Chapter 21

A new team doctor had arrived from the next village, and Jiang Xi found out immediately.

Most villagers were nice, but some were curious and came to watch. For two days, more people visited Jiang Xi for treatment, mainly to observe the situation.

“Doctor Jiang, I heard you were going to be the team doctor. How come someone else is here?”

“I heard he’s from the neighboring brigade and has been learning for a few months.”

“Doctor Jiang hasn’t studied with the old doctor much, but he’s good. Isn’t the new doctor even better?”

Jiang Xi listened to the villagers’ gossip while performing acupuncture. She was mentally prepared for this but remained calm, even smiling at the exaggerated comments.

She didn’t join the gossip but listened quietly.

Mrs. Zhang, thinking Jiang Xi might be upset, said, “Don’t worry, Doctor Jiang, we’re just chatting.”

Jiang Xi calmly finished the acupuncture, washed her hands, and said with a smile, “I don’t mind. You can talk freely.”

Mrs. Zhang didn’t believe her: “I know you’re upset, but we can’t compete with the new team doctor. Don’t worry, if anyone has minor ailments, they’ll come to you.”

Jiang Xi nodded: “Yes, I understand. Auntie, do you need treatment? I can give you some injections.”

She picked up a thick needle.

Mrs. Zhang shivered and quickly declined: “No, no, I don’t need it.”

Jiang Xi offered: “It’s okay, the needles are disinfected. I can help with your cervical spine^[1]is the part of the spine in the neck.  issue. It’s common for people who work with their heads down to have problems with their cervical spine, affecting blood flow to the brain. I think you might have this issue.”

Mrs. Zhang was offended and snapped: “Are you saying I’m not smart enough?”

“What are you shouting about?!” Mother Pei came over loudly with a spatula: “Say another word?”

Mrs. Zhang, frightened, mumbled: “If you don’t want to tell me, then don’t.”

She turned and left.

The patients in the yard laughed. Aunt Lanhua, receiving acupuncture from Jiang Xi, said: “Don’t worry, Xiaoxi. We know you’re a good doctor. I don’t believe the new doctor is better than you. You cured my old cold leg that no town doctor could.”

“Yes, Doctor Jiang, don’t be upset. We all appreciate you!”

To reassure Jiang Xi, they voiced their support.

Jiang Xi nodded and felt reassured. After treating the last villager, she went to the kitchen where Pei’s mother was preparing medicine.

Pei’s mother looked relieved and said, “Is the medicine ready? I’ve been keeping an eye on it. It’s been boiling for over an hour.”

Jiang Xi looked at the dark brown soup with a strong medicinal smell and said, “Yes, Mom. I’ll take it.”

“Go ahead. Do you know how to feed the medicine? How about I do it?” Mother Pei asked, still a bit worried.

Her son was in a vegetative state and had to be fed through a nasogastric tube, which she had struggled to learn how to use.

Jiang Xi smiled: “Yes, don’t worry.”

She went in with the bowl, passing by Aunt Lanhua, who was getting acupuncture. She said, “Auntie, wait a moment. This treatment will take more than 20 minutes. I’ll be back to help you after I finish feeding the medicine.”

“I understand. Do your work,” Aunt Lanhua said, waving her hand and not caring about the needles.

Jiang Xi, experienced in caring for vegetative patients, finished quickly. She also changed Pei Hejun’s diaper and took the dirty one away.

When Pei’s father saw this, he took over and dealt with it.

Jiang Xi washed her hands and planned to wait for Aunt Lanhua to finish her acupuncture.

_

Before she could sit down, Li Aimei, looking much better, ran over with a medicine jar, followed by a furious Xisheng’s mother.

Seeing Jiang Xi, Li Aimei handed her the medicine jar and said, “Doctor Jiang, can you check this for me? My mother-in-law insists that Xisheng and I drink this to have a boy. I’m afraid something bad might happen. Can you see if it’s safe?”

Xisheng’s mother was shocked and angry. She hit Li Aimei on the back and shouted, “Why wouldn’t you drink it? This is a secret recipe from the team doctor. It costs five yuan for one prescription!”

Li Aimei ignored her and looked at Jiang Xi with trust and hope.

Li Aimei had been saved by Jiang Xi before and visited Pei’s house many times for medicine. Jiang Xi had shared many truths with her, which she believed. Li Aimei remembered that Jiang Xi had advised her to be careful about what she ate and drank because of her weak stomach. Now her mother-in-law wanted her to take this medicine, and she was worried.

Jiang Xi took the medicine jar, sniffed it, and then got a spoon from the kitchen. She scooped out some of the medicine soup and residue to examine.

She was quiet while inspecting the medicine.

Xisheng’s mother, with her hands on her hips, said sternly, “Be careful. The medicine is very expensive. If it spills, you owe me ten yuan!” She laughed, “This is a secret recipe. How could you know what it is?”

Annoyed by the commotion, Jiang Xi moved aside, tasted a little of the medicinal juice, and then said to Li Aimei, “It’s not poisonous. It’s just a normal tonic that nourishes the body. It’s good for balancing yin and yang.”

Xisheng’s mother was smug: “I told you—”

But Jiang Xi added, “However, the ingredients are ordinary. A dose costs about 1.5 yuan.”

Xisheng’s mother was stunned: “What?!”

