Chapter 36: Providing Protection

Chapter 36: Providing Protection

A few flying needles were inserted, accompanied by the clicking sound of the camera. The child was so frightened that they were about to burst into tears.

Who knew that after opening their mouth, their eyes widened abruptly, and they swallowed the cry that was about to come out.

The little one looked at their arm in disbelief.

There were clearly four or five sharp, long needles stuck into it, with more than half of each needle still trembling.

Yet, they didn’t feel any pain at all. Slowly, it even felt like a warm current was enveloping their elbow, making them instinctively squint their eyes in comfort.

Ye Qing glanced sideways at Hang Tingfang, who was crouching nearby taking pictures. She slightly frowned but, considering the other woman’s identity as a reporter from the Jicheng Daily, refrained from telling her to stop taking photos.

After gently twisting the needles for about ten minutes, when Ye Qing withdrew them, the child’s swollen elbow, which had resembled a radish, had noticeably reduced in swelling, looking more like a lotus root arm and no longer as frightening as before.

Ye Qing then moved the child’s elbow back and forth, pressing hard on the joint, and asked, “Does it still hurt?”

The little one immediately shook their head like a rattle, waving their arm with a smile breaking through their tears, “It doesn’t hurt at all anymore.”

Only then did Ye Qing put the needles away and stood up to address the elderly woman, “Auntie, you need to be careful when you get home. Keep the child resting indoors for now, reduce the movement of the dislocated arm, and especially avoid lifting heavy objects to prevent another dislocation.”

“Also, if conditions allow, give the child more eggs and vegetables to help with protein and vitamin intake, which will greatly aid in the arm’s recovery.”

“There’s no need for medication; the child is fine. The swelling will go down in a couple of days. You can go home with peace of mind.”

The elderly woman, who had previously doubted Ye Qing’s medical skills, had just witnessed the child’s arm visibly reduce in swelling right before her eyes. She realized that she had encountered a miracle doctor.

Feeling immensely grateful, she bowed repeatedly to Ye Qing, even offering to pay for the medical expenses.

Ye Qing had already noticed that the grandfather and grandson were not well-off, with the child looking malnourished. When the elderly woman tried to give her money, Ye Qing quickly stopped her.

“Auntie, I won’t accept the money. But I saw the little grasshopper in your grandson’s hand, and it looks very delicate and fun. Can I have that?”

The elderly woman was taken aback and felt embarrassed, “How can this be? I just made it from a reed on my way here to entertain the child. It’s worthless and cannot be considered medical payment.”

Ye Qing smiled, “I like it. Let me have it. I’ll take it apart when I get home and study how it’s made. Are you worried I might steal your grass-weaving technique?”

The elderly woman laughed, “There’s no such thing as stealing. We old women in the countryside all know how to do this. If you want to learn, I can teach you now.”

Ye Qing declined the offer of an impromptu lesson with a smile, saying she had things to do later and would study it slowly at home. She successfully obtained the grasshopper and sent the elderly woman and her grandson on their way.

When Ye Qing turned back, Hang Tingfang had already put down her camera and was smiling at her.

Standing next to her were two other people.

One was a man dressed similarly to Hang Tingfang, also wearing a press pass, likely her colleague from the newspaper.

The other was the commune secretary who had earlier apologized to Ye Qing.

All three were staring intently at her, having clearly observed Ye Qing treating the boy with the dislocated arm.

Ye Qing gave them a nod and a smile as a greeting, intending to leave.

But just then, Hang Tingfang spoke up, asking with certainty, “Are you Ye Qing, the educated youth from Kaoshan Tun?”

Ye Qing was startled and looked up at Hang Tingfang.

Seeing Ye Qing’s reaction, Hang Tingfang became even more confident in her guess. She smiled and pulled a document from her bag, handing it to Ye Qing.

“Let me introduce myself again. I am the deputy editor of the Jicheng Daily. I’ve been instructed by my superiors to come here and interview you.”

Ye Qing was puzzled and instinctively pointed at herself, “Interview me? Why?”

Hang Tingfang looked around and said with a smile, “How about we go back to the production team you are assigned to and find a suitable place to talk? We’re also planning to do a feature and take some photos there.”

