Fangsu’s Fragile Health

Fangsu woke up to the smell of burnt food, wrapping the blankets around her shoulder, following the smell into the kitchen. Fangsu's grandpa stood in the kitchen failing about in the kitchen with Ming Yue panicking as she pointed to the overflowing porridge. Seeing such a chaotic scene early in the morning making a laugh erupt from Fangsu's lips, catching the attention of the two people who were attempting to cooking food. Ming Yue rushed over to Fangsu, "Master! You're still unwell you must stay in bed!" Ming Yue tried to convince Fangsu who smiled and returned back to the comfortable warm bed.

——-

A knock on the door. Fangsu's grandpa ran to the door, opening it to reveal a young woman with a veiled hat to hide their identity, "How is Fangsu's health? Any relapsing?" The woman took off her veiled hat and gave the old man a bag that had a very strong scent of medicine, which made the elder flinch at the smell.

The elder nodded, "Just last night, she relapsed because of the cold wind trying to save a family of cats," Placing the bag on a nearby table, he rushed to the kitchen once he smelt anything being burned. The doctor followed the old man into the kitchen where black smoke was being emitted from the pot and there was a pile of dirty pots and utensils in the sink of the kitchen.

The doctor could only laugh at the loveable actions of a grandpa who was trying to care for his sick granddaughter by cooking a meal, "Are you trying to cook?" Laughing at the horrible attempts of cooking evident from the burnt food on the bottom of the pot, "It looks more like you are cooking up a pot of poison," The young doctor teased the elder who could only sigh exhausted by the fact that women cooked, clean and looked after children at the same time without breaking a sweat.

The doctor helped the elder cook a simple meal for the sick people, plain egg congee with green onions. Slicing the green onions in pieces in small pieces. Putting a pot of water on the boil, the doctor added anchovies and kelp, removing them after 5 minutes. With some leftover cooked rice, the doctor stirred until the broth had boiled down. When the broth had boiled down, she added an egg to the broth, stirring right away until it was cooked. The doctor then added the green onions she chopped earlier, salt and sesame oil. With three bowls prepared, the doctor served the egg porridge, "Let's go see your granddaughter!" The doctor held a tray with the bowls of egg porridge as she walked to the room where Fangsu was playing with the cats. Tian was peering inside from an opened window along with Bai Xue.

Fangsu laughed at the air which was a normal sight for the doctor, "What did your spirit friend say to you that was so funny?" The doctor gave Fangsu a bowl of egg porridge.

Fangsu smiled, "She was worried about my health," Laughing again at the air which eating the egg porridge, "Doctor your egg porridge taste as good as ever," Fangsu left some she egg porridge unfinished, feeding it to the cats that were eagerly eating it.

The doctor examined Fangsu's health through her pulse, "Overall, your health is good but I have to remind you to be careful," The doctor advised with a concerned face, "Especially during the weather especially during winter and summer, and I think we will have to go back to your fortnightly doses." The doctor removed her hands, smiling. Looking at the amount of animal increasing around Fangsu had always amazed the doctor many times.

Fangsu sighed, knowing her health has regressed after the extended exposure in the winter chill, "Ok." Fangsu stared at the bright sun, startled by a squawk of a bird which was flying towards Fangsu. Fangsu extended her arm for the bird, who carefully landed on her arm as it was trying to take care not to harm Fangsu, "Hello again, what do you have me now?" Gently caressing the soft feathers of the bird, Fangsu took the letter that was on attached on the golden clasp.

Reading the letter, Fangsu smiled, "Grandpa can you write something for me?" Fangsu sweetly asked her grandpa who willing listened to her request.

Fangsu's grandpa left the room to grab the necessary items, immediately returning back with his hands full, "Who was the sender?" Fangsu's grandpa asked while writing up the letter to send back.

Fangsu was caressing the hawk who lovingly nudged in response, "The Empress Dowager and her maid in waiting, Lady Meng." Fangsu casually responded as she feeds the bird with some seeds she had in her room.

The doctor fell from her chair with a thud, "How did you get to meet with Lady Meng and Empress Dowager?" Surprised by the fact, Fangsu was new to the capital was able to meet with the Empress Dowager so easily.

Fangsu pointed to her grandpa, "Grandpa was the one who introduced me to the Empress Dowager," Fangsu continued to play with the bird and cats which ended up with just the cats and the bird play with each other.

The doctor's jaw dropped open as shock overwhelmed her. It was now time for Fangsu's grandpa to laugh at the doctor, "It seems that your old man didn't tell you that the Empress Dowager and Lady Meng is well acquainted with our family," Both Fangsu and her grandpa laughed at the doctor who pulled at a stay strand of hair that hung loosely across her face, "Don't pull your hair, you will end up getting bald spot," It was a habit that the doctor developed to help calm herself.

While Fangsu's grandpa was writing the message to return back to the Empress Dowager, the doctor when back to the living room where Fangsu's grandpa left the bag of medicine. Carrying the strongly scented bag of medicine into the bedroom where Fangsu was surrounded by animals was always a sight to awe at. The doctor smiled sadly having to see Fangsu had to silently suffer in pain both physically and mentally, "Ok, this is your 6 month supply of medicine." The doctor placed the bag of medicine on the table, "If you start to relapse, tell someone to get your grandpa and he will know what to do." The doctor smiled before packing her bag and when to leave the Chen household, escorted by Fangsu' grandpa. At they were about to say their farewells, a loud amount of ruckus made from the animals made both of them return back to Fangsu's room.

