Chapter 30: A Clear Stream

Chapter 30: A Clear Stream

Ye Qing helplessly explained:

"Aunt Gu, I know a bit of acupuncture. Let me insert a couple of needles for this sister. She's having a fetal movement issue. If we don't stabilize the placenta soon, this baby won't be saved."

Some of the women standing nearby were skeptical, not believing that a child like her could understand how to protect a fetus, especially when they saw the long silver needle in Ye Qing's hand, which was about to be inserted into the woman's belly. It was frightening just to look at, so they pulled on Ye Qing, preventing her from proceeding.

Ye Qing was anxious and was even considering using some drastic measures when suddenly, a firm and resolute voice came from outside:

"Let her do it!"

The person speaking was none other than Aunt Gu, who had given Qin Xingzhi a hard time earlier that morning.

Ye Qing was puzzled for a moment, not knowing the relationship between Aunt Gu and the pregnant woman.

"Comrade Ye, go ahead. This is my daughter. I'm troubling you!"

Miao Cuilan pushed her way through the crowd, her hands trembling badly as she looked at her daughter lying in the shade. She looked up and pleaded again.

Since the mother had given her consent, the others naturally stopped complaining.

Freed from their interference, Ye Qing quickly inserted a few needles, stimulating the meridians by manipulating the acupuncture points. Within just a few minutes, a woman shouted:

"Hey, the bleeding really stopped!"

Indeed, not only had the bleeding stopped, but Gu Weixi, who had been pale and clenching her teeth in pain, finally relaxed her furrowed brow, looking much more at ease. It seemed she was out of danger.

Everyone's eyes were on Ye Qing, filled with astonishment and curiosity, as if they were looking at something exotic.

It was miraculous. In such a dangerous situation, just a few needles and everything was fine? Was this Ye Qing really only sixteen years old? How impressive!

Ye Qing paid no attention to the gazes and discussions around her, focusing solely on her needles. After about fifteen minutes, she withdrew the needles.

"All done."

Ye Qing felt the patient's pulse again and, once she was sure the woman's qi and blood had stabilized, she looked up at Aunt Gu.

"The child has signs of a miscarriage. This is not a small matter. If she engages in high-intensity labor again, she might have a miscarriage. You must take this seriously."

"If possible, it's best to let the pregnant woman stay in bed to stabilize the fetus for about ten days to half a month. That would be better."

"Also, when I go back, I'll write a prescription for fetal protection. You can then go to the commune's health station to get the medicine according to the prescription. Boil it and give it to the pregnant woman to drink; it will benefit the fetus's growth and development."

After saying this, Ye Qing put the silver needles back in their box and headed out.

Granny Zou lived a rather hard life. After Ye Qing cleaned up the house, she took stock of the meager supplies: only about ten jin of corn and sorghum flour, a few jin of rough rice, and several sacks of sweet potatoes and potatoes, all freshly harvested from the fields in July and August.

Following Granny Zou's own way of living, if neighbors didn't help her, she would just randomly mix some rice, flour, or sweet potatoes and steam them together.

But Ye Qing wasn't willing to eat like that. In an apocalyptic world, with no food or firewood, one could only endure hardship. But now, there was no reason not to cook properly. So, even with limited ingredients, Ye Qing was determined to make something special.

As Ye Qing pondered what to make for lunch, a voice called out from outside the fence:

"Comrade Ye Qing, are you home?"

Ye Qing quickly responded.

When she went outside, she saw Aunt Gu, whom she had met in the field earlier that day. Next to her was a nervous young man, just in his early twenties.

Before Ye Qing could even ask, Aunt Gu immediately began introducing herself.

"Ye Qing, I'm the auntie living next door to you. My name is Miao Cuilan. You can just call me Aunt Miao."

"This is my eldest son-in-law, Yang Dazhi."

"We are so grateful to you today. If you hadn't been there exactly when needed, my daughter's delivery could have been in serious danger."

