1983, Northeast China

Chapter 10 The child caught a fever

"He still has a slight fever." Zhao Defa was surprised that Chen Shi still remembered this incident. He sighed and said, "Your aunt remembers it so well that she cried. This morning, she was just about to go find the barefoot doctor when things got chaotic in Lao Nangou. I couldn't leave here."

"Try to cool the fever down first, don't cover the child up too much. If a child has a fever, covering them up will only make things worse."

Zhao De was taken aback. "Did your father teach you this too?"

"Hmm." Chen Shi added, "My dad used to say that children's illnesses can change quickly, so we can't use folk remedies indiscriminately."

Zhao Defa's gaze became even more complicated. "Then I'll have your aunt do it this way for now."

"I remember the child was a little over three years old."

"Yes, that's right."

"Are you coughing? Have you vomited? Do you have diarrhea?"

Zhao Defa was taken aback by the questions, as if he had come specifically to see him for a medical consultation. "A couple of coughs, nothing serious. I haven't heard of him vomiting or having diarrhea either."

Aunt Wang peeked out from inside the house. "Oh dear, don't let him get too hot. A child's fever is the scariest thing. My son had a fever once when he was little, and his eyes were so bright they were practically bulging out of their sockets. It almost scared the soul out of me."

Zhao Defa's face turned even uglier.

Chen Shi glanced at Chen Xiulan.

Chen Xiulan had just drunk half a bowl of soup when Ya Ya finished eating the shredded meat and was holding the small bowl, drinking it sip by sip, as if she were holding some precious treasure.

"Sis, I'm going to check on Uncle Zhao's house. I'll be right back."

Chen Xiulan instinctively wanted to say, "Don't go. What can you do? Don't cause trouble."

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back.

She looked at Chen Shi, her eyes still filled with worry, but this time she didn't try to stop him. "Come back soon."

Ya Ya quickly put down the bowl. "Uncle, are you coming back for soup?"

"Come back." Chen Shi bent down and patted her head. "Leave some for your uncle."

Ya Ya nodded immediately, as if she had received a great responsibility, "I'll watch over it and make sure no one finishes drinking it."

Aunt Wang was amused and laughed, "Alright, you're guarding the pot more diligently than you're guarding the mountain."

Finally, there was some laughter in the room.

Reborn, Chen Shi felt a sense of relief for the first time.

Chen Shi turned around and followed Zhao De out of the courtyard.

It was already getting dark.

Night falls early in Kaoshantun. The shadows of the mountains press down, making half of the village seem buried in snow.

A light was still on over the brigade's side.

Han Changgui stopped behind the straw curtain, and no one was willing to approach him.

Zhao Defa glanced in that direction, but didn't stop walking.

Chen Shi, standing beside him, asked, "Is Tian Guizhi still in the brigade?"

"She's gone." Zhao Defa said irritably when Tian Guizhi was mentioned. "She didn't get anything, cursed a few times, and told me to send her back."

"Didn't she say she was going to the commune?"

"I told her," Zhao Defa said, rubbing his face. "It's the same story: the person died, the things are gone, the money is gone, and the village won't give her an explanation, so she went to the commune."

Chen Shi was not surprised at all.

Tian Guizhi did not want to seek justice for Han Changgui.

She was afraid that the roll of something, which she didn't know if it contained money, would fall into someone else's hands.

"Uncle Zhao, did you see the paper wrapped inside that red cloth strip?"

"Not yet. I've got it with me, but there are too many people around, so I haven't dared to take it out. I'll check it by warming it with a lamp when we get to my house."

Chen Shi nodded.

Neither of them spoke again.

The snow was trampled hard, making a crunching sound underfoot.

As they passed by a few houses, the dogs started barking. A head peeked out from under the door, saw Zhao Defa, greeted him, and then closed the door again.

Zhao Defa's house was in the middle of the village. The yard wasn't big, and the firewood was neatly stacked. Several strings of frozen green beans hung on the wall.

Before even entering the room, I could hear the woman's voice, trembling with sobs.

"Old Zhao, you're finally back! The child's fever has gotten even higher."

She lifted the curtain, her eyes red and swollen, her hair disheveled.

Seeing Chen Shi following behind, she was taken aback. "What brings Shizi here?"

