Lying on the kang bed, Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu were discussing matters about buying a granny and a maid.
Last time, when they were about to return, Yan Zhongren indeed brought a suitable group of maids, but unfortunately, at that time, only Song Chongjin and Yang Zongbao were in the county town, two grown men naturally wouldn’t be convenient to buy a maid for the household.
However, Yang Zongbao did hire an old granny who cooked and did laundry daily. The granny was honest and straightforward, thus Song Chongjin thought it might be better to continue with the granny since a suitable maid hadn’t been found.
Wang Yongzhu also understood that rushing into matters involving maids wouldn’t do. Although she did not consider herself superior to maids, she wouldn’t go against societal norms to be sisterly with a maid in this era.
In the current era, maids were considered intimate personal assistants, and carelessness was not an option.
Thinking it over, she nodded in agreement.
They planned to go find Yan Zhongren early in the morning.
After a sound sleep, upon waking, it was already broad daylight.
The quilt beside her was already cold, indicating that Song Chongjin had probably gone to the academy long ago.
But why didn’t Old Granny Zhang wake her up? Wang Yongzhu got up from the kang bed, freshened up, and stepped outside, finding no movement and a quiet atmosphere.
She suddenly found it odd because normally, at this time, Old Granny Zhang would be bustling in the yard. Why not today?
She hurried to push open Old Granny Zhang’s room door, but found it latched from the inside, causing her heart to race. She quickly called out, "Mom? Mom? What’s wrong?"
The room remained eerily silent, with no response.
Wang Yongzhu got anxious, and without hesitation, kicked the door open, the two panels creaking as they swung.
Ignoring everything else, she rushed inside and saw Old Granny Zhang lying on the kang bed, covered with a quilt, motionless.
She hurriedly pulled back the quilt, revealing Old Granny Zhang’s flushed face, her body scorching hot, and unconscious.
Panic surged within Wang Yongzhu, she resiliently held herself together, first feeling Granny Zhang’s forehead, then checking her pulse, finding it burning to the touch. Ignoring everything else, she urgently reached out to Xiao Tiantian: "Xiao Tiantian, what’s wrong with my mom?"
Xiao Tiantian was hastily brought out, scanned her quickly, but those few seconds felt like the longest for Wang Yongzhu.
She finally heard Xiao Tiantian’s voice: "She’s overcome with fatigue, her body has underlying issues, forcibly suppressed. The recent exhausting journey triggered her chronic illness to explode..."
"Stop with the nonsense, is there any medicine?" Wang Yongzhu had no mood for Xiao Tiantian’s rhetoric.
Xiao Tiantian fell silent, causing Wang Yongzhu to worry immediately: "Don’t tell me, my mom, she..." Wang Yongzhu was trembling, unable to finish her sentence, feeling a chill creeping over her.
Xiao Tiantian hurriedly said, "Master, you misunderstood, I’m looking for non-side-effect antipyretics for your mom! Although her body is impaired, with proper care, she can recover. Regarding body conditioning, I suggest you seek a doctor from this world. Not only would sudden recovery raise suspicion, but the experienced doctors here have unique methods more suitable for people of this world..."
Wang Yongzhu instantly understood that using medicine not belonging to this world would ultimately harm its people, especially those with substandard physique.
For instance, Wang Yongfu experienced side effects from using Muscle and Bone Strengthening Water, causing pain during rainy weather and shortening his lifespan.
Whereas Song Chongjin, due to his physical condition, benefitted from Mingmu Pills without any body damage.
Old Granny Zhang’s physique was ordinary and certainly couldn’t compare to Song Chongjin’s. With Xiao Tiantian’s suggestion, no matter how slight the chance, Wang Yongzhu dared not attempt it.
Gritting her teeth, she said, "I understand! Give me the antipyretic first!" Held close, Old Granny Zhang’s body transitioned from scorching hot to icy cold, her limbs starting to darken, and she began shivering intensely.
Wang Yongzhu recognized these as high fever symptoms, fearing that if the fever wasn’t reduced, Granny Zhang’s body might succumb to repeated scorching and deplete her energy completely.
Xiao Tiantian quickly threw out a bottle of medicine, "This is the non-side-effect antipyretic you requested, although it’s somewhat pricey, you..."
Wang Yongzhu ignored Xiao Tiantian, took the medicine, and read the instructions stating that only one pill was needed, and the fever would decrease within twenty minutes without causing harm.
Feeling relieved, she prepared a glass of water and fed Granny Zhang the medicine.
Despite being in a daze, Granny Zhang absentmindedly swallowed the medicine placed at her lips, fortunately, it melted instantly upon entering, making it easy for Granny Zhang to swallow.
Wang Yongzhu dared not leave, watched Granny Zhang shivering, and found two thick quilts to wrap Granny Zhang thoroughly.
Granny Zhang’s lips were dry and chapped from the fever. With only cold water available, no hot water, Wang Yongzhu carefully moistened a clean handkerchief with tea to wet Granny Zhang’s lips, providing relief.
A long twenty minutes passed, and Wang Yongzhu observed sweat forming on Granny Zhang’s forehead, temples, neck, armpits, chest, and back. Her breathing calmed, and her face was less flushed, signaling the medicine’s effect in reducing the fever.
Finally relieved, she removed the thick quilts, leaving only a thin one to cover Granny Zhang.
Hurriedly, she started the stove in the yard, setting water to boil, whilst keeping an ear on the room’s sounds.
After painstakingly boiling water, she set aside a pot to warm it for Granny Zhang later.
Granny Zhang’s clothes were soaked with sweat, and the prepared handkerchiefs were insufficient to dry her.
However, her forehead and body temperature were substantially reduced.
Wang Yongzhu felt partially relieved, returning to the kitchen to boil water for wiping Granny Zhang’s body and changing her clothes.
Stepping to the yard’s entrance, she opened the door, encountering Gu Zikai passing by. Hearing the door, he turned, their gazes met.
Wang Yongzhu hurriedly greeted Gu Zikai: "Scholar Gu, may I trouble you for a favor?"
Gu Zikai promptly responded: "Lady Wang, please go ahead."
Wang Yongzhu anxiously said, "My mom is ill, and with only myself at home, I feel uneasy leaving her. Could I trouble you to notify my husband at the academy and ask him to bring a doctor back?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Zikai quickly said: "Lady Wang, don’t panic, I’ll request Lang Hao to fetch a doctor and inform Brother Song at the academy!"