Chapter 27, Second Mission (Two-in-One, Including Bonus...)
Still reeling from the shock, the fear still lingering, a sharp, tearing pain shot through Shi's heart. Her breath caught in her throat, her small chest heaving violently, yet she still couldn't inhale enough air; the agony of suffocation instantly overwhelmed her.
"Hah...hah..." She curled up in pain, clutching her chest tightly with her small hands. Her face turned from pale to bluish-purple at a visible speed, and finally collapsed to the ground, struggling and panting like a fish out of water.
Meanwhile, Yan Sheng, who was focused on the scroll, noticed the change. He put down his book, moved swiftly to Shi's side, and quickly checked on her condition.
It is acute hypoxia caused by sudden cardiac arrest.
Without hesitation, Yan Sheng placed his palm on Shi's chest, and a gentle stream of chakra slowly flowed from his palm into Shi's body.
This action is extremely dangerous. If not handled carefully and out of control, it will not only fail to save lives, but will also directly damage the patient's fragile heart, causing irreversible consequences.
However, this is not a problem for Yen Sheng.
Yan Sheng's control over his own chakra, if not at its pinnacle, is certainly at the "grandmaster" level.
He manipulated the chakra, helping Shi's heart, which had suddenly stopped as if due to mechanical failure, to resume its regular beating.
It's like an invisible hand gently squeezing the fragile heart within the poem, mimicking its proper beating rhythm, guiding it out of chaos and back onto the right track.
In situations where chakra is unavailable, some top healers, when faced with such emergencies, would employ a similar principle, albeit a more brutal and direct approach: opening the chest cavity and directly massaging and stimulating the heart with their bare hands.
The risks are so high and the success rate so low that only one case of successfully performing such an operation and keeping the patient alive could make someone famous worldwide.
—Under Yan Sheng's terrifying control, Shi's nearly stopped heart, as if wound up again, slowly and laboriously regained its autonomous and regular beating under his guidance.
The horrifying color gradually faded from her bluish-purple cheeks, and a faint trace of color returned. Her rapid and labored breathing slowly subsided, turning into weak but steady breathing.
Sensing that her heartbeat was stabilizing, Yan Sheng withdrew his hand without hesitation, then stood up and looked down at the unconscious but now stable girl on the ground. His eyes were calm and unwavering, as if the thrilling rescue just now was merely a dust mote to be brushed away.
Yan Sheng had no interest in investigating the reason for Shi's sudden illness. As far as he was concerned, it was fine as long as the person didn't get into trouble in front of him, so as to avoid dealing with a lot of trouble later.
Even if something unexpected happens, no one can blame him. After all, the cause of the illness lies with the girl herself and has nothing to do with him. But it's foreseeable that Izuna will nag endlessly about it.
Yan Sheng sat back down at his desk indifferently, picked up the book he had just put down, and continued reading as his fingertips brushed across the pages.
Three hours passed quietly, and dusk settled in.
Outside the window, the rosy glow gradually painted the sky, casting long, slanted shadows on the still objects inside the room.
The room was so quiet that the only sounds were the soft rustling of pages turning and the girl's almost inaudible, steady breathing.
—The poem never awoke.
If it were anyone else, faced with a child who had been unconscious for such a long time, they would probably have panicked and would not have dared to delay and would have gone to find a doctor long ago.
However, Yan Sheng remained seated as still as a mountain, making no move.
Although he was not a doctor, he possessed an extraordinary and terrifying insight into the workings and states of the human body. Therefore, he was very clear that the girl's life was not in danger.
As for why he hasn't woken up yet, perhaps his body is too weak and needs deep hibernation to recover. That's not within his concern.
......
Just as Yan Sheng finished reading one book and was about to pick up another, a slight noise came from the corner.
Shi's long eyelashes fluttered a few times, then she slowly opened her eyes. At first, her eyes were filled with a hazy, bewildered look. She sat up blankly, rubbed her eyes, and found a brightly colored picture book open beside her head.
Memories slowly flooded back like a tide.
She remembered... she was in her cousin Yan Sheng's room, who seemed so cold and aloof. Although he didn't pay much attention to her, he gave her a sketchbook to pass the time. Then... she looked at it for a while, got too sleepy, and fell asleep, having a very, very terrible nightmare.
