Gu Sijiu's injuries this time were severe, to the extent that she had just woke up but quickly lapsed into unconsciousness due to physical exhaustion. However, at least she was awake now, indicating that the critical period had passed. Seeing that she was still capable of being irritable upon waking up, it was likely she hadn't lost her memory, which relieved Song Jinzhi somewhat.

She stood by the hospital bed, watching as the medical staff removed the large glass cover from the bed, finally allowing her to be closer to Gu Sijiu. Without that barrier, Song Jinzhi still hesitated to touch Gu Sijiu. She heard from Shan Ni'er that Gu Sijiu was covered in injuries, with the abdomen being particularly severe. Song Jinzhi was afraid to touch her, and even more so of others touching her. When soldiers from the army came to visit, Song Jinzhi stood protectively beside Gu Sijiu, fearing that someone might inadvertently hurt her.

After another day and night of being unconscious, Gu Sijiu finally woke up on a warm sunny afternoon. Her mind was clear, and she remembered everything clearly before she lost consciousness. Thinking about the feeling of life slipping away, Gu Sijiu tried to move her fingers to touch her abdomen, but she lacked the strength to do so, let alone lift her hand—a much more difficult task.

As her consciousness returned, the pain throughout her body made itself known. Her throat felt dry, as if filled with sand, and her back and legs ached terribly. The most agonizing was the wound on her abdomen. She recalled being stabbed by a long spear, it hurt a lot and she had lost a lot of blo.od. The most serious injury she had ever experienced before was a cut on her finger while cooking. Lying in a hospital bed, covered in injuries like this was a first for her.

Gu Sijiu lay in bed, grimacing in pain. She wanted to move but was afraid that doing so would aggravate her wounds. Looking around the room, she noticed that no one else was present, which made her feel a bit disappointed. She had dreamt earlier that Song Jinzhi had come to see her, standing outside a strange barrier, looking at her. In that dream, Song Jinzhi's eyes were red, filled with uncontainable concern and care.

Now, it seemed that image was likely just her imagination. How could Song Jinzhi, who didn't even like her, look at her with such eyes? As she lay there lost in thought, the door suddenly opened from the outside. She lifted her head and locked eyes with Song Jinzhi, who was carrying a lot of things. Seeing Gu Sijiu awake, Song Jinzhi's eyes grew warm. She lowered her head, walked in, and placed the items she had bought on the side before leaning closer to her.

"You're awake. How are you feeling? Any discomfort?" Song Jinzhi's concerned voice came from above. Her proximity brought with it the faint scent of hibiscus, soothing the disappointment that had risen in Gu Sijiu's heart. However, she still remembered their unspoken agreement to keep their distance. Even if she couldn't express her feelings, Song Jinzhi's rejections had been too clear.

This was probably the first time in the past month and a half that the two of them had such close contact, but it was due to her being injured and hospitalized. Gu Sijiu felt a sense of sadness at this thought. This was her first time liking someone, and she discovered that love was such a subtle thing. Even though she knew the other person didn't like her and was deliberately avoiding her, she still felt joy from her presence and excitement when she saw Song Jinzhi just now. Gu Sijiu didn't want to feel this way, she didn't want to degrade herself by liking Song Jinzhi, but her heart just couldn't help it.

"Yes." Gu Sijiu replied lightly, her expression also distant. Sensing that Gu Sijiu didn't want to talk, Song Jinzhi didn't press further. She called Shan Ni'er and Gu Sijiu's parents, and before long, everyone had rushed over, bringing Gu Sijiu's attending physician with them as well.

What Gu Sijiu was most concerned about was whether her body would have any lasting effects. Due to excessive blo.od loss, her pale face showed no color, and her frail body lying in the bed made one want to hold her close. Song Jinzhi stood on the outskirts of the crowd, watching Li Jing's eyes turn red and seeing Shan Ni'er full of self-blame. Song Jinzhi's mood was also heavy, these past few days caring for Gu Sijiu in the hospital had left her unable to sleep soundly at night, waking repeatedly from nightmares and unable to sleep due to lingering fear.

If the rescue had been delayed a little longer, what would have happened to Gu Sijiu? Would she have left her forever, filled with self-loathing? And their last conversation would have ended in such a painful way. Thinking of this, Song Jinzhi's eyes turned red. Gu Sijiu, keenly sensing the Omega's restless emotions, looked up to meet Song Jinzhi's tearful yet restrained expression, her lips slightly parted before pressing tightly together.

"Dad, Mom, I'm fine. The doctor also said there won't be any problems, so please don't worry. And Shan Ni'er, this incident wasn't your fault, it was my first time being careless in actual combat. But I still managed to save many teammates, so I'm not too bad, right?" Gu Sijiu smiled to reassure them, trying to lighten the mood, but inadvertently pulled at the wound on her forehead, causing her to inhale sharply in pain. Song Jinzhi was watching her closely and, seeing her in discomfort, hurried over and held her hand. When their hands touched, Gu Sijiu noticed that Song Jinzhi's hands were icy cold, even colder than her, the patient.

