Wang Ying handed the flashlight to Xu Shuang. “It’s for you.”
Xu Shuang was a bit stunned. “For me?”
Wang Ying’s ears turned half red. “Yeah. Do you want it or not?”
Buying it and then asking if he wanted it — the saleswoman behind them was so overwhelmed by the sweetness of the moment she could almost taste sugar in the air.
Xu Shuang gripped the flashlight tightly. “I want it!”
It was the middle of winter, yet both of them had bright red ears.
Xu Shuang took Wang Ying’s hand, flashlight in the other, carrying all their purchases. “Let’s go home!”
On the way back, it was the usual — packed with people, shoulder to shoulder. Wang Ying thought to herself that thankfully they’d bought the bicycle. Otherwise, every trip to the city would be a nightmare.
When they got off the bus, Xu Shuang didn’t head straight home. Instead, he took her to the state-owned restaurant.
Just as they entered, a round-faced man with small eyes approached them eagerly.
“Master, you’re back? Is this my mistress? Mistress is so young and pretty!”
Xu Shuang’s previously relaxed expression tightened. “Just call her sister-in-law.”
He didn’t bother introducing Wang Ying and instead tied on an apron, turning to ask her, “What would you like to eat?”
Wang Ying had been traveling all day and was very thirsty. The soy milk and water Xu Shuang brought earlier were long gone by the afternoon.
“I’ll have some noodles. Just soup noodles is fine.”
Xu Shuang nodded and went into the kitchen. The small-eyed man followed him in, no longer calling him ‘Master,’ but switching to ‘Brother Xu.’
In a short while, Xu Shuang came out with two big bowls of shredded pork soup noodles. He paid for the meal in front of the small-eyed man, giving both cash and ration coupons to the cashier.
The man got the message and left them alone, heading back to the kitchen.
Wang Ying was truly hungry. The noodles were freshly made, white and thick, topped with fresh green vegetables and golden shredded pork. The broth was clear, but a ladle of chicken stock was added just before serving, giving it a rich, golden appearance. The sight alone made her ravenous.
She devoured the large bowl of noodles and happily finished the chicken soup. She immediately felt like collapsing onto a bed in comfort.
Xu Shuang had an even bigger appetite. His bowl was larger, and he had paid for what amounted to two and a half bowls. After finishing, he even drank an extra bowl of noodle soup.
Fed and content, they left as night fell.
Xu Shuang took the bowls back to the kitchen and then led Wang Ying along the mountain path home.
There was no one else around — just the two of them. Even their breathing was clearly audible.
Wang Ying tried to make small talk. “That guy earlier, is he your apprentice?”
Xu Shuang was still holding her hand — they had been walking like this since leaving the restaurant.
“No. He’s just a kitchen helper in the restaurant, mainly doing prep work. But the manager said I should train him.”
A restaurant couldn’t rely on a single cook. Just like today, if Xu Shuang had something come up, the place couldn’t be left without someone in charge.
Wang Ying guessed, “Is he related to the manager?”
Xu Shuang: “No.”
The guy had actually gotten in on his own. He was a junior high graduate, met the qualifications, and it wasn’t unusual for someone like that to pass the test and get a job as a server.
But later, he saw that being a server had no perks and figured there were better prospects in the kitchen, so he clung to Xu Shuang and got in as a prep cook.
However, Xu Shuang didn’t have a good impression of him. The man had just started calling him ‘Master’ and acting like he’d been accepted as an apprentice without even asking Xu Shuang if he was willing.
“He won’t learn anything,” Xu Shuang declared flatly.
Xu Shuang had a naturally discerning palate, had grown up around food thanks to his father, and had a passion for experimenting. His own master, Chen Dong, wasn’t the most skilled with his hands but was extremely knowledgeable in theory.
Over the years, Xu Shuang had developed his own expertise.
That guy, named Xie Yuejin, lacked the basic foundational skills and was too scheming.
Xu Shuang had taught him the fundamentals and told him to practice, but before long the guy got bored, thinking Xu Shuang was holding back and not teaching him sincerely.
Xu Shuang: “Anyway, I’ve taught him all the standard stuff. The marinade recipe is mine — I make it, and he just uses it. Even if I’m gone for two months, it won’t slow things down. Anything more, he wouldn’t be able to learn anyway.”
Wang Ying realized belatedly, “You used to stay at the restaurant during the winters, right? Otherwise, how could they let you take over two months off?”
Xu Shuang: “That was then. This is now.”
