Chapter 40: Saved

Tang Xiaorou couldn’t spare any attention to herself, so the blow landed squarely on her back. She stumbled, almost losing her balance.

Seeing the child’s worsening condition, Tang Xiaorou shouted to Shen Huaixu, “Shen Huaixu, don’t let anyone disturb me, or the child won’t make it!”

Shen Huaixu’s expression tightened. He grabbed Qian Manzhu. “Auntie, my wife is saving him! Don’t interrupt! You’ll only hurt Xiaolei!”

Qian Manzhu was hesitant but didn’t approach again. She kept asking Shen Huaixu, “Huaixu, is your wife a doctor? Can she really save him?”

Before Shen Huaixu could answer, Li Meilian scoffed. “Auntie, Commander Shen’s wife is from the countryside. She probably didn’t even finish middle school. What medical skills does she have? Don’t let her make Xiaolei worse!”

Lu Shan, who had been there all along, saw Tang Xiaorou holding Xiaolei and chimed in. “Auntie, let’s take Xiaolei to the hospital. I heard that treatable patients die because of delayed treatment. We can’t let Tang Xiaorou kill Xiaolei!”

Yao Bingcheng stepped forward. “My sister is saving him! She saved an old man on the train! Don’t disturb her!”

Lu Shan was skeptical. “We were on the same train. Why didn’t I know about this?”

“You were in a sleeping car; my sister was in a seated car. Of course, you wouldn’t know.”

Lu Shan looked at Yao Bingcheng coldly. “You’re on her side! You’re protecting Tang Xiaorou! If something happens to Xiaolei, can you take responsibility?”

A round-faced military wife shouted, “Look! Xiaolei coughed something up!”

The child’s cries followed.

“Wah…wah…”

Qian Manzhu rushed to hug her grandson. “Xiaolei, are you alright?”

Tang Xiaorou breathed a sigh of relief when the boy cried. She pointed to the peanuts on the ground. “Auntie, children are small. Don’t let him eat whole peanuts. He could choke.”

Qian Manzhu looked at the peanuts.  “I didn’t let Xiaolei eat peanuts! I was watching him!” She soothed her grandson. “Xiaolei, where did you get the peanuts?”

“I… I took them secretly.”

Xiaolei hung his head, tears staining his face.

Qian Manzhu couldn’t scold him.  It was her fault for cooking peanuts. “It’s my fault! No more peanuts at home!” Remembering hitting Tang Xiaorou, she felt guilty. “Commander Shen’s wife, I’m sorry! I didn’t trust you and hit you!”

“It’s okay, Auntie. The child is fine.”

Tang Xiaorou wasn’t bothered. They didn’t know about her medical skills.  She urged Qian Manzhu to take Xiaolei to the hospital. “The peanut is out, but his throat might be scratched.”

Qian Manzhu nodded. “Okay, I’ll take Xiaolei to the hospital.”

This time, she wasn’t panicked.  Her grandson’s purplish face had returned to its normal rosy color.  For safety, she still took him to the hospital.

Seeing Tang Xiaorou actually save Xiaolei, the onlookers were astonished.

The round-faced military wife exclaimed, “Wow… Sister-in-law is amazing! She saved Xiaolei!” Xiaolei had looked like he was about to die, but Tang Xiaorou saved him, showing her incredible medical skills.

She introduced herself. “Hello, Sister-in-law. I’m Bai Zhen.”

“Hello, I’m Tang Xiaorou.”

Bai Zhen looked at Tang Xiaorou with bright eyes. “Sister-in-law, can I come visit you?”

“Of course.”

Li Meilian and Lu Shan’s faces darkened. This country girl actually knew how to save people. Was it just luck?

Qian Manzhu hugged Xiaolei and said, “Xiaolei is fine. Everyone, let’s go.”

After everyone left, Tang Xiaorou and the others went to the guesthouse.

Shen Huaixu looked at Tang Xiaorou curiously, as if seeing her for the first time.  When he saw her at the Tang family and she hit someone, he noticed her knowledge of acupuncture points. He didn’t expect her to be a skilled doctor.

Yao Bingcheng said excitedly, “Sister, you’re amazing! You’re so amazing!”

Qin Xueqiong was also proud.

At the guesthouse, Yao Bingcheng excitedly told Grandma Yao about Tang Xiaorou saving the child. “Grandma, the child’s face was purple! Sister saved him! She’s amazing!”

Grandma Yao smiled. “Your Sister Xiaorou is amazing. You should work hard too, or she’ll be embarrassed to have a brother like you.”

Yao Bingcheng clenched his fist. “I will work hard!”

Shen Huaixu said, “It’s late. Let’s eat.”

“Okay.”

During dinner, Tang Xiaorou told Shen Huaixu they wouldn’t go to the family quarters tomorrow.

“The cleaning is done. We need to buy things. Mom and I will go shopping tomorrow.”

Shen Huaixu nodded. “Okay, I’ll have someone take you to the supply and marketing cooperative in town.”

“No, we’ll go ourselves.”

They shouldn’t trouble Shen Huaixu, to avoid gossip.

Qin Xueqiong agreed. “Yes, Huaixu, we’ll go ourselves.”

Meanwhile, the events in the family quarters spread. Everyone knew Shen Huaixu’s new wife wasn’t someone to mess with, but she was also a skilled doctor.  She saved Han Shizhang’s grandson, Han Lei, when others couldn’t.

Qian Manzhu returned with Xiaolei. Seeing her husband, she recounted Tang Xiaorou saving her grandson.

“We owe Commander Shen’s wife a huge debt. I shouldn’t have hit her because I didn’t trust her.

Tomorrow, Xiaolei’s mother and I will thank her properly.”