Then... my heart suddenly started hurting terribly, I couldn't breathe, and it felt like I was going to die...
Before she completely lost consciousness, in her blurred vision, she seemed to glimpse her cousin Yan Sheng walking towards her, and it seemed... he did something? After that, she knew nothing more.
However, now that I'm awake, I feel warm and comfortable inside, and the terrible feeling of suffocation and pain I had before has completely disappeared.
Did... Cousin Yan Sheng save her?
With a cautious, somewhat timid, and inquisitive look, Shi turned his head and gazed at the figure behind the desk by the window.
As the sun set, warm golden rays streamed through the window, gently bathing the boy in a soft glow that softened his otherwise aloof demeanor. The light outlined his delicate profile; his fair skin appeared almost translucent in the light, his long, thick eyelashes drooped, casting a faint shadow beneath his eyes, his nose was straight, and his lips were pale pink—every feature seemed meticulously sculpted.
Bathed in the glow of the sunset, he shed some of his usual coldness and hardness, revealing a serene and fragile beauty that seemed almost unreal.
While no one in the Uchiha clan is ugly, among a group of beautiful people, there are always those who are even more beautiful. As the saying goes, there's no limit to how beautiful someone can be.
Yan Sheng was the one with the character "更" in his name. So were his two older brothers.
Uchiha Tajima and Uchiha Kaori were both top-tier beauties among the Uchiha clan, so their child naturally surpassed them in appearance.
As he looked at the poem, he couldn't help but be stunned.
She couldn't help but wonder: Had she misunderstood her cousin Yan Sheng before? Perhaps he was just quiet and didn't talk much. Actually... he was a really good person; he not only gave her the sketchbook but also helped her when she was feeling down.
A mixture of gratitude, guilt, and a touch of intimacy began to quietly sprout in her young heart.
When Izuna finished dealing with clan affairs and rushed over to pick up Shi, it was already completely dark.
He smiled apologetically at the two children, his tone gentle: "Sorry, I had too much to do today, which kept me from getting here until now." Then he looked at Yan Sheng and asked, "Yan Sheng, did you take good care of your little sister today?"
Before Yan Sheng could speak, a soft voice spoke first: "Brother Yan Sheng takes good care of me."
Upon hearing this, Izuna's face showed obvious surprise, which quickly turned into relief. He hadn't been wrong after all; his younger brother was only outwardly cold, but like Madara, he harbored a delicate and gentle heart. He just wasn't good at expressing it.
Thinking of this, Izuna's eyes softened. He bent down and gently stroked Yan Sheng's hair with his warm palm: "Thank you for your hard work, Yan Sheng."
Yan Sheng: "".
Not only was Izuna surprised, but even Kokushiro himself found it strange.
Why did this little girl suddenly say something like that? Was she trying to please him? Or was she trying to please Izuna?
Izuna was unaware of his younger brother's inner thoughts. In a good mood, he picked up Shi and left.
The little girl obediently rested her head on his shoulder, waved her little hand in Yan Sheng's direction, and a shy and sincere smile bloomed on her face. Two shallow dimples appeared and disappeared, making her look very cute. It was just a pity that she was too thin, and there was not much flesh on her face, which was even more obvious when she smiled.
Yan Sheng was momentarily dazed.
The little girl's shy, smiling face suddenly overlapped with a small, thin figure from the depths of his memory—a figure that was long blurred (fake) yet once incredibly familiar (real).
[Brother.] In my memory, that child always looked at him with eyes full of dependence and admiration.
"Brother." The little girl in front of him also looked at him with reliance and admiration.
【See you tomorrow. 】
"goodbye."
***
Yan Sheng carried the scroll he had finished reading to the library to return it. His steps were unhurried, and his expression remained as indifferent as ever.
Not far behind him, a small figure followed at a distance—it was Shi. Like a little tail, she followed a few steps behind Yan Sheng when he went to return books; and when Yan Sheng picked out new books and carried them back, she still kept her distance, slowly trailing behind.
This somewhat unusual combination caught the attention of some older Uchiha children playing nearby. They stopped playing and looked on curiously.
"Huh? Whose daughter is that? Why is she always following that sickly boy?" A boy scratched his head, looking puzzled.
