Chapter 7 – The Female Military Doctor of the 1950s

“Mom, aren’t we going to go over and take a look?”
Seeing her mother not only hold back but even tug the donkey to retreat, Xu Wanchun grew anxious.

Xu Hehua shot her daughter a glare.
“Look at what? Just look at your neck stretching like that. Pull it back!”

Deprived of all entertainment in this era, Xu Wanchun sighed.
“I’m just curious, that’s all.”

“What’s there to be curious about? It has nothing to do with us.”
Meeting in a place like this could only mean something wasn’t going smoothly—either the family didn’t approve or the betrothal gifts couldn’t be agreed upon.
As an elder, it wasn’t proper to eavesdrop on the younger generation’s affairs.

Especially since she and her sister-in-law weren’t exactly close, Xu Hehua had no interest in meddling in her son’s personal matters.
Of course, she wouldn’t gossip about it behind anyone’s back either.
Thinking of this, she turned to her daughter and warned her,
“We never saw this, you hear me? Don’t breathe a word to anyone.”

“I got it!” Xu Wanchun wasn’t stupid.
She just thought life was too boring and was itching for some gossip to snack on.

The mother and daughter lingered at the spot for half an hour.
Only when the daylight had fully brightened did they mount the donkey and continue their journey.

When they passed the Earth God Temple, Xu Hehua led her daughter in to give it a thorough cleaning, inside and out.
She then offered up two large white steamed buns as tribute.

As they left, Xu Wanchun voiced the question in her heart:
“Mom, do you believe in gods and Buddhas?”

Those were two white buns—her foster mother usually couldn’t bear to eat them herself.
But in a few years, she remembered, the movement to “Smash the Four Olds” would begin. By then, this weathered old temple probably wouldn’t survive.

Xu Hehua instinctively turned to look at the cracked, solemn statue.
She neither confirmed nor denied her faith, only murmured softly,
“Just repaying a wish.”

Xu Wanchun was curious about what wish her mother had made,
but she didn’t ask.
Instead, she reached up her small hand and slipped it into her mother’s rough, calloused palm.
When her mother looked down, she gave her a radiant smile.

Smiles are contagious.
In an instant, the chill in Xu Hehua’s heart was swept away, and her mood brightened completely.

---

The back mountain of Xujia Village bordered Lijia Village.

It was quite large, though it had no particularly beautiful scenery, and its name was as ordinary as they come—Qingshan (Green Mountain).

And yet it was precisely this unremarkable mountain range that had fed the surrounding villages for miles around during years of famine.

Now in May, with the permafrost just beginning to thaw and the spring rains soaking the land, the mountain was not only a grain storehouse for villagers but a treasure trove for herbal gatherers.

Within just an hour of entering the mountain, Xu Hehua had already harvested a bounty:
fiddlehead ferns, thorny shoots, cloud ear fungus, hazel mushrooms—nearly a whole basket full.
She even came across a raspberry bush that would be ripe by the end of the month.

Xu Wanchun, on the other hand, who came in full of confidence hoping to find herbs, wasn’t so lucky.
Her basket only had a thin layer at the bottom.

Mainly because she didn’t know many herbs yet—
and even fewer were in season for harvesting in May.

For example, she’d come across a large patch of honeysuckle earlier,
but the flower buds hadn’t opened yet.
They’d need another half a month before they could be picked.

Hopefully, no one else would beat her to it—
a patch that big could be worth at least two yuan!

Of course, if someone did get there first, Xu Wanchun would only feel regret for a few seconds.

After all, there was an entire mountain range out there waiting to be conquered!

So even though her harvest fell short of expectations, she didn’t get discouraged.

Herbal medicine had to be learned slowly.
If she could recognize ten types now, she could eventually recognize hundreds.
When it came to studying medicine, she had plenty of patience.

Despite her determination, Xu Wanchun still peeked over now and then—
even curiosity needs a bit of relief.

Maybe the mountain god approved of her steady attitude, because just around noon,
when the mother and daughter were looking for a place to eat lunch, they stumbled upon a patch of blooming Bai Tou Weng (Chinese pulsatilla).

These plants spread their seeds much like dandelions—carried by the wind to wherever it takes them—
so usually, pulsatilla only grew scattered or in small patches.

Xu Wanchun was lucky.
What she found was a whole little patch in full bloom.

