Chapter 39: The Old Fox

Chapter 39: The Old Fox

"Liu Bozi, we understand that you're grieving over your son’s death, but that doesn’t give you the right to come to our Kaoshan Village and take people away privately!"

"Comrade Ye Qing has already been investigated by the police at the police station, and they let her go. This shows that she is really not the murderer who killed your son. She was framed by someone else."

"The girl has only been in our village for a week and hasn’t even gotten to know everyone here. She didn’t even know your son, so why would she kill him?"

"You need to be reasonable and let the police station investigate the case thoroughly. Otherwise, aren’t you just creating another miscarriage of justice? What about the neighbors and relatives who came with you to seek justice? Are you going to make them accomplices in a crime?"

"Aren’t you afraid of wrongfully killing an innocent person? If you do, not only will you fail to avenge your son, but you might also get yourself into trouble. And ask the people behind you, are they willing to have a life on their hands?"

When these words were spoken, the people behind Liu Bozi began to hesitate.

Seeing that these relatives were wavering just because of Wu Yongbing’s few persuasive words, Liu Bozi was furious:

"Don’t try to scare people here! You haven’t lost a son, so of course, you can talk without feeling the pain. Are you saying my son should die in vain?"

Wu Yongbing was genuinely trying to persuade her, but he could see that Liu Bozi was unreasonable and wouldn’t listen. The real breakthrough was with the villagers from Chousongou behind her.

So Wu Yongbing shifted his negotiation target to Liu Bozi’s relatives who had come to support her:

"Fellow villagers, you can see that Liu Bozi is willing to risk her life for her son, but are you willing to do the same?"

"Don’t think that just because you’re many, nothing will happen even if things get out of hand. Let me tell you the truth: Ye Qing, the educated youth, is now a key cultivation target of the higher-ups. If you harm her, those involved will not only be sentenced to prison but will also have a criminal record."

"In the future, if any of your descendants want to join the army or work in the city, they can forget about it! Nowadays, the city is very strict. To get a good job, they will check three generations of direct and collateral relatives. If any relative has a criminal record, the political review will not pass."

"That means the only chance for your descendants to leave this mountain could be ruined by what you’re doing today, and your descendants will be stuck in this mountain village, living as farmers, for generations to come."

"Are you willing to accept such consequences?"

The crowd of troublemakers looked at each other, and the anger that had been stirred up began to fade as calm and reason returned. They started to reconsider.

As relatives of the Liu family, they were certainly willing to support Liu Bozi in seeking justice. They had some unity and cohesion as members of the same production team and surname. But if seeking revenge meant sacrificing their own descendants’ future, no one was willing to do that.

Seeing the reaction of her relatives, Liu Bozi knew it would be difficult to take Ye Qing back. Looking at Wu Yongbing, the troublemaker, Liu Bozi was filled with hatred and tightly gripped her hoe, ready to strike.

But just as Liu Bozi was about to rush forward and hit Wu Yongbing with the hoe, a villager came running up, out of breath:

"Aunt Liu, don’t hit him! Your daughter-in-law has fallen and her water broke. The baby might be born prematurely. You need to go back quickly!"

"What?"

Liu Bozi was shocked and turned to run home like mad. Her son was just killed, and she couldn’t afford for anything to happen to the baby in her daughter-in-law’s womb!

The leader of the troublemakers had run off, and the remaining relatives of the Liu family were left without a leader. They certainly weren’t going to continue causing trouble with the people of Kaoshan Village. They looked at each other and soon dispersed.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Ye Qing was just about to thank those who had helped when, unexpectedly, Wu Yongbing suddenly called out:

"Ye girl, take your silver needles and follow me! Let’s go to Chousongou!"

Ye Qing was startled and before she could say anything, the others in the village were anxious:

"Captain, the people from Chousongou just came here causing trouble and trying to kill Ye Qing. Now that we’ve managed to persuade them to leave, not only are you not avoiding them, but you’re also taking Ye Qing to deliver herself to them?"

"Exactly, don’t go! The people from Chousongou are barbarians who would dare to hurt you. If you go, there might be no coming back!"

But the captain ignored these ignorant villagers and only looked at Ye Qing with burning eyes:

"Are you coming?"

Ye Qing was quick-witted and immediately understood the captain’s intention.

