"Squeak--"
The closed door was finally slowly opened.
Senju Chen and Classmate Little A, who were guarding the door, cast their gaze over almost at the same time.
Shizune supported Tsunade and walked out of the room.
At this moment, Tsunade's face was as pale as a piece of paper, and her whole body was soaked with sweat, as if she had just been fished out of the water. She was leaning entirely on Shizune, and she almost lost the strength to stand.
But her eyes were astonishingly bright.
It is a kind of clarity and brightness after being washed away and reborn.
"The operation... went very well." Tsunade's voice was hoarse and tired, but every word carried an undoubted weight, "Exploding Insects has been completely eliminated from his body."
When Classmate Little A heard this, the anxiety on his face was instantly replaced by ecstasy. He bowed deeply to Tsunade excitedly. "Thank you Princess Tsunade! This kindness will be unforgettable for us Kumogakure!"
Senju Chen didn't speak. He quickly stepped forward and supported Tsunade's shaky body from the other side, taking most of her weight.
"Sister, thank you for your hard work." He said softly, feeling the real temperature of Tsunade coming from his arm.
Tsunade leaned on his shoulder and closed his eyes tiredly, but a relieved smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Senju Chen raised his head and looked at the grateful Kumogakure ninja. The smile on his face remained gentle, but the words he spoke were very unpleasant.
"Hey, you must have remembered my sister's medical fee, right?"
"Ah? Oh! Of course!" Classmate Little A came back from the joy and hurriedly patted his chest and promised, "Please don't worry! I will personally deliver the reward tomorrow!"
"That's good." Senju Chen nodded with satisfaction, then ignored him, and together with Shizune, carefully supported Tsunade and walked slowly outside the hospital.
The setting sun shone on the three of them, stretching their shadows very long.
Back at the hotel, Shizune carefully supported Tsunade, almost half-carrying her back to the room.
For Tsunade, this operation was not only an extreme test of superb medical skills, but also a battle to rebuild himself on the ruins of his spirit.
Against the deepest fear deep in her soul, she separated the nightmare of the past from the life in front of her with one knife. So at this moment, the word "the oil is exhausted and the lamp is dry" is most appropriate for her.
But the gloom and decadence that had shrouded her eyes all year round dissipated a lot like the mist dispersed by the morning sun.
Senju Chen did not follow. He just leaned quietly on the pillar outside the door, listening to the rustling sounds inside and Shizune's gentle instructions. He knew that what Tsunade needed today was a complete rest, so that the heart that started beating again could find its own rhythm.
After a long time, the sliding door of the room was gently pushed open.
Shizune walked out. When she saw Senju Chen waiting outside the door, her eyes that had been holding back her emotions could no longer hold back.
That joy, that excitement, that grievance and sadness that had been accumulated for several years, at this moment, burst out like a flood that broke a bank.
"Little Chen..."
Choking with sobs, she walked quickly to Senju Chen, then threw herself into his arms, buried her face deeply in his chest, and cried loudly.
"Woo...Lady Tsunade She... she did it... she really did it..."
Warm tears quickly soaked the clothes on Senju Chen's chest. What came from his arms was the girl's violently shaking body and her cries that had been suppressed for too long.
This is the first time Senju Chen has seen Shizune lose his temper like this.
In his memory, Shizune has always been a very gentle, careful, and occasionally a little confused girl. She is always so reliable and tenacious, as if she is Tsunade's last and most solid line of defense.
But now...
Senju Chen was startled for a moment, then raised his hand and patted the opponent's back gently and rhythmically, as if comforting a frightened little animal.
"Well," Senju Chen's voice was very soft, with a soothing power, "Sister, she did it."
His sister also got rid of her inner demons and stood up again. He was also very happy for Tsunade.
Shizune's crying lasted for a long time, as if she wanted to vent all the grievances she had suffered during these years of wandering around with Tsunade. It wasn't until her mood eased slightly that she suddenly realized her gaffe.