"You child, don't force yourself. From a soldier's perspective, your actions were commendable. However, as a father, I cannot condone your behavior. Xiao Jiu, you must remember, you are the only child your mother and I have. We don't need you to achieve great military feats, the Gu family doesn't seek that kind of vanity. We only want you to be alive." Gu Nancheng spoke softly.

Gu Sijiu knew how much this couple dotes on their daughter. Unfortunately, they had no idea what kind of scu.mbag their biological daughter was. Gu Sijiu hadn't spent much time with her parents and couldn't even remember what they looked like. The world had given her parents, and although she had once resisted interacting with Gu Nancheng and Li Jing, she had gradually gotten used to it, beginning to see them as her own parents. Hearing Gu Nancheng say this now inevitably touched her.

"Dad, I know. I value my life more than anyone else and won't do something like this again." Gu Sijiu spoke the truth. She felt she had fought hard to live again, so why would she go against her own life? Living was quite good, and she didn't want to die again. 

"Okay, as long as you know. Your mother and I have things to attend to, so we'll leave now. Xiao Jin will stay to take care of you." After Gu Nancheng and Li Jing finished speaking, they left the ward, and Shan Ni'er was about to follow them out when Gu Sijiu called her back.

"Shan Ni'er, how are the casualties from this operation?"

"Major General, two people died—both of them disobeyed orders and violated your commands. Even if they had survived, they would have faced severe punishment. Eight others are seriously injured, and Bai Wei is also hurt badly, she's currently in recovery."

"Alright, let them rest well. Also, continue the investigation into the mech issue I asked you to look into. I believe this accident isn't as simple as it seems. Someone tampered with my mech." Although Song Jinzhi didn't understand military matters, she picked up on the meaning behind Gu Sijiu's words. She realized someone was trying to harm Gu Sijiu, and this incident might be related to that person, causing her heart to tighten inexplicably. Her expression gradually darkened.

"Major General, I will continue the investigation. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave." Since Song Jinzhi remained, Shan Ni'er naturally wouldn't continue to be a third wheel. Soon, everyone left the ward, leaving only Song Jinzhi and Gu Sijiu together. Gu Sijiu felt a bit thirsty, she tried to move her hand but hadn't even started to act when Song Jinzhi hurried over to support her back and help her sit up. This was the first time Gu Sijiu had received such attentive care from Song Jinzhi since coming to this world. She felt a bit uncomfortable, and her heart was still troubled by her anger toward Song Jinzhi.

"Aren't you busy with work? There are nurses here to take care of me. If it's really necessary, you can just call Shan Ni'er back. You don't have to stay here." Gu Sijiu avoided looking at Song Jinzhi, accepting the water she offered and sipping it through the straw. She had to take small sips, cheeks puffed up because she couldn't drink too much at once, which made her resemble the hamster printed on one of her shirts—quite adorable.

"Compared to work, I think taking care of you is a priority." Song Jinzhi said softly. After she spoke, she noticed Gu Sijiu stiffen, as if she had heard something unbelievable, and turned to look at her. Song Jinzhi understood why Gu Sijiu reacted this way. She decided to set aside her own entanglements at this moment and focus on caring for her.

"Gu Sijiu, I know you're still angry with me, but I hope you won't push me away. You're injured, and I can't just leave you alone in the hospital to go to work. If you're upset with me, then feel free to order me around." Song Jinzhi understood that there were many things she didn't say, but Gu Sijiu could see through them. Their previous distance from each other had been quite evident, and Song Jinzhi didn't feel the need to explain. She couldn't express her true feelings, nor could she share her fears with Gu Sijiu.

It was hard to express, wasn't it? Did she really want to tell this amnesiac Gu Sijiu, 'I like the current you, but I'm afraid you'll turn back into the scumbag you were before, so I can't allow myself to like you'? How could she possibly say something like that? Song Jinzhi looked at Gu Sijiu, her eyes filled with sincerity. It was clear that she genuinely wanted to stay and take care of her. Gu Sijiu felt anger inside, she wanted to vent her frustrations on Song Jinzhi, but seeing her adopt a demeanor that suggested she would let Gu Sijiu bully her left Gu Sijiu feeling at a loss.

She hated how Song Jinzhi acted—clearly not liking her, yet still provoking feelings that made her heart flutter. It was frustrating how after liking her, Song Jinzhi became distant. Gu Sijiu stared coldly at Song Jinzhi, remaining silent. The silence in the room persisted for a full 5 minutes before Gu Sijiu finally spoke.

"The doctor said I should eat something like porridge. I want to have the soup from Qiyang Restaurant. Go buy it for me." Gu Sijiu leaned back in bed, speaking in a tone that commanded a servant. Qiyang Restaurant was a two-hour round trip from the hospital, and given its popularity, it could take a long time to queue. It was clear that this request was meant to be a hassle, yet instead of getting angry, Song Jinzhi actually smiled.

"Alright, I'll go buy it for you. Just lie down and wait for me." After saying this, Song Jinzhi helped Gu Sijiu lie down before turning to leave. Once she was gone, Gu Sijiu belatedly realized what Song Jinzhi had said—"lie down and wait for me"? Who did this woman think she was to order her around?

Not a chance!

Gu Sijiu thought to herself, forcing back the pain in her body as she slowly sat up.

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