Wang Lingling did not bring a letter of introduction with her. She had no legitimate reason. She couldn't tell the team that she was here to go to the black market. Besides, she was reborn. She had seen the market after it was opened in her previous life, so she always disagreed with the ban on private transactions at that time.
So, she mustered up the courage and ran to the city without a letter of introduction.
But Wang Lingling overlooked one point: the future opening of the market does not mean that the current crackdown will be relaxed. She looked around like this, a young woman who broke into the black market with money and pockets in her pockets, was an outlier in the eyes of the old hands around her.
As soon as the whistle sounded, the old hands dispersed in a familiar manner. Everyone had arranged a place to stay in advance. Even those who came from the countryside to sell agricultural products were smart enough to quickly carry their goods and find a small road to get to the main road. If they were questioned, they would say that they were in the city to visit relatives, or that they were delivering some things to the hospital on behalf of someone in the brigade.
These people scattered, and some of the slow runners were caught, and could only secretly curse their bad luck. But Wang Lingling, a young and inexperienced person, was also caught even though she ran quite fast.
After asking again, they found out that there was no letter of introduction, and there were no ID cards these days, so they couldn't prove his identity. They could only take him back and lock him up for interrogation.
Wang Lingling was almost broken down. She kept saying that she was a military wife and had two children. What was the man's name? He was a platoon leader.
It would have been fine if she hadn't said anything, but once she did, it became even more of a problem. A female comrade seemed to have caught something on her and yelled, "You said you gave birth to two children? Who are you kidding? You don't look like someone who has given birth. Don't think I can't tell! People who have given birth are not like you."
Wang Lingling quickly changed her story and said that she was a stepmother. Her patching up made people think that something was fishy. The Speculation Office, which had been thinking of sending someone to the brigade she mentioned to inquire about the matter, gave up the matter. They thought that this person must have a big problem, so they locked him up and interrogated him first. Who knows, they might catch a bad guy, which would also be a credit to their Speculation Office.
Wang Lingling was locked up like this, and the Speculation Office did not allow her to contact the outside world, for fear that the bad guys would notify their accomplices to escape early.
Wang Lingling was so exhausted that she could not think straight. She could never have imagined that the first big problem she encountered was being arrested by the Speculation Office. She was making trouble like a madman, and this behavior was used as evidence that she had some inside story.
Not only did they lock her up, they also decided to starve her for two meals to kill the bad guy's arrogance.
Xu Shuang and Wang Ying had no idea about Wang Lingling's misfortune. They went to the county hospital one after another.
Xu Shuang said that there were only two hospitals in Nanshao County, one county hospital and one traditional Chinese medicine hospital, and the others were hospitals and clinics owned by each state-owned factory. Now it was like this everywhere, with minor illnesses being treated in the factory hospitals and serious illnesses being sent to the two hospitals.
Of the two hospitals, the county hospital has more doctors and uses a lot of Western medicine, which is expensive. The Chinese medicine hospital prescribes both Chinese and Western medicine, so people with stubborn diseases prefer to go to the Chinese medicine hospital and take the Chinese medicine home to slowly replenish their body.
Wang Ying went to the county hospital first because there was an accident in their brigade at that time and the injured were sent to the county hospital first. Wang Ying's mother also died in the county hospital.
When they arrived outside the county hospital, Wang Ying saw that Xu Shuang was familiar with the place, as if she had been here before, and she was a little puzzled: "How come you are so familiar with this place?"
Xu Shuang: "You don't understand. The black market in this county is divided into several places. Some are in the old residential area, and some are in the factory area. But the two hospitals are mobile. There are many injured people and those giving birth in the hospital. It's not easy to get something good. Sometimes you can come here and find it."
Wang Ying looked at Xu Shuang with some surprise. She had thought before that the money Xu Shuang saved was earned on the black market, but she didn't expect Xu Shuang to tell her the truth so soon.
Xu Shuang pointed to an old woman carrying a basket in front of her: "Most of them are carrying baskets but not going in, saying they are waiting for their relatives to go in together."
Sure enough, the old woman looked around, and soon an old lady with a flowery headscarf came up to her.
"Second sister! You said you were here, why are you bringing anything? Xiaoru of our family just gave birth to a baby, and we are bothering you to come and see her. What's in this basket? Is it expensive?"
The old lady with the basket immediately added: "What's the big deal? These are all my own eggs. I saved them for a while to get 30 of them. They're for my child's health. It's nothing. It's just that it's cold today, so the chickens don't want to lay eggs."
The old lady with the flowery scarf lifted the basket and took a look. She said, "These eggs are really big. My little Ru is in for a treat."
The old lady with the basket: "Of course not! How old is our Xiaoru now? I think she is 25?"
"How can that be possible? Twenty-two!"
The old lady with the basket: "Twenty-two is still a little young."
