Free Web NovelChapter 219: Chapter 219: Snatching the Child
Su Li refused to take the blame Yang Xiangyun was trying to foist on her.
She replied directly, "I’m not targeting anyone, I’m not talking nonsense, and I’m certainly not trying to scare people just to cause a panic."
"I’m not sick in the head. Do you think I get my kicks from scaring people?"
Yang Xiangyun didn’t seem to expect Su Li’s anger. She froze for a moment, waving her hands in confusion.
"That’s not what I meant."
Su Li took two deep breaths to calm down. Ignoring her, she began to explain seriously.
"Dengue fever, also known as breakbone fever or five-day fever, is an acute febrile disease caused by the dengue virus. It’s characterized by fever, joint pain, muscle pain, and skin rashes."
"The incubation period is five to eight days. The initial fever can last for four to five days before subsiding, but it can return one to three days later."
"So, even if someone seems to be getting better, they can relapse. Whether it’s the first fever or a relapse, you can’t just treat it with fever reducers. You have to use them with caution and apply targeted treatment. Otherwise, complications can arise, and it can be fatal..."
Su Li spoke quickly, but her words were clear. Everyone could hear and understand her.
She had just reached this point when she was interrupted by one of the wives—frightened by the words "relapse" and "fatal"—and an enraged Doctor Yang.
"Fatal? Don’t scare us like that!" This was from the wife.
"Su Li, are you trying to teach me how to diagnose a patient?" This was Doctor Yang’s interrogation.
Doctor Yang was displeased, and the other wives were a mixture of disbelief and fear. The scene instantly descended into a cacophony of chatter.
Because everyone trusted Doctor Yang, and he remained silent, they didn’t believe Su Li. All at once, she was bombarded with questions.
Su Li watched their chaotic, irrational squabbling with a sense of helplessness.
The commotion eventually grew so loud that it attracted the attention of the Supervisor.
Su Li briefly explained the situation to the Supervisor. After consulting Doctor Yang, the Supervisor looked troubled.
Doctor Yang was a senior, experienced doctor whose word was credible. But Su Li wasn’t one to speak recklessly either; she wouldn’t say something unless she was fairly certain.
An infectious disease was a major issue, after all. Since Su Li had brought it up, it had to be taken seriously.
The Supervisor thought for a moment before speaking.
"I understand. I’ll report this to my superiors and request that they send doctors and specialists to confirm the situation."
Doctor Yang snorted. Su Li glanced at him, then turned to the Supervisor and asked with a frown.
"Supervisor, when can the specialists get here?"
The Supervisor answered patiently, "The doctors and specialists will be here the day after tomorrow at the earliest."
"Alright, everyone, break it up. Go on home."
The Supervisor rubbed his temples and turned to go home.
Su Li’s expression didn’t improve. She looked at the crowd still chattering around Doctor Yang, unwilling to leave. After a moment’s thought, she decided she had to talk to the Supervisor again.
The Supervisor had just sat down at home when Su Li arrived.
"Supervisor, I’d like to confirm the timeline with you. From what you said, you’ll report this and wait for superiors to send specialists, which won’t be until the day after tomorrow? And once they arrive, will they need another day or two to confirm it?"
The Supervisor considered it. "More or less. Once it’s confirmed, we have to file another report and see how they arrange for it to be handled. These are all necessary procedures."
Su Li shook her head. "We don’t have that much time. Time is of the essence, Commissar. Every extra day means more people could be infected."
’A few days back and forth... we can’t afford to wait.’ freeweɓnovel.cøm
Su Li’s brow furrowed. "Supervisor, I know I’m not a doctor, but I’m very familiar with this disease. I can’t say I’m one hundred percent certain, but I’m eighty percent sure it’s dengue fever."
"Dengue fever is spread by mosquitoes. Anyone can get infected. If it’s cared for and treated properly, it’s manageable. But if the treatment is wrong, people will die."
’If more people get infected and aren’t treated correctly, who knows how high the mortality rate will climb.’
The Supervisor pondered for a moment. "I understand. I’ll expedite the report."
Su Li could see that deep down, the Supervisor trusted Doctor Yang more. Saying anything else would be useless, so she forced a smile and took her leave.
Lost in thought on her way back, she saw that the crowd was still gathered at her front door.
