Chapter 44: Is His Leg Crippled?

Chapter 44: Is His Leg Crippled?

Ye Qing had already become withdrawn. Since everyone had already seen it, there was no use in hiding it anymore. She might as well just lie low and not care anymore, whatever, let it be.

"Commissar Hao, it's been a while! Last time you drove me down to the village, I never got the chance to thank you properly. How about I cook a simple meal at home and treat you to lunch today?"

Ye Qing waved the scalpel in her blood-covered hands, with a lump of flesh lying nearby. She said with a smile, gesturing to invite Commissar Hao for a meal.

Commissar Hao's face turned green, and he quickly forced a smile:

"Uh... Ye Qing, is that right? I only gave you a ride because it was on my way, not specifically for you. No need to be so polite. I have some business to attend to now, so I'll be off first. You carry on, carry on, heh-heh—"

The scene had just caused a severe psychological impact on Hao Shaofeng, especially the girl's innocent and harmless smile, which sent chills down his spine.

Hao Shaofeng couldn't bear to stay on the riverbank another second and wanted to find an excuse to leave and wash his eyes out.

Gu Weibei immediately followed him, and the two, who had been so eager to eat roast suckling pig just moments ago, now left as quickly as they could, eventually breaking into a run as if a mad dog were chasing them.

Ye Qing: ……

"Are you an educated youth who came down this year?"

While Hao Shaofeng had taken off with Gu Weibei, Gu Weinan was still there. This girl was quite bold, her eyes constantly assessing Ye Qing. Her gaze finally settled on the pile of tools behind her.

"You're neutering pigs? I've never seen a woman comrade do this before, and you managed it all by yourself without any help. You're really something!"

Seeing that this young girl wasn't afraid, but instead stepped forward to observe carefully, Ye Qing was somewhat surprised:

"Aren't you scared?"

Gu Weinan immediately shook her head. "What's there to be afraid of? If a city-educated youth like you dares to wield a scalpel, we mountain folks have seen all kinds of things. Years ago, whenever the pig castrator came to the village, all the kids would go watch. Never mind Commissar Hao and my brother; they're just being delicate!"

Saying this, Gu Weinan wrinkled her nose and, pointing at the three wild piglets, urged:

"Go on, I came a bit late and you finished so fast that I couldn't see anything clearly."

Hearing this, Ye Qing got excited.

Rarely meeting such an enthusiastic audience, she was certainly going to show off her skills.

"Alright, then watch closely!"

Ye Qing lost interest in teasing the piglets and rolled up her sleeves, ready to finish quickly.

Having regained her touch from the first pig, Ye Qing's speed was even faster this time. In less than ten minutes, she had castrated the remaining three wild piglets.

"Is that it?"

Gu Weinan watched with excitement, wishing she could take a knife and join in. Seeing Ye Qing finish so quickly, she felt disappointed.

Ye Qing shook her head and explained:

"The castration is done, but there's still some work left. The flying needles have sealed the acupuncture points, temporarily numbing the piglets' pain and reducing bleeding. But we have to wait for the blood platelets at the incision to clot before removing the needles; there's still at least half an hour of observation time needed."

Gu Weinan's eyes fell on the silver needles stuck in the buttocks of the four piglets, filled with surprise and curiosity.

Mainly because Ye Qing's method of castration was different from what she had seen before.

In Jiaotan County, the traditional old method involved suturing and applying plant ash, which required at least two people to assist and was quite a complex process.

The assistant must hold the pig's hind legs firmly to prevent any movement, allowing the castrator to perform the procedure. Even if the pig does not struggle, there will still be significant bleeding during the castration.

However, Ye Qing’s method completely eliminates the need for complicated suturing and bandaging. The wild boar experiences minimal pain during the castration process and does not resist, making it possible for one person to complete the surgery. Moreover, the entire process of inserting the needle and making the incision is as smooth as flowing water, exuding a certain violent beauty.

This piqued Gu Weinan’s great interest. Compared to the old, crude methods of castration, she was extremely curious about Ye Qing’s sophisticated approach.

