Chapter 118: I’ll Tell You a Secret

The doctor was surprised. “What are you thinking? Since you’re the one having surgery, of course, you’ll be assigned to a new ward.”

Upon hearing this, Qiu Qianjin finally felt relieved.

As long as he didn’t have to go back, everything would be fine. Once the surgery was done and he was healed, he could leave immediately.

He couldn’t stay here for even a minute longer.

On the way to the ward, Qiu Qianjin desperately pleaded, “Sis, please don’t make me do these awful things again. I’m afraid I’ll get beaten up!”

“Don’t worry, I won’t eat that half pig’s knuckle.”

Qiu Qianjin swallowed hard. “Alright, that works!”

Qiu Yinuo asked, “Should we tell Mom about your surgery?”

“No! Don’t tell her! You know how easily she panics. It’s not a big deal, but if she starts shouting, she’ll probably scare everyone else.”

This was something Qiu Yinuo didn’t want to mention either.

The village was busy with farm work and the canning factory, so taking time off would be difficult.

Acute appendicitis was a minor surgery. He’d be out of the hospital in less than a week, so it was better to keep it a secret from their mother.

“Sis, I’m sorry you have to run around so much, it must be tiring.”

“You little brat, when did you get so sentimental? Why are you being so polite to me?”

As they were talking, the siblings reached the first-floor ward.

The operating rooms were on the first floor, and the doctor had assigned them a four-person room. It wasn’t crowded, there were no children, and the nurses were diligent about their rounds, so the ward wasn’t as noisy as the one upstairs.

After greeting the other patients in the room, Qiu Yinuo told her brother to lie down. “You rest for a bit, I’ll go upstairs to get your stuff.”

Qiu Qianjin stared at her in disbelief. “You’re actually going back?”

“Why wouldn’t I? I still need to give them a lecture on how to pick the best jars.”

He gave her a thumbs-up. “You’re tough!”

Qiu Yinuo, confident, went back without hesitation. She calmly entered the room under everyone’s watchful eyes and started packing up her things.

At first, the others had planned to lecture her, but before they could start, she was already packing up. “Miss, is your brother being discharged?”

“Yes, he’s better now. Why would he stay here if he’s not sick anymore?” Qiu Yinuo said as she picked up her luggage and addressed the children in the other beds. “You all need to take good care of yourselves and not throw tantrums. Whoever behaves the best, my brother will decide to let you be his little brother. Do you understand?”

“Yes!” the seven little ones eagerly shouted in unison.

One of the children, in a sweet voice, asked, “Sister Jin, did Brother Jin eat the peach preserves and get better so quickly?”

Qiu Yinuo’s eyes lit up. Who was this clever child?

She couldn’t help but praise, “Great question! Yes, he ate the peach preserves and got better quickly. After all, he’s quite the glutton. Eating something delicious makes him happy, and when you’re happy, your body feels better, and it’s easier to fight off sickness. So, listen to your mom and dad and take good care of yourselves.”

The little one nodded seriously. “When my grandma buys the peach preserves tomorrow, I’ll eat it, and I’ll feel better. Maybe I’ll be able to leave the hospital too!”

This logic…

Qiu Yinuo couldn’t help but think that this child was going to be very successful in the future. Full marks for comprehension!

The grandmother of the little radish head twitched her mouth in frustration. This little rascal was still thinking about the peach preserves, and now it looked like she had no choice but to buy it tomorrow.

Thinking about the South China Supply and Marketing Cooperative’s statement that each person was limited to one bottle, the grandmother furrowed her brow even more. She felt a bit resentful and shot Qiu Yinuo a fierce glare, blaming her for this situation.

When Qiu Yinuo met the grandmother’s eyes, which were full of silent reproach, she didn’t get angry. Instead, she took the opportunity to praise the little radish head.

What parent didn’t love hearing others compliment their child?

All the little ones were eager to be Qianjin’s little brothers. Having received his instructions, they were now quiet, which actually made many of the parents breathe a sigh of relief.

By this point, Qiu Yinuo had praised every child in the ward, and the parents were incredibly happy. They warmly saw her off and even praised her sharp eye for recognizing their children’s potential.

…

When it was time for dinner, someone from the neighboring ward rushed in. “Where are those Jin siblings? They’re still not back? They’ve caused all this trouble, flaunting those peach preserves like that. Now my kid won’t stop crying for them, and they’re not even on sale until tomorrow! Where am I supposed to get them now?”

At this point, hearing someone speak ill of Qiu Yinuo, the parents of the little radish heads couldn’t just ignore it.

They immediately switched into defense mode, collectively confronting the person, “Why are you blaming them? If you’d gotten your hands on it, would you still call it a scam?”

“Comrade Jin was kind enough to share something so precious. Her own brother barely got a few bites! And you’re going to badmouth her? That’s just low.”

“My kid didn’t get any either…”

“Not getting any doesn’t mean she didn’t offer. And anyway, what obligation does she have to give it to you?”

“Exactly. Just calm your kid down and get in line early tomorrow to buy one. That’s the best solution.”

The man, suddenly being bombarded, was confused. “What’s going on? Weren’t you all complaining about them this morning?”

How had the mood shifted so dramatically in just one afternoon?

While Qiu Yinuo was gone, Qiu Qianjin had been casually chatting with a few patients from nearby beds. When they learned he had been transferred down from an upstairs ward, their curiosity spiked.

“You came from upstairs? Have you heard the news about those peach preserves everyone’s talking about?”

Qiu Qianjin’s heart skipped a beat. Crap… it’s spread all the way down here too?

“Really? What peach preserves?”

The old man in the neighboring bed smacked his lips. “Yeah, I heard people talking about it. I really want to try that peach preserves. They said it’s soft, perfect for old folks like me.”

“Shameless, you’re so old and still craving food.” The old man’s wife lightly tapped him. “Don’t think about it. You’ll have it in your dreams.”

Qiu Qianjin didn’t dare to speak up, afraid he’d reveal too much. He covered himself with the blanket and pretended to be asleep.

To his surprise, he really did fall asleep.

And in his sleep, he muttered words like “no more” and “peach preserves.”

The old man nudged his wife, wide-eyed. “Did you hear that? The kid’s so hooked, he’s dreaming about it!”

The old lady cast a sympathetic look toward Qiu Qianjin. “Poor boy. He must really be craving it.”

When Qiu Yinuo returned to the ward, the elderly couple in the neighboring bed grabbed her hands and urged her to make sure to buy the peach preserves for her brother.

Qiu Yinuo was baffled. Huh? What happened while I was gone?

Apparently, the marketing had gone too well. Even the patients on the first floor had heard the hype.

The old man leaned in and whispered, “Little comrade, I’ll let you in on a secret. The peach preserves can cure sickness.”