Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

  Zhang Zian didn’t know how experienced Sun Xiaomeng was as a doctor, but since her prescription had won appraisal from Old Time Tea, who complimented her saying that she was “knowledgeable about both Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine”, he decided to trust her expertise. He used to tease her, calling her a super nerd who only knew about studying, but now, he was really grateful that she was a nerd.

  “I will let you treat it. I trust you,” he said. He then glanced at the delirious Richard and added, “I think Richard also trusts you and is willing to let you cure it.”


  Sun Xiaomeng liked Richard very much, and as a doctor — although only a veterinarian — she must shoulder her responsibility in this situation. She said decisively, “Okay. I am going to use Western medicines to deal with its urgent syndromes, and will use Traditional Chinese Medicine for recuperating its body, trying to stabilize its condition as soon as possible.”


  “OK, I don’t understand what you said, but I’m at your service. Just tell me what I should do to help,” replied Zhang Zian decidedly.

  Do not suspect the man you use. Since he had chosen Sun Xiaomeng to treat Richard, he must provide her with full support.

  “What I just said is the first thing I want you to know. The other thing is, aspergillus is contagious, so you must be careful not to let the two red-headed lovebirds get infected. They are smaller than Richard and have poorer immunity, so they would be in even more critical conditions if they got sick. You go transfer them to a separate room, and then go to the supermarket to buy a UV disinfection lamp, and put it into their room together with the electric heater,” said Sun Xiaomeng rapidly.

  Zhang Zian slapped his forehead. He was so anxious and panicked that he almost forgot about those two birds!

  “Got it.” He had just walked two steps before he stopped again, and said with puzzlement, “Could it be that the two red-headed lovebirds brought the germs?”


  If it really was the red-headed lovebirds that had brought the germs, he would really consider putting them away. They were, after all, just pets, and if an Elf was dead because of them…


  He suddenly recalled Guo Dongyue’s mother, specifically when the two red-headed lovebirds she raised had made Guo Dongyue sick with parrot fever; she sent them away out of remorse. Her feelings at that time must have been similar to Zhang Zian’s current moods: that they were about to lose more precious things because of two pets…that bitterly remorseful feelings were just like numerous ants gnawing at their hearts.

  If Zhang Zian was able to take into account such a possibility, Sun Xiaomeng, of course, had already thought of it.

  “Probably not.” She shook her head slowly, “I thought so at the beginning too, but unfortunately they are not the reason. Though I’ve never been to the Phoenix House, judging from the breeding base of my family, I reckon that a pet breeding base of such a large size must have the most stringent control in disinfection and epidemic prevention, because if there was an outbreak of infectious disease, the consequences would be disastrous.”


  “My estimation is that since each time Phoenix House introduces a group of birds from the outside, such birds will always be quarantined for a long time, and they will not be raised with the original birds in the base until they are confirmed not to be carrying germs, so it’s unlikely that these two red-headed lovebirds are the infection source of Richard’s disease.” Speaking here, her tone suddenly changed and she said with a stern expression, “On the contrary, I think the aspergilli have been lurking and reproducing through fission in Richard’s body, and they erupted as acute aspergillosis when Richard was weak because he caught a cold.”


  Richard was the one that brought the germs?

  But it was captured by him as soon as it appeared at Binhai University… so it had been carrying the germs before it became an Elf? Only this explanation can make sense.

  Zhang Zian seemed to have thought of something, but he was not quite sure. Besides, now was not the time for him to think about these things.

  “I see, a UV disinfection lamp, right? I’ll go buy it right away.” He decided to temporarily put the distractions aside. It was imperative for him to help save Richard.

  “Okay, make it quick. Wait, I still need an earthenware pot to decoct the Chinese herbal medicines. Do you have one here?” she pulled at his clothes.

  Zhang Zian said, “No, my family has always resorted to Western medicine.”


  “Then also go to buy an earthenware pot for decocting the Chinese herbal medicines. I will need to boil quite a lot of Chinese herbal medicine for Richard, and at the same time prepare some portions to prevent the red-headed lovebirds from getting the disease.” she said.

  “OK, I’m going right now.”


  The supermarket was not far away, and UV disinfection lamps and earthenware pots were not hard to find, so Zhang Zian was confident that he would come back very soon.

  “Please take care of Richard for me.” He looked at Richard, who was unconscious, and walked downstairs.

  ….

