Chapter 107 Fever

Chapter 107 Fever

He Guixiang peered outside as a flash of lightning illuminated her anxious face. "It's only May, yet we're having a downpour usually reserved for July. A Shu, why hasn't A Ye returned with Father after all this time? It's terribly dangerous to be out in this thunderstorm."

Lin Shu's brow furrowed slightly, thinking of the numerous trees on the slopes of Tianshui Village, but she reassured her mother. "Don't you trust A Ye, Mother? With him going to fetch Father, what could possibly go wrong?"

Lin Xiaopu, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. "Brother A Ye is the most dependable. With him, everything will surely be fine."

However, it wasn't until the ginger soup in the pot was ready that sounds finally emerged from outside the courtyard—Zhou Ye and Lin Dashan had returned!

The two straw rain cloaks at home were of different sizes. Since Old Man Liao was shorter, the one Zhou Ye had lent him earlier belonged to Lin Dashan. The one Lin Dashan was wearing now was A Ye’s.

The larger rain cloak covered Lin Dashan completely, keeping him dry, while Zhou Ye was soaked through.

Lin Shu quickly handed Zhou Ye a dry cloth she had prepared, and He Guixiang also approached Lin Dashan with a dry cloth.

Zhou Ye removed his conical hat, took the cloth from Lin Shu, and strode toward the inner room, explaining as he went, "A Shu, I’ll go change my clothes first."

Lin Shu nodded. "Come out when you're dry—no rush."

Lin Dashan, meanwhile, removed his rain cloak and hat, shook off the rainwater, and set them aside.

"Husband, what took you so long to get back?" He Guixiang asked, using the cloth to wipe his face and hair.

Lin Dashan's expression was grave. "The rain made the roads slippery. Old Miao fell from a slope. You know he's even sturdier than me. I couldn't carry him far on my own. Luckily, A Ye came to find me. He's strong and helped carry Old Miao back to his home."

He Guixiang was shocked. "How did he fall? How high was the slope? Is he badly hurt?"

Lin Dashan sighed. "The slope wasn't high, but when Old Miao fell, his calf hit a rock. When I found him, he was unconscious, and there was a nasty gash on his calf, bleeding heavily. It's hard to say if his leg will heal properly. If it doesn't, he might not be able to work in the fields anymore."

Old Miao was a skilled laborer, and his family had three equally strong sons. The eldest was already engaged to a family from Dafu Village, with the wedding scheduled for next month.

Everyone in Tianshui Village knew that Dafu Village was prosperous. With its wide river and abundant fish, unlike the small streams in Tianshui Village, many households there made their own nets to catch fish and shrimp. Even the poorest families were relatively well-off.

The family Old Miao’s son was marrying into had many daughters and had agreed to the match only because the Miao family offered a handsome bride price. Now, with Old Miao’s leg injury, it was uncertain whether it would affect next month’s wedding. After all, a strong laborer was crucial, and the absence of one could make a significant difference.

After roughly wiping his face and hair, Lin Dashan went to the inner room to change his clothes. As he changed, he continued, "After A Ye carried Old Miao home, he went to forage for some medicinal herbs and dressed the wound with them. It was only after all that that we returned. When we left, Old Miao’s family were beside themselves, weeping nearly to fainting."

He Guixiang quickly asked, "Where were Old Miao’s sons? Why did you and A Ye have to bring him back?"

Lin Dashan sighed again. "It was just bad luck for Old Miao. His three sons are hardworking. Old Miao had asked the two eldest to check on the dry fields before heading back, while the youngest was with him. On the way, they ran into Old Man Gao, who had gone to the back mountain alone to cut bamboo and twisted his ankle while hurrying down the slope. Seeing the rain getting heavier, Old Miao told his youngest son to carry Old Man Gao home first. But then Old Miao ended up falling from a slope himself, with no one around. His three sons, not seeing him, assumed he had already returned home. If I hadn’t spotted him, he could've died at the bottom of that slope without anyone knowing!"

