Chapter 441: Chapter 441: Hidden-winged Insect
At the office of *Urban Life* magazine, the afternoon sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the spacious room.
Lin Xiaoyu and her colleague, Han Yifang, finally finished the articles they were working on and let out a long sigh of relief.
Han Yifang stretched luxuriously and leaned back contentedly in her chair.
"Ah, after a whole week of hard work, we can finally rest."
Gazing at the warm spring scenery outside the window, Han Yifang’s eyes lit up. "Xiao Yu, tomorrow’s the weekend. The spring weather is perfect, with all the flowers blooming and the grass growing. How about we go for a trip to the countryside?"
Lin Xiaoyu thought it was a great idea. They were usually so busy with work they rarely had a chance to get close to nature.
"Sure! I was just thinking I wanted to get out for a bit. How about we invite a few more friends and have a picnic?"
"Perfect! It’s a plan."
Han Yifang agreed cheerfully.
They quickly contacted two other good friends and made plans to go on their countryside outing the next day.
「The next day, the sun was bright and the breeze was gentle.」
Lin Xiaoyu, Han Yifang, and their two friends—a group of four in total—drove to a picturesque spot in the Feng City Suburbs, their car packed with picnic supplies.
The place was far from the hustle and bustle of the city. The air was so fresh it felt as if it had been washed clean.
They were surrounded by trees whose tender green leaves had just sprouted, looking vibrant and full of life in the sunlight.
A clear creek meandered through the hills, its water gurgling with a pleasant sound.
On both banks of the creek, wildflowers of all colors vied for attention. Reds, yellows, and purples dotted the green grass, as if dressing the earth in a magnificent, colorful robe.
They spread a picnic blanket on an open patch of grass and laid out all sorts of delicious food: fruit, sandwiches, cupcakes, and homemade snacks everyone had carefully prepared.
Laughter and happy chatter echoed through the valley as the four friends savored the comfort and relaxation that nature offered.
They strolled along the creek, admiring the beautiful spring scenery and feeling the warm breeze on their faces.
"This place is so beautiful. I’m usually so busy with work, I’d almost forgotten what spring is like."
Han Yifang closed her eyes contentedly, feeling the warmth of the sun on her face.
However, just as they were about to head back to their picnic spot, Han Yifang suddenly felt an itch on her face.
She instinctively raised her hand to scratch it.
Lin Xiaoyu, who was standing nearby, had sharp eyes and quickly called out a warning, "Yifang, is that a little bug on your face?"
As she spoke, she reached out to gently brush it off for her.
But before Lin Xiaoyu could get close, Han Yifang, unable to bear the itch, acted without thinking. She abruptly lifted her hand and slapped her own cheek.
SMACK! A crisp sound rang out.
"Ouch."
Han Yifang let out a small cry but didn’t think much of it, assuming she had just killed a mosquito or some other small flying insect.
She went back to chatting and laughing with her friends, completely unaware that a crisis was quietly unfolding.
After enjoying themselves for a while longer, the four of them prepared to pack up and go home.
However, on the way back, Han Yifang’s face began to swell and turn red rapidly, accompanied by waves of burning, stinging pain.
She touched it instinctively and felt that the skin on her face had become rough, with even faint signs of ulceration.
The swelling became more and more pronounced, making half her face feel numb.
"Oh my god, what’s wrong with my face?"
Han Yifang stared at her swollen, distorted face in the rearview mirror, completely panicked. Her voice was tinged with tears.
Lin Xiaoyu took a closer look and was startled as well.
A noticeable red welt had appeared on Han Yifang’s cheek, covered with tiny blisters. It looked terrifying.
"Yifang, don’t panic. Let’s go get it looked at right now."
Lin Xiaoyu said calmly.
Then, she suddenly remembered that Doctor Li was highly skilled; he had helped her with quite a few problems before.
"How about we go see Doctor Li first?"
Han Yifang shook her head, her face a mask of pain and anxiety. "No, no, I think it’s more reliable to go to a major hospital."
The other two friends also thought they should go to the hospital first.
"Go to the emergency room."
"Western medicine is better at handling this kind of thing."
Lin Xiaoyu thought about it and didn’t insist on finding Li Xu.
She turned the car around and drove to the city center hospital as fast as she could.
Registering, waiting in line, seeing the doctor—by the time they went through the whole process, Han Yifang was already in tears from the pain. The swelling and burning sensation on her face made it impossible for her to sit still.
The attending physician was an experienced dermatologist.
He carefully examined Han Yifang’s cheek and asked about her trip that day, especially the details about slapping the insect.
"This is a classic case of Hidden-winged Insect dermatitis."
the doctor said with a frown.
"A Hidden-winged Insect?"
Han Yifang was stunned. She had never heard of such an insect, let alone imagined it could be so potent.
The doctor explained, "The Hidden-winged Insect is an inconspicuous little bug. It has a slender body, is black and yellow, and often lives in damp grass, farmland, or near water.
As temperatures rise, these insects enter their active period. Recently, the number of patients with Hidden-winged Insect dermatitis we’ve seen at the hospital has increased significantly, causing considerable trouble for many people."
"Although these insects are small and unremarkable in appearance, the venom they carry is extremely dangerous.
Its venom has a pH value between 1 and 2, similar to sulfuric acid, and is highly corrosive.
When a Hidden-winged Insect feels threatened, such as when it’s slapped, it releases this venom to protect itself.
If you accidentally slap it, the venom quickly penetrates the skin. It causes severe burns and skin damage, leading to redness, swelling, blisters, and even ulceration—which is exactly what you’re experiencing now."
After hearing the doctor’s explanation, Han Yifang’s skin crawled. She couldn’t believe her casual slap had brought her into contact with a ’sulfuric acid bug’.
"Then... then how do I treat it? What should I do?"
Han Yifang asked anxiously.
The doctor sighed and continued to explain, "Many people, when they first encounter a Hidden-winged Insect, panic and use the wrong treatment methods. For example, some people will apply alcohol, iodophor, toothpaste, or even ginger juice to the wound. However, these methods are completely wrong.
"Substances like alcohol and iodophor can further irritate the skin and worsen the condition. Meanwhile, toothpaste and ginger juice not only fail to relieve the pain but may also cause more damage to the wound or even lead to infection."
"The correct way to handle it is this: First, if you find a Hidden-winged Insect on your skin, you must avoid slapping or crushing it with your hand.
You should immediately use a tissue, a piece of paper, or another tool to gently brush the insect away.
If the insect’s body is accidentally broken and venom gets on your skin, you should use tape or a wide adhesive strip to carefully lift off the residual venom to prevent it from spreading."
"Next, and this is the most critical step, you must immediately wash the skin with a large amount of running water for at least 15 minutes to ensure all the venom is washed away.
After rinsing, you can apply a cold compress for about 20 minutes at a time to help relieve the pain and inflammation."