"We don't have much to thank you with, but this old hen has been raised at home for two or three years. Take it back and make some chicken soup. You look a bit thin; it'll be good to nourish yourself."

After Aunt Gu finished speaking, she tugged at her son-in-law a few times before the slow-witted Yang Dazhi finally realized and handed the hen he had been holding to Ye Qing.

Ye Qing, of course, refused to accept it. The incident at the field earlier, where she had helped Gu Weixi, was not just her saving Gu Weixi. It was more about them helping each other. After all, she also needed this event to make a name for herself in the village.

"Auntie, you're making this too formal. It was just a few acupuncture needles. There's no need for you to go through so much trouble. Besides, this old hen, raised for two or three years, is very nourishing. It's best for your daughter to eat it after she gives birth and during her confinement. It would be a waste to give it to me."

Ye Qing smiled and suddenly remembered what Murong Ah Po had told her the previous night. A thought struck her.

"How about this instead? Last night, the Captain arranged for me to stay at Murong Ah Po's place temporarily. But there's no kang bed in the wing room of her house. In another month or so, it will be time to heat the kang. Ah Po told me that Uncle Gu knows how to make a kang. Could you ask him to help me build one when he's free?"

Aunt Gu immediately nodded and agreed without hesitation. "This is an easy task. He's very skilled at building kangs. After work today, I'll have my old man gather some leftover bricks. He can spare an hour tonight and get it done for you."

Aunt Gu was very generous with the promise of building the kang but was equally insistent that Ye Qing keep the hen. She left the hen in the yard and, dragging her son-in-law along, left in a hurry.

Ye Qing had no choice but to take the hen for the time being.

Murong Ah Po, being blind, didn't raise any chickens at home, so there was no chicken coop in the yard.

Ye Qing had planned to let the hen roam in the yard, but she soon realized that the hedge fence seemed quite old, with many holes. If she let the hen out, it might escape.

For now, Ye Qing quickly improvised a basket with woven vines to keep the hen in the woodshed until she could repair the hedge fence.

In any case, Ye Qing's goal had indeed been achieved. By the afternoon, when she went back to work, the news of how she had used acupuncture to help Gu Weixi's delivery had spread throughout the village.

Wherever she went, whether to people she knew or strangers, the commune members greeted her warmly and asked about her acupuncture skills, wondering if she had studied medicine.

Their familiarity made it seem as though she had lived in the village for years, rather than just arriving as a sent-down youth from the city the day before.

On her way, Ye Qing also ran into Li Juan and Wu Yueying.

Li Juan is currently staying with the Wu family and has quickly developed a rapport with Wu Yueying. The two of them now leisurely head out together, and it seems like they both have a bit of a slacker attitude toward their work.

When they saw Ye Qing, both of them were momentarily stunned.

Li Juan's feelings were incredibly complicated.

Originally, because of Ye Hong's constant disparagement of her younger sister, Li Juan had looked down on Ye Qing, the sickly girl, and had even agreed without hesitation when Ye Lijun suggested teaching this daughter a lesson.

However, Ye Qing's behavior had been completely different from what Ye Hong had described. On top of that, after Ye Qing was sent to the countryside, the entire Ye family had gone to support the border region. This made Li Juan increasingly suspicious.

She couldn't figure out what was going on during those two days and nights on the train.

But when she got off the train and saw Ye Qing being escorted to Kaoshan Tun by a military vehicle, it suddenly hit her.

Could it be that Ye Qing wasn’t Ye Lijun’s biological daughter?

Was she playing the long game all these years, pretending to be sickly to deceive Ye Lijun, and then secretly signed up to go to the countryside when the policy for educated youth to go was announced, as a way to escape the control of the Ye family?

And when Ye Lijun realized he couldn’t control this daughter, he got angry and asked for Li Juan’s help to discipline his disobedient adopted daughter?