This was a bit of an exaggeration. Old Miao’s sons would have gone looking for him once they realized he hadn’t returned, but it would have taken time, and his leg injury would have worsened.

He Guixiang sighed along with him but didn’t know what else to say.

Meanwhile, Lin Shu had also learned about the incident from Zhou Ye.

If Old Miao had merely rolled down the slope, it might not have been so serious—perhaps just a bone fracture that would heal with rest. But since his leg had hit a rock, the likelihood of a full break was much higher.

Moreover, whether it was a fracture or a break, it should be seen by a doctor right away.

But the village had no doctor. People usually went to town for medical treatment. With the heavy rain and Old Miao unable to move, how could they get him to town? Even if they used Old Man Liao’s ox-cart, the long journey in the rain might cause an infection or a high fever before they even arrived.

"A Ye, do you think Old Miao’s leg will recover?" Lin Shu asked.

Zhou Ye shook his head. "It’ll be difficult. Even if it heals, he might not be able to do heavy labor again."

Lin Shu said, "Aside from the town, isn’t there a bone-setter in the nearby villages? Broken bones need timely treatment."

Zhou Ye replied, "There’s an old itinerant doctor in Daoxiang Village who can treat headaches, fevers, and injuries. But he’s getting older and doesn’t travel much these days. Daoxiang Village is far from Tianshui Village. Asking the old man to come in this rain—he definitely won’t agree. Unless the rain stops and we offer extra payment, we might be able to persuade him."

Daoxiang Village was on the other side of town. It was already a sixteen li away from Tianshui Village to town, and Daoxiang Village was even farther.

"Did you mention this to Auntie Miao?"

Zhou Ye nodded. "I brought it up."

"In that case, you and Father have done all you can. The outcome is beyond our control. No use worrying about it for now. Here, have a bowl of ginger soup. I just made it. Careful, it’s hot."

Zhou Ye didn’t take it immediately. Instead, he asked, "A Shu, have you had yours?"

He noticed a stack of empty bowls on the table. Xiao Pu was sipping from a bowl, blowing on it to cool it down. There were no other empty bowls. If A Shu had already drunk hers, where was her bowl?

"I’ve already had mine. I drank a bowl while you were changing. See, this bowl I poured for you is the one I used. A Ye, you’re not going to mind using my bowl, are you?" Lin Shu smiled slightly, her eyes crinkling.

Zhou Ye quickly said he didn’t mind and took the bowl, drinking slowly as if savoring every sip.

Lin Xiaopu: ...

Well, her efforts to stay out of the way were paying off. At times like this, Brother A Ye only had eyes for A Shu.

Lin Shu filled two more bowls of ginger soup and placed them on the table. She called out to He Guixiang’s room, "Father, Mother, come out and have some ginger soup once you’re done changing!"

Lin Dashan responded with a "Coming!" and soon emerged, looking refreshed. He happily picked up a bowl of ginger soup and drank it gleefully.

In the past, the family couldn’t even afford ginger. Now, he was living the high life—just a little rain, and he returned home to ginger soup.

After everyone had a bowl, there was still some left in the pot. Lin Shu thought for a moment and said to Zhou Ye, "A Ye, when the rain eases up a bit, take a bowl to Old Man Liao. He got caught in the rain today too. If he hadn’t driven the ox-cart to take us to the end of the village, we would’ve been even more soaked."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ye drained the last drops in his bowl, set it down, and said, "The sooner he drinks the ginger soup, the better. No need to wait. I’ll take it to Old Man Liao now."

"But it’s still raining hard outside," Lin Shu frowned.

"It’s fine. There's a rain cape free now. I’ll wear it. A Shu, pour the ginger soup for me."

Zhou Ye then took the rain cape, shook off the water droplets, put it on, and tied it securely.

He Guixiang said with a sigh to Lin Shu, who was frowning, "Let him go. We can add a little more water to the pot and let it simmer some more. When A Ye returns, he can have another bowl."

