“Yes, yes, yes. She has medicine.”

The Qiao family’s ink bracelet space pharmacy had cold medicine, and Zhang Hong had also prepared plenty of cold medicine.

After Qiao Jiuru regained consciousness, she quickly made a decision.

Fortunately, Xiao Bao was not in her arms at the moment, and her backpack was right behind her.

“Huaiyuan is right—we have special medicine.”

At this moment, it could only be said that the medicine Zhang Hong gave was coming in handy as cover.

Qiao Jiuru spoke while reaching into her backpack, pulling out some cold medicine previously stored in plastic bottles from the space pharmacy.

Bai Lianshan saw Qiao Jiuru actually take a bottle of medicine out of the backpack behind her and thought to himself that this girl had prepared quite thoroughly before being sent down (to the countryside).

However, why did these dark, round pills look like traditional Chinese medicine, not Western medicine?

Qiao Jiuru poured out two cold medicine pills from the bottle, quickly handed one to Zhou Wanwan, and tried to put the remaining one into Xiao Bao’s mouth—who was in Uncle Jiu’s arms.

“Wait.”

Uncle Jiu not only stopped her but quickly took the pill from her hand and held it under his nose for a while.

It should be… okay, right?

Qiao Jiuru was very nervous.

Uncle Jiu had studied medicine with her grandfather, so she wondered if he could tell something.

“This medicine is indeed good.”

Uncle Jiu nodded involuntarily.

These pills were far better than the cold pills they had made before.

Then, Uncle Jiu fed the pill to Xiao Bao and checked the little one’s forehead.

“Give them plenty of water. Don’t wrap the bundles so tightly. We’ll go back soon and use alcohol to wipe their bodies to reduce the fever.”

After returning Xiao Bao to Qiao Jiuru, Uncle Jiu gave these instructions, the last sentence directed at Bai Lianshan.

Even without Uncle Jiu’s order, Bai Lianshan knew what to do.

He hurriedly got Su Huaiyuan and Su Ze onto the ox cart, cracked the whip, and started driving.

Meanwhile, Qiao Jiuru and Zhou Wanwan used spoons belonging to Da Bao and Xiao Bao to feed them water slowly, little by little.

Maybe because of the space medicine, after a few spoonfuls of water, Qiao Jiuru felt Xiao Bao’s face was no longer as flushed as before.

She pressed her forehead against Xiao Bao’s several times, confirming she wasn’t mistaken—the little one’s temperature was going down.

“Huaiyuan, come hold Xiao Bao. I’ll get two handkerchiefs and wet them to cool down Xiao Bao and Da Bao.”

Qiao Jiuru handed the baby to her husband and took two handkerchiefs from her backpack, wetting them with water from her bottle.

She gave one to their elder son, and with the other, began wiping Xiao Bao’s head, face, and palms.

Su Ze imitated his mother, cooling down their elder son.

Although anxious, he firmly trusted his parents.

Zhou Wanwan was already flustered and just obediently did whatever was told.

While Qiao Jiuru and Su Ze cooled the children, Uncle Jiu was not idle.

He alternately massaged acupuncture points on the palms of Big Bao and Little Bao.

Half an hour later…

“Mom, Mom, Da Bao’s face doesn’t seem to be burning anymore.”

With a newfound sense of control, Su Ze regained his composure.

His expertise made him keenly observant. He immediately noticed Da Bao’s breathing had normalized considerably, was no longer heavy, and his complexion had improved a lot.

Checking his forehead again, it wasn’t so hot anymore.

This discovery surprised and delighted Su Ze so much he couldn’t help but shout out loud.

Hearing this, Qiao Jiuru hurried to check Xiao Bao’s forehead and found his fever had also dropped.

His little face looked much better, and his breathing was gradually returning to normal.

“Xiao Bao’s fever is down too.”

She was equally thrilled, which confirmed the medicine from the space pharmacy really worked.

The heavy worry she had been carrying began to ease.

“Give them more water.”

Uncle Jiu also saw the children’s expressions had improved greatly.

With his rich medical experience, he was confident the fever had broken and sighed in relief, though he kept massaging their hands.

“Okay.”

Qiao Jiuru quickly agreed.

Having lived many years, she knew drinking more water could help detoxify.

Along the way, the people on the ox cart massaged, fed water, and cooled the children, paying no attention to the passing time or to Xi Zhou’s situation.

At last…

“We’ve arrived. We’re finally home!”