Xie Yuejin was too slippery, and Xu Shuang didn’t like that. This was a good opportunity to let him handle things alone and see how he managed.
Besides, he was getting married. He couldn’t just up and leave for two months right after tying the knot.
Wang Ying realized she might have touched on a sensitive subject and coughed awkwardly.
Xu Shuang seemed to chuckle softly, then turned on the flashlight.
Surrounded by darkness, the light from the flashlight illuminated a clear path ahead.
Not long after, news spread that Wang Ying had become the barefoot doctor for the brigade.
People in the brigade had several general reactions:
“Damn it! I always knew that girl was a good one! It’s your fault — you moved too slow. Look at Xu Shuang, how fast he acted! Not only did he change his status, now he’s got himself a wife who can earn money too!”
— This from families of young men in the brigade, full of regret.
“Ying girl’s alright. Her mother was a doctor back in the day, and she learned from her. Now we won’t have to go to the neighboring brigade to find a barefoot doctor who charges too much and doesn’t do a good job!”
“She’s so young though — are her hands steady? I hope the brigade leader didn’t just force her into it, using us as guinea pigs.”
“Why do you care? At least we’ve got someone now. Otherwise, what — you gonna trek through snow to find a doctor when you’re sick?”
— This summed up the general consensus of most people in the brigade.
And among them, there were a few outliers.
First of all, there was the couple from the neighboring Wang family, Wang Yongshun and his wife.
Li Chunjuan spat as she spoke: “That little slut, she can see patients?! If she could see patients, I’ll take my brain out and give it to her as a ball to kick!”
Perhaps it was a case of giving up entirely, or maybe Wang Yaodong comforted Li Chunjuan, but recently Li Chunjuan had been quite reckless. She still inserted herself into groups of women, gossiping about one family and listening to the secrets of another. When it came to her own family, she would adamantly say that Wang Ying was no good.
Unfortunately, the people she mixed with were all famous gossips in the village. Each of them was not only a chatterbox but also had a lot of nonsense in their mouths. Tian Youfu couldn’t just arrest them, so he could only let them be.
These gossiping women had nothing nice to say about Wang Ying. They believed that Wang Ying, who had offended her own family by choosing such a family to marry into, was acting rebelliously. In their eyes, her actions could be considered outrageous.
“Exactly, what can she do? If something goes wrong, can she take responsibility?”
“It’s possible that Tian Youfu made things easier for Wang Ying. Tsk, didn’t Wang Ying always pamper his little Shitou?”
“Exactly, I said this girl has a lot of schemes. A few years ago, she never even left the house, and now she’s starting trouble.”
…
Li Chunjuan, among a group of people, felt extremely satisfied listening to the slanders about Wang Ying.
At this point, the entire village was either tricked by Wang Ying or had problems in their brains.
What good could come from someone who had severed ties with their own family!
As for Wang Yongshun, he was a bit surprised by Wang Ying becoming a barefoot doctor.
He wasn’t stupid—Wang Ying had graduated from high school and had a proper background. Even with Xu Shuang possibly influencing things, it would still be acceptable for her to join a commune health center.
But how did she become a barefoot doctor?
He thought hard but couldn’t figure out why.
Meanwhile, Wang Ying began seeing patients. Occasionally, one or two people with minor ailments knocked on her door, and she would feel their pulse and prescribe medicine.
It was the cold season, so most of the people who came were suffering from colds. Wang Ying would prescribe some inexpensive Chinese medicine to those with good health to boost their immunity. For those in poor health or with urgent colds, she would give them Anacin.
However, Wang Ying knew that Anacin would be phased out in a few decades due to its severe side effects. If not used carefully, it could be dangerous.
Therefore, she would only give half a tablet to her patients and ask them to take it in front of her. If it didn’t improve, they could come back. She never handed the tablets over directly.
This was something Wang Ying learned from her past life. The older generation treated Anacin like a miracle drug, and some elderly people liked to hoard pills in handkerchiefs. If a child caught a cold, they would give the child Anacin without consulting a doctor.
In her previous life, Wang Ying had heard of several cases where children overdosed on medication and had problems. She was determined to be vigilant about this.
Tian Youfu kept an eye on Wang Ying for a few days and found that she was handling things skillfully, so he felt reassured.
He also told Wang Ying about a few households in the village that needed attention: “The woman at Big Pillar’s house is pregnant, more than five months now. She should be fine until the thaw. You just need to check on her once in a while. It’s her third pregnancy, so there shouldn’t be any problems. There are also two elderly people… Just take a quick look at them.”
