Chapter 1316: The Sixteenth Medicinal Bath

Natural disasters intensified the already brutal struggle for survival, forcing every living creature to enter a contest of the survival of the fittest from the very moment of birth or sprouting. Only the strong who adapt to their environment earn the right to live, to reproduce, and to continue their species. From bacteria too small to see, to blue whale calves already weighing eight or nine tons at birth, none can escape this law of natural selection.

Narrowing the scope to Xia Qing's house, that means from the tiny Qiangzai to the handsome giant wolf, none can escape.

"Squeak squeak, squeak squeak—"

During its first medicinal bath with Little Feimao, Qiangzai hurt so badly it shrieked and scrambled, pawing desperately at the wire mesh that held it in place, trying to escape the bath. Hearing the cub's cries for help, the red squirrel that lived in the big tree outside Xia Qing's yard cursed and grumbled, drawing the attention of several wolves playing in the yard, who all lifted their heads to look. The big squirrel got such a fright it fled in a flash.

"Qiangzai, look how quiet your little brother and Big Handsome Wolf are—keep your voice down too, you're giving me a headache…" Every pore on her body screaming in pain, Xia Qing slumped against the bathtub in the first-floor bathroom, mumbling her complaint in a daze.

The surface of the bathwater trembled. Beneath it floated the silver-gray handsome giant wolf, shivering from the pain but wearing a great icy expression.

Does Daigua, squatting beside Xia Qing, looked at the now-motionless Little Feimao, then at the dazed Xia Qing. It raised a paw to touch the little nose poking above the water, confirmed the cub was still breathing, then climbed onto Xia Qing's shoulder to groom her fur.

The half-conscious Xia Qing barely pried open her eyelids for a look, then closed them again. "Does Daigua really is the best lion-faced monkey in the world—wake me up in fifteen minutes…"

Does Daigua, who had already learned to read a clock, stared blankly at the numbers and hands on the alarm clock. After figuring out where the minute hand would be in fifteen minutes, it went back to grooming Xia Qing.

The handsome giant wolf, sunk in the bathtub, glanced at the human hair floating on the surface, then slowly closed its eyes again.

When the minute hand reached the fifteen-minute mark, Does Daigua raised its little black paw, tangled in Xia Qing's hair, and patted her face.

Xia Qing pried open her heavy eyelids, stared at the alarm clock for a moment before asking, "Does Daigua, is it fifteen minutes?"

"Eh!"

"Good… Does Daigua, you're amazing. Pull Qiangzai and Little Feimao out, dry them off, and tuck them into their nest…"

Does Daigua froze for another moment, then flipped the latch on the small bathtub, grabbed the wire mesh lid, and lifted the two little dizzy mice that had been pinned to the wire. It hesitated for a while, but in the end took its own little towel and rubbed them down before stuffing them into the wooden nest on the living room wall.

Broken-Waist Wolf, who was guarding the alpha wolf and Sheep Boss, glanced at Does Daigua, then turned its attention back to the television.

"Big Handsome Wolf's medicinal bath is over, time to come out! Big Handsome Wolf's medicinal bath is over, time to come out…"

Xia Qing was woken by the alarm clock. She glanced at Does Daigua, who was squatting by the water basin washing its towel, then at the small bathtub that had already been opened, and turned to look at the silver-white fur spread out in the big bathtub. "Big Handsome Wolf, time to come out."

The handsome giant wolf didn't move.

With trembling hands, Xia Qing picked up her dry-hair towel from the side and wiped her soaked hair ends as she tried to persuade it. "If Big Handsome Wolf won't come out, I'll have Broken-Waist carry you out."

A big silver-white head slowly rose from the water, ice-blue eyes opening to stare at Xia Qing.

Xia Qing stared at the handsome giant wolf's trembling, dripping face for two seconds, realized the fellow didn't have the strength to climb out on its own, and opened her mouth to call for Wolf Lao Er. "Lao Er, Lao Er…"

The reason she called for Lao Er instead of Broken-Waist Wolf was that the handsome giant wolf was proud—if Broken-Waist Wolf carried it out in its mouth, the fellow would very likely lose its temper and refuse to let Xia Qing ride it in the future.