  “Hmm…” Holding a prescription paper, Long Xian scrambled to change into her clothes and her shoes. The prescription paper was written with the types and the dosages of the Chinese herbal medicines that Sun Xiaomeng had instructed her to purchase.

  Just when she had dressed up, Wang Qian and Li Kun pushed open the door breathlessly.

  “Those are the medicines.” she said, pointing to the bottles and jars that she had prepared in advance at the cashier desk. “Li Kun, go bring these to Sister Xiaomeng.”


  “Okay.” Li Kun put the bottles and jars one by one into the bag on his arm.

  “What is this liquid?” he asked, shaking a clear-glass bottle for a few times under the light.

  Having put on a mask for going outdoors, Long Xian said vaguely, “It’s copper sulfate solution…”


  “Damn it! Sulfuric acid?” Hands shivering, Li Kun almost threw the bottle!

  “Copper sulfate! Not sulfuric acid! They are different colors, all right? Did you not learn chemistry in middle school?” Long Xian was so vexed that she pulled down the mask again, “Stop asking questions! Just quickly bring these medicines to Sister Xiaomeng!”


  “Okay, okay, stop pushing me.” Li Kun knew he was wrong and didn’t dare to quarrel with her anymore. After packing all the medicines into the carry bag, he said goodbye to them and left.

  Wang Qian stayed at the clinic by himself. He had always hung around with Li Kun, whether it was in their dormitory or elsewhere, they always acted in tandem. Now that he was suddenly left alone, he was completely at loose ends.

  Long Xian was one year older than Wang Qian and Li Kun, and she clearly deemed herself as an elder sister to them. She instructed Wang Qian, “I need to go out to buy Chinese herbal medicines now, so you stay here to look after the clinic. If there are any clients, tell them our business is temporarily suspended, and tell them to come another day, understand?”


  Wang Qian nodded obediently.

  “Okay, I’m leaving now.” Long Xian made a step outward and her tiptoes touched a soft thing.

  Looking down, she saw that Good-for-Nothing was lying on the ground, raising its head to gaze at her with eyes that were filled with plaintiveness.

  What was happening? Long Xian was quite puzzled, she remembered that Good-for-Nothing had not been lying there a moment ago. Did it deliberately roll over to touch her seeing that she was leaving?

  Now, she recalled that Good-for-Nothing’s owner was still at the clinic. Jin Er was a client too after all. She couldn’t just leave him there without proper etiquettes.

  “Mr. Jin!” She ran back to the ward, “Mr. Jin, I need to leave the clinic for a moment, could you please…”


  What she meant was that now that the person in charge of the clinic was leaving, shouldn’t he as a client also leave on his own initiative? After all, if the owner was not home, guests shouldn’t prolong their stay. What if something got lost? Whose responsibility was that?

  Through clapping his hands, Jin Er had confirmed that all these cats, just like Snowy’s Persian cat, knew the stunts—walking in a figure eight.

  “What?” Completely focused on the cats, he didn’t hear clearly what Long Xian was asking.

  “I mean, I’m going out for a while,” said Long Xian politely.

  Jin Er, with worldly freedom, immediately understood her implied meaning, and he looked at his watch. “Well, it’s really getting late, and I am also hungry. All right, I will bring Good-for-Nothing for a check-up another day.”


  “Okay. I am really sorry, but there is an emergency today.” Long Xian smiled and gestured for him to leave the ward.

  “Come. Good-for-Nothing. Time to go home for dinner.” Said Jin Er to his Husky.

  Hearing it was going to have dinner, Good-for-Nothing managed to restore a little bit of its spirits and followed listlessly behind Jin Er.

  Long Xian gestured to Wang Qian with her eyes, signaling him to stay at the clinic until she came back, and then she and Jin Er walked out from the clinic.

  “It’s so cold!” She was wearing plenty of clothes, but as soon as she stepped out of the warm clinic, she sneezed due to the chilliness outside, so she quickly put on her mask.

  She heard from Sister Xiaomeng that there would be strong winds and lower temperatures tomorrow, and now the wind was indeed picking up. The autumn wind was getting increasingly stronger was blowing and scattering away the fallen leaves in the street, making it appear more bleak and desolate.

  Jin Er zipped up his flight jacket, and opened the rear door of his car to let Good-for-Nothing climb in.

  “Take care,” said Long Xian to Jin Er, “I’m going to take a taxi now.”


  Jin Er thought for a moment, and said, holding the car door open, “You seem like you are in a hurry. Where are you going? I can give you a ride.”