Chapter 106 The Rabbit in the Moon
Alexander annotated the prescription according to the medical guide, then handed it to Jeremy. "Prepare the medicine according to this formula."
Jeremy looked at the prescription with a mixture of amusement and bewilderment, but immediately nodded. "I'll get right on it."
Jeremy's efficiency was remarkable.
Soon, he had gathered all the required herbs and medical supplies, collecting everything needed.
Alexander left specialized staff to care for Grace and took Max and Liam home.
As soon as he opened the door, Alexander caught the bitter, pungent scent of medicinal herbs and instinctively covered his nose.
Liam, however, seemed already accustomed to the herbal aroma. He ran into the living room, gathered all the herbs and tools, and carried them back to the study. Max, curious, followed after him.
In the study.
Liam spread out the tools and herbs, checking each ingredient and measuring precise amounts. He then took out a notebook and began sketching diagrams.
Max asked, "Does this medicine need to be brewed?"
Liam shook his head.
Seeing his focused, serious expression, Max decided not to disturb him further.
Before returning from the hospital, Liam had examined Grace's injuries.
Grace's elbow joint was particularly severely damaged. The broken bone had pierced through the skin, creating a significant open wound. It was this specific injury that had caused the infection, leading to the potential amputation.
The medical techniques Liam had learned from the old doctor were ancient, nearly lost to time. The elderly physician was the last heir of a century-old medical lineage, and in his generation, Liam was his only direct student.
Liam placed the herbs into a mortar and began grinding them with a copper pestle, producing a rhythmic "thud, thud, thud" sound.
Max leaned back in his chair, feeling tired and drowsy.
Watching Liam's focused silhouette as he worked with the herbs, he drowsily asked, "Can you really heal Mommy?"
Liam nodded.
Max asked again, "Mommy's injury is so severe—will she have scars afterward?"
Liam shook his head.
Max immediately felt a profound sense of relief. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
In his half-dreaming state, he had a wonderful dream. He found himself floating weightlessly toward the full moon in the night sky, eventually landing in a gleaming lunar palace.
In this silver castle, he encountered an adorable creature—a legendary moon rabbit.
Curious, he approached and gently tapped the rabbit's shoulder. When the rabbit turned around, he was shocked to see it had Liam's face!
"Liam!"
Max called out, startling himself awake.
He opened his eyes to find Liam's handsome, cute face close to his own. Those round eyes were staring at him, long eyelashes fluttering as if wondering what dream he'd been having.
"Awake?" Liam pinched his cheek. "You were dreaming."
He held up a sketch pad, bringing it close to Max's face.
Looking closer, Max realized Liam had secretly drawn his portrait while he slept. In the drawing, Max was sprawled over the chair, head tilted, mouth slightly open—an adorable, amusing sight that was completely different from his usual composed demeanor.
Max's face flushed red as he reached to grab it. "Give that to me!"
Liam hid the drawing behind his back, refusing.
Max's face burned with embarrassment when Liam suddenly said, "The medicine is ready."
Max looked at the table behind Liam in surprise. The herbs had been properly packaged.
He marveled at Liam's efficiency. "So fast?"
Liam pointed toward the window.
It had grown dark outside.
That grinding session had lasted an entire afternoon.
Max asked, "Are you tired?"
Liam rubbed his eyes, clearly drowsy, but he needed to get to the hospital to apply the medicine to Grace.
Liam gathered the medicine package and walked to the door with Max. In the living room, Jeremy was also dozing, but Alexander was nowhere to be seen.
Max approached and gently tugged at Jeremy's face.
Jeremy immediately woke up, opening his eyes to see Max's face enlarged before him. "How dare you fall asleep on duty?"
Jeremy immediately raised both hands in surrender. "Sorry..."
"Where's Daddy?" Liam looked around, searching for Alexander.
Jeremy stood up awkwardly and explained to Liam, "Mr. Hayes went to the hospital."
Max tensed. "Did something happen to Mommy again?"
Jeremy shook his head. "It's Miss Blake who had the incident."
Miss Blake... Emily?
What happened to her?
Max only remembered Liam stabbing Emily with several needles before leaving her in the warehouse.
Liam, however, had no interest in Emily's situation. That woman was getting her just desserts—the needles he'd used would make Emily suffer plenty!
"Let's go." He took Max's hand. "We're going to the hospital." He needed to apply the medicine to Grace.
Max nodded. "Okay."
At the hospital.
Alexander entered the room just as a nurse finished covering Emily with a blanket.
Upon entering, he saw Emily frantically scratching at her face and neck. Her exposed skin was covered in scratch marks and bloody welts. Besides the knife wound on her face, there were alarming red rashes—raised bumps that formed blisters when scratched.
Alexander asked, "What's wrong with her?"
The nurse shook her head and explained, "Someone found Miss Blake on the roadside. She was disoriented and appeared injured. The whole way here, she was frantically scratching her face and neck as if it was severely itchy. Additionally, Miss Blake has developed facial paralysis."
"Facial paralysis?"
Alexander glanced at Emily's face. Half of it showed muscle weakness, sagging limply in paralysis, making her face completely asymmetrical.
The nurse continued, "The doctor examined her and said she's not in life-threatening danger, but... her symptoms are so unusual that even the doctors are baffled."
Radiant Wellness Center was a private hospital with high credentials, employing numerous authoritative specialists and professors.
What kind of symptoms could leave expert professors completely stumped?
Alexander had no idea that the three needles Liam had used on Emily were precisely placed at three mysterious points on her head.
Not fatal, but exquisitely painful.
One needle would cause Emily to lose some memory and remain disoriented. Even when conscious, she would have no recollection of events within the past day.
Another needle carried microscopic toxins that would trigger toxic dermatitis.
The third needle damaged neural pathways, causing widespread facial paralysis. Without treatment, her facial muscles would collapse—essentially disfigurement. Over time, this would leave permanent facial disability.
This technique had been lost to time. It was something the old doctor had taught Liam—no one else knew how to reverse it.
"Ah... ah... so itchy... so itchy..." Emily writhed in agony on the bed, continuously scratching her face and neck while letting out bloodcurdling screams.