Ye Qing shrugged, intending to refuse, saying, “I need to go to town to handle some matters.”

Hang Tingfang immediately smiled, “Is the town far from here? You can ride with us; I’ll take you there!”

Ye Qing was puzzled and somewhat wary of the reporter’s enthusiasm and familiarity. However, since Hang Tingfang had official documents with a red stamp, Ye Qing guessed that this might be related to the old comrade. After thinking for a moment, she decided not to refuse.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Ye Qing followed the reporter towards the car.

The commune secretary, who had not spoken until now, looked at the girl with a complex expression.

He had almost lost his official position because of this girl, and even the entire Red Flag Commune had nearly been disgraced. Logically, he should have been angry and resentful towards her.

But who would have thought that this girl was actually the educated youth from Kaoshan Tun, the sixteen-year-old medical genius Ye Qing, whose extraordinary skills Wu Yongbing had praised to no end just yesterday?

The commune secretary hadn’t believed it at first, thinking Wu Yongbing must have exaggerated to get the paperwork for the health station in Kaoshan Tun approved quickly.

But just now, Ye Qing had used flying needles to heal a child’s dislocated arm right in front of him, dispelling all his previous doubts.

Moreover, he now realized that the two Jicheng reporters were here to interview this young educated youth from the city. This made the commune secretary’s thoughts race, unable to figure out why reporters would come all the way from Jicheng to interview a teenage girl.

However, having held his position for so many years, the commune secretary had sharp instincts. In this day and age, for capital reporters to go through the trouble of traveling all the way to their remote location in the Great Northern Wilderness for an interview, it was clear that this educated youth from the city was no ordinary person.

Whether it was due to her own abilities or because she had some formidable backing, one thing was clear to him: the educated youth named Ye Qing standing before him was not someone to be trifled with.

After coming to this realization, the Commune Secretary's mood became quite complicated.

On one hand, he was glad that such a capable person had emerged from the production team under his jurisdiction. After all, if this educated youth accomplished something significant in Kaoshantun, he, as the Commune Secretary, would undoubtedly benefit from it.

On the other hand, the incident with reciting the article today showed that Ye Qing was a defiant troublemaker who would not be easy to manage. If something displeased her, she might stir up trouble, potentially leading to difficult situations.

In short, the secretary was experiencing both pain and pleasure at the moment, unsure whether he should maintain a cold and reserved demeanor or try to curry favor with this city-born educated youth.

Ye Qing, however, was unaware of the Commune Secretary's internal conflict.

After getting into the car, she sat upright, neither looking around inside the car nor asking the two reporters any questions, as if she had just hitched a ride by the roadside and was completely at ease.

This behavior was naturally observed by Hang Tingfang.

Silently, she added two more impression tags to her perception of the interview subject: intelligent and composed.

These two traits should not be underestimated. Hang Tingfang, being nearly forty, had met very few girls, whether from urban or rural areas, who could embody both traits. In her experience, such individuals could be counted on one hand.

From this brief encounter of less than an hour, she had seen many admirable and commendable qualities in this girl. At just sixteen years old, Ye Qing's poised and astute demeanor was remarkable. Hang Tingfang was confident that, given time, this child would certainly rise above the ordinary.

The car drove all the way to the town, stopping at the post office at Ye Qing's request.

Ye Qing quickly got out of the car to find Xu Xianzhen. As soon as she entered and called out, "Sister Xu," the bored Xu Xianzhen looked up in surprise and delight.

"Sister, are you here to collect the stamp album?"

Ye Qing nodded and patted her bag to indicate that she had brought the money.

Xu Xianzhen immediately ran out and, fearing that Ye Qing might change her mind, hurriedly led her home.

Ye Qing had planned to visit the town that day and had prepared the two hundred yuan in advance. Upon reaching the back of the agricultural technology station, she received the exquisite stamp album, carefully checked that none of the stamps were missing or damaged, and handed over the bundled "Da Tuanjie" notes to Xu Xianzhen.

In front of Ye Qing, Sister Xu carefully counted the bundle several times, confirming that there was no mistake, and then beamed with joy, repeatedly thanking Ye Qing.

