Chapter 11: Victory

Lu Zhengxia’s face darkened with anger, clearly not expecting such bluntness from Lin Wan. She huffed and turned away, refusing to speak to her further.

Lu Mingliang grabbed Lin Wan’s hand, grinning. “Third Aunt, you’re going to win for sure!”

Lin Wan playfully tapped his nose. “Stay humble and low-key.”

“Third Uncle says you’ve got this!” he added with excitement.

At that moment, Doctor Jin approached. In his late twenties, he wore glasses with a broken frame tied together with string. Though his features were refined and handsome, his unshaven face gave him the look of a down-on-his-luck village teacher.

He glanced at them, pulled out a wooden board, and rapped it to signal the start of the quiz—clearly in no mood for small talk.

The women gathered around the rickety wooden table and began writing their answers. Those without paper and pencils grew frantic, unsure what to do.

Lin Wan tore off a sheet of paper and lent it to one woman along with a stub of a pencil.

The woman smiled gratefully. “Thank you, young lady. You’re so kind.”

Lin Wan smiled back and began answering the questions.

Doctor Jin’s questions were remarkably professional, reflecting his formal medical training. Without proper study, they would have been impossible to answer correctly. Barefoot doctors in the countryside typically lacked such precise knowledge.

Lin Wan found herself wondering why he had come to the countryside. During this time of severe medical personnel shortages, anyone with even basic skills could have stayed in a city hospital. It was unheard of for qualified doctors to volunteer for rural assignments.

The written test was a breeze for Lin Wan. She didn’t need 39’s hints, she could answer everything herself with careful thought.

Lu Zhengxia, seeing how effortlessly Lin Wan wrote, grew visibly uneasy, clutching her own paper tightly to prevent anyone from seeing her answers.

The other women, who only knew a few folk remedies, struggled with the questions. They scratched their heads, unable even to write the characters correctly.

The woman who had borrowed Lin Wan’s pencil grew increasingly anxious, muttering to herself, “What’s the simplest way to disinfect drinking water? Add… what was it called? What’s the name of that disinfectant?”

Lin Wan whispered, “Boil it.”

In the countryside, boiling was the most direct and practical method of disinfection.

Seeing Lin Wan’s willingness to help, the woman leaned over to copy a few of her answers. Noticing her mistakes, Lin Wan decided not to correct her.

After Lin Wan and Lu Zhengxia finished, Doctor Jin collected their papers and then tested them on common medications.

“Berberine.”

The woman next to Lin Wan blurted out, “I know! It’s for diarrhea!”

Lu Zhengxia scoffed. “Berberine is an anti-inflammatory drug used to treat bacterial gastroenteritis.”

Doctor Jin nodded and glanced at Lin Wan.

Lin Wan, who had memorized the notebook of medications barefoot doctors commonly prescribed, recited, “Berberine is an antibacterial agent effective against various bacteria, including Shigella dysenteriae, Salmonella typhi, and Corynebacterium diphtheriae. It’s most potent against Shigella dysenteriae…” She continued explaining in detail.

Lu Zhengxia glared at her, seething, Show-off!

Lu Mingliang clapped enthusiastically. “My Third Aunt! Amazing!”

Doctor Jin went on to ask about sulfonamides, aspirin, oxytetracycline, and tetracycline.

Lu Zhengxia eagerly answered, confident in her knowledge of common drugs. However, some of her answers were only partially correct. What infuriated her most was that after each of her answers, Doctor Jin would ask Lin Wan to provide a more complete explanation.

When tetracycline came up, Lin Wan added, “Tetracycline has significant side effects. It should be avoided by pregnant women and generally not given to children under seven or eight.”

“Why is that?” Doctor Jin asked.

“It can interfere with fetal bone development, potentially causing deformities,” Lin Wan explained. “It can also damage the enamel of developing teeth, darkening them in fetuses and young children.”

“You’re making things up!” Lu Zhengxia snapped. “Doctor Jin never mentioned any of that!”

Doctor Jin glanced at Lin Wan, clearly curious about where she had learned this.

You’re not Lu Zhengting, Lin Wan thought. Why be so stingy with words? She replied, “I heard it from other doctors back home. I can’t remember exactly who or when.”

It was the perfect excuse.

Doctor Jin nodded. “That’s correct.” This was precisely why he avoided prescribing tetracycline to pregnant women.

Lu Zhengxia, sensing his growing approval of Lin Wan, bristled with anger. But she forced herself to hold back, unwilling to tarnish her image as a cultured young woman.

Doctor Jin was about to speak when Lu Zhengjin rushed over, shouting, “Doctor Jin, are they about the same?”

Doctor Jin glanced at him. “Not even close.”

His flushed with embarrassment, but Lu Zhengxia remained defiant. “Doctor Jin, you only asked about medicine names. What about other skills—like injections or stopping bleeding?”

From his perspective, it was already clear who was more skilled, but Doctor Jin glanced at Lin Wan anyway. Lu Zhengxia’s family had been pestering him for days—sending food, lingering at his clinic, even offering to help with chores. If not for his temper, she might already have been cooking and washing for him.

But Jin Xiangdong had no patience for political maneuvering. He disliked such games and had already decided to choose Lin Wan. When Lu Zhengting borrowed the notebook earlier, he had mentioned her diligence, so Jin Xiangdong had tested her thoroughly. She hadn’t disappointed him.

Lin Wan’s performance left no doubt—she had surpassed Lu Zhengxia, leaving the cadres with no grounds for complaint.

Still, Lu Zhengxia refused to concede and demanded a rematch in injection skills. Without models or patients, it seemed impossible, but she insisted.

Doctor Jin calmly extended both fists. “Practice on me.”

