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

"Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you."

Su Nianci slowed her movements, trying to make her voice sound softer, even though her hoarse voice was hardly the word "soft".

She raised her hands and spread them out in front of him to indicate that she meant him no harm.

The boy's terrified eyes were fixed on her, his body tense like a stone, and he was still making warning "hoarse" sounds in his throat, like a young wild animal guarding its food.

Su-Nianci knew that for a child who had suffered severe trauma, any words would be inadequate.

She didn't try to get any closer. Instead, she turned around and took out the piece of cured meat wrapped in oil paper from her "luggage".

The salty aroma of the meat was particularly strong in the damp, cold air.

The boy's nose twitched involuntarily, and a clear "gulp" sound came from his throat.

He was hungry.

Su Nianci didn't use a knife, but instead used her hands to painstakingly tear off a small strip from the cured meat. The cured meat was severely dried, hard, and salty, making it completely unsuitable for a patient with a high fever.

She thought for a moment, then went to the eaves, caught some rainwater with a relatively clean large leaf, and returned to the boy's side. She soaked the cured meat in the water and slowly rubbed it with her fingers.

Soon, oil began to appear in the water, and the cured meat softened a bit.

She held the small, soft strip of meat to the boy's mouth.

The boy's eyes were filled with struggle.

A fierce battle raged in his eyes between the craving for food and the fear of strangers.

Su Nianci was extremely patient, just holding her hand up without moving.

Finally, the instinct for survival overcame fear.

The boy quickly stuck his head out, snatched the shredded meat in his mouth, and then chewed and swallowed it quickly like a little hamster, as if afraid that someone would take it away.

After finishing his meal, he looked longingly at the water in Su Nianci's hand with his bright black eyes.

Su Nianci handed over the "broth" hidden in the leaf.

The boy hesitated for a moment, then leaned closer and licked the rainwater, which had a slightly salty and oily taste, until it was completely gone.

After eating and drinking his fill, the hostility in the boy's eyes dissipated considerably. Although he remained wary, he at least stopped making threatening roars.

Su Nianci knew that this was the first step in building trust.

She pressed her advantage, pointing to his bloodied and mangled calf, and said softly, "Your leg is badly injured. If it's not treated soon, you'll die."

The word "death" seemed to touch a nerve in the boy.

His body trembled violently, and fear resurfaced in his eyes.

"I can save you." Su Nianci's tone was unquestionable, carrying a confidence and authority completely out of character for her age. "But you have to listen to me."

The boy looked at her, his dark pupils reflecting Su Nianci's serious little face.

He seemed to understand, yet he also seemed not to, but in the end, he did not resist anymore.

Su Nianci immediately took action.

She first removed the somewhat dried medicinal paste from her legs. Although the paste was covered in dust, its medicinal properties were still intact, and it would be a waste to throw it away.

Then, braving the heavy rain, she rushed out of the dilapidated temple again.

Fortunately, although the dilapidated temple was abandoned, the surrounding ecosystem was thriving. She quickly found a large patch of dandelions and several violets in a corner of the temple.

Both of these are natural "broad-spectrum antibiotics" that clear heat and detoxify, and are remarkably effective in treating boils and carbuncles!

She quickly picked a large handful and rushed back to the temple.

She mixed these herbs with the remaining plantain and agrimony, and mashed them into a paste on a stone using the same method.

"It might hurt a little, but bear with it."

She said something to the boy, and without caring whether he understood or not, she began to treat the wound on his leg.

She first used clean rainwater to carefully wash away the mud and necrotic tissue from the wound. This process was undoubtedly painful; the boy's body trembled uncontrollably, his forehead was covered in cold sweat, and he bit his lip until it bled, yet he endured it without uttering a sound.

This level of endurance beyond his years even caught Su Nianci's attention.

After cleaning, she applied a thick layer of the mashed medicinal paste.

"hiss--"

The boy couldn't help but gasp the moment the medicinal mud touched the wound.

Su Nianci didn't stop. She continued to tear off the lining of her already tattered clothes, washed it clean, and skillfully bandaged him up. The bandaging technique and the tightness of the fit were perfect.

After treating the most serious leg injury, she used the remaining medicinal mud to apply to several severe bruises on his forehead and body.

After doing all this, Su Nianci was so exhausted she felt like she was about to fall apart.

The rain was still falling, and it was completely dark.

The dilapidated temple was dimly lit, with only occasional flashes of lightning bringing a brief moment of light.

The boy's high fever hadn't subsided, and he was still burning up, but his breathing was much more steady, no longer as rapid as before. Leaning against Su Nianci, perhaps due to the effects of the medicine, or perhaps because he finally felt a little safe, he actually fell into a deep sleep.

Su Nianci looked at his sleeping profile, with tears still clinging to his long eyelashes, and felt a mix of emotions.

She saved him, but in doing so, she also got herself into a huge mess.

She sighed, took out the family photo from her canvas bag, and, in the flash of lightning, stroked her parents' faces in the photo again and again.

"Dad, Mom, if you're watching from heaven, will you be angry that I'm meddling?"

"But...he really reminds me of me when I was little, being bullied, with no one caring, no one asking about me..."

"I'll name him. He's like a rock, stubborn and unyielding. How about... Little Stone?"

Su-Nianci murmured to herself as she looked at the photograph, as if she could gain some strength from it.

She carefully put the photo away, then tore off half a piece of cured meat and ate it in small bites, soaking it in the rainwater.

She must recover her strength as soon as possible because tomorrow she will be supporting two people.

As night deepened, the rain gradually subsided.

Su Nianci leaned against a small stone, the two of them huddled together for warmth.

On her fourth night in this world, for the first time, she felt something other than cold and hunger.

It's a sense of responsibility to be needed.

In her sleep, she felt the little stone beside her trembling violently and making incoherent mutterings, as if it were having a nightmare.

She instinctively reached out and gently patted his back, just like she had done in her past life to comfort anxious patients after surgery.

"Don't be afraid, your older sister is here."

Her voice was so soft that she could barely hear it herself.

The little one in her arms seemed to feel comforted, slowly stopped trembling, and snuggled even deeper into her embrace.