The morning sun shone as usual on every corner of the village, but for Lin Yue, today's sunlight felt like a silent urging. The real challenge lay in the follow-up treatment after Grandpa Liu's condition stabilized; she knew it was a race against time and the rudimentary conditions.
Lin Yue arrived at Grandpa Liu's house early, followed closely by Chen Yu. Upon entering, they were greeted by a distinctive smell, a mixture of herbs and the frail scent of an elderly man. Grandpa Liu lay on the bed, his complexion slightly better than before, but still very weak. His eyes were closed, and his brows were furrowed, as if he were suffering from illness even in his dreams.
Lin Yue walked to the bedside, gently lifted the blanket, and began to carefully examine Grandpa Liu's physical condition. Her eyes were focused and serious, and her fingers skillfully pressed on the old man's abdomen, legs, and other areas, feeling the tension in his muscles and his body's reactions. Every subtle change in expression did not escape Chen Yu's eyes. When he saw Lin Yue's brows furrowing more and more tightly, his heart skipped a beat.
"The situation isn't looking good. The inflammation is still ongoing, and there may be new signs of infection," Lin Yue said in a low voice, her tone grave. Chen Yu looked at Lin Yue, his eyes filled with worry, but he knew he couldn't panic; he had to be Lin Yue's strong support.
Lin Yue turned around and began to organize her few medicines and rudimentary medical equipment. She picked up the simple syringes she had made herself, a hint of helplessness flashing in her eyes. These syringes were pieced together from bamboo tubes and some simple parts. Although they had been repeatedly sterilized, they were far inferior in safety and accuracy to modern disposable syringes.
“I need cleaner water to prepare the medicine,” Lin Yue said to Chen Yu. Without a word, Chen Yu picked up a bucket and headed outside. The village's water source was an old well at the village entrance. Chen Yu quickly went to the well and skillfully set down the bucket. As he drew water, he saw his slightly tired but determined face reflected in the water. He knew that Lin Yue was working even harder than him right now, and he had to fully support her.
When Chen Yu returned to the house with the water, Lin Yue was talking to Aunt Liu. Aunt Liu held some freshly picked herbs, which she had gathered on the mountain following the method Lin Yue had taught her. Aunt Liu said with concern, "Lin Yue, these are the best herbs I could find. See if you can use them." Lin Yue took the herbs, carefully examining them, a hint of relief in her eyes: "Aunt Liu, these herbs are very useful, thank you." Aunt Liu smiled, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepening: "Silly child, no need to thank me. As long as the old man gets better, that's more important than anything else." Aunt Liu's kindness and warmth were like the morning sun, warming everyone in the house.
Lin Yue began processing the herbs, placing them in an old stone mortar and slowly crushing them with a thick wooden stick. Her movements were light yet powerful, each strike precise and accurate. Beads of sweat gradually appeared on her forehead, but her eyes never left the mortar. During this process, Chen Yu helped by handing her tools and boiling water. The two worked together seamlessly, exchanging no words, yet an invisible force seemed to bind them tightly together.
However, the treatment process did not go smoothly despite their efforts. A problem arose when Lin Yue was about to administer the medication to Grandpa Liu. As the needle of the makeshift syringe pierced the old man's skin, he trembled slightly in pain, causing Lin Yue's hand to jerk violently. Her heart leaped into her throat, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. She knew all too well that under such rudimentary conditions, any small mistake could lead to serious consequences.
"Chen Yu, quickly hold down the old man's arm, don't let him move around," Lin Yue shouted, her voice urgent. Chen Yu immediately stepped forward and held down the old man's arm tightly. His eyes were filled with tension and worry, and his lips trembled slightly, but he kept gently comforting the old man, "Grandpa, just bear with it, it will be over in a moment."
Lin Yue took a deep breath, trying to steady her hand. She carefully pushed the syringe, her eyes fixed on the point where the needle touched the old man's skin, afraid of any accident. Finally, she finished the injection and let out a long sigh of relief, but her tense nerves didn't relax.
Next, Lin Yue used a herbal decoction to clean Grandpa Liu's wound. She brought the decoction to the bedside, dipped a clean cloth in it, and gently wiped the skin around the old man's wound. The rising steam blurred Lin Yue's vision, but she remained focused on her work. Grandpa Liu would occasionally twitch in pain, and Lin Yue's hands would tremble, but her movements remained gentle, and she kept saying comforting words, "Grandpa, just bear with it a little longer, it'll be over soon." Her eyes were filled with heartache, as if Grandpa Liu were her own family.
While cleaning the wound, Lin Yue discovered that it was festering, which was more serious than she had anticipated. She frowned, quickly searching for a solution. She knew that without antibiotics, controlling the infection could only rely on herbal remedies and keeping the wound clean.
“Chen Yu, we need to find some more effective anti-inflammatory herbs,” Lin Yue said. Chen Yu nodded. Knowing time was of the essence, he immediately turned and left. He found a few strong young men in the village, and together they ran up the mountain. The mountain path was rugged and uneven, but they didn't hesitate at all. Chen Yu's eyes were determined. As he ran, he recalled the herbal knowledge Lin Yue had taught him, silently praying that they could find the necessary herbs as soon as possible.
On the mountain, they split up to search. Chen Yu carefully searched the undergrowth, his eyes sharp, not missing any possible target. Suddenly, he spotted a familiar clump of herbs and his heart leaped with joy. He hurried over, crouched down, and carefully dug the herbs out. Just then, he heard a cry of surprise from not far away; a young man had slipped and fallen. Chen Yu rushed over, helped the young man up, and asked with concern, "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" The young man shook his head: "I'm fine, just a scrape." Chen Yu patted his shoulder: "Be careful, we need to find the herbs quickly."
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