Sun Zhiyuan, hearing Grandma Liu speak, deliberately put on a stern face and looked at Qin Ningyi's eyes, denying, "I can't admit this! I had already been transferred when Ningyi joined the Beacon Assault Team."
He didn't miss the fleeting flicker of strangeness in Qin Ningyi's eyes, nor the gentle pursing of his lips when his fist landed on Qin Ningyi's shoulder.
It looked like… an injury?
Qin Ningyi had always been reserved with his emotions since childhood. If he hadn't known this and kept a close eye on him, he wouldn't have noticed these anomalies.
"However..." Sun Zhiyuan broke into a smile, naturally releasing the hand that had been gripping Qin Ningyi's arm, appearing as if he had noticed nothing. "If I had known this kid would end up in the Beacon Assault Team, I would have definitely stayed in that position for another ten years, just to witness this Beacon legend!"
When he mentioned legend, Huo Rou's image involuntarily appeared in Qin Ningyi's mind.
From the day he joined the Beacon Assault Team, he had heard of the youngest female captain in the team's history.
If one were to speak of Beacon legends, Huo Rou was the one.
"Are you really taking it to heart?" Grandma Liu teased, looking at the smile on Qin Ningyi's face, feeling incredibly surprised. In her memory, her grandson had never shown any reaction to praise from others; today was truly eye-opening.
"No," Qin Ningyi said calmly, his smile gone. He seemed to have returned to his usual demeanor, but in his downcast eyes was a frustration that only he knew.
While joking, Sun Zhiyuan had already taken the food container from Su Nianzhu's hand and expertly placed it on the table.
After Grandma Liu sat down, she looked at Sun Zhiyuan busying himself by the hospital bed and couldn't help but advise, "Little Sun, don't bother. Since Ningyi is back, let him handle these things."
"You say that," Sun Zhiyuan replied, not putting down what he was doing. "I'm busy with work during the day, and I finally get a chance to visit the old man at night. Let me do some things; it makes me feel at ease!"
"Right, Dr. Shen," Sun Zhiyuan said, approaching Shen Wuyou after finishing the last bit of tidying up. "When will Old Master Qin wake up? It's not good for him to be sleeping like this all the time!"
"Soon," Shen Wuyou replied in a business-like tone. He had no desire for much conversation with the political commissar who visited the ward every day.
He routinely checked Old Master Qin's vital signs. The medicinal herbs were in place, and Old Master Qin's condition was stable. Treatment could commence soon, and waking up was only a matter of time.
Sun Zhiyuan was accustomed to Shen Wuyou's attitude. A flicker of emotion flashed in his eyes but quickly vanished.
He had the good fortune to meet a member of the Shen family once. The people in their family seemed to be like this: their eyes were only on the patient before them and those they acknowledged; they showed little emotion towards others.
Shen Wuyou was the most approachable among the Shen family. Even towards the young girl who brought him food every day, he could patiently persuade her to leave with the same words.
After sitting with Grandma Liu for a while longer, Sun Zhiyuan's phone kept ringing.
As he walked to the balcony to answer the call, his darkening expression could be seen from a distance. After the call ended, Sun Zhiyuan walked up to Grandma Liu, "I'm sorry, Aunt Liu. There's a sudden meeting, I have to leave now."
"Go, go! The old man is in good condition. You just got back and have a lot of things to attend to. You don't need to come every day."
Sun Zhiyuan nodded to show he heard. Su Nianzhu smiled by Grandma Liu's side, "Political Commissar Sun, don't you know? He's the most eager to come and the most frequent visitor."
Qin Ningyi escorted Sun Zhiyuan to the door when he left.
"Here," Sun Zhiyuan said, taking a small bottle from his bag and handing it to Qin Ningyi. "Medicine to help with wound healing."
"Hmm?" Qin Ningyi looked at him with an unreadable expression, saying nothing more.
"Still as stubborn as when you were a child," Sun Zhiyuan said, pushing the item into his hand. "I know you don't lack these things now, but as an uncle, I still want to do my part."
As Sun Zhiyuan left, Qin Ningyi slowly put the medicine into his bag. He had his wound bandaged by Huo Rou herself and the medicine she gave him, so he didn't need this.
However, Sun Zhiyuan had guessed correctly; he indeed hadn't intended to tell his grandmother about his injury, so the wound and its smell had already been dealt with in the village.
This Political Commissar Sun actually knew.
"Observant?" Qin Ningyi murmured as he walked back, surprised that his emotions could be so easily guessed.
Grandma Liu looked at Qin Ningyi's return and couldn't help but ask the question she most wanted to know, "How is it with the medicinal herbs?"
Since he was back, there must be a result regarding the medicinal herbs.
"Don't worry, it's all here."
Qin Ningyi gently patted her back, "Rest well, and Grandpa won't be angry with us when he wakes up."
Upon hearing the good news, Grandma Liu's spirits visibly improved.
While things were joyous here, across the sea, in the SS Department office of country M, there was silence.
Kurt looked at the folders on the computer with a mixture of excitement and distress.