The pink glass bottle had no label—it was children’s ibuprofen suspension, used to treat fevers in children.
Ruan Tong remembered hearing from older generations that in the seventies and eighties, life was tough for everyone, let alone the level of medical care.
Medicines for adults were already outdated, not to mention those for children.
So, in this era, the most dreaded thing was a child falling ill in the family.
In rural areas, it was common to see a child succumb to a minor illness, which was why Ruan Tong took it so seriously.
Fortunately, she had her Space. Otherwise, even with her medical skills, having no medicine would be like a skilled cook with no ingredients.
“Mom, this is the fever-reducing medicine I prepared. Take me to see Erbao!” A high fever couldn’t be delayed, so Ruan Tong urged her.
“Alright, alright…”
Before Wu Minzhen could finish, a sharp female voice immediately cut her off: “Mom, after all the outrageous things she did last night, how can you still trust her?”
Ruan Tong looked toward the voice.
The person who arrived was none other than Gu Bai’s second sister-in-law, Xu Yan.
Searching through the original host’s memories, Ruan Tong recalled that Xu Yan had originally set her sights on the Gu family’s fourth son. However, Gu Bai didn’t even spare her a glance and left to join the military.
Later, for some unknown reason, Xu Yan married the Gu family’s second son, Gu Rong.
This couple truly embodied the saying, “Birds of a feather flock together.”
Both were equally lazy and gluttonous.
As for what Xu Yan mentioned about last night’s events, Ruan Tong was utterly clueless.
Yesterday was her wedding day—could something else have happened?
At this thought, Ruan Tong immediately grew more alert.
It seemed the original host indeed had some messy baggage, but now that she had taken over this body, she was determined to turn things around.
Wu Minzhen frowned deeply, hesitating.
Seeing this, Xu Yan immediately added fuel to the fire: “Mom, this Ruan Tong is clearly a troublemaker. She’s already married into the Gu family, yet she still brings other men home. She truly has no shame!”
Hearing this, Ruan Tong vaguely remembered that the original host’s lover had indeed come to the Gu family last night, and as luck would have it, Xu Yan had witnessed it.
Watching Xu Yan’s provocative and spiteful demeanor, Ruan Tong sneered coldly:
“What, just because someone from our village came to attend my wedding, it’s considered shameless? Comrade Xu Yan, you should watch your words. After all, I am Gu Bai’s wife. What are your intentions in trying to drive a wedge between us?”
Wasn’t it just because she was unhappy that Gu Bai had married her? Ruan Tong saw right through her petty schemes.
Xu Yan hadn’t expected Ruan Tong to speak to her like this. Furious, she placed her hands on her hips, ready to start a fight: “Who are you insulting?!”
Seeing Xu Yan’s confrontational attitude, Ruan Tong rolled up her sleeves. Want to fight? Who’s afraid of whom?!
Although her current petite frame looked like a complete weakling… in her previous life, she had been a ninth-degree black belt!
Using her skills against this woman would be more than enough.
“What’s going on here?!” A cold, stern male voice rang out, and the noisy courtyard instantly fell silent.
Dabao immediately hid behind Wu Minzhen, looking terrified.
It wasn’t the sight of Ruan Tong and Xu Yan about to fight that scared him, but Gu Bai’s cold shout. His small face buried itself in Wu Minzhen’s clothes, too afraid to look at him.
Watching the man walking over with a dark expression, Ruan Tong raised an eyebrow slightly. Hmph, men’s words are nothing but lies.
Just moments ago, he said he wouldn’t let her suffer any grievances, and now, after only a few minutes, he’s already putting on a Sichuan opera face-changing act?
“Fourth Brother, look at the wife you just married…”
The previously arrogant and unreasonable voice instantly softened, dripping with sweetness as if she were coquettishly flirting with Gu Bai, her eyes practically glued to him.
Ruan Tong rolled her eyes in disgust: How utterly nauseating!
It was no wonder Ruan Tong reacted so strongly. If someone prettier acted this way, they might be called a white lotus. But Xu Yan, with her dark complexion and sturdy build, had no business putting on such an act—it simply didn’t suit her at all.
Gu Bai paid no attention to her affected mannerisms and said sternly:
“Ruan Tong is my wife. Even if she has shortcomings, it’s not your place to criticize her. If I see this happen again, don’t blame me for being impolite!”
These words left Ruan Tong momentarily stunned.
The courtyard fell into dead silence.
Xu Yan stared at him in disbelief for a long moment before shrieking, “Gu Bai, you heartless man!”
To an outsider, it might have sounded like she was berating her own unfaithful husband!
Wu Minzhen, standing nearby, couldn’t bear to watch any longer and raised her voice, “Second Son, take your wife back home. What kind of scene is this, making such a racket!”
Hearing this, Gu Rong immediately stepped out with an apologetic smile, grabbed Xu Yan by the arm, and pulled her toward the house, saying, “Mom, Fourth Brother, Sister-in-law, sorry to disturb you. Please carry on.”
With that, he closed the door behind them, shutting out Xu Yan’s cries and shouts.
“I just heard you say you know medicine?” Before Ruan Tong could fully process what had happened, a deep, pleasant voice, like the resonant tones of a jiaowei qin, reached her ears.
The question caught her off guard, and she looked up, meeting his profound gaze before nodding slightly.
“Then I’d like to ask you to take a look at Erbao.” Gu Bai’s tone was sincere, genuinely concerned for the child.
Both Dabao and Erbao were children Gu Bai was raising.
A year ago, Gu Bai’s team leader sacrificed himself during a mission, and Gu Bai himself was injured in the leg, forcing him to retire and return home.
The team leader’s wife, unable to bear the shock of the news, fell ill and passed away, leaving behind two young, helpless infants for Gu Bai to care for.
With the Gu family’s attentive care, the two children quickly integrated into the large household.
However, it seemed the two children weren’t particularly fond of Ruan Tong, this unexpected newcomer.
Erbao was only two years old, an age where anyone who provided milk was considered a mother.
Dabao, three years older than Erbao, regarded Ruan Tong with wariness and called her “stepmother” whenever he saw her.
Ruan Tong’s thoughts drifted for a few seconds before she snapped back to reality and followed Gu Bai into the house.
Gu Wenlin, the head of the Gu family, was pacing anxiously, holding Erbao, who had fainted from a high fever. “What kind of quack doctor is this? As soon as he heard Erbao had a febrile seizure, he didn’t dare come! Pah! And he still dares to call himself a lifesaver!”
“Dad, let Ruan Tong take a look at Erbao.” Gu Bai interrupted Gu Wenlin’s complaints and briefly explained that Ruan Tong knew medicine.
Gu Wenlin looked at Ruan Tong with considerable surprise and skepticism.
Even if she had learned a thing or two from a quack doctor, it was hard to trust her with this.
Although the two children weren’t Gu Bai’s biological offspring, the Gu family had long treated them as their own grandchildren.
“Tongtong, do you really know how to treat him?”
The underlying message was clear: Don’t overestimate yourself and make things worse for the child.
Knowing Gu Wenlin didn’t believe her, Ruan Tong touched Erbao’s forehead. The scalding temperature made her hand tremble slightly. Without further explanation, she directly handed the medicine bottle to Gu Bai.
“The priority now is to bring down the fever.”
With convulsions occurring repeatedly, delaying any longer would only make it worse.