Flower scarf: "Not young anymore. Her father and I both think that girls should be around 23 or 24 to have children."
The old lady with the basket: "I think twenty-five is better. Besides, it's very painful to give birth in the winter."
The flower scarf said with determination: "Second sister, you are right! Come on, I will take you in to see Xiaoru."
…
Wang Ying was stunned, marveling at the endless wisdom of the working people.
"…How much did they settle for?"
Xu Shuang took Wang Ying to the hospital: "Thirty eggs, a total of two dollars and a half."
Wang Ying was shocked: "It's expensive enough."
Normally, an egg costs less than 1 cent, and even 5 cents is not bad in the countryside. On the other side, an egg costs 8 or 9 cents.
Xu Shuang: "When the weather gets cold, it will be more expensive."
The two walked into the hospital, and Xu Shuang asked the cashier at the front window of the hospital: "Comrade, which department does our hospital collect medicinal materials?"
The young girl who was collecting the fees was very impatient at first, but when she saw Xu Shuang's outstanding face, her face couldn't help but blush a little: "Go left, and go to the department at the end to find Doctor Wu..."
Xu Shuang naturally took Wang Ying's hand and walked to the left. They had to keep a distance on the street outside, but no one cared about that in the hospital.
Wang Ying shook it awkwardly—but it didn’t move.
Xu Shuang also said naturally: "You don't have to take out all the herbs. Let's go to the Chinese medicine hospital later and ask and compare the prices."
"… Um."
Doctor Wu was a bald man who was a bit older. In Wang Ying's eyes, this image was very reliable. So Wang Ying didn't beat around the bush and spread out the herbs she brought.
"Hello, these are the herbs I processed myself. I would like to ask how we collect them here."
Doctor Wu is the person in charge of this area at the county hospital. He has a sharp look and can tell at a glance that these medicinal materials are well processed.
"Let me take a look. Oh, these are Millettia reticulata, Schisandra chinensis, and Dendrobium officinale? Did you make them yourself?"
Wang Ying nodded: "I am the barefoot doctor of our brigade."
Although he has not been recruited yet, he is a barefoot doctor who has already been approved by the team leader.
Doctor Wu rubbed his hands and said, "You have a good skill. If you have more in the future, please send some to us."
The hospital's sources of medicinal materials include purchasing them on its own and uniformly blending them, but there is still a gap in the supply for daily use. In addition, some good medicinal materials are hard to come by, so it is a pleasant surprise to meet someone who knows the business.
"This and this, our hospital is not in short supply, so I'll charge you the normal price, one yuan per pound. Dendrobium is a bit more expensive, but since you've taken care of this, I'll charge you twenty-one pounds. If you have Dendrobium in the future, please come here as soon as possible. If you have any ginseng or snake gall, feel free to send it to me. I can ask the hospital leaders to apply for the price for you."
Wang Ying weighed the price and decided that although it was not high, it was not lower than she expected. However, since most of the patients at the county hospital were seriously ill, the demand for Chinese medicine with strong medicinal properties was obviously greater.
"OK."
With the final word, Doctor Wu put away the herbs and wrote a note to Wang Ying: "Take this to the finance office in front to get the money."
There were several kinds of medicinal herbs, and the total cost was twelve dollars and fifty cents.
The moment she took the money, Wang Ying felt a lot more relaxed.
Spending Xu Shuang's money during this period of time really made her feel a little weak.
The two of them hurried to the Chinese medicine hospital again. The prices offered by the hospital were similar, but compared to the county hospital, the hospital's demand for those expensive life-saving medicinal materials was obviously not as great.
It makes sense. If the patient is on the verge of death in a traditional Chinese medicine hospital, most of them will be sent to the county hospital to see if they can be saved.
After visiting the two hospitals, Wang Ying's pocket was filled with a lot of money, earning twenty-six yuan and eighty-five cents.
"Let's go! To the supply and marketing cooperative!" Wang Ying was extremely generous.
With a smile in her eyes, Xu Shuang took her to the largest supply and marketing cooperative in the county.
The Nanshao County General Supply and Marketing Cooperative is located in a bustling area, not far from schools and factories, and the road in front of the gate is also wide.
As soon as Wang Ying and Xu Shuang entered, they heard all kinds of noisy noises.
The supply and marketing cooperative has only one floor, but it occupies a large area. On one side are counters for large items such as Forever Phoenix. Although it is deserted and the salesperson leans on the counter all day long, don't think that it means business is not good.
Even if you have a ticket these days, you may not be able to buy a big item. Most people have to save up money to buy it. Even if you have all the money and tickets, you still have to wait for the goods to arrive. So the bicycle market is empty, waiting for the goods to arrive.
The sewing machines next to it were similar, also with a sign on them but out of stock. There were some radios on the counter, but looking at the prices, not many were affordable.
