What truly made Shanshan's heart lurch were the man's legs...
Stagnant vital energy, blocked meridians, a dim spiritual presence...
These were signs of a grievous injury, one that had been festering for years.
Shanshan tilted her head and watched for a good while, her little brows furrowing before she even knew it.
Her heartbeat suddenly quickened as a powerful intuition washed over her.
'This uncle is in a lot of pain.'
She slipped off her chair and ran over with a PITTER-PATTER.
When she reached the wheelchair, she stood on her tiptoes, stretched out a soft, pale little hand, and touched the man's knee through the thin blanket covering it.
"Mister, your legs... do they hurt a lot?"
The man was the Supreme Commander, Ling Anxun.
A year ago, while on an extremely dangerous mission, Ling Anxun was caught in a sudden ambush.
To cover his teammates' retreat, he deliberately drew the enemy's fire and was severely wounded in the ensuing firefight.
His legs, in particular, were devastated by an explosion's shockwave, resulting in severe nerve damage.
Even after being rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment, the doctors said the chances of recovery were extremely low.
For the entire following year, he was transferred between the best hospitals and rehabilitation centers in major cities.
From top-ranked hospitals in the north to renowned families of traditional medicine practitioners in the south, he had even tried folk remedies.
However, the treatments were consistently disappointing, with almost no significant improvement in his neurological function.
The doctors could only tell him helplessly, "You're incredibly lucky to have recovered any sensation at all."
From then on, he had no choice but to resign from his high-intensity job.
His days became almost completely monotonous.
His limited mobility made it impossible for him to handle many small tasks by himself.
Over the past year, he felt like someone who had been cast aside by the world.
Already a man of few words, he became even more silent and withdrawn.
The moment he was disturbed, his brow immediately furrowed.
He opened his eyes, about to demand coldly who had bothered him.
But as he looked down, his gaze unexpectedly met a pair of small eyes.
They were bright and clear, without a trace of impurity.
It was a little girl who looked to be three or four years old, with soft, pale skin and chubby cheeks.
She wore a slightly tattered floral dress, her hair tied into two lopsided little pigtails.
"Mm... they hurt a little."
He stiffly moved the corners of his mouth, trying to force a smile.
But his facial muscles hadn't been used in so long that his lips only managed a slight twitch.
Instead of a smile, it only made him look colder and more stern.
But the little girl didn't mind his expression at all.
Shanshan wasn't afraid of him in the slightest.
On the contrary, she could clearly see a golden light emanating from the man.
'That was the kind of glow only good people had.'
And though the golden light was faint, it was exceptionally warm.
She puckered her pink little lips, stood on her tiptoes, and carefully leaned closer to his knee.
Then, she puffed up her cheeks and gently blew several breaths onto the injured area.
After she finished, she even reached out and patted his pant leg, saying softly, "Shanshan will blow on it, and the pain will fly away! Mommy says that if you blow three times, the pain will turn into a little bird and FLUTTER FLUTTER fly up to the sky!"
That was how Dragon Mother always comforted her whenever she got sick or fell down.
Ling Anxun was speechless.
He stared blankly at the chubby little face before him.
In that instant, a ripple spread across his frozen heart.
Looking around again, he saw that the child was standing all alone in the center of the living room, with no adults nearby.
He couldn't help but frown again, his voice deepening slightly.
"Why are you here by yourself? Where are your parents?"
'Such a cute, well-behaved child. What would happen if she ran into someone with bad intentions?'
'Her parents are so careless.'
"Auntie took Uncle inside to see the doctow."
Shanshan answered earnestly.
As she spoke, she unconsciously rested her little hand on his knee.
The moment they made contact, her brow furrowed slightly.
She tilted her head up, her expression grave.
"Mister, your light is all blocked up! It can't run, so that's why you hurt!"
Ling Anxun froze, his eyes flickering.
"Golden light?"
He thought he had misheard, or that the child was just spouting nonsense.
But looking at her dead-serious expression, it didn't seem like she was joking.
"Yep!"
Shanshan nodded vigorously, her little head shaking so much that her two pigtails swung back and forth.
She quickly lowered her head and began rummaging through her small, patched pocket.
"Where's my medicine? Where did my medicine go... Ah! Found it!"
A moment later, she pulled a small sprig of grass, still caked with wet mud, from her pocket.
She held the sprig high with both her little hands.
"Mister, this is my medicine! It's a special treasure I secretly saved! If you eat it, your legs won't hurt anymore! The golden light can start running again! Hurry and eat it!"
Ling Anxun stared at the filthy little sprig of grass, momentarily unsure how to react.
But for some reason, facing her eyes so full of expectation, he actually opened his mouth, unable to refuse.
The plant was long and thin with dry, yellowed leaves, its rootlets still flecked with dirt.
But Shanshan held it as if it were some priceless, one-of-a-kind treasure.
Ling Anxun stared at her for a few seconds. His throat moved, and a hint of a smile slowly bloomed in his eyes.
Of course, he didn't believe this thing could cure his legs. "Thank you, little one," he said softly.
After a pause, he added, "But for my legs, I still need to rely on doctors."
It was the truth.
His leg injury was an old one. He had suffered from a blast wave and shrapnel wounds, and the nerve damage was severe.
Even specialists said the chance of recovery was slim.
How could a mere weed possibly reverse the situation?
Just then, the door to the examination room opened with a CREAK.
An aide came out from inside.
"Sir, everything is ready for your examination."
He saluted, his tone deferential.
Ling Anxun said softly to Shanshan, "I have to go in now. Goodbye, and go find your family."
After speaking, he raised his hand. His fingertips twitched slightly, as if he wanted to pat her head, but in the end, he drew his hand back.
"Oh... Goodbye."
Shanshan looked a little crestfallen. She held up the sprig of grass, her little mouth quivering as she looked up at him pitifully.
She had hoped the man would happily accept her "miracle medicine."
But instead, he had just smiled, thanked her, and said he had to leave.
Ling Anxun had been pushed a few feet away when he suddenly stopped.
Just as they started to move, a faint pain suddenly shot through his left leg.
He froze for half a second and didn't continue on.
He went back to Shanshan, leaning down in his chair until his gaze was level with her watery eyes.
"I'll try it."
His movements were stiff as he took the stalk.
The words came out haltingly, laced with a hint of hesitation.
'It's just eating a bit of grass. I've chewed on tree bark and grass roots before when rations ran out on missions.'
'I don't want to make the little girl sad.'
Shanshan's face instantly lit up. "Mhm! Don't worry, Mister, you'll definitely get all better!"
Ling Anxun twitched the corner of his mouth as he was pushed into the examination room.
"Sir, we'll head back to the unit after the check-up," the aide reported while adjusting the equipment.
"Mm."
Ling Anxun grunted in acknowledgment, his gaze drifting to the ceiling as his fingers unconsciously toyed with the seam of his trousers.
No sooner had they spoken than the door shut.
The metal door made a soft CLICK as it closed, sealing them off from the noise outside.
'Huh?'
'Could that mister be from the army, too?'