Liu Bozi’s daughter-in-law was in premature labor, and the house was probably in chaos. If there were complications, the village midwife might not be able to handle it.

No matter the previous misunderstandings with the Liu family, if Ye Qing could help now without holding a grudge, it might at least improve the Liu family’s impression of her. Maybe they would put aside their prejudices and think rationally, and not resort to gathering a mob to arrest people again.

Ye Qing’s eyes lit up immediately, and she nodded repeatedly at Captain Wu:

"I’ll go!"

Ye Qing then got on the ridge, grabbed her bag, and followed Wu Yongbing eagerly.

When they arrived at the Liu family’s house in Chousongou, before they even entered the yard, they heard Liu Bozi’s cries.

"Damned Wang family! You heartless bastards! My son is just gone, and now you want to take your daughter back to remarry and even get rid of the child in my third son’s wife. Your hearts are too cruel! You’ll get your retribution!"

"Retribution? I think your son got his retribution! My daughter didn’t have a single good day after marrying into your family. Being beaten and scolded was a daily routine, and you made her do so much farm work to support your son!"

"Your son did nothing but drink, gamble, and visit prostitutes. Among the ten miles and eight villages, who didn’t say he deserved to die? If it weren’t for being in-laws, I’d have gone back to set off firecrackers to celebrate!"

The other woman was not willing to back down either, and the two women started arguing, each hitting the other’s sore spots, and soon they were entangled in a fierce fight, neither gaining the upper hand.

Ye Qing and Wu Yongbing didn’t rush in but stood on the periphery, silently observing the situation.

They overheard the villagers discussing and got a general understanding of the feud between the two women.

The two people fighting were Liu Pozi, the wife of the captain from the Liu brigade in Smelly Pine Grove, and her son Liu Kui’s mother-in-law, Wang Pozi.

Liu Kui was a good-for-nothing lazybones, notorious across the neighboring villages, so no girl was willing to marry him.

On the other hand, the Wang family had four daughters and finally had a son. They were so poor that when their youngest son came of age, with only two thatched cottages to their name, there was no way they could find a wife for him.

Thus, the Wang family decided to sell their daughters for betrothal gifts. Two of the daughters were married off to even poorer and more remote mountainous areas, and one was sold directly to an old bachelor. When it came to their youngest daughter, Wang Chunhua, they looked around and set their sights on the Liu family in Smelly Pine Grove.

The Liu family, being the leaders of the brigade in Smelly Pine Grove, supposedly had connections with the town’s revolutionary committee and the military farm. They were certainly well-off. If their youngest daughter married into the Liu family, with a little help, her natal family could also benefit and live comfortably. If they could get help from their in-laws to find a job for their youngest son in the town’s revolutionary committee or the military farm, that would be even better.

With these calculations in mind, the Wang family didn’t care about Liu Kui’s notorious reputation and resolutely married off their youngest daughter to him, hoping she could help pull the natal family up into a better life.

Unfortunately, no matter how well they planned, the Liu family had to cooperate. But a family that raised someone like Liu Kui couldn’t be good. Ever since Wang Chunhua married into the Liu family, her life had been a living hell.

Not only did her in-laws torment her, but her sisters-in-law also bullied her. On top of that, Liu Kui would beat and kick her at the slightest provocation. She couldn’t even bring anything back to her natal family, and there wasn’t a day when she could eat her fill at the table.

In the three years of marriage with Liu Kui, Wang Chunhua had reportedly been pregnant three times. The first two pregnancies were aborted due to Liu Kui’s beatings, and the last one ended in a miscarriage due to overwork, shortly after she had just begun to show.

Since she hadn’t given birth to any children for the Liu family, they became even more harsh towards her. Liu Kui, in particular, was rarely home, often spending days away.

This year, Wang Chunhua finally managed to keep a pregnancy stable, and the Liu family became more restrained, no longer endlessly exploiting their daughter-in-law. Everyone was waiting for her to give birth safely. Even the Wang family was hoping that this child would be a son, so their daughter could gain status in the Liu family.

But just when she was eight months pregnant, Liu Kui was killed!

The Wang family couldn’t sit still. With Liu Kui gone, their daughter would become a widow. Without a man to support her, what status would Wang Chunhua have in the Liu family? All their hopes of relying on their daughter to help them would be dashed.

