Lin Rong felt completely wronged. She hadn’t done anything wrong; it was that grandmother and her grandson who’d behaved terribly. Was it wrong to be kind? Why was everyone blaming her?

Fuming, she shot an angry glare at Song Wei.

Song Wei: “???”

Is this girl out of her mind?

In Lin Rong’s mind, if Song Wei had just given that pair some meat in the first place, none of this would have happened. So, in a way, Song Wei was at fault too.

In response, Song Wei rolled her eyes.

“Now even if we want to eat braised pork, there is no more. I don’t know when we will be able to eat it next time.”

The educated youths who had barely tasted the pork wore expressions of frustration. Even though Lin Rong promised to buy meat next time, her companions remained icy.

Lin Rong’s eyes filled with tears of frustration, but none of her friends came to comfort her.

When the scene finally quieted down, Song Wei and Heidan had finished every last bite of their food, packed up the remaining buns and bread, and left the state-run restaurant.

Afterward, Song Wei took Heidan to the hospital. She was still worried about his injuries and the toll that working for the Lin family might have taken on his health.

Heidan felt anxious, clutching Song Wei’s clothes tightly.

“We’re just here to check if you’re healthy. If you don’t take care of your health now, you might not grow tall and strong,” she warned him.

That got Heidan’s attention. More than anything, he wanted to grow big and strong, so no one could push him around, and he could protect Song Wei. So even though he was nervous, he obediently followed her.

Song Wei found a doctor who happened to be the same one who had treated her after her accident.

“Back for a follow-up?” he asked.

Song Wei shook her head. “No, doctor, I feel great now, no problems at all. It’s my little brother here who needs a checkup.”

The doctor raised an eyebrow, looking at Heidan’s thin frame with concern.

“Your brother?”

“Well, I took him under my wing,” Song Wei explained with a grin.

The doctor didn’t question her further. He gently took Heidan’s hand, checking his pulse, then frowned and lifted his shirt to see the bruises on his body.

After a full examination, the doctor sighed.

“This child’s been neglected and abused for a long time. He’s severely malnourished and physically exhausted. This could shorten his lifespan, but with proper care, he can recover.”

Although Song Wei had expected bad news, hearing it made her curse the Lin family in her heart.

“What’s the treatment?” she asked, swallowing her anger.

The doctor looked at her thoughtfully. “I’ll prescribe some medicine, but he’ll need to eat well. Meat and nourishing herbs, if possible.”

In this era, meat and herbs were not only hard to find, but expensive.

Still, Song Wei knew it wouldn’t be too difficult for her. The Brigade bordered the mountains, which were full of resources. She’d just need to venture into the deeper areas to find them.

“Okay, I’ll take the medicine then,” she told the doctor.

The hospital bill alone cost her three yuan.

While Song Wei wasn’t too worried, Heidan’s face fell. His eyes watered as he saw her pay.

“Sister Song, please, that’s too expensive. Let’s forget it,” he pleaded, feeling guilty about the cost.

Song Wei patted his head. “Stop worrying; your health is more important.”

The doctor looked at her with newfound respect. He didn’t know the relationship between them, but it was clear that Song Wei, a young educated youth, was going above and beyond to care for a village boy who had been mistreated.

Song Wei turned back to the doctor. “I have a question, actually,” she said with a friendly smile. “If I collect some medicinal herbs from the mountains, could I sell them to the hospital?”

Seeing her genuine interest, the doctor nodded. “Yes, I can make a list of herbs the hospital needs right now. Are you familiar with medicinal plants?”

Her face lit up. “Yes, I know a few.”

He quickly wrote out a list of commonly used herbs, noting their approximate prices, and handed it to her.

“You can bring the herbs directly to the purchasing department and show them this list,” he explained.

“Thank you so much, doctor!” Song Wei said. She cheekily handed him a couple of pieces of candy. “Just a little something for your kindness,” she added, whisking Heidan out the door before he could refuse.

The doctor glanced down at the candy with a smile.

Leaving the hospital, Song Wei and Heidan returned to the county entrance where the village’s ox-cart was parked. They loaded all their items onto the cart.

She handed the cart driver a steamed bun.

Surprised, the driver looked at her, wide-eyed.

“Sir, if it’s not too much trouble, could you keep an eye on Heidan and our things for a bit? It’s just a bun, nothing fancy, as a small thank-you,” she explained with a smile.

Blushing with delight, the driver nodded eagerly. “Of course, no problem. Don’t worry, I’ll look after him and your things.”

He felt slightly embarrassed but was also thrilled to receive a steamed bun, a rare treat these days.

Leaving Heidan in safe hands, Song Wei set off alone to the black market. It wouldn’t be easy to browse freely with him around.

She followed a few people dressed in worn clothes, who kept glancing around as they walked toward a narrow alleyway.

Two older men sat at the alley’s entrance, watching the area carefully. Clearly, they were guards.

Song Wei took a moment to disguise herself, smearing a bit of charcoal on her face and pulling up her scarf before approaching.

One of the men stepped in front of her. “Buying or selling?”

“Buying,” she whispered.

“That’ll be one mao (dime) to enter.”

Without complaint, she handed over the coin and slipped inside.

The black market was bustling with quiet activity. People bartered in hushed voices. There were sellers with rice, cloth, socks, eggs, and even wild game. Meat, of course, was the most sought-after item, with people crowding around stalls selling chickens, ducks, and rabbits.

“How much is the rice?”

“One mao eight (0.18 yuan).”

“Too expensive! Could you go a bit lower?”

“It’s already the lowest price without needing ration tickets.”

Song Wei overheard and peeked at the rice, a hefty bag likely weighing seventy or eighty pounds.

Once the previous buyer left, she approached the seller.

“How much for the rice, ma’am?”

“One mao eight. Only selling because we’re in need of cash,” the woman explained, opening the bag to show her. “Look here, it’s well-dried with no moisture, last year’s crop and still in good condition.”

After examining it, Song Wei thought for a moment and made her offer.

“One mao five, and I’ll buy it all.”

The woman hesitated. This was a bit lower than she’d wanted, but it was a fair deal for the whole lot.

“All right, one mao six,” the woman countered. “It’s the best I can do.”

At last, they settled on one mao six (0.16 yuan) per pound, and Song Wei bought the entire bag—78 pounds in total. That would yield a good amount of rice.

The woman, seeing Song Wei was a reliable buyer, leaned in and whispered, “I also have some cornmeal at home. Are you interested?”

Song Wei’s eyes lit up. “Yes!”

She was planning to buy food from the brigade, but the brigade’s food purchase capacity was limited, and buying too much at once would attract a lot of attention.

Don’t show off your wealth. There are many scoundrels and dishonest people in the village. If they know that you have money, you will be robbed.

After giving Song Wei an address to pick up the cornmeal later, the woman left.