214. Critically ill
The second brother, who had been frowning, couldn't help but chime in with a slightly childish yet serious tone, after crossing his arms: "Don't worry, big brother. Once you're better, I'll teach you a sword technique I created myself. Practice it before staying up late to study, and you'll be guaranteed not to get sick!"
The little dumpling immediately nodded in agreement: "Yes! Second brother's swordsmanship is amazing!"
Jin Qizhi was amused by her two younger siblings, which eased her tense nerves a bit.
The little dumpling saw her older brother being amused by her and her second older brother, and a smile appeared on her little face as well: "Big brother is laughing. Mommy said that being happy helps you get better faster."
The second brother immediately chimed in, hands on his hips, striking a pose like a martial arts master: "That's right! Once big brother gets better, I'll teach you my newly created Frosty Moon Shattering Star Ice Crystal Snow Frost Sword Technique! I guarantee you won't be afraid of the cold in winter anymore, and you won't get sick even if you stay up all night studying!"
Jin Qizhi leaned against the headboard and couldn't help but smile. Looking at his two younger siblings who were circling around him, and his parents who were looking at him with concern, his eyes were full of warmth, and even the fatigue in his body dissipated a bit.
He hadn't been surrounded by his family like this in a long time.
He is the eldest of three children.
My younger sister is young and needs someone to take care of her.
My younger brother is a little rascal, and the adults always need to spend some time managing him.
He was older and more sensible from a young age, so his parents had high hopes for him. However, because he was too independent and sensible, they inevitably paid less attention to him and spent more time taking care of his younger siblings.
He never cared about these things.
Because for the first four years, as his parents' only child, he enjoyed their unconditional and wholehearted love.
He received more and more unique love than his younger siblings.
After his younger siblings were born, his parents' attention was diverted, but he knew that their love for him had not diminished, and he was still the child they had the highest hopes for.
He also loved his younger siblings and never thought there was anything wrong with it.
Surrounded by his family, he felt so warm he wanted to cry.
The little dumpling held its older brother's hand tightly and buried its head in his chest. Jin Qizhi then hugged the warm, cuddly little dumpling.
The little dumpling thought to itself—
"Auntie, auntie, do we have any lucky charms?"
[Currently possess 4 Basic Healing Charms, wish to use them?]
"use!"
Please select the target user.
"Big brother!"
[Target confirmed: Jin Qizhi]
[Causes: 1. Viral infection causing upper respiratory tract inflammation. 2. Fever caused by the body's own temperature regulation.]
Symptoms: Common cold, fever
[1 Basic Healing Charm used, 3 Basic Healing Charms remaining]
As the system's voice faded, Jin Qizhi felt much more relaxed.
When the doctor arrived, everyone was surprised to find that the fever on Jin Qizhi's forehead had subsided considerably.
The servant brought over the cooked bird's nest porridge, and Jin Qizhi held the bowl and drank it down himself.
After the doctor finished his examination, he was surprised to find that Jin Qizhi was almost fully recovered. He did not prescribe any medicine, but instead told them to prepare some medicinal food to nourish their bodies.
Jiang Xiyue breathed a sigh of relief, reached out and touched his forehead, then touched her own: "The fever is really gone!"
Jin Qizhi was also pleasantly surprised. He looked down at the little dumpling who was smiling with her eyes crinkled and a little smug, and touched her soft cheeks: "I think this must be thanks to my little sister. As soon as I hugged her, I felt better. It must be her good fortune that dispelled my illness."
Jiang Xiyue hugged her daughter tightly again: "Our Yue'er is indeed a lucky star. With her big brother by her side, he got better quickly!"
The little dumpling was warmly held by her mother, her little head resting in her mother's arms: "Mother, from now on, Yue'er will come to visit big brother every day."
The family chatted and laughed, and the atmosphere in the house became lively.
When it was time for dinner, Marquis Beiding told Jin Qizhi to stay in his room and not go out in the wind, and to have someone bring a separate portion of his meal to his room.
Jiang Xiyue gave him a few more instructions, telling him not to read anymore and to call a servant if he needed anything, before taking the little dumpling and his second brother back to their respective courtyards.
-
Soon, it was late at night.
Jin Qizhi quietly opened her eyes.