But then, when Ye Lijun saw that Ye Qing was too capable to be dealt with, he panicked and took the whole family away to avoid retaliation?

The more Li Juan thought about it, the more she believed her theory was the truth.

No wonder the Ye family had no real affection for Ye Qing, and the entire family ganged up on her. So, the father and adopted daughter were at odds, and they dragged her into it as a pawn?!

Realizing she had been used, Li Juan was furious.

She didn’t care what was really going on with the Ye family, but Ye Lijun and Ye Hong couldn’t drag her down with them.

Ye Qing must have found her biological parents, and they were probably quite influential. They could secure a sleeper berth on the train and even get military assistance. Her background must be deep!

With such connections, it was no wonder Ye Qing had changed so much and now looked down on everyone.

But unfortunately, Li Juan had offended her badly. While she was angry at Ye Lijun for harming her aunt, she hadn’t been angry enough to want to kill him. But now, realizing she had missed a chance to curry favor with Ye Qing due to the misleading of the Ye family, she really wanted to kill both Ye Lijun and Ye Hong.

Now that she was in the countryside, her family connections were almost severed, and without Li Rulan’s support, she was completely isolated and helpless.

The thought of having to cut so much rice every day filled her with despair.

If she hadn’t offended Ye Qing on the train, she could have used the pretense of being Ye Qing’s fellow villager and friend to curry favor with the Captain and get some leeway or an easier task.

But now, the only way out had been cut off by her own actions!

Li Juan was on the verge of crying over her own stupidity.

Wu Yueying’s mood was much calmer compared to the day before. Her gaze toward Ye Qing no longer held sharpness or suspicion, only a sense of superiority.

She had realized that the wariness and hostility she harbored yesterday were unnecessary.

Although Ye Qing hadn’t appeared in Kaoshan Tun in her previous life, Wu Yueying had already tested her and her reactions didn’t seem like someone who was reborn.

Moreover, this educated youth was working desperately in the fields. The speed at which she cut rice didn’t seem like someone pampered from the city, but rather someone born and raised in the countryside.

Even if she was reborn or had traveled from another world, she was definitely a country bumpkin with no foresight. Unlike Wu Yueying, who knew about future policy changes and had witnessed the rise of many wealthy individuals, and could replicate an entrepreneurial path in a few years to become an enviable rich person.

With this realization, Wu Yueying’s internal alarm was immediately lifted, and she no longer saw Ye Qing as a threat.

Ye Qing had no idea that her hardworking behavior in the fields had caused Wu Yueying to stop suspecting and surveilling her.

Seeing how close Wu Yueying and Li Juan had become, she couldn’t help but wonder to herself. Were these two really that dumb, that they had become best friends in just one day?

But then she thought about how Li Juan and Yin Shuang had been chummy on the train, only for their friendship to fall apart quickly. Ye Qing couldn’t help but think that this might be another case of fake sisterhood, where they could turn on each other faster than flipping a book. That would be quite a spectacle.

As she was about to show off her skills again in the fields, the Captain suddenly waved at her.

Ye Qing was startled and, after confirming that the Captain was indeed calling for her, hurriedly climbed up the ridge to approach him.

"Uncle Wu, did you need something?"

Captain Wu took a deep drag of the cigarette in his hand before asking,

"At noon, Gu’s daughter almost miscarried in the fields. Was it you who treated her?"

Ye Qing’s heart skipped a beat. It seemed her plan to gain fame was working.

She didn’t feel the need to hide what she had done. After all, she had laid a solid foundation before coming to the countryside, establishing herself as a top student. Her skills were undeniable, and she wasn’t afraid of any doubts or scrutiny.

"Yes, I treated her. She was overworked, and there was an early detachment of the placenta due to a hematoma. I gave her a few acupuncture treatments to temporarily relieve the swelling, but if she continues to work at such a high intensity, she might miscarry or even suffer a severe hemorrhage."