Su Li shook her head and pushed through them, coming face-to-face with a conflicted-looking Grandma Cui.
"Su Li, you’re back! Little Mo’s fever is high again. Doctor Yang saw him and said he needs a shot to bring the fever down."
Grandma Cui spoke urgently the moment she saw Su Li. She was torn, not knowing whether to listen to Su Li or Doctor Yang.
Hearing this, Su Li didn’t hesitate and rushed inside.
Just as she entered, she saw Nurse Yang about to give the injection.
"Stop!" Su Li shouted.
Nurse Yang paused, and the anger in Doctor Yang’s eyes became impossible to suppress.
"What do you mean, ’stop’? Do you want him to burn to death? With a fever this high, you won’t let him take fever reducers or get a shot. Are you trying to kill him?"
Doctor Yang’s roar silenced all the military wives outside. They exchanged glances and hurried into the Tang Family home to watch the drama unfold.
Su Li picked up Little Tang Mo and shook her head.
"It’s not that I don’t want to use fever reducers or give him a shot, it’s that I don’t dare to. With dengue fever, you have to be extremely cautious with painkillers and antipyretics. You..."
Su Li couldn’t continue. Wasn’t she terrified? Didn’t she want to give Little Tang Mo the medicine? But Doctor Yang didn’t believe it was dengue fever at all; he was just treating it like a common cold with a high fever. How could she dare let him!
In her past life, while investigating and reporting on dengue fever, Su Li had personally witnessed a child die.
The trigger for the death was that the parents and doctors hadn’t realized it was dengue at first. They kept using fever reducers, and in the end...
As Su Li was trying to find the right words to convince Doctor Yang to listen to her...
...Yang Xiangyun, holding the syringe, finally exploded with anger.
She looked at Little Tang Mo’s flushed face and couldn’t hold back any longer.
"Mrs. Tang, you can’t do this! You can’t delay Momo’s treatment like this."
Her eyes were red with anxiety. "Mrs. Tang, you can’t act like this just because he’s not your biological son! Momo is so adorable, how can you be so heartless? If you don’t want him, I do! If you won’t give him the shot, I will!"
Su Li’s face darkened at her words. "What’s that supposed to mean? That just because I’m not his birth mother, I’m intentionally trying to let Little Mo burn to death?"
Su Li was furious and couldn’t stop herself from lashing out. freewebnøvel.coɱ
Before Yang Xiangyun could speak, one of the gossiping wives outside couldn’t help but chime in.
"It’s true! Everyone knows a stepmother’s heart is the most venomous. Who doesn’t know what you’re up to? Aren’t you just using this as a chance to let him die? You don’t feel the pain because he’s not your own flesh and blood, right?"
"Exactly! And didn’t her mother-in-law get so angry she tried to hang herself the very day she arrived?"
The military wives, who already disliked Su Li, started chiming in one after another, criticizing her and even bringing up the past incident with Mrs. Tang.
"She’s never home, but the moment she hears her stepson is sick, she shows up to stop the doctor from treating him, even making up some excuse about an infectious disease."
Listening to them, Su Li was so angry she started to laugh.
"Fine. Just fine."
"You all sure have a lot to say. Say whatever you want. It’s all just cheap talk, since you don’t have to take any responsibility for your words."
Su Li’s eyes were bloodshot, her anger at its peak. "You won’t take responsibility, but I will."
She pointed to the door. "Now, all of you, get out."
After her shout, Su Li ignored their indignant cries and, holding Little Tang Mo, began to pack.
Yang Xiangyun watched her movements warily. "What are you doing?"
Su Li let out a cold laugh. "What am I doing? What do you think I’m doing? I’m going to find someone who can actually treat Little Mo properly!"
Su Li decided to take Little Tang Mo to the Imperial City for treatment.
’There are downsides, but if I maintain proper isolation and protection during the journey, it’s still better than staying here.’
Yang Xiangyun was shocked. "You’re taking Momo away?"
Su Li couldn’t be bothered to answer her and continued packing what they needed.
Yang Xiangyun gritted her teeth as she watched Su Li’s expression. When she saw Su Li was actually about to leave with Little Tang Mo in her arms, she suddenly dropped the syringe, pushed Su Li aside, and snatched the boy from her embrace.
"I won’t let you take Momo!"