"The way he's determined, how could I stop him?" Lin Shu sighed lightly.

Alright, let him go then. Who knows when the rain will let up? It’s better to get it to Old Man Liao sooner.

She poured the ginger soup into a bowl, placed it in a bamboo basket, and covered it with a larger bowl.

The larger bowl covered the bowl snugly, protecting it from the rain and keeping it warm. She then covered it with a cloth and added a layer of dry grass.

Ginger tea's best drunk hot. By the time A Ye delivered it to Old Man Liao’s house, it would at least still be warm.

Zhou Ye, wearing the rain cape and conical hat, was off with the basket.

With his long strides, he made the round trip quickly, even bringing back the rain cape he had lent out earlier.

He shook off the rainwater from both rain capes and hung them back on the wall.

Lin Shu handed him the cloth he had used earlier to wipe his face.

This time, with the straw rain cape for cover and his pant legs and sleeve cuffs rolled up beforehand, Zhou Ye's clothes didn't get too wet. He just needed to wipe the rainwater off his face and neck.

He Guixiang asked about Old Man Liao.

Zhou Ye said, "When I arrived, Old Man Liao had already tidied up and was sitting in the main room watching the rain..."

Come to think of it, this was Zhou Ye's first time visiting Old Man Liao's home.

Old Man Liao's house was built many years ago. The house was big, the yard was huge, and there was even a dedicated cowshed. But the larger the yard, the more it accentuated the loneliness inside.

Zhou Ye braved the heavy rain to find the place, which gave Old Man Liao a start. He thought something urgent had happened. Instead, he saw Zhou Ye set down a basket, open the large bowl inside, and reveal a bowl of ginger soup still steaming hot.

As Old Man Liao drank the ginger soup, his eyes reddened.

After listening to Zhou Ye's account, Lin Dashan felt a pang of discomfort.

You really need kids to look after you in your old age, he thought. A man with no wife and no children or grandchildren, living alone—no matter how much money he has, it’s a lonely existence.

Old Man Liao had known livelier days in his youth, but fate had been unkind. His parents passed away, his wife left, and his child died, leaving him with nothing but the few acres of land passed down from his ancestors.

"A-Dad, why didn’t Old Man Liao remarry when he was younger?" Lin Shu asked. Others might not remarry because they couldn’t afford a bride, but that shouldn’t have been the case for Old Man Liao.

"Him? Don’t be fooled by how easygoing he is now—he was stubborn in his youth. After his wife passed, many people tried to match him. At first, he didn’t outright refuse, and he nearly settled down with one of them. But later... ah, later, he got so caught up in the matchmaking that he neglected his child. The kid was young but sensible, never complaining when he felt unwell. By the time they realized something was wrong, the child had a high fever that wouldn’t break. They took him to town, but it was too late—the fever burned him up."

Whenever Lin Dashan thought of Old Man Liao’s child, he was reminded of his own youngest daughter. Xiao Pu was also the type to keep quiet, only speaking up about pain when it became unbearable.

So when Lin Xiaopu fell ill as a child, he always feared she might vanish suddenly, just like Old Man Liao’s child. Later, when the town’s Chinese medicine doctor prescribed medicine to help Xiao Pu recuperate, even though he knew it would be costly, Lin Dashan agreed and gritted his teeth to see it through.

Earlier, He Guixiang had told him that Xiao Pu had fully recovered and wouldn’t need to spend money on medicine anymore. Lin Dashan was overjoyed.

Feeling content with his own situation, he couldn’t help but sigh over others’ misfortunes.

"Old Man Liao carries that guilt for his child. After that, he never considered remarrying again, preferring to stay alone. He’d even chase away anyone who came with a matchmaking proposal with a stick—stubborn as could be, and no amount of persuasion from others could change his mind. People whispered behind his back that he’d let his family line die out. At first, it angered him, but later he stopped caring. He saved up and bought a cow. When planting season came, many people borrowed his cow, and those same gossips didn’t dare say a word against him anymore..."