Bai Lianshan’s excited voice came from ahead.

Though busy driving and unable to check on the two children behind, his heart was still tied up in worry.

Even hearing the news that the children’s fevers had gone down didn’t match the excitement he felt returning to the village.

“Lianshan, take the cart straight to my place.”

Uncle Jiu didn’t look back as he ordered his eldest nephew.

His place had full supplies and was the most convenient.

Without a word, Bai Lianshan hurriedly drove the cart toward Uncle Jiu’s house.

“The team leader is back.”

“Uncle Jiu and the team leader have returned.”

“Lianshan, who are they…?”

“Seventh uncle, who are they?!”

“They’re those people sent down here. I just heard about them.”

“Seriously?! Another batch?!”

“Xiao Liuzi, don’t talk nonsense if you don’t understand.”

“Exactly, those people don’t concern us. They haven’t offended us.”

“Yeah, have you forgotten what Seventh Uncle and the team leader said back then?!”

…

Spring has come, the snow melted, and Baigou Village’s production team was busy with spring plowing.

The fields were full of workers, and Bai Lianshan’s ox cart drew everyone’s attention as it entered the village.

The strangers on the cart piqued people’s curiosity; some didn’t know the situation, while others already knew the Su family’s identity.

Uncle Jiu’s house was at the village’s innermost part, near the mountains, accessible by paths through the village or through the fields outside.

Bai Lianshan drove the ox cart along the path by the village edge and soon arrived.

“Xiao Ru, quickly bring the kids inside. Lianshan, leave their luggage at my place first. We’ll bring it over later.”

Uncle Jiu efficiently got off the cart, giving instructions as he went to open the door.

Qiao Jiuru, Su Huaiyuan, Su Ze, and Zhou Wanwan could only follow orders: first take the two kids inside, then fetch the luggage.

Da Bao and Xiao Bao gradually woke up after arriving at the village.

The little ones felt unwell, and seeing their grandparents, father, and mother, they felt a bit wronged—pouting little mouths looked like they might cry but didn’t.

“Xiao Ze, go start a fire in the kitchen next door and cook this millet porridge. The two kids haven’t eaten all day—we can’t let them get hungry.”

Uncle Jiu’s first action upon entering the house was to get a roughly three-jin (about 1.5 kg) small cloth bag.

Seeing Su Ze, he handed it to him and immediately assigned the task.

“Put Da Bao and Xiao Bao on the bed.”

Uncle Jiu’s home was different from others: a large courtyard by the door, three rooms in the front row, a small enclosed courtyard behind them, and another three rooms beyond.

The first row of rooms included Uncle Jiu’s clinic and pharmacy, his living room, and the kitchen with washing facilities.

Da Bao and Xiao Bao lay side by side on the sickbed in his room.

The little ones looked around at the unfamiliar place and the unfamiliar old man wiping their palms and soles.

Their little mouths were tightly pressed.

“Uncle Jiu, I’ll go help Xiao Ze too.”

Seeing the two grandchildren had some spirit, Su Huaiyuan touched their not-so-hot foreheads and felt relieved.

He planned to help his elder son.

Uncle Jiu nodded, worried Su Ze might not know how to cook porridge, and the two kids were still hungry.

“Uncle Jiu, Sister Qiao, how are the kids? We have millet, rice, some eggs, and a chicken here. Make sure Da Bao and Xiao Bao get proper nourishment.”

Just then, Bai Lianshan returned after driving the cart away.

His hands were full as he came in.

“Lianshan, take the eggs to have Xiao Ze cook them for father and son. As for the chicken, leave it with me. I’ll kill it later and secretly bring it to them.”

Bai Lianshan replied and took the basket of eggs into the kitchen as if he’d done it many times before.

“Xiao Ru, eat something before you leave. We’ve arranged a place for you to stay. It’s a bit inconvenient for your family—we can’t help too openly or everyone will get into trouble.”

Uncle Jiu regretted not being able to keep his niece’s family there.

It wasn’t that he had no room; it was that he dared not keep them.

“Uncle Jiu, we understand. We came to Baigou Village hoping our family could have food and shelter, not be cold or hungry. Most importantly, that Da Bao and Xiao Bao can live safely and grow up well. Nothing else matters.”

Qiao Jiuru was not here to demand favors. In such special times, being treated as ordinary people was already the best treatment.

So she honestly expressed her feelings to Uncle Jiu.

Uncle Jiu immediately understood and nodded with relief.

They really are Qiao family.