Chapter 18 p2: Bitten
The moment Wen Zhao entered the house, she could no longer support herself. She clutched the wound on her abdomen and sat down on the sofa.
The little girl also leaned over in concern. “Big sister…”
Only then did Jiang Wuni notice that Wen Zhao’s fingers were covered in blood. Her black clothes were soaked in blood, which was not visible from the outside.
She cried out, “Aiyo! My heavens! How did this happen…”
Jiang Zao also collapsed onto the sofa, looking like she had just survived a disaster.
“Stop talking nonsense. Get the first aid kit.”
Wen Zhao gently lifted her clothes. The wound that had been stitched up and was almost ready for the stitches to be removed had opened up again and was gushing with dark red blood.
Seeing this, Jiang Wuni’s scalp tingled, and she could only keep saying “Aiyo.” Seeing Wen Zhao holding the tourniquet with a trembling hand, Jiang Zao stood up.
Wen Zhao was afraid she would worry. “I’m fine. It’s just that the movements were too big during the fight… it was unavoidable… hiss!”
Jiang Zao tightened the tourniquet forcefully.
Wen Zhao wisely shut her mouth like a clam.
Besides the wound on her abdomen that needed to be re-stitched, her broken left arm also needed to be re-splinted. When Jiang Zao removed the bandage, her left arm was already red and swollen.
As the saying goes, it takes a hundred days to recover from a muscle and bone injury. With such a big fight before she had fully recovered, Wen Zhao’s arm would probably have long-term consequences. She knew this herself, but she just smiled at Jiang Zao and said.
“Don’t worry, it will be fine. I’m okay. It’s you who…”
Jiang Wuni immediately became alarmed. “What’s wrong with Zao’er?”
Jiang Zao took two steps back. “I hit my head when I fell down the stairs, and… I was bitten by a zombie.”
As soon as she said the latter half, the three people in the room all looked at her. Jiang Wuni’s face changed again and again, and tears welled up in her cloudy eyes. She pushed and shoved her while cursing.
“Where were you bitten?! Where were you bitten?! I told you not to go, but you wouldn’t listen! Why are you so disobedient! Jiang Zao, say something!”
Jiang Zao raised her right hand. “It bit my elbow pad, but I’m not sure…”
Wen Zhao stood up and walked over. “Let me see.”
Before they set off, they had both worn sports protective gear. Jiang Zao’s elbow pad was for cycling, with an arc-shaped PP outer shell, which was a shock-resistant and fall-proof material, very sturdy.
Even so, it was no match for the zombie’s teeth and was shattered into pieces.
Wen Zhao fumbled to pull the elbow pad off her arm. Fortunately, there were two layers of cushioning foam inside.
She was slightly relieved and reached out to feel it.
“Fortunately, the skin isn’t broken. It’s just a little bruised.”
Jiang Wuni slapped her on the back. “You brat, you’re going to scare me to death! What about your head?! Let me see!”
Jiang Wuni parted her hair and looked carefully. There was a cut on her scalp as long as her little finger joint. The skin and flesh were turned out, and the blood had already dried. It was probably caused by hitting the steps.
Jiang Wuni’s hand, which was holding the iodophor and cotton swab, was trembling. As she was disinfecting it for her, Jiang Zao gritted her teeth and didn’t make a sound.
Wen Zhao stood up. “Grandma, let me do it.”
Jiang Zao looked up at her.
“I learned emergency first aid in the army.”
“Let her do it.”
Jiang Wuni moved aside. After disinfecting her hands, Wen Zhao parted her hair and took a look. “This wound is exposed. It might need to be stitched…”
Under these circumstances, stitching meant no anesthesia.
Jiang Zao nodded. “Alright.”
Hearing this, Jiang Wuni’s eyes turned red. They all knew that when they had stitched up Wen Zhao’s wound, she had been in so much pain that she had woken up and then fainted again.
“Grandma Jiang, do you have a hair clipper at home?”
“Yes, yes… I’ll go get it.”
Jiang Wuni replied woodenly and went out with a trembling gait. A moment later, she came back with the clipper.
“Her grandfather used to use this for haircuts. Will it work?”
Wen Zhao glanced at it. “It will.”
Jiang Zao’s hair was just at her waist. She usually wore it in a ponytail, looking neat and capable. It was clear that she took good care of her long hair; it was black, shiny, and smooth.