Every winter, rural areas saw a rise in elderly deaths. It wasn’t that anyone’s firewood was insufficient, but the elderly were already in poor health. In winter, they tended to stay inside, and occasionally, a small slip could lead to injury. Even without going outside, a little exposure to the cold or a mild fever could be fatal.
Tian Youfu knew this and didn’t want to place too much pressure on Wang Ying.
When Wang Ying heard about the pregnant woman, she frowned. If the woman fell while pregnant in snowy weather, it could be a major issue. And with two elderly people to look after, things were even more complicated.
Tian Youfu continued to nag: “Our women’s director moved to the city with her son this year, and the new women’s director hasn’t been appointed yet. Otherwise, she would be taking you around to get to know the women in the village.”
Being a barefoot doctor wasn’t just about treating patients; sometimes, it required working with the women’s director to deliver speeches and carry out public health tasks assigned by the commune.
Even if Tian Youfu was capable, this was a matter where he couldn’t interfere.
Wang Ying said, “It’s fine. I’ll go myself in a few days.”
At five or six months pregnant, the baby was growing rapidly, and this was also a critical time when many issues could arise.
Tian Youfu was very satisfied with Wang Ying and reminded her: “His wife is a bit of a chatterbox, don’t take it to heart.”
Wang Ying was calm. As a doctor, she had seen plenty of difficult patients. A bit of chatter was nothing to her.
While Wang Ying was busy getting started, Xu Shuang had gone to the county town twice to bring back the bicycle. He didn’t manage to get it on the first trip, but on the second attempt, he succeeded.
The day Xu Shuang brought the bicycle back to the village, it caused a sensation.
Seventh Brigade of Shengli Commune—the first bicycle!
Even the brigade leader, Tian Youfu, didn’t have one!
Xu Shuang rode the bicycle all the way to Wang Ying’s house, followed by a group of children. The older kids were shy, but the little ones were not concerned at all. Their eyes sparkled with excitement as they wanted to touch the bicycle but were afraid Xu Shuang wouldn’t allow it.
The shiny frame, the sturdy body, and the two big wheels gleaming—everyone who saw it couldn’t help but envy.
“Xu Shuang’s family really has some background. He just bought a bike like it was nothing.”
“Tsk, so extravagant.”
“Is this for Wang Ying? Why does it look like he’s riding it straight to her house?”
“Well, he married into her family, so if it’s for Wang Ying, it’s also for himself.”
“This Xu kid, setting aside his background, is really impressive.”
…
Wang Ying touched the handlebars. This bicycle, a permanent brand, was worth one hundred and fifty.
“You can ride it. Don’t we still need to go to the county to buy sugar?”
In fact, what Wang Ying wanted to say was that with Xu Shuang’s “small connections,” having a bicycle would definitely be much more convenient.
Xu Shuang: “We’ll both ride it.”
Wang Ying, having become a barefoot doctor, also found it a good excuse to frequently go into town.
Wang Ying thought for a moment: “Then I’ll go again next week, I need to deliver the medicinal herbs I have.”
She needed to earn as much as possible and stock up on medicinal herbs before the mountains closed this month, as after this month, she wouldn’t be able to go up the mountain anymore.
Xu Shuang: “Alright!”
The two of them were getting along harmoniously, and others saw them as a good match. Only the couple next door, Wang Yongshun and his wife, could not release their pent-up frustration.
As Wang Ying’s life improved, their lives got worse and worse.
Li Chunjuan spat and cursed, making Wang Yongshun thoroughly irritated.
“Enough! Keep cursing, that bicycle isn’t yours! You should be thinking about saving more firewood, the grain distribution for winter is coming up soon!”
This was also a routine in the commune; their area produced grain, and every year, the grain was handed over first, with part of it distributed to last until before winter, and then the rest was distributed again when winter came.
This wasn’t just to balance the food supply in various areas but also to prevent some families from eating everything in one go and then starving when the mountain was closed during winter.
Tian Youfu announced that the grain would be distributed on the 15th.
After the grain was distributed, the commune would form a team to go into the mountains to hunt wild boars. This was also when every household would be busy gathering firewood.
In winter, they needed firewood to heat the kang beds, so firewood had to be fully stocked.
Those who didn’t have enough would have to ration it and use it sparingly. During the day, they’d go to other homes to burn charcoal, and at night, they’d return to their own homes to heat the kang.
