Chapter 222 – Smallpox??

Chapter 222 - Smallpox??

Brightly colored scrambled eggs with tomatoes, tender green garlic sprouts stir-fried with meat, sour and spicy shredded potatoes, and a dish of sweet potato threads in syrup, along with braised pork ribs, beans, and corn all in one pot. These were dishes that everyone had never seen before.

Upon seeing these unfamiliar dishes, not only Meng Huaining, but even the family's parrot and Fifth Brother couldn't help but smack their lips in anticipation.

He Zhiran didn't intend to explain too much, giving Mo Jiuye a meaningful glance. Mo Jiuye then busied himself encouraging everyone to start eating.

Once they started eating, it was as if their jaws would drop from the deliciousness...

Meng Huaining could no longer care about appearances, just like the Mo brothers, he rolled up his sleeves and indulged heartily.

When he felt somewhat full, Meng Huaining put down his chopsticks and asked, "Ninth Brother, I've never seen these ingredients before. You didn't buy them from the foreigners, did you?"

He knew he was asking a question whose answer he already knew, yet he couldn't resist asking it anyway...

"It's true, Brother Meng, if you find it tasty, eat more," Mo Jiuye said vaguely.

At this moment, he had no intention of explaining too much. His wife's cooking was delicious, and he intended to eat plenty.

A pot of tea and a table full of delicacies, Meng Huaining wanted to stay at the Mo residence indefinitely.

Alas, he still had to face reality.

After the meal, He Zhiran brewed another pot of tea for them. It wasn't until evening that Meng Huaining reluctantly bid farewell.

Regardless, Meng Huaining had helped the family quite a bit, and He Zhiran generously gifted him a pack of Biluochun tea.

This gift left Meng Huaining feeling both honored and humbled.

He couldn't resist such fine tea and could only accept it with a thick face.

In the future, he would take extra care of the Mo family, which would be a fitting way to repay the gift of tea.

After seeing off Meng Huaining, everyone tidied up and returned to their rooms.

The next morning, Mo Chuhan was ready early to head to the government office for work.

Mo Jiuye and He Zhiran planned to purchase some simple furniture for the household, so they hitched up the mule cart and set out together.

Regarding the acquisition of furniture, He Zhiran really couldn't rely on the power of her space. After all, the furniture styles within the space would seem out of place if she claimed to have bought them, as they didn't fit the era.

Moreover, they would build a new house next spring, and at that time, He Zhiran intended to design the furniture herself.

For now, the furniture used at home should be as simple as possible, as long as it served its purpose well.

Thus, the two inquired about the furniture shops in Yun City and headed straight there.

Furniture styles in this era were relatively simple. Apart from wealthy households that might commission high-end pieces, the shops displayed practical and cost-effective items.

Therefore, Mo Jiuye and He Zhiran casually selected some tables, chairs, and cabinets that the household urgently needed.

With many people in the family, they still ended up buying a large amount.

Having not encountered such a big customer in a long time, the shopkeeper, in a fit of joy, even gave them a few extra small stools.

The delivery of the furniture would be handled by the shopkeeper, and they only needed to provide the address clearly.

After purchasing the furniture, seeing that it was still early, the two decided to stroll around the city and inquire about Tang Mingrui's whereabouts at the same time.

Just as they walked a short distance, they saw the townspeople running in the opposite direction.

The townsfolk seemed to be shouting, "Quick, move away from that clinic."

Mo Jiuye, unaware of what was happening, grabbed a man running in his direction and asked, "Brother, what happened ahead?"

The man glanced at Mo Jiuye and said, "There's a patient with smallpox in front of the clinic. Run!"

After saying that, the man struggled free from Mo Jiuye's grip and continued running with the crowd.

Smallpox in ancient times was no trivial matter. Not only was it contagious, but it also led to the deaths of many.

Mo Jiuye solemnly said to He Zhiran, "Ranran, enter the space first. I had smallpox when I was young, so I won't be infected. I'll go over and take a look."

He Zhiran shook her head. "Smallpox is transmitted through the air, droplets, and contact. I just need to be careful."

After all, she had an abundance of alcohol in her space and could perform the most thorough disinfection.

As she spoke, He Zhiran had already led Mo Jiuye to an empty spot, and the two entered the space together.

He Zhiran took out two masks, putting one on herself and the other on Mo Jiuye.

In addition, medical gloves were necessary protective measures. As for protective suits and the like, wearing them outside would be too ostentatious, so she temporarily abandoned the idea.

Before returning home, they would thoroughly disinfect themselves with alcohol.

Mo Jiuye understood that if he didn't allow Ranran to participate in such matters, she wouldn't be content.

Therefore, he could only let her have her way.

The two, who had taken basic precautions, quickly left the space.

At this point, there were hardly any people left on the street; they had probably all run far away.

The two headed in the direction of the clinic.

They saw a young man sitting slumped in front of the clinic, holding a little girl who appeared to be less than ten years old in his arms.

This young man was familiar to both of them; he was precisely the Tang Mingrui they had been planning to find.

Tang Mingrui's face was filled with despondency, and the light in his eyes from days past had vanished.

Mo Jiuye and He Zhiran strode over.

"Brother Tang, what on earth has happened?"

In Tang Mingrui's eyes, although the faces of the approaching figures were adorned with peculiar objects, he recognized them at first glance.

"Big Brother Mo, Big Sister Mo."

Tang Mingrui's voice was choked with emotion.

"Blisters appeared on my sister's body, so I brought her to seek medical treatment. I never expected that she contracted smallpox..."

He Zhiran didn't rush to speak but carefully observed the little girl in his arms instead.

Indeed, there were many red rashes on the little girl's face, but no matter how one looked at it, they didn't resemble smallpox.

Smallpox rashes tended to be deeper, whereas the blisters on this little girl's face were clearly superficial.

To further confirm her judgment, He Zhiran stepped forward and squatted in front of the little girl.

She tentatively reached out to touch the blisters on the little girl's face.

Tang Mingrui and Mo Jiuye simultaneously reacted.

"Ranran, you can't touch her." After Mo Jiuye shouted, he moved forward to hold her back.

Tang Mingrui, on the other hand, shifted his body backward while holding his sister tightly: "Sister Mo, it's dangerous."

He Zhiran first addressed Mo Jiuye: "I suspect she doesn't have smallpox."

Mo Jiuye was surprised; he had seen it too—the rash on the little girl was identical to when he had smallpox. How could it not be smallpox?

"Ranran, if she doesn't have smallpox, then what does she have?"

"I suspect she has chickenpox."

"Chickenpox?" Mo Jiuye and Tang Mingrui asked in unison.

He Zhiran patiently explained: "The symptoms of chickenpox share some similarities with smallpox, but they aren't as severe. I assure you, I can cure it."

Mo Jiuye knew his wife well—she never spoke without confidence in her words.

Feeling the grip on her lighten, He Zhiran broke free.

She returned to the little girl's side, her gloved fingers gently touching one of the more prominent blisters on her face.

A smile instantly appeared on He Zhiran's face.