Chapter 8 – The Female Military Doctor of the 1950s

“You’re thinking of taking Peach Blossom as your apprentice?”
Su Nan had been childhood sweethearts with her husband—they had been together for nearly forty years. So the moment she heard he wanted to take the little girl herb-picking, she immediately understood his intention.

Cao Xiu didn’t rush to answer. Instead, he gently pulled his wife down to sit beside him, poured her a cup of tea, and explained:
“From what I’ve seen so far, the child’s temperament is rare and commendable.
Her mother’s come over several times singing her praises—I’d say she’s hinting at this, too.”

Su Nan didn’t object to this.
Both husband and wife were smart people, and besides, Xu Hehua had never tried to hide her hopes.
She sipped her tea and asked calmly,
“So, when do you plan to hold the formal tea ceremony?”

“How can it be that soon?” Cao Xiu chuckled as he wrapped an arm around his wife’s shoulders.
“We’ll observe her a bit longer. Learning medicine is about saving lives—character matters more than intelligence.”

Su Nan raised an eyebrow, curious again.
“If the child can endure hardship, has a good nature, and even shows some spark—
would you really take her in?”

Her husband had always been rather stiff, upright to a fault.
He did everything by the book, to the point of being rigid or even a bit proud.
In all these years, aside from their own son, he hadn’t shown much interest in teaching anyone else.

“If she’s truly like that, it’d be my good fortune,” Cao Xiu admitted with a sigh.
“Good apprentices are hard to come by.”

He spread his hand, gazing down at the long, skilled fingers that had saved countless lives, and sighed again:
“I always thought Jingliang would inherit my craft,
but halfway through, that rascal switched to studying Western medicine.
Am I supposed to take this whole body of knowledge with me into the grave?”

Su Nan laughed, remembering what their son had written in his last letter.
“He said it himself—just because he’s studying Western medicine doesn’t mean he’ll abandon the treasures of our ancestors.
What are you sighing for?”

“That’s not the same.” Cao Xiu frowned, stubborn as ever.
“A person’s energy is limited.
Focusing deeply on one path is the right way.”

Su Nan, never one to coddle him, gave her husband a sideways glance,
her tone soft but pointed:
“So your big apprentice didn’t work out—raise a new one.
Why the long face?”

Her sharp look made this henpecked husband visibly guilty.
Still, he insisted:
“Where’s this new apprentice?
She still needs to be observed properly.
Oh—tell Peach Blossom later: let her sell her herbs with ours to the medicine shop.”

In big stores, they took advantage of small sellers.
If she sold them on her own, she’d probably get a third less silver.

Su Nan rolled her eyes.
Stubborn old man.

Meanwhile, Xu Wanchun—certified modern doctor in a child’s body—had no idea the neighbors were discussing her future with such expectation.

She was busy pinching her nose and gulping down a bowl of bitter Chinese medicine.
Then, she immediately got to work sorting the herbs she’d gathered.

Xu Hehua, worried about her daughter’s health, put down her own chores and came over to help.

Whitehead grass (Anemone) wasn’t hard to deal with.
You just picked out the debris and gave it a rinse.

The key was in the washing.
It shouldn’t take more than three seconds, or the medicinal properties would leach out.

Xu Wanchun sat on her little stool, working slowly and steadily.
She wasn’t in a rush—her posture was calm and methodical.

Watching her quiet and capable daughter, Xu Hehua couldn’t help sighing once more about how the Earth God must’ve really blessed her with such a sweet, obedient child.
“When you go herb-picking with Dr. Cao later, I’ll come with you.”

Knowing her mother just didn’t feel at ease, Xu Wanchun was helpless.
“Mama, I’ll be fine on my own.
Besides, if Auntie Su doesn’t go, it’s not really appropriate for you to tag along.”

A widow’s doorstep attracts gossip—
especially when the widow is still young and attractive.
Even if Xujiatun was better than most villages in terms of morals,
there were always a few unsavory types lurking about.

Xu Wanchun had already noticed more than once that some unfamiliar-looking— 

Some unfamiliar men had started passing by their courtyard, craning their necks to peek inside.

And worse, a few spiteful women treated her adoptive mother like some kind of imaginary enemy—spreading baseless rumors and slinging mud for no reason.

If it weren’t for the fact that Dr. Cao, a man of respected status, lived next door, she and her mother might not be enjoying such rare peace and quiet.

Thinking of this, and recalling how Grandma and Auntie Lan always came back fuming, full of gossip and slander, Xu Wanchun suddenly blurted out:
“Mama, let’s get a dog. A fierce one.”

“A fierce one’s not easy to find.”
Xu Hehua wasn’t sure why her daughter suddenly wanted a dog, but her first instinct—being the doting mother she was—was to start thinking about where to get one.

Seeing that her mother didn’t object, Xu Wanchun suggested,
“How about we ask Grandpa Tun next time?”

Xu Hehua nodded.
“Alright. If you want one, Mama will go ask.”

