abnabooks Chapter 2506 Strange Events in Taiping City
Chapter 2506 Strange Events in Taiping City
Chapter 2506 Strange Events in Taiping City
"Then I'll go to Camel City. Anyway, as long as I get out of White Pine City, it'll be fine."
"There's food and drink here. You work as a waiter in the noodle shop, doesn't the owner pay you?"
"Manager Liu is very kind to us all."
"What's wrong with you? What makes you insist on escaping the city?"
Xiao Long sniffed: "If I tell the truth, can you take me out of the city?"
Dong Rui pointed at him and said, "Don't push your luck!"
"What if I hire you to take me out of the city?"
Ling Jinbao found it amusing: "How much money do you have?"
“Two years ago, a merchant from out of town fell seriously ill and died in the city. Before he died, I was the one who brought him food and medicine. He was very grateful to me and told me about a place where he had hidden money and valuables, at least ten taels of gold!” Xiao Long said solemnly, “Take me out of here, and this money is yours.”
“You must answer our questions truthfully.” Ling Jinbao pointed to himself and then to him. “Once we are satisfied, we will naturally take you out of the city.”
Xiao Long could only nod, and then said:
“You outsiders all envy the life in Baisong City, but I know this place is very strange and not as happy as it seems on the surface.”
"How to say?"
Xiao Long pondered for a moment, as if considering where to begin, and then asked in return:
How many times have you been to Baisong City?
"This is the first time; I strolled around a few streets yesterday evening."
“No wonder you know nothing about White Pine City,” Xiao Long asked again. “Didn’t you notice anything strange as you walked around?”
Dong Rui glanced at Ling Jinbao: "No. Stop being so mysterious, or I'll hand you over to the authorities."
"I'm not selling it anymore," Xiao Long said dejectedly. "How many children have you seen on this whole journey?"
A child? The two looked at each other, then Ling Jinbao suddenly clapped his hands: "No wonder I felt something was off, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. There were so many young men and women on the street, but not a single one of them was holding a child!"
Dong Rui blinked. This was truly a wake-up call; he thought about it carefully, and it seemed to be true.
"I walked past so many shops and market stalls, but it seemed like there wasn't a single place selling toys or small clothes," Dong Rui recalled. "Not even a grasshopper made of straw!"
Outside, whether in the countryside or the city, street vendors sell large quantities of woven straw animals—rabbits, monkeys, tigers, bears…
Everyone knows that children's money is the easiest to earn.
Anyway, grass and leaves aren't worth much; the only profit is the labor fee. With so many skilled craftsmen in White Pine City, didn't they ever think about making money off dolls?
Unless, this line of work doesn't make money.
Without customers, there is naturally no demand.
Once Xiaolong mentioned it, the two understood. Ling Jinbao looked puzzled:
"Hundreds of thousands of young men and women are unable to have children?"
It's so unreasonable.
"Not to mention you, the number of children I've seen in the city in the past ten years is pitifully small."
Dong Rui also said, "No wonder there are red osmanthus trees everywhere in this city. It seems that Baisong City is also worried about the infertility of its citizens."
Xiao Long didn't understand: "What is red osmanthus?"
"It's nothing," Dong Rui yawned. "What does it have to do with you, you little brat, why are you in such a hurry to leave the city?"
Although it's a bit strange that Baisongcheng's birth rate is so low, these kids in their early teens haven't even figured out how to live yet, so how could they be thinking about the birth rate?
Ling Jinbao then asked, "People in the city know that the birth rate is so low, right? How are they coping?"
"Some people have moved away from Baisong City, but most people, after much deliberation, still refuse to leave. It's too dangerous outside!"
Most people here have food and drink, and are safe. In this era of great strife, this is a safe haven that most small countries can only dream of.
"Aren't all the residents of Baisong City people from Song State?"
“Not entirely, many people from nearby small countries have also come,” Xiaolong replied. “There’s an endless stream of people from outside who want to move in, but of course they have to go through the city government’s review before they can move in. White Pine City has no shortage of people.”
Outsiders were scrambling to get in, which made city dwellers realize the importance of their urban identity.
Places that are not short of people are the ones that attract people.
Why are you in such a hurry to leave?
Xiao Long remained silent for a long while before saying, "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you."
"Tell me about it and let's give it a try."
"Have you heard of 'Peach Blossom Seal'?" Xiao Long asked, then immediately shook his head. "No, you've only been here for a day, you don't know about it."
Dong Rui immediately said, "I overheard a passerby mention it today. I heard it's a kind of illness, but I don't know what it is."
He also had a rudimentary understanding of medicine, but had never heard of the disease "Peach Blossom Mark" before coming to Baisong City, and was very interested in learning about it.
“Once you get this disease, your face will swell and develop patches of red marks, the color of which looks like peach blossoms, so it’s called ‘peach blossom marks’,” Xiaolong added. “Oh, only women get this disease.”
What are the health risks associated with this disease?
“It causes back pain, weakness in the hands and feet, and fatigue. In severe cases, it can lead to being bedridden. My mother had it four or five times before,” Xiaolong said. “The doctor at the pharmacy said it’s because of the dampness of the earth, which makes people easily exhausted.”
"Does the pharmacy also have the corresponding prescription?"
"Yes, everyone has it. Peach blossom marks are a common ailment in Baisong City. Pharmacies have ready-made medicines available. You can take them home, decoct them, and the marks will fade in the first few days. After about half a month, the discomfort will also subside. If you don't take the medicine, it will heal more slowly."
Dong Rui's heart skipped a beat: "Wait a minute. Do you have a clinic here? Are the doctors young or elderly?"
“There are some old doctors in the clinic, some in their forties or fifties, some in their sixties,” Xiaolong said. “You can only see them with gray beards in government offices and clinics. My mother used to be a particular person and insisted on going to the clinic for treatment, but the old doctors’ prescriptions for peach blossom marks were almost the same as those in pharmacies.”
Ling Jinbao looked at Dong Rui, who was also intrigued: "I'll go to the pharmacy later and get a prescription to take a look."
One region's water and soil harm its people, but one prescription can save everyone?
"Are only the people of Baisong City afflicted with this strange disease?"
“I’ve heard that.” Xiaolong looked at the two of them. “You’re from out of town. Do people in your area have this disease?”
Both of them shook their heads. Dong Rui then asked, "Is it contagious?"
“No, but if you get the peach blossom mark too many times, you get tired very easily.” Xiaolong recalled, “My mother’s body got weaker and weaker with each occurrence, and one day she was unable to get out of bed again.”
Dong Rui coughed lightly: "You're a man, and you won't get a peach blossom mark, so why do you insist on leaving the city?"
“My neighbor Erpang is two years younger than me, and we’ve been playing together since we were little. Last winter, he told me something.” Xiaolong’s voice lowered unconsciously. “At that time, his mother also had a peach blossom mark and planned to go to the pharmacy to buy medicine the next day. That night, the whole family was sleeping soundly when Erpang woke up because he needed to pee. As soon as he opened his eyes, he heard some rustling noises from the next room.”
(End of this chapter)