"Did you come up with this on your own, or did someone teach you?"

Gu Weinan touched the box of silver needles, her eyes shining like stars.

Initially, Ye Qing thought the girl was just being supportive and didn’t think much of it. But now, seeing the girl patiently observe the entire surgical process without recoiling from the bloody scene, and even showing a keen interest in her tools, Ye Qing felt a stirring within her.

"Are you interested in this? Do you want to learn?"

Gu Weinan suddenly lifted her head, looking at Ye Qing with anticipation.

"Would you be willing to teach me?"

Ye Qing had only asked out of curiosity, but she didn’t expect the girl to take it so seriously.

This made her eyes narrow slightly as she scrutinized the young girl before her, unsure of how to react.

This was the first girl in this world who showed genuine interest in her skills and wanted to learn them.

However, what was peculiar was that the girl was not interested in her flying needle technique or her medical skills, but rather in her castration skills, which she herself considered only half-learned.

"I can teach you, but learning my method isn’t as simple as practicing a few times and then being ready to operate. Don’t be fooled by how easy it looks; it’s all about the details. I’ve practiced the flying needle technique for seven or eight years. Without any talent or insight, it’s difficult to even get started."

Ye Qing pointed to the needles in her box, gently pulled one out, and flicked it towards the distance.

In the next moment, the droopy silver needle flew out like an arrow, embedding itself in the wooden fence outside the pig pen.

The end of the needle trembled unsteadily, but the tip had sunk an inch deep into the plank.

"To sink the needle an inch into the wood—that’s what it means to truly master this skill. Without real grit, it’s hard for an ordinary person to reach this level."

Gu Weinan looked thoughtful and cautiously picked up a silver needle, throwing it toward the wooden fence.

Ye Qing intended to show Gu Weinan that these needles weren’t as simple as they seemed, so when she saw Gu Weinan imitating her, she did not stop her.

But a moment later, Ye Qing’s calm smile cracked, and her mysterious facade fell apart.

Because this girl, standing exactly where Ye Qing had thrown her needle, had managed to stick her silver needle into the wooden plank about four meters away, just like Ye Qing had done.

The needle was still shaking when Gu Weinan moved closer.

After checking how deep her needle had gone and comparing it to Ye Qing’s, the girl’s expression immediately fell, looking disappointed.

"It really isn’t simple. My strength isn’t there yet; I only got it in a few millimeters. I’m far behind you, Ye Qing."

These seemingly casual words hit Ye Qing like a ton of bricks.

Girl, I think you’re showing off, but I can’t prove it!

Do you know how many years it took me to reach your level after learning this skill from the elderly TCM professor?

Your comment about not being strong enough really deflated my confidence, reducing it to nothing.

Ye Qing no longer knew what to say.

In her early days of mastering the flying needle technique, she was never able to fully grasp its core principles. She practiced every day for over a year but still couldn’t even get started.

At that time, the old professor said she was lacking in talent and advised her to give up early on.

But Ye Qing refused to accept the professor’s assessment. She felt the professor was overemphasizing the importance of talent. She was determined to master the flying needle technique, come hell or high water.

Eventually, Ye Qing gradually came to realize that the old professor was right. Without her awakening the wood-type ability, she likely would never have grasped the key to the flying needle, regardless of how long she practiced.

Without talent, even if you put in 99% effort, you’re just wasting your time.

Gu Weinan’s effortless throw of the needle forced Ye Qing to confront this harsh reality once again.

When it comes to flying needles, effort is truly no match for talent.

Ye Qing finally understood why some teachers had that look of both admiration and frustration when mentioning those top students from their time.

That’s exactly how Ye Qing felt in this moment.

With no instruction, Gu Weinan had managed to grasp the essence of the moves Ye Qing had demonstrated. This wasn’t just talent; it was astounding.

If this girl had been trained from a young age, by now she’d likely be capable of managing on her own. In Jiaotan County, let alone Kaoshan Village, Ye Qing would have nothing to contribute.

