Chapter 61 The Return of Jiuhe Formula

Chapter 61: The Nine-Harmony Formula Revisited

The patient's cry from outside pierced the quiet of the deep night with startling clarity. Before Madam Liu could even come in to call them, Lei Ting was already sitting up in bed, hastily throwing on his clothes while soothing the equally startled Wu Qiu, telling him to stay lying down and not come out. By the time Wu Qiu had gathered his hair and sat up, Lei Ting had already rushed out of the room and was running towards the front courtyard.

There had been emergencies at night before, and Wu Qiu was somewhat accustomed to Lei Ting springing from bed and dashing out. Depending on the patient's condition, others would usually come out to help; the more critical the illness, the more people would get up. However, such occasions were ultimately rare. Most of the time, Lei Xun and Lei Ting could handle things on their own.

But today, the patient was shouting, "Save my child!" Now that Wu Qiu had Ai Geer, he understood a parent's feelings even better. Hearing that desperate, agonizing cry, his heart sank. He turned over in bed, restless, ultimately feeling too uneasy to stay put. He, too, casually tied up his hair, threw on a robe, and went out. The summer night wasn't cold, but he had rushed out in such a hurry, thinking his attire was probably too casual and he was afraid he'd look a mess. So, he didn't head straight into the front room, planning to just sneak a look from the sidelines.

He followed the courtyard wall, approaching the back door of the main hall. By the candlelight inside, he saw Lei Ting and Lei Xun surrounding the patient. Two people sat nearby, likely the child's parents. One was covering their face, weeping, while the other held them, offering comfort. Wu Qiu moved closer, peered to see clearly, and immediately forgot about his own disheveled state. He rushed into the room in a few quick strides: "Su Su!"

It turned out the child was none other than Xiao Shiliu, who had just celebrated his fourth birthday. Beside him were Li Gan and Su Su. Su Su looked up, his face already streaked with tears and sweat. He grabbed Wu Qiu's hands, choking with sobs, unable to speak for a long moment. Li Gan held Su Su, but his own eyes were also brimming with tears, and he kept sighing heavily.

Wu Qiu wiped Su Su's tears, then ran to pour each of them a cup of water. Li Gan first helped Su Su take a few sips. Only then could Su Su speak, clutching Wu Qiu's hand as he cried, "Xiao Shiliu, Qiu Geer, I beg you, please save him. It's all my fault... all because I didn't watch him properly..."

He could barely get the words out, interrupted several times by sobs as he anxiously glanced towards the child. "He had a slight fever in the evening. I thought maybe he'd caught a chill, but I never imagined that not long after, the child would fall completely unconscious, his body convulsing frighteningly. He wouldn't respond when called, couldn't hear us speak. It was all my negligence... If I had brought him earlier, perhaps it wouldn't have come to this. If he... if anything happens to him, I won't live either—"

Wu Qiu held his hand, about to comfort him not to say such things, when he saw Lei Ting walking towards them. He hurriedly asked, "How is the child?"

Su Su's legs gave way, and he knelt on the floor, weeping. Li Gan knelt beside him, and the couple prepared to kowtow in deep gratitude. Lei Ting and Wu Qiu hastily helped them up, one supporting each. Wu Qiu smiled, "Please, don't do that. Treating illnesses and saving lives is our duty at the clinic; we can't accept such grand gestures. Please, don't stand on ceremony with us. Go check on the child, see if he's woken up yet."

Su Su stumbled over to Xiao Shiliu's side. A few acupuncture needles were still in the child's body, and a damp cloth was on his forehead. Su Su didn't dare pick him up, instead carefully holding the child's small arm. Xiao Shiliu murmured drowsily, "Daddy," then called out, "Father." Li Gan and Su Su reacted as if they'd been given a treasure, answering repeatedly. Only then did Su Su completely relax. He had been so overwhelmed with grief earlier that he could barely stand now. Wu Qiu quickly pulled over a chair, letting Li Gan hold Su Su as they sat down, comforting him, "Xiao Shiliu is safe now. Don't work yourself into a state. Rest a bit, catch your breath. The name Xiao Shiliu (Little Pomegranate) is well-chosen; it will keep him by your side. What more is there to worry about?"

Su Su smiled through his tears. Seeing him smile, Wu Qiu smiled too. "The child's safety is the most important thing. For tonight, you should stay here to rest, so we can administer acupuncture and medicine promptly. I'll go help you tidy up the study; there's a small bed there."

As he spoke, he entered the study, only to find Lei Ting standing inside, washing his hands with clean water. Wu Qiu saw a faint tinge of blood spreading in the water. He grabbed Lei Ting's hand for a closer look and saw blood flowing from a deep bite that had torn the flesh under the thumb of his left hand.

Wu Qiu immediately grew anxious, his eyes widening. "How did you get hurt? I'll fetch some ointment for you!"

