Traditional Chinese medicine, while declining in recent years, was still common in this slow-developing town. Many doctors were traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, as blood tests took longer to process.

The news shocked the villagers.

The couple, who had been married for four years without a child, was expecting!

Jiang Xi’s accurate diagnosis, despite her youth, impressed everyone. She had insisted on the check-up, and Pei Jianxiang’s confirmation proved her skills.

The villagers now looked at Mrs. Zhang and Xisheng’s mother with curiosity and mockery. 

Pei Jianxiang and Lu Xiufang exchanged puzzled looks, unsure why the situation seemed off. 

“Why are you looking at others? Shouldn’t we be congratulating them?” Pei Jianxiang thought, confused. As a first-time father, he had always offered congratulations to acquaintances he met, so this situation felt different.

Jiang Xi chuckled and explained, “Someone remembered what happened yesterday afternoon and is spreading rumors that I made a wrong diagnosis. They hope to make others doubt my abilities.”

Pei Jianxiang and Lu Xiufang were taken aback. They knew that detecting pregnancy pulses is not straightforward and felt it was inappropriate for outsiders to be so meddlesome.

They realized the two gossipers were known for stirring trouble and making up stories about people they disliked. Xisheng’s mother and Mrs. Zhang, who were not easily fooled, could sense the mockery from those around them. The two gossipers, embarrassed, hurried off to the fields, their earlier mischievousness replaced with shame.

Auntie Lanhua, who disliked the gossipers, called out loudly, “Oh, didn’t you say He Jun’s wife is incompetent? She actually made a correct diagnosis and prescribed medicine! You were wrong to doubt her. You’d better not come to her for help in the future!” The gossipers, feeling humiliated, stumbled as they ran away.

Jiang Xi, having seen the scene, laughed heartily. The crowd around Pei Jianxiang and his wife resumed celebrating and congratulating them. They expressed their gratitude to Jiang Xi, saying, “Thank you so much! We’re not sure if this child would have been saved without you.”

Jiang Xi responded modestly, “It’s my duty.” The villagers now recognized Jiang Xi’s skills and praised her, eager to consult her for their health issues.

Jiang Xi, feeling overwhelmed by the attention, quickly excused herself and left on her bike. The villagers, enthusiastic about her talent, discussed how they no longer needed to travel to town for medical help, noting how affordable Jiang Xi’s services were compared to town doctors.

The gossipers, realizing their mistake, regretted taking back the small payment they had initially agreed to. They blamed Xisheng’s mother and Mrs. Zhang for influencing their decision.

Jiang Xi, heading to town for the third time, bought medicinal herbs for common ailments and paid a deposit for acupuncture needles, which would take a month to be ready. After completing her errands, she withdrew money and was heading back when she noticed Lu Jianguo and Qin Yue at the entrance of the post office. Recognizing them from a previous meeting, she chose not to greet them and continued on her way.

Qin Yue couldn’t help but glance back.

The girl, about her age, was slender but attractive. Her long hair was tied into a ponytail and then braided into pigtails, which framed her clean, fresh face.

Even though the girl wore plain clothes, she stood out among others.

“What’s wrong?” Lu Jianguo asked.

Qin Yue snapped back to reality, took a deep breath to calm herself, and smiled, “I saw an old classmate, but she didn’t recognize me. Let’s go in.”

Lu Jianguo, somewhat awkward, nodded and they entered.

The couple was there to register their marriage. Lu Jianguo had taken half a month off work for this, and the leaders had expedited his political review to avoid disruptions caused by the three troublesome boys in the family compound.

Qin Yue felt relieved and hopeful for their future. She saw becoming a stepmother as a chance to have three sons without the complications of childbirth. As long as she persevered, she believed she would secure her future prosperity and happiness.

She thought about Jiang Xi, who had recently married Pei Hejun. In her previous life, Jiang Xi married Lu Jianguo, and Pei Hejun died after a coma. Pei’s parents had a fallout with their sons, and Jiang Xi took care of them in their old age. She hoped that Pei Hejun’s longer life in this life would be a positive change. She planned to help Jiang Xi if needed.

Qin Yue felt more at ease with this thought.

_

On the other side, Jiang Xi was riding back to the village.

She didn’t think much of the brief encounter and enjoyed the ride. She had bought most of what she needed, though she lacked enough cloth coupons. The cloth she had was only enough for one shirt per person, not pants.

She wanted to find the black market to exchange some tickets but didn’t know where it was. Tickets were almost essential, and her system points couldn’t be used freely. She also wanted to save up for silver needles, but the system couldn’t be recharged.

Since the original owner was timid and didn’t have experience with the black market, Jiang Xi considered asking Pei Jianxiang, who seemed honest but had managed to build a business in a year.

As she approached the village, it was almost five o’clock. Pei’s mother, who was washing vegetables, saw her return and greeted her warmly, “Xiaoxi, you’re back! There’s sugar water in the main hall. I’ve cooled it for you. Drink it quickly.”

“Thank you, Mom.” Jiang Xi parked her bike and went into the room. Pei Hejun was resting, and Jiang Xi used her system to put the items in her basket.

Jiang Xi came out and called, “Mom, come here.”

Pei’s mother approached and asked with a smile, “What did you bring?”

Jiang Xi handed her a bundle of cloth, saying, “This is for clothes for you and Dad. Please keep it.”

Pei’s mother, surprised by the soft, dark cloth, initially refused, “This! I can’t take it.”

