Zhou Tianming quickly pulled out a palm-sized disposable transparent medicine bag from his black sweatpants pocket as he spoke. The liquid inside was pale red.
He raised it toward Zhou Hanxiang with a flick of his wrist, unscrewed the cap, and downed it in one go. The solution tasted slightly sweet upon entry, smelled pungent, left a bitter aftertaste on his tongue, and carried a grassy note.
Even after drinking it for half a month, Zhou Tianming still made a face of disgust.
Forcing down the bitter medicinal liquid, he smacked his lips.
"The flavor's weaker—did you reduce the dosage?"
Hanxiang smiled. "Of course it's not the same as the initial prescription. This medicine helps your body adapt to activity levels while supplementing endocrine deficiencies. The dosage will gradually decrease as your system adjusts."
"Thank god. I swear my skin's started smelling like medicine."
Hanxiang leaned in and sniffed lightly. "I think it smells nice."
Zhou Tianming raised his arm to his nose, then grimaced and stuck out his tongue. "Disgusting. Makes me wanna puke."
Hanxiang gazed at him tenderly, reaching up to ruffle his hair.
"Don't touch a man's head."
"What kind of superstition is that?" She shook his head playfully from side to side.
Zhou Tianming sulked.
After leaving the hospital, Hanxiang took Zhou Tianming to downtown February City.
Though this was a medical hub integrating basic medicine, clinical studies, biochemistry, molecular biology, and applied bioengineering, it had full civilian infrastructure like Mendel.
The moment they reached downtown, Zhou Tianming sprinted toward the food street, nostrils flaring at the aromas, with an amused Hanxiang trailing behind.
He barged into the first stir-fry restaurant he saw and hastily ordered before sitting down to wait.
"Finally, real food."
"You were eating at the hospital too."
Zhou Tianming scoffed. "That slop doesn't count. Might as well inject nutrient solutions directly—at least that wouldn't torture my tastebuds."
"All those medical texts you've been reading should've taught you that nutrient solutions are still pharmaceuticals. They're not ideal for regular consumption."
Their dishes arrived mid-conversation. Hanxiang's face darkened.
Braised pork belly, soy-braised pork knuckle, white-cut chicken, and an enormous bowl of rice.
"Since when did your medical studies endorse greasy, heavy dishes like these?"
Zhou Tianming stuffed a piece of braised pork into his mouth and shoveled rice aggressively. After swallowing, he retorted, "I only read those out of boredom. Never planned to actually study medicine."
Then he buried his face in the bowl, eating like a starved man.
Zhou Tianming was eating with such relish that Zhou Hanxiang found herself salivating just watching him. Still, she ordered a few stir-fried vegetable dishes and poured more than half into his bowl before leisurely starting her own meal.
Tianming accepted everything without complaint, burying his face in the bowl as he devoured whatever entered it.
After finishing, the two took a walk to aid digestion.
"Mom, do you have any plans after this?"
Hanxiang thought for a moment. "I'll be going back home soon. If I don't return, I'm afraid Dad might kill me."
"Mom... you didn't elope with someone, did you?"
She shot him a glare. "No, I ran away because of other issues I couldn't resolve. Dad always knew where I was but not the specifics. After this whole mess, he scolded me harshly and demanded I come home."
"Can I not go back with you?"
Hanxiang looked at him curiously. "Where else would you go?"
"I plan to become a junk dealer. I've thought it through—both Earth and PLANT have their own problems. Staying neutral is the better path."
Hanxiang stopped walking, turned around, and pressed a hand to Tianming's forehead. "No fever... so why are you talking nonsense?"
He swatted her hand away. "I'm being serious."
"Serious? At your age, you should be in school."
Tianming choked, momentarily speechless before retorting, "With my intelligence, self-study is enough. I don't need school. I've already planned my future."
"That's not planning—that's recklessness. You're coming back to East Asia with me, studying properly for a few years. Once you're 16 and an adult, I won't interfere anymore."
