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“I’m exhausted.”
Momo flopped onto the lounge chair in the courtyard, finally letting out a long sigh. Xingchen had been the one pedaling the bicycle and hauling everything along the way, yet somehow she felt just as worn out.
**“Wife, drink some water. I’ll cook tonight…. You just direct me.
It’s about time I learned. In the future, I can cook for you.”**
Xingchen was already thinking ahead. Once they had children, he couldn’t expect her to cook while also watching the baby, leaving her with no time for herself.
**“Alright. Everyday dishes are simple enough. Tonight, let’s have braised eggplant with soy sauce and a cucumber salad.
As for the marinated dishes, watch me make them once. Next time, you’ll try. The broth works perfectly for noodles or stews.”**
If her partner was eager to learn, of course, she would support him. Housework was never meant to fall solely on women.
“Good.”
Soon after, Carpenter Liu’s two sons delivered the mountain goods. They paid them, set the next delivery date, and sent the boys off happily.
“A-Chen, put everything down in the cellar. These fish, keep them in the barrel—they’ll live two or three days.”
The haul was impressive: twenty jin of mountain vegetables in seven or eight varieties, and nearly a hundred jin of wild fruit, especially grapes. But these wild grapes were so sour that they were hardly edible.
“Wife, these grapes are way too sour.”
“That’s fine. I can make wine. Grapes like this are perfect for it.”
She had ration tickets from her own family, plus Xingchen’s, and even some from Su Tingjie—plenty for sugar. For most households, using sugar for wine would be unthinkable.
“I really did marry a treasure. I’ll get to drink wine my wife brewed herself.”
He knew wine. He’d been abroad on missions before and seen foreigners savor it. He’d even tried a sip—delicious.
“That’s right. So you’d better treat me well. Otherwise, I might just run away.”
Xingchen couldn’t stand hearing her say such things. He immediately pulled her into his arms, resting his head on her shoulder.
“Don’t joke about that. I’ll never give you the chance to leave me.”
“Hmph.”
She dropped the teasing. She’d only been playing around, but he’d taken it to heart—best not to scare him.
After a pause, Momo asked, “Is there any kind of work here I could do? I know medicine, and I speak foreign languages. Does the army need doctors? Or maybe translators?”
“Wife, what level are your medical skills and foreign languages?”
Doctors weren’t lacking, but good doctors were. Serious cases often had to be sent to big city hospitals, and sometimes patients died on the road.
“I can handle surgeries without a problem. I’ve trained across other departments too. My mother is one of the country’s top surgeons. I might even surpass her now, since I’m younger, stronger, and more open to new methods.”
She wasn’t bragging. The current era’s medical standards were far behind what she knew from the future. Even without advanced equipment, her knowledge was far ahead. And in her time, doctors rotated through all specialties, so she was practically all-rounded.
**“As for languages, before coming here, I’d already qualified as a national-level translator. I had to leave early because of family issues.
I’m fluent in English, Japanese, and German, with some knowledge of French and Russian too.”**
She often read foreign journals, so fluency was essential. Her French and Russian weren’t perfect, but she could manage.
Xingchen’s jaw dropped. His wife was like an endless book—every page revealed something new. He felt proud, but also a little inferior. She was brilliant, while he’d barely had a primary education.
**“Wife, to be a doctor, you need official certification. I’ll ask the commander if you can take the exam. Our military doctors can only do basic bandaging—complicated surgeries are beyond them.
I’ll go now. Wait for me at home.”**
He gave her a quick hug, then headed straight for the office. It wasn’t off-hours yet.
“Report!”
“Come in.”
“Commander.”
“Xiao Lin, isn’t today your rest day? What brings you here?”
The commander valued him greatly, like a favored junior with limitless potential.
**“Commander, it’s about my wife.
She’s skilled in medicine, especially surgery, and fluent in several foreign languages. Could we find a way for her to contribute? She shouldn’t be confined at home—the world outside needs her.”**
**“That’s real talent. Of course, we can’t waste it. You’re truly blessed to have her.
For translation, that’s simple—I know someone in that department. I’ll ask. For medicine, what’s her goal?”**
“She wants to be a military doctor. Her surgical skills are top-tier. She could make a huge difference.”
“Good. Very good. I’ll call the director of the city’s First Hospital. To be a military doctor, she’ll need certification. If she passes the exam, she can join officially.”
The commander was moved. Every time a soldier arrived too late at the hospital, only to be told, “If only you’d come sooner,” his heart ached. They were all men defending the country, yet some ended up disabled or dead simply because treatment hadn’t been timely.
If they could have competent surgeons right nearby, it would save lives.
“I thank you on my wife’s behalf, Commander.”
**“Don’t thank me. If she didn’t have the skills, we wouldn’t take her. But if she does, then I welcome her with open arms. As long as she can save lives, I’ll be the one thanking her.
Go home for now. Come back tomorrow afternoon—I’ll make the calls.”**
“Yes, sir.”
Xingchen left the office building and hurried home.
“Wife, the commander agreed. Both translation and medicine are possible—as long as you pass the exams and get certified.”
“Really? That’s wonderful.”
Momo’s eyes reddened with joy. Ever since coming here, she’d often felt lost. But if she could still realize her worth, then it would all be worth it.
She had grown up an orphan, always relying only on herself. She’d learned that true strength came from within, never from others. That was why she worked so hard, why she studied relentlessly. She had dreams—but in this era, achieving them seemed almost impossible.
Now, at last, there was hope.