She angrily said, “You’re pretending to know something you don’t! This is a special recipe for having a boy. How can you understand it so easily?”

Jiang Xi handed her the medicine jar and went to her small pharmacy.

Xisheng’s mother slapped her thigh and cursed, “I knew she was no good! Now that I can’t argue, she’s hiding!”

Li Aimei was offended and tried to pull her mother-in-law away.

Xisheng’s mother, embarrassed, tried to hit her, but Li Aimei grabbed her hand and said, “Have you had enough trouble? Doctor Jiang didn’t cheat you!”

“I didn’t cheat you!” Xisheng’s mother retorted angrily.

Aunt Lanhua said disdainfully, “What secret recipe? If there were such things, all the officials would have boys!”

Mother Pei added, “Exactly. Even high officials can’t manage it. How can a small-town doctor do that?”

Xisheng’s mother was surprised and doubtful.

Jiang Xi came out holding a packet of freshly picked medicinal herbs. The herbs were visible and not mixed.

She smiled and said, “These are the actual ingredients. They’re used to nourish the body. I’ve prescribed similar medicines to Aunt Lanhua. If you don’t believe me, get another batch of uncooked herbs and compare them.”

Jiang Xi was confident the ingredients were the same. Her master had tested her ability to identify medicinal herbs by having her recognize complex medicinal soups.

Xisheng’s mother looked at the herbs and was speechless. She had examined the herbs she brought yesterday and noted their details, trying to remember them for future use.

Seeing the herbs, she realized they matched most of what she remembered.

Her lips trembled as she struggled to speak.

Li Aimei, seeing her reaction, said, “Mom, you were tricked.”

Her mother-in-law’s constant trouble made Li Aimei glad she had found a good doctor. She would have been worse off living with someone like Xisheng’s mother.

This revelation hit Xisheng’s mother hard. Thinking of the money spent, she gasped, rolled her eyes, and fainted.

Her Money!!!

_

Xisheng’s mother was so shocked that she fainted. Jiang Xi went over to check on her immediately.

It turned out she wasn’t seriously ill—just a bit anemic and overly excited. Jiang Xi just needed to press her philtrum ^[2]refers to the area between the nose and upper lip. to wake her up.

Jiang Xiting, who didn’t like Xisheng’s mother for always finding fault, pressed hard on her philtrum.

“Ouch ouch!!!”

Xisheng’s mother cried out and sat up. Realizing what had happened, her eyes turned red, and she struggled to get up. “My money! That team doctor seemed decent, but he actually cheated me! I’m going to kill him!”

Jiang Xi felt sorry and said, “Do you still want this medicine? I will buy it for 1.5 yuan.”

“No, no!” She couldn’t accept it. Xisheng’s mother tried to throw away the medicine jar but then reconsidered since it was worth 1.50 yuan, so she kept it and rushed out of Pei’s house.

A group of people in the Pei family yard watched the scene unfold.

After everyone left, Aunt Lanhua was the first to laugh out loud: “Hahahaha… I really thought it was some secret recipe for having a baby!”

“Yes, five yuan for a prescription. Xisheng’s mother is usually very stingy, but she was so willing to spend money for her grandson!”

“She always wants a grandson. How can someone like her deserve one? Her daughter-in-law was almost driven to death.” Mother Pei said with disgust.

She added that if Xisheng’s mother truly cared about her grandson, she should take better care of her daughter-in-law. After all, the daughter-in-law carries the baby for ten months.

As everyone started gossiping, Jiang Xi quickly interrupted: “Actually, whether a baby is a boy or a girl is determined by men. If you need to regulate the baby’s gender, you have to focus on the man. As long as the woman is well-nourished and healthy, she can have children.”

“Really? Men decide the baby’s gender?” Aunt Lanhua was surprised. It was new information for her.

Other villagers also listened.

Jiang Xi smiled and said, “Yes, if women determined the baby’s gender, then men wouldn’t have a role. Pregnancy happens through women, and if the baby’s gender was determined by women, men wouldn’t be necessary.”

Everyone felt a bit awkward but also thought it made sense.

Jiang Xi took the chance to explain some basic information about chromosomes.

“Trouble should be directed at men,” she said. This idea seemed a bit complex. When Aunt Lanhua and others finished seeing the doctor and left, they were still confused about chromosomes but remembered that men decided the baby’s gender.

Not many knew about this, but those who did shared it with their families. It might not have been believed by everyone, but most people who had been treated by Jiang Xi believed it.

So that day, many homes were filled with women complaining: “You always say having more children brings blessings and insist I have a son. You’re useless. If it weren’t for you, I would have more sons!”

Their men: “…”

_

Jiang Xi kept her achievements and fame to herself. She stretched and went back to the house to lie down while waiting for the meal to be prepared.

It was really hot this summer.

An electric fan would be nice, but they’re very expensive and require industrial coupons, which Jiang Xi couldn’t afford.

That’s right!

The system should be able to help!

Jiang Xi turned to the person beside her. As she reached out for Pei Hejun’s hand, she noticed his thick eyebrows were furrowed and his thin face looked serious even while sleeping.

What was wrong?

She was puzzled, checked his pulse, and found it stable but a bit faster than usual.

Could he be waking up?

“System, what happened just now?” Jiang Xi asked.

The system quickly displayed a line of text: [Just after taking the medicine, this happened. It’s probably bitter.]

Jiang Xi: “?”