Chapter 70 – Someone Falls Ill

“Old Yang! Old Yang, hang in there. The medicine will be here soon!”

Inside the room, Old Yu looked anxious as he shook the gray-haired old man lying on the bed.

The old man’s face was flushed red as he muttered incoherently. His entire body burned with fever, and a wet towel was pressed against his forehead.

A crowd filled the room, everyone helping however they could, some wiping his body, some boiling water, and others racking their brains for a solution.

Tong Lingxian rushed into the room holding a packet of medicine. “It’s here! The medicine is here!”

She opened the cloth bag, rummaged through it, and took out several packets of brown powder. After confirming the special symbol written on them, she quickly found a bowl and poured the powder inside.

“Hot water’s here.” Wu Meixia poured the freshly boiled water into the bowl. She blew on it a few times, briefly cooled it in cold water, and then handed it to Old Yu. “Here.”

Old Yu set down the towel. Together with Zhong Zhicheng, he lifted Old Yang up and propped him against their bodies. Using two fingers, he pinched the corners of Old Yang’s mouth open so he could pour the medicine in.

“Old Yang, take the medicine. You’ll get better once you drink it.”

But Old Yang’s fever had already muddled his mind. He couldn’t hear what anyone was saying. Even when the medicine was poured into his mouth, he didn’t swallow. It simply flowed out from the corner of his lips.

“What should we do? He has to swallow the medicine. If this fever keeps rising, it’ll be bad,” Old Yu said anxiously.

Zhong Zhicheng paced around in agitation. “Uncle Yang, open your mouth! The medicine’s here. Hurry and take it!”

Old Yang still didn’t respond, and the others grew increasingly frantic.

“How about we ask the Brigade Leader for help? Old Yang’s temperature is so high. It won’t come down without an injection.”

“But it’s already so late. Who knows if the clinic still has a doctor on duty? Will the Brigade Leader even help?”

“We have to try…”

The group anxiously discussed every possible option. Old Yu and Zhong Zhicheng, who were especially close to Old Yang, were nearly in tears.

They had spent the most time with him and shared the deepest bond. Now their companion, someone they lived with day and night, had collapsed from nothing more than a cold.

If Old Yang fell… would one of them be next?

They continued calling out to him loudly.

“Old Yang, look at us! Hurry and swallow the medicine. Don’t waste it!”

“Uncle Yang, you said earlier you wanted to live long enough to see your son and daughter again. You have to hold on…”

Standing at the doorway, Tang Yao and Fang Mingxi also felt miserable.

Fang Mingxi’s impression of Old Yang was simple, a quiet man who rarely spoke but was honest and dependable.

Normally, the weeds in the vegetable patch were removed on a rotation. Yet every time Grandpa Yang finished picking vegetables, he would casually help pull the weeds as well.

Even the baskets the two sisters used when they went up the mountain had been woven by him. He had even taught them how to set traps, saying that if they ever encountered prey in the mountains, the traps could help them catch it.

Such a kind old man… how could he suddenly fall ill like this?

Tang Yao felt a deep ache in her chest. She buried her head into Fang Mingxi’s arms and murmured in a muffled voice, “Xixi… is Grandpa Yang going to…”

…die like Grandpa did?

She still remembered last year clearly. Grandpa had been lying in bed like this too. Once he closed his eyes, he never woke up again.

Later it was Father, Mother, and even her little sister. They had all lain on small beds just like this and never opened their eyes again to look at her.

Now, after only a few months together, Grandpa Yang lay the same way.

Tang Yao couldn’t help but recall that nightmare from the past.

She was terrified.

Why did all her loved ones have to leave her? Why was it always them who had to suffer?

Tang Yao’s body trembled in fear, and Fang Mingxi hugged her tightly, her brows furrowed.

Right now, everyone in the cattle shed was tied together by the same fate. Having one more person was better than losing one. After living together for so long, Fang Mingxi had already figured out everyone’s personalities.

As for the extra things that occasionally appeared in their home, she was certain people had noticed. But everyone had chosen to remain silent and had even helped keep the secret.

