's memory and let their consciousness immerse in it with all senses to increase their longing to live. 

What if a coma patient who was a father were to see his child, wouldn't he gain a stronger will to wake up? 

If the patient suffered through traumatic events, the equipment had also made it possible to temporarily block certain memories into an extent to allow the patient to focus on the positive memories.

The project was currently within the testing phase and were focusing on key variables that needed to be analyzed in perfect detail as the patients lives were involved.

What Shen Liangxi focused more in his explanation was the fact that all physical disability are ignored, meaning that his brother could walk again within that recreated world.

"- and Ge, I would want you to participate in this. E-even just once!" He had been yearning for this for so long.

When he fully understood what happened, a heavy weight called guilt had been haunting him and he hoped that at least with this. He could somehow, make the big brother he looked up so much, happy.

Maybe his brother will find... the will to walk again. Medical Technology had advanced greatly the past years so it was certain for a solution to exist. 

Shen Xihan listened to it all and made a decision.

"I'm sorry." It wasn't made in haste and he knew that his little brother offered it with good intentions. Still his iron heart wasn't moved and his brain thought that participating in this project would only cause him trouble.

"No." 

"But Ge if you could just-"

"Shen. Liang.xi." His tone was like frost, cold and freezing without an ounce of warmth.

"Get out."

"..."

"Now."

"..."

This was marked as the first day before the succeeding days of being ignored by his older brother.

And this day was also when the younger brother became an annoying fly, hovering around the older one.

The background characters within this arc: JUST F*CKING MAKE UP ALREADY!!!

34