Feeling increasingly resentful, the Wang family went to the Liu family, intending to take their daughter back. As for the child in Wang Chunhua’s womb, they either wanted it aborted or left with the Liu family. They were determined that their daughter wouldn’t remain a widow for Liu Kui.

The Wang family thought of selling their daughter again, but Wang Chunhua refused to go along.

The Liu family’s attitude had already improved in the last six months, and with Liu Kui, the one who beat her, now dead, she just needed to give birth safely and continue being a submissive daughter-in-law. With the face of the only grandson from the third branch of the family, the Liu family might treat her better.

But if she listened to her parents and married into an even more remote mountain, who knew what kind of life awaited her? It might be worse than with the Liu family.

Wang Chunhua, who was about to see the light at the end of the tunnel, firmly refused to return with her family. In the tussle, she fell to the ground, and her water broke immediately.

After listening to the villagers’ chatter about what had happened, Ye Qing felt deeply troubled and conflicted.

Was Wang Chunhua wrong? No, in fact, her reasoning was sound. Neither her natal family nor her in-laws were her safe haven. But compared to the hell that was her natal family, perhaps she could carve out a path in the Liu family with her child.

In this era, the environment was such that if a woman didn’t marry, she wouldn’t be welcomed by her natal family. Even if she did marry, life with her in-laws might not be any better. Both sides tried to suck her blood and eat her flesh. Most women could only seek a compromise between the two, not daring to hope for more.

Thinking about this, Ye Qing couldn’t help but think of herself, becoming even more determined that she would never just settle for any man. Otherwise, if she were to be schemed against by a cunning in-laws family, she might end up like Wang Chunhua, living a life worse than death.

She would focus on her career and work hard to save for her retirement. When she was old, with money and time, she would travel the world. As for men and love, if she met someone suitable, that would be great. If not, she wouldn’t force it.

Just as she was lost in thought, a woman ran out of the house and shouted at the two red-faced fighting families:

“Stop fighting! Liu Pozi, I can’t deliver this baby! Hurry and get someone to prepare the ox cart to take her to the commune health station. Your daughter-in-law is in labor and bleeding heavily. If we don’t get her to the hospital soon, both the mother and child will be lost!”

At these words, the entire courtyard fell silent. The two fighting women stopped, and the onlookers also stopped watching.

“Oh dear, this is truly a sin! Wang Chunhua is so thin and has been so mistreated. How can she have the strength to give birth?”

“Her natal family is really clueless. Liu Kui is barely cold, and they’re already causing a scene, even causing the pregnant woman to fall. This is too unreliable!”

“With such heavy bleeding, this is very dangerous. Tiezi’s wife died from heavy bleeding, and with the incompetent doctors at the commune health station, even a midwife couldn’t handle this. If they think they can save her, that would be a miracle!”

“They say that at eight months, the baby might not survive, but they should focus on saving the mother instead of wasting time!”

Just as these words were said, Liu Pozi overheard and glared at the speaker, wishing she could tear the villager’s mouth apart.

Seeing Liu Pozi getting people to prepare the ox cart, still intending to follow the midwife’s advice to send Wang Chunhua to the health station, Ye Qing and Captain Wu exchanged a glance from behind the crowd.

Wu Yongbing quickly nudged Ye Qing, signaling her to seize the opportunity.

Ye Qing nodded and shook her silver needle box, indicating she was ready.

Wu Yongbing then shouted:

“Liu Pozi, with a difficult labor and heavy bleeding, taking her to the health station will just be a waste of time. That so-called doctor at the health station doesn’t know how to treat her. If you really want to save your daughter-in-law’s baby, I’ve brought someone to help. I guarantee she can save your only grandson!”

At these words, everyone turned to look at Wu Yongbing.

When Liu Pozi saw Wu Yongbing and the young girl standing next to him, she flew into a rage and shouted:

“You damned murderer, how dare you show your face here? Wu Yongbing, you old fool, are you trying to cause trouble at my house? I think you don’t want to live!”

She grabbed a hoe, ready to attack.

Wu Yongbing, feeling the helplessness of “a scholar facing a soldier, having no way to reason,” explained helplessly:

“Liu Pozi, don’t mistake a kind person for an enemy. I’m really here to help. Although this comrade Ye is young, she’s highly skilled in medicine. Not long ago, the daughter of Gu Zhenxing’s family in our village was in danger of miscarrying after working in the fields. It was Comrade Ye who helped save the baby.”

