Chapter 3

（New book climbing the charts, already seventh on the new book list. Everyone, please vote and support!）

－

No matter how determined, the most pressing matter for Chen Sanlang was to reduce his fever. Otherwise, if the fever persisted, it could lead to complications, and the chances of survival would be slim. Seeing his two younger brothers at the door, he had Wulang help him back to bed.

Liu Lang followed into the room and, seeing the oil paper package by the bed, exclaimed, "There are pastries!" Upon opening it, he found several peach pastries. For a child who was often hungry, this was an irresistible temptation. He picked one up and was about to put it in his mouth when Wulang slapped it away, saying, "Don't eat their stinky stuff!"

Liu Lang was on the verge of tears, and Chen Sanlang pulled him over, glaring at Wulang, "This is from Si Lang."

"It's all the same," Wulang stubbornly insisted.

"You're such an idiot!" Chen Sanlang scolded, "If we don't eat the old witch's stuff, won't we be doing her a favor?!"

"Oh..." Wulang thought about it and agreed.

"So, treat it as if it's from the old witch and eat it with a vengeance!" Chen Sanlang, feeling sorry for Wulang who had been hungry all night, handed him a piece first.

Children are easily fooled, and Wulang indeed bit down hard, almost biting Chen Sanlang's finger.

Chen Si Lang, fearing his mother would find out, had only taken a few pastries. In a blink, the two children had eaten all but one. Realizing his older brother hadn't eaten, Chen Wulang blushed and Liu Lang quickly gave the last piece to him, "Big Brother San, you eat..."

"Big Brother San is sick and can't eat much. Now I need to take medicine," Chen Sanlang smiled and told Liu Lang to keep the last piece. Then he said to Wulang, "Are you feeling better?"

Wulang nodded, embarrassed.

"Now I need hot water," Chen Sanlang said slowly, "I saw a stove behind the shack with a pot and firewood. Can you start a fire?"

Wulang shook his head, feeling guilty for his inability.

"Go ask Uncle Lu for a fire," Chen Sanlang said, "Tell him Sister Cuifhua wants to boil water for us."

"Sister Cuifhua?" Wulang knew Cuifhua was a maid in his uncle's house and asked, "Where is she?" Wulang was confused; even in the modern era, no one would let a child play with fire.

"Just do it, why so many questions," Chen Sanlang glared at him, "Help me to the stove."

"What can I do?" Liu Lang hoped to help too.

"You," Chen Sanlang smiled, "go collect some dry grass."

By the time Wulang returned with a half-burnt bamboo charcoal, Chen Sanlang had already arranged the firewood in the stove and fetched water. To ensure the fire started smoothly, he used dry grass as a base. But seeing the burning bamboo charcoal, he knew it was unnecessary.

He blew on the bamboo charcoal to produce a flame and placed it on the dry grass. The air flowed smoothly through the arch-shaped stack of wood, and the dry grass burned fiercely, quickly igniting the firewood. The stove was soon blazing, and the pot began to show signs of boiling. Chen Sanlang breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, 'Finally, no more raw water...'

He knew the dangers of drinking raw water all too well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With hot water available, Chen Sanlang drank three large bowls, then had Wulang bring over the wooden bucket used for drawing water, preparing to soak his feet!

Among the physical methods Chen Sanlang knew to reduce fever, soaking feet in hot water was more comfortable and effective than using alcohol rubs or ice packs. The latter methods cool the body by the evaporation of alcohol or the melting of ice, while soaking feet in hot water allows the body to cool through the evaporation of sweat from the pores. One is 'external to internal,' the other 'internal to external,' and the difference is clear.

The method is simple: soak the legs below the knees in hot water. The warmth causes the blood vessels in the lower legs and feet to dilate, leading to a reflexive dilation of blood vessels throughout the body. This increases blood circulation and opens the pores, allowing the body to cool through sweating.

Chen Sanlang, being impulsive, used the wooden bucket for drawing water directly. He poured in an appropriate amount of hot water, soaked his feet for a few minutes, then added more hot water, gradually increasing the water temperature. He repeated this several times until his legs and feet were fully submerged.

Following this method, Chen Sanlang sweated profusely, as if he had just emerged from a bath. Wulang, busy fetching and pouring water, ran back and forth, not even slowing down when asked. Liu Lang, the youngest, obediently added wood to the fire, standing still for the entire morning. As Chen Sanlang's temperature gradually dropped, he felt a warm sense of family affection.

At noon, while his mother was napping, Chen Si Lang hurried over. Despite the cool weather, he was drenched in sweat. He quickly delivered the items Chen Sanlang needed and rushed back, fearing his mother would discover him.

