From Modern Struggles to Timeless Love: A Pharmacist's Tale

Chapter 8: An Outbreak

Zhang Wei, Cheng Yong, and Li Mei went to the village chief's office to discuss the recent outbreak of a disease that has been affecting the villagers.

The village chief described the symptoms, "They are experiencing frequent loose and watery stools, abdominal cramps, bloating, nausea, and fever."

Li Mei spoke up, "It sounds like they have diarrhea. I can go to the mountains and find herbs that can help cure it."

Zhang Wei nodded in agreement, "I will come with you to help find the herbs."

"I will go with you too." Cheng Yong said with a serious face.

As Cheng Yong spoke, Liu Yan arrived at the office and overheard their conversation. "I don't believe Li Mei can cure the disease," Liu Yan interjected. "She's not a doctor."

Zhang Wei turned to her, his eyes narrowed. "I trust Li Mei's knowledge of herbs."

Li Mei smiled gratefully at his support and turned to the village chief. "We can try the herbs first while waiting for the doctor from the city to arrive. We're not even sure if a doctor will come."

The village chief thought for a moment and sighed, before nodding in agreement. "I trust your judgment, Li Mei. Please do what you can to help the villagers."

Li Mei turned to the village chief, "We need to advise the villagers to boil their drinking water to prevent the spread of the disease."

Liu Yan chimed in, "Boiling water wastes firewood. We should be conserving it."

Li Mei countered, "But it's necessary to keep the villagers safe. Drinking unclean water can lead to the spread of many diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, and dysentery."

The village chief nodded in agreement. "Li Mei is right. We need to prioritize the health of our villagers. We will advise them to boil their drinking water and provide them with firewood if needed."

Zhang Wei and Cheng Yong added their support, "Yes, we should do everything we can to prevent the spread of the disease."

Liu Yan still looked skeptical, "But what if the doctor from the city arrives and says something different?"

Li Mei replied firmly, "We can't wait for that. We need to take action now to prevent more people from getting sick. It's better to be safe than sorry."

The village chief then interjected. "Liu Yan, stop sowing discord and help take care of the villagers affected by the disease."

Liu Yan harrumphed and turned to go outside of the room. "You'll be responsible if this outbreak gets worse. Hmph!"

Li Mei did not pay attention to her and thanked the village chief before turning to leave, with Cheng Yong and Zhang Wei following closely behind.

As they walked towards the mountains, Liu Yan's words continued to echo in Li Mei's mind. She knew that some people didn't believe in the power of herbs, but she was determined to prove them wrong.

As they trekked through the forest, Li Mei scanned the ground for signs of the herbs she needed. "We're looking for Huang Lian and Fu Ling," she explained to Cheng Yong and Zhang Wei. "Huang Lian is a small yellow root with a bitter taste, while Fu Ling is a white mushroom-shaped herb."

Cheng Yong asked, "How do we know if we've found them?"

Li Mei pointed to a small yellow plant with a jagged edge. "That's the Huang Lian. And over there," she said, pointing to a cluster of white mushrooms, "is the Fu Ling."

Zhang Wei nodded, impressed with Li Mei's knowledge of the herbs. "Let's gather as much as we can and bring them back to the village."

Li Mei also got live plants so she can plant them near their house for later use.