Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Black Powder

Everyone appreciates those who learn quickly and are efficient. Although Ji Huan was currently a temporary worker, his proficiency was comparable to that of a full-time employee. In reality, due to the shortage of staff at the nursing home, he was being treated as an official employee.

Now, he was responsible for monitoring the health of the residents in his assigned area, assisting them with various care routines, and also handling the cleaning. No wonder the supervisor wanted to give Ji Huan a raise; even she felt that the workload assigned to this young man was quite substantial.

Vacuum cleaners were prohibited here, so sweeping had to be done with a broom dampened with water. When he swept up that black dust again, Ji Huan became particularly attentive.

There was no black soil in Badu Town, and this dust didn't seem like soil either. Ji Huan couldn't identify its origin, but ever since he found it in his room that day, he couldn't help but notice these particles.

In the past two days, Ji Huan had been cleaning his room twice a day, even his grandfather noticed how much cleaner he was keeping things. While he told his grandfather it was to prevent illness, he was actually checking if he could find more of that black powder. Not only in his room, but also when cleaning the pigsty, though he didn't come across any during these days at home.

However, what he didn't find at home appeared in the nursing home.

Thus, after work that day, when he visited Wang Xiaochuan as usual and handed him a frozen pear as always, Ji Huan borrowed a broom from the hospital staff.

"Hey? Little Huan, what are you doing?" Wang Xiaochuan's mother was a bit surprised.

"I'm just going to clean a bit. Auntie, you're also sick, right? I think it might be related to the cleanliness here. At my place, we clean twice a day, and up until now, I, Grandfather, and Hei Dan are all fine," Ji Huan explained with an uncommonly long sentence. After a moment's thought, he added, "Recently, there have been many people with colds and fevers, and the nursing home is already short-handed. The hospital must be in the same situation, right? Perhaps the daily cleaning that was previously done can't be maintained now, and in the long run, it's not good for everyone's health."

As long as it was beneficial to Wang Xiaochuan's health, his mother would never refuse. Upon hearing Ji Huan's suggestion, she immediately nodded in agreement. "You're right! That's exactly how it is! The hospital cleaning hasn't been done on time these past few days...

Oh dear! Look at me, I've been so preoccupied that I forgot such a simple fact. I'll go downstairs and get a new cleaning cloth right away."

Wang Xiaochuan's mother was an action-oriented person. After saying this, she leaped up and rushed out of the room with great energy.

On the hospital bed, Wang Xiaochuan gave him an apologetic smile. His lips were rather pale, and despite being hospitalized for several days, there had been no improvement in his condition. His temperature remained consistently high, showing no signs of returning to normal.

Nodding in response, Ji Huan began to clean the room.

He swept meticulously, starting from the base of the walls. Ji Huan kept his head down throughout, attentively observing what he swept up. As he reached the halfway point of the room and gradually approached Wang Xiaochuan's bed, he paused in surprise.

In Wang Xiaochuan's ward, Ji Huan once again discovered that black powder!

Moreover, there was significantly more of it here than what he had swept up previously...

Looking up, Ji Huan slowly surveyed the room.

"Take a break, Ji Huan. You came straight from the rehabilitation center today, right? Sit down and rest for a bit." Just as Ji Huan's gaze lingered on the television in the room, Wang Xiaochuan softly called out to him.

Having swept the dust into the trash can and emptied it, Ji Huan finally took a seat on the chair beside the hospital bed.

Wang Xiaochuan's hand rested outside the covers, the originally slender back of his hand now marred with the telltale signs of numerous needle pricks, the skin there swelling slightly higher than usual.

"...Ah..." Just as Ji Huan sat there silently, unsure of what to say, Wang Xiaochuan spoke up again, his words prefaced with a long sigh, "I noticed it before, but for some reason, when you, Ji Huan, are in the room, I don't feel the urge to cough as much, and my breathing seems smoother too."

Regarding this... compliment, Ji Huan still didn't know how to respond.

Having interacted closely for so long, Wang Xiaochuan had gained some understanding of Ji Huan's personality. If Ji Huan remained silent, he would take the initiative to speak up: "Actually, there's something I've never told my mother. Mainly because I don't think she'd believe me even if I did."

Wang Xiaochuan spoke, glancing at Ji Huan. Even though the lights in the hospital room were warm yellow bulbs to create a soothing atmosphere, Ji Huan could still discern the paleness of Wang Xiaochuan's face.

Pulling his covers closer, Wang Xiaochuan swiftly surveyed the room before whispering, "I feel like there's something in this room."

"Not a person, that kind of thing," Wang Xiaochuan rushed out, then fixed his gaze unwaveringly on Ji Huan.

Their eyes met, but Ji Huan remained silent.

Just as the two of them exchanged wordless looks, Wang Xiaochuan's mother burst back into the room, not only with a cleaning cloth but also a large bag. The protruding baby formula canister within made it immediately clear that it wasn't intended for Wang Xiaochuan.

"I bought cleaning cloths and disinfectant, all thanks to Little Huan's reminder. Otherwise... how could I have forgotten? When things happen to oneself, it's easy to get flustered..." As Wang Xiaochuan's mother spoke, she handed the bag to Ji Huan. "You've been coming here to visit Little Chuan every few days and always bring something along. With Little Chuan in his current state, Auntie hasn't had the chance to return your kindness by visiting your home. Take these for now, and also convey my gratitude to your grandfather. Don't refuse; doing so would make you seem too formal."

With her insistence, Ji Huan had no choice but to accept the bag. Judging from his experience purchasing milk powder recently, there were at least four cans of it in the bag.

The two of them then proceeded to clean Wang Xiaochuan's room together. As a result, it was rather late when Ji Huan finally left. Wang Xiaochuan's mother even arranged for someone to drive him down to the bus stop at the foot of the mountain.

Throughout his departure, with Wang Xiaochuan's mother present, Ji Huan and Wang Xiaochuan couldn't continue their previous conversation. However, Wang Xiaochuan's words had deeply rooted themselves in Ji Huan's mind.

Back at home, Ji Huan swept the house obsessively once more. After confirming that there wasn't any black powder on the floor, he felt both relieved and more anxious at the same time.

Ji Huan's gaze eventually landed on Hei Dan in his arms.

With its white-ringed eyes fixed intently on his face, this was Hei Dan's most normal state.

It was only when Ji Huan suddenly recalled the bag given to him by Wang Xiaochuan's mother that he retrieved a can of milk powder from it.

"Hei Dan, this is the milk powder from Wang Xiaochuan's mother. You now have more stock than both my grandfather and I do..."

At that moment, the two white rings in Hei Dan's eyes in Ji Huan's arms suddenly dimmed, followed by a piercing wail that erupted from within his embrace.