Chapter 225 Encountering the Boy Stealing Roast Chicken Again
In a dilapidated temple outside the city.
The boy who stole the roast chicken is eating it with another boy of similar age.
The other boy was as thin as a bamboo pole, his face was ashen, and he was filthy, hardly better off than a beggar.
"Big brother...you should have some too." The boy with the bamboo pole handed a chicken leg to the boy who stole the chicken.
The chicken-stealing boy swallowed hard, puffed out his belly, patted his stomach, and said, "I've eaten! I ate my fill at One-Eyed Dragon's shop before coming out. You've lost a lot of weight lately, you should eat something to replenish your body."
"Big brother..." The bamboo-skinned boy's eyes reddened, and tears streamed down his face.
The chicken-stealing boy laughed, "What are you crying about? Don't worry, I'm here. I promise you won't starve. When we grow up, we'll definitely kill that son of a bitch and avenge your family!"
"Mmm!" The skinny boy wiped away his tears and took a big bite of chicken leg meat.
Seeing him wolfing down his food with great relish, the chicken-stealing boy turned his head away, barely managing to suppress his drool.
"Cough cough... cough cough cough!" The bamboo pole boy suddenly coughed violently.
The chicken-stealing boy quickly turned around, patted him on the back, and said with a smile, "I'll continue to steal roast chicken tomorrow, so you can eat it every day. There's no need to rush."
However, the bamboo-pole boy coughed more and more violently, and even spat out blood. His already abnormal complexion turned even paler.
The chicken-stealing boy touched his forehead and found that the man had suddenly developed a fever.
His health had been poor ever since the incident at home, and now he has suddenly fallen ill with an acute condition, rapidly weakening and becoming drowsy.
"Lie down quickly!" The chicken-stealing boy wiped his mouth and helped him lie down in the hay. "I'll go get you some medicine. Hang in there!"
The skinny boy said weakly, "Big brother... I... I should be fine, I'll be alright after a good night's sleep. But now... it's already dark, and it's raining so hard... Where are you going to get medicine? Let's talk about it tomorrow..."
The chicken-stealing boy put on a straw raincoat and said, "Save your energy and stop talking nonsense. I'll be back as soon as possible."
Then he used the surrounding debris to block the area, so that wolves, wild dogs, or other animals wouldn't enter the dilapidated temple to avoid the rain, otherwise his brother would be in danger.
The boy who stole the chicken hurriedly left the dilapidated temple and headed towards the city.
Due to the recent frequent floods, both large and small, the county government officials were too busy to keep up, and there were no longer any guards at the city gates, which made it much easier for the chicken-stealing boy to come and go.
Boom—
Lightning flashed across the sky, followed by a rumble of thunder.
The dilapidated surroundings were briefly revealed in the flashes of lightning, exuding a desolate and eerie atmosphere amidst the torrential rain of the night, which was frightening to behold.
The boy who stole the chicken trudged through the muddy puddles with great difficulty, but he wiped the rain from his face and chuckled to himself, saying, "It's just in time that I didn't have a lantern for light. This lightning came at the perfect moment. God is really giving me face!"
Just then, he vaguely saw two blurry figures rapidly approaching him in the distance.
The boy who stole the chicken immediately hid in the roadside bushes and crouched down.
"That's strange, why would anyone leave the city at a time like this?"
"Could it be that the one-eyed man sent people to arrest me? That shouldn't be the case... it's just a roast chicken."
"At worst, they can come to my house and ask my dad for money. Why would they come to arrest me?"
As I pondered, the figure appeared before me in the flickering flashes of lightning.
Only then did he realize that it was the young couple who had been watching him make a fool of himself in front of the roast chicken shop.
The boy who stole the chicken chuckled to himself.
These two out-of-towners are probably a pair of lovers who eloped and foolishly let the beggars take all their money. They have no money for lodging and, being unfamiliar with the area, they rashly left the city.
However, these two are kind-hearted after all.
Just as the two men passed by, the chicken-stealing boy suddenly jumped out and shouted, "Stop!"
Xiao Qidi and Ning Jinli were startled.
Upon seeing this, the chicken-stealing boy burst into laughter, "Hahaha! You two are really funny!"
"Get out of here." Xiao Qidi snapped at the kid when he saw it was him.
The chicken-stealing boy laughed and said, "You're really something. I just laughed at you two, why are you so angry? You're too petty."
Xiao Qidi's face darkened.
If it weren't for this kid getting involved, he and Jinli wouldn't have gotten into trouble.
"Forget it, don't bother with him, let's go." Ning Jinli whispered, pulling Xiao Qidi's hand to continue on their way.
The two of them discussed things while running.
