Transmigrated Into an Ancient Famine Novel as a Scumbag Alpha (ABO, GL) - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jiang Jinhuang didn’t dare delay. As long as there was a sliver of hope, she wouldn’t let it slip away. She quickly grabbed a bowl, poured the strong liquor into it, and used a cloth to wipe Jiang Jinyang’s palms and soles.

The little one’s face was flushed with fever, and her stomach growled from time to time, empty from not eating.

Jiang Jinhuang felt both heartache and sorrow. What kind of miserable life were she and her sister living? They couldn’t even have a full meal.

Her eyes were red, but her hands didn’t dare stop. She feared that if she slowed down even a little, her sister would leave her. Her sister was only three years old.

Meanwhile, Ye Qing jogged out of her alley. The main street was nearly empty, with only a few stragglers heading toward the city gate, planning to flee.

Unfamiliar with the area, Ye Qing stopped a few passersby. “Excuse me, my sister is seriously ill. Do you know where the clinic in the city is?”

She pulled out ten copper coins from her pocket and handed them to the person.

It was a middle-aged woman. Seeing Ye Qing’s urgency and the coins, she said, “The big clinics in the city are long gone. There’s only a small one left in the north. I saw the doctor and her apprentice packing up, looking like they’re about to leave. You might try your luck.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” Ye Qing ran north. Her physical condition was excellent, honed by ten years in the apocalypse, so she didn’t look too disheveled as she ran.

After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Ye Qing found the small clinic the woman mentioned. Two women dressed as apprentices, Qianyuan, were packing at the entrance.

Ye Qing hurried over. “Excuse me, my sister has a fever. Is there a doctor who can come check on her?”

A woman packing herbs inside frowned at Ye Qing and sighed. “The world outside is a mess. We’re leaving today, so I’m sorry.”

“Please, doctor, have mercy. I’ll give you all my silver. Just save my sister. It won’t take much trouble—just check her pulse, and I’ll come back to get the medicine.” Ye Qing pulled out all six taels of silver she had.

Six taels was no small sum for an ordinary household in ancient times, roughly equivalent to six thousand yuan in the modern world.

She handed over the silver. The female Qianyuan hesitated, seeing Ye Qing’s urgency and the generous amount, then nodded. “Alright, lead the way.”

She slung her medicine box over her shoulder and instructed her apprentices, “You two hurry up and pack. We’re leaving today.”

“Got it, Master.”

Ye Qing led the female Qianyuan back to her place. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they reached her small courtyard.

“She’s in there.” Ye Qing pushed open the door to her room, and the doctor followed her inside.

“That’s the child?” the doctor asked.

“Yes, please help her. Save my sister,” Jiang Jinhuang said, her eyes red.

“Alright.” The doctor nodded, touched Jiang Jinyang’s forehead, and felt the burning heat.

She lifted Jiang Jinyang’s hand, checked her pulse, and frowned deeper.

Jiang Jinhuang’s face paled. She asked cautiously, “Doctor, how is my sister?”

“It’s not good. The child has caught a cold and has a fever. Her body is very weak, like she hasn’t eaten properly in a long time. If not treated well, it’s dangerous.”

“Please save my sister. She’s only three.” Tears fell from Jiang Jinhuang’s eyes.

The doctor sighed. “Since I’ve taken your wife’s six taels for the visit, I’ll do my best. But human effort only goes so far—whether she pulls through depends on her. I’m leaving today.”

Turning to Ye Qing, she said, “Come with me to get the medicine. The child needs it quickly.”

“Okay.” Ye Qing nodded, then looked at Jiang Jinhuang. “Take care of Yangyang. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.” Jiang Jinhuang nodded, watching them leave.

For the first time, she hoped Ye Qing would return soon. She hadn’t expected that, in this moment, Ye Qing would be the one to help her.

Jiang Jinhuang stood up and continued wiping her sister’s palms and soles with the liquor-soaked cloth, glancing anxiously at the door, waiting for Ye Qing.

Meanwhile, Ye Qing followed the doctor back to the clinic. The doctor said as they walked, “You’re really good to your sister. In times like these, people starve to death all the time, yet you’re willing to spend this much silver to treat her. That’s rare.”