"I let him take a look," Zhao Defa said. "He learned a little from his father."

Aunt Zhao quickly opened the door, "Come in, come in quickly."

The room was much warmer than Chen Xiulan's place; the kang (heated brick bed) was very hot, and the windows were damp.

A little boy was lying on the kang (a heated brick bed), wrapped in two quilts.

Only her small face, flushed red from the fever, was visible. Her lips were dry and chapped, and a damp towel was stuck to her forehead.

There was also a bowl of dark water next to it; I don't know what kind of folk remedy it was.

As soon as Chen Shi entered the room, his brows furrowed.

First, lift one layer of the blanket.

Aunt Zhao was startled and quickly stopped her, "That won't do, the child is cold, he'll be fine once he sweats it out."

"You can't cover yourself up like that. It's too hot in the room, and the blankets are too thick. You won't be able to sweat out, and the heat won't dissipate, causing your fever to rise even higher."

Aunt Zhao was at a loss after hearing what he said. She looked helplessly at Zhao Defa and asked him for his opinion.

Zhao Defa gritted his teeth, "I'll listen to him."

Only after her husband spoke did Aunt Zhao lift the thick outer quilt.

As soon as the blanket was lifted, the child's warmth rushed out.

Chen Shi sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), touched the child's forehead, and then touched his neck, hands, and feet.

"My forehead feels hot, and my hands and feet are a little cold."

He gently lifted the child's eyelids and glanced at him. Then he asked the child to open his mouth.

The child was delirious with fever and couldn't open his eyes. Aunt Zhao had to coax him a couple of times before he could barely see anything.

My throat is red.

Chen Shi understood the situation.

It's not some rare illness; it's most likely caused by being exposed to cold and then bundled up, causing the heat to get trapped inside.

Children's illnesses come on suddenly, and the adults in the family panic. In their panic, they give their children medicine indiscriminately, which only makes the minor illness worse.

"Have you ever smoked it?"

"No, he's just confused. Sometimes he responds when I call him, and sometimes he doesn't."

"Auntie, bring some warm water. Wipe his neck, armpits, palms and soles. Change his clothes into dry ones, and don't heat the kang (heated brick bed) so hot. Leave a small crack in the window so the wind doesn't blow directly on the child," Chen Shi said.

Aunt Zhao nodded quickly and turned to pour water.

Zhao Defa stood to the side watching, asking, "Will it work?"

"Bring down the fever first," Chen Shi said. "Keep an eye on it tonight. If the fever gets worse, or if they have seizures, go to the clinic immediately. Don't delay."

Hearing this, Zhao Defa felt more at ease.

I hate those who immediately say "it's all packaged" as soon as they open their mouths.

Only those who truly understand can know when to rest at home and when to rush to the clinic.

After bringing the warm water, Chen Shi didn't let Aunt Zhao help. Instead, he wrung out a handkerchief and wiped the child's neck first.

The child grunted and frowned when the wet cloth touched him.

Aunt Zhao was so heartbroken that tears streamed down her face. "My dear grandson!"

"Don't cry," Chen Shi said. "If you cry, he'll get even more annoyed."

Aunt Zhao quickly covered her mouth.

Zhao Defa stood to the side, holding a tobacco pipe in his hand.

Normally he's the man of the house in the village, but now, faced with his delirious grandson, he's just an indecisive old man.

After wiping several times, the child's breathing calmed down a little.

Chen Shi touched his forehead; it was still hot. But it wasn't as scary as before.

Do you have scallions and ginger at home?

Yes, yes, yes.

"Cut a little bit, dilute it a bit, don't make it too strong, see if he can swallow it, if he can't swallow it, don't force it."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Zhao went off to get busy.

Chen Shi looked at the child on the kang (a heated brick bed) and suddenly thought of Xiaoman (the first month of the lunar calendar).

Xiaoman is even younger than this child, and Chen Xiulan is heavily in debt. What if she gets a headache or fever later...?

No.

We need to stock up on some commonly used items.

Astragalus, Artemisia argyi, Bupleurum chinense, and Perilla frutescens—collect them if you can.

Kaoshantun is nestled against the mountains. The mountains have no shortage of things, but they lack people who recognize and appreciate them.

After a while, the child finally opened his eyes and mumbled, "Milk."