Chapter 39

Help? Help whom?

A series of questions formed in Liu Yu’s mind. She was momentarily stunned, just about to ask when the little girl tugged at one of Liu Yu’s sleeves, saying, “Sister, come with me!”

Following the girl who was dressed as a boy, Liu Yu figured it out quickly. If the girl tried anything funny, like trying to rob her or take advantage of her, with her current physique, most people wouldn’t be able to do much. So, she followed her without hesitation.

The girl led the way, and Liu Yu followed behind. After a few turns, the girl took Liu Yu into a narrow alley. At the end of the alley were three shabby houses, their roofs made of iron sheets, some of which had collapsed.

The girl pushed open the door of the middle house and led Liu Yu inside.

The room was dark and stuffy, not ventilated at all. In the heat of summer, it was suffocating. The room was filled with clutter, most of it broken things—empty soda bottles stuffed in burlap sacks, old wood, broken planks, and the like.

—-

In the corner of the room was a bed with an old, yellowed mosquito net hanging over it. There was a person lying there, barely visible.

The girl walked over to the bed and gently called out, “Brother.” It took a while before the person in bed responded weakly.

“Little sister… has someone come to our house?” the person asked in a hoarse voice.

Liu Yu couldn’t sit still. She went up and lifted the mosquito net, only to see a 16 or 17-year-old boy curled up on the bed. His face was ashen, his body swollen, and he looked extremely weak.

The girl started crying as she turned to Liu Yu, “Sister, please help my brother! I have no money, I can’t buy any food! My brother is sick! He’s going to die soon, and I just want him to have some food to eat! Wuwu!”

Liu Yu put the mosquito net back down and asked, “What’s your name? Where are your parents?”

The girl, tears streaming down her face, replied, “My parents are gone… it’s just me and my brother.”

This was truly tragic. Compared to this poor girl, Liu Yu felt like she was doing much better—at least she had parents who loved her dearly.

Liu Yu couldn’t bear to just walk away. She pulled the mosquito net off, opened the door wide to let in more light, and then walked over to check on the boy in bed. “You still haven’t told me your name. By the way, what illness does your brother have?”

The girl answered, “My name is Guo Dan. Half a month ago, my brother was beaten by some hooligans on the street and couldn’t even walk. Then he got dysentery.”

Liu Yu pulled back the boy’s blanket. He was curled up into a ball, barely resembling a person. But his eyes were still bright, not cloudy. When he saw Liu Yu, a look of panic crossed his face.

After a quick glance, Liu Yu made an assessment in her mind. Guo Dan’s brother was swollen all over, likely from hunger. If she could treat his dysentery and ensure he got enough food, he probably had a chance at recovery!

She took the last 10 jin of corn from her basket and handed it to Guo Dan, “Take this. Find someone to grind it into cornmeal and then make porridge for your brother. I’ll go buy some medicine!”

Fortunately, in this time, medicine didn’t require a prescription. Liu Yu went to the pharmacy, bought some dysentery medicine, and rushed back.

However, it seemed that the boy hadn’t eaten properly for a long time. His stomach was spasming, and when she tried to give him the pills, he couldn’t swallow them.

Liu Yu had no choice but to find a small bowl, crush the pills, mix them with a bit of warm water, and turn it into a liquid. She helped the boy sit up a little and fed him the medicine, little by little.