Jiang Xi anticipated this and said, “Mom, I don’t like this color. You and Dad should use it.”

Understanding the cloth was better suited for older people, Pei’s mother accepted it reluctantly, saying, “Alright, I’ll keep it. You don’t need to buy it next time. We have everything we need.”

Jiang Xi smiled and then presented some meat and flour, asking, “Shall we make dumplings?”

Pei’s mother, though pained by the expense, agreed, “Alright, I’ll make them.”

Jiang Xi then inquired if there was someone who could build a cabinet for storing medicinal herbs. Pei’s mother assured her that her husband had a good relationship with a carpenter and could get a lower price.

Jiang Xi made a note and started boiling tonic medicine for Pei Hejun, who had lost weight. Pei’s mother, touched by Jiang Xi’s care, chopped the meat with more care.

Jiang Xi felt content knowing she could care for her family so well. Pei’s mother felt a pang of guilt for how considerate Jiang Xi was.

Jiang Xi didn’t dwell on it. Pei Hejun, a retired soldier, and the Pei family had supported the original owner, and with the system in her hands, she felt it was her responsibility to look after him.

_

Around five in the afternoon, Jiang Ermei and Jiang Sanmei returned with a large haul of medicinal herbs.

Jiang Xi processed the previous batch of herbs and immediately weighed and paid for the new ones. She started working on them, adding two new kinds to her collection. The sisters had gathered a lot.

Jiang Xi was pleased and said, “There’s food on the table in the main hall—one stick per person. Don’t take more.”

“Food?!” The sisters were excited and hurried over. The table had a transparent bag filled with fruit leather rolls—about twenty in total.

Jiang Sanmei eagerly grabbed two pieces, one for herself and one for her sister. The fruit leather, tangy and sweet, was a delightful treat. She exclaimed, “Big sister, it’s delicious!”

Jiang Xi smiled, “Even if it’s delicious, you can only have one. Behave well, and you might get another next time.”

Jiang Ermei was more reserved, savoring her piece slowly and rewrapping the rest to enjoy later.

With food in hand, they were more motivated to help Jiang Xi clean up. They efficiently worked together, and by the time Jiang Xi finished, Pei’s mother was already kneading dough. The sisters joined in to help.

Soon, Pei’s father arrived with others seeking medical advice: “He Jun’s wife, my waist is sprained. Can you take a look?”

“He Jun’s wife, my grandson has had a fever for two days. Should we go to the clinic?”

Pei’s mother shooed them away from the kitchen, “Go wait outside; the kitchen is busy.”

Jiang Xi stepped outside, greeted the villagers, and asked them to wait while she fetched her supplies.

After setting up, Jiang Xi skillfully examined and treated each person. The issues ranged from minor colds to muscle strains. She provided appropriate remedies and reassured everyone, maintaining a calm and proficient demeanor.

When an aunt remarked about Jiang Xi’s thoroughness and commented on her touch, Jiang Xi felt embarrassed but didn’t let it show. She continued with her work, treating each case with care.

Jiang Xi addressed the child’s fever by offering some medicine she bought earlier, noting the cost was the same as in town but offering it at a fair price. The grandmother was relieved and accepted the prescription, appreciating Jiang Xi’s expertise.

After a quick and efficient consultation with the four patients, Pei’s father took time to clean up and close the yard. The family prepared for dinner, which included dumplings.

The kitchen door opened to reveal the aroma of cooking, making everyone’s mouths water. Jiang Ermei carefully brought Jiang Xi a bowl of dumplings, while Jiang Sanmei followed with dipping sauces.

Jiang Xi gratefully accepted the food, noting the well-seasoned dumplings and the delicious chili. The family enjoyed the meal together, savoring the taste and the satisfaction of a productive day.

While eating, Jiang Xi noticed that Pei’s parents’ dumplings looked a bit greener.

She then compared them to her own bowl and her two sisters’ bowls, which clearly had more meat than vegetables. She asked, “Mom, how many dumplings are left?”

“There are ten left. Is that enough? I’ll serve you some,” Mother Pei said, putting down her bowl and preparing to serve the dumplings.

Jiang Xi quickly avoided discussing the stuffing issue, knowing it wouldn’t change if she mentioned it. Instead, she asked, “I don’t want to eat anymore, Mom. Why don’t you make more? There should be enough meat.”

One pound of meat can make over 60 dumplings. With more vegetables, there would be even more dumplings. Why are there only this many?

Meat spoils quickly in this weather.

Mother Pei smiled and said, “You’re leaving tomorrow. I’ve saved half a pound of meat for you to take home. Plus, this is enough for us.”

Jiang Xi was surprised.

Leaving already?!

It was her first time being married, and because she didn’t feel completely at home with her parents, Jiang Xi forgot she was supposed to return home.

Mother Pei, both amused and distressed, said, “I thought you brought this as a gift, but Chan Rou wanted to cook it, so he kept half. By the way, did you bring any other gifts? Or take the cloth back with you?”

Jiang Xi quickly shook her head: “No, no, yes, I have gifts.”

There’s plenty of food at home, so taking some is fine. As for the cloth, don’t waste it. Zhang Xiuyun won’t keep it for herself anyway.

At this point, Jiang Ermei whispered, “Sister, should we go back with you?”

She looked at her eagerly.

Though Jiang Sanmei usually didn’t speak up, she also whispered, “Sister, I want to go back too…”

Jiang Xi smiled: “Of course, let’s go back and take a look.”

After all, there are still things they need to help with.