The women gasped. “Doctor Jin, you’re taking too much of a risk!”

He closed his eyes. “Both of you at once. I won’t know who’s injecting, but I’ll know which technique is better.”

Administering injections required precision: the needle had to go in smoothly, with minimal pain, avoiding crooked angles or blood vessels. Many barefoot doctors caused patients bruises or lingering pain. Doctor Jin despised such incompetence.

Lu Zhengxia quickly grabbed his right hand, afraid Lin Wan might injure it and affect his work. Lin Wan thought, Look at you, acting so high and mighty!

She wasn’t afraid of needles. In her previous life, her ailing grandmother often needed injections. To save money and spare her grandmother trips, Lin Wan had learned to administer them herself.

Both women inserted the needles. One arm felt only a light prick, like a mosquito bite. The other burned sharply, like being stabbed by a sewing needle.

“Ouch!” Doctor Jin exclaimed, opening his eyes to glare at Lu Zhengxia.

Seeing blood well up, she panicked and pressed an alcohol-soaked cotton ball to the wound.

“That’s enough,” Doctor Jin waved her away, irritated but unwilling to argue further.

Lu Zhengxia hadn’t expected to be so nervous, let alone that Lin Wan would be so skilled. Her eyes reddened. Why does this woman insist on competing with me when she already has a man? It’s infuriating!

—

Still unsatisfied, Lu Zhengjin stormed off to the Brigade Headquarters, where Lu Zhengting was helping the Accountant with his abacus. Loudly, he accused Doctor Jin of favoritism toward Lin Wan.

But Lu Changyou cut him off. “Zhengting’s wife is clearly more skilled. Choosing her was the right decision.”

Lu Zhengjin muttered resentfully, “Grandfather, you’ve always been upright. But isn’t Lu Zhengting also seeking benefits for his family?”

Lu Changyou shot him a warning glance. “You dare say that?”

Flushing, Lu Zhengjin changed the subject and hurried back to the clinic to comfort his sister.

—

Suddenly, a group rushed over carrying a young man with a bleeding leg wound. “Doctor Jin! Quick, Liu Zi’s leg was slashed by a sickle!”

The gruesome gash made even Lu Zhengjin feel dizzy.

Doctor Jin quickly ordered the crowd back and called out, “Come help!”

Lu Zhengxia rushed forward. “Doctor Jin, I’ve been helping you these past few days. I’m quite handy.”

He almost snapped, Your help is more trouble than it’s worth, but held his tongue. In emergencies, he became sharp and efficient.

Lin Wan washed her hands and prepared supplies as instructed. When Lu Zhengxia tried to shove her aside, Lin Wan snatched the tray back. “Don’t get in the way.”

Doctor Jin cut open Liu Zi’s pants. Lin Wan immediately pressed the artery above the wound to slow the bleeding. Doctor Jin applied a tourniquet and began cleaning the wound.

When Lu Zhengxia reached for gauze with unwashed hands, Doctor Jin barked, “Put it down! Step back!”

Lin Wan calmly rinsed the wound while he checked for debris and stitches. “Thank goodness the artery wasn’t severed,” he muttered.

Impressed by Lin Wan’s composure, he declared, “Alright, you’ve been selected. Report to the Brigade Headquarters yourself.”

He told her to keep the notebook. “A doctor can’t afford to be vague. Study it well.”

Lin Wan agreed gratefully.

Lu Mingliang bounded over. “Awoo! Third Aunt!”

999: [Host is awesome! Xiao Jiu wants to learn from you! La la la~~] 

The other women, thoroughly convinced, praised her warmly. One even laughed and slapped her on the back. “Doctor Lin, you’ve got what it takes!”

“I studied for two years,” Lin Wan said smoothly, reinforcing her cover story.

One woman introduced herself. “I’m Qiu Shuiying, from Old Zhang’s family in the back.”

Lin Wan greeted her as Sister Qiu, and the two became acquainted.

—

Later, at the Brigade Headquarters, children were playing hopscotch. Lu Mingliang immediately joined them.

Lu Zhengting was practicing with his crutches, sweat dripping from his face and soaking his shirt. Standing tall, his imposing presence made Lin Wan glance at him twice. His clear, cold eyes looked even more striking.

She tilted her head back. “He’s so tall!” Sitting, he’d seemed almost her height. Standing, he towered over her.

999: [Xiao Tingting used to be 189 cm, but after his injury he’s probably around 185 cm now. Hehe, the perfect height difference!]

Lin Wan: “……” What kind of functions did you even restore?

Lu Zhengting wiped his sweat and extended his hand. “Congratulations, Doctor Lin.”

Embarrassed but smiling, Lin Wan shook it. His broad, callused hand enveloped hers warmly, making her cheeks flush before he finally let go.

The Accountant then lectured her. “As a barefoot doctor, you hold a special status. Be mindful of your words and actions, and strengthen your ideological awareness. No one will dare bully you—the Brigade will stand behind you.”

Lin Wan understood the warning about Old Madam Lu and thanked him sincerely.

He explained her compensation: “You’ll apprentice under Doctor Jin, earning eight work points a day. Once certified, you’ll earn twelve. The Brigade will cover rations and expenses for study trips.”

Lin Wan readily agreed. Compared to farm work, this was easier and allowed her to study medicine.

After signing the documents, she asked, “Accountant Uncle, I haven’t visited my family since marrying. May I return home for a couple of days?”

He approved at once.

Lin Wan then told Lu Zhengting her plans. He said, “I have something for you.” Unlocking a drawer, he handed her an envelope.

Inside was a stack of cash—at least three or four hundred yuan—and a bundle of grain coupons.

Where did this come from? Is this his secret stash?