Chapter 426: Good Neighbor

Chapter 426 Good Neighbors

The tone of the other party’s words suggested she wasn’t someone to mess with either.

Hearing Xiao Xiao dare to clap back, she immediately took a few steps forward.

Kong Xuelan tugged at Xiao Xiao’s sleeve. "It’s not good to offend people right after we arrived on the island."

The woman, Aunt Wu, didn’t get far either—someone nearby held her back.

"Aunt Wu, my husband told me the families who just arrived on the island all have powerful connections. You shouldn’t make enemies."

Only after this reminder did Aunt Wu turn away resentfully with a huff, pretending not to have heard Ye Xiaoxiao’s words.

Kong Xuelan also pulled Xiao Xiao away, heading off a fight.

"I didn’t expect Xiao Xiao to look so gentle but have such a backbone."

Once outside, Kong Xuelan still felt uneasy. If they had really started arguing, what a scene that would've been.

Ye Xiaoxiao: "I’ve done nothing wrong, so I’m not afraid of her. Maybe she just thinks we’re pushovers because we’re new."

Kong Xuelan: "It’s better to avoid trouble. Best not to stir up trouble. And if we clash with others right after arriving, it’ll leave a bad impression."

Kong Xuelan’s concerns made sense. The army unit and navy on the island were still in an adjustment period, and even minor issues could escalate if reported to higher-ups.

Ye Xiaoxiao wasn’t the type to pick fights, but she also wouldn’t tolerate being bullied.

"Of course I know that. As long as she doesn’t say such things again, I won’t say anything either."

Kong Xuelan: "We probably won’t see her much anyway. Just laugh it off."

Carrying their lunch boxes home, since neither of their husbands were out, Ye Xiaoxiao invited Kong Xuelan to eat together.

Meals always tasted better with company, and they could swap some gossip.

It was then that Ye Xiaoxiao learned Kong Xuelan was a teacher. Once she was feeling better and had gotten the house in order, she was almost certain to start teaching at the island’s school.

The island had elementary and middle schools, but educational resources were scarce, and student numbers were low.

However, teachers were in even shorter supply than students.

Someone like Kong Xuelan wouldn’t need special arrangements from the army to find work.

Kong Xuelan, on the other hand, had already known Ye Xiaoxiao was a doctor. From what her husband Lao Li said, Ye Xiaoxiao had even treated many VIP patients. Coming to this small island was practically putting her career on hold.

After finishing their meal and sitting in the yard, Kong Xuelan was surprised to discover Xiao Xiao’s house actually had a toilet.

She went inside to check—while it was a dry toilet, it was built with cement walls and kept very clean.

Compared to the public toilets here, it was practically a five-star hotel-quality bathroom.

"Did this come with the house?"

Kong Xuelan didn’t yet know Ye Xiaoxiao had already efficiently built the toilet herself.

Ye Xiaoxiao: "No... I had someone build it for me."

Kong Xuelan was a little embarrassed to ask, but she truly couldn’t get used to the public toilets, and they were pretty far from where we live, making it very inconvenient.

So, setting aside her embarrassment, she asked Ye Xiaoxiao how the toilet was built.

Upon hearing that it wasn’t difficult and could be done in half a day, she began considering the idea herself.

I can put up with other things, but not this.

"I’m going to visit Elder Sister Gao next door. Are you coming?"

Ye Xiaoxiao grabbed a bottle of medicated wine specially for bruises and sprains from the house, planning to see how Gao Yanfei was doing.

When Kong Xuelan heard that Gao Yanfei had twisted her ankle while fetching water, she also said she’d come too.

"Speaking of which, fetching water every day is a problem too. I’m not very strong—never had to do this kind of work before."

Kong Xuelan came from a well-off family and had a good marriage. Back when she lived in an apartment, she never had to worry about such things.

Ye Xiaoxiao could relate on this topic. "I can’t do it either. Lu Hanchuan’s the one who fetches water for us."

Kong Xuelan sighed, realizing it hit her that island life was even tougher than she’d thought.

She had even regretted coming on her very first day.

When Ye Xiaoxiao arrived at Elder Sister Gao’s house with the medicated wine, Gao Yanfei was balancing on one foot, pouring water.

"What are you doing? You shouldn’t be moving right now!"

Ye Xiaoxiao blurted out, her doctor’s instincts kicking in.

Gao Yanfei was startled. "This one’s okay."

Ye Xiaoxiao, "You still shouldn’t be out of bed. Get back in bed—let me take a look at that ankle."

Gao Yanfei sat back on the bed. "Still hurts some, but it’s probably fine."

When she lifted her injured foot, Ye Xiaoxiao saw that it was swollen up like a bun.

Kong Xuelan: "This looks bad. You must rest in bed and not walk around carelessly. If you take a tumble, you’ll just make it worse."

Gao Yanfei looked at Kong Xuelan. "And you are…?"

Ye Xiaoxiao introduced her. "She lives next door to the east of me. Like me, she’s an army wife who just arrived on the island."

Gao Yanfei: "Hello, hello! Let’s drop by often and help each other out."

Ye Xiaoxiao applied the medicated wine to her hands and massaged the swollen area for Gao Yanfei.

"Hiss…"

At first, Gao Yanfei felt pain, but as the warmth of the medicated wine seeped into her skin, the pain eased into a warm, soothing feeling.

"What kind of magic potion is this? It works so well."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "It’s a medicated wine I prepared myself, specifically for bruises and sprains. But the relief you felt just now was due to my technique—you shouldn’t rub it randomly yourself, or it might get worse."

Gao Yanfei: "Comrade Ye, I had no idea you were such an expert."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "I'm no expert - just a traditional Chinese medicine doctor."

Gao Yanfei: "A doctor? That's wonderful! Doctors are exactly what our island needs most!"

Kong Xuelan chimed in: "Isn't there a clinic on the island?"

Gao Yanfei: "There are only a handful of medical staff there, all military doctors. And even those few can't keep up with demand."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "The real problem on the island is probably the supply of medicines and medical equipment. If even these can't be guaranteed, a doctor, no matter how skilled, is like a skilled cook without ingredients."

Gao Yanfei: "What can you do? We're so remote and sparsely populated, and too far from big cities. But things are gradually improving - at least we have electricity now."

Hai Yan had mentioned the same thing before. The island used to be truly poor, probably not much better than Baishi Village.

As they chatted, it got late and they happened to meet Gao Yanfei's husband returning home.

Seeing so many guests, he looked surprised.

Sun Chao was a tall, slightly dark-skinned man with a square face and regular features, wearing a neat and dignified white military uniform. He smiled at the guests in the room.

Gao Yanfei introduced the two visitors to her husband.

"Xiao Xiao came to bring me medicinal wine. I owe Xiao Xiao and Hai Yan - they took me to the clinic today. If I'd fallen alone, who knows how long I'd have been lying there."

Sun Chao was extremely grateful to Ye Xiaoxiao.

He didn't need to ask her identity - hearing she lived next door, he knew exactly who she was.

During recent military meetings, he'd already met Regiment Commander Lu.

They made a good-looking couple, both quite good-looking.

Though this Mrs. Lu appeared much more amiable than the regiment commander, probably with a very gentle disposition.