Chapter 19: Only a C-Section Can Save the Baby

“You’ve got pretty high standards, girl. Even the county supply store isn’t enough for you? What kind of fancy stuff are you trying to buy?” Old Zhao chuckled.

“It’s not that I have to buy anything. I just want to look around. If I see something useful, I’ll bring it back,” Su Miaomiao replied.

“To get to the city, we’d have to go to the county first, then take a long-distance bus. Just the round trip takes two days. If it’s just for shopping at the supply store, it’s really not worth all that trouble,” Old Zhao said, not taking her words seriously. He figured she was just a girl from the capital struggling to adjust to life in this little mountain village.

“True,” Su Miaomiao nodded.

The two didn’t talk about it further and continued chatting about medicinal herbs instead.

By noon, no patients had shown up, and Old Zhao had already processed most of the herbs. He looked over at Su Miaomiao.

“You go have lunch first. Come back in the afternoon.”

“Alright.” Su Miaomiao stood up and left.

When she got home, she saw Tang Chunlan carrying dishes into the house.

“Miaomiao, you’re just in time. We’re about to eat. Go wash your hands,” Tang Chunlan called out.

“Okay.” Su Miaomiao washed up and went inside.

Following Su Miaomiao’s example from yesterday, Tang Chunlan had laid a cloth on the floor in the middle of the house and placed the cooked dishes on top.

The meal was simple — a big plate of stewed vegetables, not even a bit of minced meat.

Huo Xinyuan took a bite, and his brows furrowed immediately.

“What’s wrong? Is it that bad?” Tang Chunlan asked.

Huo Xinyuan forced himself to swallow and gave a strained smile. “It’s not that bad… it’s just not quite as good as little sister’s.”

“Really? I tried really hard.” Tang Chunlan took a bite herself and nearly spat it out.

She barely managed to swallow and then gulped down a large mouthful of water.

“Mom, I guess you really don’t have the cooking talent our little sister does,” Huo Xinyuan teased.

“I’d never been in a kitchen before this. If I’d known life would throw us into this mess, I would’ve asked the maid to teach me how to cook,” Tang Chunlan said with a face full of regret.

Su Miaomiao picked up a piece and put it in her mouth, chewed without expression, and swallowed, then took another bite.

“Miaomiao, you don’t have to force yourself to support your mom like this,” Tang Chunlan said, worried Su Miaomiao might make herself sick.

“I think it’s fine. Just a little low on oil and a bit too salty, but it’s still edible with rice,” Su Miaomiao replied calmly. To make her words more convincing, she even stuffed another big mouthful into her mouth.

“Miaomiao…” Tang Chunlan was deeply moved.

Seeing her like this, the rest of the Huo family also picked up their bowls and started eating.

Even though the stewed veggies had barely any flavor, no one wasted any food — every bite was eaten clean.

After all, if they didn’t eat lunch, they wouldn’t have energy to work in the afternoon.

That day, it was Huo Minxue’s turn to wash the dishes. The rest of the family went into the house to take a nap.

When the afternoon work whistle blew, everyone got up and headed out.

Su Miaomiao went back to Old Zhao’s house as usual.

In the afternoon, two patients came by — one with a fever, one with diarrhea.

Su Miaomiao prescribed each of them a dose of medicine and told them to come back tomorrow to pick it up.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to give them more — she simply didn’t have enough herbs.

Thanks to Su Miaomiao’s help, Old Zhao was a lot more relaxed and had already processed all the herbs she’d brought that morning.

Su Miaomiao thought her first workday would end peacefully, but just before closing time, a man in his early 30s rushed into the herb hall in a panic.

“Doctor Su? Who’s Doctor Su?!” he shouted loudly the moment he entered.

“Are you looking for me?” Su Miaomiao stepped out from the house.

“Come with me, quick!” The man, seeing her, immediately grabbed her hand and started running.

“Hey! Daniu, what are you doing? You haven’t even explained anything—where are you dragging Miaomiao off to?” Old Zhao, startled by the scene, chased after them.

Wang Daniu ran fast. Fortunately, Su Miaomiao was well-trained—otherwise, she might not have been able to keep up.

After running for five or six minutes, they finally reached Wang Daniu’s house.

A large crowd had already gathered outside the courtyard.

“Move! Everyone, get out of the way!” Wang Daniu didn’t care who was in his way—he pushed through the crowd, dragging Su Miaomiao into the house.

The neighbors he shoved aside didn’t get upset. After all, this was a life-or-death situation involving both mother and baby.

But some people began to worry.

“Do you think this Doctor Su is reliable? She looks so young. She hasn’t even had a child herself—can she really deliver one?”

“I have my doubts. Daniu’s wife probably won’t make it through this time.”

“I think there’s hope. I heard the village head’s grandson, Goudan, was declared beyond help by the county hospital, and it was this very Doctor Su who saved him.”

“A girl that capable? Sounds like a rumor to me.”

“If it were just a rumor, would the village head have placed her in the herb clinic? You know how Old Zhao is. He’s turned away so many people who wanted to learn from him, calling them too dumb.”

“That’s true. Let’s hope she really can help.”

Inside the house, a woman in her thirties lay on the kang bed, face up and eyes shut, barely breathing.

Her belly was swollen round—she was clearly in labor.

“She can’t push anymore. Daniu’s wife is completely exhausted, and her cervix hasn’t dilated enough. The baby just won’t come out.” The midwife’s hands were stained with blood.

“Then what do we do? That’s my grandchild in there!” A woman in her fifties slapped her thighs anxiously.

“There’s only one option left now,” the midwife said after thinking for a moment.

“What option?”

“A C-section,” the midwife said, word by word.

The older woman froze, but then quickly made up her mind.

“Do it! Cut her open now! I can’t let my grandchild die too.”

“Since you’ve decided, then let’s begin.” The midwife rolled up her sleeves.

She picked up a knife and was about to cut open the woman’s belly.

In rural areas with poor medical conditions, this kind of primitive cesarean was sometimes the only choice during a difficult labor—cutting open the mother’s stomach to take out the baby.

At least one life might be saved.

It was cruel, but better than both mother and child dying.

“Stop!” Just as the midwife’s knife was about to fall, a clear, firm voice rang out from the doorway.

Su Miaomiao rushed into the room and snatched the knife from the midwife’s hand.

“Who are you?! Give me back the knife! One second too late and that child could suffocate to death!” the midwife snapped at Su Miaomiao, furious.

“What are you all trying to do?” Wang Daniu stood protectively in front of the midwife.

“Daniu, your wife won’t make it. We have to get the baby out,” the midwife said, softening her tone.

“Yes, Daniu, step aside,” his mother urged as well.

“You want to cut open Ah Hua’s stomach?” Wang Daniu looked at his mother and the midwife in shock.