On the other side, the place where people sell lunch boxes and thermoses is very lively, with so much noise that it seems like it is not in the same place as the counters.
"Give me half a foot! I want the pattern in the second row!"
"Let me see that hat hanging at the back!"
"Shoes! Do you have any smaller shoes?"
…
The salesperson answered questions at the top of his voice and people swarmed to the front.
Wang Ying was still frightened. Both she and Xu Shuang were not very good at squeezing. What if they hurt someone after squeezing
Xu Shuang was familiar with the route and counted the tickets given by her master first: "There is a ticket for a pocket watch in it. Shall we go buy a pocket watch first?"
Watch tickets are so rare that those who are allocated a watch ticket will certainly be able to afford the watch, so very few watch tickets are available.
It is not fashionable now, but there are still rich people.
Wang Ying didn't care. It would be good to have something to tell time. As for pocket watches or wristwatches, she didn't mind.
"Okay, let's go check it out."
Wristwatches are expensive, and pocket watches are not much cheaper. When I asked the price, the cheapest one cost fifty yuan.
Xu Shuang asked Wang Ying to choose, and Wang Ying seemed to want to pick the fifty-dollar one.
Xu Shuang: "Pick a mechanical heart, otherwise it will be hard to repair if it breaks."
Wang Ying thought about it and agreed. Repairing a watch is a technical job these days. If it breaks, it will be too much trouble. If she doesn't choose the most expensive one, she should at least choose a medium-priced one to avoid frequent breaks.
The salesperson complained in his heart, we are all mechanical here!
But she was not stupid. When people came to buy things, she would sell them at a higher price. She immediately picked out a piece that cost 170 yuan and praised it non-stop.
Wang Ying looked at the round case of the pocket watch with several vertical stripes on it. It looked simple and elegant. "Then let's go with this one."
Xu Shuang paid the money and the ticket, and handed the pocket watch directly to Wang Ying: "Put it on for me to see, make sure there are no small problems that I can't see."
Wang Ying obediently hung the pocket watch around her neck: "How is it?"
Xu Shuang reached out and adjusted the bracelet around her neck: "... Well, it looks good."
Wang Ying was suddenly approached by him. Her face felt a little unnatural and her palms felt a little hot. "Is everything okay?"
Xu Shuang put her hand down: "No problem."
Neither of them spoke, nor did they discuss what to do next. The atmosphere was somewhat awkwardly sweet.
Xu Shuang took a step back: "I'll go ask about the bicycle."
After saying that, he turned and went to the bicycle counter next door. Wang Ying didn't know whether she should follow him or wait here. She couldn't help but think about the way Xu Shuang came over just now.
The salesperson at the side said enviously: "Did you two just get married? You look a perfect match."
She had seen a lot of such sweet couples as a salesperson. Even if they weren't holding hands, one could tell that they were in love. The air around them was as if it was sprinkled with sugar.
Wang Ying hummed in embarrassment. It was hard to explain. Now she said she was not married yet, so she had to explain a lot. She was not familiar with the person, so it seemed unnecessary.
Xu Shuang came back in a moment: "Forever bicycles are said to arrive the day after tomorrow. I have given the tickets and money. I can just come back the day after tomorrow and ride the bicycles back."
Wang Ying: "Oh, that's OK."
The two of them went to the counter selling clothes and shoes one after the other in such an awkward manner.
After a while, Wang Ying no longer felt embarrassed.
Because Xu Shuang simply intended to spend all the dozens of tickets in her hand!
Not only were there women's leather shoes and two coats, but there was also a large bag of cloth with various patterns and patterns that she had to choose from one by one, which made her dizzy.
Xu Shuang was still counting the industrial tickets and discussing with the person at the counter: "Can I exchange three industrial tickets for a ticket for a hot water bottle?"
This is also a small privilege for the salespersons. Some tickets are of many types and troublesome. For example, industrial tickets include general ones, special ones, those for a certain region, and those for the whole country. To buy a specific industrial product, you need a corresponding ticket. At this time, you can only exchange them in the middle.
The tickets in Xu Shuang's hand were given by his master. Some were specific and some were universal. He had to change them before he could use them.
By the time the two of them finished shopping, Wang Ying already had a big red hot water bottle that smelled like plastic, a pair of small leather shoes that smelled like leather goods, two blue thick coats with slightly frayed edges, and a large stack of various cloths...
Oh, and there's a pocket watch hanging around his neck.
Even in the general supply and marketing cooperative, it was rare to see people buying so many things.
Xu Shuang took a look at them and said, "I'll buy some melon seeds and candies later. Think about whether you need anything else. I'll take you there on my bike then."
Wang Ying said woodenly: "Have you used up all your tickets?"
Xu Shuang felt a little regretful: "Not yet. I wanted to buy you another sheepskin hat, but unfortunately they are out of stock."