“I’ve never seen him before…he’s not one we usually play with,” the other child replied.
At this moment, a child who seemed to vaguely remember her hesitated and said, "I think... I've seen her at the nursery."
The moment the words "nursery" were uttered, the children immediately fell silent, their playful expressions vanishing and replaced by pity.
In this family that was frequently embroiled in war, they understood better than anyone what the deaths of their parents meant. It was an extremely tragic event in itself.
Looking at the little girl's thin and small appearance, she probably isn't very old. Losing both parents at such a young age makes her all the more pitiful.
But... why did she insist on following Yan Sheng? Everyone knows Yan Sheng is notoriously aloof in the clan, ignoring everyone and always wearing a cold expression. Wouldn't the young girl be just asking for trouble by following him, offering her enthusiasm only to be met with indifference?
A girl from the Uchiha clan, who had once tried to talk to Yan Sheng because she felt sorry for him being all alone, only to be coldly ignored, felt a pang of pity for Shi as she looked at Shi's well-behaved yet lonely figure. She couldn't help but softly call out to Shi as she passed by with Yan Sheng again, "Little sister?"
Shi stopped, turned around, and looked up at the older sister who had called her. Her big eyes were filled with a hint of doubt, but she still bowed slightly politely: "Hello, sister, is there anything I can help you with?"
What a polite child!
Her obedient appearance was a stark contrast to Yan Sheng's.
The girl crouched down, trying to make her tone as gentle as possible: "What's your name?"
"My name is Shi," the little girl answered softly.
"Shi? That's a very nice name." The girl smiled, then asked her question, "Shi, why are you always following Yan Sheng?"
Upon hearing this, Shi replied without hesitation, in a childlike voice and earnest tone, "Because Brother Yan Sheng is a very good person."
girl:"......?"
Her smile froze instantly, and a huge question mark almost popped into her mind.
Who? Good? Yan Sheng?
She subconsciously looked up at Yan Sheng's long-gone, indifferent back, then turned back to look at Shi, who had a sincere expression on his face. For the first time, she felt a strong sense of recognition for the "cognitive differences between people".
The Uchiha girl's expression was priceless, as if she had heard the most unbelievable thing in the world. She opened her mouth, looking into Shi's big eyes, which were filled with seriousness and a little shyness, and for a moment she didn't know how to respond.
"Uh... is that so?" She could only manage to squeeze out a few words, then gave an awkward laugh. "That's... that's good. But Yan Sheng probably prefers quiet, so Shi, remember not to disturb him."
Otherwise, it wouldn't be good to be scolded.
Shi nodded obediently: "Yes! I know, I'll stay quietly."
Looking at Shi's completely trusting, even slightly proud, expression, the girl felt an even deeper sense of unease and confusion.
She simply couldn't reconcile the word "very good" with the cold and aloof Yan Sheng. In the end, she could only attribute it to the naivety of a child.
Perhaps Yan Sheng just casually gave him a piece of candy? Or was it simply because this child was so starved for love that even the smallest bit of attention was magnified?
With mixed feelings, she patted Shi's head and left with a heart full of pity and sympathy.
Seeing that her sister had left, Shi immediately took off running in the direction Yan Sheng had gone.
For her, although her cousin Yan Sheng rarely spoke and didn't play with her, he could make her feel better when she was in so much pain that she felt like she was going to die. And... Yan Sheng had never scolded her or chased her away. That was enough.
Gradually, people got used to seeing Yan Sheng with a little tail following him. The initial surprise and gossip slowly subsided, and now at most people would privately sigh, "That child is really strange, she just likes to follow the cold and aloof Yan Sheng," or "It's strange that Yan Sheng can tolerate her following him," and no longer pay much attention to it.
The happiest person about this was none other than Izuna. Whenever he saw Shi obediently following behind his younger brother or quietly spending time with him, Izuna's belief that "his younger brother is indeed cold on the outside but warm on the inside" would become even stronger, and he would even feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction as an older brother.
However, upon closer observation, he noticed that it always seemed to be Shi who took the initiative to approach him, while Yan Sheng rarely responded. Izuna couldn't help but worry that the obedient and sensible Shi might feel frustrated or wronged in the long run.