He listened to the sounds outside the door, and seeing that no one was there, he quietly got out of bed and went to the table. He carefully lit a candle and took out his homework paper and writing materials from the bookshelf.
He was still preoccupied with his studies at the academy, thinking that since he was better now, he still had to do his homework.
He didn't want to go against his family's wishes and worry them, but he also couldn't give up his studies, so he had no choice but to do it secretly.
As the eldest brother, he always felt a strange sense of responsibility. Although Marquis Beiding and Jiang Xiyue never asked him to do so, he always felt that he had to be independent and sensible and not let his parents worry.
He wants to be diligent and ambitious, and set an example for his younger siblings.
He must do his best in everything, grow up quickly, and share his parents' burdens.
With this in mind, he resolutely picked up his pen and began writing furiously under the dim light.
The pen scratched on the paper, but before long, he felt dizzy and the words in front of him began to blur.
He rubbed his eyes hard, wanting to continue writing, but felt a chill run through his body, as if countless ice needles were piercing his bones.
"Cough cough..." He couldn't help but cough, and the coughing got worse and worse. It felt like something was blocking his chest, and even breathing became difficult.
He tried to call for help, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he felt dizzy and his vision went black. He then collapsed onto the desk.
The lampstand swayed, the flame of the wick flickered a few times, but eventually stabilized, leaving only a small patch of dim yellow light.
-
The next morning.
The servant pushed open the door to bring water and immediately saw Jin Qizhi sitting at the table.
He rushed forward and found that the man's forehead was burning hot and his breathing was heavy and labored.
"Oh no! The eldest young master has fallen ill again!"
The servant's exclamation caused chaos in the Beiding Marquis's residence.
Everyone rushed into the house. When Jiang Xiyue saw her son unconscious, she threw herself at the bedside, crying, "Qizhi! Qizhi! It's all my fault, I didn't come to see you last night..."
Marquis Beiding was also so anxious that his face turned pale. While sending someone to fetch a doctor, he reached out to touch his son's forehead, stamping his feet in regret: "It's all my fault! I was relieved when I saw that he was getting better last night, and I didn't have anyone keep an eye on him to make sure he didn't stay up all night again!"
The little dumpling and her second brother also rushed over.
The little boy looked at his older brother's tightly closed eyes and was terrified: "Big brother..."
The second brother, no longer with his usual carefree smile, frowned deeply: "It's all because of those lousy lessons! Once the eldest brother recovers, I'll go and argue with the academy's tutor!"
The doctor rushed over, took his pulse, and shook his head gravely: "Young master was just recovering from a cold, and his body is weak, so he needs to recuperate properly. Yet he stayed up all night and caught a chill, which has penetrated his lungs and internal organs. This illness... has come on very suddenly..."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xiyue panicked: "Doctor, you must save my child! We're willing to spend any amount of money!"
"I'll do my best..." The doctor pondered for a long time before finally writing down the prescription, adding, "Try drinking it first. If it helps, that's great. If not..."
He didn't say anything more, shook his head, and left.
-
In the following days, everyone in the Beiding Marquis's residence revolved around Jin Qizhi.
Jiang Xiyue barely slept, staying by the bedside to feed her medicine and wipe her sweat; her eyes were swollen like walnuts.
Aside from attending court sessions where he couldn't get leave, the Marquis of Beiding spent the rest of his time at his residence and even sent people to other places to find renowned doctors, hoping that his son could recover quickly.
The little dumpling and her second brother also asked for leave and will not go to the palace to accompany their studies for the time being.
Jin Qizhi's condition fluctuated. Sometimes she would be lucid for a moment, see her family by her bedside, want to say something but had no strength, and could only blink weakly.
Sometimes he would fall into a deep sleep, muttering "studies" and "academy".
The illness is like the weather in late autumn, sometimes better, sometimes worse, with no fixed pattern.
The little dumpling used up all the talismans.
However, the effects of the initial healing talisman were ultimately limited. Jin Qizhi's body temperature continued to fluctuate, and doctors came in waves, prescribing different medicines one after another, but his condition did not improve.
The atmosphere at the Marquis of Beiding's residence grew heavier day by day, and even the usually talkative and cheerful second brother lost his desire to play.
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