The seafood trapped in the shallow pools between the rocks was easy to spot. Shen Niao didn’t dare grab them with her hands, so she used the fire tongs instead—clamping one and tossing it into the bucket, then another, and another.
When Zhang Cuihua returned after prying oysters off the rocks, she looked into the bucket and laughed at Shen Niao.
“These crabs and mantis shrimp have more shell than meat, and they’re a pain to eat.”
“As for sea urchins, there’s barely enough inside for two bites. Sea cucumbers are alright, but my Jianguo doesn’t like them.”
After living here for so many years, Zhang Cuihua had tried cooking nearly every kind of seafood available. No matter how she prepared it, though, her husband still preferred the dishes from their hometown.
Holding down the hat that the sea breeze kept trying to blow away, Shen Niao caught another snapping crab and tossed it into the bucket.
“I’ll cook lunch today. I guarantee everyone will love it.”
“Hehe, alright! Then I’ll tend the fire for you.”
The moment she heard Shen Niao was cooking, Zhang Cuihua beamed. With Xiao Shen in the kitchen, how could anything taste bad?
One woman busily collected every kind of seafood she could find while the other tirelessly pried oysters from the rocks.
Before long, the bucket was full.
Just as they were about to carry it home together, they heard someone crying and shouting from the distance.
“Help! My little sister fell into the water!”
Shen Niao’s expression changed immediately.
“A child fell into the sea. I’m going over.”
“It’s alright. People around here are excellent swimmers, and the patrol soldiers are nearby. Someone will definitely rescue her.”
Zhang Cuihua was familiar with the local customs.
Sure enough, from afar Shen Niao saw several women and a few patrolling soldiers rush into the churning water. Moments later, one of them emerged carrying a child.
She let out a sigh of relief.
But before she had taken more than two steps, a heart-wrenching wail erupted.
“Little Sister! Wake up! Little Sister!”
Shen Niao sprinted toward the crowd.
Seeing something was wrong, Zhang Cuihua threw down the bucket and ran after her.
A small circle of people had gathered. By the time Shen Niao reached them, a young soldier had already picked up the child and was running toward the military base.
“Put her down! I know how to resuscitate her!”
Even at top speed, it would take five or six minutes to reach the base. Judging by the child’s lifeless condition, she would miss the golden window for rescue.
She rushed over and shouted,
“How long has she been underwater?”
“Quick! Tell me! Lay her flat—I can save her!”
A little boy of about five, his face streaked with tears, sobbed,
“I-it wasn’t long… I just turned around, and my little sister was gone.”
There was no time to waste.
Seeing the young soldier still hesitating, Shen Niao took the child from his arms and laid her flat on the sand.
She first checked the pulse in the child’s neck.
Nothing.
Her face turned solemn.
She quickly lifted the child’s chin, opened her mouth, confirmed there were no obstructions, then immediately bent down and delivered five rescue breaths.
After that, she turned the child’s head to one side and began chest compressions while calmly instructing Zhang Cuihua.
“Move everyone back! Give us space! Notify the military to send a vehicle here immediately. If anyone has a watch, keep track of how long she’s been unconscious.”
Zhang Cuihua’s panicked mind instantly cleared.
She quickly identified herself to the patrolling soldiers, and together they dispersed the crowd.
The patrol leader happened to be wearing a watch. He immediately pulled it out and started timing.
While performing chest compressions, Shen Niao counted loudly.
“…Twenty-eight… Twenty-nine… Thirty.”
She bent down and gave two rescue breaths.
Then she resumed compressions.
“…Twenty-eight… Twenty-nine… Thirty.”
Again.
And again.
Shen Niao had no idea how many cycles she repeated.
She only knew that sweat poured from her forehead in great drops, stinging her eyes, but she didn’t dare stop to wipe it away.
She mechanically repeated the lifesaving motions.
At last, someone cried out as they rushed forward.
The child suddenly coughed up a mouthful of seawater.
“Waah—!”