"You are Gu Weidong’s sister, Gu Weinan, right? What grade are you in now?" Ye Qing asked tentatively.

Gu Weinan nodded. "I’m in my second year of high school."

At this time, there was no more college entrance examination. If you couldn’t get into a factory after finishing high school, you had to come back to farm.

Ye Qing, seeing such a promising talent, didn’t want to waste it. So, she pointed to the needle Gu Weinan had shot into the wooden fence:

"To put it into perspective, it took me four or five years of practice to reach the level you’ve just shown. Do you understand what that means?"

"You have exceptional talent in flying needles. If I had even half of your talent, no, even one-tenth, my teacher would have treated me like a treasure."

"With such great talent, if you only use the flying needle skill for castrating pigs, it would be a complete waste. Would you like to try pursuing a path in human medicine or veterinary medicine?"

Gu Weinan was stunned. "What?"

Ye Qing reached out to Gu Weinan.

"My name is Ye Qing. I’m a sent-down youth who was just assigned to your Kaoshan Village this year, and I will also be the station chief of the health station that’s about to be established in Kaoshan Village."

"I’ve studied a bit of everything. I’ve dabbled in general human medicine and veterinary medicine, and although I haven’t obtained my practice license yet, I believe my medical skills are quite competent in the Red Flag Commune area."

"If you’re interested in human or veterinary medicine, you can try getting involved during your holidays to see if you want to pursue this path. If you do, after you graduate from high school, come to the health station to be an apprentice. I’ll mentor you for free for a few years and see how it goes, how about it?"

Gu Weinan immediately asked, "Does that mean I can learn the pig castration skill you just showed?"

Ye Qing’s mouth twitched. No, such a nice girl, instead of focusing on looking pretty and finding a partner, why is she fixated on castrating pigs? Once you get into this, you’ll be estranged from the opposite sex in the marriage market, you know?

Seeing that Gu Weinan was genuinely interested in castrating pigs, Ye Qing smacked her lips and said helplessly, "If you want to learn, I can teach you. It’s not like it can’t be done."

Gu Weinan's eyes widened in surprise, a look of excitement filling his face. He eagerly reached out and grabbed Ye Qing's hand, nodding like he was pounding garlic.

"I'm willing! I'll do whatever it takes as long as I can become your apprentice. Sister, feel free to give me any task!"

Ye Qing rubbed her nose, feeling like an old cucumber painted green, forcing herself to act young.

"Well, I seem to remember Aunt Cuilan mentioning that you're 17 this year, so I'm probably a year younger than you."

Gu Weinan quickly responded and immediately changed his tune.

"Then I'll call you Master. Among three people, there is always one I can learn from. No one says a teacher has to be older than their student, right?"

Ye Qing felt that treating the matter so lightly wasn't right. She should discuss it with Gu Weinan's family to see what Gu Zhenxing and his wife thought.

If they didn't want him to learn medicine and had other plans for him, her involvement would just be seen as butting in.

"This matter isn't settled yet. Don't be so quick to change what you call me. When you go back at noon, ask your parents how they feel about my suggestion."

With that, Ye Qing bent down to check the incision sites on the four piglets. After making sure the blood had clotted properly, she removed the silver needles.

Once the needles were out, she tossed the piglets back into the pen. The piglets, initially confused after being freed from the vine bindings, quickly reverted to their wild ways, happily rooting around the pen.

Ye Qing tossed in a large basket of fresh pig grass as a small compensation for the newly castrated "pig eunuchs."

Seeing the pigs happily munching away with no sign of discomfort, Ye Qing felt relieved.

As long as they could eat and sleep, these pigs would recover within two days. Without the influence of male hormones, they would fatten up quickly and likely be ready for market by next spring.

Raising pigs and cattle, as long as there were no illnesses, mainly involved feeding them, which wasn't difficult for Ye Qing.

She had spent two hours that morning gathering fresh grass for the pens. Now that the animals were full, they lay silently resting in the hay.