Lei Ting smiled, grasping his wrist and gently pulling him closer. "Don't rush, Qiu Er. It's nothing serious. When a child has a high fever and convulses, they might bite their tongue and not let go, which can be dangerous. Usually, we should put a towel or something in their mouth to bite on. But when they came in, the situation was critical, and there was no time to fetch anything else, so I had to use my hand as a cushion for now. But it's fine, it's been cleaned. No need for ointment."

Lei Ting and Ai Geer were the two most important people in Wu Qiu's heart. The slightest bump or injury to either of them would pain him immensely. Seeing Wu Qiu lower his head, his eyes downcast, Lei Ting quickly lifted his chin and gently nipped his lips. "Really, it's nothing to worry about, Qiu Er. This is part of my duty; there's nothing to complain about. Why did you come in? Did you need something?"

Wu Qiu was still somewhat uneasy, carefully examining his hand. Hearing the question, he quickly replied, "I was thinking that perhaps Lord Li and Su Su could stay here tonight, in case the child's condition fluctuates. The study happens to have a bed, so I wanted to come in and prepare it first. What do you think, Brother? Is that alright?"

Lei Ting naturally had no objections. Not to mention that Li Gan had once saved his life and helped him capture Wu Peng and Xue Hu, and that Su Su was close to Wu Qiu, even if they were strangers, with such a critical illness, they should be allowed to stay for treatment.

After the medicine was decocted and given to Xiao Shiliu, and everyone watched the child fall into a deep sleep, they finally all breathed a sigh of relief. Li Gan and Su Su stayed in the study with the child. Lei Ting gave further instructions for night care, and then everyone dispersed. As soon as they returned to the east wing courtyard, Wu Qiu pulled Lei Ting's hand, insisting he apply medicine before letting it go. It was nearly the fourth watch (around 1-3 AM) before the two finally lay down to rest again. Wu Qiu sighed softly, murmuring, "They say a child is the lifeblood of their parents. Since Ai Geer hasn't encountered anything like this yet, I haven't felt it so deeply. But today, seeing Su Su cry so heartbreakingly, I almost cried along with him. Then I realized how true those words are. Look at Lord Li—he deals with all sorts of villains in his official duties, and we never hear him get flustered. But today, he was so anxious, I even saw him secretly wiping tears. Putting myself in their shoes, it really gives you pause."

Lei Ting chuckled softly. "Qiu Er speaks truly. In the past, children falling ill wasn't uncommon; we'd just treat them as needed. But after becoming a father myself, I truly understand how gut-wrenching it is."

Wu Qiu suddenly remembered something and smiled. "I remember when I first came to the clinic, Father treated me extremely well, taking meticulous care of me in every way. He paid special attention to my food, clothing, shelter, and daily needs. Now I somewhat understand why."

Hearing this, Lei Ting also recalled those events from over a year ago. "Indeed. Back then, Father probably saw you as a child he needed to heal and care for. I imagine in the future, if we encounter children around Ai Geer's age, we'll feel the same way."

The moonlight tonight wasn't very bright, the room had no lamps lit, and the bed had its gauze curtains drawn, making it quite dark. Lei Ting fumbled in the dark to kiss Wu Qiu's face but accidentally landed on the tip of his nose instead. Both laughed. Wu Qiu snuggled into Lei Ting's arms. "Speaking of the past reminds me—when I first arrived, didn't you give me a box of ointment? That wound medicine was truly remarkable. Not only did the wound heal quickly, but it left no scar at all. I wonder if it's still usable after being stored for so long; I've been keeping it safe. It's perfect now that your hand is injured; I should take it out and apply some for you."

Mentioning that medicine, Lei Ting seemed to see Wu Qiu again—thin, haggard, sitting on the bed, hiding his injuries, formally calling him "Young Master Lei." His heart softened. He hugged Wu Qiu and smiled. "I almost forgot about that. Speaking of that medicine, there's actually a story behind it. That ointment was my own formula, not originally available on the market. I gave it a name: 'The Nine-Harmony Formula.'"

Wu Qiu asked, "You never mentioned it before. Does the name have any special meaning?"

Lei Ting suppressed a smile. "The number nine corresponds to Metal in the Five Elements. So, people in the past also used 'the season of nine harmonies' to refer to autumn, when Metal energy is harmonious. 'Nine harmonies' refers to 'autumn' (Qiu)."

Wu Qiu was stunned for a long moment before suddenly realizing it was about him. His cheeks instantly grew hot. He touched his face with both hands and asked cautiously, "So... back then, this formula... was for me?"

Lei Ting smiled and nodded. "I thought at the time that my feelings for you... perhaps weren't yet admiration. Even I didn't know why I chose such a name. Now, looking back, perhaps Qiu Er's roots had already taken hold in my heart back then, just hadn't sprouted yet. I was just muddle-headed and didn't realize it."

Wu Qiu felt both shy and incredibly sweet, unsure how to react. His whole body trembled slightly as he whispered, "We already have a child, and now you suddenly say such things..."

Lei Ting teased him, "What does that have to do with Ai Geer? When Ai Geer grows up, I'll still tell him this story. Even though we have a child, we are still us. Our life together still has these moments that belong solely to you and me, apart from Ai Geer, doesn't it?"

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