“I can’t just watch her die.”

After ten years in the apocalypse, Ye Qing had little reverence for life. But Jiang Jinyang was just a three-year-old child—she couldn’t let her die. Besides, Jiang Jinhuang was this world’s destined heroine. If Ye Qing didn’t save Jiang Jinyang, Jiang Jinhuang might hold a grudge, and Ye Qing’s fate could be worse than in the original story.

“Alright, I’ll prescribe a few doses. Feed her every six hours. And don’t let her go hungry. Her body is very weak—if she starves more, she might not make it.” The doctor, thinking Ye Qing was a caring person, added a few extra instructions.

“Got it. Thank you,” Ye Qing said gratefully.

The doctor was somewhat impressed by Ye Qing. Despite her tattered clothes and disheveled appearance, Ye Qing was polite, thanking her several times in just a short while.

They soon reached the clinic. The doctor wrote a prescription and started preparing five doses of medicine.

She told Ye Qing, “These are five doses. Each can be boiled twice—three bowls of water down to one. Also, I’ll give you two bottles: one with pills for the cold, and one with powder to stop bleeding.”

“Thank you, doctor. I’ll head back now.” Ye Qing took the medicine and left.

She stored the two bottles in her space, then jogged back with the five packets of medicine.

After all the back-and-forth, Ye Qing was sweating by the time she got home.

Entering the room, she said to Jiang Jinhuang, “I’m going to boil the medicine. Keep an eye on her.”

“Okay.” Jiang Jinhuang nodded. Seeing the sweat on Ye Qing’s forehead, she said, “Thank you for today. If Yangyang is okay, I’ll keep my promise.”

Her hands clenched tightly as she spoke. Though she didn’t like Ye Qing, she had helped immensely this time. If her sister recovered, Jiang Jinhuang would honor her word and give Ye Qing what she wanted.

Ye Qing hadn’t really listened to Jiang Jinhuang’s earlier words and didn’t know what she meant, so she didn’t respond. She just said, “I’m going to boil the medicine.”

With that, she took the medicine and left, closing the door behind her.

In the kitchen, Ye Qing started a fire with the flint. She was familiar with it—after a few years in the apocalypse, lighters were rare, and flint was often used.

She skillfully lit the fire, added firewood to the stove, and found a clean clay pot. She poured one packet of medicine into it, added three bowls of water, and set it on the small stove to boil.

Soon, the strong smell of Chinese medicine filled the air. Thinking for a moment, Ye Qing cleaned the large pot, took out the rice from her space, and measured out one bowl. She washed the rice, added water to the pot, and started cooking it. With food scarce, some porridge would help the little one regain strength.

She also took out the cabbage, broke off a few leaves, washed them, and chopped them finely to add to the porridge later for a vegetable porridge.

The stove fire burned strong, and soon the aroma of rice wafted out. Ye Qing added the cabbage and a pinch of salt, letting it simmer while stirring the medicine to prevent sticking.

After a while, the medicine was ready. Ye Qing used two pieces of cloth to handle the hot pot, pouring the liquid into a small bowl—exactly one dose.

She covered the clay pot, as the medicine could be boiled again later. Lifting the lid of the large pot, she was greeted by the fragrant smell of rice mixed with the fresh scent of cabbage.

Ye Qing scooped out a small bowl of porridge to have Jiang Jinhuang feed Jiang Jinyang. Without a tray, she carried the two bowls carefully.

At the room’s door, she gently kicked it open.

“The medicine’s ready, and I made some porridge. Feed her the porridge first—taking medicine on an empty stomach isn’t good.” Ye Qing placed the bowls on the table.

Jiang Jinhuang looked at the dark medicine and the small bowl of porridge. Her lips pursed, a trace of wariness in her eyes. After a moment, she said softly, “Okay.”

Ye Qing, who usually hit or scolded her and had even tried to sell her sister, was now helping so readily with medicine and porridge. Jiang Jinhuang found it odd—was it to get her, or did she have other motives?

But whatever the reason, Jiang Jinhuang couldn’t refuse. She needed these to save her sister, even if it meant sacrificing herself.