After four hours of fussing, the little one's temperature finally subsided. Taking a measurement with the ear thermometer, it was already at 36.8 degrees. Lin Wanwan quickly traversed through time and threw the thermos back.
Returning to the Tang Dynasty once again, Lin Wanwan's heart beat a little faster, and she felt a bit stuffy in her chest.
She noticed that every time she traveled through time, she felt a bit tired, especially mentally, and her heart would beat faster. It seemed the Space-Time Gate bore a heavy load on the body, and she needed to be mindful of how often she shuttled back and forth.
The sky outside already showed a hint of light. Having been exhausted all night, Lin Wanwan fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Raising a child was really tiring! Especially when they were sick!
Just before falling asleep, Lin Wanwan thought to herself, this must be the sweet burden.
The next morning, Lin Wanwan was awakened by the laughter of children in the yard.
The little one was already awake too, quietly lying on the small pillow, looking at Lin Wanwan with open eyes. In good spirits, there was no sign of the fever from last night.
Lin Wanwan reached out to touch little Qingyu's forehead, which was back to normal. But she had read childcare books, knowing that since the child had a high fever from fright, it wouldn't be just a one-day fever. Tonight, it was likely to recur. But seeing little Qingyu in good spirits, she was relieved it wasn't serious enough to require a hospital visit.
She couldn't take little Qingyu through the Space-Time Gate, and she didn't trust the doctors of the Great Tang, so she might as well read a book and treat little Qingyu herself.
Yes, it was necessary to buy a copy of the "Barefoot Doctor Manual," one of the essential Divine Books for time travelers.
Lin Wanwan got out of bed, changed out of her short-sleeved nightgown, and put on a long-sleeved ancient costume. Although a bit hot, she barely managed. Her constitution was unique, not feeling cold in winter, nor too hot in summer. The silk ancient costume was quite cool.
Luckily, she traveled to the Tang Dynasty, where clothing was quite open. There were many half-sleeved garments in the court, as well as low-cut tops, and even more semi-sheer shoulder-revealing outfits. If she had traveled to the Ming or Qing Dynasties with foot-binding, it would have been miserable, suffocating from the heat.
Little Qingyu's body was weak today, so there was no need to dress too warmly. If she got heatstroke as a result, it would not be worth it, so a half-sleeved, mid-calf silk skirt would do.
Lin Wanwan had observed that in the Great Tang, many children of little Qingyu's age ran around naked. No matter how she dressed little Qingyu, it wouldn't be inappropriate.
Holding little Qingyu, she pushed open the door. Dayao was the first to hear the movement, looking up promptly, "Aunt, you're awake?"
Last night, after recognizing her ancestors and clan, Lin Wanwan turned out to be Lin Mengbo's cousin, so Dayao was naturally her niece, thus calling her aunt.
In the courtyard, besides the older and younger child, after Dayao greeted Lin Wanwan, a little boy with bean-sized eyes curiously looked at her, feeling a bit shy, but didn't greet.
Lin Mengbo and Lin Qin had one son and one daughter. Besides the five-year-old Dayao, there was a seven-year-old son named Little Crab. A few days ago, Lin Qin went to town to sell fish, which Little Crab caught while playing in the big creek hole at the village's edge.
People in the Tang Dynasty loved eating fish, especially fish sashimi, so fish was the main source of income for fishermen. Shrimp, crabs, and shellfish were not as popular or valuable. Currently, the crabs in demand were lake crabs, not sea crabs.
Little Qingyu held a glass jar filled with colorful fruit meltaway snacks, blinking her big eyes while looking at Dayao and Little Crab.
Lin Qingyu carried her into the hall, setting her on the mat inside, and said to her, "Little Yu, mom is going to wash up first. Play with your brother and sister for a while, and share some of the meltaways with them, okay?"
Little Qingyu nodded obediently, softly replying, "Mom, I'll behave."
"Meltaways?"
The two little ones kept trailing behind Lin Wanwan, their eyes lighting up as they watched the glass jar in little Qingyu's hands.
Little Qingyu wore a silk long-sleeved dress with a primarily traditional color scheme of Xizi blue and sangray yellow, half-sleeved, with intricate gold thread embroidery on the chest, floral clusters, and Yingluo patterns, exuding a light and graceful aura, revealing a section of her tender pinkish lotus-like arm.
She sat cross-legged on the mat in Lin Mengbo's house, like a small adult, issuing orders: "Your hands are dirty, you can't eat meltaways! Mom said clean hands are needed to eat, to avoid getting sick."
Dayao and Little Crab hesitated momentarily, but temptation won out, and they turned to the courtyard to fetch water from the tank, eagerly washing their hands. After two rounds, everything but the nails was clean.
Then they hurried back to the hall, surrounding little Qingyu, extending their hands for inspection, like two little puppies waiting to be fed, eyes fixed on the glass jar in her hand.
Little Qingyu counted the meltaways one by one, placing them in the palms of the other two little ones.
Both contentedly popped a pink dragon fruit yogurt meltaway in their mouths, savoring the sweet and sour taste, feeling as if they would swoon from delight.
In the past, even during the New Year, they might not get to eat a malt candy, let alone such a beautiful and sweet meltaway.
A child's joy was that simple.
Lin Wanwan went to the water tank, scooped out some water, and quickly freshened up.
The two little ones were curious about the toothbrush and toothpaste Lin Wanwan had brought out, but being young, they were very receptive and only showed envy with no other thoughts.
Little Qingyu also obediently freshened up with Lin Wanwan, then returned to the hall, continuing her role as the leader among the children.
"Dayao, Little Crab, where are your parents?" Lin Wanwan asked while mixing hot water from the stove with nutritional rice cereal for little Qingyu's breakfast.
"Daddy and Mommy have gone to the fields to plant crops," Dayao mumbled with her mouth full of snacks.
As for Little Crab, he was still a bit shy, though trailing Lin Wanwan all the way, he didn't speak.
With nutritional rice cereal prepared, Lin Wanwan poured three bowls, letting each little one have their own, gathering at the dining table to eat.
Lin Wanwan also fed little Qingyu a first defense liquid brought from the modern era and poured into a small porcelain bottle. For the most vital vitamin C, it was most convenient to extract it from fruit.
This fruit, too, was one of the oranges, kiwis, and pears Lin Wanwan bought after traveling to the modern era last night. After reading a book, she learned that this fruit selection was most suitable for a sick child and wouldn't appear too out of place, as it happened to be available in the Tang Dynasty, too.
She quickly washed two oranges and a pear, sliced them, and placed them on a plate, serving the three little ones at the dining table.
Dayao and Little Crab looked enviously at little Qingyu, quietly saying, "Your mom really loves you. Do you eat such delicious things every day?"
Little Qingyu proudly puffed out her little tummy, "Yes! Mom loves me the most."