Chapter 42

When the three of them returned home, the house was lively.

Since they had hired some villagers to help with repairs, three village men were clearing debris and making mud bricks. Yin Huaixi looked around, and although she didn’t see her sister-in-law, she did spot her elder brother talking to the workers.

“Brother, we’re back!” she called out.

At her voice, the villagers glanced over, but they were discreet, quickly returning to work once they recognized her. Yin Huaishan, who was sitting by the door, responded with a nod. Seeing that they all looked in good spirits, he assumed the snail meat had sold well today. But with outsiders present, he refrained from asking directly, instead peering curiously into their baskets.

Yin Ning, trying not to laugh, glanced around and, not seeing her mother, asked, “Dad, where did Mom go?”

“Your mom? She went over to Xiao Man’s house. Xiao Man’s mother originally wanted to find your aunt, but when she found out that your mother could write, she asked her to come help. I’m not sure what she’s writing, but she should be back soon.”

Yin Huaixi paused, already knowing what her brother was unaware of: Xiao Man’s mother had been worrying about her daughter’s marriage prospects, which had been delayed due to illness. Now that Xiao Man was better, it was natural for her mother to be making wedding preparations.

*Sigh…* Xiao Man was still so young; marrying too early could harm her health.

Feeling somewhat helpless, Yin Huaixi turned back to her daughter, who was calling her.

“Mom, what’s on your mind? You didn’t hear me.”

“Nothing. What did you say?”

“I said that woman from the boat mentioned she’d be coming to get something for her daughter. Should I start preparing the sauce now? Do you want me to marinate anything?”

Her daughter’s words jogged Yin Huaixi’s memory of their promise to the woman on the boat.

“No need to marinate anything special, just cut a bit more carrot.”

Carrots are nutritious, especially good for pregnant women. If the young wife wants something even more nourishing, she could add some chicken or duck later. This didn’t concern Yin Huaixi much; her daughter could handle it.

After putting away the items from her basket, Yin Huaixi went to the kitchen to heat up some ointment and then helped her elder brother change his dressing.

The smell of the ointment drifted through the yard, catching the attention of the three men working with mud bricks. They couldn’t help but watch as Yin Huaixi carefully checked her brother’s injured leg and applied the ointment. This wasn’t store-bought ointment; it came in a jar, applied directly with a small bamboo stick, giving it a professional look.

One of the men, named Ayong, couldn’t resist asking.

“Brother Huaishan, did your family make that ointment?”

Yin Huaishan nodded with a touch of pride.

“This ointment is made by my younger sister. She’s a doctor, and she’s been treating my leg injury. The swelling in my left leg has almost gone down.”

He hoped that by spreading the word about his sister’s skills, more villagers would come to her, and she wouldn’t have to go out to earn money.

Yin Huaixi was pleased with this. Following the path of medicine in this world meant she’d need more people to know her skills to get more patients.

“Brother Huaishan, do you think your sister can help with leg pain?”

Ayong looked hopeful, his focus drifting from his work.

Yin Huaishan turned to his sister, who replied cautiously, “First, describe the pain in more detail. Tell me about the symptoms.”

Ayong explained, “My father’s legs have been hurting for years, especially his knees. Sometimes the pain gets so bad he can’t walk. Lately, it’s gotten worse, and his knees are swollen. We took him to a doctor, who said it was cold-induced rheumatism. The medicine only helps for a few days before the pain returns.”

As Yin Huaixi listened and nodded, she understood that the diagnosis was correct: rheumatism, common among fishermen exposed to cold and damp conditions. Early-stage rheumatism could be cured, but for long-term cases, it could only be managed. Although she didn’t have acupuncture needles, there were ways to ease the pain.

“How about it, little sister? Can you help?” her brother asked.

“Cold-induced rheumatism can’t be cured, but it can be managed,” she explained.

Ayong looked disappointed but nodded. “That’s what the city doctor said too. He prescribed some pain-relieving medicine, but it only works for a few days.”

Fishing families didn’t have the money to keep buying medicine, so after two doses, Ayong’s father had refused to buy more and endured the pain. The whole family felt helpless watching him suffer, motivating them to try to earn more. Hearing about the work at Yin’s house, Ayong had immediately taken the opportunity.

“If you trust me,” Yin Huaixi said, “bring your father over sometime, and I’ll take a look. I can’t guarantee a cure, but I can reduce his pain by seventy or eighty percent, enough to walk without issue.”

Ayong was overjoyed and, if not for his work, would have run home immediately. “Alright, Doctor Yin! I’ll bring my father over tomorrow!”

Excited, he resumed working with renewed energy. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, the two younger girls watched the scene from the doorway, then withdrew, whispering to each other.

“Cousin, Aunt is amazing—she just did…”

“She’s… so… so…” Yin Ning stammered, momentarily at a loss for words.

“Confident, right?” her cousin prompted.

“Yes, that’s it—confident.”

Even though her aunt had grown thin and lost some of her beauty from the long journey of exile, there was now a unique kind of beauty about her, an air of confidence.

“You could be like that too, cousin.”

Jiang Wan was determined to help her cousin break free from outdated ideals of obedience and submissiveness.

“Mom’s confident because of her medical skills. And you, with your embroidery skills—you can be confident too! You can make money on your own. I think you’re amazing, cousin.”

Yin Ning’s ears warmed at her cousin’s praise. Could she really be as skilled as Jiang Wan said? Her embroidery…

Oh no! It had been months since she’d last picked up a needle; she wondered if she’d gotten rusty. She’d better practice right away.

Yin Ning hurried off to wash her hands, then grabbed the handkerchief she’d bought from the embroidery shop along with her needle and thread and went inside.

What pattern should she embroider?

She recalled some handkerchiefs she’d seen in the shop with designs of flowers, birds, and fish. She decided to go with something similar to make it easier for the shop owner to assess her skills.

A scene of fish playing among lotus leaves would be perfect. She certainly had a vivid impression of fish—especially with how her cousin had smashed them against the rocks with such gusto! That sight had even appeared in her dreams a few times…