northernbook Chapter 123: Busy supporting the family in the foreign land
Chapter 123: Busy supporting the family in the foreign land
The thoughts in Wei Miao's mind expanded infinitely, as if the thin layer of mist that had been blocking her way was finally lifted.
She was able to protect her family from harm this time, but what about the other people in the alley?
Seeing how the authorities handled the situation in such a rough manner, if someone in the alley was infected, how would people outside deal with everyone in the alley?
Then what was the purpose of her going to so much trouble to cure Wei Ling and Wei Ran?
For the first time, Wei Miao personally felt that when the nest is overturned, no eggs will remain intact.
"Brother Lu, we not only have to save the people in the entire alley, but also all those infected with cholera this time."
Lu Pingsheng looked at Wei Miao with burning eyes, as if the seeds he had nurtured for so long had finally begun to take root and break through the soil.
There are no words to describe this feeling.
It was as if a person who was dying of thirst and hunger in the desert suddenly saw a clear spring and felt relieved.
In the quiet alley, the voices of Wei Miao and Lu Pingsheng were heard.
"Neighbors, the medicine for treating diarrhea has been prepared."
"For families with patients, each family will place a bowl at the door. At noon, we will go door to door and place medicine in the bowl at the door."
At this time, many people opened a small gap from the second-floor window and shouted to the tall and short people in the alley:
"Mr. Lu, have you figured out what's wrong?"
Lu Pingsheng did not mention cholera, but just said: "It's either vomiting or diarrhea. If you have vomiting or diarrhea, drink more salt and sugar water..."
Lu Pingsheng explained the method of electrolyte water in detail.
Then he continued:
"We brew Chinese medicine, which can only be given to sick people three times a day."
After saying that, he pointed at his mask, raised the sulfur soap in his hand, and explained clearly how to be careful not to get infected.
Because Lu Pingsheng has always been very popular in the alley, and everyone knows that he is a young man from a wealthy family who has returned from overseas.
Every household still trusts him.
The door of Grandma Cui's house opened first, and she tremblingly placed two bowls on the chopping board where she made scallion pancakes.
The old lady stood at the door and looked at Wei Miao who was carrying the small medicine bucket and said gratefully:
"Mr. Lu, A Miao, thank you so much!"
Wei Miao stepped forward to scoop some medicine for her, but Grandma Cui quickly stepped back and closed the door.
Wei Miao thought about the siblings Cui Lijuan and Cui Liping whom he met yesterday and had a rough guess.
Wei Miao packed the medicine and said to Granny Cui inside the door:
"Grandma, this medicine should be taken half an hour after a meal. If you can't eat, just drink water as Brother Lu said."
Granny Cui said quickly, "Hey, hey, I see."
After Wei Miao packed the medicine, he took out a piece of sulfur soap from his small cloth bag and placed it next to the medicine bowl.
The Wei family has no shortage of this kind of thing.
When they bought sulfa, in order not to arouse Charles' suspicion, they bought a lot of this substance, which was cheap in the West but expensive in the East, among other large quantities of goods.
The Wei family has a storage room filled with soap, toothpaste and various other things.
Xu Ayu often laughed and said that the things at home were enough to open a grocery store.
Lu Pingsheng and Wei Miao were busy from the entrance to the end of the alley for the whole morning, and every household put out their bowls.
Lu Pingsheng could only confirm from house to house: "If you are not infected, you cannot take the medicine. If you drink it, you will be poisoned."
Wei Miao added: "This medicine must be taken while it's hot. The weather is so hot that it will go bad if left alone. Don't wait until the symptoms appear and there is not enough medicine."
After hearing this, Xiao Jiangsu quickly took back his two bowls.
There are several neighbors like him.
When Wei Miao and Lu Pingsheng returned home, it was already past three in the afternoon, and they collapsed on the sofa.
"There are only three families at the moment: Grandma Cui's family, Uncle Zhu's family, and Aunt Yan's family..."
Lu Pingsheng said: "It may be caused by the complicated environment that the two siblings of the Cui family have been to. Uncle Zhu's youngest son and A Ling are classmates. They probably went to the shantytown together. Aunt Yan?"
Wei Miao said: "The man in Aunt Yan's family passed away early, and she raised a daughter to make a living, going to the market and docks to sew every day."
Lu Pingsheng knew the meaning of "sewing poverty".
Carrying a small stool, they would sit in the market streets or by the docks, soliciting peddlers and single coolies, and mending clothes for them.
This kind of thing, which doesn't cost much and can be mended in just a few moments, is still in demand.
As the old saying goes, "The more you sew, the poorer you get."
In his previous life, he heard his grandmother sing a song called "Fengqiongpo".
"There is no food left at home, the children are in tears, they carry their sewing baskets, and sew to the poor of the neighbors..." (Note 1)
Wei Miao didn't know that he had so many thoughts in his mind at once.
"Brother Lu, how do we deal with this?"
According to Wei Miao's idea, if penicillin is injected directly, the patient with good resistance may recover in a day or two.
Lu Pingsheng thought further. He didn't want to reveal any clues about penicillin before the war.
"Use sulfa powder. Replace the noon medicine with sulfa powder."
Wei Miao naturally listened to him.
Lu Pingsheng looked at the little boy's tired face and said gently, "Go upstairs and take a nap. I'll call you if there's anything."
Wei Miao waved his hand, "Brother Wei, should we give Bai Xingzhou a call?"
Lupin laughed out loud, "You actually want to go with me."
Bai Xingzhou's father was a popular figure among the president, and he did a lot of business with the British in the International Settlement.
Otherwise, a letter of recommendation would not have allowed Wang Sanqiang, a patrolman, to become an inspector.
"I know. I will tell him when the symptoms of our patients are relieved or cured."
The Bai family is not only ambitious, but also kind-hearted, and most importantly, they have enough money, which is enough for Lu Pingsheng.
The two discussed the next plan for a while.
"Although Charles is a greedy guy, he really does things. I will buy more supplies and things from him later."
Lu Pingsheng lit a cigarette, without holding it with his hands, but held it in his mouth, biting it with his teeth and blowing smoke rings.
They had already notified Dr. Ding, and it just so happened that there was a Chinese medicine shop in Dr. Ding's alley that sold a full range of medicinal materials.
"Brother Lu, when will the news that sulfa can treat cholera be released?"
Lu Pingsheng met Wei Miao's clear eyes, paused in smoking, then exhaled the smoke, blocking his sight.
"Let's wait for now. All the sulfonamides on the market are in the hands of the Japanese. I'm afraid they will raise the price."
Wei Miao didn't have the mind to think so much. Her thoughts had just shifted from protecting the health of the Wei family to protecting everyone in the alley, and she still needed to digest that.
After all, if you want to do something, you have to do it well, that's her purpose.
Lu Pingsheng looked at the little brat's back as he walked out of his yard and fell into deep thought.
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Note 1: You can listen to the song Fengqiongpo, which was a popular song of that era.