Chapter 15

"Brother Wenqing, Brother Wenqing." Someone was calling Chen Ke. The distant voice echoed at the edge of Chen Ke's consciousness.

"I need to sleep for a long time, but now is not the time to sleep. I need to set an example and get up to work." These days, the repeated self-reinforcement had made Chen Ke struggle to open his eyes.

He saw Qi Hui and Hua Xiongmao standing on either side of him, whispering, "Let's carry him to the dormitory."

"No need to carry me. Zhenglan, go find Brother Wu and ask him to come." Chen Ke said, then raised his head to look at the sky outside. The sky was already beginning to darken. He looked at his watch and realized he had only slept for less than two hours.

"Did I sleep for an hour or a whole day?" Chen Ke asked hurriedly.

"You slept for an hour. It's getting dark, and we were worried you might catch a cold, so we were about to move you to the dormitory."

Hearing this, Chen Ke felt a wave of relief. "At least I didn't delay the treatment for He Zudao." He muttered. He touched his face and then remembered something important. He asked Hua Xiongmao urgently, "Zhenglan, how are the rabbits? Are they still alive?"

"The rabbits are all fine. I just talked to Hui, and he said we should give them more water. It looks like they can make it until tomorrow."

"Make sure to lay new sand on the ground. The rabbits' urine is toxic." Chen Ke said quickly.

Seeing Chen Ke's somewhat confused and rambling state, Hua Xiongmao advised, "Brother Wenqing, you should rest a bit more. You're so tired."

"Everyone is tired. You're not much better. By the way, where is You Gou?"

Hua Xiongmao pointed to another reclining chair, "You Gou just said not to disturb you and then fell asleep as soon as she sat down."

Chen Ke looked over and saw You Gou lying on her back on the chair, her face pale and her breathing rapid, looking like a seriously ill person. This startled Chen Ke. "Quickly call Xiao Lan in. Make some hot porridge. Have You Gou drink the porridge and then go to rest. Don't let her get sick from exhaustion."

Xiao Lan responded and was about to wake You Gou, but Chen Ke stopped her. "First, make the porridge and let it cool. Boil some hot water. You Gou won't have the energy to eat or wash her face when she wakes up. Xiao Lan, feed You Gou half a bowl of porridge, then help her wash her face, give her a foot bath, and send her to bed."

Chen Ke's command, like that of a master to a servant, made Xiao Lan's face turn sour. She hesitated but didn't follow Chen Ke's instructions. Xiao Lan had already put her hand on You Gou's shoulder, preparing to gently wake her. Chen Ke grabbed Xiao Lan's shoulder and pulled her away from You Gou.

"Do you know how to serve people?" Chen Ke's voice was low, but his tone was extremely stern.

Xiao Lan, who understood some propriety, only shrugged to free herself from Chen Ke's grip. Perhaps because she was surrounded by a group of men, she didn't dare to act rashly. Xiao Lan took a few steps back and finally turned and left the room, running back to the girls' dormitory.

Chen Ke ignored her and said to Hua Xiongmao, "Zhenglan, go find Brother Wu and tell him the medicine is ready. Ask him to find people to test it as soon as possible. The sooner, the better. We can start right now."

"Okay." Hua Xiongmao looked at Chen Ke with concern, then glanced in the direction of the girls' dormitory. Finally, he left the room.

"Hui, let's boil water and make porridge together."

"Wenqing, you..." Qi Hui stopped halfway, not because he hesitated, but because he didn't know what to say.

"Hui, I know you think I'm meddling. But that's just my nature. Since You Gou is working for me, I have to take responsibility."

"Then, shall I call my maid to take care of You Gou?"

"What kind of service is that! This is Xiao Lan's job, isn't it?" Chen Ke said angrily in a low voice, pulling Qi Hui to the courtyard. "Everyone thinks serving others is a lowly task, but that's a problem with society. In the new era, there will be no distinction between high and low birth. There will only be different jobs, not different statuses. But that's not how work should be done. You Gou is so exhausted; if you wake her up abruptly, she might catch a cold."

