Chapter 2931 - 2932: Hand, Foot, and Mouth

Chapter 2931: Chapter 2932: Hand, Foot, and Mouth

Bai Ruozhu kept enduring, always reminding herself that she couldn’t expect everyone to understand medical principles or be reasonable, nor could she expect everyone to be educated. Although these people kept misunderstanding her, they were after all ordinary villagers, and she couldn’t be too serious about it.

But watching a four or five-year-old child convulsing with a high fever, unable to endure, and these people still ignorantly delaying the child’s treatment, she simply couldn’t stand it any longer!

"He has a high fever seizure. Holding him like that won’t allow heat to dissipate, which will only worsen his fever. And you all crowding around him means he can’t breathe properly, which will definitely make it worse." Bai Ruozhu signaled Jianqi, "Get people to move them aside. Don’t let them hinder my rescue efforts."

The villagers of the Su Family Village came to their senses, yet they still didn’t trust Bai Ruozhu, even though she had just saved the Village Chief.

Thus, Jianqi and the others directly blocked people outside, not expecting those outside to start shouting, "Look, they’re hitting the relatives of the child inside! There’s no justice here!"

With this shout, those behind who couldn’t see clearly got excited and rushed forward. The ones at the front couldn’t stop and soon many people broke through the officer’s defenses, rushing into the Public Hall.

Jiang Yichun immediately controlled the moisture, creating a barrier to block these people.

But people behind were still pushing, with those in front squeezed in, crying out miserably.

"Have they all gone mad? They’re simply rioters!" Ao Song shouted angrily, pulling out a talisman and throwing it out. A formation appeared, and many people’s feet felt as if filled with lead, unable to lift.

The Astrologer outside also began reciting a Yin Yang Curse, and a silent drizzle fell, leaving the troublemakers powerless, sitting on the ground one by one.

"What’s this? Demon Techniques?" someone shouted.

Now many people were scared, not daring to make a sound. They were angry, their emotions stirred, but they still revered the Ghosts and Gods, fearing Demon Techniques.

The Astrologer was somewhat helpless; he was the first Yin Yang Master of Fusang, yet now accused of using Demon Techniques, which was truly humiliating.

At this moment, Bai Ruozhu’s face was very unpleasant, "Jianqi, go catch the person inciting the crowd’s emotions. Thoroughly investigate who arranged this. Achun, come help me."

She immediately pulled aside people of Su Family Village, quickly snatching the child from his mother’s arms.

She swiftly dragged her outer garment to the ground, placing the child flat on it.

"Wearing such thick clothing while feverish?" She was very displeased now, her tone noticeably harsher.

The child’s mother knelt worriedly beside him, "He says he’s cold at one moment and hot the next. The doctor said not to catch a draft, so I dressed him more warmly."

Bai Ruozhu ignored her, reaching into her sleeve and pulling out a bottle of purified alcohol from Space.

"Achun, wipe his palms and soles, cool him down."

She spoke while retrieving a silver needle and began applying acupuncture to the child. Upon seeing the long needle go in, the child’s mother cried out in alarm.

"My poor child, how painful it must be."

Unexpectedly, as the needle went in, the child stopped convulsing and stopped foaming at the mouth.

Bai Ruozhu wiped the child’s mouth clean with a cloth, turning him slightly to prevent vomit from entering his airway.

Jiang Yichun acted swiftly, tearing the child’s outer garment apart since avoiding large movements was beneficial, and tearing it off was more convenient.

He then wiped the child with alcohol and turned to Muyu, "Go fetch some well water, quickly."

"Yes, yes." Muyu didn’t consult Mei Zhenghua, directly running to the backyard of the County Government Office to fetch water.

Soon, the water was delivered, and Jiang Yichun wet the cloth, icing the child’s forehead.

"Ruozhu, there are rashes on the palms and soles." He said.

"Be gentle, don’t rub them raw." Bai Ruozhu kept needling while glancing once, confirming her suspicions.

She had previously suspected it was a contagious disease among children, but the villagers kept emphasizing sores in the mouth without mentioning the hands and feet; otherwise, she would’ve identified the illness much sooner.

Gouwa slowly returned to normal, his temperature slightly falling, and his face wasn’t as red.

"Is my baby alright?" the child’s mother hurriedly asked.

"Still needs observation. Children’s fevers easily recur, and many medicines aren’t suitable for such young ones. Don’t move around much today; I’ll arrange accommodation for you." Bai Ruozhu slowly stood up, solemnly addressing the villagers looking at her eagerly, "I’ve said before, what matters most is healing the children, yet you let your emotions and biases disregard the children’s lives. If you had let them accept proper treatment, how would things have come to this?"

The Village Chief, who had previously been needled unconscious by Bai Ruozhu, had woken up. Seeing Gouwa’s condition frightened him, leaving him in no mood for anger with Su Zhen.

"Besides, you kept saying the child got mouth sores from toothpaste. Why did no one mention the red sores on his palms and soles?" Bai Ruozhu intensified her tone, "You deliberately concealed facts, fabricating false testimony. Do you know what crime this is?"

She was furious now. If the villagers had clarified the child’s condition earlier or allowed the Medical Alliance’s doctors to conduct proper examinations, she could have diagnosed the illness early and initiated timely treatment.

"We didn’t conceal it; it started from the mouth, then spread to the hands and feet. We didn’t emphasize it because we feared the Bai Family wouldn’t acknowledge it." The Village Chief spoke up.

Bai Ruozhu looked at him coldly, "Village Chief Su, you’re revered in Su Family Village. Can you swear by your conscience that you’ve handled this situation with absolute fairness and impartiality? Haven’t you let your resentment skew your judgment because your granddaughter went to study medicine, entered the Medical Alliance?"

"I haven’t!" The Village Chief answered rapidly but lacked conviction.

Su Zhen felt miserable, tears falling down her face, "Grandpa, I know you can’t forgive me, but I didn’t expect this misunderstanding arose because of me. Even you kept it from me; this was simply an epidemic among children!"

"What epidemic? Why aren’t adults affected if it’s an epidemic?" The Village Chief asked skeptically.

This time Bai Ruozhu spoke, "This disease is called Hand-foot-and-mouth disease, mainly affecting toddlers. It presents with red pustules in the mouth, palms, and soles, and some children might experience pain and fever. But as long as their bodies are strong, they can fully recover within ten to fifteen days. However, this epidemic is contagious, and even if a child completely recovers, there’s still a transmission period; they can infect other children they’ve been in contact with."

"This Hand-foot-and-mouth disease isn’t commonly seen now. It’s understandable you don’t know, but you concealed the illness, invited various people for treatment, and turned an initially mild illness into a severe one, almost costing this child his life!" She said, pointing to Gouwa lying nearby.

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Parents should be aware of hand-foot-and-mouth disease in young children. Mouka’s baby caught it from Kindergarten. Some friends’ children suffered from hand-foot-and-mouth disease too, resulting in encephalitis, receiving critical condition notices — very frightening. Hence, during peak seasons, everyone must diligently have children wash hands frequently and enhance their immunity.