Fangsu had fallen out of her bed, writhing in pain. The doctor checks on Fangsu's condition again, Fangsu condition had relapsed, "Get the medicine and a cold towel!" The doctor ordered the elder, as she began repositioning Fangsu so that her airways would be clear from any obstruction.

———

Fangsu felt her forehead, it was hot to the touch. But all of a sudden, Fangsu's body thudded painfully, it was enough to cause Fangsu to be knocked out of her bed. Her ears ring painfully as the sound that the animals made amplified the pain, everything was blurred and she could barely function properly. Eventually, the sounds that surrounded Fangsu were muffled out and she could barely distinguish one sound to another.

Pain. It was the only sensation that Fangsu could feel. Every other sense was numbed, no smell, no sight, no heating and not being able to feel anything around her. It was so painful, it made Fangsu want to scream. Fangsu could tell if she was screaming or not. She couldn't tell. All that Fangsu wanted was for the pain to stop.

Fangsu writhed in pain as she struggles to escape from the doctor restraining hands to force Fangsu to consume the medicine. Screaming out her lungs in pain as she continues to try to alleviate some of the pain, "Ahhhhhh!" Fangsu continued to scream out her pains. The doctor tried to help alleviate the pain through massaging pressure points, however, she was pushed away by Fangsu who immediately curled in a ball with her hands on her head.

Fangsu's grandpa gave the doctor a satchel of medicine and left to wet a cloth. With a wet towel, he rushed back to where Fangsu shoving the doctor away and curling up in a ball. A habit Fangsu develops since childhood whenever she was in pain or sad.

Fangsu's grandpa wiped Fangsu's face with the cold wet towel to lower the temperature to avoid damage to her body. Fangsu continued to stay squeezed into a ball and every so often Fangsu's grandpa would try to cool Fangsu's temperature with a cold towel.

The pain Fangsu experienced lasted for the entire day. Sweat poured out of her pores as she panted exhaustively as the pain slowly left her body. Both the doctor and Fangsu's grandpa rushed to limp Fangsu, "Fangsu! Are you okay? Does it still hurt?" Fangsu's grandpa wiped away the remaining sweat from Fangsu's forehead.

Fangsu slowly nodded, "I just want to sleep," She soon fell into a deep sleep. Fangsu's grandpa carried Fangsu and gently placed her into the bed before cleaning up the water bucket and the dishes in the kitchen.

——-

Whilst Fangsu's grandpa was cleaning up the water, the doctor came out with her bag, sighing, "Fangsu's health has stabilised and she will be on her way to recovery," After receiving payment from Fangsu's grandpa, "This has to be the worst relapse I have seen." The doctor had placed her hat on her hair whilst walking to the entrance of the house.

Fangsu's grandpa remained quiet as he was still distraught with Fangsu's extreme relapse, "Won't you consider to live as our family doctor?" This was a decision for the sake of Fangsu's health, "I won't be around for long and I want someone to take care of Fangsu for me." Releasing a heavy breath of exhaustion, Fangsu's grandpa stretches his back muscles.

The doctor nodded, accepting the request to care for Fangsu, "This sort of relapse could happen again in the near future." Looking back at the Chen residence, "I'm worried that it may lead to her death." The doctor frown at the mention of death.

Fangsu's grandpa closed his eye, "Please don't mention death." Tears soon fell from his eyes as he leaned his head on the wall, "I don't want to lose anymore, not her too." The flow of tears continued to fall as the thought of losing Fangsu was immense.

The doctor nodded, "But, this is something that is unavoidable." Her harsh but curt words cut right through the elder's heart, "Unless you can provide me with the ingredients to the cure and you know that your granddaughter was born at the wrong time," Whilst adjusting the strap of her bag, the doctor nodded her head before leaving the Chen Household.

As the old man returned back into Fangsu's room where his granddaughter was fast asleep. Pushing away from the stray ash grey hairs from her face to reveal her freckled face and her ash-grey eyelashes. Memories of the younger version granddaughters who would run to him, shouting grandpa and eating the sweet dried hawthorn snacks whilst sitting on the island's cliff looking over the ocean horizon.

Fangsu's grandpa held Fangsu's hand in his own hand, comparing Fangsu tiny against his own hand. He still remembers the time when Fangsu was a baby and her hand was on the size of a third of his pointer finger.

Ming Yue entered the room through the wall, "How is Master? Does Master have an illness?" Hovering above the grandpa and granddaughter pair. The cats came jumping onto Fangsu's bed to sleep on.

Fangsu's grandpa sighed, "Fangsu health has been deteriorating as the years go by," Standing up Fangsu's grandpa closed the windows and curtains to darken to room to allow for Fangsu to rest, "The medicine she takes can only help with suppressing Fangsu from relapsing but she can't survive long without the cure." Walking out of the room to sit in the living room, sorting out paperwork.

Ming Yue frowned, "So what is Master suffering from?" There had to be a reason for Fangsu's health deteriorating.

As Fangsu's grandpa shuffled the papers into a neat pile, "When her mother went into labour with Fangsu and her sister," Wrinkles had set themselves deep into the elder's forehead, "A complication occurred during the birthing process affecting only Fangsu and the trauma it caused make Fangsu body sickly and born with white hair. " Fangsu's grandpa explained as Ming Yue attentively listened to anything that concerned her master.