Su Tao tried many ways to alleviate the patient’s suffering, but he couldn’t manage to find the best solution for the time being.
Fan Mingcheng had arranged lunch to serve the rescue team from Qihuang Charity Funds and Andrewson’s team. However, Andrewson still rejected Fan Mingcheng’s goodwill.
Sitting on the ground eating bread with her classmates, Qiao Xue felt disgusted with the bread after catching a fragrance coming from nearby.
She once loved bread since it’s part of western cuisine, and it made her feel healthy. But under these terrible circumstances, her system of values had changed. As her classmate beside her munched on his bread, he asked in surprise, “Aren’t those physicians afraid of being infected? They actually dare to stay so close with the villagers and even eat the food cooked by them?
“Those bunch of people don’t even know basic hygiene, and it’s simply a pipe dream for them to cure the epidemic. We have to seize the moment to analyse this virus within two days. Otherwise, we might also be affected by it.” Andrewson sighed.
After a brief pondering, Qiao Xue said, “I’d just got to know from the Village Chief that the conditions of the patients have been alleviated. The symptoms of a few serious cases have also been alleviated. Hence, the villagers all believe that TCM can treat them.”
Sneering in disdain, Andrewson analysed, “If it goes according to my expectations, they must have added tons of antibiotics in their tonic, but it’s not a permanent solution. So even if they managed to treat the patients, the patient’s condition will still suffer another outbreak. We can only decipher the virus before we can find the appropriate treatment method to treat them.”
Nodding her head, Qiao Xue had a deep belief in the professor’s words. After all, Andrewson was one of the top specialists in the globe in virology.
She didn’t believe that a young physician like Su Tao could be comparable to Andrewson.
But when Andrewson glanced at Su Tao, he had a trace of admiration in his eyes. Yesterday, he had researched for an entire night to find an effective antibiotic, but he was disappointed with the result since none of his tests showed any effect.
However, Su Tao could alleviate the patient’s condition with a bowl of medicinal soup with an unpleasant smell, in which Andrewson knew that he was in a disadvantageous position during their first exchange.
“Xue, ask those people later if you can try their tonic!” Andrewson suddenly instructed.
“Professor, I don’t want to drink that bitter-looking soup.” Qiao Xue lowered her head.
“We need to know what antibiotic they have put in the soup. Since it has an effect on the patients, we can investigate the composition. Hence, I need a bowl of it.” Andrewson whispered in Qiao Xue’s ears.
Hearing that, Qiao Xue inwardly sighed. Wasn’t this making things difficult for her? The other party offered it to them in the beginning, but they had rejected it. Now that it had an effect, it would be too embarrassing for her to ask them about it now.
But out of her trust for the professor and hoping that a cure could be invented, Qiao Xue ultimately agreed to the request.
After she finished her bread, she came to the tent next door and saw Su Tao drinking cucumber and seafood soup before she asked, “Can you give us some of your Four Energy Tonic?”
Raising his head to look at Qiao Xue, Su Tao nodded his head and instructed Liao Huashi, “Give them some.”
Although he did not have any favorable impression of Andrewson’s team, they still came from abroad for the medical rescue.
“If you ask me, I wouldn’t want to give them any. Weren’t they looking down on TCM?” Liao Huashi smiled.
Raising his brows, Su Tao smiled. “They have never come in contact with Chinese medicine, and it’s normal for people to be afraid of the unknown. Since they’re requesting for it now, we should fulfil our duty as the host. Not to mention that we have a lot of it, so it won’t matter if we give them some.”
The Four Energy Tonic was passed down in the Liao Family for generations. It had been altered and improved by Su Tao. Hence, Liao Huashi was truly filled with admiration for Su Tao. He knew that Su Tao’s reputation wasn’t fake, and he’s a genuine expert in TCM.
Initially, Qiao Xue only wanted to ask for a bowl. However, she never expected that Liao Huashi would prepare a bucket full for them.
“You guys have many more people, and this is enough for everyone to take a bowl. If it’s not enough, you can come back for more.” Liao Huashi smiled.
Truth be told, Liao Huashi had a favorable impression for a fake foreign chick like Qiao Xue. Her graceful temperament and aloof gaze fitted his tastes.
“No need!” Qiao Xue went over to tried and lift it, but it was about twenty-three kilograms, and she couldn’t lift it up.
“Let me help you with it!” Liao Huashi pretended to lift it easily and added, “I'll deliver it for you.”
Looking at Liao Huashi, Su Tao bitterly smiled. But this was also the joy of life. If a romance could blossom in the epidemic center, it could alleviate the strained atmosphere.
Roughly a few minutes later, Liao Huawei returned, puffing with rage as he complained, “What’s with those bunch of foreigners? I delivered the medicine over out of goodwill, but all of them wore an unfriendly expression.”
