CHAPTER 270: CHAPTER 268 QIN LAN·RED HAND

Early in the morning at the shelter, Chen Xin had already prepared breakfast and naturally asked Qin Lan when he saw her coming out of the room, "A Lan, are you getting used to using your hand?"

Upon hearing Chen Xin’s question, Qin Lan raised her right hand, her expression somewhat complicated.

Her right hand was no longer original but rather a prosthetic made from carbon fiber, adorned with large black and red lines. A red metal glove, matching the prosthetic, lay on the table beside her.

"A bit of discomfort, but it’s much better than before," Qin Lan moved her fingers and replied to Chen Xin, "The sensation from the prosthetic is still a bit strange."

Towards the prosthetic that Chen Xin installed for her, Qin Lan’s feelings were complex and a little emotional, especially since this was actually the second hand Chen Xin made for her after he returned.

In fact, when Chen Xin first returned and heard about Qin Lan’s desire to die due to losing her right hand, he was genuinely worried about her.

But to evoke Qin Lan’s will to live, Chen Xin deliberately spoke with a dismissive attitude to Qin Lan, who had been waiting for him to return as a farewell to this world: "It’s just a hand, isn’t it? I can make you one, and that’s that!"

Such words, combined with Chen Xin’s complete nonchalance, immediately made Qin Lan angry.

She had barely held on, hoping to see Chen Xin one last time before she would die, but Chen Xin seemed indifferent to her, which for Qin Lan was undoubtedly a massive humiliation, even making her forget her suicidal intention.

I went through hell and high water for you, and you show such indifference? Saying "it’s just a hand," do you think making a prosthetic is an easy task?

With anger, Qin Lan wanted to see how Chen Xin would make a hand, and it turned out this was truly just another matter for Chen Xin.

Measuring Qin Lan’s intact left hand with a tape, recording dimensions, modeling, flipping, designing, then inputting into the workbench, putting in materials – a brand new metal prosthetic was made this way, installed on Qin Lan by Mo Qingxin in about half an hour in the operating room.

"This hand was made temporarily, so just make do for now. I’ll get some carbon fiber material over time and make you a better one."

Qin Lan still remembers Chen Xin’s words as she walked out of the operating room with the prosthetic installed, making her feel like it was indeed nothing to Chen Xin.

And while adapting to the right hand, which was noticeably heavier than before, Qin Lan’s desire to die was similarly diluted by anger.

After calming down, dispelling the suicidal thoughts, Qin Lan finally realized that Chen Xin intentionally angered her to stop her from thinking about suicide out of anger.

Because Chen Xin knew her personality very well, aware that she was strong-willed. If Chen Xin showed a look of pity and sympathy, it would only sting Qin Lan’s self-esteem, making her feel even more like a burden and want to end her life.

But showing indifference as if her life’s struggles over this would only stimulate Qin Lan’s will to survive.

Later, Chen Xin quickly fulfilled his promise, creating her a prosthetic made from carbon fiber material and specially designing a red Power Glove as exclusive equipment for her right hand.

Knowing all this and understanding how much Chen Xin did for her, Qin Lan’s feelings about her prosthetic were complex because she still felt like a burden to Chen Xin, despite the carbon fiber arm’s flexibility and responsiveness being identical, if not superior, to her original arm.

Qin Lan knows the reason she has such a prosthetic is entirely thanks to Chen Xin.

Without Chen Xin, she would still be the one-handed cripple with no choice but to wait for death in this world where everyone struggles on the edge of life and death.

Perhaps the police force would arrange some simple job she could manage with one hand, allowing her to do something, at least not just idly wait for death, but this was something Qin Lan couldn’t bear.

She couldn’t stand the proud self she once was becoming an object of pity and sympathy, unable to handle life independently and needing others’ care.

But Chen Xin gave her a second chance, creating a delicate and flexible prosthetic that let her appear entirely unchanged from before the injury once she put on the sleeve and glove, with this hand being no less than her original. With the Power Glove specially crafted by Chen Xin, she could even dismantle civilian vehicles barehanded.

Yet the more useful the hand was, the more Qin Lan felt she owed Chen Xin a lot.

Because of this sense of indebtedness, Qin Lan didn’t return to the police force and stayed with Chen Xin, knowing that as long as she used this hand, she could never repay Chen Xin’s kindness.

For Qin Lan’s mindset, Chen Xin also felt helpless but couldn’t deny this might be a good thing.

After all, Qin Lan was trained as a professional sniper and, in terms of individual quality and combat strength, even stronger than Han Ping, a retired soldier, especially since Chen Xin had equipped her with the Power Glove, pushing her capabilities to an extraordinary level.

With Qin Lan staying here with a sense of debt, it was a real contribution to the shelter’s precious strength.

Perhaps there was suspicion of taking advantage of someone in distress, but Chen Xin couldn’t just stand by watching Qin Lan commit suicide due to losing a limb.

So these results were possibly the best for both her and Chen Xin.

Therefore, the two now tacitly avoided talking about the matter and simply discussed the usage situation of the prosthetic peacefully.

"Sensation strange? I thought it was fine. Last night, apart from being a bit cold and hard, I didn’t notice much difference," Chen Xin placed breakfast in front of Qin Lan.

Upon hearing Chen Xin’s words, Qin Lan’s face flushed red, pinching Chen Xin with her left hand while saying, "Stop saying that! Do you know how hard it is to wash? And aren’t you afraid your parents will hear?"

"Hear? I think my mom would just be concerned about when you’d marry me," Chen Xin replied teasingly with a careless smirk on his face.

Faced with such words, Qin Lan could only lower her head and eat her breakfast, as there was nothing else she could say. At this moment, Mo Qingyan, Mo Qingxin, and Chen Xin’s parents also arrived at the table to prepare for breakfast together.

"Xinxin, go upstairs and call Han Ping and the others down for breakfast," Chen Xin glanced at Mo Qingxin, instructing her.