After carefully confirming they were indeed Bai Tou Weng and not similar-looking wild cotton,
she wasted no time.
As soon as lunch was over, she grabbed a breathable coarse cloth bag and started picking.

Considering that they were nearly past peak bloom,
she spent most of the afternoon focused solely on harvesting them.

By the time they descended the mountain,
she’d collected a solid five to six jin (2.5–3kg) of Bai Tou Weng alone.

Adding in the other bits of medicinal herbs here and there,
her day’s work would bring in four to five mao (cents).

That might not sound like much—
but in those days, it was enough to buy over a jin (half a kilo) of pork.

It’s always tough getting started,
but when she thought about it that way, it didn’t seem so bad.

She went up the mountain full of hope,
picked herbs with great enthusiasm,
and returned home… completely wiped out.

She had overestimated her own physical strength.
Although she’d gained some flesh on the outside,
her underlying health was still severely depleted.

By the time she got home, still perched on the donkey’s back,
she barely made it through the gate before falling fast asleep.

---

When she opened her eyes again, it was already the next morning.

Her whole body ached,
her throat burned,
and her mouth tasted bitter—
she’d worked herself into a cold.

Staring blankly at the ceiling for quite a while,
Xu Wanchun finally tried to sit up.

After putting on her shoes and testing her legs with a few steps, she was relieved.

Not too bad—
nothing serious.
A couple days of rest and she should recover just fine.

Her only concern now was whether her adoptive mother would forbid her from going herb picking again.
At the thought, Xu Wanchun grew restless and quickly headed out of the bedroom.

“You’re awake? Come here and let Mama see if you’re still warm.”
Xu Hehua was squatting by the stove cooking breakfast.
The moment she saw her daughter, she waved her over with concern.

Xu Wanchun ran over, and once her mother’s hand touched her forehead and she saw there was no sign of anger, she rasped,
“Did I have a fever last night?”
She had no memory of it.

Xu Hehua didn’t feel much heat, but she still didn’t feel reassured.
“Mhm, you had a fever last night.
Uncle Cao prescribed you some medicine.
After breakfast, I’ll take you next door for a check-up.”

Great—
a whole day’s labor wasn’t even enough to cover the medicine bill.
Xu Wanchun sighed.
“Okay then, Mom…
Until I’m fully recovered, I’ll only gather herbs for half a day each time.”

That sentence instantly choked back all of Xu Hehua’s prepared scolding.
She patted her daughter’s slightly prickly short hair and said,
“As long as you know your limits.”

If her daughter wasn’t stubborn about it,
everything was negotiable.
Xu Wanchun felt her energy returning.

She picked up the coarse cloth she used for brushing her teeth, dipped it in salt water,
and while scrubbing, asked through a mouthful of foam,
“Mom, where’s the medicinal herbs I brought back yesterday?”

Xu Hehua nodded toward the top of the cupboard.
“They’re spread out on the wicker tray up there.”

Xu Wanchun followed her gaze,
confirmed that the herbs were being aired properly,
and finally relaxed.
“They can’t be left for too long.
After breakfast, let’s sort them—remove any dried leaves, dirt, stuff like that…
Oh, and we need to give them a quick wash.”

Xu Hehua, rare to show a stern face to her daughter, said coolly,
“We go next door first after breakfast.
Uncle Cao said he needs to check on you.
Once he gives the all-clear, I’ll help you sort them.”

Xu Wanchun really wanted to argue that she was fine,
but seeing her mother’s strict face—

Sensing her adoptive mother’s stern attitude, Xu Wanchun tactfully withdrew her head.
“Oh,” she said quietly.

—

After breakfast,
Xu Hehua quickly tidied up the dishes.
Worried about her daughter’s health, she was just about to take her next door.

But before she even stepped out of the kitchen,
the courtyard gate creaked open.

When she saw who had come in, Xu Hehua was less than pleased.
She didn’t show it on her face though—just asked coolly,
“Big Sis, what brings you here?”

The visitor was Hu Yangmiao—Xu Hehua’s sister-in-law.
She was very thin, and her hair was tightly pulled into a bun that exposed her entire forehead.
Combined with her naturally long face, she looked much older than she really was,
despite not even being forty yet.