With nothing else to do, Ye Qing prepared to leave early and check the consolation gifts the county leaders had given her the day before, planning to have a nice meal at noon.

Just as she was about to tell Gu Weinan to leave, Wu Yongbing came hurrying over.

"Woah, Wo Yongbing," Gu Weinan called out.

Not knowing that Gu Weidong had come back and thinking Gu Weinan was on his monthly break, Wu Yongbing was briefly surprised before nodding and turning to Ye Qing.

"Didn't you say you were going to castrate pigs this morning? Did you need some help? Are Lao Zhishu and I enough?"

Ye Qing was taken aback before realizing Wu Yongbing had come to assist her. She waved her hand, laughing helplessly.

"No need. I've already finished."

Wu Yongbing couldn't believe it. "Already done? Are you sure? You did it all by yourself?"

He stretched his neck to look past Ye Qing into the pig pen, wondering if she had botched the job.

Seeing Wu Yongbing's disbelief, Ye Qing pointed to Gu Weinan.

"It's true. Ask him. He watched me do it. Or better yet, go check by the fire. The cut-off parts are still lying in the grass over there. They won't lie, will they?"

Hearing this, Wu Yongbing slapped his forehead and, without waiting for confirmation, ran towards the fire.

Before you knew it, he spotted those bloody, messy lumps on the ground and, like he'd found a gold mine, carefully stuffed all four meatball-like objects into his pocket.

"Eww..."

At Captain Wu's action, both Ye Qing and Gu Weinan furrowed their brows, without meaning to, showing their disgust.

"I mean, Uncle Wu, this is just gross. Just chuck it in the river to feed the fish. Why'd you pick it up?" Gu Weinan really couldn't help herself.

Captain Wu let out a sly chuckle:

"This ain't somethin' you youngins should be askin' about. Anyway, these boar's balls are definitely a good thing. It's not easy to get a taste of this, you know? Lucky I was quick enough to get here first. Otherwise, Old Party Secretary would've taken them away!"

With that, Wu Yongbing didn't stick around the riverbank any longer, happily slipping away with those things in his pocket.

When Wu Yongbing said they were taking them back to eat, Ye Qing's face twisted like she'd just put on a torture mask, and Gu Weinan was equally dumbfounded.

The rank smell of the boar's balls was too much to handle. What kind of iron stomach would you need to eat that?

Just thinking about it made their stomachs churn, and they really couldn't understand Wu Yongbing's special food preference.

As soon as the captain left, the old party sec showed up.

Hearing that Ye Qing had already castrated the boar and that the wild boar testicles had been snatched away by Wu Yongbing, the old man was so angry his mustache and eyes bulged, looking like he'd just missed out on a million bucks.

"Wu Yongbing, that old fox, is too clever by half. How could he keep all four of the boar's balls to himself? He should've left at least two for me!"

Ye Qing thought, if I didn't know that I'd cut those things off myself, judging by your reactions, I'd think I threw away not four boar's balls, but four chunks of pure gold!

When they returned to the village, from far away, they saw Gu Weidong sitting at his yard's entrance, smiling as he chatted with Murong Ah Po through the fence.

At this time, most people in the village were still out working, and aside from Gu Weixi, who was resting up for the baby, there wasn't anyone else at home.

Seeing Ye Qing and Gu Weinan return, Gu Weidong gave a knowing look, which sent Ye Qing's heart into overdrive. The next moment, she started walking with her arms and legs out of sync.

Gu Weixi was also afraid of her elder brother. Especially this time, she felt her brother's aura had grown even stronger. Just one look from him made her feel like a little chick seeing a hawk.

"Brother—"

Gu Weidong didn't have time to deal with Gu Weinan right now. He waved his hand, signaling:

"Little Nan, go inside first. I need to talk to Ye Qing."

Gu Weinan dared not ask what her brother wanted to talk about. Upon hearing this, she felt as if she'd received a pardon and immediately ditched Ye Qing, slipping into her yard and disappearing.

