The Beginning of Natural Disaster, I Won by Hoarding Tens of Billions of Supplies

Chapter 545: Tears Streaming Down the Face

After the injection, the monitoring equipment maintained stable readings. 

Jiang Ning helped Gu Tinglin out of the space. 

The hospital director had already left, but Rong Sanshao had arrived. 

“Sister, how’s the chief?” 

Jiang Ning did not answer. Instead, she looked at Shu Xueqing, who appeared uneasy. “I’ve got medicine at my place, so it’ll be easier to take care of him there.” 

Shu Xueqing wanted to argue that moving him might not be good for the patient, but seeing Gu Tinglin’s condition, she reluctantly nodded. 

“Alright, spend more time with him.” 

Even though they found Jiang Ning, the time they spent together as father and daughter was still far too little. 

They had always thought there would be more opportunities, that they could take their time, but sometimes, unexpected events arrive sooner than expected. 

Huo Yishen carried the unconscious Gu Tinglin on his back, while Rong Sanshao helped from the side. 

Jiang Ning followed, and seeing Shu Xueqing sitting there in a daze, her spirit drained, she couldn’t help but turn back and comfort her. “He’s not going to die.” 

The words seemed more like reassurance for herself than for Shu Xueqing. 

Shu Xueqing nodded, but her tears were already streaming down her face. 

Once everyone left, she finally allowed herself to cry out loud, “Old Gu…” 

Jiang Ning made some space in a room and got a camp bed from the warehouse. The three of them worked together to set up Gu Tinglin. 

She took out the medicine and asked Huo Yishen to help administer it. 

Doudou brought out some noodles she had cooked to feed the three of them, her face full of worry. “Can Uncle Gu’s illness be cured?” 

With her brother and sister-in-law away, she had been helping out next door these past few days. 

No one had expected Uncle Gu to fall ill just as her brother and sister-in-law left. She had brought over all the medicine she could find at home, but it didn’t seem to help much. 

Jiang Ning seemed distracted. “Doudou, how did he suddenly get sick?” 

Doudou explained what she had heard. “Uncle Gu went out to inspect the base. The weather was fine, but suddenly a storm hit, and he got drenched. That night, he came back with a fever that wouldn’t go down.” 

The fever medicine didn’t work at all. 

Jiang Ning felt a headache coming on. “His illness has already turned into pneumonia.” 

Doudou continued, telling what she had heard over the past few days. “Many people who got soaked in the rain also fell ill. They had symptoms like vomiting, fever, body aches, and diarrhea, but when they went to the hospital, there was no medicine. They could only rely on physical methods to bring down the fever, like acupuncture or acupressure.” 

But cases as severe as Uncle Gu’s were rare. 

Jiang Ning frowned deeply. There had been corrosive acid rain before; it wasn’t surprising for it to carry bacteria. 

Gu Tinglin’s body had been worn down over time, making him more vulnerable to infection. 

If it’s a viral infection, it could be a big problem—especially if it’s a new virus… 

Her head throbbed. She could only hope there was still time. 

She had no appetite, but now was not the time to collapse. 

She forced herself to eat the noodles Doudou had made. 

Rong Sanshao ate while trying to comfort her. “Sister, the chief has great luck. The heavens will protect him, and with your medical skills, even the King of Hell would avoid him…” 

Huo Yishen, whose role as the comforter had been stolen, stayed silent. 

Rong Sanshao kept going, “He’s the leader of the base. He has a family to take care of. He’s a strong and resolute man. He will definitely be fine.” 

With all the comforting words said, what else could Huo Yishen say? “…”

Doudou served Rong Sanshao another bowl. “Uncle Rong, you’ve been so busy these past few days. After Uncle Gu recovers, we’ll treat you to a big meal.” 

“It’s fine. My work is—” 

Being called “Uncle” hit Rong Sanshao’s heart, leaving it bleeding. “Little Doudou, from now on, call me ‘brother.’ I’m still young.” 

“But… you’re older than my brother.” 

Rong Sanshao felt as if he had been completely crushed. Doudou, however, looked at him with pure innocence. 

Forget it. His sister and brother-in-law weren’t in a good mood, so he’d let the age debate go for now. 