“Just two days ago, one of our educated youth was gored by a wild boar, with internal injuries so severe that even the county hospital doctors didn’t dare treat him. But Comrade Ye borrowed an operating room from the county hospital and successfully performed the surgery, saving his life.”

“If you don’t believe me, go ahead and ask around. Even the county hospital’s director praised her skills.”

“I’ve already told you that Comrade Ye isn’t the one who killed your son, but you wouldn’t listen. Now I’ve brought her here. Do you want to kill her and risk your own life, or let her save your daughter-in-law and secure the last bloodline of your son? The choice is yours!”

Liu Pozi, with the hoe in her hand, was frozen in place, her expression changing as she didn’t know what to do.

At that moment, a woman suddenly exclaimed in surprise:

“Oh, it’s you, young girl!”

The villagers standing around were puzzled and curious when they heard this:

"Sister Zhou, do you know this female sent-down youth?"

The old woman slapped her thigh and said loudly, "Know her? Of course, I do! My eldest grandson fell and broke his arm some time ago. His elbow was so swollen, and they said it was a broken bone. I went to the commune health station to find that doctor, hoping he could take a look at my grandson. But the doctor insisted he couldn't treat him and told me to take the child to the county hospital!"

"I'm just an old lady; how would I know my way to the county hospital? I can't even read half the characters on the road signs. But as luck would have it, I ran into this kind girl outside the health station."

"This young girl said she could treat him. She took a few silver needles and poked them into my grandson's arm. And just like that, his arm was healed. It was as if the swelling and pain disappeared overnight. He was running around again, full of energy. Even my daughter-in-law thought it was miraculous and asked me to find out who this female doctor was so we could go to her for treatment in the future!"

"I didn't expect the girl to be from the nearby Kao Shan Tun."

Everyone in the village knew about Sister Zhou's grandson, whose arm had swollen like a radish after trying several folk remedies with no effect. The child had been crying at home every day, but yesterday, people heard that someone had fixed his arm. It turned out that this Ye Qing, the female sent-down youth, had healed him.

Liu Pozi's expression softened a little, though she still looked doubtful about Ye Qing's medical skills.

"Let her in!"

Just as Liu Pozi was hesitating, her husband Liu Yongquan returned with his two sons, pulling a cart. On the cart was the body of their son, Liu Kui.

The crowd instinctively made way, allowing Liu Yongquan to push the cart into the yard.

After entering the yard, Liu Yongquan's bloodshot eyes fell on Ye Qing and Wu Yongbing, his gaze finally resting on Ye Qing. His eyelid twitched slightly, and his tone was stiff but polite:

"Ye Qing, right? I'm leaving my daughter-in-law and the child in your care. As long as you can ensure the safe birth of the baby, I promise to keep my wife in check and make sure she won't bother you again!"

Ye Qing had been waiting for this moment.

She wasn't afraid of the Liu family or the villagers, but she had come to the countryside to join a production team, not to make enemies.

If Liu Pozi harbored deep hatred for her and kept causing trouble at Kao Shan Tun, even someone as capable as Ye Qing would find it exhausting to deal with such unreasonable people. It would be troublesome if things escalated. It was better to resolve the conflict peacefully without turning them into enemies.

There was no real animosity between her and the Liu family. If it weren't for the meddling of the real culprit, they would have remained strangers.

"I agree, but I have one condition. When I go in to deliver the baby, no one should interfere or give unsolicited advice. You'll need to handle Liu Pozi. She's a bit stubborn and might not trust me completely."

Ye Qing's words were blunt, and Liu Pozi's face darkened, ready to start another argument.

But Liu Yongquan pulled her aside, his face grim as he glared at his wife:

"Keep quiet! We'll talk later. This is about our third son's child. No matter what, the baby must be born safely. Don't you want our son to rest in peace?"

Lowering his voice, Liu Yongquan hissed through gritted teeth,

"We'll settle scores later. After the baby is born, Wang Chunhua and her family will be thrown out. The murderer who killed our son won't get away with it either!"

Liu Pozi's heart skipped a beat as she looked up at her husband's bloodshot, shadowy eyes and nodded silently.