So, he would occasionally bring some snacks for Shi and offer her gentle encouragement.
Then, those snacks were presented to Yan Sheng as if they were a precious treasure.
Yan Sheng, who doesn't have a sweet tooth and especially finds the Uchiha clan's sweets cloyingly sweet: "..."
The day was sunny and breezy, with bright sunlight streaming through the windows and filling the room.
Yan Sheng and Shi quietly went about their own business. The former remained immersed in ancient texts, constantly trying to put theoretical deductions into practice, attempting to find the "technical path" that could reliably awaken the Sharingan, but unfortunately, there was still no progress.
Shi then lay down on a small table specially prepared for her, diligently copying the calligraphy model. It is worth mentioning that the calligraphy model she was using was written by Yan Sheng himself.
No one instructed Yan Sheng to teach poetry; it was all Yan Sheng's own arrangement. Seeing how thoughtful her younger brother was, Izuna felt very gratified and completely let go, entrusting her little cousin entirely to Yan Sheng's care.
Yan Sheng's handwriting is exceptionally beautiful, with a bold and vigorous style that is both elegant and refined. To be honest, he initially tried to conceal it, but now he doesn't even bother pretending anymore.
In his previous life, as a highly cultivated noble heir, he received an education far exceeding that of ordinary people, so it was only natural that he could write beautiful characters.
If anyone asks, they always claim it's because of talent.
Madara and Izuna didn't find anything wrong with it, and their mother, Kaori, was used to it. The Uchiha clan was known for producing geniuses in every field, and it wasn't unusual for a ten-year-old child to be able to write well. This meant that Kokusatsu's talent lay in this area.
As Shi was concentrating on drawing the strokes, he suddenly heard a suppressed and muffled cough coming from the side.
She knew that her brother Yan Sheng was in poor health, especially after spending so much time together, she already knew this. Therefore, although she was worried, she was not too panicked. She simply stood up reflexively, wanting to pour Yan Sheng a glass of warm water.
However, just as she straightened up, she heard a loud "whoosh." Yan Sheng coughed up a mouthful of bright red blood, which splattered onto his dark clothes and the books in front of him, a shocking sight.
Shi was instantly terrified, her face turned deathly pale, her eyes immediately reddened, and she froze on the spot.
In contrast, Yan Sheng calmly took out a clean handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the bloodstains from the corner of his mouth with a normal expression, as if he were just brushing away a bit of dust.
For him, vomiting blood was a daily occurrence; it would be strange if he didn't vomit one day.
Just as he was about to continue reading, he saw Shi, who had been terrified, finally come to her senses and run over with a sob in her voice. She grabbed his sleeve and cried out, "Brother Yan Sheng! We...we need to go find a doctor!"
Yan Sheng remained unmoved by Shi's panic and tugging. He even gently brushed away her small hand clutching his sleeve, his tone calm and even, revealing no pain or urgency: "No need."
After saying that, he paused, looking at the little girl's pale face and tearful eyes, and unusually added an explanation: "It's an old problem. She won't die."
The way he spoke was with a suffocating calmness, as if he were discussing the weather.
Shi, however, couldn't understand this "calmness" at all. Seeing her bewildered and frightened expression, still frozen in place, Yan Sheng paused for a moment, then tried to dismiss her, adding, "If you're really worried, go get me a glass of water."
Shi seemed to have finally found her anchor, nodding hurriedly and running to pour water. In her haste, she spilled quite a bit. She carefully returned with the glass and handed it to Yan Sheng, her large eyes fixed on him as if afraid he might collapse at any moment.
Yan Sheng took the water glass, took a symbolic sip, and put it down, ignoring the poem and turning his attention back to the book.
But Shi had no heart to practice calligraphy anymore. She hugged her knees, curled up on a mat not too far from Yan Sheng, and would occasionally peek up to observe Yan Sheng's complexion to make sure he was alright and hadn't vomited blood again.
As the days went by, the war between the Uchiha and Senju clans continued to rage from time to time, seemingly without end.
Yan Sheng's health condition has not improved much, and he still coughs up blood from time to time.
Shi gradually went from being at a loss and terrified to being able to accept it calmly. However, her attention to Yan Sheng became increasingly meticulous.