Ye Qing, doing her best Kung Fu Panda 'Er Kang' hand thing, thought: Not cool, sister. We were just having a great chat on the way back. But with just one word from your brother, you left me behind. That's not very loyal, is it?

Seeing this, Ye Qing smiled at Gu Weidong and, covering her bag, tried to sneak away again.

But this time, she wasn't as lucky as when they were at Shen City People's Hospital. Gu Weidong's legs were much more agile now, and he was already on guard, knowing what this young girl was like. Seeing her smile at him, he knew the cunning little trickster was about to try her old tricks again. Without a word, he reached out and grabbed the braid bun on the back of her head.

"Ouch! Pain, pain, pain!"

Being at his mercy, Ye Qing didn't dare to move. She quickly raised her hands in surrender.

Gu Weidong, looking completely at ease, gazed at the shortie who only reached his chest:

"Are you a rabbit? Why do you always run when you see me? What are you running from?"

"You think with your short legs, I couldn't catch you even if I was hopping on one leg?"

Ye Qing was so angry she wanted to hit someone:

"Big brother, it's fine to catch people's little mistakes, but you can't humiliate them so bluntly. What's wrong with having short legs? Did I eat the rice from your house?"

Hey, this little rabbit sure has a sharp tongue! Gu Weidong was amused:

"You're proud of lying to me, huh? Who was it that said their family was so poor they couldn't even make ends meet, and several younger siblings were starving, waiting for me to bring back fruit? I actually fell for your nonsense! At my age, of all things, to be deceived by a young girl like you!"

Ye Qing: ……

Unexpectedly, this PLA comrade had such a good memory. The nonsense she had made up in She Mountain, he actually kept in his head and brought it up again now, leaving Ye Qing speechless and unsure how to refute.

"Alright, I'll lay my cards on the table, but can you untie my braid first?"

Gu Weidong looked at this feisty little thing. With such a small frame, he could probably lift her with one hand. So he let go of her braid.

"I am a resident of Shen City. About a month ago, my parents secretly signed me up to go to the countryside without telling me. I only found out when the revolutionary committee notified me that I was heading to the Great Northern Wilderness."

"At that time, I really was so poor that I couldn't even afford meals, and I had no money to prepare for going to the countryside. So I went into the mountains to pick some wild fruit to sell in the city for money."

"Then, as you know, I was picking fruits in a tree when those two agents happened to pass by underneath, secretly trading information and planning to kill the person in the trap. So I had to make the first move and take them both down, then headed to the trap to save you."

"Those two agents and you, I did bring all of you down the mountain. The reason I didn't dare show myself and ran when I saw you, duh, isn't that obvious? I thought you actually were a cop. Since I was short on cash at the time, I took the chance to rob those two spies, taking everything valuable on them. I've already blown all the cash!"

"I stole the money, so of course I ran when I saw you and didn't dare blow my cover. I was afraid the cops would nab me and throw me in jail."

Ye Qing spoke with such confidence, wearing an expression of "Don't have the cash? Then take my life, I don't care."

Gu Weidong: …… He'd wasted so many brain cells over this in the hospital, and the truth turned out to be so absurd?

"How much money did you steal from those two?"

Ye Qing counted on her fingers: "Over a hundred yuan in cash, a bunch of vouchers, a few pieces of gold leaves, and a watch. That's pretty much it. One of them also had a fountain pen, but it looked like a foreign item. I didn't dare take it because if his handler saw it, it might alert the enemy, so I left it alone."

Gu Weidong was amused and laughed.

"So you expect me to praise you for being clever?"

"Big brother, how about we make a deal? You can take all the credit for catching the agents, and in return, you let me off the hook. As for the things I took, you pretend you know nothing about it, alright?"

Ye Qing laid her cards on the table, attempting to broker a peace with him.

Gu Weidong's lips curved into a smile, his eyes brimming with teasing:

"So, you stole all that money and spent it, then heroically caught a female thief on the train, earning praise in the newspaper as the unique valiant rose."

