Professor Yang was startled when he first saw Xing Zhaozhao and quickly looked away.
Because of their social class, the villagers were reluctant to associate with those living in the cowshed, fearing they might get implicated.
Professor Yang understood this and tried to have as little contact with the villagers as possible.
Upon seeing Xing Zhaozhao, her first reaction was to avoid her.
Xing Zhaozhao had no other thoughts about Professor Yang. They were simply not familiar with each other and would usually just nod when they met, and that would be it.
This time was no exception.
However, as Xing Zhaozhao passed by Professor Yang, she inadvertently glanced at the winnowing basket that Professor Yang was holding in her hands, which were covered in chilblains, and couldn't help but frown.
It looks like some herbs.
Xing Zhaozhao remembered hearing someone mention that Professor Yang Xin and her husband, Professor Zhou Qingyuan, were suspected of being framed and were sent down to their village because they had overseas connections and a son abroad.
It seems that Professor Zhou is ill now.
Although the doctors at the village clinic have limited skills, you still have to see a doctor when you're sick. How can you just take these herbs randomly? One of them studied history, and the other studied physics. Do they even know anything about these things? And they dare to take them so casually? I've never heard of any of the other people living in the cowshed knowing anything about these things either.
Xing Zhaozhao thought for a moment, then couldn't help but call out to Professor Yang, "Is Professor Zhou ill, Professor Yang?"
Startled by being called upon, Professor Yang nodded quickly and said, "Yes."
"You should see a doctor when you're sick; you can't just take herbal medicine indiscriminately," Xing Zhaozhao said.
“I know.” Professor Yang looked anxious, his voice choked with emotion. “We’ve already called a doctor from the clinic to take a look, and he’s taken the medicine, but it’s not working. He still has a high fever. I was worried that if he kept having this fever, he would get delirious, so I went to the mountains to collect some herbs. When I was a child and got sick, my nanny would also go to the mountains to collect herbs and boil them for me to drink. It would make me feel better as soon as I drank it, so I wanted to give it a try.”
As Professor Yang spoke, he rummaged through the herbs in the winnowing basket, muttering under his breath, "But something's strange. The leaves of this herb look exactly the same as the one I used to drink, but the smell seems a little different..."
Xing Zhaozhao: "..."
Xing Zhaozhao was at a loss for words.
She's really daring.
Xing Zhaozhao suddenly remembered that she had bought some medicine when she went on a big shopping spree there before.
That time, she came back carrying big bags and small bags. As she passed through a street, she found that there were three pharmacies in a row, almost as many as food stores. She happened to see someone carrying a big bag of medicine coming out of one of them. She thought they were eating medicine like food. When she asked, she found out that they were buying it to keep on hand. So she followed suit and bought some too. After all, she had three children. It was indeed necessary to buy some as a precaution. Besides, the medicine there must be better than the medicine here.
I didn't expect to be able to use it so soon.
Xing Zhaozhao looked at Professor Yang and said, "I still have some fever reducers that my husband brought back from his unit. They might be more effective. Should I go and get them for Professor Zhou to try?"
Professor Yang's eyes lit up as he looked at Xing Zhaozhao, his expression eager: "Is it alright? Wouldn't that be too much trouble for you?"
She wouldn't have accepted anything else, but this was medicine, a matter of life and death, so she had no choice but to swallow her pride and accept it.
“It’s alright, I don’t need it now anyway. Professor Zhou is getting on in years, and it’s not good for him to keep burning these cigarettes. It would be great if he could use them,” Xing Zhaozhao said.
Professor Yang nodded: "That will be troublesome."
"I'll go back and get it now, and I'll bring it to you in a bit," Xing Zhaozhao said.
Professor Yang thought for a moment and said, "It's better to bring it here. I'll wait for you here. If you take it to the cowshed and someone sees it by chance, it might cause you trouble."
“That works too.” Xing Zhaozhao agreed, then took Hongyu home and went to the cellar to find medicine.
"Fever reducer... I've got it, ibuprofen. Oh right, when I bought the medicine before, the pharmacist also said something like, 'For a cold and fever, it's best to take fever reducer and anti-inflammatory medicine together,' and I'll also get some amoxicillin..."
The medicine has been found, but the packaging definitely can't be brought along. If someone notices something's wrong, it'll be a huge problem.
Xing Zhaozhao had no choice but to take the medicine out of its packaging, repackage it, and send it to Professor Yang.
"Take one pill twice a day from this packet of medicine, and one pill once a day from this packet of medicine," Xing Zhaozhao instructed Professor Yang as she handed him the medicine.
Professor Yang took the medicine, silently reciting each step and memorizing it.
"Thank you, I'm so grateful to you this time," she said to Xing Zhaozhao.
"Professor Yang, you're too kind," Xing Zhaozhao said casually. "However, you two are getting on in years, and the food and lodging there are poor. You should take better care of your health."
Professor Yang nodded: "We are usually quite careful."
They hadn't yet cleared their names, and they didn't want to die so soon.
"I don't know why Old Zhou suddenly fell ill so suddenly this time. He just got up once last night, went back home and immediately developed a high fever. He was also talking nonsense, saying that he saw underworld officials coming out to collect souls. They were holding a long chain and had several souls tied up in it. They were wailing and howling as they came down from the mountain. Isn't that ridiculous? He studied physics for half his life and is a staunch materialist." Professor Yang shook his head helplessly and said.
Xing Zhaozhao: "..."
Last night? Underworld messengers? Holding long chains? Bound with several... souls? Howling like ghosts as they came down from the mountain?
Xing Zhaozhao's lips twitched involuntarily.
So it turns out she was involved in this too; it's her own fault.
Seeing Xing Zhaozhao's sudden change in expression, Professor Yang asked curiously, "What's wrong?"
"No, it's nothing." Xing Zhaozhao quickly shook her head, smiled at Professor Yang, and said, "You should go back now, Professor Zhou is waiting for his medicine."
"Ah, yes, yes, yes," Professor Yang agreed repeatedly, then turned to leave.
Xing Zhaozhao watched Professor Yang's departing figure, paused for a moment, and couldn't help but call out to him again: "Professor Yang."
Professor Yang turned to look at her, puzzled: "??"
“If you need any help in the future, you can come to me,” Xing Zhaozhao said.
Professor Yang shook his head subconsciously.
She's a good person, and she still doesn't want to drag her down with her.
Xing Zhaozhao noticed Professor Yang's worry and comforted him with a smile, "It's alright. My home is in that stone house halfway up the mountain. You can come quietly at night when no one is around, and no one will notice."
Professor Yang wanted to say something more, but seeing figures coming down from the mountain in the distance, he quickly left, afraid of being seen: "Let's talk about it later..."
Following Professor Yang's gaze, Xing Zhaozhao turned her head to look up at the mountain. She saw the figure but didn't pay much attention at first. However, when the person got closer and she saw his appearance clearly, she couldn't help but change her expression slightly.
It's Zhang Wenming.
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