Captain Wu didn’t understand any of the medical terms Ye Qing used.

But he could see that when Ye Qing talked about treating people, her eyes lit up with confidence and certainty that couldn’t be faked. This young girl definitely had great skills!

In the more than ten years since the educated youth had been sent to the countryside, at least a hundred city kids had come through Kaoshan Tun. Some had left soon after arriving, and some had settled down and started families in the village. But in all that time, Captain Wu had never seen anyone as capable as Ye Qing.

The key was that this girl wasn’t afraid of hard work. When asked to go into the fields to cut rice, she actually did it and performed just as well as the experienced villagers. When someone fell into the water, a dangerous situation where others were too scared to jump in, she promptly went into the river to save them. When a village woman miscarried, she immediately stepped in to help.

A child like this could easily win the affection and respect of others wherever she went. Even Captain Wu, who had always been impatient with the educated youth, had to start viewing this young girl with new eyes.

As the production team captain of Kaoshan Tun, he had been worried about the village’s medical situation for years.

But the lack of medical resources wasn’t just a problem in Kaoshan Tun. It was the same in other production teams, and even the health station in the Red Flag Commune was essentially just for show.

The only doctor there had gotten the position through connections. He could handle minor illnesses but would just follow the book for prescriptions. For anything slightly more complicated, he would tell patients to go to the county to see a specialist.

Not only that, but he loved to put on airs, frequently being late, leaving early, or absent. And whenever patients came to see him, he would pull a long face and be extremely impatient with the villagers, as if they owed him millions.

Concerning the difficulty of accessing medical care in the village, Wu Yongbing had indeed approached the Commune Secretary to discuss the issue. However, the Secretary explained that they were helpless regarding medical matters. The entire county, even the whole country, was facing a shortage of medical resources and personnel. Their commune was actually doing relatively well. If they continued to complain, and if the connected person were to quit, they might not even have a place for emergency medical treatment.

This response left Wu Yongbing quite frustrated.

He wasn't sure if the Secretary's words were just excuses, but the answer made Wu Yongbing realize that the villagers would have to solve the medical problem on their own.

A bold idea began to form in Wu Yongbing's mind. He wanted to establish a health station in the village. If the county could provide funding and medicine, that would be ideal. But if not, they would have to be self-reliant!

However, for this ambitious plan to succeed, the most critical factor was having a skilled doctor to be in charge. Without someone to treat patients, all the planning for the health station would be in vain.

Now, looking at the petite figure standing before him, Wu Yongbing realized that after years of waiting, the solution had finally arrived! His grand plan could finally be put into action!

"Have you studied medicine? Can you treat more than just pregnant women, or can you handle other conditions as well?" Wu Yongbing asked carefully.

Ye Qing thought for a moment and chose her words conservatively, not wanting to sound too arrogant.

"I can handle most common illnesses. I specialize in acupuncture, and I can treat routine illnesses using acupuncture combined with medication. However, for more complicated or rare conditions, I cannot be so sure."

"I can also handle basic surgical suturing, as long as there are basic medical instruments like scalpels available," Ye Qing said.

Having worked as a general practitioner for ten years in the apocalyptic era, Ye Qing had truly seen and treated all kinds of bizarre illnesses. Even without using her special abilities for assistance, she was fully capable of handling the situations she just mentioned, relying solely on her rich decade-long experience.

Ye Qing's response was completely unexpected by Wu Yongbing.

Wu Yongbing had thought that Ye Qing being able to perform acupuncture was already impressive. With just that skill, she could keep the health station in the village running smoothly. However, he hadn’t anticipated that Ye Qing had knowledge in both internal and external medicine. It was like a pie falling from the sky!

Wu Yongbing's eyes gleamed with excitement. At that moment, he had only one thought: he had found a treasure!

"Do you want to be a barefoot doctor and treat the villagers?" Wu Yongbing asked.

Ye Qing felt secretly delighted but maintained a composed and confused expression on her face.