Gu Weidong pulled out the "Jicheng Daily" from his pocket, pointing to the large close-up photo of her wearing a straw hat.

"The brave hero everyone's cheering for, that's you?"

As soon as Ye Qing saw the newspaper in Gu Weidong's hand, her face turned red with embarrassment.

Back then, she still had the mindset of the end times. If she could make a fortune through zero-cost purchases, why not do it? Besides, those two spies weren't exactly good people; she considered it robbing the rich to help the poor, planning to quit after one big score.

But who would have thought that what she believed to be a flawless operation turned out to be riddled with holes upon review? Even more absurdly, she had walked right into their territory, practically inviting herself to be caught.

Seeing how utterly guilty and remorseful Ye Qing was, Gu Weidong inwardly chuckled. He extended his hand in front of this little brat and commanded without room for refusal:

"Hand them over!"

Ye Qing was taken aback: "What?"

"The money and tickets are gone, but the watch and gold leaves must still be on you. Hand these two items over. With these, I can give a proper account to my superiors. Otherwise, if they don't match the spies' confessions, they might think I kept them for myself," Gu Weidong explained helplessly.

Ye Qing felt embarrassed. It seemed that all the things she had taken were actually being paid for by Gu Weidong. No wonder he wouldn't let her go.

"Uh, just wait a moment. I'll go inside and find the gold leaves."

She had tucked them inside the cover of a book, which was buried at the bottom of a box. It would take some effort to dig them out.

Ye Qing's life in Kaoshan Village was going well, and it was only going to get better. So there was no need for her to cling to those things.

The only downside was that without the watch, she would have a harder time keeping track of time. She would have to think of a way to get another watch later.

Ye Qing went into the house and headed toward the side room, only to find that Gu Weidong had followed her in, leaning on a cane.

Ye Qing had a strong sense of territoriality and immediately tried to dissuade him:

"Is your knee okay? You should rest and avoid walking too much. Getting up so soon might leave you with long-term problems!"

Gu Weidong paused, glanced at Ye Qing, and instantly understood her meaning.

He immediately stopped in his tracks and leaned against the wall outside the house, not moving forward anymore.

"How did you end up in Granny Zou's house?"

Rummaging through boxes, Ye Qing explained,

"When I first came, I was actually staying at Captain Wu's place, but I wasn’t too keen on living with others. Just then, Captain Wu was arranging for the educated youth to move into Granny Zou’s place, so I took the chance to move in."

Gu Weidong glanced around the tidy house and yard, and at Granny Zou’s youthful appearance and rosy complexion. His usually cold, sharp expression softened a bit.

"Granny suffered a lot in her younger days. Now that you're here, make sure to take extra care of her, alright?"

Ye Qing raised an eyebrow and teased,

"Aren't you gonna arrest me and haul me off to the police station? You chased all the way from Shengcheng to Kaoshan Village and finally nabbed this thief. You just gonna let it slide and not press charges?"

Gu Weidong glanced at Ye Qing, who was half-smiling.

"Given how you've saved people and caught thieves, and you've been behaving well here in Kaoshan Village, I'll consider this your redemption. This is over and done with, but don't think you'll get away with it next time. If you pull something like that again, I'll hit you with both crimes, and then don't blame me if I get rough!"

Ye Qing snorted, bent down, and pulled out a book from the bottom of the stack. Inside were several gold leaves. She also took out a watch from her pocket and handed it over honestly.

Noticing Ye Qing's hesitation with the watch, Gu Weidong's eyes flickered. He quickly snatched the items.

Once she handed everything over, Ye Qing's unease disappeared. She glanced at Gu Weidong and suddenly remembered witnessing Wu Yueying and Jian Ming bickering in Qingshan Town. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she blurted out,

"Comrade Gu, are you and Wu Yueying really planning to call off the engagement?"

Gu Weidong checked the watch and gold leaves to make sure everything was in order, then carefully wrapped them in a cloth and put them in his pocket.

Then he calmly looked at Ye Qing:

"I heard from the old lady that many women have been trying to introduce you to potential partners. Is there anyone who caught your eye?"