Speaking of charcoal, the earthen kang beds didn’t use it, but a fire basin could.
During the cold winter, one couldn’t just huddle on the kang all winter. Visiting neighbors and gathering around a fire basin to chat was also an important winter activity.
Wang Yongshun: “Let’s buy less this winter and save more. We’ll buy more lamp oil since Yaozong will be back and needs it for reading.”
Li Chunjuan reached her hand out: “Money.”
Wang Yongshun knew that Li Chunjuan wasn’t happy about him hiding money without telling her. There was no one else to blame for this situation, as he just didn’t want anyone else to know. So now, the couple was arguing about it, and he knew he wasn’t in the right.
“I’ll give it to you!”
Wang Yongshun handed Li Chunjuan twenty yuan. As he did so, his heart was trembling. Now, he only had 180 left!
He sighed, wondering how to get a job for Yaozong.
While Wang Yongshun was struggling, Wang Ying was smoothly going along with Xu Shuang.
Fearing that marriage preparations might be delayed, Xu Shuang simply bought everything needed for both the wedding and the winter. He even bought forty yuan worth of charcoal, leaving half at Xu Laotai’s place and the other half at Wang Ying’s shed.
Xu Shuang was too lazy to gather firewood bit by bit himself, so he took a whole day, gathered his cousins from his maternal aunt’s side, and went into the mountains. Everyone had a specific role—some cut firewood, while others carried it. In no time, they had gathered two large sheds of firewood.
The cloth he bought for wedding clothes hadn’t all been sewn yet, so Xu Laotai took over the job, making two outfits to wear for the wedding. The rest could be sewn gradually during winter when they had time.
Xu Laotai also got someone to exchange for new cotton and made two full sets of cotton clothes and pants for Wang Ying.
One day, Wang Ying woke up with a chill. The weather was cold and gloomy, and it looked like it was going to snow.
Xu Shuang: “It’s still early, even if it does snow, it won’t be much.”
It was only early November, and the heavy snow wouldn’t come until next month.
Wang Ying sat on the back of Xu Shuang’s bicycle. Xu Shuang helped wrap her scarf tightly, covering her head and face. He did the same for himself, leaving only his eyes exposed.
The two of them were heading into town to buy sugar. Xu Shuang had almost arranged everything for the wedding—furniture would be moved in next week, and the rest of the things were nearly ready. The only things left to buy were the meat dishes and sugar for the wedding feast.
Xu Shuang said that the meat wasn’t urgent, as the commune still needed to go into the mountains to hunt wild boars. They would have more than enough wild boar meat by paying a little extra. There would also be pork from the commune’s allocation, so that part was taken care of. As for vegetables, they had asked Su Laotai to prepare them, as there were many vegetable growers in their commune.
The remaining things were sugar cubes and sunflower seeds, which were needed not only for the wedding but also for the New Year.
Wang Ying tucked her hand into Xu Shuang’s cotton coat pocket. The bicycle, slicing through the cold wind, sped toward the county.
The sugar used for weddings in the commune was mostly inexpensive, common sugar. The most common was pear syrup candy, and slightly more luxurious was the white hard candy. In the county, they usually had a variety of colorful hard candies, which also looked more attractive when displayed.
The more expensive candies, like milk candy or shrimp-flavored candy, were reserved for rich families who bought them to spoil their children. Adults wouldn’t even want to eat them.
Xu Shuang didn’t plan to be ostentatious about it, so he bought some pear syrup candy and white hard candy. He also bought a little of the colorful candy, intending to mix them together, so it wouldn’t be too flashy but would still look good.
Next, he bought three pounds of expensive candy.
When winter came, the cold made people hungry more often, so having some candy at home was a good way to satisfy a sweet craving.
Besides, Xu Shuang remembered that Wang Ying had specifically mentioned wanting to eat sweet and sour fish, so he figured she liked sweet flavors.
The two bought candy, sunflower seeds, and some miscellaneous goods, rushing to get home before the snow started.
The bicycle sped along, with Wang Ying’s face wrapped up, a piece of milk candy in her mouth, and both of them feeling content. They didn’t notice an elderly woman and a young girl by the roadside.
Wang Lingling was so thin she was almost like a stick, and Zhao Laotai had a thick scarf wrapped around her, though she still didn’t stop cursing.
“Look at you, what can you accomplish? You went into the city and got caught! You really never have enough to eat, and you can’t do anything right. My son is really unlucky to have married you. You’re rough at home and cause trouble when you go out.”