Before Si Lang arrived, Chen Sanlang had already had Wulang bring back a bamboo stick. While soaking his feet, he peeled off the outer green layer of the bamboo, revealing the pale green inner layer. He carefully scraped it off in strips, which is a traditional Chinese medicine called 'fresh bamboo茹' (fresh bamboo茹). If it is thoroughly dried, it is called 'bamboo茹'.

This herb is slightly cold and sweet, capable of clearing lung phlegm. If fresh, it is particularly effective for reducing heat. When boiled with silkworm sand and tangerine peel, it is an excellent remedy for fever, vomiting, and the headaches and body aches caused by fever. One dose is usually enough to reduce the fever. For severe cases, two to three doses are sufficient, and no more is needed after the fever is completely gone.

Chen Sanlang, eager to recover, drank three bowls in quick succession, then slept for the entire afternoon. By evening, he felt much better, with no more headache and renewed strength.

Seeing their brother fully recovered, Liu Lang jumped with joy, and Wulang grinned widely.

Looking at the sooty face of Liu Lang and the dirt-streaked face of Wulang, a deep sense of brotherly affection welled up in Chen Sanlang's heart. He tightly embraced his two younger brothers...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Gurgle...' An unharmonious sound interrupted the moment of warmth.

"Damn, I'm hungry again," Chen Sanlang said, releasing them.

"It's me..." Wulang admitted honestly.

"I'm hungry too..." Liu Lang said softly.

The two children had been busy all day, and the few peach pastries had long been digested. Although they had been drinking hot water, it did little to satisfy their hunger.

Fortunately, the kind Uncle Lu and another Uncle Hou came to visit after work. Seeing Chen Sanlang was out of danger, they were pleased and left three more pastries, instructing, "Rest well before fetching water. As long as we have food, you won't go hungry."

After seeing them off, Wulang and Liu Lang were happy to have dinner secured, but Chen Sanlang's face was grim... The innocent children didn't realize that, including yesterday, their hateful aunt had not given them any food for two whole days, let alone sought medical help for Chen Sanlang.

If not for Chen Si Lang and the kind coworkers, and if not for the memory of a ten-year-old, Chen Sanlang would have been on the brink of death. This realization filled him with rage, and recalling the old witch's words from the morning, he was even more furious. Even if he didn't kill anyone, he had to vent his anger today.

Having made up his mind, he no longer felt angry. He cooked the green silkworm beans he had promised Liu Lang, then had his two younger brothers sit by his side, eating pastries while he told them the story of 'Sun Wukong vs. Black Whirlwind.'

The pastries were quickly finished, and the enticing aroma of the beans wafted from the pot. The two children, unable to focus on the story, stared wide-eyed, waiting for the water to boil. The hunger they felt was something their future descendants could never understand. Only those who had gone hungry for a long time could truly appreciate the constant, overwhelming desire for food... No matter how captivating Chen Sanlang's story, it couldn't compete with the allure of food.

When they couldn't wait any longer, they would lift the lid to check if the water was boiling, only to delay the process and accidentally scald their hands.

But at this moment, the two children's patience was remarkable. They would silently rub their hands and return to the stove when the pain subsided. When the steam finally lifted the lid, even Wulang couldn't help but cheer.

Chen Sanlang fished out the silkworm beans for them. Before they cooled, the two children eagerly ate them, hissing as they did so.

Chen Sanlang, both amused and moved, picked up a pod and squeezed it, letting the round silkworm beans slide into his mouth. A gentle chew revealed a soft, fresh, and fragrant texture that he would never forget.

The setting sun cast a golden glow on the lake and the three brothers, creating a moment of serene warmth...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After eating the beans, Chen Sanlang sent the two younger brothers to bed early. He, however, went out for a walk.

In the middle of the night, the two little ones were sound asleep when he woke them up.

Wulang reluctantly opened his eyes, and Liu Lang simply pretended to be dead, saying, "I want to sleep..."

"Want to eat meat?" Chen Sanlang's words instantly dispelled their drowsiness.

Why did he say this? Because over the past two nights, he had heard the little ones say "meat, big meat..." in their sleep at least seven or eight times.

What does it mean to dream of something? This is it.

Wulang also woke up, thinking for a long time before slowly saying, "It's been a long time since we had meat..." He seemed to be recalling the last time they had eaten meat.

"Get up quickly, I'll take you to eat meat!" Chen Sanlang got out of bed, helped Liu Lang put on his shoes, and led the two younger brothers out into the dark.

At the stove behind the house, under the bright moonlight, the two children saw a large, fat rooster lying stiff on the ground.

Chen Wulang was very familiar with this evil rooster, as it woke him up every morning, and he had mentally killed it a hundred times.

But seeing it suddenly dead, Wulang was still shocked, his mouth wide open.

【Note】: The remedies in this book have been verified by professionals, but do not attempt them yourself unless you are in Chen Sanlang's situation. Please follow medical advice...

－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－