Qi Hui, who had been silent, suddenly interjected, "Wenqing, didn't you say the revolution is about overthrowing the Qing dynasty? Doesn't that mean we have to risk our lives? People will die."

Qi Hui's words made Chen Ke's eyes light up. Zhou Yuanxiao wasn't wrong.

Chen Ke hadn't expected Zhou Yuanxiao to raise such a question and was momentarily at a loss for words. But he couldn't avoid the question; if he did, everything he had said would be doubted. The drowsiness instantly vanished, and Chen Ke became alert. He quickly reviewed his beliefs and answered, "Those who engage in military struggle, the comrades and friends who fight, naturally know they will face death. These comrades and friends will certainly fear death; no one is born without fear. But since we have taken on this task, our mission is to protect the new regime and the comrades who work in other fields. If the enemy wants to shoot at you, they must step over our bodies first."

These resolute words made Qi Hui feel a shiver. He stared at Chen Ke, who seemed to have recovered from his fatigue. Although his face was still pale, the bloodshot eyes had quickly faded. Chen Ke didn't have a triumphant air; he looked as if he had just said something ordinary. He walked to the well in the courtyard and drew water.

Qi Hui, who had thought about the possibility of death in the revolution but had never experienced it firsthand, felt a surge of enthusiasm from the absolute trust between revolutionary comrades in Chen Ke's words. Chen Ke's ordinary actions not only didn't weaken Qi Hui's trust but made him even more convinced of Chen Ke, who always stood at the forefront of work.

Chen Ke washed his face and observed the rabbits' condition. The water was quickly heated, and the porridge was already lukewarm. Zhou Yuanxiao had heated the water in a steamer, and the porridge had also been warmed. Chen Ke went in and gently woke You Gou. She got up groggily, drank the porridge in a few gulps in the courtyard, and washed her face with hot water. Chen Ke didn't feel comfortable letting You Gou wash her feet in front of everyone. He watched as You Gou wobbled into the girls' dormitory. Chen Ke said, "Let's have dinner."

At this time, the people from You Gou's family should have come back. Sure enough, the steward from the You family arrived on time, carrying a food box, polite but not very enthusiastic, and greeted everyone. Today, You Gou's second brother also came. The only similarity between the siblings was their face shape and nose.

"Mr. You, thank you." Chen Ke smiled and greeted him.

You Gou's second brother scanned the workshop and laboratory but didn't see You Gou. Seeing Chen Ke's pale face, his dissatisfaction eased somewhat.

"Mr. Chen, my sister hasn't been home for a long time. If Mr. Chen is not busy, I would like to take my sister home. My parents at home are very worried about her." You Gou's second brother was quite polite.

"Sure, we're not as busy now. And Miss You has been working hard for a long time. I think she should go home and rest well." Chen Ke replied.

"Then I'll wake my sister up now."

Chen Ke had intended to stop him but was worried that if You Gou's second brother encountered Wu Xingchen, it might cause unnecessary trouble. He nodded.

You Gou's second brother entered the girls' dormitory. After a while, he came out with an angry face. Without explaining, he merely bowed to Chen Ke and left.

You Gou's second brother had barely left for fifteen minutes when Wu Xingchen and Hua Xiongmao entered the courtyard. Chen Ke was glad they hadn't met.

"Is the medicine ready?" Wu Xingchen asked in a low voice as soon as he entered the laboratory.

"It's ready." Chen Ke had already checked the lab bench; no one had touched anything. This batch of medicine was produced from the second purification of the raw materials, and the quantity was not small. It could treat thirty to fifty people without any problem.

"Then let's go." Wu Xingchen said.

Chen Ke put the syringes, seven needles, pre-prepared physiological saline, alcohol swabs, and other items into the medical kit. After checking everything, Chen Ke said, "Hui, come with me."

