What can I do? Wang Yao thought.
After ten days of busy work, no progress was made. But Wang Yao's knowledge in medicine and pharmacology had increased. The herbs on the hill also grew very well. During the ten days, the growth of the herbs was extremely fast. It was as if those herbs had been growing for several months.
Woof! Woof! Woof! San Xian started to bark as Wang Yao was sitting on a stool and staring blankly towards the far end of the hill. Soon, he saw someone appear in front of him. The person was very tall with a square, masculine face. The person was his good friend Wang Mingbao.
"Yo, you started to grow new herbs?" asked Wang Mingbao.
"Yeah. Grab a stool in the cottage and help yourself," said Wang Yao.
Wang Mingbao sat down, lit a cigarette, took a drag, then blew a smoke ring.
"Don't smoke on the hill," said Wang Yao.
"Come on, it's just one cigarette," Wang Mingbao said. "Do you remember the guy who followed us all the time when we were young?"
"Wang Zexiao?" asked Wang Yao.
"Yeah—you remember him?" said Wang Mingbao.
"How could I forget him? He was so clingy at that time. I actually met him a few days ago. Why did you mention him?" Wang Yao asked with a smile. In fact, Wang Zexiao was a distant relative of Wang Yao and Wang Mingbao.
Wang Zexiao always followed them when he was young. They were the same age and grew up together. The three of them had been good friends since childhood. The relationship among the three families was also very good, so they often hung out together.
"I heard he's hospitalized in the town now. He's very sick," said Wang Mingbao.
"When did it happen?" asked Wang Yao worriedly.
"The day before yesterday. I heard he's in bad condition. The doctors in the hospital have notified his family to prepare for the worst," said Wang Mingbao.
"Let's go to the hospital to visit him," said Wang Yao.
"I was going to do the same. That's why I came here."
The two of them went down the hill and headed to the town. They bought some presents before visiting the hospital. In the hospital they found Wang Zexiao's room and went straight inside. They saw a person lying in the hospital bed, unconscious, his face blue and dark. This person was Wang Zexiao. His parents were sitting on the other two vacant hospital beds. His mother was sobbing silently while his father looked gloomy with his eyebrows furrowed. After all, it was hard work to raise a child and suddenly, their son's life was in danger. Who wouldn't feel sad?
"Uncle, auntie," called Wang Yao and Wang Mingbao
"Yao, Mingbao...why are you both here?" asked Wang Zexiao's mother.
"I heard Zexiao is sick. So we came here to see if he got any better," said Wang Yao.
"No, he is still in a coma," Wang Zexiao's father sighed.
"What is the diagnosis? How did he get so sick?" asked Wang Yao?
"It's poison. The doctor said he was poisoned but he's not sure by what. They only know that the poison was very toxic, and they couldn't control it!" said Wang Zexiao's father.
Poison? As soon as Wang Yao heard the word, he became speechless.
"Why hasn't he been transferred to a bigger hospital?" asked Wang Mingbao. After all, the resources of the hospital in the town were limited. The doctors here hadn't seen many symptoms and diseases, let alone treated them. Wang Zexiao could've possibly be cured if he had been transferred to a bigger hospital.
"The doctors here said Zexiao's condition could get worse, and he could even die during the process of a hospital transfer," said Wang Zexiao's father.
Again! Not only could they not cure the patient, but they also didn't allow the patient to go to another hospital. Doctors nowadays don't want to take any responsibility.
Wang Mingbao sighed after he heard what Wang Zexiao's father said. He felt angry, but helpless.
"Maybe I have a way to treat him!" said Wang Yao quietly.
"What did you say?" asked Wang Mingbao.
"Nothing," said Wang Yao.
Wang Yao and Wang Mingbao sat in the hospital room for a while and talked with Wang Zexiao's parents. After a while, Wang Yao hinted at Wang Mingbao that it was time for them to leave. Wang Mingbao understood right away. He knew they couldn't do much for them and it wasn't appropriate for them to stay for too long.
"Uncle, auntie, don't worry too much. We have to go now. Call us if you need us," said Wang Yao.
"Okay, thank you for coming," said Wang Zexiao's parents.
"Don't worry about it. We are all from the same village and grew up together. This is the least we can do," said Wang Yao.
The two of them then left the hospital.
"Hey, how come Zexiao was suddenly poisoned? What kind of poison could it be?" asked Wang Mingbao curiously after they walked out of the hospital.
"How would I know? Even the doctors couldn't tell," Wang Yao said, "Zexiao probably went to climb a hill with his friends. I assume he came across something very poisonous. But I never heard of anything particularly poisonous in our village—scorpions, centipedes and poisonous mushroom at most. And it is autumn now, the chances of being poisoned by those things are even lower."
"I just spoke to him the day before yesterday. He was quite healthy. I didn't expect this could happen to him."
On his way home, Wang Yao was absorbed in the thought of obtaining an antidote herb from his magical herbal system, which hopefully, could detoxify all the poisons.
Could my system save Wang Zexiao? thought Wang Yao.
After returning to the village, Wang Yao went to the hill straight away.
In the herbal field, the Radix Gentianae, Radix Sileris and Ladybells were all growing well. Of course, among all the herbs, the antidote herb was the most different. Its heart-shaped leaves were as green as the shiniest jade.
"How do I use the antidote herb?" Wang Yao squatted down to look at the herb blowing in the wind. Should it be taken directly or should I brew it first? thought Wang Yao.
After thinking for a while, Wang Yao decided to give it a try. He cleaned the clay pot for brewing herbs, then poured one and a half bowls of ancient spring water inside. He then picked a leaf off the antidote herb and saw a green fluid flowing out of the leaf. The fluid became solid as soon as the wind passed over it.
"I hope this will work," said Wang Yao. He threw the leaf inside the clay pot and then lit some dry wood. He then waited for the change to happen inside.
As soon as the water became hot, something magical happened. The leaf melted inside the ancient spring water and the water turned into green liquid. A mild smell of herbs came out of the clay pot and Wang Yao was astonished by the change. He immediately took the clay pot away from the fire and watched the transformation. All he could see was a pot of green water that looked just like melted jade, and the antidote leaf had disappeared.
"What is this?!" He was amazed.
After Wang Yao recovered his composure, he poured the green fluid carefully from the clay pot into a glass bottle. The fluid was extremely clear, with absolutely no contaminant.
"Is this going to work?" Wang Yao was staring at the fluid.
After thinking for a while, he went down the hill and immediately drove into town on his motorbike. After all I'm trying to save someone's life! Wang Yao thought.
"Yao?!" Wang Zexiao's parents were so surprised to see him when he hurriedly returned to the hospital. After all, he had just visited this afternoon.
"Uncle, auntie, I'm here to help Zexiao," said Wang Yao as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"You want to help Zexiao? How?" Wang Zexiao's parents asked eagerly.
"I went to visit an old Chinese medicine practitioner this afternoon. He brewed some herbs for me and told me it can detoxify any poison. So, here I am," Wang Yao took out the glass bottle with the green fluid made from the antidote herb and ancient spring water.