After Master Ruan took away the cat, Almer had no choice but to leave as well.
Before he left, he told her, “I’ll come find you once I finish up.”
Grandpa Ruan: Don’t bother coming back!
“Meow, meow.”
‘Goodbye, Almer!’
Ruan He snorted and held his obedient granddaughter close. “Let’s go have dinner.”
Cat’s ears perked up. Will there be little fish treats today?
Meanwhile, within the Third Legion…
“Marshal, the person you requested has arrived. He was out on a mission today and encountered star pirates. One of them is showing symptoms of a Jingshen breakdown and hasn’t yet been administered a suppressant.”
Ruan Xiao gave a soft hum of acknowledgment, retrieved a potion from his drawer, and went to meet the soldier.
When Jingshen breakdowns occur, those with strong willpower can barely hold it together, but it’s agonizing.
It’s as if someone is hammering inside the head, incessant and unbearable. This kind of pain isn’t something that sheer physical toughness can endure.
After all, they could withstand a hammer blow to their body, but who could bear it when it’s in their mind?
When he met the soldier, he got straight to the point.
“I have a new potion developed specifically for calming mental breakdowns. But so far, it’s only been validated by data, not clinical trials. The choice is yours—either the suppressant or this potion.”
“I’m willing!”
The soldier, pale and drenched in cold sweat, looked at Marshal Ruan and said, “I’m willing to try the potion.”
He trusted Marshal Ruan.
Ruan Xiao took out the potion. “Drink it. Even if it doesn’t work, it won’t harm your body.”
Without hesitation, the soldier drank the potion.
He thought that even if the potion worked, it would likely take a while, just like the suppressant. To his surprise, within less than half a minute, the dull ache in his head subsided considerably, and the pain kept easing further.
Soon, the Jingshen breakdown symptoms had completely calmed down. His eyes filled with delight.
“Marshal, I’m better!”
The nearby medical officer and adjutant looked astonished.
“Better… already?”
“That fast? Lie down over there so we can run some tests.”
Several medics crowded around the soldier, conducting various tests. The final conclusion: the soldier’s Jingshen instability had indeed been fully calmed. The potion worked quickly, was gentle, and had no side effects!
It was simply miraculous!
“Marshal, do you have more of that potion?”
“Marshal Ruan, where did this potion come from? What are its main ingredients?”
“Marshal, is this a newly developed suppressant? Can you tell us more about it?”
“Marshal…”
After confirming that the potion could indeed calm Jingshen instability without any side effects, the few medics who had come along were beyond ecstatic. They couldn’t care less about the usual intense and intimidating aura of Marshal Ruan—they surrounded him, bombarding him with questions.
“Marshal, do you realize what a significant impact this potion will have? This is a solution for calming Jingshen breakdowns, and it’s both gentle and free of side effects. It’s practically miraculous!”
Ruan Xiao raised his hand, gesturing for silence. “I’ll share the details about the potion with everyone, but the raw materials are currently insufficient.”
He looked at the medics. “The raw material was discovered accidentally. For now, let’s keep this under wraps.”
Hearing this, the medics’ expressions showed a mix of regret and disappointment, but they quickly composed themselves.
A shortage now didn’t mean there’d be one forever. They had already found a material that could calm Jingshen breakdowns quickly without any side effects—what remained was further research.
After Ruan Xiao promised to bring some material for them to study, the medics, still thrilled, continued their in-depth examinations on the soldier.
Soldier: “…”
While his mental state had stabilized, his frustration had only grown!
That night, Ruan Xiao returned home. When he went to find his daughter, the little one was feeding her energy to the little kumquat tree.
She was puzzled, though. Didn’t she have a healing-type energy? Why did plants love it so much?
What’s more, after absorbing her energy, the plants seemed to grow faster!
Nearby, small vines kept reaching toward her, trying to soak up some energy as well.
The little kumquat tree had already blossomed again, its tiny white flowers looking fresh and delicate.
Ruan Xiao knocked on the door and came in. Seeing the kumquat tree’s condition, he turned his gaze to his daughter.
The little cat looked up and let out a soft meow at her father, then ran over eagerly, tail swaying, wanting a hug.
Daddy’s home!
The ragdoll cat purred, nuzzling her little head affectionately against his chin.
Ruan Xiao gently stroked his daughter’s fur. “Is the kumquat tree blooming because of Shushu?”
The little cat nodded, her bright blue eyes looking up at him expectantly, clearly wanting praise.
“Shushu is amazing.”
Ruan Xiao rubbed her tiny head, his voice low and gentle. “But you mustn’t show this outside.”
“Meow, meow, meow.”
Shushu understands.
Ruan Xiao held his daughter thoughtfully. “Could the plant mutations also be related to your special energy?”
In his heart, he already knew the answer—it definitely was related. Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence?
“Time for bed.”
He placed the little one on the bed, then picked up the kumquat tree and set it on the shelf on the balcony.
The other two plants, the pothos and the asparagus fern, remained in the room.
After saying goodnight to her father, Ruan Shu rolled around on the bed once before snuggling into the covers and falling asleep. She wondered if the little kumquat tree would grow even more by tomorrow.