A shearling hat. Even if Wang Ying wasn’t the one spending the money, she knew it wouldn’t be cheap!
That's the stuff that can only be found in the capital! It's hard to get one even in the capital, and one costs dozens of dollars.
"… You should save some money. You don't go out much in winter, so you don't need to buy a hat."
However, mentioning this reminded Wang Ying of her own plan: "Do you still have industrial tickets?"
Xu Shuang nodded: "There are four more."
Wang Ying: … Never mind. If it’s not enough, just exchange it with the salesperson.
She took Xu Shuang to a counter, pointed at the flashlight above and asked, "How much is that?"
The big flashlight on the counter is just a big piece of iron. The light bulb inside is an incandescent bulb, which looks heavy.
Salesperson: "Thirty each."
Flashlights are expensive, with shiny iron shells, round and large barrels, and they use large size No. 1 batteries. Not to mention in the countryside, few people have them in the city.
Wang Ying felt very painful, but she was still determined to buy it.
It was only after she was with Xu Shuang that she discovered that Xu Shuang had been living in a state-owned hotel and had seldom returned to the team. Especially since Old Mrs. Xu was in good health and everything was stable at home and outside, nothing happened.
But after Xu Ming's accident, Xu Shuang was afraid that someone would knock on the door in the middle of the night. After all, Mrs. Xu was old and had a son with a bad family background. Xu Shuang was also afraid that someone would deliberately come to pick a fight. So he now went back to the brigade every night and rushed to work at the hotel during the day.
The mountain road, which takes at least half an hour to walk, is not only difficult to walk on, but also dark and messy.
After he settled down with Wang Ying, he would come from time to time in the morning and evening to bring Wang Ying some food.
Wang Ying felt that she needed a flashlight, at least to be safer on the mountain road.
"That's it. We have four tickets. Could you please change the remaining tickets for us?"
The salesperson charged Wang Ying two more yuan, handed the flashlight to her, and said enthusiastically: "There are batteries in this one. If you find it's not bright enough later, remember to change the batteries. If it suddenly stops lighting up, it means the bulb is broken, and you can change the bulb."
Wang Ying nodded.
Xu Shuang had been following behind without saying a word. He was alert for a moment when he was taking out the money just now, but Wang Ying pushed him back.
Wang Ying handed the flashlight to Xu Shuang: "This is for you."
Xu Shuang was a little stunned: "Give it to me?"
Wang Ying's ears turned red: "Yes, do you want it?"
They only asked if they wanted the goods after they had already bought them. The salesperson was so annoyed by the two of them behind their backs that he gritted his teeth.
Xu Shuang held the flashlight tightly: "Yes!"
It's winter now, but both of them have red ears.
Xu Shuang held Wang Ying's hand, held a flashlight in one hand, and carried all the things she bought on her back: "Let's go home!"
Needless to say, the way back was crowded with people as usual. Wang Ying thought to herself that it was a good thing that she bought a bicycle, otherwise she would have to squeeze every time she went into the city, which was really a torture.
Xu Shuang took Wang Ying out of the car and didn't tell her to go home first. Instead, she took her to the restaurant first.
As soon as I entered the state-owned restaurant, I saw a man with a round face and small eyes approaching me.
"Master is back? This is my master's wife, right? She is so young and beautiful!"
Xu Shuang's relaxed brows furrowed for a second: "Just call me sister-in-law."
After that, without introducing Wang Ying, she put on an apron and asked Wang Ying: "What do you want to eat?"
Wang Ying had been traveling all day and was thirsty. Xu Shuang brought a pot of soy milk and a pot of water, which she drank up in the afternoon.
"I'll just have some noodles, just noodle soup."
Xu Shuang nodded and went into the kitchen, and the man with small eyes followed him in. At this moment, he didn't call him Master anymore, but just called him Brother Xu.
After a while, Xu Shuang brought up two large bowls of shredded pork noodle soup, and gave the money and ticket to the waiter in front of the small-eyed man.
Seeing that Xu Shuang didn't say much, the man with small eyes took a break and went to the kitchen.
Wang Ying was really hungry. The shredded pork noodle soup in front of her had freshly rolled noodles in a big bowl, topped with crispy green vegetables and half of the golden shredded pork.
The soup base is clear soup, and a spoonful of chicken soup is poured before serving. The golden soup paired with noodles is so visually impactful that it makes people hungry all of a sudden.
After eating a big bowl of noodles and drinking the fresh chicken soup happily, Wang Ying immediately felt comfortable and wanted to lie down on the bed.
Xu Shuang had a big appetite, and his bowl was even bigger than Wang Ying's. He originally paid for two and a half bowls, and after he finished eating, he had another bowl of noodle soup.
After eating and drinking, it was already dark outside.