Occasionally, in a fleeting moment, Yan Sheng would catch a glimpse of an old friend in Shi's eyes or a subtle gesture.
At times like these, his mood would turn extremely bad, his aura would become even lower, and he would show even more coldness and impatience towards poetry than usual.
Poetry was sensitive and naturally noticed this change. Confused and uneasy, she could only wonder if she had done something wrong that had annoyed her brother Yan Sheng, her heart filled with resentment and self-doubt.
Yan Sheng was quite annoyed by Shi's timid and submissive demeanor. Finally, one day, when Shi became uneasy again due to Yan Sheng's sudden coldness, he spoke. His voice was still devoid of warmth, but it carried a rare, almost didactic quality:
"It's none of your business."
He first rejected her self-blame, then said in a slightly stiff tone, "Can you stop assuming it's your fault every time something happens? You should also learn to question others appropriately."
In his previous life, Yan Sheng was a city lord with a vast retinue of servants and surrounded by children and relatives. He knew all too well how to distinguish the attribution of responsibility and the considerations and duties that people of different statuses should have. How to guide, instruct, and even control people's hearts was an instinct that had long been ingrained in his bones.
Nowadays, he probably regards poetry as... a younger sister. He doesn't care much about it, but he's not completely indifferent either.
Therefore, on certain matters that he deemed necessary, he would offer her some guidance. But this guidance was extremely limited, merely a casual suggestion, like trimming the branches that were growing wildly outside the window. As for whether those branches would wither or flourish in the future, he didn't care much about it.
Shi stood there, stunned, blinking her big eyes as she processed the meaning of the sentence.
It wasn't her fault? Should we learn to question others?
For a child who is so well-behaved and sensible that he is almost timid, this is a completely new, even somewhat "rebellious" way of thinking.
She didn't quite understand, but she always kept Yan Sheng's words in mind.
From then on, Shi underwent some subtle changes. She remained obedient, but occasionally, when faced with injustice or grievances, she would no longer silently endure them, but would raise her little head, with a hint of hesitation and probing, and quietly raise her questions or objections.
Although the sound was very soft, it was still an improvement.
As Yan Sheng watched Shi slowly muster her courage, a barely perceptible hint of relief, a sense of "she's teachable," flashed across his eyes.
***
Time flies, and another year has passed in the blink of an eye. Yan Sheng has turned eleven.
During this time, he still failed to awaken the Sharingan.
Poetry at age three.
Since coming to Yan Sheng's side, thanks to relatively stable and meticulous dietary care, her originally thin body has gradually become plump and she has grown taller.
More importantly, her personality has become much more lively and cheerful than when she first arrived, and her former timid and hesitant demeanor has completely changed.
She's even become so bold now that she's almost "overstepping the bounds"—
"Brother Yansheng, is the food not to your liking today? You only ate a few bites and then stopped eating." Shi tilted her head, looking at the bowl and chopsticks in front of Yansheng that had hardly been touched, and asked with a worried tone.
"I'm full." Yan Sheng's reply was as concise and indifferent as ever.
“No,” Shi said seriously, her little brows furrowed, analyzing like a little detective, “Brother Yan Sheng didn’t secretly eat anything else. At your age, you should be able to eat two bowls of rice. But you’ve only eaten half a bowl, and you’ve only touched the vegetables a few times.”
Upon hearing this, Yan Sheng raised his eyes, his gaze slightly oppressive as he looked at her. Normally, if he simply frowned and showed displeasure, Shi would immediately fall silent and dare not say another word.
However, this tactic seems to have lost its effectiveness now.
Instead of backing down, Shi continued even more earnestly, "And I've been observing that Brother Yan Sheng never eats much. He won't grow tall if he keeps doing that!"
The question about "height" hit Yan Sheng's sore spot perfectly.
But he really didn't want to force himself. He genuinely disliked the excessive sweetness in the Uchiha clan's food, which seemed to be added without restraint. Almost all the dishes had a cloying sweetness that made him lose his appetite.
Yan Sheng remained silent, attempting to end the conversation by giving the cold shoulder.
To everyone's surprise, Shi just stared at him with her big, unblinking eyes, determined not to give up until she got an answer.