"You mean being a barefoot doctor in the village? But there's no health station in our village, is there?"

Wu Yongbing's expression stiffened for a moment, but he immediately smiled with utmost confidence.

"If you're willing, the health station in the village won't be a problem. I'll submit an application to the commune, but after the application is sent, the county might need to assess you first before approving it."

Battle-hardened Ye Qing's basics were still solid, and she wasn’t afraid of exams at all. She immediately nodded and agreed.

"Alright, I'll wait for your message. When it's time for the assessment, I'll go."

Wu Yongbing didn't expect Ye Qing to react this way. Seeing the young educated youth so calm and composed, as if she didn’t take the matter to heart at all, he felt a bit choked.

"I'm not joking with you; this is a serious matter. You need to focus on it. Don't let me lose face in the commune and the county by failing the assessment after I've submitted the application!"

Ye Qing was slightly stunned and felt helpless. "I didn't mean to be perfunctory. How can being a doctor be a joke? This profession doesn't tolerate any falsity. Whether one has the ability and medical skills can be easily verified through an assessment. It's not something that can be rapidly improved with last-minute cramming."

"But don't worry, I'll give it my all and definitely won't let you down."

At this point, Ye Qing couldn't help but ask,

"By the way, Uncle, since you want me to be a barefoot doctor, you haven't clarified the benefits for me yet. It can't be that I treat the villagers for free without any benefits, right?"

Wu Yongbing gave Ye Qing a sideways glance. "What do you want? Having the village provide you with meals isn't enough?"

Ye Qing immediately turned around and walked away. "Forget it, pretend I didn't say anything. I'm just a junior high school graduate and a minor; what do I know about treating illnesses? You should find someone more capable. I think earning ten work points a day in the fields is fine. At the end of the year, I'll have food and money, which makes for a pretty comfortable life."

Wu Yongbing was almost amused by Ye Qing's shameless attitude.

"Come back! Is that all the ambition you have? Do you really think earning ten work points in the fields is easy? I'm giving you full points today because you performed better than the other newcomers. Don't even think about getting full points every day; what kind of dream is that?"

"But if you treat the villagers and they're satisfied, I can give you twenty full work points a month. With those points, you'll have enough to eat and live without worries in the village."

"If you think that's not enough, you can also work in the fields with other villagers during your free time. The work points you earn won't conflict with your work as a barefoot doctor. How about that?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Qing smiled and nodded.

See, she knew it couldn't be that stingy. It wouldn't make sense to have someone work for free.

Twenty full work points a month meant an average of six to seven points a day. During the busy farming season, many educated youths worked from dawn till dusk but couldn't earn so much.

Moreover, in the Great Northern Wilderness, there were two to three months each year when heavy snow made it impossible to work outside, confining people to their houses for the winter.

In other words, if the health station in Ke Shan Tun was established, Ye Qing's life would be better than most villagers just by being a barefoot doctor.

Ye Qing was quite satisfied with Captain Wu's offer and immediately urged him to proceed.

"Then you should hurry up and apply at the commune. There’s no issue on my end; I’m available anytime for the evaluation and to start work!"

Captain Wu snorted. He didn’t know he needed to hurry up! He was more anxious than anyone else to get this health station settled.

After all, although this "Ye Qing," the educated youth, had been assigned to their village, he hadn’t forgotten that the young girl had been escorted here in a military vehicle just yesterday. The county’s educated youth office hadn’t even completed the receiving formalities yet.

If others in the county found out about this young girl’s abilities and got the idea to try and poach her, there was no guarantee that their village could keep her!

With this thought in mind, Captain Wu felt a sense of urgency. He couldn’t stay in the field any longer and rushed home to find Ye Qing’s certificate of rural placement. After discussing it with the old party secretary, he hurriedly rode his 28-inch bicycle to the town.