It wasn't often the family had time to just sit around and chat. They talked about Old Man Liao for a while, then circled back to Old Miao.

Discussing others behind their backs inevitably led to a few gossipy remarks, depending on the speaker’s attitude. Some spoke with schadenfreude, others with sympathy and pity, but most sighed with well-meaning emotion.

Lin Shu wasn’t a saint, but even in the apocalypse, she had always held onto a shred of kindness for her fellow humans. She wished for everyone to live well.

"A-Mom, I hear dripping! I’m going to check the room—it must be leaking!" Lin Xiaopu, with her sharp ears, suddenly exclaimed, heading into the inner room. Sure enough, several spots on the roof were dripping water. She knew the drill and deftly pulled a few jars and bamboo tubes from under the bed to catch the leaks.

He Guixiang hurried to her own inner room as well. The village houses were thatched huts; a little rain was no problem, but a heavy downpour would cause leaks all over the roof. Her room had several spots dripping too.

This was after A Ye had come and patched the roof with thatch a few times; otherwise, it would have leaked even more.

When it was time to prepare supper, the rain hadn’t stopped but had lightened considerably. He Guixiang used the small stove they’d moved into the main room to cook a pot of thick congee.

"Let’s make do with this tonight. I put the pork and intestines in some cool mountain spring water—they’ll keep until tomorrow," He Guixiang said.

Thinking of Old Man Liao, Lin Shu asked, "A-Mom, Old Man Liao has no one to cook for him. Does he have food to eat?"

"Don’t worry, A Shu. Old Man Liao won’t go hungry. When he can’t be bothered to cook, he just goes to eat at the neighbor’s."

"I wonder how long this rain will last. I hope it doesn’t get any heavier," He Guixiang said worriedly.

Rain was good—it helped the crops grow—but nights like these made it hard to get a good night’s sleep.

After a simple supper, they left the dishes unwashed and didn’t bother to wash themselves, simply going to bed as they were.

On rainy nights, it was best to sleep early, especially during heavy downpours. If too much water accumulated on the roof, it would leak even worse. Leaks elsewhere were manageable, but if the bedding got wet, sleep would be impossible.

Having been in Sweetwater Village for several days, Lin Shu had already adapted to the habit of early nights and early mornings, but tonight they had to turn in even earlier. She thought she might have trouble falling asleep, but perhaps because she was tired from the day, after chatting with Lin Xiaopu for a bit, Lin Shu fell fast asleep.

As she slept, Lin Shu’s head grew heavier and heavier. She tried to open her eyes to check outside, but her eyelids felt too heavy to lift.

In her haze, she seemed to return to the apocalypse. It was also a rainy night, and she had suddenly developed a high fever in the middle of the night, feeling as though she were burning up. Yet, she had pulled through. When she woke up, she found herself possessing immense strength, capable of crushing zombie skulls with her bare hands.

In her dream, Lin Shu punched one zombie after another, killing with fervor.

In reality, Lin Xiaopu, who shared the bed with her, was terrified.

Her older sister, eyes closed, was wildly throwing punches and mumbling something, as if trapped in a nightmare.

Lin Xiaopu reached out to feel her forehead, but before she could get close, Lin Shu swung a fist and knocked her hand away—and it was no light punch.

Remembering something, she quickly felt other parts of Lin Shu’s body.

Sure enough, her older sister was burning up!

"A-Jie, A-Jie, wake up!" Lin Xiaopu shook her urgently but couldn’t rouse her.

Zhou Ye, a light sleeper, heard the commotion and immediately got up. "What’s wrong?" he asked through the curtain.

"Brother A Ye, A-Jie seems to have a fever!" Lin Xiaopu said anxiously.

Hearing this, Zhou Ye’s expression changed abruptly. Without another thought, he hurriedly pushed aside the curtain and went in.