Chapter 374: Chapter 374: Tuberculosis
Next day, Yi Roujing carried a bag of milk powder, a can of malted milk, and two cans of fruit canning, taking the bus to Harmony Hospital. It was exactly nine o’clock when she arrived at the stop.
If Yi Roujing was initially disdainful towards Wang Qiushuang, later she became more peaceful. But seeing someone she once perceived as very attentive to her appearance now dressed in rags suddenly appeared in her view, Yi Roujing was shocked.
Dressed in a coarse blue work uniform, her hair messy as if not washed or combed for a long time, her face haggard, her once vibrant eyes now dull and lifeless, the whole person dejectedly sitting under the bus station’s platform, holding an old jacket in her arms, the jacket covering the child’s mouth, revealing only the upper part of the face.
The little girl seemed to be asleep, yet her brow was slightly furrowed. Despite the noisy surroundings, she did not wake up. Yi Roujing watched this scene, standing for a full five minutes.
Sighing softly, Yi Roujing stepped forward and walked towards the seated mother and daughter.
"Wang Qiushuang." Yi Roujing directly called her name.
The person across reacted slowly, hesitantly raised her head, looking toward the person who called her name.
As stunning in appearance as in memories, although it had only been half a year since they last met. The previous time was when she thickened her face to ask for a set of college entrance exam revision materials. Nevertheless, the person seemed more attractive, younger, indicating a smooth and fulfilling life.
"It’s you." Wang Qiushuang showed a faint smile on her haggard face, "Long time no see."
"What’s wrong with Niuniu?" Yi Roujing squatted down to face Wang Qiushuang levelly, asking with concern.
Talking about her daughter, Wang Qiushuang’s expression was one of despair, but her tears seemed drained, unable to cry out, "My Niuniu is dying, she’s dying."
Upon hearing this, Yi Roujing felt a weight on her heart, stepping forward to hold Niuniu’s wrist. The child’s pulse wasn’t great, with lung yin deficiency and excessive fire, seeming to have chronic pneumonia, but far from a dying state.
"Don’t say such things, the child is just..."
"Cough cough—" The sleeping child suddenly started coughing, Wang Qiushuang hurriedly covered the child’s mouth through the old jacket.
"Keep your distance, don’t get infected." Wang Qiushuang turned her back to Yi Roujing, another hand holding the child.
Infected? Yi Roujing widened her eyes in surprise, "Could it be tuberculosis?"
Around them, upon hearing the word "tuberculosis," people quickly backed away, covering their noses and mouths, not forgetting to shout harshly, "Why come out with tuberculosis? Want to infect whom? A malicious-hearted woman."
Wang Qiushuang’s figure stiffened a bit, then slowly stood up with the child, staggeredly moving to a less populated area, wherever she went, people would voluntarily back away as if avoiding a virus.
Yi Roujing quickly chased after them, "Tuberculosis can be treated, quickly take the child to the hospital."
"Many hospitals won’t accept us; I’ve been to many places with the child, but she’s not cured. When we didn’t know the illness initially, we infected others." Wang Qiushuang said with a bitter smile, "I don’t know if it’s because I’m stubborn, but I’ve had the most contact with Niuniu, yet I’m fine."
"You came here looking for Harmony Hospital, why not go in?" Yi Roujing asked as she approached.
"Keep your distance, you have children and family too, if you get infected, I can’t bear the responsibility." Wang Qiushuang said, somewhat coolly.
"I’ve taken precautions, you should wear a mask too." Yi Roujing handed two to Wang Qiushuang, "Put one on the child as well, it’s cleaner than a jacket, and easier to breathe."
Wang Qiushuang turned back, saw Yi Roujing wearing a white mask, covering her lower face, and smiled with a hint of warmth in her eyes, "I forgot, you’re a medical student now, an insider."
Yi Roujing smiled with her brows and eyes, "I just conveniently carry a few in my bag when I go out."
"Going to the hospital? I need to go too." Yi Roujing asked.
Wang Qiushuang showed a bit of a bitter smile, "I’m out of money, the fare to Jing City was borrowed bit by bit, oh, I’ve divorced Ding JianShe."
Yi Roujing wasn’t very surprised, with the child ill and the man not around, coupled with Wang Qiushuang in such a state, it’s easy to deduce, even if Ding JianShe still feels attached, Wu Ajuan isn’t easy to associate with, and being a granddaughter, she might have urged her son to divorce, familiarity breeds contempt.
"Go get the child treated first, I brought money with me, I’ll lend it." Yi Roujing said, "The child is more important, and Harmony Hospital is the best in Jing City, they will surely cure the child."
Wang Qiushuang’s eyes reddened, "Didn’t expect you to treat me this way, actually when I came to Jing City, I thought about whether to find you, but I lacked the courage, in this vast city you’re the only person I know, thank you."
Yi Roujing did not say much, instead changing the topic, "I remember you got into Jiang Province Normal College, now with the child, what about school?"
"I took leave, been out nearly a month, received Ding JianShe’s call saying Niuniu was ill shortly after school started, so I went back." Wang Qiushuang sighed, "It took half a month to diagnose Niuniu’s illness, once diagnosed, Ding JianShe and his family pushed for a divorce."
"I agreed immediately, with such a man, if not divorced now, it would be us suffering later, Niuniu and I." Wang Qiushuang said with a wry smile, "So foolish, choosing until picking such a bad one, when he divorced Hu Ailing, I should have stopped, it was my greed."
"Don’t overthink, focus on the child now, we’ll get the child admitted." Yi Roujing said.
Wang Qiushuang smiled with gratitude, "Roujing, really thank you, despite how I treated you before, you’re returning good for bad, I’m so ashamed, my ability to get into college is all thanks to you, without your revision materials, I wouldn’t have made it."
As for why Yi Roujing could get into Jing University, Wang Qiushuang didn’t ask, college entrance exams can’t be faked, she also noticed Yi Roujing became smarter since marriage, maybe she was indeed impatient with studying before.
"I’ll handle the child’s admission, you stay here with the child." Yi Roujing prevented Wang Qiushuang from squeezing into crowded areas, directly going to find Mu Guixian herself.
"Roujing, visiting your classmate’s child?" Mu Guixian was very pleased seeing Yi Roujing coming over.
"Guixian Aunt, I’d like to ask, tuberculosis, that is pulmonary tuberculosis, how does Harmony Hospital treat it?" Yi Roujing said, "A middle school classmate of mine, her daughter has this illness, traveled from Jiang Province to Jing City for treatment."
"Pulmonary tuberculosis!" Mu Guixian was shocked, "That’s an infectious disease, can’t be careless. Where is she? I’ll take them to the specialized isolation ward."
