Chapter 82

Chapter 82

The next morning, Li Yun came to see Jin Xiuzhu and told her that Tan Hui had returned last night. He said he had questioned the woman, but she denied doing those things. She claimed she came to apologize and asked Li Yun not to quarrel with Tan Hui because of her.

"I could tell from Tan Hui's words that he believes her. He thinks I made up lies to get a divorce. I wanted him to ask her himself, but then I thought, why bother? Some people pretend to be asleep; no matter how you try to wake them, they won't budge."

Jin Xiuzhu felt sorry for Li Yun. No matter what era it was, women always suffered in such situations.

Li Yun remained calm, as if she had grown accustomed to it. "We discussed the divorce settlement. He said he doesn't have much money now, but his savings are back home. If we really divorce, he'll give me the money next month and half of his future salary. I didn't trust him, so I had him write a formal agreement, which he did."

As she spoke, Li Yun took out the agreement from her pocket and showed it to Jin Xiuzhu.

Jin Xiuzhu glanced at it, nodded, and said, "Since you've made up your mind, I won't persuade you otherwise. What are your plans? I'll probably stay here for a few more years."

Li Yun had come specifically for this. She wasn't sad about the divorce at all. In fact, since deciding to divorce, she felt lighter. Perhaps she had never felt love from her husband, so whether or not they divorced made no difference to her.

"I don't want to go home. My parents would be worried and either try to reconcile us or introduce me to someone else. Master, I want to stay and learn medicine from you. Once I'm proficient, I can set up a stall to treat patients. Now that things are more open, many people are selling goods on the street. I think treating patients that way is also possible."

She genuinely wanted to master medical skills and achieve something significant. Compared to marriage, being a doctor seemed more appealing to her.

Jin Xiuzhu looked at Li Yun, who seemed a bit hesitant, and smiled.

Though Li Yun's idea might seem unrealistic to many, Jin Xiuzhu admired her. She saw a different kind of female charm in Li Yun—a dedication to improving herself through medicine rather than seeking male attention.

Previously, Jin Xiuzhu often longed for the Great Jing Dynasty, where she had servants and lived luxuriously. But now, she rarely missed it. Although conditions were tough here, many women were bold and courageous, stepping out of their homes to work and support themselves.

She recalled her daughter's surprising words about not having children being a form of kindness in some cases. In the Great Jing Dynasty, having children was crucial, but her daughter believed women should pursue happiness and take care of themselves, sometimes being a bit selfish.

Jin Xiuzhu felt comforted, believing her daughters would grow up like Li Yun and Wang Ling—focusing on their own paths rather than relying on men.

Jin Xiuzhu told Li Yun, "That's wonderful. You have perseverance, dedication, and talent. Your medical career will surpass mine. After you have your child, find other Chinese medicine practitioners to learn from. Don't just rely on me. To improve further, you need to explore and experiment with herbs yourself, which I can't teach you."

Li Yun nodded. "Understood."

"Learning medicine is challenging. An old doctor once spent most of the year digging for herbs and traveling over mountains. He loved exchanging knowledge with famous doctors. His skills were remarkable, curing many difficult illnesses, though it was hard to meet him. Some patients even followed him into the mountains."

Jin Xiuzhu chuckled, thinking of the former chief physician of the Imperial Medical Institute in the Great Jing Dynasty, who often wandered away without anyone daring to say anything.

Li Yun listened, feeling inspired.

In early March, Jin Xiuzhu received a letter from Bai Jingzhi, saying she might be pregnant. The letter was urgent.

It mentioned that she had been feeling tired and had lost her appetite. She went to a nearby Chinese Medical Hospital, where an old doctor confirmed her pregnancy and advised her to be careful, avoiding cold foods.

Jin Xiuzhu often checked Bai Jingzhi's pulse and prescribed medicine, so she trusted Chinese medicine. She initially thought she was just tired and needed some invigorating medicine.

Unexpectedly, she was pregnant.

Jin Xiuzhu was delighted. She had already written to Qian Yufeng, asking her to find someone to help Bai Jingzhi. She hadn't received a reply yet, so she decided to call Qian Yufeng directly.

It was noon, and Qian Yufeng should still be at the factory.

The phone was answered quickly. After identifying herself, Jin Xiuzhu waited for a few minutes before hearing Qian Yufeng's familiar voice, "Hello?"

