Chapter 35: A Smaller Heat

On Monday morning, the third thermometer gave Su a third answer. Qing inspected the display. "Evan owns five. Surely one can be persuaded to tell the truth." "They are accurate within their stated margins." "Cowards, all of them." Su returned the thermometer to its case. Her temperature had risen four tenths of a degree since yesterday. That remained within the range of damage left by the lingzhi, but the heat in her body had changed its location. It gathered low in her abdomen while her fingers stayed cool. She had woken before six with nausea and blamed the ginger Qing had put into last night's broth. Then Qing opened a bakery bag near the pharmacy counter, and the smell of scallion turned Su's stomach hard enough to send her to the sink. Qing folded the bag shut. "Was it the broth?" "No." "The bun?" "I have not eaten the bun."…