Chapter 7, Evil Diseases

Dr. Li sighed and said, "To be honest, I will tell you the truth. Your child has a normal bloodline, but I cannot determine what illness it is."

Old Lin saw Dr. Li deep in thought, and feeling anxious, he asked: "Uncle Li, what exactly is this child suffering from?"

After just calling out twice, there was a response from across the way. The oil lamp emitted a warm orange glow, and he heard his neighbor, Old Zhang, putting on his clothes and calling out to him: "Ah, your sister-in-law has given birth, congratulations! Honest, you should hurry and boil some water. I will go find the midwife right away. Zhuzi, you go call over Old Zhang's wife from across the street; she has had five children and knows..."

Could it be that the amniotic fluid has taken over? The experienced midwife lifted the baby upside down and gave a few pats on the back, yet the baby still did not cry. Li, who was already weak and unable to speak, saw the midwife handling her baby in such a manner and, feeling heartbroken, said: "The baby was crying just now, making quite a loud noise."

Old Lin sent the villagers out of his home, feeling immensely grateful that everyone had come at such a crucial moment. After everyone had left, he stood at the door to see them off. He vaguely heard someone muttering: "The Lin family's child was born on the fourteenth day of the seventh month. It is said that children born on this day are the servants of the King of Hell. This is a ghost child, with a heavy aura of death, and it will be difficult to raise..."

The women were naturally talkative; one moment they said the child had a blessed appearance, and the next they remarked that the child resembled the mother. After a lively exchange, as the night grew deeper, everyone gradually dispersed. Teacher Lin repeatedly expressed gratitude to the villagers who had come to help, promising to personally deliver a token of appreciation the next day. Although it was called a token of appreciation, it was nothing more than two steamed buns.

But this child neither cries nor makes a fuss, nor eats nor drinks. If this continues, what shall we do? Uncle Li, have pity on us and surely help us come up with a solution. In the next life, I will work like a cow or horse for you..." Li cried out in desperation.

Recalling the peculiarities of the black fox spirit, Lin Laoshi still dared not leave. He could only shout across the courtyard, "Brother Zhang, my wife is giving birth, and I cannot leave. Could you please help me call the midwife..."

The families in the village are simple and honest. Lin Laoshi came to deliver steamed buns, and each household returned the favor. Some families gave two eggs, others a few cabbages, and there were also scraps of cloth, some cured meat, and various odds and ends. By the end of this trip, Lin Laoshi found himself carrying even more than the steamed buns he had brought. With these items, he could help his wife regain her strength, and her milk supply would also be more abundant

In the village, there are about one hundred households, most of which have been living here for several decades, spanning two or three generations. Whenever a family has a significant event or a minor issue, everyone lends a helping hand. Before long, the Lin family's small house was filled with people. With so many around, Lin Laoshi felt much more at ease. Amidst the bustling activity, the umbilical cord was cut, and both the adult and the child were cleaned. Those who knew what to do recorded the child's birth time. It was only then that Lin Laoshi remembered he still did not know whether his wife had given birth to a boy or a girl. Looking down at the child, he saw it was a boy, which filled him with even greater joy, causing him to break into a silly grin.

The yard is made of yellow earth, and it is autumn, inherently dry. After just a few sweeps, dust fills the air, covering the traces of blood almost completely. Now it is night, and no one would be able to see it. In a short while, the midwife and the women from the village arrived at Lin Laoshi's home in small groups.

Li realized that Lin was not as reliable as himself. Knowing that this was not the time to panic, he understood that he had to make the decision himself. After calming his mind for a moment, he said to him: "At this point, what good does it do to just go around in circles? Quickly go and invite Doctor Li to take a look; could it be that the child has some illness?"

Old Lin listened to Li's words, immediately took off running, and before long had summoned the only old doctor, Old Li, from the nearby village. Old Li is sixty-eight years old and, in his youth, served as an apprentice in a medical clinic in town without any formal teacher. Nevertheless, he has become a remarkable figure in the surrounding villages over the years. Although he is not a master of traditional medicine, his extensive experience in treating patients has allowed him to accumulate valuable insights. He is also known for his kindness; when someone falls ill, those who can afford it pay him a small fee, while those who cannot offer a bit of millet. He treats wild herbs as well, making him a person of great benevolence.

Old Lin hurriedly threw away the axe, looking at the small child on the wooden bed, his whole body trembling with excitement, and asked: "Is this... is this my child?"

Li's expression was one of panic, tears glistening in her eyes. Upon seeing Lin Laoshi, she stood up weakly and said to him: "Father, the child has been asleep until now without waking, not crying or making a fuss, and has developed this layer of black fur on her body. Can you see what is going on?"

Li stated that upon waking up in the morning, he noticed some dark hair on the child. Initially, he did not pay much attention, thinking it was just lanugo. However, he was surprised to see it grow longer and longer, and within half a day, it had developed into its current state. The physician nodded in response, saying nothing. He then proceeded to use his set of techniques for examining mute patients, checking the pulse and inspecting the eyelids meticulously, both inside and out. After a thorough examination, he found that aside from the child's deep sleep, everything else seemed normal, except for a certain dark aura between the child's brows.

"Crying is fine, crying is fine." The midwife paid no mind, wrapping the baby in a small blanket that had been prepared long in advance. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that the baby was chubby and fair, likely weighing around 7 to 8 pounds. In the village, where poverty prevailed, most families had babies that were as small as kittens; a baby weighing over 6 pounds was considered large. Over the years, she had truly never seen such a chubby and fair child.