Ye Qing was immediately on guard: "Why are you asking? What business is it of yours?"

Gu Weidong couldn't help but flash a sinister smile:

"Yeah, whether I call off the engagement or not, what business is it of yours? You're just a little brat, don't go poking your nose into other people's business. Curiosity killed the cat, you know?"

Ye Qing: !!! His words left her speechless! After years of verbal sparring, she had never been defeated in a war of words, yet here she was, tripped up by this youngster!

Seeing Ye Qing's face turn a deep purple, all puffed up like a pufferfish, Gu Weidong felt secretly pleased. Finally, this little trickster had gotten her comeuppance!

Just as he was about to limp away with his cane, he stopped again, reaching into the inner pocket of his green military uniform. After fishing out a stack of receipts, he pulled one out and handed it to Ye Qing.

"What is this?" Ye Qing asked, puzzled.

Gu Weidong shoved the ticket into her hand:

"My legs aren't good, so you'll have to figure out how to get it yourself. You can go to the provincial capital or ask your relatives and friends in Shen City, whatever you prefer. This ticket is valid at department stores nationwide."

Without waiting for Ye Qing's reaction, he limped away, each step uneven.

Ye Qing looked down and saw the ticket in her hand, marked "Shen City Semi-Rigid Earthquake-Resistant" for a watch, issued by the supply section of the department store.

Ye Qing was startled, then couldn't help but laugh.

This Gu Weidong, although his face was a bit stern and his mouth a bit sharp, seemed like a decent guy after all.

By noon, people in the village had started to finish their work and return. Ye Qing was busy cooking in the kitchen when she heard a piercing cry from the neighboring Gu household, which startled her. Thinking something had happened, she rushed to the yard to check.

She saw Mrs. Gu holding her big, strong son, crying and wailing:

"Son, how did this happen? How did your leg get like this? Oh heavens, how could something like this happen to such a good child?"

Ye Qing was puzzled. Gu Weidong's surgery had been done just in time, and he had been in the hospital for nearly two weeks. The wound had basically healed, and with another month of gradual recovery, he would be back to normal. So why was Mrs. Gu crying so miserably?

Then she heard Gu Weidong's voice:

"Mom, in battle, there are no eyes. Such things are normal. If you cry like this, the leaders might think you're blaming the military. Even if my leg is crippled, the military will help with my placement. Worst case, I'll be discharged and reassigned, returning to my hometown to be an unremarkable worker. What, if I'm no longer a soldier, will you not recognize me as your son?"

These words caused Mrs. Gu's crying to hitch, and she quickly stopped her wailing:

"Is it true? Is he really crippled? Can he no longer be a soldier? Is there really no way? Couldn't they fix it in Shen City?"

Mrs. Gu instinctively looked towards Political Commissar Hao.

What could Hao Shaofeng say? He was helpless too.

When they returned, this brat Gu Weidong insisted on putting on a charade, demanding Hao accompany him in this act and forbidding him from revealing the truth to the Gu family. When Hao asked why, this rascal wouldn't explain, only that he had to pretend to be crippled, leaving Hao Shaofeng bewildered.

Seeing Mrs. Gu crying so miserably, and the other Gu family members with red eyes full of sorrow, Hao Shaofeng was genuinely afraid he might not be able to hold back and expose the lie.

But Gu Weidong, that little devil, was truly composed. His hunched back and the look of pain and endurance he displayed were so convincing, as if he had suffered a great blow and his leg would never heal.

Unable to bear the oppressive atmosphere in the Gu household, Hao Shaofeng didn't stay long. After lunch, he quickly left, needing to return to his unit. He had been running around dealing with Gu Weidong's affairs and was both physically and mentally exhausted. He needed to get back to his wife and children, to comfort his battered heart.

"Rest and recover at home, don't think about anything else. And don't cause any trouble. I don't care what you're planning, but don't make a mess that I'll have to clean up after you!"