Then she circled back to their previous topic.
“You really don’t want Mama to go with you when you pick herbs? Aren’t you scared of snakes and bugs?”

Just hearing that made her face scrunch up.
The memory of yesterday’s herb-picking trip popped right back into Xu Wanchun’s mind.
Even though she had guts as a medical student, when it came to worms and snakes… her whole body still trembled at the thought.

But her mother really wasn’t suited to tag along.
So she gritted her teeth and said,
“It’s fine. If I go a few more times, I’ll get used to it.”

She remembered how terrified she’d been during her first anatomy class—she couldn’t eat for a whole week. But she got over it, didn’t she?

“If you’re really scared, then we won’t pick herbs anymore. Mama can support you.”
Xu Hehua had always been able to endure hardship—but she couldn’t bear to see her daughter suffer.
If she could, she’d lay the whole path out in advance for her little girl.

Fortunately, Xu Wanchun had the maturity of an adult inside her.
Otherwise, with this level of doting, she might’ve turned into a spoiled brat.

---

That afternoon

Still not fully recovered, Xu Wanchun took a nap.

When she woke up, her body felt much lighter.

She vaguely heard voices in the courtyard.
Stretching lazily in bed, she finally got up.

After getting dressed properly and pushing the door open, she saw Grandma Xu Wangshi wiping her tears again.

Xu Wanchun wasn’t even surprised anymore.
She called out sweetly,
“Grandma.”

Xu Wangshi sniffled and looked up.
“Eh! Your mother said you caught a chill. Come here, let Grandma check.”

Wanchun obediently walked over.
When her grandmother’s coarse hand touched her forehead, she said,
“I’m not feverish anymore.”

“You’re still way too skinny.”
As she said that, Grandma fished out two hard-boiled eggs from her pocket.
“Here, eat these. Grandma cooked them for you.”

“I don’t want them. You eat them.”
Her grandma was already so thin—like a dry twig.

Her words made Grandma Xu beam.
The smile on her wrinkled face deepened.
“Grandma doesn’t like eggs. I brought them just for you. Be good—eat up.”

Seeing that her grandma wouldn’t take no for an answer, Xu Wanchun looked to her mother for guidance.

Xu Hehua’s usually cold expression finally softened.
“Your grandma cares about you. Just take them.”

That was all the permission she needed.
“Thank you, Grandma.”

“Ai-yoh!”
Her granddaughter was changing day by day.
Even when peeling an egg, she made sure to wash her hands first—so clean and well-mannered.
She even said thank you.

Nothing like the other village kids.
Xu Wangshi was both delighted and at a loss for how to show affection.

After a pause, she turned to her daughter and brought up the real reason for her visit:
“About that money—your big brother really didn’t know. Why are you being so hard-headed, Third Girl?”

The moment she said that, the faint warmth on Xu Hehua’s face vanished.
She set down the chestnuts she’d been shelling, visibly irritated.

“You know what kind of person your son is, don’t you?”
“That sister-in-law of mine came over here with his full approval, I’m sure of it.
They’re playing good cop, bad cop with their own younger sister—what’s the point?”

Her older brother wasn’t exactly evil.
When relatives were in trouble, he would lend a hand… but because he— 

As the eldest son, Xu Hehua’s brother was their parents’ favorite. He loved putting on airs and taking advantage of others, all while playing the “nice guy.”
There was no way Xu Hehua believed her sister-in-law, Hu Yangmiao, made the decision to borrow money all on her own.

She knew what kind of person her own brother was—after all, she’d grown up with him.
But still, they were siblings—blood was thicker than water.

Old Lady Xu wiped her eyes again and tried to patch things up.
“Your father scolded them already. Don’t stay mad, Third Girl. You can’t really cut ties forever, can you?”

Every family has its own troubles.
Xu Hehua didn’t plan to completely sever ties over something like this, but she also wasn’t going to pretend nothing had happened. So her face remained cold.

This was the perfect time for their little peacemaker to step in.

Xu Wanchun broke one of the boiled eggs in half and popped one piece into Grandma’s mouth. Then she offered the other half to her mother.
She grinned.
“Grandma, Mama—does it taste good?”

Xu Hehua had only been putting on a show. She wasn’t really angry.
Swallowing the egg, she gave her daughter a mock scolding.
“You little rascal.”

As for Xu Wangshi, sixty years of life and this was the first time someone had fed her like that.
She felt both moved and embarrassed. Still, she couldn’t help but act tough.
“Giving it to Grandma is just wasting a good thing.”

She was the classic self-sacrificing type.

But Xu Wanchun didn’t argue or give a lecture.
She just smiled sweetly and said,
“It’s not a waste. When I start making money, I’m going to buy meat for you and Grandpa.”

“Ai-yo-yo! Our little Peach Blossom is such a good girl!”
Nobody had ever said anything like that to the old woman before.
She felt like the egg in her mouth had suddenly turned sugary sweet.

