"Reporting, sir! That snow leopard... it's made another move!"
Guard Zhang Li's slightly urgent voice broke the silence in the hospital room. Su Mingfeng was sitting beside Nuannuan's bed, watching her sleeping face. His brow furrowed slightly at Zhang Li's report.
"What move?" Su Mingfeng asked in a low voice.
"It... it caught a snow hare! A big, plump snow hare!" There was a hint of disbelief in Zhang Li's voice. "Then it carried the hare to the hospital entrance in its mouth, put it down, and called out to the guard at the door! As if... as if it was trying to signal something!"
Su Mingfeng sprang to his feet. Su Mingguo, Su Mingzhe, Su Mingyuan, Su Zhenbang, and Lin Wanyi all fixed their eyes on Zhang Li.
"It caught a snow hare? And carried it to the hospital entrance?" A note of surprise entered Su Zhenbang's voice. "What does it want to do?"
"It... it called out to the guard, then lay back down!" Zhang Li spoke urgently. "The guard said that call sounded like it was saying, 'This is for the cub inside!'"
Everyone froze. A snow leopard had hunted a snow hare and then delivered it to the hospital entrance? It was simply unheard of.
"Come on! Let's take a look!" Su Mingfeng strode out of the room. The rest of the Su family followed close behind.
When they reached the hospital entrance, the sight before them left them all stunned.
The enormous snow leopard was still lying quietly in the snow. In front of it lay a plump snow hare. The hare's neck had been bitten through, but its body had not been mauled beyond recognition. It lay quietly on the snow, a few spots of bright red blood staining its pure white fur.
The snow leopard was still gazing toward the window of Nuannuan's hospital room. There was not a trace of ferocity in its eyes, only waiting and anticipation.
Guards and medical staff had already gathered all around. They stared at the snow leopard and the hare, their faces filled with surprise and astonishment.
"Did... did that snow leopard really catch this?" the captain of the guards asked, his voice trembling.
"Reporting, Captain, we saw it with our own eyes!" one guard said firmly. "It came over with the hare in its mouth, put it down, called out to us, and then lay down!"
Su Mingfeng walked over to the snow leopard. Looking at the hare, he felt a stir of complicated emotions. This beast had not only saved Nuannuan's life but had also escorted her the whole way. Even now, it was hunting for her. Its loyalty and intelligence exceeded everyone's imagination.
"Is it... bringing Nuannuan something to eat?" Lin Wanyi asked, her voice catching slightly.
A thoughtful expression appeared on Su Zhenbang's face as well. He had spent his life in the military and had encountered countless extraordinary people and strange events, but this was his first time seeing such an intelligent beast.
"Take the hare," Su Mingfeng told the captain of the guards. "Have someone clean it and send it to the kitchen. Make soup for Nuannuan."
The captain paused in surprise, then immediately accepted the order. "Yes, sir!"
Su Mingyuan stepped forward and studied the snow leopard, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. He was a scientific researcher, curious about everything unknown.
"This snow leopard... its behavioral patterns fall completely outside my understanding of animals." Su Mingyuan pushed up his glasses, a hint of excitement in his voice. "It doesn't just possess extremely high intelligence. It also has exceptionally strong emotions. Its attachment to Nuannuan has already gone beyond simple animal instinct."
"There's a special connection between it and Nuannuan," Su Mingfeng said quietly. "Nuannuan can understand what it says. And it can understand her."
Su Mingyuan and Su Mingguo both froze. They looked at Su Mingfeng, their eyes filled with shock.
"Beast language?" Su Mingyuan's voice trembled. "You mean Nuannuan can communicate with animals?"
Su Mingfeng nodded and briefly recounted how Nuannuan had commanded the rats in the enclosed freight car, as well as the snow leopard and the wolf pack on the snowy plains.
After hearing him out, the Su family fell silent. They looked toward the hospital room window, then back at the snow leopard lying in the snow.
They knew that Nuannuan was not only the Su family's lost pearl, but also a child with a special ability. Her return would have an unprecedented impact on the Su family, and even on the country.
"This... this is nothing short of a miracle!" Su Mingyuan's voice trembled, and a fervent expression appeared on his face. "If Nuannuan really can communicate with animals, her value in scientific research will be immeasurable!"
"Nuannuan's health is what matters most right now," Su Mingguo said gravely. "Her special ability must be kept strictly confidential. Until she recovers, no one is allowed to mention this."
Su Zhenbang looked at the snow leopard, then at the window of Nuannuan's hospital room. A thoughtful expression appeared on his face. He knew that Nuannuan's return meant more than a reunion for the Su family. It was also an enormous opportunity.
The snow leopard seemed to sense the Su family's gazes. It raised its head slightly, its ice-blue eyes turning once again toward the window of Nuannuan's hospital room. A low rumble rose from its throat, as though it were declaring something.
Through its actions, this loyal snow leopard had proven to everyone how it protected Nuannuan. It was not only her lifesaver, but also her most loyal companion. Its presence filled the Su family with even more anticipation and imaginings about Nuannuan's future.
The guards carefully took the hare away and sent it to the kitchen. The snow leopard remained where it lay, as though it knew its "get-well meal" had been accepted. It waited quietly, waiting for its cub to recover as soon as possible.