Xu Shuang sent the bowl to the kitchen and took Wang Ying home along the mountain road.
There was no one on the road except the two of them, and they could hear each other's breathing clearly.
Wang Ying made small talk: "Was that man your disciple?"
Xu Shuang was still holding Wang Ying's hand. They were in this position when they just left the hotel.
"No, he's the kitchen helper in the store, doing the cutting and preparation. But the boss asked me to take him with me."
A restaurant cannot rely on one chef, just like what happened to Xu Shuang today. If he asked for leave for something, the restaurant can't be left in the dark, right
Wang Ying tried to guess: "Is he a relative of that leader?"
Xu Shuang: “No.”
That guy really was admitted through his own efforts. He was originally a junior high school graduate and had a good academic record, so it was not surprising that he was admitted and became a waiter.
But later, this guy saw that there was no money in being a waiter, and thought that the only way out was to work in the kitchen, so he dragged Xu Shuang into the kitchen to work as a cutter.
However, Xu Shuang did not have a good impression of him. This man came up to him and bowed down and called him Master without asking whether he was willing or not.
“He can’t learn it.”
Xu Shuang directly gave this person a description.
Xu Shuang himself was born with a good tongue, and having been influenced by his father for many years, he also loved to study. His master Chen Dong's skills were not very good, but he had an incredibly rich theoretical knowledge.
Xu Shuang has gained his own insights over the years.
That guy named Xie Yuejin has small eyes, weak basic skills and is a cunning person.
Xu Shuang taught him some basic things and told him to practice well, but he got bored of it after a while. He felt that Xu Shuang was not sincere towards him and was hiding her skills from him and not teaching him.
Xu Shuang: "Anyway, I've taught him all the common things in the store. The braising sauce is a recipe I made myself, so he can just stew it directly after I buy it. I can't delay him even if the mountain is closed for two months and I can't go out. There's nothing more he can't learn."
Wang Ying realized it belatedly: "You should have been in the store in previous years, right? Otherwise, how could the hotel give you more than two months of vacation at once?"
Xu Shuang: "The past is the past, and the future is the future."
Xie Yuejin had too many little tricks, which he didn't like in the first place. This was a good opportunity for Xie Yuejin to take the lead and give it a try.
Besides, he is getting married, how can he be separated for two months right after the wedding
Wang Ying then realized that she had started a somewhat sensitive topic and coughed twice.
Xu Shuang seemed to smile gently, then turned on the flashlight.
It was pitch black all around, and in front of the two people was a bright and clear road.
The news that Wang Ying worked as a barefoot doctor in the brigade spread within a few days.
The general emotions of the people in the team can be divided into the following categories.
"Oh my god! I said this girl is good! It's all your fault. You're so slow. Look how fast Xu Shuang is! Not only did she change her class status, but she also got a wife who can make money!"
—These are the family members of a group of young men in the team who regretted not falling.
"Ying girl can, her mother was a doctor at that time, so she learned from her. From now on, our team won't have to look for the barefoot doctors from the neighboring team. They don't provide good treatment and are very expensive!"
"She's so young, is she good enough? Isn't it that the captain is forcing us to do something and is using us as a training ground?"
"Why do you care so much? Just look at it and you're lucky to have someone to practice with! Otherwise, you're going to wade through the snow to find a doctor?"
—This is what most people in the team think.
And there are a few outliers mixed in here.
The first are the couple Wang Yongshun who live next door.
Li Chunjuan spitted: "That little whore, she can treat illnesses?! If she can treat illnesses, I'll take my brain off and let her kick it like a ball!"
Maybe it was because she had given up, or maybe it was because Wang Yaozong comforted Li Chunjuan, Li Chunjuan had recently given up, she was still among a group of women, talking about the gossip of the east and listening to the inside stories of the west. When it came to her own affairs, she would say that Wang Ying was a worthless person.
But the group she hung out with were all well-known gossipers in the brigade. Not only did they spit, but they also said all kinds of things. Tian Youfu couldn't arrest them, so he could only let them be.
Few of these gossiping women liked Wang Ying. She had offended her own family badly by marrying someone of that background. In the eyes of these people, Wang Ying's behavior could be considered unorthodox.
"That's right, what can she watch? Can she bear the consequences if something goes wrong?"
"It's possible that Tian Youfu was doing Wang Ying a favor. Tsk tsk, doesn't Wang Ying coax his little Shitou every day?"
"That's right. I said this girl is cunning. She didn't even leave the house in the past few years, and now she's looking for trouble as soon as she comes out."
…
Li Chunjuan was among a group of people, and she felt very comfortable listening to the words slandering Wang Ying.
Now, there are only a few of them who understand in the whole team. The others are either fooled by Wang Ying or have a mental illness.
How can a person who has severed ties with his mother's family be a good person
Wang Yongshun, on the other hand, was a little surprised that Wang Ying was a barefoot doctor.