After all, everyone benefited. Naturally, no one would report something that worked in their own favor.

But if someone died and a new person was assigned here later, who knew whether they would be friend or foe?

If the newcomer turned out to be hostile, then the things Fang Mingxi found in the mountains might make them jealous, and they might report her in the blink of an eye.

Besides, the changes in the cattle shed over the past few months were already quite noticeable.

It would be far better to maintain the current situation. That would benefit everyone.

Having made up her mind, Fang Mingxi slowly relaxed her furrowed brows.

She reached into her backpack and found a Strengthening Pill. She intended to secretly toss it into the medicine while no one was paying attention.

But suddenly, her foot bumped into a water pouch.

The pouch fell to the ground, and the sloshing sound of water inside made her pause.

It was the water pouch she and Tang Yao had filled that afternoon. If she remembered correctly, there was still dissolved Strengthening Pill inside.

Fang Mingxi’s eyes shifted thoughtfully.

She picked up the pouch and ran over to Zhou Yulan.

“Grandmother.”

Zhou Yulan lowered her head. “What is it, Xixi?”

Fang Mingxi raised the pouch innocently. “Why isn’t Grandpa Yang drinking water? Is the water too hot? Xixi doesn’t like drinking hot water either.”

“Too hot?”

Zhou Yulan’s mouth twitched awkwardly. She didn’t want to reject the child’s good intentions, so she accepted the pouch and praised her.

“Good girl, Xixi. Grandma understands.”

But seeing her hesitate, Fang Mingxi immediately urged, “Grandma, aren’t you going to give Grandpa Yang some water?”

“Uh…” Zhou Yulan stared at the pouch, suddenly feeling a strange impulse.

Maybe… she should try it?

She unscrewed the kettle and poured half a bowl of cold water into the medicine bowl. Then she dipped a chopstick into it and tested the temperature on the back of her hand. Once she confirmed it wasn’t so hot anymore, she handed the bowl back to Old Yu.

“Old Yu, why don’t you try giving it to Old Yang again? The water was too hot earlier. I added some cold water this time. See if it works.”

Everyone paused for a moment before nodding.

“That’s right, Old Yu. Maybe it was too hot before. Try it again with warm water.”

“Alright. I’ll try again.”

Old Yu took the bowl once more and brought the brown medicinal liquid to Old Yang’s lips.

The moment the bowl touched his mouth, something surprising happened.

Old Yang actually opened his mouth obediently and swallowed the medicine.

“He drank it! Old Yang drank it!” Old Yu exclaimed with delight.

Tong Lingxian and the others were overjoyed as well.

“That’s great! As long as he can take the medicine, it will be fine. So it really was too hot earlier. After he finishes, give him another half bowl of warm water.”

“Okay.”

After finishing the medicine, Wu Meixia quickly poured another half bowl of hot water. Then Zhou Yulan added the remaining cold water from the pouch.

Soon, a bowl of perfectly warm water was brought to Old Yang’s lips.

Gulp, gulp.

Within seconds, the bowl was empty.

Seeing this, everyone finally let out a huge sigh of relief.

Heaven be praised. Adults had stronger bodies than children. Now that he had taken the medicine, perhaps he would be better by tomorrow morning.

Fang Mingxi also let out a long breath.

Thankfully, she hadn’t stopped Yaoyao from filling the water pouch that afternoon. Otherwise, Grandpa Yang would have been in serious trouble tonight.

Tang Yao slowly unclenched her fists. She walked to Wu Meixia’s side and looked at Old Yang, whose body was soaked in sweat as though he had just been pulled out of water.

Silently, she prayed in her heart.

Grandpa Yang, please hold on… please, please make it through.

Everyone continued waiting inside the room for more than half an hour. Only after confirming that Old Yang was no longer muttering deliriously and that his temperature had dropped from earlier did they return to their rooms one by one, yawning.

At such a late hour, no one had the energy to cook dinner anymore.

They simply boiled the vegetables that hadn’t yet been cooked into a pot of soup. Everyone took a few hurried bites before going to bed.