After a long stalemate, Yan Sheng, annoyed by the persistent gaze, finally managed to squeeze out three words through gritted teeth with extreme impatience: "Too sweet."
"What?" Shi didn't react for a moment.
Yan Sheng shut his mouth and refused to say another word.
Shi paused for a moment, then fell into deep thought.
The next day, when the food was served again, Yan Sheng took his first bite, paused slightly while chewing, and a rare, subtle change appeared on his usually expressionless face.
The sweetness has been greatly reduced, almost undetectable; the flavor is more about the natural taste of the ingredients and a perfectly balanced salty and savory taste.
Shi, who was standing to the side, carefully observed his reaction. Seeing this, she immediately patted her little chest proudly and said with bright eyes, "I asked Grandma in the kitchen yesterday! From now on, I will be responsible for telling Grandma how to cook Yan Sheng's meals!"
Poetry has actually learned to proactively bother others?
This surprised Yan Sheng. In his memory, the child had always been timid and shy, preferring to silently endure inconvenience rather than easily ask for help from others.
Shi seemed to see the fleeting surprise in Yan Sheng's eyes and explained, "I didn't ask my mother-in-law for help for nothing! The ingredients used were all from Yan Sheng's portion. I told my mother-in-law that I could give her a little bit of her hard work, and she was happy to help adjust the flavors."
Yan Sheng: "..."
Oh. I see.
He uses his resources and possessions to "bother" others.
***
Yan Sheng had read through almost all the clan's ancient scrolls, but his progress in mastering the Sharingan remained stagnant, making little progress whatsoever.
Yan Sheng knew that "working behind closed doors" was pointless, so he decided to go out and seek "opportunities".
However, he could not leave the clan's territory at will. Firstly, his body was special, and secondly, it was a time of war, and the Uchiha clan's bloodline limit was the target of covetousness from various forces... It was easy to imagine that his two elder brothers would never allow him to go out.
After much deliberation, Yan Sheng decided to take a relatively safe approach: accept a mission that required him to go out.
To avoid being obstructed by Madara and Izuna, he deliberately bypassed the mission channels handled by his brothers and went to the mission hall in the clan, where he found the elder in charge.
The elder didn't have much of an impression of Yan Sheng, only vaguely remembering that he was the clan leader's younger brother who was frail and sickly since childhood, had never been on the battlefield, and was well protected by his two older brothers.
The elder looked at the pale-faced, thin-figured boy before him, his brows furrowing slightly as he spoke with suspicion: "You want to take on a mission? Does your brother know about this?"
Yan Sheng had already prepared his explanation. He lowered his eyes and spoke with just the right amount of sincerity and a hint of longing: "My brothers are busy with their affairs, and I don't want to bother them too much. But I also want to do my part for the family. Please rest assured, I will only accept non-combat missions."
The elder naturally understood the implication in his words: the clan leader was unaware of this. He instinctively wanted to refuse, after all, if this young master were to suffer any mishap outside, and the clan leader held him accountable, he would be held responsible.
However, Yan Sheng did not give up. He earnestly persuaded the elders with his "desire to serve the clan" and even elevated the matter to the level of "fulfilling the clansman's duty". His persuasive words, which moved the elders with emotion and reason, made it difficult for them to refuse him firmly.
Looking into the boy's incredibly sincere eyes, and considering that these were just simple, non-combat missions with manageable risks, the elder hesitated for a long time before finally nodding in agreement.
He searched through the pile of mission files for a long time before finally pulling out a mission scroll that had been lying at the bottom of a box and no one had bothered with it.
The task was poorly paid (relatively speaking) and quite tedious and troublesome, taking a lot of time and effort, so no one was willing to take it on.
Yan Sheng took the mission scroll handed to him by the elder and unfolded it to examine it closely.
It turned out to be a lost item quest—the scroll described that the employer had lost a rather important family heirloom, and according to his deduction, it was lost in Taili Town.
Tairi Town is the closest human settlement to the Uchiha clan's territory. Yan Sheng had long planned to go there, but a suitable opportunity hadn't presented itself until this mission came at just the right time.
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Author's Note: Thanks for subscribing! (spins around)
Brother: My brother is very good.
Poetry: Identification
Others: ??? Your filters are thicker than a city wall!
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