He is not a brainless person. Wang Ying graduated from high school and has a good family background. Even if Xu Shuang may have some influence, she can still get into the commune clinic.
How did he become a barefoot doctor
He thought about it so much that his head hurt, but he couldn't figure out the reason.
Wang Ying also started to see patients. Occasionally, one or two patients with headaches or fevers would knock on her door to see her. She would take their pulses and prescribe medicine.
It was cold, and most of the people who came had colds. Wang Ying would prescribe some cheap Chinese medicine for those who were in good health. Since they had a good foundation, catching a cold was not a problem, so she would prescribe some medicine to increase their resistance. For those who had a poor foundation and caught a cold urgently, she would prescribe Analgin.
But Wang Ying also knew that the drug Analgin would be phased out in a few decades because of its severe side effects. If people didn't know how to use it properly, it would be easy to get into trouble.
So Wang Ying prescribed half a tablet and told the other party to eat it in front of her. If it didn’t work, they could take more and go back after finishing.
Refuse to give the pills to the other party.
This was also something Wang Ying knew in her previous life. It was said that the older generation regarded Analgin as a miracle drug. Some elderly people liked to collect the pills and put them in their handkerchiefs. When a child at home caught a cold, they would give the child Analgin without asking a doctor.
In her previous life, she had heard of many cases of children suffering from problems due to overdose of medication, and she was determined to take strict precautions against this.
Tian Youfu watched for a few days and found that Wang Ying was indeed handling the matter very skillfully, so he felt relieved.
He also told Wang Ying about several families in the brigade that she needed to pay attention to: "The woman in Dazhuzi's family is pregnant. She is now more than five months pregnant. She should be able to survive until the thaw. You can just go and check on her occasionally. This is her third child, so it won't be a big problem. There are two other families with elderly people... You can just check on them casually."
Every winter, the countryside is the season of high incidence of death for the elderly. It is not because someone’s family does not have enough firewood and freezes to death, but because the elderly are in poor health. When it gets cold in winter, they stay at home. If they move occasionally, it is normal for them to slip and fall. Even if they do not go out, a slight cold and fever can be fatal.
Tian Youfu knew what was going on and decided not to put this pressure on Wang Ying.
Wang Ying frowned when she heard that there was a pregnant woman in labor. On a snowy day, if a pregnant woman fell, it would be a big problem. Hearing that there were two elderly people, it was even more difficult.
Tian Youfu continued to nag: "The women's director of our brigade followed her son to the city this year, and the new women's director has not been selected. Otherwise, I should take you with me to meet the women comrades in our brigade."
Barefoot doctors not only treat patients, but sometimes they also need to cooperate with the women's director to preach. When the commune assigns tasks, the women's director is asked to mobilize the women.
No matter how capable Tian Youfu is, he should not get involved in matters like this.
Wang Ying: "It's okay, I can go there by myself in a few days."
At five or six months old, children are growing rapidly and many problems may arise.
Tian Youfu was very satisfied with Wang Ying and reminded her, "His wife is a bit of a chatterbox, don't take it to heart."
Wang Ying is very steady. As a doctor, she has seen many strange patients. Those who are a little talkative are not a big problem for her.
While Wang Ying was busy getting back on track, Xu Shuang also went to the county twice to get the bicycle back. He didn't get one the first time, so he caught up with it in the second wave.
The day the bicycle returned to the team, it caused a sensation.
The Seventh Brigade of Shengli Commune, the first bicycle!
Not even Captain Tian Youfu!
Xu Shuang rode her bicycle all the way to Wang Ying's house, followed by a string of little kids. The older kids were too shy to do so, but the little kids didn't care, their eyes sparkled. They wanted to touch her, but were afraid that Xu Shuang wouldn't let them.
The bright handlebars, the sturdy frame and the two big, shining wheels make everyone envious.
"Xu Shuang's family is well-off. They bought this bicycle right away."
"Tsk, tsk, how generous."
"Is this for Wang Ying? Why does it look like it went straight to Wang Ying's house?"
"He's married into the family anyway, so giving it to Wang Ying is also giving it to himself."
"This kid from the Xu family is really amazing, regardless of his background."
…
Wang Ying touched the handlebars. This Forever bicycle was worth one hundred and fifty yuan.
"Just ride it. Don't you have to go to the county to buy candy later?"
In fact, what Wang Ying wanted to talk about was Xu Shuang's "little trick". It would definitely be much more convenient with a bicycle.
Xu Shuang: "Let's both ride."
Wang Ying became a barefoot doctor herself and had an excuse to go to the city frequently.
Wang Ying thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll go again next week. I have to deliver the herbs I have."
She had to hurry to earn as much money as possible and save up some medicinal herbs this month, because after this month the mountain would be closed and no one would be able to go up.
