Chapter 27: Gurgling White Bubbles

Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Gurgling White Bubbles

Ling Qianfan held out his hands. His palms were still scraped and filthy from where he had fallen against the crushed gravel, bleeding heavily at the time.

Once the worst of the dirt and grit was washed away, Ling Qianjun picked up a cotton swab. He uncapped a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and explained, "This is a disinfecting solution. It’s going to sting a bit, so bear with it."

"Huh? Qianjun, I haven’t been poisoned. Why do I need to be disinfected? I’m just injured," Ling Qianfan said, completely baffled.

Ling Qianjun glanced over and saw the same bewilderment mirrored in Ling Yunge and Xu Panqing’s eyes. Drawing from what Hua Buwan had taught him, he patiently explained, "In this case, disinfecting means cleaning out the impurities in the wound—all the grit, soil, and microscopic dirt that got embedded into your skin and flesh. It doesn’t mean you’ve been poisoned."

"Oh!" the group chorused in sudden realization.

Now that Ling Yunge’s eyes were clear and the flush had faded from her cheeks, Ling Qianjun noticed she was fully following the conversation. He couldn’t help but look at her and ask, "Yunge, are you feeling better? Has your fever broken?"

Caught off guard by Qianjun’s sudden attention, Ling Yunge sat up straight. "Huh?"

Xu Panqing immediately reached out to feel her daughter’s forehead. A joyful smile broke across her face. "Her fever is gone! It really broke!"

"Really?" Ling Yunge hadn’t even noticed. She only knew she felt much better, but she hadn’t realized her temperature had returned to normal.

Ling Qianfan marveled at the revelation. "That medicine the Demon gave us works miracles. It only took one tiny pill to break a fever. Plus, it’s so easy to carry around and swallow."

Here in Dongxuan Country, catching a chill and running a high, persistent fever was often a death sentence. Many had perished under such conditions, unable to claw their way back from death’s door.

Ling Qianjun nodded in agreement. "It’s highly effective. But the Demon also warned us that Yunge’s fever might return later tonight. If it does, we’ll give her another pill. As long as she makes it through the night without a spike in temperature, she should be fine."

"Oh, right, there are also these cooling patches. If your fever returns, you can stick one on your forehead. If we need to go outside, you can hide it on the back of your neck where no one will notice," Ling Qianjun added, holding up a patch to show the group.

Xu Panqing thought, "This works on the same principle as placing a damp towel over a sick person’s forehead, right? Except these cooling patches are icy and incredibly soothing."

With that settled, Ling Qianjun’s focus returned to Ling Qianfan’s raw palms. "I’m going to apply the medicine now."

"Go ahead, Qianjun! I can take it. I promise I won’t make a sound!" Ling Qianfan declared emphatically, a fiery resolve blazing in his eyes. Ever since they had been exiled from the Capital City, he had sworn to be a true, indomitable man—a pillar of support for his mother and sister!

A little pain was nothing but motivation! He could definitely endure it!

But the very next second—

"AHH!" Ling Qianfan shrieked, springing up from his seat and scrambling backward.

The government officers resting out in the main lobby heard the sudden commotion. STOMP STOMP STOMP! In seconds, heavy footsteps rushed up to their door. "What’s going on in there? Open the door!" ℴℴ𝘮

Ling Qianfan immediately felt the collective death glare of his family members. Shrinking back in fear, he pressed his lips tightly together, not daring to make another peep.

Ling Qianfan whined inwardly, "This disinfectant hurts so badly! And my palms are FIZZING with white bubbles! It’s terrifying. I’m really not a coward! I’ve just never seen anything like this before, so it startled me."

Moving quickly, Ling Qianjun shoved the plastic bag of medicine under the bedcovers to hide it before getting up to answer the door.

As the door swung open, the government officers immediately poked their heads inside, scanning the room until their suspicious gazes landed on Ling Qianfan’s miserable, teary-eyed face.

It was blindingly obvious that the piercing shriek had come from this kid.