Leaving behind a single sentence, Hao Shaofeng sped away in the army truck.

After seeing off Political Commissar Hao, Gu Weidong turned around and saw a head peeking out from behind the fence.

The girl was so short that the fence concealed everything below her neck.

She was craning her neck, with only her small head visible. Her eyes were fixed on his left knee, as if she had already seen through his lie.

Gu Weidong halted in his tracks, looked around, and then raised a finger to signal Ye Qing to stay silent.

Ye Qing immediately understood.

Indeed, she had had her suspicions. After she had saved Gu Weidong, she treated his wounds.

She had healed the other wounds with her special healing abilities, but she had left the gunshot wound untouched, figuring that as long as the bullet was removed quickly, his knee would be fine.

If it had been severe enough to cause him to limp, she would have acted right away, even if she couldn't force the bullet out, she would have tried to save his leg with her abilities.

Today, seeing Gu Weidong, she observed that his injury appeared well-healed. With her sharp eyes, how could she have been wrong? It turned out he had faked the whole thing and lied to mislead everyone.

He called me a liar, but you're no better!

Ye Qing couldn't help but think to herself.

But since he wanted her to keep quiet, he must have had his reasons. Ye Qing wasn't so annoying as to expose him in public.

Still, she was a bit curious. She had no idea what Gu Weidong was planning, but since he was keeping it from his own family, he definitely had something fishy planned. She had a feeling someone was about to fall for it!

Sure enough, Ye Qing's guess was right. Before long, the fish came knocking.

Gu Weidong came back, and he was hurt. It was said his leg wouldn't heal and he'd end up a cripple, unable to return to the military, forced to retire to Kaoshan Village to farm.

In just one afternoon, rumors flew all over Kaoshan Village, with countless people secretly asking about the Gu family. Even during work, they whispered, and looked at Gu Zhenxing and his wife with eyes full of curiosity, sympathy, confusion, and even schadenfreude.

Aunt Gu was in a poor mood and, having been distracted while cutting rice, injured her leg. Frightened, Gu Weinan rushed to the Duck River beach to find Ye Qing for help.

Ye Qing hurried back to the village, sutured Miao Cuilan's wound, and asked Gu Weinan and Gu Weibei to join her. They searched for simple and common external wound herbs in the woods at the foot of the back mountain, crushed and mixed them into a paste, and applied it to Aunt Gu's leg.

"Don't get it wet for the next few days, or it might get infected and inflamed."

Saying this, Ye Qing glanced at Gu Weidong, who was expressionless, and finally couldn't resist, consoling Aunt Gu:

"Auntie, don't be too worried. Gu Weidong's leg may not be beyond treatment. Don't forget what I do for a living."

Aunt Gu was visibly shaken and suddenly looked up, grabbing Ye Qing's arm as if she'd found a lifeline:

"That's right, how could I forget? Your flying needles are amazing. You must help my Weidong, Ye Qing. I beg you. I'll do anything if you can cure his leg!"

Ye Qing sighed and patted Aunt Gu's hand:

"I'll do my absolute best to try. You should also stay positive and think of the brighter side. Don't just focus on the worst possibilities. What if Gu Weidong's leg is fine, but you've already worn yourself out? Then this family would really be in chaos."

Murong Ah Po also chimed in:

"Exactly. You're just torturing yourself. Look at my eyes. The hospital said they couldn't be cured, but Ye Qing managed to treat them, didn't she?"

"I'm not fooling you. Yesterday, I felt like my eyes could sense a bit of light. What does that tell you? It shows that Ye Qing's needles really work. Those hospital doctors aren't necessarily always reliable!"

"Didn't you also say that Ye Qing has a magic touch, and there's no illness she can't cure? Gu Weidong's leg will definitely be fine too!"

The Gu family members took turns saying a few words to settle Aunt Gu's restless, anxious mood.

She was getting ready to ask Weidong to roll up his pant leg so Ye Qing could take a look at his injury when Gu Weibei barged in, looking mad.

"Bro, Wu Yueying is here!"