“Your brain is so stupid! You couldn’t even figure out how to sneak out when you were locked up! And you still had the nerve to have someone call my son!”
“My little third son is so busy in the army, and now he has to ask a few people to come tell me to pick you up!”
“Ptui! Once we get back, you’re not allowed to eat! Go hungry for a few days and properly reflect on your actions!”
…
Wang Lingling’s face was completely blank. She stared at the bicycle passing by. The man was carrying the woman on the back, both bundled up tightly. The woman leaned close to him, her hands tucked into his coat pockets, and the man spread out his body as much as possible to block the cold wind for the woman behind him…
Clearly, clearly this was the kind of life she had imagined for herself!
Glamorous and well-loved.
But reality?
After she was arrested, she went hungry for two days. She had thought her in-laws would come for her, and she’d be able to go home. But instead, she was locked up for an entire week. The Anti-Speculation Office claimed that no one had come looking for her.
Wang Lingling couldn’t take it anymore. She had no choice but to give them Zhao Jun’s name and her brigade’s details, asking them to contact the commune, and if that didn’t work, then contact the military. Anything to prove she wasn’t a criminal.
The Anti-Speculation Office was skeptical. They’d had her for seven or eight days and couldn’t get anything out of her. Originally, they’d kept her thinking they could extract a confession—it would be a feather in their cap.
But this woman just wouldn’t give in. She only kept repeating that she was Wang Lingling, who her parents were, who her brothers were, that her sister was married in Xipo Town to a certain family.
No matter how they grilled her, she said the same things.
Eventually, the Anti-Speculation Office got nervous. They were afraid they’d really arrested the wrong person and might end up in trouble. So they called the commune, then the military. Finally, they confirmed Wang Lingling’s identity.
Even the officials from the Anti-Speculation Office felt wronged: “Why didn’t your family come looking for you?!”
If someone had come to explain, they would’ve let her go immediately!
And now it turned out they had really arrested a military wife.
The Anti-Speculation Office quickly gave Wang Lingling two good meals. Though she still hadn’t recovered, when her mother-in-law showed up, they handed her over right away. They didn’t even confiscate the cloth bag or the money she had when she came in. They sent her off like she was a plague, afraid she’d cause trouble.
Wang Lingling wanted to cause trouble—she just didn’t have the strength.
When Zhao Laotai (Old Lady Zhao) came, all she did was hurl condescending insults at her daughter-in-law, completely forgetting to make any complaint to the office.
The two of them stood in the wind, snowflakes already beginning to fall with the gusts. Zhao Laotai was full of irritation. She had originally thought marrying a daughter-in-law who didn’t require a dowry was a good deal.
But over time, she wasn’t very satisfied.
Wang Lingling was sloppy with housework. She hadn’t done chores at home before—that had all been Wang Ying’s job. Now that she was doing them herself, she often missed the mark.
Zhao Laotai disapproved. She already looked down on this daughter-in-law for being a “freebie,” and now the poor housework only gave her more reasons to complain.
The only thing she could grudgingly accept was that Wang Lingling was good with the two children.
But this latest incident had really made Zhao Laotai furious. Her son had such a promising future, and now his wife had caused a commotion that even reached the military. Wasn’t that just ruining his path to a bright career?
She glanced again at the dazed Wang Lingling and felt deeply uneasy.
The bus arrived. Zhao Laotai didn’t bother with Wang Lingling and got on by herself. Wang Lingling slowly climbed in too.
When Zhao Laotai pulled out the bus fare, her heart ached. Just one trip into the city and they had to spend so much money!
Coincidentally, someone on the bus recognized Zhao Laotai. They exchanged greetings and, after some chit-chat, the conversation turned to Wang Ying.
“Oh, you wouldn’t believe it—Wang Ying is really doing well. She’s got a house, a job, and the brigade gives her three yuan a month!”
Zhao Laotai’s ears perked up at the name: “Wang Ying?”
“Yes, that’s her! She’s a martyr’s child. She used to live with her uncle Wang Yongshun’s family, but now she’s moved out and got her own house. Tsk tsk, she’s even dating someone with a bad political background—but with her own house, land, and being a barefoot doctor, she doesn’t care about that stuff.”
Wang Lingling looked up—just as she expected, Zhao Laotai’s face was filled with rage.
I am just a novice translator and Chinese is not my native language. I try my best to translate the chapters as accurate as possible.
If there are any mistakes then kindly comment and remind me. Your support means a lot.