Having obtained the stamp album she wanted, Ye Qing did not delay and turned to return to the car, as there were two reporters and a Commune Secretary waiting for her at the street corner.

"Hey, big sister."

As she was about to reach the front street, Xu Xianzhen hesitantly spoke up again.

Ye Qing was puzzled. "What is it?"

"The peanuts you gave me yesterday were really tasty. Do you have any more?"

"I mentioned that my son is getting married soon, right? I want to save some peanuts and dye them with red yeast powder to use as wedding candies to entertain guests. They would be perfect."

"So, if you have any peanuts left, could you spare some for me?"

"I won't take them for free. If you need anything, you can also tell me, and we can exchange. How about it?"

Fearing that Ye Qing might not believe her, the eager Xu Xianzhen hurriedly added an explanation.

"There's nothing I'm not familiar with on this street. Not just our post office and my husband's agricultural technology station, but also places like the supply and marketing cooperative, the police station, and the bus station. Everyone working in these various stations receives monthly tickets and material benefits. The supply and marketing cooperative occasionally has flawed goods that don't require tickets. If there's anything you need but can't find, you can come to me, and I'll try to help you find it."

Ye Qing was genuinely surprised.

She hadn't found the black market in Shen City and was even less likely to do so in the unfamiliar new area of Kaoshantun. She had heard that there was a barter market in Qingshan Town every month, and since she didn't lack money for the time being, she had no intention of making money through the black market.

But now, Sister Xu had handed her a sales channel on a silver platter.

Although Ye Qing didn't know much about Xu Xianzhen's character, she thought it might be worth testing the waters.

If this person proved to be too calculating and difficult to deal with, she could always cut ties later.

Of course, the main reason Ye Qing was considering this was that she urgently needed to solve her transportation problem. Bicycle tickets were hard to come by, and she had no channels to obtain one. If this Sister Xu was familiar with everyone on this street, she might actually be able to help Ye Qing get a bicycle ticket.

Ye Qing smiled and said, "Sister Xu, those peanuts weren't mine. They were given to me by a village aunt. I'm not sure if she has any more. Let me go back and ask for you. How much do you need?"

"Who would dislike having more peanuts? Especially since the ones you gave me yesterday were all plump and of high quality. Xu Xianzhen immediately said, "Three to five jin would be fine, but if you could spare ten to twenty jin, I could use that too."

Ye Qing sighed inwardly. This older sister was quite greedy. Didn't she see the current situation? Which family could spare so much grain? Peanuts were different from other things; they could be pressed for oil. If a family had so many peanuts, would they be willing to give them away?

But Ye Qing certainly wouldn't say that out loud. She wasn't afraid of this older sister's greed; in fact, she preferred the other woman to be greedy. If the person was too rigid and liked to follow rules strictly, then Ye Qing wouldn't bother with the transaction to avoid unnecessary trouble.

"Alright, I'll go and ask around for you."

Ye Qing smiled, waved, and left. Back on the street, Hang Tingfang and the others were still waiting in the car, smiling and not showing any impatience despite the delay.

Ye Qing quickly thanked Hang Tingfang, indicating that her business was done and they could return to Kaoshantun.

Hang Tingfang's gaze lingered on the stamp album in Ye Qing's arms, seemingly wanting to ask what it was, but considering they had just met, she thought it might be a bit rude to ask directly.

"Let's go then." Hang Tingfang withdrew her gaze and signaled the male reporter cum driver to start the car.

As the car drove away from Qingshan Town, Ye Qing's eyes inadvertently glanced out the window, and in that moment, her vision sharply focused, and her eyes widened in surprise.

As the car slowly turned onto the main road leading to Kaoshantun, Ye Qing saw a man and a woman struggling at the roadside.

And to her astonishment, she recognized both of them!

The woman was the daughter of the production team captain, the very same Wu Yueying who had been reborn or transmigrated back.

As for the man, Ye Qing had only just put two and two together yesterday from Meng Jia.

That's right, it was the old educated youth Jian Ming who pushed Li Yunbo out as a human shield yesterday!

Wow~ ~ Ye Qing couldn't help but blow a loud whistle in her heart.

Because it seemed that she had just uncovered another big secret about Captain Wu's daughter!

