MY PRINCE HUSBAND HAS SEVEN WIVES AND I AM HIS FAVOURITE!

a booming voice said.

Zhaoyan’s head snapped toward it, and he saw his father—the Emperor in his other life, now a businessman in this one.

Zhaoyan didn’t know what this emotion was, but he felt something strange rise in his chest at seeing his father alive in this world. In the other world, he was already gone. He nodded softly.

"I am awake, Dad."

His father came forward and gently patted his shoulder, while the woman who had entered with him did not say much. She only took one look at the boy and said in a superficial tone, "We’re glad you’re back, Jing Rong. You made us all worried."

Fu Jing Rong did not turn to her, and just like before, the woman didn’t expect much. She had long been treated like this by him, so it didn’t matter anymore.

Fu Ling, who was in the room as well, coughed. "Dad, Mom, now that Brother is awake, let us throw a huge party for him when he gets out of the hospital!"

Hearing that, their father snapped, "All you know is partying and using my money like water. Your brother has been asleep for a whole year, yet you’ve still not made anything of yourself. Being like this—are you not embarrassed to say such a thing in his presence?"

Hearing that, his mother looked at her husband and said, "Darling, don’t shout at him like that. Fu Ling is unlike Jing Rong. He’s still young and has many years ahead of him. With the right guidance, he will surely become like Fu Jing Rong in the future."

Her eyes danced maliciously as she said this. She had never liked her son Fu Ling being berated by Fu Yan, especially in front of the "perfect" Jing Rong.

Fu Yan clicked his tongue, wanting to say more, but didn’t. He only looked at Fu Jing Rong and said, "It’s good that you’re back. Take some rest, and after your discharge, we’ll have a proper conversation."

Fu Jing Rong didn’t object. He simply nodded, then said, "I would like to be alone."

Fu Yan was surprised at first, but this was how his son always was—so it wasn’t strange. He had hoped the coma would change that behavior, but apparently it had not.

After sitting a while longer, he and the others left. Fu Jing Rong was finally alone.

Before leaving, Fu Ling had placed a cellphone by the counter so his brother could use it however he pleased.

Using a cellphone again felt foreign. Fu Jing Rong picked up the device in his hands and quickly opened the search bar. He wanted to see everything that had happened while he was in the coma. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Most of the tabloids had written about the accident that had occurred:

"Goddess Hua Jing and Movie King Fu Jing Rong Involved in Road Accident"—he read, staring at the bold headline from last year.

Many tabloids had been written during the time of the accident, and most of them covered the story in great detail. Hua Jing had been on her way to receive her Lifetime Achievement Award that day, and the accident sparked a lot of suspicion among the audience and fans.

Many believed the car had been tampered with.

To be honest, Fu Jing Rong believed that too. How could something like that happen on such a significant day? It didn’t make sense. Not to him. Not to anyone.

The police had done their investigation and concluded that it was purely an accident. No foul play. No malicious intent. But the fans were not convinced.

Fu Jing Rong read through all of this with a sense of growing nostalgia. Many fans had written messages, sent flowers, and waited outside the hospital for updates. Some even kept constant vigils, praying they would both wake up.

Something melted in his chest at the thought.

But before anything else, he had to see her—Hua Jing. The Hua Jing of this world. She was in the room next door, still fighting for her life.

As he walked toward the door, a frightening thought hit him.

Someone must have wanted Hua Jing dead in this world.

Why else would she be taken out on the very day she was to receive one of the highest honors in her career? It couldn’t be coincidence. The timing had been too perfect. And he had just been caught in the blast of it all.

He and Hua Jing had hated each other in this world.

Both were titans in the entertainment industry. And like most rivalries between stars of equal caliber, it came with plenty of animosity. The world knew of it—but no one truly understood why.

In the ancient world, they had resolved all of it. Every ounce of hatred, every misunderstanding. They had become more than just allies. They had become a couple.

And now, he was scared.

Scared that if Hua Jing woke up in this world, she might not remember any of that. Might forget everything they had shared. But still... he clung to hope.

They had made a promise.

That if they ever returned to this world, they would find each other again. They would not waste a single second of their second chance.

He walked slowly to the door, unaccustomed to the weight of his body. His limbs felt like cardboard. Each step sent a dull ache through his muscles, but he forced himself forward.

He needed to see her.

Fu Ling had left a cardigan on the chair. He picked it up and wrapped it around his shoulders—it was slightly chilly. Then he walked out, step after painful step, toward her room.

His heart beat so loudly, it echoed in his ears.

As he walked, thoughts spiraled in his head. Fear. Hope. Anxiety. Longing. All of it churning inside him, building up with every step.

But none of that compared to what he saw when he got there.

Hua Jing’s bed was empty.

She was....gone!