A young boy from the 1970s, separated from his family, fled famine and led his younger brother into

"Brother, you...you can let go of me now, I can walk by myself."

As they approached the entrance to the military compound, Lu Nianci finally couldn't help but speak softly.

If he continued to lead her like that, she was afraid her face would turn as red as a monkey's bottom.

Lu Xingzhou's body stiffened for a moment, and then he seemed to wake up from a dream, realizing that he had been holding her hand tightly the whole time.

He loosened his grip somewhat awkwardly, but the soft, delicate touch seemed to linger in his palm.

"cough."

He coughed lightly to cover his embarrassment and said with a straight face, "I was afraid you would get lost again."

Lu Nianci pursed her lips, thinking to herself: Your excuse is too lame.

But she didn't expose him; she just silently followed behind him, her two small hands behind her back, her fingers unconsciously twisting together.

The warm touch and the feeling that made her heart race were still lingering in her mind.

With the calm and analytical mind of a thirty-year-old genius surgeon, she analyzed this sudden surge of emotion.

rely?

No, it's not just about dependence.

Her feelings for Lu Zhenguo and Zhou Yayun were a mixture of dependence and affection.

But for Lu Xingzhou, it seems... there's something else more.

It's a kind of possessiveness that makes you feel at ease when you see him, secretly delighted when he protects you, and even... want to monopolize all his tenderness?

This realization startled even Lu Nianci herself.

crazy!

She must be crazy!

She's still a child! A little kid who's barely taller than his waist!

And he, Lu Xingzhou, is a man who is more than ten years older than her, nominally her "brother," but in reality, he could be her "uncle"!

Between them lay an age gap, ethical boundaries, and the secret of her rebirth that no one knew.

This kind of inappropriate feeling is utterly absurd! It's dangerous!

It must be nipped in the bud!

Lu Nianci took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the chaotic thoughts in her mind.

She told herself that the reason she felt this way must be because of the "suspension bridge effect".

After experiencing extreme danger and fear, people may develop a mistaken perception of attraction towards those around them.

Yes, that must be it!

Right now, her most important things are studying, becoming stronger, going to the capital to reunite with her younger brother, and finding out the truth about her father's death and her own rebirth!

As for these romantic entanglements...

To hell with them!

Having figured this out, Lu Nianci's mood calmed down considerably.

When she looked up again, her eyes had regained their usual calm and rationality.

It was as if the little girl who had her heart race and blushed just moments before, having her hand held, was merely an illusion.

Lu Xingzhou keenly noticed the change in her emotions.

He saw that she had just been looking down, as if she had something on her mind, but in the blink of an eye, she had turned back into that calm and composed "little adult" who seemed to be unmoved by anything.

For no apparent reason, he felt a sense of...loss.

"What's wrong?" he couldn't help but ask.

"It's nothing." Lu Nianci shook her head and changed the subject, "Brother, thank you for today. And that... Uncle Lei Ming, who is he? He's so amazing."

She cleverly steered the conversation to the other person who had saved her earlier that day.

When Lei Ming was mentioned, Lu Xingzhou's expression turned serious.

"He was my father's former soldier and a senior member of our 'Sharp Sword' unit. He was an outstanding reconnaissance soldier who was later retired because he suffered a serious leg injury during a mission."

"So that's how it is." Lu Nianci nodded. No wonder he had such a strong aura of menace.

"However, how come he happened to be there today?" Lu Nianci asked another crucial question.

This was precisely what puzzled Lu Xingzhou.

That alley was so remote, how could Lei Ming, a retired veteran, have appeared there by such coincidence and saved them by such coincidence?

Could it be... just a coincidence?

A barely perceptible glint flashed in Lu Xingzhou's eyes.

He felt that things might not be that simple.

However, he did not say these words to Lu Nianci.

"Maybe I just happened to be passing by," he said casually.

When they got home, Zhou Yayun was surprised to see that they had returned so quickly, and that Lu Nianci was carrying a pile of books.

"Didn't you say you were going to the scrap metal yard? Why didn't you go?"

"Mom, we..." Lu Nianci was about to speak.

Lu Xingzhou spoke first, saying, "Something came up on the way, so I had to come back first. We'll go to the scrap yard another time."

He didn't want his parents to know about the dangerous incident that had happened that day, so as not to worry them.

Lu Nianci glanced at him, and knowingly refrained from saying anything more.

Zhou Yayun, without suspecting anything, took the book and tenderly patted her daughter's head.

"Our Nianci really loves learning. Come on, Mom made you some chicken soup, go have some and warm yourself up."

The atmosphere at dinner was as warm and cozy as ever.

Lu Zhenguo and Zhou Yayun chatted about trivial matters at work and at home.

Lu Xingzhou remained silent, but kept piling food into Lu Nianci's bowl, making it look like a small mountain.

Lu Nianci tried her best to shift her attention away from the man beside her who was constantly exuding hormones, and focused on the delicious food in her bowl.

Just then, Zhou Yayun suddenly sighed.

"Hey, have you heard? Something big has happened at the military hospital."

Her words successfully captured everyone's attention.

"What happened?" Lu Zhenguo asked.

"What else could it be, Deputy Commander Chen?" Zhou Yayun lowered her voice, a hint of worry on her face. "I heard it from the nurses at the hospital today when I went to deliver something to Old Li's family."

"They say Deputy Commander Chen had an appendectomy a few days ago. It was supposed to be a minor surgery, but the wound became infected, and he developed a persistent high fever, to the point that he was delirious!"

"What?!" Lu Zhenguo's expression changed upon hearing this.

Deputy Commander Chen is a veteran revolutionary of the military region, highly respected. If something were to happen to him, it would be a great loss to the military region.

"What did the hospital say? Did they use antibiotics?" Lu Zhenguo asked hurriedly.

"We've tried everything! Penicillin, streptomycin, we've tried all sorts of antibiotics, but nothing has worked!" Zhou Yayun's brows were tightly furrowed.

"The hospital's experts are extremely worried. They say the bacteria have developed drug resistance, and if the fever continues like this, the person might... be in danger!"

Zhou Yayun's words instantly made the atmosphere at the dinner table heavy.

Lu Zhenguo and Lu Xingzhou remained silent, their faces revealing undisguised worry.

However, no one noticed that when Lu Nianci, who was engrossed in eating, heard the words "postoperative infection," "antibiotic ineffectiveness," and "drug resistance," her small hand holding the chopsticks suddenly paused.

In an instant, countless scenes from her past lives flashed through her mind, showing her battling various super-resistant bacteria on the operating table.

Post-appendectomy infection...

Although this still occasionally occurs in later generations, it is by no means something that cannot be done.

However, in the 1970s, when antibiotics were regarded as a panacea and the concept of aseptic technique was extremely weak, once a drug-resistant bacterial infection occurred, it was almost equivalent to a death sentence!

Is there really no other way?

No.

There's a way!

A glint of light flashed in Lu Nianci's eyes.

Although antibiotics were ineffective, she knew that there was an older and more effective method to deal with this localized infection.

It was a special nursing method that originated from modern surgery, yet was completely unknown in this era.

But... how is she supposed to say it?

How could a little child like her possibly understand these medical problems that even experts are stumped by?

Saying it out loud will only be taken as nonsense, and may even attract unnecessary suspicion and trouble.

But if I don't say it...

Are we just going to stand by and watch an old revolutionary who made great contributions to the country lose his life because of a minor appendectomy?

Lu Nianci was caught in an unprecedented struggle.

To save or not to save?

this is a problem.

It is also a double test of her conscience and wisdom.