Watching Wu Yueying entangled with Jian Ming by the roadside, it was obvious to any onlooker that something was amiss between them. At that moment, some of Ye Qing's doubts were instantly cleared up.

She had suspected that Meng Jia's fall into the river might be related to the third place winner of last year's commune exam, but Meng Jia said she hadn't found any signs of Jian Ming and Liu Mei being overly familiar.

When she rescued Meng Jia from the river, she was questioned by Wu Yueying, the captain's daughter, who seemed to imply that Ye Qing had meddled unnecessarily.

If you only looked at the relationship between Wu Yueying and Meng Jia, there was no connection or grudge that would motivate Wu Yueying to harm Meng Jia.

But what if there was an improper relationship between Wu Yueying and Jian Ming?

Then everything seemed to fall into place. Jian Ming was the biggest beneficiary after Meng Jia's accident, and all he needed to do was direct someone else to fight his battles for him, allowing him to stay perfectly hidden in the whole affair.

The person fighting his battles was none other than Wu Yueying, the daughter of Captain Wu!

After sorting out this complex web of relationships, Ye Qing was astounded and even shocked.

Wu Yueying and Jian Ming were having an affair? No wonder Wu Yueying had such an extreme reaction when she returned, even threatening to take her own life to call off her engagement to Aunt Gu's eldest son.

The question was, when did these two get entangled, and did no one in Kao Shan Tun notice? Weren't those aunts and grannies always boasting about being at the forefront of gossip, holding first-hand information? But such a big scoop was hanging conspicuously on the vine, ripe and about to burst, yet no one saw it?!

Ye Qing silently gave the aunts and grannies of Kao Shan Tun a thumbs down!

It seemed that Hang Tingfang noticed Ye Qing looking out the window and couldn't help but follow her gaze.

"Do you see someone you know?" Hang Tingfang asked.

Ye Qing quickly shook her head. "It's nothing, just looking around."

The car soon entered Kao Shan Tun. Perhaps it was the first time in many years that such a high-class car had entered the village, and the elderly and children who weren't working in the fields came running to see the rare sight.

When Ye Qing and the commune secretary got out of the car, instead of giving out candies, a few clever kids immediately ran to the fields to call the captain and the old party secretary.

Since Aunt Zou was at home, Ye Qing didn't want the reporters to disturb the elderly lady. Just as she was wondering where to lead the reporters, the commune secretary directly said:

"Let's go to the threshing ground. There should be an empty grain warehouse. Ask the commune secretary to provide a room for the reporters to conduct their interview!"

Without waiting for the captain and the old party secretary to return, he led the way to the threshing ground.

Upon arriving, he asked the women drying rice to open the grain warehouse door. The captain and the old party secretary also hurried over upon hearing the news.

Wu Yongbing was still confused about what was happening. Why would the commune secretary come to their village with two unfamiliar faces?

Looking at Hang Tingfang in the grey jacket and the male reporter, he felt the attire was somewhat familiar. After a moment of confusion, he looked at the commune secretary.

"Secretary Lai, what's going on?"

Before Lai Guochang could explain, Hang Tingfang had already stepped forward and extended her hand to Wu Yongbing.

"Captain Wu, right? Hello, I'm Hang Tingfang, a reporter from Jicheng Daily. This is my colleague Huang Kuangyin. We've been commissioned by the public security organs and the Jicheng Propaganda Department to conduct a special interview with Comrade Ye Qing."

This announcement left everyone present confused. "Why are they looking for Comrade Ye Qing for an interview?"

Hang Tingfang took out the stamped document and explained with a smile.

"A week ago, Comrade Ye Qing boarded the 56th train to Jiaotan County. During the journey, she bravely used a sewing needle to incapacitate a human trafficker who was holding a hostage, allowing the public security organs to arrest the criminal and gain valuable time for their investigation."

"Using this criminal as a lead, the public security organs uncovered a seven-member human trafficking ring, rescuing dozens of kidnapped children who have now reunited with their families."

"Additionally, Comrade Ye apprehended a female thief on the train. Based on the information provided by the thief, a den of pickpockets operating at the Pingxian train station was dismantled, capturing over twenty repeat offenders and recovering thousands of dollars in stolen money."