Hua Xiongmao, who had been eager, looked somewhat disappointed. Wu Xingchen and Qi Hui were almost at the door when Chen Ke called Hua Xiongmao over, "From today on, except for the five of us, no one is allowed to enter the laboratory. Especially Xiao Lan. Keep an eye on her."

"Don't worry. I've been paying attention." Hua Xiongmao smiled firmly and said seriously.

"Of course, I trust you, Zhenglan."

After saying that, Chen Ke picked up a lantern, checked the flashlight in his pocket, and followed Wu Xingchen.

The door opened again, and Chen Ke and Qi Hui entered the room wearing masks. It was already dark, and the lantern's light made the room look like it was full of shadows.

The smell in the room was still nauseating, and the women looked even weaker. The pus-filled sores on their faces had worsened over the past few days, making their pale faces and red sores look even more terrifying. The women remembered Chen Ke, but he didn't listen to what they said. He had Qi Hui hold the lantern and injected the medicine into the veins of each woman one by one.

Perhaps the previous "visit" had made Chen Ke slightly more accustomed to the situation, or perhaps his focus was only on the women's arms. Or maybe having Qi Hui by his side made him feel more at ease. This time, Chen Ke's experience was not as terrifying as before, but Qi Hui's arm holding the lantern was trembling. Eventually, Qi Hui had to put the lantern next to the women's "beds."

The injection speed couldn't be too fast. Chen Ke looked at his watch and slowly pushed the syringe. Before entering, he had asked the brothel owner, who confirmed that five people had first shown symptoms in his place. However, he couldn't be sure if it was their first time. Chen Ke vaguely remembered the reasonable woman and another woman. Even if he couldn't remember, he wouldn't want to ask them again.

After injecting the medicine into the other five women, Chen Ke resisted the urge to give the two women the special medicine and only gave them two injections of physiological saline. The medicine was toxic, and from any perspective, injecting it would be dangerous and unreasonable. Apart from Chen Ke's compassion, there was no other reason not to do it.

After the injections, Chen Ke hardened his heart and didn't listen to what the women said. He left with Qi Hui.

He saw Wu Xingchen talking to the brothel owner in a corner. Chen Ke didn't interfere and left the courtyard with Qi Hui.

All the way to the street, Qi Hui didn't say a word. As they approached the workshop, Qi Hui said in a low voice, "It's really terrible."

"Um." Chen Ke didn't want to say more.

"Wenqing, I've never seen anything like this."

"Um."

Qi Hui wanted to say something but saw that Chen Ke wasn't explaining as he used to. Remembering Chen Ke's tireless efforts over the years, Qi Hui also remained silent.

After dinner, Chen Ke gathered everyone. Du Zhenghui and a few others couldn't bear the sleepless nights and the boredom, plus the boys' dormitory was small, so they only came during the day and went back at night. Now, You Gou was still asleep, and Chen Ke only said two things to the comrades, "Don't let this news out. I'm going to sleep." Then Chen Ke went back to the dormitory, fell onto his bed, covered himself with a blanket, and fell asleep.

Chen Ke woke up once in the middle of the night, turned over, and fell asleep again. Later, around midnight, Chen Ke was woken up by hunger. His stomach growling, he went out of the dormitory and saw a table in the courtyard with food and a cloth cover. Wu Xingchen and a few others were sitting at the table talking.

This was the first time Wu Xingchen had shown Chen Ke a good face, and it was clear he was genuinely smiling. "Brother Chen, you're up. I figured you would be. The food and drinks didn't take long to prepare."

Chen Ke greeted Wu Xingchen and went straight to the toilet. After using the toilet, he sighed in relief, washed his face, and sat down. "How are the people doing?"

"The sores are starting to heal."

"And the people?"

"They're all alive."

Chen Ke sighed deeply. But hearing Wu Xingchen's words, Chen Ke noticed that there were only a few of their own people around, no one else.

"Wenqing, I took the liberty. You're so tired, you need to rest. I sent the others back to rest first." Qi Hui knew what Chen Ke was worried about and said, "This morning, Miss You got up and said she was also very tired and went home first."

