Chapter 37
In the middle of the night, Chao Youqian scratched his calf unconsciously in his dream, but the itchiness and pain continued to come, making him open his eyes in a half-asleep state.
Turning on the bedside lamp, he scratched Youqian while concentrating his hazy consciousness to observe the painful and itchy areas.
The area where Lang Xin had applied iodine before going to bed was almost gone due to the scratching of the quilt and fingers, and obvious blisters were floating on the surface of the skin.
Chao Youqian was suddenly awakened by the shock, and the poisonous insects and their aftereffects listed by Lang Xin flashed through his mind one by one.
It's not that serious, just an insect bite, it will be fine after applying some medicine, he silently comforted himself.
But itching and pain were acting up at the same time. Chao Youqian couldn't help but start to gasp while sitting on the bed. There was a box of iodine cotton swabs on the bedside table. He broke off one and applied it to the red and swollen area.
The medicine cabinet in the villa is on the first floor. Chao Youqian recalled whether there was any anti-itching ointment. Well, he bought too many kinds at that time and couldn't remember them all, but there should be some.
In China, you can see a doctor 24 hours a day with your medical records and relevant personal documents. The emergency department is always open. Even during the most serious period of the X virus, we did not stop accepting patients. Instead, we divided the emergency department into fever emergency department and non-fever emergency department.
After arriving in H City, he added several doctors through personal recommendations. When he took a photo of his calf and sent it to one of the doctors on night shift, he received a quick response.
It's okay. There have been an unusually high number of insects lately, and they're breeding rapidly. Many people have hidden eggs in their homes, making proper removal impossible. A warning was issued a few days ago regarding water ant bites. It's important to always have ointment and disinfectant at home. Judging from the appearance and your sensation, it seems likely to have been crawled upon by a midge or other small insect. I've already disinfected it with iodine. So, apply some dermatitis ointment and anti-itching herbal cream. It should be gone in a couple of days.
He replied to Youqian with an "OK" emoticon, then relaxed and prepared to go downstairs to get the ointment after the pain and itching passed.
Perhaps Lang Xin wanted to drink some water in the middle of the night and saw the faint light coming through the crack of the door. After Chao Youqian heard a few knocks on the door, Lang Xin strode to the bedside.
"Does it hurt? You must have been bitten by some poisonous insect. I'll get you some ointment. Just sit here and don't move."
Before Chao Youqian could tell him what the doctor said, Lang Xin left the room in a flash.
When he came back, he had several tubes of ointment and a pack of medical cotton swabs in his hands. Lang Xin applied the ointment with a cold face, as carefully as if he were treating a bomb that was about to explode.
There were still traces of iodine on the white quilt. Chao Youqian felt a little uncomfortable with the cold atmosphere. "I didn't mean to do that. Who knows what kind of insect bit me and why it lasted so long?"
Lang Xin softened his tone and said, "I'm not blaming you, Chaochao. I'm blaming myself. I shouldn't have just applied iodine to you, but also forgot to bring mosquito repellent with me when I went out. Your skin is very sensitive. I used to carry my own anti-wrinkle spray with me in the summer. I was careless."
Chao Youqian used his other good leg to kick Lang Xin's arm. "Don't take the blame. I think I was bitten while walking in the garden at the private kitchen. How can you predict the future? Besides, it's just a bug bite, not a big deal."
In my heart, everything about you is a big deal. Lang Xin sighed silently. He wanted to lock Chao Youqian in a transparent greenhouse, isolating him from the outside world. But he couldn't bear to do so. That would require even greater effort to isolate Chao Youqian from any possible harm.
After a long while without a reply, he turned his eyes towards Youqian and said in a long voice, "I'm sorry. Next time I will make sure to spray mosquito repellent before going to places with dense flowers and plants, okay, Brother Lang?"
Lang Xin listened to Chao Youqian deliberately calling him "brother" and rubbed his ankle with a mixture of love and hate. He always remembered the age difference when he did something bad, but he really fell for it.
Massaging his legs, swollen from insect bites, Lang Xin chuckled, "You're just acting like a spoiled brat, but there won't be a next time. The doctor sent me a chat log. He said that more and more people are being hospitalized for insect bites these days. It's better to eliminate the source from the beginning and stay away from rivers, ponds, and areas with lush vegetation."
Lang Xin's massage skills are very good. When Chao Youqian was a freshman in college, he was in his puberty and always had calf cramps and pain that kept him awake. Lang Xin stayed with him all night, kneading the cramped areas to relieve the pain.
At that time, a nutritionist and a personal doctor were hired to develop a diet and vitamin supplements. Chao Youqian would bring a large glass of fruit and vegetable juice that Lang Xin had made early in the morning to school every day, and he always carried calcium tablets and multivitamins in his backpack.
Chao Youqian suddenly thought of the vegetable patch in the yard. "Does our yard have lush vegetation? There's a lot of green space in the community, too. Will it breed a lot of bugs?"
"Don't worry about that. The yard is fully equipped with insect repellent devices, and the community property management is no slouch. When I drove back, I noticed that most of the trees and grasses planted here are mosquito-repellent plants like camphor trees. There's even a notice saying they exterminate mosquitoes once a week." Lang Xin's vigorous massage was very soothing. "We also have insect repellent spray at home. Spraying the yard every few days is safer."
Chao Youqian was not very awake to begin with, and the ointment was very effective in relieving the itching, and the comfortable massage made him even more drowsy.
Noticing his tired expression, Lang Xin said softly, "Go to sleep. I'll turn off the lights in a while."
Chao Youqian fell into a deep sleep. Only when he was in the company of someone he trusted could he get such a deep sleep.
As the impact of Virus X has been gradually contained in China, more people are going out, and outdoor activities such as camping and hiking are on the rise, leading to a surge in the presence of various insects. At the same time, due to the hot and humid weather, the human immune system is weakened, making it easier for virus-carrying insects to invade the human body.
Yesterday, I was watching the news about someone who died from an insect bite and contracted the virus after not paying attention. Since the reopening, lawns and green spaces have become increasingly crowded with tourists and pets, and there have also been cases of pets tragically dying from insect bites.
And those who haven't prevented water ants from entering their homes have been plagued by eggs, damaging not only their wooden furniture but also small red bumps. Termite control centers in every city have been swamped with calls, prompting officials to send text messages urging residents to buy termite spray at pharmacies, keep their homes dry, and pay attention to cracks in walls.
Although the cases in the news are often selected and even exaggerated for warning purposes, Lang Xin did not want to have the one in ten thousand possibility of Chao Youqian getting hurt.
The sealing and exterior decoration of the flats and villas have achieved the ultimate in insect prevention, but all objects will eventually wear out, and even the strongest buildings will collapse, so he must be fully prepared.
Lang Xin gently covered Chao Youqian with a blanket and set the air conditioner temperature to 24 degrees. He decided to discuss further plans with him after daybreak.
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