"In recognition of Comrade Ye's outstanding contributions to the public security organs, the Propaganda Department believes that her glorious deeds should be reported in detail to honor this heroine who protected people's property and lives."

After hearing Hang Tingfang's explanation, the cadres were stunned, and even Ye Qing was taken aback.

She hadn't expected that the incident she had handled casually on the train would lead to such an unexpected development after more than a week of countryside work.

As for the female thief, Ye Qing understood that after handing Song Huilian over to the authorities, the thief must have provided information to save herself, leading to the dismantling of the beggar gang at the Pingxian train station.

But the human trafficker incident had been executed very discreetly. No one on the train had suspected her involvement. How did the public security organs find out it was her?

With this doubt, Ye Qing entered the temporary interview room and faced Hang Tingfang.

"Before coming, I did my homework. There are seven people in your family, and apart from you, the rest have gone to the Northwest for reclamation. Are you afraid to be alone in the Great Northern Wilderness?"

Hang Tingfang's opening question was sharp.

But it didn't make Ye Qing nervous. Instead, the girl smiled and lifted the silver needle box in her bag, countering Hang Tingfang's question.

"Do you think someone who dared to use a needle against a human trafficker and a female thief would be afraid to join the reclamation in the Great Northern Wilderness?"

"In fact, I feel like this might be my second hometown. Everything here feels familiar to me, including the white mountains and black waters, the endless golden rice fields, and the adorable villagers of this village."

"The moment I saw these beautiful sights, I couldn't help but feel emotional because I felt like I belong here. They are beautiful, and I've found my spiritual home here."

As a reporter, Hang Tingfang had interviewed many people and could discern truth from lies.

Sitting in the dimly lit grain warehouse, she could feel the sincerity in the eyes of this sixteen-year-old city girl. Her genuine emotions were so heartfelt that even the usually composed Hang Tingfang was moved.

"This is indeed unexpected. I thought children who were required to go to the countryside for re-education would have some degree of aversion towards the countryside, but I don't sense any negative emotions from you."

"To be honest, before coming, I spoke with Old Comrade Yang from the foreign affairs department. He spoke very highly of you, describing a smart and interesting young girl he met on the train."

The Loguo delegation that we hosted has successfully completed their visit and returned home safely. Old Comrade Yang said that there was an emergency situation on the No. 56 train, and it was you who turned the tide, resolving two crises for them in succession.

"However, given the special nature and confidentiality of this visit, it’s not convenient to publicly announce the credit you deserve. That’s why Old Comrade Yang kept mentioning over the phone that this is actually very unfair to you."

"You received a fine medical legacy and could have shined in a large hospital in a big city, but instead, you’ve come to this small village to farm and labor. I thought you might be dissatisfied or resentful, but I feel now that perhaps I was too narrow-minded."

Ye Qing couldn’t help but smile.

"Maybe you haven’t done enough research."

"There are five children in my family; I’m the third. Actually, I was like a transparent person at home. Probably because I was used to being neglected by my family, I don’t have much sense of belonging to the old alleys and tube buildings of Shen City."

"My parents and siblings don’t have much affection for me, but interestingly, I’ve met countless mentors on my journey of growth over the past decade. Even though we have no blood relations, these people have taught me a lot. My mentor taught me medical skills, my alma mater taught me kindness and tolerance, and my class teacher gave me motherly care. This makes me feel that a person shouldn’t be fixated on what they gain, but rather on how much they give to the world."

"I think this might be the purpose of my coming to this world. As long as you hold love in your heart, anywhere can be a place of poetry and distant lands. The countryside and the city may seem like a world apart to many people, but to me, there’s no difference."

"I enjoy the peace and tranquility at the foot of Changbai Mountain, and I’m willing to devote my lifelong passion to the development of the Great Northern Wilderness. Just as the leader said, there is great potential in the countryside. My being here means this place needs me. Whether working in the fields or providing medical care in the countryside, there will always be a place where I can make a difference."

"Moreover, I have great confidence in the future of the Great Northern Wilderness. I believe that in the near future, the Great Northern Wilderness will become the Great Northern Granary. I will witness the earth-shaking changes here at the foot of Changbai Mountain and see the children of this village have a bright future and prospects!"