After finishing his food, Rong Sanshao wiped his mouth and roughly mentioned the supplies on the ship. “Sister, the cargo ship has returned. It’s got a lot of glass, plenty of fuel, a few water towers, and some useless guns…” 

He reported the inventory of the cargo ship after it was checked. “Sister, how do you want to deal with this? Just let me know, and I’ll take care of it.” 

The ship was covered in bloodstains, evidence of a fierce battle. Only Jiang Ning and Huo Yishen could have pulled it off—anyone else would’ve been wiped out entirely. 

Jiang Ning didn’t have the energy to deal with it. “Just leave it for now. We’ll figure it out in a few days.” 

Rong Sanshao didn’t stay long and quickly returned to work. 

Jiang Ning went back to her room and into the space to check her medicines, thinking about how to use them most effectively. 

Over the years, she had never stopped practicing traditional Chinese medicine. She had studied extensively under Professor Li and Ma Guangnian, gaining in-depth knowledge of classic formulas. 

After preparing a prescription, she searched for the necessary herbs she had already processed, brewed a few doses, and stored them in the space. 

By the time she came out, it was almost dark. 

Jiang Ning checked Gu Tinglin’s pulse, then fed him half a bowl of chicken soup to settle his stomach before giving him a nutrient injection and administering the Chinese medicine.

Shu Xueqing had specially made porridge and brought it over to help care for him.

After quickly removing the monitor, Jiang Ning covered Gu Tinglin with a blanket.

Shu Xueqing asked anxiously, “Anning, how is your father now?”

“The fever has temporarily gone down,” Jiang Ning explained. “I used a special steroid to suppress it, but we still need to monitor him closely.” 

Hearing this, Shu Xueqing finally felt a little relief. “I made some porridge and want to feed it to your father. I was also thinking of wiping him down.” 

“I already gave him a nutritional supplement earlier—it’ll help his recovery. As for wiping him down, let Ah Shen handle that later.” 

It wasn’t that Jiang Ning didn’t want Shu Xueqing to help, but Gu Tinglin’s body was covered in needle marks and traces left by the monitoring equipment. As a head nurse, Shu Xueqing would easily notice these details if she got too involved. 

Jiang Ning didn’t want to complicate things. “I know you’ve been through a lot these past few days, Aunt Shu. From now on, I’ll take care of him. You can come over when you’re free. Take care of yourself, too.” 

Shu Xueqing left the porridge on the table and went to check on Gu Tinglin. 

Though she was technically a nurse, her experience made her practically a doctor. 

She understood all too well how dangerous pneumonia could be. When the hospital director issued the critical condition notice, she thought there was no hope this time. 

Now, though, his condition hadn’t worsened, and his fever had subsided. 

Shu Xueqing’s anxious heart finally calmed a little. She gently held Gu Tinglin’s hand and spoke softly, “Old Gu, Anning is back. You have to get better. The future days will be good.” 

Jiang Ning stood outside the door, listening to her talk to Gu Tinglin, feeling mixed emotions. 

She went back to her room, giving the two some quiet time together. 

After staying for half an hour, Shu Xueqing left and returned next door. 

Pneumonia could worsen or relapse easily. Jiang Ning didn’t dare lower her guard and set up a bed next to him. She and Huo Yishen took turns watching over him through the night. 

Sure enough, late that night, he suddenly spiked a high fever. 

The medication didn’t work, so Jiang Ning quickly gave him an antipyretic injection. 

Just as the fever subsided, his blood oxygen levels dropped alarmingly. She rushed to hook him up to oxygen. 

After a long and exhausting night, things finally stabilized by morning. 

Next door, Shu Xueqing hadn’t slept a wink either and came over early to check on him. 

Doudou had already prepared breakfast. Jiang Ning invited Shu Xueqing to sit and eat. “Aunt Shu, if you need to work, go ahead. I’ll handle everything here. He’ll be fine.” 

Shu Xueqing didn’t feel like going to work, but the hospital was overwhelmed with patients and severely understaffed. They hadn’t even had proper rest—they were all working nonstop. 

Besides, her presence here might make it harder for Jiang Ning to care for him comfortably. It was better to leave more space for father and daughter to be alone. 

After weighing her options, Shu Xueqing decided to go to work. She would feel less anxious if she stayed busy. “Anning, if someone from the military comes to visit, just say your father’s condition isn’t too serious and that he’ll be fine in a few days.”