Ye Qing was led into a room by the eldest daughter-in-law of the Liu family. As soon as she entered, a strong smell of blood hit her face.

On the dilapidated kang bed lay a woman with a swollen belly but barely any flesh on her body. Her face was pale, and she looked weak. When she saw Ye Qing, she turned her head slightly, but her eyes were dull, showing little will to live.

Ye Qing felt her pulse and examined her belly, quickly understanding the situation.

The fall had caused the placenta to detach partially, leading to severe bleeding during labor. If the uterine contractions weren't stimulated promptly to deliver the baby, both the child and the mother could die. The situation was indeed very dangerous.

The midwife, realizing something was wrong, had fled after speaking to Liu Pozi, afraid that she would be blamed if something went wrong.

Ye Qing took out her silver needles and gestured to the eldest daughter-in-law:

"Could you please prepare a pot of boiling water, scissors, a sewing needle, and cotton thread?"

Although the eldest daughter-in-law wasn't particularly fond of her sister-in-law, she put aside her prejudices in this life-or-death situation. Whatever Ye Qing asked for, she quickly prepared without a word.

Ye Qing sterilized her needles, scissors, sewing needle, and cotton thread with boiling water and began skillfully inserting the needles into the acupuncture points of the laboring woman.

In no time, Wang Chunhua had over twenty needles inserted into her body.

Realizing that Ye Qing was trying to save her, Wang Chunhua weakly raised her hand and pleaded desperately:

"Doctor, don't waste your efforts on me. I'm a lost cause. But please, save my child. You must find a way to deliver him!"

Ye Qing replied with some helplessness:

"Both you and the baby can be saved. Don't worry. I've been practicing medicine for many years, and I've never let the King of Hell take a life from me. If you want to live, not even the gods of death can do anything to you!"

"Think about it. You've endured so much. Soon, you won't have to worry about being beaten and scolded by your husband. You can raise your child and live a peaceful life together. Are you really willing to give up when happiness is so close?"

As she twisted the needles, secretly infusing them with her healing abilities, Ye Qing encouraged Wang Chunhua.

"A mother's strength comes from her child. Your baby has yet to see the blue sky, white clouds, green mountains, and clear waters. How can you let him leave this world without experiencing it?"

"You have to raise your child and watch him grow up, go to school, work, get married, and have children. What if he turns out to be a genius, a scientist, an engineer, or even a general? Can you bear to take away his chance to live?"

"And don't you worry about what will happen to your child if you let go? Will the Liu family treat him well? Without a father or mother, who will stand up for him if he's bullied?"

"The Lius are getting old and will soon rely on their sons and daughters-in-law for support. They won't have the energy to care for your child. Can you really trust your sisters-in-law to be kind enough to raise him?"

Wang Chunhua was stunned by these words and remained silent for a long time.

Ye Qing sighed deeply and patted her hand:

"Don't lose hope. Hold on a little longer. Fight for both yourself and your child. Give both of you a chance to live."

Wang Chunhua's tears streamed down her face. She wiped her face with her hand, nodded forcefully, and a look of determination appeared in her eyes.

"Doctor, I'll listen to you. I'll fight for it! I can do it!"

It was unclear whether it was the effect of the silver needles that had just been inserted or the comforting words from Ye Qing that worked, but in any case, within a short time, Wang Chunhua felt the strength that had been draining from her body seemed to return, and her spirit visibly improved.

Ye Qing examined Wang Chunhua's birth canal and frowned.

Perhaps it wasn't time yet, so even though part of Wang Chunhua's placenta had detached and her amniotic fluid had almost dried up, her birth canal had not opened. Even with acupuncture stimulation, the effect was not ideal.

In this situation, a natural delivery would be difficult. If they insisted on a vaginal birth, the baby might suffocate in her womb.

A cesarean section was definitely not feasible either. The delivery room was too rudimentary and lacked the equipment for such a major surgery.

Ye Qing looked at Wang Chunhua. "You need to be prepared mentally. If your birth canal doesn't open in five minutes, I won't wait anymore. I'll have to find a way to get the baby out. I might need to make a lateral incision at your perineum. I'll try to numb your lower body with silver needles, but it will still hurt. Bite on something to endure it, okay?"

