"Shh!"
At Zong Mi's high-pitched gasp-shout, He Yin instinctively turned around and held a finger to her lips.
At once, Zong Mi, who had been gasping raggedly and was nearly about to cry out again, jolted, his body trembling as he fell silent as a cicada in winter. Even the hand raised high, clutching a clump of green grass, drooped down, while his other hand tightly covered his mouth.
"Quiet. They're asleep."
Seeing Zong Mi's reaction, He Yin pointed at the children sleeping sprawled out on their backs and at Chiba, then spoke softly.
"Mmph, mmph!"
Hearing this, Zong Mi nodded repeatedly to show that he understood.
"Mm."
He Yin nodded.
"So what do we do now?"
Only after seeing He Yin nod did Zong Mi seem to receive permission. He lowered the hand covering his mouth, took several breaths while trying his best to suppress the sound, then walked over to He Yin and handed her the grass in his hand. "Is this the antidotal herb?"
Taking the grass, He Yin did not answer Zong Mi directly. Instead, she asked a question.
"Is this the herb that cures the poison?"
"It should be. In the area where Yu Ze had been active, there was only one place with things that looked edible... edible..."
Zong Mi answered He Yin's question honestly, but as he reached the end, he frowned, seemingly unable to find the word to describe something.
"Ferns..."
He Yin seemed to understand that he could not find the word and prompted him.
"Right! Ferns. And this grass was found in a sunny spot where the ferns grew, so it should be right."
At He Yin's reminder, Zong Mi nodded repeatedly and said this.
"But..."
Hearing that, He Yin frowned. Her gaze fell on Yu Ze, and her hand