Qi Taiguo was holding the phone, completely frozen.
He had thought to make a call to Cheng Su during his free time, but what had he just heard? Cheng Su was sick, running a fever? And her hand was cut by a knife?
What on earth was going on? He had only been away for a few days, and she had already encountered so many problems. He wasn’t at home; what was he supposed to do?
Qi Taiguo was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, his heart wishing it could fly right back.
No one was at home except for her. What would she do if she was sick? Who could take care of her?
After some thought, Qi Taiguo dialed the restaurant. It was Qiulan who answered the call.
"Sister Su called to say she wouldn’t come over today because she’s sick? She didn’t mention it on the phone!" Qiulan was taken aback by Qi Taiguo’s words.
"Qiulan, I’m currently on a mission, and it’s not convenient for me to go back. If she’s feeling unwell, she definitely can’t prepare food. Could you please ask the kitchen to make some porridge for her at noon and bring it to her? Look after her for me. If her fever hasn’t gone down, please call the military doctor who is on duty at the base to check on her, and see if she needs an IV to lower her temperature," Qi Taiguo said anxiously, feeling a dull pain in his chest.
"Alright, I got it. Don’t worry, Big Brother Qi," Qiulan hurriedly replied.
Qi Taiguo gave a few more instructions before finally hanging up the phone.
If only there was a phone at home, he could call back, talk to her. Now, no matter who he called, it wouldn’t be convenient for her to answer.
Gao Linbing, who was nearby, had overheard some of the conversation and asked, "Is someone in your family sick?"
Qi Taiguo nodded with a look of concern: "Yeah, they said she cut her hand with a knife and now she has gotten a fever."
"It’s not going to cause tetanus, is it?" Gao Linbing said.
"No way, I have to get someone to check on her." Qi Taiguo was alarmed and dialed the Health Center of the base immediately.
Cheng Su was sleeping heavily at home, feeling alternatively cold and hot, the thick blankets on her weighing her down and causing great discomfort, even lying still she could not sleep well.
She didn’t know how long she had slept when she began to hear a persistent knocking at the door.
Cheng Su didn’t want to get up; she was extremely weak, but the knocking continued relentlessly, as if it wouldn’t stop until she opened the door.
"This is really killing me!" Cheng Su had no choice but to throw off the blankets, sit dazed for a while, then wrap herself in the blankets and drag their length to go open the door.
"Sister Su, are you home? Sister Su!"
"Commander Qi’s family..." Several voices were calling from outside, Cheng Su was groggy, her strength almost completely depleted.
She undid the latch, opened the door, and though several people were crowded outside, she couldn’t see them clearly. Her vision swirled, and she began to fall backward.
"Sister Su!"
Qiulan quickly caught her, her voice trembling with urgency.
"How did you get so sick all of a sudden? Quick, help her to her room. Doctor Xie, you have to check on her," Li Qiumei’s voice sounded.
"Qiulan, support her, I’ll hold the porridge."
Cheng Su, limp and weak, was once again helped back to her bed and laid down by several hands.
She struggled to open her eyes; someone was holding her hand, feeling her forehead, and something cool was placed in her mouth, while voices talked around her, indistinguishable from one another.
"Forty degrees, we need to start an IV right away!"
As the exclamation rang out, Cheng Su barely felt a slight prick on her arm, like an ant bite, and a cool fluid began to seep into her body.
This time she really was seriously ill, she thought hazily, as her consciousness sunk completely.