Chapter 494: Mom Says He's a Hero
"Everyone, disperse. Arrest these few and teach them a lesson!"
"And as for the rest of you, listen up! Don't you ever pull something like this again!"
With that said, General Jiang quickly wheeled Xiao Ye away.
He truly didn't want to waste another second speaking to that crowd of fools.
Back in the hospital room, General Jiang's fawning demeanor returned, even more pronounced than it was downstairs.
Dragon Country had already heard about Xiao Ye's injury and had called to give him a severe dressing-down.
Now, he really had to put Xiao Ye on a pedestal; otherwise, the friendly relations with Dragon Country would be over.
If it really came to that, he would become a pariah in Country N—the kind who gets cursed in history textbooks.
"Mr. Xiao, how are you feeling now? We've replaced all the doctors with our own people. I guarantee there won't be any more problems."
Country N was underdeveloped, and its hospitals were all public.
So even for someone like Xiao Ye, it was impossible to arrange a hospital staffed entirely with their own people.
Suddenly, a voice came from outside.
"Mister, I want to know, is the man who caught the spy in there?"
It was the voice of a little girl, sounding no older than six or seven, very tender.
The private guarding the door showed a little more patience with the child. "Yes, he is."
"Can I go in and see him? I admire him so much. He actually caught the spy and protected us. My mommy says he's a hero."
"Oh, my baby!" The sound of hurried footsteps approached as a middle-aged woman quickly scooped up the child and apologized profusely. "I'm so, so sorry."
"I took my eyes off her for one second and she ran over here. I'm sorry, please don't misunderstand!"
The child's mother was terrified she'd be branded a spy as well.
Xiao Ye looked toward the door. "What's going on?"
The private replied, "A child ran over."
"Let the child come in."
Although he had only heard her voice, Xiao Ye had already noticed a few things.
For instance, the child was likely gravely ill; her voice was extremely weak and feeble.
"Yes, sir!" The private looked at the mother. "The gentleman inside would like to see you."
The woman was frightened, clutching her child tightly. But she was just an ordinary person and didn't dare to disobey, so she could only walk stiffly into the room.
Seeing General Jiang inside, the little girl in her arms immediately began to struggle. "Mommy, put me down! It's Uncle Jiang! I've seen him on TV."
"Mommy, you said he was a hero. I want to talk to a hero!"
The woman looked at General Jiang. "My child..."
"It's alright, you can put her down. Come here, little girl, have an apple," General Jiang said gently.
The woman loosened her grip, and the little girl immediately ran over.
She must have been undergoing chemotherapy. Her hair was gone, her body was rail-thin, and her complexion was pallid.
But children have no concept of death. She only thought she was simply sick, so her eyes were exceptionally bright.
"General Jiang, were you the one who found the spy?"
"No, it was this mister in the bed."
The little girl immediately looked over, her eyes shining as if she had just seen her most admired hero. "Mister, how did you find him?"
"Why didn't anyone else find him? You're just too amazing!"
Her words made Xiao Ye laugh. "That's because I have sharp eyes. But don't you worry, little one. There aren't that many spies, so you don't have to be afraid of getting hurt."
"I'm not worried. Mommy already told me that we're just ordinary people, and no one would hurt us for no reason."
"Mister, I don't have any energy right now, and my body doesn't feel good. I used to be able to run and jump, but now I can't."
"I want to be as tall as the soldiers outside. Is that still possible? I'm sick... does that mean I won't be able to grow that tall anymore?"
The little girl's face was full of worry, as if she were truly concerned about her future.
The mother standing behind her instantly teared up. She didn't dare tell the truth, as if by not saying it, she could truly keep her daughter by her side and not have her taken by death.
Xiao Ye patted her head, then took her small hand and briefly checked her pulse.
Due to prolonged chemotherapy and treatment, her overall physical condition was terrible. She was like a hollowed-out building, with only the skeletal frame left standing.
In a situation like this, she needed a constant supply of good medicine for nourishment; otherwise, it would be difficult for her to endure the later stages of treatment.
But children have one advantage over adults in this regard: their mindset is better. If it were an adult, constantly living in fear and anxiety, it would naturally affect the treatment's efficacy.
"You'll definitely be able to grow that tall."
"Really?" The little girl was instantly overjoyed. "Mister, but why are you hurt?"
"Can a tall man like you get hurt? Did you fall down while playing?"
The girl's mother, terrified, quickly said, "Don't talk nonsense! The mister isn't hurt because he was playing."
"It's fine." Xiao Ye gently cut her off. "She's just a child. Kids say things without malice. No matter what she says, we won't get angry."
Only then did the woman relax, continuing to watch anxiously from behind.
Xiao Ye felt the little girl's arm again. "Have you been eating poorly lately?"
The little girl pouted. "I can't eat."
"That won't do. You have to eat to get better. You have to eat a lot to grow tall, as tall as me, okay?"
"Okay!" The little girl already idolized Xiao Ye, so of course, she'd take his word as law.
"Alright, you should go back now. It's time for lunch. Make sure you eat a lot."
"Thank you, Mister! I'll eat more! When I grow up, let's see who's taller. Maybe I'll even be taller than you!"
Xiao Ye smiled gently. "Alright. We'll see who's taller then."
The mother left with the little girl, and the room, once filled with cheerful chatter, fell silent again.
General Jiang couldn't help but sigh. "What a... poor little girl."
Xiao Ye had someone bring him a pen and paper. "I'm writing a traditional Dragon Country prescription. Country N and Dragon Country have had friendly relations for years, so you have traditional Chinese medicine here too."
"Find a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and have them fill this prescription."
"The first one is for nourishing her body, and the second is to improve her appetite and help her eat more."
"I will cover the full cost of these medicinal herbs, including the little girl's medical bills. Understand?"
General Jiang was stunned for a moment, then immediately took the paper with a smile. "Understood. That little girl is really lucky to have met you, Mr. Xiao."
"Don't worry, I'll have my men get the medicine and deliver it. I'll take care of this from now on, and I'll also instruct the hospital not to charge them for medical expenses."
Xiao Ye took out a bank card. "There's five million in here. Whatever isn't used can be donated to other children in the hospital who need treatment."
"Thank you, Mr. Xiao! I will be sure to inform the patient's family!"