She withdrew from Senju Chen's arms like an electric shock, her fair cheeks flushed instantly, and even her ears were dyed a beautiful pink color. She stood there helplessly, with her head lowered, not daring to look into Senju Chen's eyes.
"Yes... I'm sorry, Little Chen, I..."
"It's okay, Sister Shizune." Senju Chen smiled, and that smile was as gentle as the moonlight outside the window, "I understand, I know, you hope that your sister will get better more than anyone else."
He looked at Shizune's expression of embarrassment and joy. Don't tell me, Sister Shizune's gaffe look was really unique.
"Yeah!" Senju Chen's words touched her heart. Shizune nodded vigorously. Her excitement and happiness overcame her shyness again. She seemed to have opened a chat box, talking to herself and talking to Senju Chen.
"Little Chen, you don't know... you don't know how powerful Lady Tsunade was back then!" Her eyes shone with admiration, which was the enthusiasm of a young fan only when they saw their idol return to the top.
"At that time, all Shinobi World's medical ninjas must take Lady Tsunade as the benchmark! On the battlefield, as long as she is there, everyone seems to have a backbone, and no matter how serious the injury is, there seems to be hope! She is the princess of Konoha, and she is the pride of everyone!"
"But then... the death of Lord Nawaki and her uncle hit her too hard..." Shizune's voice lowered, and the light that had just lit up in her eyes dimmed a bit more, "She watched the person she loved most die in front of her, but she could do nothing. From that day on, she never saw blood again. Those hands were obviously hands that could save countless lives..."
When she said this, she couldn't help but choked up.
"Later, Lady Tsunade began to numb herself with gambling and alcoholism. I watched her change from the brilliant Sannin to... a gambler and alcoholic who only knew how to escape. In my heart... I felt really uncomfortable..."
Senju Chen listened quietly without interrupting. He knew that Shizune needed a listener.
He had already known these stories clearly from the plot of Hokage. But at this moment, from the mouth of Shizune, a person who had experienced it, the heaviness and helplessness seemed so real.
"Until... until that day, we discovered you on the battlefield at the border." Shizune's eyes fell back on Senju Chen, and that bleakness was replaced by a brilliance called "hope."
"You were so young, huddled in the grass, so hungry that you had only one breath left. I thought you wouldn't survive. It was Lady Tsunade who saved you... I will never forget the look in her eyes when she hugged you. It's like... it's like God gave Lord Nawaki back to her."
A warm smile appeared on Shizune's face, "From that day on, although Lady Tsunade still gambled, she never got herself drunk like before. She would think about giving You buy delicious food, tell you stories, and even learn to cook for you. She will be happy all day because of your words. Little Chen, it is you, you gave Lady Tsunade a reason to live again."
Senju Chen's heart was also lightly touched.
Shizune's words reminded him of when he first arrived in this world.
"If it weren't for my sister and Sister Shizune, I would have died in that forest long ago." He said softly, "I still remember that I was so cold and hungry at that time, and I thought I was going to die. Then, I saw my sister, and her whole body was glowing, like a fairy in the sky..."
"Haha, you were like a little kitten, shy when talking." Shizune looked at Senju Chen in front of him. "Time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, you are almost taller than me."
"It's all over, Sister Shizune." Senju Chen stretched out his hand and gently wiped away the remaining tears from the corners of her eyes with a gentle and natural movement, "Look, isn't my sister getting better now? Everything will be fine."
"Yes!" Shizune nodded heavily, thinking back to Tsunade's appearance today, a relieved smile appeared on his face.
After talking to her, she seemed to feel much more relaxed.
"Okay, Sister Shizune, you have been busy all day, go and have a rest." Senju Chen said with a smile, "Tomorrow, I will cook by myself, and we will have a good celebration."
After working with Tsunade all day long, Shizune was actually very tired, and she smiled sheepishly.
"Okay! Then... I'll go back first, Little Chen, and you should rest early."
"Well, good night, Sister Shizune."
"Good night."