Chapter 18

A bowl of egg batter was spread out, making twenty-five large egg pancakes.

Each one was bigger than a face.

Gu Qinghuan propped up a lopsided table with one leg to serve as a temporary dining table.

Aside from the large bowl of egg pancakes, Gu Qinghuan also poured each of the two children a bowl of Telunsu and gave them the pancakes to eat.

Drinking more milk was nutritious, which would help them grow taller.

As for Xu Huai’an, she poured a cup of spiritual spring water and dissolved the medicine he was supposed to take for the day into it, making sure he drank it down.

“Da Bao, you eat first. I’ll go feed your dad.”

Da Bao was about to go by himself, but Gu Qinghuan persuaded him to stay.

On the one hand, she wanted the child to enjoy a good meal.

On the other hand, she needed to ensure that Xu Huai’an took the medicine, which had cost her a lot.

She would feel a sting if it were wasted.

She also wanted to overcome her fear.

If she was going to treat Xu Huai’an’s illness, she would have to get used to learning about and interacting with him more.

Gu Qinghuan placed ten pancakes on a plate, thinking that if she ate two and he ate eight, it should be enough.

---

Xu Huai’an listened to the approaching footsteps, feeling a bit awkward.

He lowered his head and, sensing the situation, felt as if his actions might give away his discomfort.

Eventually, he simply turned over and lay flat on the bed, staring at the ceiling in a daze.

Gu Qinghuan worked hard to calm herself.

It was fine. What was there to be afraid of?

He was a soldier of the people’s army.

He was sick, and it was her duty to help him.

She was just doing a good deed.

After taking a few deep breaths, she finally reached a spot near Xu Huai’an.

“It’s time to eat. I’ll feed you, but don’t bite me!” Without worrying whether he could hear it or not, Gu Qinghuan greeted him.

Xu Huai’an’s lips curled into a small, amused smile.

This woman was indeed kind but also a little cowardly.

But the things she made really smelled delicious.

Seeing that Xu Huai’an didn’t glare at her with his usual aggressive expression, Gu Qinghuan mustered up the courage to fold one of the pancakes and bring it to his mouth.

If one looked closely, they could see her hand shaking.

Seeing her so scared yet feeling obligated to feed him, Xu Huai’an quietly laughed to himself.

A playful impulse rose in him, and he deliberately took a large bite.

Gu Qinghuan was startled by his sudden, forceful action and quickly pulled her hand back, worried that her fingers might not make it out unharmed.

Xu Huai’an couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst out laughing.

He hadn’t laughed in a long, long time.

Although it was just a light chuckle, Gu Qinghuan caught it.

Did she hear that right?

Was this guy laughing at her?

What was she doing all this for! A dog biting Lu Dongbin, not knowing good intentions, hmph! ^[1]The proverb means to be unable to recognize goodness and to repay kindness with evil.

Just as she was about to scold him, she suddenly realized something and had a jolt of realization.

“Are you awake now?”

Xu Huai’an chewed the egg pancake with large bites, too busy to respond to her. It wasn’t until he swallowed it down with satisfaction that he finally mumbled one word: “Mm.”

Gu Qinghuan didn’t have time to argue about what just happened.

She had many things to discuss with him, because who knew, the next moment, he could be out of his senses again.

“Xu Huai’an, your condition is actually a kind of psychological disorder. It’s different from a mental illness. Do you know that?”

Xu Huai’an stared directly at the egg pancake in her hand, which had a bite taken out of it, but didn’t say anything.

Gu Qinghuan, resigned, handed it over to him again. Xu Huai’an took another large bite, chewing as he said: “Mm.”

Did that “mm” mean he understood?

This guy really didn’t use many words.

It seemed she needed to show him a little something.

“After my research, I found that this is a psychological disorder caused by the trauma of war.”

“You had been on the battlefield before you got sick, right? And during the war, you suffered from serious physical or psychological trauma, am I right?”

“Whenever you see blood, don’t you lose control of your emotions and start feeling anxious and uneasy?”

Finally, Gu Qinghuan saw Xu Huai’an’s expression change.

From calm indifference, it shifted to disbelief.

Because everything she said was true.

Every word, without exception, was something that had really happened to him.

In that moment, Xu Huai’an even began to suspect that Gu Qinghuan might be an enemy agent, secretly lurking around him.

He forced himself to calm down, thinking carefully before acting.

“Do you know about this illness? Can it be treated?” His voice was hoarse as he asked, clearly more urgent than before.

At that moment, the fragrant egg pancake no longer held any of his attention.

Nothing was more important than curing himself.

“I’ve heard of this illness before, and it seems similar to your condition.” Gu Qinghuan replied.

“After experiencing severe psychological trauma and not releasing it in time, the feelings build up, and over time, a person’s character changes drastically—depression, anxiety, and even a breakdown of mental stability.”

“This falls under psychological illness. There’s an old saying, ‘The heart disease must be treated with heart medicine.’ In the end, you have to overcome your own mental demons.”

“However, there are still some methods we can try.” she added.

Seeing Xu Huai’an listening attentively, Gu Qinghuan deliberately paused, clearing her throat twice.

“What methods?” Xu Huai’an asked, his eyes full of urgency, almost wishing he could pull her to give him the answer.

Gu Qinghuan noticed his anxiety, worried he might lose control again, so she decided to stop holding back.

“I’ve devised a treatment plan for you, which combines psychotherapy and physical exercise. It’ll help you face your psychological trauma and overcome it.”

“From now on, you must cooperate with me in your treatment.”

“Once your condition improves a bit, and you don’t need to be tied down like this, I’ll find an opportunity to take you to a top hospital in the capital and see the best psychologist. There might even be a chance for a full recovery.”

Gu Qinghuan painted a picture of hope for him, but Xu Huai’an truly wanted to reach that goal.

Suppressing the many doubts in his mind, Xu Huai’an chose to believe her.

After all, things couldn’t get worse than they already were.

Finally, he only asked: “Why are you helping me?”

Why?

Gu Qinghuan didn’t really know—there were probably many reasons.

Maybe she was just a kind person to begin with; otherwise, she wouldn’t have risked her life to save others.

Maybe it was because the two children didn’t have a father to care for them, drifting without guidance, their fate tragic and cold.

Maybe it was because she couldn’t bear to see a strong, iron-willed soldier meet a tragic end, dying in vain, his body abandoned in the wilderness.

Countless thoughts gathered into a single phrase: “If I stand by and watch today, then when disaster strikes me in the future, no one will wave a flag or shout for me.”

Her eyes, shining brightly, held a steadfast light.

Her gaze was as clear as a spring of water.

Xu Huai’an couldn’t help but feel ashamed of his earlier suspicions.

He had been too paranoid.

Looking at this girl’s demeanor and way of speaking, she was certainly no ordinary person.

He wanted to say something to express his gratitude, but all words seemed pale in the face of Gu Qinghuan’s great righteousness.

“Eat the egg pancake first; it’ll taste bad once it gets cold.”

Gu Qinghuan handed him the pancake.

She had originally planned to ask him about some things from the war, but seeing that his emotions were still unstable, she decided against it.

She would talk about it later. For now, she needed to help him build emotional stability before attempting to address those painful memories.

“Thank you.” Xu Huai’an said softly.

Thank you for taking care of the two children.

Thank you for caring about the condition of a “Madman.”

Thank you for your rare and precious kindness.

…

If I really recover, then this life of mine will be yours.

---

T/N: I hope he can recover quickly T^T

---