Hang Tingfang stared at Ye Qing in a daze, unable to speak for a long time.

Many years later, in her memoir, Hang Tingfang mentioned this interview with Ye Qing. She wrote:

—At that moment, I felt that the slim and small girl sitting in front of me was filled with endless strength. Her eyes were firm and sacred. Like a dusty pearl, no one could stop her from shining, even if she was in the wilderness!

Later, Hang Tingfang gradually uncovered Ye Qing’s experiences on the No. 56 train, including her psychological state when she rescued hostages and captured the female thief. After the face-to-face interview, Hang Tingfang went to the village again, randomly selecting Captain Wu, the old party secretary, and a few villagers to understand Ye Qing’s performance after she was sent down to the countryside.

To her surprise, Hang Tingfang learned that on her very first day in the village, Ye Qing had rescued someone from the river, later helped a villager avoid miscarriage, and even killed a wild boar and performed surgery on a fellow educated youth with a ruptured spleen. Each and every one of these deeds exceeded the reporter’s expectations, leaving Hang Tingfang wide-eyed in astonishment.

Each of these incidents could make a headline story, but the fact that they all happened to the same person presented a dilemma—how to balance the details and decide what to focus on. This became the biggest challenge for the two senior reporters during their trip, and Hang Tingfang felt like she was suffering from decision paralysis.

Afterward, Hang Tingfang wandered around the fields and saw Ye Qing working, competing with other village women in cutting rice stalks.

As Ye Qing’s sickle danced swiftly, she turned her head from time to time, sticking out her tongue and making playful faces at the slower women, laughing boldly and defiantly.

Under the sunlight, the youthful and vibrant smile under the straw hat was so beautiful that it was impossible to look away. Instinctively, Hang Tingfang raised her camera and captured this perfect scene.

That photo gave Hang Tingfang a sudden burst of inspiration. She knew exactly how to write the report.

After the interview, Hang Tingfang and Huang Kuangyin didn’t dare to delay. They needed to rush back to finish the report, so they declined Captain Wu’s invitation for a meal and left in a hurry.

But the arrival of the reporters caused quite a stir in Kao Shan Tun.

Despite the short time they had spent together, everyone had already come to know what kind of person this new educated youth, Ye Qing, was. However, having reporters from Jicheng chase after her for an interview exceeded everyone’s understanding.

Jicheng Daily was a nationally renowned major media outlet. In the eyes of ordinary people, it was a high-end organization that was out of reach for most. To be featured on such a newspaper, especially with a personal interview, was a tremendous honor. Some families might even treat the newspaper as a family heirloom to pass down to their children.

Even though Ye Qing had only come to Kao Shan Tun for reeducation and had been there for less than a week, the entire village felt a sense of pride, discussing it excitedly as if the person being featured was their own family member.

Some even went as far as running to their relatives to spread the news. Every household was buzzing about it after work, and those who had taken a liking to Ye Qing were now even more determined to try and bring this new city-born educated youth into their family.

If any family could marry off their son to such a capable woman, it would bring great honor, elevating their status in the village by several notches!

Ye Qing was unaware of the troublesome situation coming her way—Murong Ah Po’s doorstep was about to be flooded with matchmakers.

She was thinking about something else.

From the information she gathered from Hang Tingfang during the interview, Ye Qing had pieced together the specifics of the situation. This personal interview, Hang Tingfang said, was jointly commissioned by the public security organs and the publicity committee, but Hang Tingfang had also contacted the foreign affairs department. The Old Comrade Yang she mentioned was probably the same old comrade Ye Qing had met on the train.

Ye Qing even suspected that this interview might have been initiated by that old comrade himself.

This explained why the police quickly identified her as the one who had subdued the human trafficker. After the criminal was taken back by the police, doctors would have examined him, and the sewing needle in his body would have been discovered. Since Ye Qing had used a similar technique to subdue a spy in the VIP section, investigators could link the two cases and realize that the method and tool used were the same, making it no surprise that they concluded she was responsible for subduing the trafficker as well.