In modern obstetrics, lateral incisions during delivery are not uncommon. They are usually performed when the baby is too large to be delivered naturally. By then, the mother has already experienced so much pain from labor contractions and opening the birth canal that even without anesthesia, the additional pain from the incision is often barely felt.

Wang Chunhua's situation was different. She hadn't gone through labor contractions or the opening of the birth canal. A hard cut at the perineum to pull the baby out would feel like scraping bones to cure an injury—a pain that only an extraordinary person could endure.

But there was no other choice. Both the baby and the mother were racing against time. Ye Qing had to make a decisive call; dragging it out would be bad for both.

Wang Chunhua didn't understand what a lateral incision was, but could it be more painful than the beatings she had endured from Liu Kui over the years? Even if it was, she was fighting for her and her child's life. She had endured so much already; what was a little more pain?

She nodded firmly at Ye Qing, her eyes resolute.

"Doctor, don't wait. Just cut. I'm not afraid!"

In less than half an hour, the people waiting outside heard the cry of a baby from the room.

Liu Yongquan and Liu Pozi were eager to get inside but were blocked at the door by their eldest daughter-in-law.

The eldest daughter-in-law came out holding a baby wrapped in an old cloth. Liu Pozi quickly took the baby.

"Wonderful! It's a boy, the third son has a successor!"

As soon as Liu Pozi opened the cloth, her eyes welled up with tears of excitement. Even Liu Yongquan's red, slanted eyes showed a hint of a smile.

No one cared about Wang Chunhua inside. The Wang family, who had been fighting in the Liu household, had long since disappeared.

Ye Qing finished the last stitch, cut the thread, and checked Wang Chunhua's condition again. After confirming her heartbeat was stable and her blood pressure was normal, she removed the silver needles from Wang Chunhua's body.

"It's a boy, well-developed and healthy. You can rest easy now. Take care during your confinement and recover well. I'll come back in half a month to remove the stitches."

Ye Qing sterilized the needles in boiling water, put them back in their box, and didn't linger in the delivery room.

When she came out, the villagers in the yard fell silent. The aunts and older women looked at her with astonished gazes.

Ye Qing looked at Liu Yongquan and Liu Pozi.

"Both mother and child are safe. Congratulations! Although the baby was born prematurely, all his organs are mature. As long as he can eat and sleep well, he'll catch up on the nutrients he missed in the womb."

Liu Pozi's expression stiffened. She didn't know whether to respect or resent Ye Qing.

Ye Qing didn't care how they felt about her. As long as they didn't cause trouble for her in Kaoshan Tun, she had no desire to deal with such people again.

"I've done what I promised. Captain Liu, I hope you'll keep your word as well. Uncle Wu, let's go!"

Saying that, Ye Qing took the lead and walked outside. Over there, Wu Yongbing smiled as he took a drag from the cigarette hanging from his mouth, his hands behind his back as he followed leisurely.

They had only taken a few steps out of the Liu family when a large group of villagers from Smelly Pine Grove caught up from behind and immediately surrounded them tightly.

These villagers had previously believed the Liu family's words and really thought that Liu Kui was killed by Ye Qing from this Backhill Village. However, after the endorsement from the Zhou family's old lady and just now seeing Ye Qing's practical demonstration of her medical skills, these villagers immediately switched sides.

The villagers all felt that the Liu family must have made a mistake. This Ye Qing always had a smile on her face and was willing to treat people for free. How could such a kind and innocent child be a murderer?

Moreover, she was only a teenager, a slim and fragile young girl. How could she have killed Liu Kui, their big and strong third son? That was utterly ridiculous, wasn't it?

At this moment, these enthusiastic and anxious villagers blocked Ye Qing, but not for anything else—they wanted her to treat their illnesses.

These days, who didn't have a headache or a fever? Older folks often felt uncomfortable here and there, each suffering from different chronic conditions.

However, there was no one to see them in the village, and the health station at the commune was unreliable. Everyone had to grit their teeth and endure the pain, only knowing the bitterness and hardship themselves.

Now, a young educated youth had come to Backhill Village. She could treat fractures, perform surgeries, and even assist in childbirth. To everyone, she was a genuine miracle doctor. Who wouldn't be excited?

The people of Smelly Pine Grove wished they could snatch this young educated youth from Backhill Village. That way, if anyone got sick, they could come to her for treatment. Just thinking about it made them feel wonderful.

