Chapter 74: Sudden Outburst

“It’s alright now, stand up.”

Sitting properly on the hospital bed again, Shen Yi’an beckoned to the child who hadn’t yet recovered from their tension. “Those people have left, you don’t need to be afraid.”

Hearing this, the thin, small figure trapped in fear and helplessness gradually regained their composure.

After understanding the meaning of the words, their voice carried a hint of hesitation when they spoke.

“Really… really?”

“Will those people really leave?”

“They’re really gone!” Shen Yi’an nodded seriously.

“They’re not good people, they’d definitely be scared when they see the soldier uncle.”

“Don’t worry anymore, come sit here for now!”

Hearing this, the small figure first peered uncertainly toward the door.

Though they couldn’t see anything due to their height, the closed door provided them with a rare sense of security.

After secretly sighing in relief, they finally carefully approached Shen Yi’an while clutching the corner of their clothes.

Before their voice could emerge, they bowed nearly 180 degrees.

“Thank you, auntie, for saving me!”

“If it weren’t for you, I would have been captured by those people!”

Seeing the glimmer of tears in the child’s eyes, Shen Yi’an knew this was an emotional child.

But at the same time, she felt they were being too honest.

It was true that she was pregnant, but being called ‘auntie’ still felt a bit premature, didn’t it?

Well, alright then, auntie it is – who told her she was carrying a little one in her belly anyway.

After quickly comforting herself, she waved at the child. “The one you should thank isn’t me, but yourself.”

“Thank myself?” The small figure looked puzzled.

“Why should I thank myself?”

Hearing this, Shen Yi’an smiled and patted the bed beside her. “Sit here first, and we’ll talk slowly.”

“But my clothes are very dirty, they’ll soil the bed.” The small figure also wanted a place to sit, but they knew their clothes were truly too filthy.

They had been wearing the same clothes since leaving home, having moved through several different places in between, some comparable to garbage dumps in the city.

After all that trouble, never mind how dirty the clothes were, just the smell on their body was quite overwhelming.

So reason and upbringing told them they really weren’t suitable for sitting on a clean hospital bed now.

Shen Yi’an didn’t mind this. “It’s fine, sit down.”

“The hospital beds get cleaned regularly, and if they get dirty, someone will come replace them.”

After a moment’s hesitation, the small figure finally sat on the bed, though only barely resting their bottom on the edge.

This time Shen Yi’an didn’t say anything more, instead directly addressing the question she’d asked earlier. “The reason you should thank yourself is definitely because you were clever enough.”

“If you hadn’t been smart enough to escape those people’s pursuit, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to help even if I wanted to.”

“Don’t you think so?”

Hearing this, the small figure lowered their head and pondered carefully.

When they decided this made sense, their raised eyes shone with irrepressible excitement.

“Yes, auntie is right, I should thank myself!”

Then they immediately added, “But I know the person I should thank most is you, auntie.”

“If auntie hadn’t helped me, I would definitely have been captured by those people again.”

Meeting the child’s sparkling eyes, Shen Yi’an didn’t refuse this time. “Alright then, I’ll accept your thanks.”

After speaking, she paused for a moment. “Well then, can auntie ask you a question?”

“Of course!” The little one nodded earnestly.

This was his lifesaver standing before him—he’d answer not just one question, but ten or even a hundred without hesitation.

Watching the child gradually relax his tense posture, Shen Yi’an finally steered the conversation to its main point. “Here’s the situation.”

“On the train to Xincheng, I encountered a family of three—a father, mother, and their young daughter.”

“They mentioned their son had been snatched by human traffickers. To track down their son’s whereabouts, they’d been following the traffickers closely.”

She paused briefly at this point, her gaze fixed directly on the child’s face. “Looking at your facial features, you bear a strong resemblance to that father.”

“So I wanted to ask—what’s your surname?”

The sudden question momentarily stunned the child.

Perhaps it was also because he’d endured too much hardship and suffering during this period.

His first reaction wasn’t to answer directly, but to snap upright, staring at Shen Yi’an with full alertness as he retreated several steps backward.

“Are you with those people?”

“No! You’re different from them! I don’t sense their kind of aura from you!”

“Then who are you? Do you also want to get some information from me?”