Seeing Captain Wu in such a rush, several village officials were puzzled. They had no idea what the captain was up to, why he was acting like his butt was on fire.

Ye Qing, on the other hand, was in high spirits. When she first arrived in the countryside, she had planned to take things slowly. But on the very first day, the captain had come to offer her an opportunity to take charge of the health station.

At this rate, the health station should be established in less than three months, and she would gain recognition from the county to become an external medical staff member!

Ye Qing could already foresee the leisurely life of a village doctor. The thought made her so happy that her eyes squinted, and everything around her seemed to bubble.

As for getting an official position and eating the state’s grain, that could wait. Once she became a barefoot doctor, she would always find opportunities!

In the afternoon, Ye Qing continued to work steadily and spent her first day in Kaoshan Tun fulfilling, successfully earning her first full work points.

In the evening, after dinner, the Gu family indeed came to set up the heated brick bed for Ye Qing. Gu Weixing, Gu Weidong's father, along with his eldest daughter's husband Yang Dazhi, arrived with a cartload of waste red bricks from who knows where. As soon as they entered the wing room, they started working diligently.

Ye Qing took out two packs of Hongtashan cigarettes she had brought from Shen City and handed them over.

These cigarettes were bought with vouchers she obtained from Old Man Chen Younde and others. A pack cost her three cents and five fen.

Originally, Ye Qing planned to use these cigarettes to bribe the leaders at the production team, but since Wu Yongbing was quite satisfied and appreciative of her, she decided to use them as payment for Uncle Gu and his son-in-law's work on the bed.

Surprised by the exquisite hard-box packaging of the cigarettes, the two farmers immediately blushed and waved their hands in refusal, not daring to accept such a precious gift.

Miao Cuilan, who had come over to supervise and lend a hand, saw Ye Qing offering such good cigarettes and hurriedly advised her:

"Oh dear, these cigarettes look high-end. Comrade Xiao Ye, don't waste such good things. These folks usually make do with some rolled tobacco. You should keep these for when you need to ask for help or get things done. They're perfect for gifting!"

Ye Qing smiled and said, "I'll worry about gifting them when the time comes. My family is from Shen City. If I really want to buy these cigarettes, I can find a way. Auntie, don't be polite. Let Uncle Gu and Brother Yang try them. They've definitely never smoked anything like this!"

Saying so, Ye Qing simply opened one of the packs, took out two cigarettes, and handed them over to the two men.

With the pack already opened, Miao Cuilan couldn't stop her anymore and could only turn back and give the two men a displeased look.

This time, the farmers didn't refuse the loose cigarettes Ye Qing offered and happily accepted them.

Gu Weixing even sniffed the cigarette and, with a hey and a smile, carefully put it in his pocket, cautiously glancing at Gu Weixi to make sure his wife wouldn't confiscate his precious find.

Ye Qing smiled and, when Miao Cuilan wasn't looking, secretly stuffed the remaining cigarettes into Gu Weixing's arms, giving him a mischievous wink.

Delighted, Gu Weixing thought, this girl's naughty spirit was just like his daughter Xiaonan's.

Murong Ah Po was also chatting idly with Aunt Gu nearby.

Over the years, the old lady had been taken care of by the Gu family, and the two families had become almost like relatives. With Ye Qing helping to save Gu Weixi's baby earlier that day, neither treated Ye Qing as an outsider. In front of her, they discussed the cancellation of Gu Weidong and Wu Yueying's engagement.

"Yesterday, the political commissar from Weidong's military unit came. Initially, he tried to mediate, but seeing that Wu Yueying had made up her mind, he didn't push further. He also mentioned that Weidong actually wanted to call off the engagement too. It looks like this marriage is definitely off."

At the mention of this, Aunt Gu's face clouded over, frustrated to the point of losing her appetite and sleep.

Murong Ah Po, however, didn't see this as a big deal:

"Both kids want to call off the engagement, which means they weren't a match. So what? Maybe he can find someone better in the military."