In the short time it took for Qi Hui to speak, Chen Ke had already finished a bowl of porridge.

"How are the rabbits?" Chen Ke asked.

"They're all alive."

"Wenqing, you don't need to say so much. I've seen your abilities. How do you plan to explain this medicine to the foreigners?" Wu Xingchen was in a good mood. That afternoon, he had forced the owner to open the door and the madam to go in and check. The madam went in with a scowl but came out with a smile. Seeing the disease treated so quickly, the prostitutes would soon be able to work again, and the treatment was free. It was like a windfall, so the madam was naturally happy.

The brothel owner was even more shrewd. He knew that such an effective medicine meant big business. He flattered Wu Xingchen and even invited him to stay, offering to find him the prettiest girl to play with. This made Wu Xingchen almost nauseous, and he pointed to the small dark room. The brothel owner immediately realized his mistake, laughed awkwardly, and hurriedly apologized to Wu Xingchen.

"Wu, it's not just about the money, right?" Chen Ke asked while eating.

"Wenqing, I don't care how you deal with the foreigners, but what about the brothers on the streets? You need to give them an explanation. Today, the brothel owner even followed me. If Wenqing continues to treat those people, they will surely follow you. Those ruffians are not easy to deal with. As the saying goes, good shoes don't step on stinky dog shit. Why should Wenqing get involved with those people? Those scoundrels will do anything for money."

"Um, what do you have in mind, Wu?"

"Let me hear your thoughts first."

Chen Ke said, "Wu, you said you don't care how I deal with the foreigners, but you know the streets better. These matters should be your guidance, not mine."

Seeing Chen Ke's firm attitude, Wu Xingchen said, "Two options: one, I introduce you to the Heaven and Earth Society. No one on the streets will dare to touch you."

"What's the other option?"

"Wenqing, you treat thirty people for me in the next few days. Then I come to you for the medicine, and I take thirty percent. The rest seventy percent goes to you. Then today's trouble won't be a big deal."

"Wu, you're straightforward." Chen Ke couldn't help but laugh after hearing the two conditions. "I've said before that this medicine is highly toxic and will kill a few out of a hundred. I won't say more, but if I join the Heaven and Earth Society and treat those thirty people, some of them might be brothers of the Heaven and Earth Society. If my medicine kills them, isn't that betraying the master? Do you want me to be punished with three cuts and six holes?"

Wu Xingchen just smiled. Chen Ke had already refused to join the Heaven and Earth Society. In fact, Wu Xingchen didn't really want Chen Ke to do that.

"Wu, if I cooperate with the foreigners, I'll have to launch a new brand. When the brand becomes popular, if you secretly sell the medicine, won't the foreigners cause you trouble? I want to cooperate with you to make money, and we have a lot to do in the future. We will need your help in many areas. Just doing business is too short-sighted."

"What do you really mean, Wenqing?"

"Wu, you shouldn't just have someone like He Yifa under you. I don't know how the brothers on the streets operate, but money is always needed. If you come to me for the medicine and take thirty percent, how much can you earn? My idea is that you join us. We'll give you money, and you can gather the brothers and smooth things out on the streets. Isn't that better?"

Wu Xingchen didn't expect Chen Ke to make such a request. In this era, who in Shanghai could command the streets without a following? Wu Xingchen wasn't against the idea, but he lacked money. Moreover, he was an outsider, and despite his title as a hall master, he was often constrained. If what Chen Ke said was true, Wu Xingchen could really make a big move.

"Why are you doing this for me, Wenqing? We didn't know each other before, and now that you're spending money, I'll naturally help you. But aren't you afraid that if I become too powerful, it might be bad for you?" Wu Xingchen wanted to know what Chen Ke was thinking.

"In Shanghai, the only brother I know is you, and that's fate. I believe in fate. Moreover, you are of high rank, know your limits, and can endure, which is not common. If I don't cooperate with you, who should I cooperate with? In this life, it's all about profit. We both want to make money, and we can talk it out. I also believe that everyone has a