Lin Laoshi was taken aback, shaking off the things he was carrying and moving closer to take a look. He saw the child sleeping deeply with closed eyes, not making a sound, and breathing weakly, curled up in Li's embrace. The child was covered with a layer of fine black fur, which was both thin and soft, resembling lanugo, yet thicker than lanugo, more akin to the fur of a black fox. This dense fur covered the child entirely, even on the face and the soles of the feet, and at a glance, it was hard to reconcile this with the chubby, fair appearance from the previous night; it resembled a wild monkey from the mountains.

Lin Laoshi felt a sense of frustration. Why would someone speak discouraging words at such a time? He initially wanted to confront those two individuals for an explanation, but after some thought, he realized that they were fellow villagers who had come to help. If he caused a scene, it would reflect poorly on him. With a sigh, he said nothing more and turned back to the house

Lin Laoshi was filled with joy as he carried his belongings home, contemplating what name to give his child. Just as he reached the entrance of the courtyard, he saw his wife leaning against the wall, looking around for him. Upon noticing that his wife, Li, was holding the baby, he hurriedly quickened his pace and said to her: "You are weak, and the child is still small. How could you bring him out? What will happen if he catches a chill?"

What relationship could there be? It's just that the dates don't align...

It can be said that tonight is somewhat unsettled; my wife mentioned that she heard many wandering spirits crying

The physician Li remained silent, unable to discern the cause of the child's illness. It seemed like a malevolent affliction, but as a medical practitioner, he adhered to the principle of not consulting shamans. This meant that if one did not trust in medicine and sought divine intervention instead, such ailments would not be treated by physicians, who also rejected these beliefs. However, seeing Li's sorrowful weeping, he felt a pang of compassion in his heart and could only helplessly whisper, "The newborn is weak, with black hair growing on its body. It is likely that some malevolent spirit has taken advantage of it, leaving it in a deep, unresponsive sleep, with its spirit harmed. I cannot treat this illness; you must find someone knowledgeable in this matter to take a look."

He immediately agreed and walked outside, where he saw the sky filled with stars, as clear as ever. All the misty gloom had completely dissipated. If it weren't for the tragic sight of the dead foxes and black dogs in the yard, still drenched in blood, he would have truly thought he had merely experienced a nightmare

At that moment, someone shouted, "Why can't we hear this child crying?"

This night was filled with both surprises and joys; overall, the joy outweighed the surprises. Li gave birth and was physically weak, unable to stay awake and fell asleep. However, Lin Laoshi was afraid that the fox would return, and seeing his son so happy, he stayed awake the entire night. Early the next morning, after Li woke up to take care of the child at home, Lin Laoshi steamed several batches of white buns and delivered them from door to door.

Lin Laoshi, having only had a son in his thirties, is truly the apple of his eye. Upon seeing him in this state, his trembling hands began to shake in panic. He was not originally a quick-witted person, and in this moment of alarm, half of his soul seemed to have fled. He could only stomp his feet in circles, exclaiming: "What is happening? What is happening... This is going to cost me my life..."

In the midst of the commotion, Old Wang and his son went out to call for help. Lin Laoshi was momentarily stunned; just a moment ago, he had shouted so loudly, yet there was no response from across the street. Now, after a few calls, there was a reply. The black fox spirit's magic was indeed formidable. He then saw the yard in disarray and realized that this matter could not be known to the villagers. If they found out that his family had provoked a fox spirit, they might drive them out of the village to avoid misfortune. He could not afford to think too much; he hurriedly picked up the dead fox and dead dog from the ground and threw them behind the haystack in the yard. Then he took a broom and swept to cover the bloodstains on the ground before going to boil water.

Li lay on her side, staring at the child in her arms without blinking. The child was fair-skinned, with big eyes, a high nose, and a small mouth, clearly a beautiful one. The resemblance to Lin Laoshi was quite distant; instead, the child mostly resembled Li, and surprisingly, bore some resemblance to the divine figure from her dreams.

The black fox escaped, and Lin Laoshi was momentarily stunned. Once he regained his senses, he turned to look at the child on the bed, trembling with excitement all over. Unable to resist, he walked over. After a bloody battle, he still carried the chilling aura of blood on him. In her dazed state, Li felt someone approaching. It is a mother's instinct to protect her child; despite feeling utterly weak, she still woke up. Upon seeing Lin Laoshi covered in blood, holding an axe in his hand, she was even more startled and weakly asked, "Laoshi, what are you doing?"

I was half asleep and seemed to hear someone crying outside. Do you think it could be related to that honest family's child

The illness of infants is referred to as "dumb disease," which is relatively difficult to diagnose. This term indicates that the infant is too young to express their pain and can only rely on the physician's experience for diagnosis. Over the years, Dr. Li has encountered many cases of dumb disease, yet he has never seen a child with this condition from the Lin family. He inquired about when the Li family's child began to develop black hair.

"If it's not your child, could it be someone else's? Hurry and call for help!" Seeing Lin Laoshi like this, Li Shi felt a wave of frustration. At such a time, they hadn't even left the house yet, how could it have come to this?

Li struggled to maintain her composure as she spoke, her eyes unwilling to part from the little child on the bed, as if she feared that the moment she blinked, the child would vanish. Just moments ago, she had been in excruciating pain, completely unaware of what was happening outside, and little did she realize that just before she blinked, her home had been hanging by a thread between life and death