Find a relatively secluded place, open a time portal, and lay low for a while.
Although this incident attracted unnecessary attention, it did leave a portal within the Ze Kingdom, making future actions much easier.
"Hey! Hey! Don't go that way!" the chicken-stealing boy shouted urgently. "Are you two crazy?!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Qidi and Ning Jinli stopped and asked him what he meant.
The chicken-stealing boy said, "It seems you two entered the city from the north gate, unaware that the only road out of the county town from the south gate has been washed away by the river."
"Really?" Xiao Qidi frowned, looking doubtful.
The chicken-thief snorted, "Anyway, I've warned you. If you insist on going to your death, I won't stop you."
“I think this kid, though a bit carefree, doesn’t seem like a bad person,” Ning Jinli whispered to Xiao Qidi, then asked the chicken-stealing boy, “Do you know where around here we can take shelter from the rain? Preferably somewhere secluded.”
The chicken-thief pondered for a moment, thinking that the two seemed to have no experience in the ways of the world, and were a pair of kind-hearted but ill-fated lovers who had eloped. He sighed and said, "Well, it's good that you two met me. Come with me, I'll take you somewhere. Hurry up, I have things to do."
After saying that, he walked towards the dilapidated temple.
Xiao Qidi and Ning Jinli quickly followed.
Before long, the three arrived at the dilapidated temple.
The dilapidated temple was mostly collapsed and leaked in many places, but it was still much better than the outside.
This place looks like it has been abandoned for many years, but in a corner, there are obvious signs of human construction.
A few rotten logs supported the wall, with branches and leaves hanging haphazardly around it, and a layer of dry grass visible underneath.
A little further away, there was a small fire burning, which could barely provide any light.
"You skipped school and are too scared to go home, so you're hiding here?" Ning Jinli asked casually.
The chicken-stealing boy said, "No, that's a place I built for my friend. He's homeless and sick, and I'm going to find him some medicine. You guys find a place here yourselves, and while you're at it, keep an eye on my brothers. I'm leaving now."
“Wait,” Ning Jinli called out to him, “Where are you going to find medicine at a time like this? Even if there are clinics and pharmacies in the city, they’re probably already closed.”
The chicken-stealing boy scratched his head and chuckled, "I'll just steal some from the pharmacy."
Xiao Qidi glared at him coldly, "All you know is stealing."
"What illness does your friend have?" Ning Jinli asked again.
The chicken-stealing boy shook his head. "I'm not a doctor, how would I know what's wrong with him? Anyway, getting some medicine for him to take won't hurt."
Ning Jinli said helplessly, "If you take the wrong medicine, it won't cure the illness, and it might even kill someone! Can you let me take a look?"
The chicken-stealing boy looked surprised and asked, "You don't actually know medicine, do you?"
"Do you want to save your friend?" Xiao Qidi said coldly.
"Ah, of course I want to! Quickly help me take a look!" The chicken-stealing boy hurriedly grabbed Ning Jinli's arm.
Xiao Qidi slapped her across the face, "Don't touch her."
"Yes, yes, I won't touch it." The chicken-stealing boy withdrew his hand and teased, "Hey, you're pretty fierce."
The boy who stole the chicken carefully moved away some of the obstructions.
A boy as thin as a bamboo pole appeared before Ning Jinli and Xiao Qidi.
Seeing the pale face, closed eyes, and thin body of the boy, who looked about thirteen or fourteen years old, curled up in a ball, and knowing that he was homeless, both of them felt very sad.
Ning Jinli immediately checked his condition.
Xiao Qidi glanced at a roast chicken that was mostly eaten next to him and realized that this lazy and good-for-nothing kid had stolen the roast chicken to give to his friend.
Theft is unacceptable, but it can be excusable in some ways.
My impression of the boy inevitably changed somewhat.
Ning Jinli discovered that the bamboo-pole boy's symptoms resembled a high fever caused by an inflammatory attack. After searching through his clothes, she found a wound on his leg.
It has become inflamed and suppurated.
The moment the trouser legs were rolled up, an unpleasant odor wafted out.
"Didn't you know he was injured?" Ning Jinli asked, turning her head.
The chicken-stealing boy was stunned for a moment. "I don't know. No wonder he's been having trouble walking lately... I asked him, and he said it was nothing."
When he saw the condition of the boy with the bamboo pole on his legs, he felt a chill run down his spine.
This is a carbuncle!
Even if wealthy people contract the disease and can afford to spend money to find doctors and get treatment, the chances of survival are slim.
For the poor... all they can do is wait to die!
The boy, barely able to open his eyes, mumbled, "Big brother...you've suffered so much for me...I...I don't want you...to worry anymore. I think, maybe if I die, you...you'll be at ease."