Tianming's face twisted with resistance. Sixteen was still eleven years away—wasting that time in school would squander his crucial developmental period. He'd already completed basic education in his past life, but he couldn't exactly say that.
After racking his brain without finding a way to convince Hanxiang, Tianming frowned in frustration.
Seeing his expression, Hanxiang chuckled. "Fine. Since you're so adamant, here's a deal: if you can memorize the entire Comprehensive Guide to Traditional Chinese Medicine in the hospital before you're discharged, I'll acknowledge your ability to self-study."
His eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Mom keeps her promises." Hanxiang raised three fingers in a vow.
Recognizing the gesture, Tianming smirked. "Just watch me. Let's head back to the hospital."
He turned to leave, but Hanxiang grabbed him. "What's the rush? First, I'm taking you for a haircut. Look at this mess."
Tianming touched his uneven, jagged locks. "You're the one who butchered it. Trying to destroy the evidence?"
A cold glint flashed in Hanxiang's eyes as she smiled at him.
With a wave, Tianming strode ahead. "Fine, let's go."
Inside the barbershop, Hanxiang sat quietly, watching Tianming discuss his haircut with the stylist. A faint smile crept onto her face as she drifted into a daze.
Sunlight streamed through the glass walls, draping her in a golden glow. She watched, smiled, and then quietly dozed off.
Ten minutes later, the barber finished trimming Tianming's hair into a neat, short style.
Tianming nodded approvingly at his reflection before glancing back at Hanxiang—only to find her asleep against the wall.
Approaching closer, he gazed at her rough skin, weary face, and the furrowed brows that remained even in sleep.
Thinking of how Zhou Hanxiang had been tirelessly helping him recuperate these past days, Zhou Tianming didn't disturb her. Instead, he gestured to the hairdresser and quietly sat down beside her.
Over ten minutes later, Hanxiang suddenly jolted awake, looking around in alarm until her eyes landed on Tianming, at which point she relaxed.
"Why didn't you wake me up, Mom?"
"I'm a bit tired and want to go back to the hospital. I need to hurry up and study."
Hanxiang was silent for a moment before patting Tianming's head. "Let's go."
The two returned to the hospital, with Tianming rushing into his ward and immediately picking up the massive "Complete Compendium of Traditional Chinese Medicine"—a book thicker and larger than his head—to study.
Meanwhile, Hanxiang headed to the office specially reserved for her and Ogsha.
As soon as she entered, she saw Ogsha comparing two documents side by side. Hanxiang quickly approached. "Is there something wrong with Tianming's indicators?"
Ogsha shook her head. "Nothing major, probably just equipment fluctuations."
Setting the files down, Ogsha pointed to one item. "There were no issues in previous tests, but this suddenly changed in the last one. However, this morning's readings returned to normal."
Hanxiang picked up the documents, scrutinizing them before flipping through earlier records. "That is strange. It's as if this indicator vanished and reappeared."
Ogsha considered this and nodded. "That's a good way to put it. That's why I think it's a machine error. Let's have Tianming retested tonight to check the data."
Hanxiang agreed.
"Why did you come back so soon? Didn't you stay out longer? Tianming's been begging to go outside."
"He told me he wants to become a junk dealer instead of going to school, so I challenged him to memorize medical texts."
Ogsha paused, then spoke seriously. "Hanxiang, Tianming is, after all, the Ultimate Coordinator created by Hibiki. None of us can truly gauge his potential or future. Sometimes, letting him make his own decisions might be for the best."
Hanxiang frowned. "But he's only five."
"Does he act like a five-year-old?"
Hanxiang faltered, momentarily speechless.
"Rather than worrying about Tianming, you should worry about yourself. Are you really okay? Since you're already at the hospital, why not take some time to recuperate too?"
Ogsha gestured toward a full-length mirror nearby, concern in her voice. Hanxiang looked—her reflection showed a gaunt face with a sickly pallor.
Shaking her head, Hanxiang replied, "It's fine. I've held on all these years. Once Tianming recovers, I'll rest properly at home."
"Alright, I won't nag further."
Ogsha sighed and shook her head.