Time Rip

Chapter 23 Swiped

Ying's view

I went into the twins' crib and found the baby girl not moving. I picked her up, and she was cold and blue, so I took her into Xinye, "Xinye, there's something wrong with Li Wei. Please check her."

Xinye looked at the baby in my arms and said, "That's not my baby. It's the village girls who comes to feed the babies. What is her name again? I am terrible at names."

I thought about it, and I could not remember either, "I do not know either, I am ashamed to admit. But are you sure that this is not your baby?"

"Yes, my baby was white with lots of black hair," Xinye explained the difference, "This baby is olive with patchy black hair. Why is it in my baby's clothing?

"I do not know. The girl has not arrived yet," I said.

"Perhaps she has been, swapped the child, and went again," Xinye mused.

"It is possible so that we find the dead baby and assume it is ours that has died," I said.

"Call Xin," Xinye instructed me, "He needs to act on this before the lady gets here."

So, I hurried off and informed Xin. He was furious but went out immediately, catching the mother and baby before they had left their home. As Fergus was next to him, Fergus went off to get the magistrate to mediate the situation.

When I came back, Xinye was beside herself with worry, "What if we do not get our Li Wei back? She might die because of being in a different environment. I never saw how she looked after her baby at home, but she was resistant to bathing and changing them here, so I can only imagine the difference at their home."

"Why do you bathe and change the babies as soon as they are dirty anyway?" I inquired.

"A baby is more vulnerable to diseases than an adult, or a child is. Babies can't create their own antibodies until they are at least 2-3 months old, and their immune systems aren't fully developed until they are around six months old.

As babies get older and more exposed to germs and toxins in their environment, they are better able to fight back against things that could make them ill. Once a baby's immune system is weakened by germs, they can become prone to dangerous illnesses that they may not have already been vaccinated against – especially if they're too young to start their vaccination schedule.

The best defence is a good offense, so a basic understanding of baby hygiene is the perfect way to help prevent several health complications, especially when your child has a delicate immune system," Xinye explained, but her words confused me.

"I don't understand. What do you mean by immune system and antibodies, and what is a vaccination?" I asked, hoping for some explanation that might make sense.

"I forget sometimes. These things are not known. I am sorry. Do you know how if you cut yourself, you bleed?" Xinye asked.

"Yes, what of it?"

"Well, there are several cells in your blood. Blood contains many types of cells: white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. They all have different functions, but basically, the white blood cells treat infections, red blood cells carry oxygen around your body, Platelets help in stopping wounds from bleeding, and plasma carries them all around the bloodstream. Some organs also help with the healing process. For example, your liver, it is the largest organ in our body. Our liver has three vital functions essential to our body: detoxification, synthesis of vitamins, etc., and storage," Xinye stopped as I must have looked confused, "Do you understand that?"

"Not really, but I can understand that our blood helps treat infections, and from what you have said, babies do not have that system developed in them until 2 -3 months old, so that probably is why there is that 100-day rule, as not all babies make it to developing their own immune system and die beforehand..." Xinye nodded at my deduction, "But what is an immunisation?"

"It is an injection given to treat various diseases..." Xinye paused, and I could see a thought go through her head, "Oh, that reminds me, do you have smallpox outbreaks?"

"Yes, we do from time to time," I nodded.

"I will have to vaccinate everyone then," Xinye declared as if it was a done deal.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I have not been vaccinated against it," Xinye said, "It is extinct in our time because of vaccinations. But I know what to do. Can you get the pus off someone's cow's udder and bring it to me? As soon as you have done that, we all have to be injected. We will hold off on the babies, though. I think they are too young yet for it. And chicken pox... if someone in town gets it, we will all need to be exposed every ten years. As for the other things...I do not know how they would be treated apart from ensuring they have the best diet and exercise to prevent it."

"I will see to it then," I said, "But would it be better done in two lots? So that we are not all sick at once?"

"Yes, that would be the best way," Xinye agreed, "Or we could hire assistants to look after us."

"Sorry, but no, I don't trust people I do not know," I said a bit harshly, earning myself a chuckle from Xinye.

"Fair enough, especially since most people do not understand English," Xinye stated, looking off into the distance, "The men are back."

I turned to look, and indeed they had come, but they had not come alone. They had come with the baby's nursemaid and her family. Xinye did not seem surprised.

The magistrate set up in our reception hall, and the proceedings began.

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