"You say you went to propose on his behalf. Really, it's like the saying, 'the emperor isn't in a hurry, but the eunuchs are.' The kid had no intention in the military, and you felt the need to overstep. Now, not only did you not become in-laws, but you've also strained relations with the Wu family. Was it worth it?"

At this, Aunt Gu also had a bellyful of grievances:

"It wasn't our idea. Wu Yueying's family asked me for our son's military address, saying she wanted to correspond with Weidong. Wasn't that a sign of interest? So we went to propose."

"Otherwise, what kind of people would we be? Relying on the old man saving their child to ask for repayment? That's not right!"

"And last year, Wu Yueying was very keen on Weidong, even asking me about the military spouse matter. I thought since the girl was so proactive, we, as parents, couldn't ignore it, right? Otherwise, where would the Wu family's face be?"

"But who knew this young girl would change her mind every day? Now she says she doesn't want to marry. She's treating our family like fools!"

Murong Ah Po had never been satisfied with Wu Yueying:

"Young people nowadays don't do blind marriages anymore. They date first and marry if it's a good fit. Weidong has been in the military for years, how many days has he been home? You're marrying your son off for yourselves, not for him. If you're really thinking of him, let him find someone who makes him happy!"

Aunt Gu had learned her lesson and agreed deeply with Murong Ah Po:

"Lesson learned. After this, I'm going to step back and let things be. I won't meddle in Weidong's marriage anymore. Anyway, Political Commissar Hao said he'll handle Weidong's marriage. I just need to wait and be a happy mother-in-law and grandmother."

Only then did Murong Ah Po smile:

"That's right. Don't stress yourself out. Don't hold grudges with the Wu family either. There's no need."

"Just wait and see, Weidong is capable and hardworking. He'll only get better in the military. As for Wu Yueying, spoiled by her parents, she's high-maintenance and indecisive. Who knows what will happen with her?"

"I think you should be glad you didn't get Wu Yueying as a daughter-in-law. With your fiery personality, you might not have gotten along. If she had married in, you two might have argued every few days, causing chaos and unrest."

Hearing this, Aunt Gu suddenly flashed through various embarrassing scenes of arguing and fighting with Wu Yueying, feeling as if it had really happened, her heart skipping a beat.

Murong Ah Po wasn't impressed with Wu Yueying but found Ye Qing to her liking. Too bad she was still a child, not yet of marriageable age, and not quite suitable for Weidong.

Quick-witted, Murong Ah Po immediately asked Ye Qing, who had been quietly observing:

"Ah Qing, how many siblings do you have? Is there an older, unmarried sister?"

Ye Qing didn't expect to be asked and, realizing what the old lady was hinting at, couldn't help but laugh:

"I do have a sister, but my family, except for me, has gone to the great northwest for border defense and farming. It's too far, and she wouldn't even be able to meet Weidong, so wouldn't that be inappropriate? Please don't play matchmaker, and my sister already has someone she likes. This red string can't be tied!"

Disappointed, Murong Ah Po's thoughts dissipated instantly.

"Yesterday, I came to the countryside in Political Commissar Hao's car. While chatting at the Wu family, I overheard that Comrade Gu is quite popular in the military. Both the military hospital and the cultural troupe have female comrades interested in him. I think you really don't need to worry. Your son finding a partner won't be a problem."

Ye Qing added quickly.

She had never met Gu Weidong, but this comrade was only twenty-three and on the rise in his career. There was no need to rush. After seven or eight years, when his position in the military stabilized, it would be perfectly fine to start a family.

Of course, Ye Qing wouldn't dare say this. In this era, especially in rural areas, men and women generally married early. Many were already living with a wife and children before turning twenty.

At twenty-three and still unmarried, Gu Weidong was considered an older bachelor in the village. If he weren't in the military, those nosy relatives would probably come to urge him to marry every day.