Xu Shuang: "Okay!"
The two of them got along very well and were considered a good match in the eyes of others, except for Wang Yongshun and his wife next door, who were so upset that they couldn't even get rid of the turbid air in their chests.
Wang Ying's life was getting better and better, which made their lives worse and worse.
Li Chunjuan spitted and cursed, which annoyed Wang Yongshun greatly.
"That's enough! If you keep scolding me, the bicycle won't be yours! You'd better think about saving more firewood, because we're going to distribute food for the winter soon!"
This is also the common practice of the brigade. This is the place where grain is produced. Every year, they hand in the grain first. The portion distributed is enough to last until winter, and then the grain will be distributed again in winter.
This was not only to balance the food expenditure in different places, but also to prevent some families from not planning and eating up all the food. When the mountains were closed in winter, they would starve to death or freeze to death.
Tian Youfu gave the order to distribute the food on the 15th.
After distributing the food, the brigade would form a team to go into the mountains to hunt wild boars. At the same time, each household would be busy collecting firewood.
In winter, we need to heat the kang, so we need to have enough firewood.
If there was not enough supply, we had to use it sparingly in the winter. During the day we would go to other houses to make charcoal fires, and at night we would return home to heat the kang.
Speaking of burning charcoal, the earthen kang cannot use charcoal, but the cage brazier can use it.
In the cold winter, you can't just stay on the kang all winter. Visiting other families and hanging out around the fire pot are also important activities in winter.
Wang Yongshun: "Buy less this winter and use it sparingly. Buy more lamp oil because Yaozong will need to read when he comes back."
Li Chunjuan stretched out her hand: "Money."
Wang Yongshun knew that Li Chunjuan was not happy with him hiding the money and not telling her about it. No one could be blamed for this, but he just didn't want anyone else to know about it. So now that the couple was quarreling over this, he was not in the right either.
"I'll get it for you!"
Wang Yongshun took out 20 yuan and gave it to Li Chunjuan. His heart was shaking as he took it. Now he only had 180 yuan left!
He sighed and wondered how Yaozong would find a job.
Wang Yongshun was in a miserable situation, but Wang Ying and Xu Shuang were doing smoothly.
Xu Shuang was afraid that it would be too late after the marriage, so she simply bought everything for the wedding, the New Year and the winter all at once. She bought charcoal alone worth 40 yuan, and unloaded half to Old Lady Xu and the other half to Wang Ying's shed.
He was too lazy to collect firewood so he collected it bit by bit. He took a day with his aunt's brothers into the mountains. The woodcutters and the porters each did their job and they managed to collect two large sheds of firewood in no time.
There was not enough time to make all the cloth she bought, so Old Mrs. Xu took over the job. She made two sets of clothes now, enough for the wedding, and would make the rest slowly during the winter when she had nothing to do.
Old Mrs. Xu asked someone to exchange new cotton and bought two sets of cotton coats and trousers for Wang Ying.
That day, Wang Ying shuddered when she got up. The weather was gloomy and cold, and it looked like it was going to snow.
Xu Shuang: "It's still early at this point. Even if it snows, it won't be heavy."
It's only early November, and the real heavy snow won't come until next month.
Wang Ying sat in the back of Xu Shuang's car, and Xu Shuang helped her wrap the scarf tightly around her head and face. He did the same, leaving only a pair of eyes exposed.
The two of them went into the city to buy candy today. Xu Shuang has almost arranged everything for the wedding. The furniture will be moved in next week, and other things are almost ready as well. The only things left are the meat, dishes and candies for the wedding banquet.
Xu Shuang said that there was no rush for meat, as the brigade would go into the mountains to hunt wild boars, and when the time came, they could get more wild boar meat if they paid more money, plus some of the brigade's task pork, and that would be enough. As for the vegetables, they asked Old Lady Su to prepare them in their brigade, as there were many people growing vegetables there.
What's left are candies and melon seeds, which are used not only for weddings but also for the Chinese New Year.
Wang Ying put her hands in the pockets of Xu Shuang's cotton coat, and rode the bicycle quickly in the cold wind to the county town.
Most of the candies used for weddings in the brigade are common cheap candies, with pear paste candies being the most common. The slightly more luxurious ones are white hard candies, and the county town mostly uses hard candy blocks of various colors, which look good when displayed.
No one would use expensive candies to entertain guests. Milk candies and shrimp candies were only bought by rich families to please their children. Even adults would not bear to eat them.
Xu Shuang didn't intend to stand out in this matter, so she bought some pear paste candy and white hard candy, and also bought a little bit of the colorful candy, preparing to mix the three together, so that it would not be eye-catching but would look impressive.
Then he bought three pounds of expensive sugar.
In winter, people consume a lot of energy when it's cold and feel hungry easily. Having some sugar at home can sweeten the stomach.