Wen Zhao turned on the clipper. “Jiang Zao…”
Jiang Zao smiled. “It’s okay, shave it. It’s getting hot soon, and it’ll save water. It’s also troublesome in a fight.”
When the first strand of hair fell, Jiang Wuni wiped a tear with the back of her hand.
“When Zao’er was a child, there were people in the village who bought hair. Children’s hair was valuable, it could be sold for over a hundred yuan. I told her to sell it, but she refused. Now… sigh! It’s all my fault… I’m useless… if it weren’t for my medicine, she wouldn’t have to…”
“Grandma Jiang, don’t be sad. Big sister’s hair will grow back.” The little girl who had been standing by came forward and took her hand, comforting her softly.
Jiang Zao also spoke up at this moment. “By the way, this is the village chief’s child. Do you recognize her?”
Only then did Jiang Wuni stop crying. She pulled the little girl in front of her and looked at her carefully. “Oh, it really is. How did you get so thin? And what are you holding…”
The little girl opened the bundle. Her brother was sucking on a pacifier, his eyes closed, sleeping soundly. Like her, his face was gray and his cheekbones were sunken, sallow and thin from hunger.
“This is my brother.”
“Aiyo, such a small child. Are you the only two left in your family? Heaven have mercy, what has this world come to!”
The little girl lowered her eyes and said nothing more.
Wen Zhao interjected at the right moment.
“Grandma, the two of them haven’t had a proper meal in a long time. We’re hungry too.”
“Yes, yes, look at how dirty and smelly they are. They should have a good wash. I’ll go make dinner. You must all be hungry. What should such a small child eat? I’ll make some rice paste! When Zao’er was a child and there was no milk powder, she also made do with this!”
As Jiang Wuni spoke, she hurried out. Wen Zhao looked at the little girl and said softly, “Go with Grandma Jiang.”
The little girl looked at her brother in the bundle and hesitated.
Jiang Zao: “You can put him on the bed in that room for now.”
After getting permission, the little girl nodded again, carried her brother in, and then followed Jiang Wuni into the kitchen.
“Grandma, I’ll help you.”
After everyone had left, Jiang Zao said, “Let’s start. Be quick, try to finish before Jiang Wuni comes back.”
“Lie on your stomach.” Wen Zhao moved the things on the sofa.
She still used the disinfected fishing line and hook.
When the first stitch pierced her scalp, even though she was biting on a towel, a pained cry still escaped from deep within Jiang Zao’s throat.
Her whole body was trembling, and large beads of sweat formed on her nose. She bit down hard on the towel, and her face instantly turned pale.
Wen Zhao stopped her movements. “Jiang Zao…”
Jiang Zao recovered, let out a long breath, and spat out the towel. “Continue.”
With that, she bit down on the towel again.
Wen Zhao no longer hesitated. She forced herself not to look at her expression and only focused on the work at hand. Although she was not a professional doctor, she had received first aid training in the army and stitched very quickly, and naturally, much more neatly than a novice like Jiang Zao.
“It’s done.”
Wen Zhao skillfully tied a knot, cut the thread with a pair of scissors, and when she took the towel from her mouth, she found that Jiang Zao was completely exhausted. The area where her head had been buried was soaked, and there were tear stains on her face. Her eyes were wet, as if covered by a layer of mist.
All along, she had been very strong and brave.
This was the first time Wen Zhao had seen her cry.
Even if they were physiological tears shed due to unbearable pain.
A string in her heart was still gently plucked.
This contrast made her feel surprised and a little heartbroken.
Wen Zhao helped her up and poured her a glass of water. While she was turning around, Jiang Zao quickly wiped the corners of her eyes with a tissue.
Wen Zhao did not expose her little trick and tactfully lingered for a while before handing the warm water to her.
“Here.”
While Jiang Zao was sipping the water, she took out the syringe and penicillin from the bag she had brought back today.
“Take off your jacket.”
“What’s this?”
“Penicillin from the clinic.”
Jiang Zao took off half of her sleeve.
“How many are left?”
She could clearly see that there were still some left in the box.
Wen Zhao did not hide it from her.
“There are three left. One a day is more than enough for you…”
Jiang Zao interrupted her. “No, I mean, maybe you need it too.”
Wen Zhao stared at her face for a moment, then smiled slightly.
“Alright.”