Ye Qing couldn't understand it. In her previous life, she had a few relationships, but they all ended without result. Later, in the apocalyptic era, too many people approached her with ulterior motives, and she lost all desire to marry.

Even though the era she was in now was different, her attitude towards marriage remained pessimistic. If possible, she thought being alone and beautiful was also nice. As long as she secured a formal national medical position, she could live a comfortable and carefree life, not needing to rely on anyone.

After discussing the eldest son's cancelled engagement, Aunt Gu moved on to talking about the other three children.

First, she fussed about Gu Weinan and Gu Weibei, wondering if their food rations would be enough while they were attending high school in the county.

She was also worried about the child in Gu Weixi's womb. After three years of marriage, there had been no sign of pregnancy, and many people in the village had gossiped, mocking her daughter as a "hen that doesn't lay eggs." Now that she was finally pregnant, if anything were to happen to the baby, the villagers would have even more nasty things to say.

Yang Dazhi had overheard Aunt Gu's entire conversation and couldn't help but interject:

"Why bother with what they say? They're all busybodies who can't mind their own business. They haven't even sorted out their own lives yet, but they're worried about other people's pregnancies. I don't even care whether I have a son or not, and they're already getting anxious on my behalf."

Aunt Gu didn't agree with Yang Dazhi. She continued to chatter on, talking about how Yang Dazhi's mother had made a deathbed request, and she couldn't let his mother rest in peace, blah blah blah.

It was only now that Ye Qing learned that Yang Dazhi wasn't a local. During the famine period, he and his mother had fled from Yucheng and ended up in the village by accident. After his mother passed away, Yang Dazhi was taken in by the Gu family, and he had been living with them for almost ten years.

Three years ago, Yang Dazhi and Gu Weixi had secretly started dating. When Aunt Gu found out, she was worried the young couple might get into serious trouble, so Gu Zhenxing and his wife arranged for them to get married.

Although it was called a marriage of their daughter, the newlyweds didn't move out. They continued to live at the Gu household, eat there, and even their work points in the production team weren't separated. It was practically the same as having a son-in-law who lived in.

Yang Dazhi didn't see any problem with this arrangement. After all, he had been taken in by the Gu family during his darkest times, and over the years, he had developed a close bond with the couple, treating them like his own parents. He had already decided that he would take care of them in their old age.

Their eldest son was in the military and couldn't be relied upon, and their younger son and daughter were mostly away at school. Having their daughter and son-in-law by their side was a source of great joy for the Gu couple.

However, not everyone in the village approved of the Gu family's way of living. Many people, especially those who gossiped about Yang Dazhi, said he was "eating soft food but acting tough," and the rumors were quite harsh.

Gu Weixi and her husband didn't care about the villagers' gossip, but the Gu couple was very sensitive about it. That's why Miao Cuilan was eagerly hoping that her daughter's pregnancy would go smoothly. Whether it was a boy or a girl, as long as the baby was born healthy, it would shut the mouths of those who had mocked her daughter for being unable to conceive.

Ye Qing listened quietly and felt an increasing fondness for the Gu family in her heart.

In those days, rural areas didn't place much emphasis on education. Sending children to elementary school to learn basic literacy was already considered enough. In a whole village, there were hardly any who had graduated from middle school, let alone sent their children to high school in the county.

From this alone, it was clear that the Gu family wasn't the type to focus only on immediate gains.

Moreover, the fact that they allowed their daughter and son-in-law to live at home after marriage showed a level of openness that even many modern, educated parents of later generations might not achieve.

Additionally, the Gu family patriarch had lost his life trying to save a drowning child, and the couple had taken in a refugee and cared for a nearly incapacitated blind elderly woman.

As the saying goes, "by observing a part, one can infer the whole." All these things led Ye Qing to believe that the Gu family had a righteous family tradition and simple family relationships. Among large, multi-child families in rural areas during that era, they were truly a breath of fresh air.