Besides, Xu Shuang still remembered that Wang Ying specifically ordered the sweet and sour fish, and he thought that Wang Ying liked sweet food.
The two of them bought some candies, melon seeds and some groceries, and hurried home before it started snowing.
The bicycle was going very fast, Wang Ying had her face covered and a piece of candy in her mouth, both of them were very happy. They didn't notice the two women, one old and one young, on the side of the road.
Wang Lingling was so thin that she looked like a stick. Old Mrs. Zhao wrapped herself in a thick scarf but still kept scolding her.
"Look at you, what can you accomplish? You can get caught even when you enter the city! You are never satisfied and never succeed in anything. My son is unlucky to marry you. You are rough at work at home and you cause trouble outside."
"You're still stupid! You didn't even try to sneak out even though you told me to lock you up! And you even had the nerve to ask someone to call my son!"
"My little Sanzi is so busy in the army! I have to ask a few people to tell me to pick you up!"
"Bah! You are not allowed to eat after you go back! Starve for a few days and reflect on your behavior!"
…
Wang Lingling's face was full of blankness. She stared at the bicycle passing by. On it was a man and a woman. Both of them were covered up tightly. The woman leaned forward with her hands in the man's pockets. The man also stretched his body as much as possible to block the cold wind for the woman behind him...
Obviously, this is the life she imagined!
In addition to being glamorous and beautiful, you also need someone to love you.
But what is the reality
After she was arrested, she was hungry for two days. She originally thought that she could go back after someone from her husband's family came to look for her, but she was detained for a week and the police said that no one came to look for her.
Wang Lingling couldn't stand it any longer, so she reported Zhao Jun's name to the brigade and asked the speculation office to contact the commune, or the army if that didn't work. This would prove that she was not a bad element.
The Speculation Office was also skeptical. The person had been there for seven or eight days, but no matter how they asked, they couldn't get anything out of him. Originally, they didn't hand the person over and kept him for themselves because they wanted to get some information out of him, which would also be the achievement of their department.
In the end, this person refused to confess and said that she was Wang Lingling, who her parents and brothers were, and who her sister married into in Xipo Town.
I asked her this over and over again, and she always answered like this.
In the end, the Speculation Office was afraid that they had arrested the wrong person and messed up the matter, so they called the commune and the army, and finally confirmed Wang Lingling's identity.
The speculator also felt wronged: "Why didn't someone from your family come to look for you?!"
If someone came to explain the situation, they would release them immediately!
This time, they actually caught a military wife.
The speculation office quickly gave Wang Lingling two good meals. Although she had not recovered yet, they handed her over as soon as the other mother-in-law came. They didn't even take away the cloth bag and money that Wang Lingling brought when she came in. They sent her away like a plague god, fearing that she would make trouble.
But Wang Lingling just wanted to make a fuss, but she didn't have the energy.
When Old Mrs. Zhao came, she would just arrogantly scold her daughter-in-law and forgot to find trouble.
The two stood in the wind, and snowflakes were already falling down with the wind. Old Mrs. Zhao was full of impatience. She originally thought that her family had gotten a good deal by marrying a daughter-in-law who didn't cost any money.
But after watching this period of time, Mrs. Zhao was not very satisfied.
Wang Lingling is not good at housework. She didn't do any housework at home before. All the work was done by Wang Ying. Now she has to do it temporarily, and there are always some things that are not considered carefully.
Old Mrs. Zhao looked down on him. She had always thought that this girl was giving herself away for nothing. Now she couldn't even do housework well, so she was no longer picky.
Fortunately, it was good for the two children, so Old Mrs. Zhao pinched her nose and swallowed it.
But this incident really made Old Mrs. Zhao angry. Her son had a bright future ahead of him, but his wife always went to the army to deal with trivial matters. Wouldn't this affect her son's path to success
Taking another look at the dizzy Wang Lingling, Old Mrs. Zhao felt particularly uncomfortable.
When the car arrived, Old Mrs. Zhao ignored Wang Lingling and got into the car by herself. Wang Lingling also moved in.
After paying for the train ticket, Old Mrs. Zhao felt even more distressed. It cost so much money to go into the city!
There happened to be someone on the bus who knew Old Lady Zhao. That person greeted Old Lady Zhao, and the two of them talked about Wang Ying in various ways.
"Oh, you don't know, Wang Ying is very wealthy. She has a house and a job now, and the brigade pays her three yuan a month!"
The name sounded familiar to Old Lady Zhao: "Wang Ying?"
"Yes, she is the daughter of a martyr. She used to live with her uncle Wang Yongshun, but now she has moved out with her own house. Tsk tsk, she found someone with a bad background, but she has a house and land, and she is a barefoot doctor, so she is not afraid of these things."
Wang Lingling looked up and saw Old Mrs. Zhao’s angry face as expected.