Lao Er, who had been in the yard watching two little wolves play with a hedgehog ball, soon appeared in the bathroom. Xia Qing raised a hand and pointed at the handsome giant wolf. "Big Handsome Wolf has no strength left—can Lao Er pull it out?"

Lao Er hooked its two front paws over the edge of the tub, bit the scruff of the handsome giant wolf's neck, and pulled hard, helping it climb out. This time it really did hurt—the handsome giant wolf struggled twice after getting out, but couldn't manage to stand up from the floor, and simply lay down on the bathroom tiles.

With trembling hands, Xia Qing patted Lao Er's neck. "Lao Er, you're amazing. Go call the next wolf for its medicinal bath."

Before Lao Er could even leave, Broken-Waist Wolf's howl rang out from the living room. Not long after, Black Wolf and Broken-Leg Girl walked in from outside. Black Wolf went straight into the bathtub. Broken-Leg Girl and Lao Er sniffed each other, then turned to sniff Xia Qing, and lifted a leg as if about to jump into the tub. After Lao Er yipped at her a few times, the fellow obediently walked in instead, without splashing Xia Qing all over.

She hadn't expected this round to be a couple's session. Xia Qing, trembling, turned on the showerhead to add some water to the tub, then picked up the medicated packet from the wooden rack beside her and added the medicine to the water.

The medicine for strengthening bones and skin toughness wasn't used by her alone—there was a whole litter of wolves. To make sure every wolf could fully absorb the effects, Xia Qing had gone to Territory Seven and endured several scoldings to get two extra packets of medicine, adding more to the water after each batch finished soaking.

"Awoo awoo awoo awoo…" More than ten minutes later, Broken-Leg Girl couldn't help starting to curse and grumble.

Xia Qing, who had been watching Does Daigua rinse the handsome giant wolf's fur, turned her head and saw Black Wolf licking Broken-Leg Girl's forehead to soothe her. She immediately felt her own body aching even more, and said huffily, "Does Daigua, that's enough—hand me that big towel."

The weather had turned cold. If the handsome giant wolf just lay on the cold, wet floor without being dried off, it would very likely catch a chill.

Does Daigua immediately shut off the water valve, put down the shower hose, dragged the big towel over, and handed it to Xia Qing.

Xia Qing bore the pain and rubbed down the handsome giant wolf's fur. After calling Lao Er to drag it outside, she had Does Daigua fill its own bathtub with water, add the medicine, and begin its medicinal bath.

But unexpectedly, Does Daigua ran to the living room, brought Ergua back on its back, and stared at her with eager eyes. Xia Qing endured the pain and explained, "Ergua's body is too weak—if it gets in it'll get the runs. Let it soak next time. This time, Does Daigua soaks by itself."

Does Daigua understood. It put Ergua back in the tree nest, climbed into the medicinal bath itself, and then, copying the alpha wolf and the handsome giant wolf, dunked its whole head under too. This little fellow's desire to grow stronger was no weaker than anyone's.

After a few bubbles rose to the surface, the little fellow popped its head out, coughing from choking. Broken-Leg Girl beside it cursed even louder.

Xia Qing slowly raised a hand and patted Does Daigua's back to comfort it. "Does Daigua, sink down slowly, rest your head on the wooden board."

After Does Daigua rested its head on the little stool in the water, Xia Qing saw the water hadn't yet reached its neck, so she ladled some of the medicinal liquid from the big tub into Does Daigua's tub, until the liquid covered most of Does Daigua's face, leaving only its black nose with a few white hairs poking above the surface.

Then Xia Qing set the alarm clock and closed her eyes again.

Twenty minutes later, Xia Qing was woken by the alarm. As she fished the now-motionless Does Daigua out of the tub, she slowly gave herself a thumbs-up. Thank goodness—at last she could rest. She couldn't have held on for even one more minute.

But before she could even dry Does Daigua off, Broken-Waist Wolf brought four trembling little fellows to the bathroom doorway. Seeing the whole family, Xia Qing was so startled she didn't dare breathe.