After firing these questions, the child clenched his fists, his tone turning defiant.

“I don’t know anything! Even if you beat me to death, I still wouldn’t know!”

“Don’t think just because you saved me that I’ll be grateful!”

“My great-grandfather was a hero! I’ll follow his example and become a true man who stands tall between heaven and earth!”

“Just give up! I know nothing! I’ll say nothing!”

Watching the child’s sudden outburst, Shen Yi’an finally understood why people said the boy had bipolar tendencies.

Seeing this scene firsthand, it really did seem plausible!

One moment they were having a friendly conversation, the next he’d transformed into this agitated child.

However, she was nothing like those heartless traffickers who’d resort to interrogation tactics against a child.

All she could do was spread her hands helplessly. “It’s alright if you don’t trust me.”

“How about this—when the soldier uncle comes in later, you can talk to him, okay?”

“He’s seen someone who looks very much like you. We came to Xincheng on the same train.”

Hearing this, the tense child didn’t respond, but his eyes involuntarily drifted toward the door.

When the soldier returned to the ward after dealing with the people outside, he was met with Shen Yi’an’s resigned expression and the child standing rigidly on the floor, fully guarded.

“What’s going on here?” Not understanding the situation, his voice carried mostly puzzlement.

In response, Shen Yi’an recounted what had just happened.

After listening, the soldier’s eyes scanned the child up and down.

“You know, he really does resemble Comrade Song somewhat.”

“If you cover the lower half of his face, he’s the spitting image of young Comrade Song.”

Coming from a uniformed soldier, these words made the wary child unable to completely disbelieve.

He first glanced back at Shen Yi’an, then fixed his gaze on the soldier.

“Uncle Soldier, have you really seen my dad?”

“Is what she… what this auntie said true? Did Mom and Dad really come looking for me?”

“And my sister—did my sister come too?”

Hearing the child’s rapid-fire questions, the soldier paused briefly before answering seriously.

“Yes, all three members of your family have come.”

“In that case, you stay in the hospital room and don’t go anywhere. I’ll go make a phone call.”

“If all goes well, your family should arrive soon.”

Seeing the child nod, he then greeted Shen Yi’an before turning to leave the hospital room.

After the soldier left, the atmosphere in the room became slightly awkward.

Of course, the one feeling awkward was none other than the slender little figure currently looking rather uncomfortable.

But being a well-mannered child, after a moment of internal conflict, reason prevailed.

“Auntie, I’m sorry!”

“I… I didn’t mean it earlier! I thought you were also approaching me with ulterior motives!”

“I’m truly sorry!”

Seeing the little one bowing nearly 180 degrees again, Shen Yi’an sat up with some helplessness and helped him straighten up. “It’s understandable. Having caution is good.”

“But does this mean you’re admitting that Comrade Song is your father?”

Hearing this, the child grinned.

“Mm!”

“My dad is Song Chaoxu, my mom is Chen Rongying, and my younger sister is Song Shu.”

Listening to the child introduce each family member’s name but never mentioning himself, Shen Yi’an grew curious. “What about you? What’s your name?”

“My name is Song Yao!” The child’s eyes sparkled as he said his name.

“Dad said he hopes I’ll grow up to be a fair and responsible person.”

“That I can fulfill my great-grandfather’s wishes, protect our country and home, and gallop across battlefields.”

When speaking about his future aspirations, the child’s radiant expression was truly endearing.

Watching him, Shen Yi’an felt a surge of satisfaction well up inside her – the kind of satisfaction a mother feels seeing her son succeed.

She immediately reached out and ruffled his little head. “Auntie believes in you!”

“But to achieve your dream of protecting our country, the first thing you need to do now is strengthen your body.”

“Only with a healthy physique can you become as remarkable as your great-grandfather.”

Though she didn’t know how impressive Song Yao’s great-grandfather was, seeing the child’s worshipful eyes when mentioning him suggested he must have been an extraordinary old man.

Just as the two were chatting animatedly, a series of ‘pitter-patter’ footsteps sounded from outside the hospital room, stopping right at the doorway.

Song Yao, who had been engrossed in conversation, instantly turned his head to look.

Had Mom, Dad, and his sister arrived?