Seeing the situation, Li Kanshan immediately rushed forward in a flash.  

Ruan Qingzhi seemed to have eyes on the back of her head, sensing his movement. She spoke coldly, “Don’t move.”  

Li Kanshan hesitated for a second. “Sis-in-law, you—”  

Without changing her expression, Ruan Qingzhi pulled out the silver needle and swiftly inserted it again into the man’s shoulder blade. Under her manipulation, the tip of the needle trembled slightly.  

A few seconds later, she withdrew the needle and spoke indifferently, “Turn him over now.”  

She walked to the washstand, bent down, and began washing her hands.  

Li Kanshan hurried over to check if the deputy battalion commander was still breathing. But when he got close and saw the wound, he was instantly stunned!  

How could this be so miraculous!?  

Such a long needle had been inserted into his head, yet not a single drop of blood had flowed out.  

Even the wound was so small it was almost invisible.  

Suppressing his shock, Li Kanshan quickly dressed the man and covered him with the blanket.  

Just as he finished, Shen Zhanwu slowly opened his eyes.  

The light in the room was too bright, and he frowned uncomfortably. His prominent Adam’s apple moved slightly as he weakly asked, “What time is it…?”  

His voice was hoarse.  

Li Kanshan’s body stiffened abruptly. He looked down, his gaze meeting Shen Zhanwu’s revived eyes.  

Instantly, his eyes reddened. He leaned down closer, both shocked and overjoyed, and asked, “Deputy Battalion Commander? You’re awake? Are you feeling any discomfort? Deputy Battalion Commander? Why aren’t you speaking? Don’t you recognize me? I-I’m Kanshan… What number is this?”  

His lips trembled violently as he held up one finger in front of the man’s face.  

Shen Zhanwu silently stared at him: “…”  

Seeing that the man wasn’t speaking, Li Kanshan’s heart plummeted wildly!  

It’s over!  

The deputy battalion commander has lost his mind!  

Unable to accept this reality, Li Kanshan raised two fingers this time and cautiously asked, “D-deputy Battalion Commander, look again. W-what number is this?”  

Shen Zhanwu feared that if he didn’t respond, this kid would keep counting all the way to ten.  

He frowned. “You’re so noisy.”  

The moment he spoke, Li Kanshan burst into tears.  

Behind him, Lin Ruzhen finally snapped out of her daze. She quickly pushed him aside and sat down on the edge of the bed, gripping the man’s hand excitedly. “Zhanwu, you’re finally awake!”  

“Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been? I couldn’t eat or sleep for days, thinking you might never wake up again…”

Shen Zhanwu withdrew his hand and tucked it under the blanket, his voice low and firm: “Dr. Lin, please maintain your composure!”  

Lin Ruzhen, seeing how resistant he was to her, grew indignant: “Zhanwu, for your sake, I used my family connections for the first time—I begged my uncle all the way in the capital to come treat you. After everything I’ve done for you, the first thing you say upon waking up is to tell me to maintain composure?”  

“Shen Zhanwu, do you have any conscience…?”  

Shen Zhanwu turned his head to look out the window, his expression cold. “Dr. Lin, your presence here is inappropriate. You should leave.”  

Lin Ruzhen’s face darkened as she stared at him in silence.  

Li Kanshan crossed his arms and clicked his tongue. “Dr. Lin, let’s be clear—you only got here at noon today. Besides, it wasn’t your uncle who woke up the deputy battalion commander.”  

Lin Ruzhen retorted righteously, “But didn’t I still pull strings for him?”  

Li Kanshan pursed his lips, unwilling to argue further. He leaned closer to the bed and grinned. “Deputy Battalion Commander, you’ll never guess who’s here!”  

Shen Zhanwu’s brow lifted slightly.  

Who?

Li Kanshan stepped aside. “It’s Sis-in-law, of course!”  

Shen Zhanwu turned his head, his detached gaze following Li Kanshan’s finger until it landed on Ruan Qingzhi.  

The bright afternoon sunlight flooded the hospital room, gently enveloping her slender figure. The girl was thin—delicate as a sheet of paper, her face small and soft, pure and lovely.  

The skin of her neck, bathed in sunlight, was as smooth and pale as fine porcelain.  

Like an exquisite piece of jade.  

Then, suddenly, a single transparent tear slid silently down her cheek, leaving a faint, glistening trail on that flawless surface.  

Was she… crying?

Shen Zhanwu’s vision was sharp. Staring at that tear, his dark pupils trembled slightly. His gaze instinctively traveled upward, searching—until it met her soft, watery eyes, finally stopping.  

Her eyes were red-rimmed, brimming with unshed tears. She bit her lip, watching him quietly.  

At that moment, time seemed to freeze—stretching endlessly between them.  

They stared at each other in silence.  

Li Kanshan, having just finished speaking, turned his head and saw Ruan Qingzhi’s fragile, almost shattered expression.  

His jaw nearly hit the floor…