Acting like she didn’t sense her sister-in-law’s cold tone,
Hu Yangmiao plastered on a smile and walked right in.
“I picked some wild vegetables,” she said.
“Thought your garden greens might not be growing yet,
so I brought some over for you.”

Xu Hehua glanced at the basket she was carrying.
When she saw what was inside, she rolled her eyes internally.
“No need. I went up the mountain yesterday and picked a whole basket.”

The wild veggies were obviously just a pretense.
But Hu Yangmiao didn’t care whether they were needed or not.
She sat herself down on a stone bench in the yard.
“No worries—since I’ve brought them, just keep them.”

But Xu Hehua had more pressing matters to attend to,
like taking her daughter to the doctor.
She was quickly running out of patience.
“Peach Blossom’s sick. I need to take her to see the doctor.
If there’s nothing else, Big Sis, you’d better head back.”

That was a clear way of showing someone the door.

Hu Yangmiao’s eyes shifted to the skinny little girl beside her.
Her gaze suddenly changed.

She had always been firmly against the old folks’ idea of letting Peach Blossom become a child bride for her son, Tie Zhu.

The girl’s fate just seemed too unlucky—both parents dead,
even left to die at a graveyard.
Totally inauspicious.

On top of that, she was ugly and scrawny, like a half-starved chick.
How could she possibly carry children?

Her son Tie Zhu was so sturdy—no way was Peach Blossom good enough for him.

But now—after just twenty days—this girl… didn’t look so bad.
In fact, she was kind of pretty.

Looking at her again, maybe… just maybe…
she was barely worthy of Tie Zhu after all.

Especially when she thought about those three beautiful brick houses the girl would inherit.

If her sister-in-law refused to remarry,
then all that property would go to Peach Blossom.

And if Peach Blossom then married her Tie Zhu,
wouldn’t those three houses become hers?

The more she thought about it, the more tempting it sounded.
Her eyes, which had previously been critical, now turned gentle—even affectionate—as she looked at Peach Blossom.
Yes, this matter was worth some serious planning.

Being stared at like a juicy piece of meat, Xu Wanchun instinctively hid behind her adoptive mother.
She wasn’t scared—just annoyed.

Noticing this movement, Xu Hehua immediately frowned.
“Big Sis, why’re you staring at Peach Blossom like that?
If you’ve got nothing to do, just go home.”

That was a second attempt to show her out.
Hu Yangmiao’s smile stiffened for a moment.
Then she quickly got to the point.

“Your nephew Shuigen is getting married.”

That one sentence made both mother and daughter glance at each other.
They immediately thought of what they saw early yesterday morning…

Xu Hehua wasn’t fond of her sister-in-law,
but she didn’t particularly dislike her nephew.
Then again, she’d only seen him a handful of times—so not much attachment either.
“When’s the wedding?
I’ll bring Peach Blossom along when the time comes.”

Hu Yangmiao’s eyes flicked as she replied with a touch of awkwardness,
“Not set yet.”

Xu Hehua raised an eyebrow.
“Then why’d you come?”

Trying to ignore her sister-in-law’s bristling tone,
Hu Yangmiao forced a laugh.
“The bride’s from Li Family Village. Pretty girl, good family…
so the demands are a bit high.”

At this, she glanced at her sister-in-law again,
hoping she would offer something first.

But after a long moment—

But even after waiting a while, her “good third sister” still wore a sour face and didn’t say a word.

Hu Yangmiao cursed inwardly several times. After letting out a breath, she continued,
“The girl’s side says our house is made of mud and straw, and they won’t marry unless we rebuild.
At the very least, it has to be one-sided brick.”

Hiding behind her adoptive mother and trying not to laugh, Xu Wanchun could pretty much guess her cheap aunt’s real motive.
She quickly turned and slipped out the courtyard.

Xu Hehua glanced back to confirm her daughter had gone next door,
then turned around and said blandly,
“Oh? So Big Sis is building a house now? That’s nice.”

She hadn’t expected that kind of reaction from her sister-in-law.
Hu Yangmiao was on the verge of snapping.
“To build even a one-sided brick house takes a few silver dollars!
Where do we get that kind of money?”

Truth be told, if they really squeezed, they could manage it—
but why should they when their “third sister” had money?

Xu Hehua wasn’t stupid.
Of course she could tell what her sister-in-law was angling at.
She tugged at the patched spot on her jacket and rolled her eyes.
“Why come begging a divorced, married-out woman like me? I’ve got no money.”