Jin Xiuzhu laughed, finding Qian Yufeng's tone amusing. "It's me, Jin Xiuzhu."

Qian Yufeng gasped. "Oh, I didn't expect it! Why are you calling?"

Previously, Qian Yufeng had mentioned learning some Northern dialect from a relative, changing her accent. Her family teased her, but she couldn't change it.

Jin Xiuzhu chuckled again. "When am I not good? I write you long letters all the time."

"That's true. I misjudged you. Hehehe."

Qian Yufeng felt guilty, as she couldn't read Jin Xiuzhu's long letters and relied on her daughter to respond.

"So, what's up?"

Jin Xiuzhu explained Bai Jingzhi's pregnancy. "I worry she can't take care of herself alone. Have you found someone suitable?"

"I have, I've already written to you. It should be on its way. Let me tell you, the girl is great."

"A girl?"

"Yes, the eldest in her family, and my daughter's classmate. She couldn't continue her studies due to family issues. Her father used to sell pork illegally and fell off a mountain one night. The family was poor, and this tragedy worsened their situation. She has a younger brother and sister, both doing well in school. She stopped studying to work the fields, but couldn't save much."

"When I told her about this opportunity, she was grateful and bowed three times. She's diligent and honest, according to my daughter."

"She sounds pitiful. How old is she?"

"Sixteen, dark-skinned. I wanted someone older, like Zhang Qiulai, but no one matched her reliability. I thought Jingzhi is kind-hearted, and if we got someone unreliable, she might be taken advantage of. This girl is perfect. I wanted to ask you first, but if you agree, I'll send her over."

Jin Xiuzhu hesitated. "I trust you, but I worry. You know my sister-in-law is kind-hearted. If she learns about the girl's situation, she might treat her too well. I fear she might become ungrateful and envy Jingzhi's comfortable life. Since I won't be around, I'd hate for Jingzhi to suffer."

"Tell the girl that if she works hard, we'll help her continue her education and live in the city. But if she has ulterior motives, I won't be lenient."

Qian Yufeng was not offended but envious. "Your sister-in-law must have done something good in her past life to have such a caring sister-in-law. If I had someone like you, I'd be overjoyed. I'll tell her tomorrow."

"Thank you, Sister. If possible, send her to S Province soon."

"No trouble at all. You helped me get a job and spoke highly of Xiaojun to the factory director. Xiaojun has become more outgoing, speaks well, and is attentive. The factory director takes him everywhere, teaching him driving and writing. Even I do easier kitchen work now."

Qian Yufeng's voice choked up, remembering how she once thought her son was ungrateful. Seeing him injured and helpless broke her heart.

Jin Xiuzhu consoled her. "Now everything is better. Your daughter is doing well in school, and Xiaojun is growing up. You'll enjoy a happy life."

"Of course, Xiaojun is really mature now. Every time he comes home, he buys fruit, and he's good to his sister. I really have nothing to worry about anymore. Even Erzhu doesn't dare to provoke me now, and both children are filial to me."

"That's wonderful."

"Hahaha"

Qian Yufeng laughed. "Don't worry, I'll take care of your younger sister-in-law's matter for you. The day after tomorrow, I'll send her to the train station. Afterward, give your younger sister-in-law a call and ask her to arrange for someone to pick her up at the train station."

"Okay."

"All right."

After hanging up the phone, Jin Xiuzhu called Bai Jingzhi and told her about what Qian Yufeng had said.

Bai Jingzhi didn't expect her sister-in-law to act so quickly and hurriedly said, "Thank you, Sister-in-Law. What do I need to prepare?"

"Prepare a room for her. For the rest, just see what's needed. Aunt Qian said the person is quite nice, but it's better to be cautious. Keep an eye out yourself."

"Understood. I'll have Yan Xing help me pick her up the day after tomorrow."

The train station is too crowded. Bai Jingzhi doesn't dare to go alone, afraid of being jostled.

"Sure, get some food for her when she arrives."

"Okay, I'll buy some cookies and candies."

As soon as Bai Jingzhi's matter was settled, when Jin Xiuzhu returned home, Li Yun from next door started having contractions. When Li Yun came over, Jin Xiuzhu panicked for a moment but quickly regained her composure and then helped her to the hospital.