Watching her mother beam with joy, Xu Hehua glanced at her daughter with a strange expression.
This kid… she’s too good at sweet-talking people.

But Xu Wanchun wasn’t just saying it to flatter them.
Still, feeling a little awkward under her mother’s intense gaze, she quickly changed the subject.
“Mama, why are you mashing chestnuts?”

Xu Hehua looked away and resumed pressing down on the steamed chestnuts in the basin.
“I’m making chestnut cakes to give to Dr. Cao and Sister Nan.”
Then, catching the pained look on her own mother’s face, she frowned slightly and added,
“I can’t pay them back yet, so I’ll bring them some chestnut cakes as a gesture.”

The real reason, of course, was to lay the groundwork for her daughter’s future apprenticeship.
She planned to keep bringing little gifts like this every few days.

But she didn’t dare say that out loud.
If the old lady found out she had money, the whole extended family would know by tomorrow.

Xu Wanchun didn’t know how to make pastries—she only knew basic cooking—so hearing about cakes immediately made her mouth water.

Then Grandma Xu, taking things seriously, assumed her daughter really owed a debt.
She pulled out a wrapped cloth from her pocket.
Layer after layer, she unwrapped it slowly and finally revealed a silver dollar.

“Your father and I don’t have much, but here—take this. At least pay off a little.”

That completely caught Xu Hehua off guard.
Her nose tingled, and she was suddenly at a loss for words.

She hated lying to her mother.
She knew the old woman really cared about her. But she wasn’t the only child—their mother’s favorite was still the eldest son.
If she found out Xu Hehua actually had money, there’d be no end to the petty schemes that would follow.

So she took a deep breath, pushed the silver dollar back into her mother’s hand, and firmly said:
“Mama, keep it. You and Papa use it yourselves.”

Xu Wangshi got upset.
“You stubborn girl! Why are you so hardheaded?”

“I’m fine. If things ever really get bad, I won’t try to tough it out. I promise.”

Xu Wangshi squinted suspiciously.
“Really?”

“Really. By the way—tell me, who’s this girl Shuigen is courting? Why does her family have such high demands?”

—

“So demanding?”

As soon as that was brought up, Old Lady Xu’s focus shifted, and she huffed angrily,
“Shuigen is a good boy. He had his eye on Lao Han’s third daughter—she only asked for a hundred catties of sorghum. But your brother and sister-in-law insisted he marry a girl from the Li family in Li Family Village. That one-wall brick house was her demand.”

Now that was interesting.
Xu Hehua raised an eyebrow.
“The Li family girl—her family has good conditions?”

Old Lady Xu clicked her tongue.
“Isn’t that the truth? Her brother supposedly works in a factory in the county. Your brother got blinded by the idea of wealth—he’s dreaming of sending Shuigen to work in the city too.”
She slapped her thigh, frustrated.
“But is it that easy? Shuigen looks plain, can’t even read a word, and he’s a bit slow in the head. Sure, he’s decent at manual labor, but the city’s not a place you just walk into! He might as well try flying to the moon!”

Xu Hehua rolled her eyes.
“Flying might actually be easier—all you need is a belt.”

Hearing the sarcasm in her mother’s tone, Xu Wanchun couldn’t help herself and burst into laughter with a loud “Pfft!”

Old Lady Xu: [Unspoken reaction]

—

Time passed quickly.

Before they knew it, the day Dr. Cao had scheduled for herb gathering arrived.

Early that morning, Xu Wanchun—fully recovered—dressed in sturdy clothes, thick-soled shoes, and tied-up trouser legs. She packed some food for the road before getting ready to head next door.

Xu Hehua walked her to the gate, still uneasy, and reminded her again:
“Take a break when you get tired, okay? Half a day at most, got it?”

Xu Wanchun reassured her,
“Don’t worry, Mama. I know my limits.”

If it weren’t for fear of village gossip, Xu Hehua really wanted to tag along.

In the end, all she could do was stand by the door and watch her daughter’s small figure grow smaller and smaller until it vanished from view. Only then did she reluctantly head back inside.

She was just debating whether to trade for a fish in the village to cook her daughter a nourishing dinner, when a familiar booming voice rang out from the courtyard.

“Hehua girl! You home?”

Xu Hehua turned her head.
“Lancaosao? You’re here early. Have you eaten?”

Xu Lancao beamed.
“Already did! Came to tell you something. Old He got a few grape saplings from Zhao Family Village. Want to trade for one?”

Grapes? That was rare and fancy stuff.

They already had a peach tree in the backyard, but their little Peach Blossom had quite the appetite. If she could grow another kind of fruit, it would be perfect.
Xu Hehua didn’t hesitate.
“Trade! Can I get two?”

Xu Lancao looked surprised.
“Two? That’s eight catties of sorghum!”

It did hurt a bit, but when she thought about her daughter’s thin arms and legs, Xu Hehua clenched her jaw.
“Deal!”

—