Hu Yangmiao fumed.
“No money?! Then how’d you build such a big house?
How come that brat of yours dresses so nicely?
Shuigen is your real nephew—he’s the one who’ll smash your funeral bowl when you die!
He’s a boy! A boy!!
He’s getting married, and you, as his aunt, aren’t giving a cent?”

“What money?” Xu Hehua was just about to snap back—
when a familiar voice interrupted them.

It was Su Nan.

Startled, Xu Hehua turned automatically.
“Nan-jie? What brings you here?”

Su Nan first gave Hu Yangmiao a cool glance—
one so mild and elegant it made Hu Yangmiao squirm in discomfort.

Then she said softly,
“Well, what a coincidence. I was just passing your courtyard when I heard Big Sis saying you had money?
So how about that two silver dollars you owe my family—can you pay it back now?”

Su Nan was beautiful.
She didn’t wear silks and satins, but her clothes were clearly higher-end than anything in the village.
She looked every inch the pampered daughter of a wealthy household.
Even that single cool glance made the bossy Hu Yangmiao hang her head, her hands and feet awkward with nowhere to go.

But upon hearing that Su Nan was actually here to collect debt,
she forced herself to act unbothered, trying to see if this was all real.

By now, Xu Hehua had caught on—
Nan-jie was obviously the “reinforcement” Peach Blossom had gone to bring.

She was secretly proud of her daughter’s quick wit.
But on the surface, she instantly switched to a pitiful tone.
“Nan-jie, you must’ve misheard.
I’m still short right now—can you give me a few more days?”

Sister Hehua was so dramatic.
Su Nan resisted the urge to laugh and instead put on a look of haughty impatience.
“It’s been almost a month.”

“…”

Outside the courtyard, after listening for a bit and confirming her dumb aunt wasn’t exactly a schemer,
Xu Wanchun finally relaxed, turned, and headed back next door.

Inside, Dr. Cao Xiu was sorting herbs.
When he saw the little girl come in, a faint smile appeared on his face, making his already handsome features seem even younger.
He waved her over.
“Come, Uncle will check your pulse.”

That was exactly why Xu Wanchun had come back.
She quickly walked over, efficiently rolled up her sleeve, and asked curiously as she did,
“Uncle Cao, what’s a ‘one-sided brick’ house?”

His fingers lightly touched her wrist as he explained,
“It means only the front side is built with brick, while the other three walls are still mud and straw.”

Seriously?! Xu Wanchun was a bit stunned. That was… a thing?

Dr. Cao didn’t care who was building what.
“Were you disappointed with what you found yesterday? Pretty tough, right?”

Xu Wanchun blinked and cheekily asked,
“You saw what I brought back?”

Such a clever little girl.
Cao Xiu’s smile deepened.
“Your mother showed me.
Said you worked hard all day but only found a little—
yet you didn’t seem disappointed at all.
Really not disappointed?”

Before she went out to gather herbs, Cao Xiu had expected the kid to suffer.
To come back empty-handed, maybe even throw a tantrum.
After all, becoming a herbalist wasn’t easy.

She lacked experience.
She barely recognized any plants.
And the herbs harvestable in this season were incredibly few.

But instead of disappointment, tantrums, or whining,
she was unexpectedly calm and grounded.

Studying medicine was a long road, and Xu Wanchun—who had the soul of an adult—handled it with steady patience.
“It was pretty hard,” she admitted.
“But I’m not disappointed.
I’m not in a hurry anyway.
I’ll take it slow—
the more I study, the better I’ll get.”

Who would’ve thought this small child could speak with such maturity?

No wonder her adoptive mother praised her so much in front of him and his wife.

Cao Xiu withdrew his hand and stayed quiet for a moment before finally saying,
“Your body’s still weak. Take two more doses of medicine.”

Ugh… just the thought of Chinese medicine had Xu Wanchun pouting like a deflated balloon.
With a groan, she mumbled,
“Okaaaay…”

Amused, Dr. Cao chuckled.
Wanting to get a closer look at this unique child, he made a suggestion:
“In a few days, I’ll be going into the mountains to collect herbs.
Want to come with me?”

Wait—was he offering to teach her how to gather herbs?!

Xu Wanchun lit up like a lantern:
“Yes!”