"Report! An unidentified animal has appeared outside the hospital!"
In the guardroom of the Military Region General Hospital, the telephone rang urgently, and the guard on duty spoke with a trace of panic. In the ward, Su Mingfeng was discussing Nuannuan's treatment plan with Su Mingyuan. When he heard the guard's report, his brow furrowed sharply.
"An unidentified animal? What kind?" Su Mingfeng asked in a low voice.
"Sir! It's a... a huge white leopard!" The guard's voice trembled slightly. "It's lying in the snow outside the hospital's main building, not moving at all! The guards have deployed, but they don't dare approach rashly!"
Su Mingfeng and Su Mingyuan exchanged a glance, a flicker of understanding passing through both their eyes. It was Big Kitty.
"Do not shoot! Do not hurt it!" Su Mingfeng practically roared. He grabbed the military greatcoat hanging on the wall and strode out of the ward. "I'll be right there!"
Su Mingyuan followed close behind. They raced down the corridor and rushed down the stairs.
When they reached the ground floor outside the hospital's main building, the sight before them stopped them both short.
In the snow in front of the hospital's main building, the enormous snow leopard lay quietly. Snowflakes covered its body, blending it into the surrounding white.
It made no sound, neither roaring nor growling. It simply lay there quietly, its ice-blue eyes fixed without blinking on the window of Nuannuan's ward. Its gaze was filled with determination and worry.
Guards and medical staff who had rushed over after hearing the news had already gathered around. They held guns trained warily on the snow leopard, but no one dared step forward. The beast's presence was too imposing. Even lying there quietly, it exerted an intangible pressure.
"Everyone, stand back! Do not shoot!" Su Mingfeng moved to the front, his voice low and forceful.
When the guard captain saw Su Mingfeng, he immediately stepped forward and saluted. "Sir! This beast suddenly appeared here. We're worried it'll hurt someone!"
"It won't hurt anyone," Su Mingfeng said with certainty. "It's only here to find its friend."
He walked toward the snow leopard, each step steady and unhurried. The guards and medical staff watched him nervously, afraid the snow leopard might suddenly spring up and attack.
The snow leopard saw Su Mingfeng. Its ears twitched slightly, but its body remained still. It simply watched him quietly with those ice-blue eyes. Its gaze held a trace of scrutiny and wariness, but above all, worry for Nuannuan.
Su Mingfeng stopped beside the snow leopard, only a few steps away. He reached out and gently waved his hand in the air to show he meant no harm.
"Big Kitty, Nuannuan is inside," Su Mingfeng said in a low voice. "She's safe now. The doctors are treating her."
A low whimper rose from the snow leopard's throat. It seemed to understand Su Mingfeng's words. Its gaze returned to the window of Nuannuan's ward, its eyes filled with complicated emotions.
"It won't leave." Su Mingyuan walked over and spoke quietly to Su Mingfeng. "It just keeps lying here, staring at Nuannuan's ward. We have no way to get it to leave."
As Su Mingfeng looked at the snow leopard, a trace of helplessness welled up inside him. This beast's devotion to Nuannuan went beyond anything any of them had imagined. It was like Nuannuan's shadow, never leaving her side.
"Then let it stay here," Su Mingfeng ordered in a deep voice. "Post people here to keep watch. Make sure it doesn't hurt anyone, and make sure no one hurts it. Bring it some food and water."
The guard captain and the medical staff froze. Let a king of the snowy mountains make its home outside the Military Region General Hospital? It was simply unheard of.
"Sir, this... this is against regulations!" The guard captain looked troubled. "What if it suddenly goes berserk and hurts someone?"
"It won't," Su Mingfeng said firmly. "It saved Nuannuan's life. It's Nuannuan's friend."
He looked around, sweeping his gaze over all the guards and medical staff.
"I'll say this again. Without my orders, no one is to hurt it!" Su Mingfeng's voice carried unquestionable authority. "Anyone who dares touch a single hair on it will have me, Su Mingfeng, to answer to!"
Everyone fell utterly silent. They knew Commander Su Mingfeng would do exactly as he said.
The snow leopard seemed to understand Su Mingfeng's words. A low rumble came from its throat, and then it gently rested its enormous head on its forepaws and closed its eyes. It chose to trust Su Mingfeng. It chose to wait here.
As Su Mingfeng looked at the snow leopard, a trace of complicated emotion welled up inside him. This beast was not only Nuannuan's protector, but also a benefactor of the Su Family. He knew its presence would bring enormous trouble to the Su Family. But he also knew he could not abandon it.
"Mingfeng, we should probably report this to Dad," Su Mingyuan said quietly. "A snow leopard outside the hospital... if word gets out..."
"I know." Su Mingfeng nodded, his gaze returning to the window of Nuannuan's ward. He knew Nuannuan's return had already sent ripples through the Su Family's peaceful life. And the appearance of this snow leopard had turned those ripples into raging waves.
The snow leopard lay outside the hospital, its enormous white form looking particularly out of place in the capital's snow. It hurt no one and did not roar. It simply waited quietly.
It became a unique sight at the Military Region General Hospital, and an enormous question mark in the minds of the Su Family. What exactly would this beast bring to the Su Family? And where would its future lead?