A weak cry followed.
Beside her, Zhang Cuihua burst into tears.
“She’s alive! She’s alive!”
The tension finally left Shen Niao’s body.
Still kneeling, she swayed backward.
But before she could fall, a pair of strong, steady arms caught her.
She murmured a quiet thanks.
Turning her head, she found herself looking into Wu Qingchuan’s deep, dark eyes, which were fixed intently on her.
Shen Niao curved her lips into a smile, borrowed his support to stand up, then turned to the soldier keeping time.
“From the moment I started CPR until she woke up—how long?”
“Four minutes.”
Shen Niao’s expression remained grave.
She grabbed Wu Qingchuan’s sleeve.
“I’m going to the hospital.”
Four minutes was only the time she had been performing CPR.
From the moment the child fell into the water, to being rescued, to Shen Niao arriving, more than six minutes had likely passed.
Although irreversible brain damage or death usually occurs after over ten minutes without oxygen, exceeding six minutes was already extremely dangerous.
Fortunately, she had previously exchanged for Nourishing Origin Pills from a cultivator alchemist. They were said to strengthen the body’s foundation and vitality.
She wasn’t sure whether they would help.
But giving the child one certainly couldn’t hurt.
“I’ll go too.”
Zhang Cuihua hurried after them.
Shen Niao waved at her.
“Sister Cuihua, you should head home.”
With Wu Qingchuan there, there was no need for Zhang Cuihua to come along.
“Alright, then I won’t go.”
A military jeep was already parked by the beach.
The child’s mother climbed into the back holding her daughter.
Wu Qingchuan immediately took the driver’s seat.
Shen Niao hurried into the back as well.
A young soldier climbed into the front passenger seat to coordinate.
The mother kept talking to her daughter nonstop.
Although the little girl had coughed up water and cried earlier, she had now gone quiet again, her eyes closed.
Shen Niao frowned.
She worried prolonged oxygen deprivation might have caused brain damage.
She slipped a hand into her pocket.
When she withdrew it, a small jade bottle was in her hand.
“I have some fast-acting heart medicine. Quickly, place one tablet under her tongue.”
She swiftly poured out a mid-grade Nourishing Origin Pill.
The mother was so flustered she had completely lost her composure.
Recognizing Shen Niao as the one who had saved her daughter, she quickly pried open the child’s mouth.
Shen Niao immediately placed the pill beneath the child’s tongue.
“W-Will it work?” the woman asked.
Shen Niao shook her head.
“I don’t know. But we have to try.”
She couldn’t honestly promise it would help.
Still, the Nourishing Origin Pill came from a cultivation world—and it was mid-grade quality. It couldn’t possibly be completely ineffective.
To everyone’s astonishment, only moments later—
The little girl suddenly coughed violently.
Then her eyes flew open.
“Waahhh!”
Her loud crying instantly filled the entire jeep.
Even the young soldier in the passenger seat turned around, relief washing over his face.
The mother broke down in tears of joy.
“She’s awake! She’s crying!”
“Little Sister, it’s Mommy! Can you hear Mommy?”
The child was still too young to speak clearly.
She mumbled twice.
“Mama…”
Shen Niao nearly cried as well.
Though the little girl was crying, her complexion had already improved considerably.
More importantly, she could recognize and call for her mother.
That meant she was most likely out of danger.
The jeep sped toward the town hospital.
As soon as it arrived, the young soldier jumped out, took the child into his arms, and rushed inside.
The mother followed close behind.
Shen Niao naturally opened the door and hurried to follow.
However, perhaps because she had exerted herself so much during the rescue, her legs suddenly gave way the moment she stepped down.
She stumbled forward.
Just as she shut her eyes, convinced she was about to hit the ground—
A strong arm wrapped firmly around her waist.
The next instant, she fell into a broad, sturdy chest carrying a cool, clean scent.
Opening her eyes, the first thing she saw was the military uniform’s collar, buttoned neatly all the way to the top.