The chicken-thief squinted, his eyes reddening, and cursed, "What nonsense are you spouting! You...you should have told me sooner!"
“I know… this disease is incurable,” the bamboo-skinned boy said, his voice growing weaker. “But I also know that even if my brother knows there’s no cure, he will… he will do everything he can to help me… I… I don’t want my brother to suffer anymore… Brother, I just ate some roast chicken, and I’m very satisfied… I can die with a full stomach… that’s enough. It’s a pity I can’t repay your kindness in this life, but in the next… I’ll be your servant in my next life…”
The chicken-stealing boy instantly broke down in tears, kneeling on the ground and clutching his hand, crying out, "I don't want you to be my slave! I just want you to live! You haven't avenged yourself yet! How can you die!"
The boy with the bamboo pole was too weak to make a sound.
Seeing this, the chicken-thief was filled with despair and could only say through tears, "Brother... go in peace, I will avenge you!"
The boy with the bamboo pole immediately fell into a coma.
The boy who stole the chicken instantly burst into tears.
These two people are not related by blood, but their affection is touching.
Ning Jinli said softly, "Don't worry, he won't die."
"What?" The chicken-stealing boy's eyes widened, a flash of joy crossing his face, but it quickly faded. He smiled bitterly and said, "Don't try to comfort me. Although I don't know anything about medicine, I've seen many people die from carbuncles. It's a terminal illness."
"Although I'm not a doctor, I can handle this kind of illness," Ning Jinli said, pulling out a small box of emergency antibiotic pills from her pocket.
The package containing silver, clothes, and dry food had been snatched up by the group of little beggars, but she still kept some emergency medicine on her person.
This is exactly what comes in handy right now.
She took out a piece and put it into the boy's mouth, then used her hand to push against his jaw and throat to help him swallow.
"What did you feed him?" the chicken-thief asked, bewildered. "And what was that strange box you just took out?"
Ning Jinli didn't have time to explain slowly; she still needed to treat the patient's wounds. So she asked the chicken-stealing boy, "Is there anything here that can boil water?"
The boy who stole the chicken nodded, "I have a few broken bowls that can be used to boil water."
"Okay, then go and collect some clean rainwater and boil it. We'll need it later."
Seeing that Ning Jinli didn't seem to be causing trouble, the chicken-stealing boy added some firewood to the fire and took the broken bowl from the ground to the temple gate to collect rainwater.
Ning Jinli asked him to do these things just to get him out of the way.
Then he had Xiao Qidi stand aside to keep watch and block the chicken-stealing boy's view.
Then, Ning Jinli opened a portal on the spot, connecting the other end of the passage to the portal inside the Medicine King Valley cave.
The next second, she and the unconscious bamboo-pole boy disappeared from the spot.
After bringing the patient to Medicine King Valley, she had Lian Qingbai treat the infected and suppurating wound on the patient's leg.
Lian Qingbai was originally a divine physician of the Lian clan in Medicine King Valley, and he was already proficient in using the modern medical tools given to him by Ning Jinli. He quickly cleaned the abscesses clean.
When Ning Jinli returned to the dilapidated temple with the boy with the bamboo pole, the boy who stole the chicken hadn't even boiled the water yet.
“Your friend is alright,” Ning Jinli called out to the figure standing by the fire. “Come and see.”
The boy who stole the chicken quickly ran over and found that his friend's face was regaining color and his breathing was becoming stronger, which was indeed a sign of improvement.
"Divine doctor...so you're a divine doctor!" The chicken-stealing boy immediately knelt down before Ning Jinli. "Divine doctor sister, please accept my bow. Thank you so much for saving my brother's life!"
Ning Jinli grabbed his arm. "Get up, there's no need for this. What did you mean by revenge?"
The boy who stole the chicken looked resentful and recounted the details.
“My brother’s family originally lived near a forest outside the city. Ten years ago, some of his chickens ran into the forest. His father went to look for them and ran into the local bully, One-Eyed Dragon. Oh, One-Eyed Dragon is the owner of the roast chicken shop next door when we met earlier.”
"The one-eyed man stole his family's chickens, insisting that they were wild pheasants he had hunted, and refused to return them to his father. His father argued with him, but was instead beaten severely by the one-eyed man, who broke his leg."
“My brother’s mother went to demand an explanation, but was beaten in the street by the one-eyed man’s wife. She reported it to the authorities, but the bailiffs said she was causing trouble, so she was given twenty lashes and thrown into jail for half a month.”
"By the time my brother was released by the county government, my brother's father had already died from his injuries... My brother's mother, in a fit of anger and resentment, hanged herself..."
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