But would Captain Wu allow that?

This captain was quite cunning. As soon as he saw the crowd from Smelly Pine Grove rushing up, he knew what they wanted. Before anyone could speak, he quickly pulled Ye Qing behind him like a hen protecting her chick, even taking the cigarette from his mouth and throwing it on the ground to stamp it out.

"Everyone, step back a little. This child is young and hasn't seen such a scene before. If you all rush up like this, those who know will think you're here to ask her for medical treatment, but those who don't might think you're here to start a fight or cause trouble!"

Indeed, the villagers from Smelly Pine Grove had previously gone to Backhill Village shouting for a fight. Now, being sarcastically addressed by Captain Wu, they all felt a bit embarrassed.

"Well, Captain Wu, we were indeed in the wrong today. We didn't understand the situation and were used by others. We apologize to Comrade Ye!"

"We're really sorry, Comrade Ye. Please don't hold today's nonsense against us."

"Yes, you see, we've now become acquainted through this conflict. In the future, if our two production teams interact more, if there's anything you need from us, just say the word. If we can help, we definitely won't hesitate."

These villagers were quite adaptable, knowing when to bow and when to rise. Seeing that they might need Ye Qing's help in the future, they immediately lowered themselves, flattering and fawning over her, afraid that Ye Qing might hold a grudge because of what had happened earlier.

Ye Qing didn't feel much about it, but Wu Yongbing was grinning foolishly, almost floating with joy.

For many years, the two teams of Smelly Pine Grove and Backhill Village had disliked each other, competing for water, land, rationed pigs, and mountain treasures. Every year, they quarreled and fought over various resources, with competition being a daily occurrence.

This was the first time that people from Ouzongou had to bow their heads to Kaoshantun. Wu Yongbing felt as if he were sitting in a sauna, his heart warm and comfortable.

This only made Wu Yongbing realize even more how crucial Ye Qing was to their Kaoshantun. The health station in Kaoshantun had to be set up as soon as possible. This was the most critical step for them to become the leading force in Red Flag Commune without any dispute!

"If you want medical treatment, that's fine, but don't try to suck up. We're not short of people in Kaoshantun. If Comrade Ye Qing has any difficulties, we can solve them ourselves. We don't need you people from Ouzongou to fawn over us!"

Captain Wu shot back with a neither soft nor harsh tone.

If it weren't for the fear that the application documents submitted might not have been approved yet, and that people from Ouzongou might get jealous and secretly cause trouble, he would have already been tempted to loudly announce that they were soon getting a health station.

But for now, since things weren't finalized yet, Captain Wu had to hold back.

However, seeing how enthusiastic the people from Ouzongou were towards Ye Qing, he knew they recognized value when they saw it. It was good that they had needs, which meant the medical conditions in various villages were worrying, and everyone was desperate for a good doctor to alleviate their suffering.

Wu Yongbing could already foresee how bustling it would be once the health station was truly established. From then on, Kaoshantun would rise with this health station, and maybe even the young people in the village could benefit, becoming highly sought-after in the marriage market!

Ye Qing had figured it out.

This old fox Wu Yongbing had brought her to the Liu family to help deliver Wang Chunhua's baby. Resolving the misunderstanding with the Liu family was just a side benefit. His real purpose was to use her as a living advertisement for publicity in Ouzongou!

Something that even a midwife with decades of experience couldn't handle, yet this educated youth managed to successfully save both the mother and child. With this trick revealed, the persuasion was undeniable. It was estimated that within a day, her reputation as a divine doctor would spread from the Liu family throughout Ouzongou, becoming well-known in every household, and gradually radiating to the surrounding areas of Red Flag Commune!

Once the health station was established, members from the surrounding communes would have to come to Kaoshantun for medical treatment. As the station chief, she would probably be busier than a dog. Just thinking about it made Ye Qing's eyes dark, and she somewhat wanted to quit!

This Captain Wu really had a clever plan!

After sending off the people from Ouzongou, a satisfied Wu Yongbing was returning to Kaoshantun with Ye Qing. But before they even reached halfway, he saw Wu Cong riding a bicycle to catch up with them.

"Finally found you! Dad, Comrade Ye Qing, hurry back! A lot of people with red armbands have come to the town. They said they received a report and are coming to investigate you two!"