“They must’ve noticed that you’re interested in Qiao Xue, so they had their guard up against you.” Su Tao smiled.
“Qiao Xue is Chinese, and so am I. Is there a problem for me to court her?” Liao Huashi vented out his indignance.
“It’s naturally fine! Oh, did you look at their complexion when you went there earlier?” Su Tao knitted his brows together.
“I did. The complexion of their team doesn’t seem great.” Liao Huashi lowered his voice.
“It’s just as I’ve analysed. This virus can spread through the atmosphere, and it’s extremely infectious. As for the rate, it will have to depend on the individual’s physique. We have to take the Four Energy Tonic periodically and we can’t afford to be careless.” Su Tao inwardly sighed.
Nodding his head, Liao Huashi smiled. “Don’t worry about it. I will supervise it strictly, and I won’t let anyone go if they miss it.”
After two days of wear in, Liao Huashi was in a pretty good mood and the entire team was pretty optimistic. Because aside from taking the Four Energy Tonic, they also learned a weird fist technique from Su Tao. Even now, none of them have fallen victim to the virus. Generally speaking, if nothing happens on the first day, there wouldn’t be a problem. This also meant that Su Tao’s protection measures were effective.
As long as one knew how to keep themselves safe, it wouldn’t be long for them to resolve this epidemic.
When Andrewson saw that Qiao Xue had successfully obtained the Four Energy Tonic, he immediately praised her, “Good job! Good job!”
After obtaining samples from the tonic, Andrewson went into the laboratory to decipher the Four Energy Tonic. But roughly half an hour later, he realised that there wasn’t any antibiotic content in it. He started to wonder if Su Tao had seen through his intention and left the antibiotics out.
“Professor, you don’t seem too happy!” Qiao Xue made a cup of coffee for Andrewson. Even in such a difficult situation, Andrewson wouldn’t lower his standards for coffee. His coffee had to be made from Brazilian coffee beans in order to maintain his inspiration.
“That bunch of cunning fellows!” Andrewson unhappily locked his brows together and continued, “They delivered so much soup over, but there weren’t any antibiotics in it; they must be hiding it on purpose. You go over and ask them to tell you the secret of their antibiotic. This is the only way we can find a solution against this terrifying epidemic.”
“Professor, isn’t this inappropriate?” Qiao Xue was instantly placed in a difficult position.
Placing his hands on Qiao Xue’s shoulders, Andrewson solemnly said, “Xue, you need to be more rational. We’re saving your fellow countrymen, and if they don’t tell us the antibiotics in the medicine, it will delay our research by at least three to four days. Do you know what it means? I means that more people will die, and they’re all your fellow countrymen.”
“I’ll go immediately!” Qiao Xue instantly felt a surge of courage in her heart after listening to Andrewson’s words and decisively left the tent.
Helplessly shaking his head, Andrewson looked at the test tubes on the desk and inwardly sighed. He never expected that this mission would be so difficult. This unknown virus cannot be matched with all other viruses that appeared in the past. It was so much so that Andrewson still had no idea how it’s multiplying in the human body to cause such serious multiple organ failure in the body.
Upon returning to the tent once again, Liao Huashi noticed her and came over. When he saw Qiao Xue hesitating, Liao Huashi smiled. “Is it enough? Do you need another bucket?”
“That’s not it!” Qiao Xue sighed before she solemnly said, “I have a serious question to ask you right now, and please be honest with me. Did you guys hide the antibiotics in the Four Energy Tonic that you gave us?”
Sorting everything out, Liao Huashi instantly figured out what was going on, so he unhappily questioned, “So you guys didn’t want the medicine, but intended to steal and research it?”
As Qiao Xue’s face blushed by those words, she awkwardly said, “I admit that it was despicable, but Professor Andrewson is doing his best to find a solution to get rid of this virus. Since your antibiotics were effective, why don’t you guys tell me? It will be beneficial in the process of creating a cure.”
“I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do to help you!” Liao Huashi shook his head.
“At this moment, we have to toss aside prejudice and work together…” Qiao Xue still tried her best to persuade.
Seeing that the two of them had gotten in a conflict, Su Tao came over and interrupted Qiao Xue’s words, “Old Liao is speaking the truth, and we did not lie to you. The Four Energy Tonic that we gave you wasn’t any different from what we gave to the patients. There aren’t any antibiotics in it, to begin with. It’s understandable that your professor is trying to find a cure for the virus, but the Four Energy Tonic only strengthens the body to resist the virus. There isn’t any antibiotic in it. The logic being a little more complicated, but putting it in a nutshell, the Four Energy Tonic can be used to nourish the five viscera and six bowels to resist the virus. Furthermore, there’s no drug resistance, so it’s still safe.”