At first, Ye Qing didn’t fully understand Old Comrade Yang’s intentions. She thought the old comrade simply felt indebted for the help she provided on the train and wanted to compensate her.

But as she worked in the fields, cutting rice stalks, Ye Qing began to realize something was off.

If the purpose was just to compensate her, they could have just given her an award or some material rewards. There was no need for such a grand gesture.

Unless… the old comrade was doing this intentionally, wanting her to become famous and be backed by several major organizations as a form of special protection!

Thinking of this, Ye Qing couldn’t help but shudder.

She felt that during the train incident, her explanation to the old comrade must have been full of holes, making him realize that she was lying.

But perhaps because of her vagueness, the old comrade had filled in the gaps himself, thinking that Ye Qing’s deliberate concealment was due to her master possibly being persecuted for special reasons and thus unable to disclose the source of her medical skills.

So instead of pursuing her lie and the origin of her medical skills, the old comrade gave her complete tolerance and trust. He even went so far as to protect her by using media exposure to place her under the spotlight, making it temporarily difficult for ill-intentioned individuals to target her.

The more Ye Qing thought about it, the more she felt this was the truth. No wonder when she simply asked the hospital director to make a phone call on behalf of the old comrade, the hospital immediately became accommodating to her requests.

Thinking about how, behind the scenes, this old comrade, whose name she didn’t even know, was fighting for her, risking his career to protect her, Ye Qing’s eyes couldn’t help but turn red.

Ye Qing felt that perhaps this was the meaning of her coming to this era.

Although she was just a lonely soul, she didn’t feel lonely or lost in this world.

Because in this era, there were so many interesting and loving people. The warmth and touching moments they gave her slowly healed her broken heart. The light of humanity they exhibited continued to illuminate and guide her path forward.

While Ye Qing was moved to tears, dozens of meters away in the field, another person stood with red eyes, glaring at her with resentment and unwillingness.

The person in question was indeed Yin Shuang, who had unsuccessfully tried to hide a wild boar piglet and ended up owing a large debt instead.

She didn’t know exactly how much Li Yunbo’s medical treatment would cost. In fact, since Ye Qing had personally performed the surgery, at the very least, the surgical fees were something Ye Qing wouldn’t demand from her. This alone would save her a considerable amount in compensation.

Yet, she still felt dissatisfied, believing that her misfortune was entirely caused by Ye Qing.

If Ye Qing hadn’t jumped out to show off and kill the wild boar, when she came down from the mountain, the boar would have been wreaking havoc in the fields. The entire village should have been in chaos, and Li Juan would definitely have been hiding in the fields. There would have been no time for her to return to the village and discover Yin Shuang’s secret of hiding the piglet in the thatched hut at the edge of the village.

So, she hated Li Juan, hated the people in the village, hated the old educated youths, and also resented Ye Qing for hunting the wild boar.

This resentment was truly unreasonable, but Yin Shuang didn’t care. Although this incident wasn’t intentional on her part, she was the one who suffered, so she had every reason to be furious at everyone.

Originally, her hatred for Ye Qing was only at a three on a scale of ten, but today, it was exacerbated when Hang Tingfang and Huang Kuangyin arrived.

At that time, Yin Shuang was still working in the fields when she overheard villagers discussing that two reporters from Jicheng Daily had come to the village to interview the civilian hero who had bravely apprehended human traffickers on the train.

Hearing this, Yin Shuang’s heart raced with excitement and joy.

The person who caught the trafficker—wasn’t that her? Was Jicheng Daily really coming to interview her?

Yin Shuang could barely stand still in the field, eager to rush over to find the two reporters. But thinking that since the reporters were looking for her, the Captain would definitely notify her, she could only keep telling herself to stay calm and not to panic.

In her mind, she constantly fantasized about what the reporters would ask her, and she even mentally drafted responses over and over, simulating in her brain how she would gracefully answer their questions.

After countless rehearsals, she felt completely prepared and stretched her neck to look expectantly down the ridge thousands of times, waiting eagerly with anticipation. But what she waited for was not the sight of the reporters. Instead, it was a piece of devastating news that made her head spin in disbelief.

The two reporters weren’t there to interview her—they had switched to Ye Qing?!