Before Wang Ying could reply, the girl continued chattering, “I’m so nervous. What if I don’t pass? I heard they’ve gotten really strict since last year. Our brigade sent two people last year—neither passed. Our brigade leader said someone has to pass this time, or it’s too hard for us to get medical care…”
Wang Ying could tell she was the type who talked non-stop when anxious, so she didn’t interrupt—just listened quietly, nodding from time to time.
Before long, Wang Ying had learned all about the girl next to her.
This girl was from the brigade next to hers — the Fourth Brigade, which was adjacent to Wang Ying’s Seventh Brigade. Wang Ying had looked into this before and knew that in the entire commune, there were only three brigades next to the mountain: the Fourth, the Fifth, and her own Seventh Brigade at the foot of the mountain.
The three brigades were closely connected. Among them, the Seventh Brigade had no midwife but had Wang Ying as a barefoot doctor. The Fourth Brigade had a midwife but no barefoot doctor. Only the Fifth Brigade had both.
The young woman’s name was Sun Ertao. She was the second daughter in her family, but because there were many sons in the family, she managed to stumble her way through and complete primary school.
It was precisely because she could read a little that the brigade had sent her to the training, hoping she could become a barefoot doctor and have a stable livelihood in the future. After talking about herself, Sun Ertao didn’t stop: “Our brigade sent two people this time. That’s Zhao Di over there — she’s from our brigade too.”
When she mentioned her competitor, Sun Ertao’s expression was obviously less friendly.
Wang Ying also glanced at Zhao Di. The girl was poorly dressed and currently reciting texts with a piercing focus.
Clearly, Sun Ertao and Zhao Di were rivals, and the other two girls also didn’t seem to get along with each other. Wang Ying could tell — probably each brigade had sent two people, all hoping at least one would pass and take on the responsibility of healthcare for the brigade.
Though barefoot doctors only got half a work credit, the commune’s clinic paid one yuan a month, and the brigade might add one or two yuan depending on circumstances. Plus, each patient visit could earn a few mao. All in all, it wasn’t a bad deal.
Sun Ertao was quite unconfident and nervously whispered on, while the others covertly sized up Wang Ying.
Sun Ertao asked, “Why did you come alone? Your brigade didn’t choose anyone else?”
Wang Ying replied, “Mm-hmm, just me from our brigade.”
Sun Ertao was instantly envious. “Lucky you.”
Why was it lucky? Obviously because there was no competition.
Wang Ying didn’t mind. Seeing how these four girls, all no older than twenty, looked like they were facing a life-or-death battle, she even tried to comfort them: “It’s not that hard. Relax. This training lasts a month. We just need to study hard.”
Before long, a slightly older female doctor entered and called the five of them to begin the lesson.
Wang Ying listened carefully. Not only did she listen — she brought a notebook and a pencil, jotting things down as she listened.
Sun Ertao blushed. She was so focused on competing with Zhao Di that she had forgotten to bring any paper or pen!
None of the other three had brought writing materials either. They could only watch as Wang Ying took notes.
Wang Ying was fully immersed. She didn’t think that just because she already knew some things, she didn’t need to listen. She was genuinely interested in the construction of the current medical system.
After all, according to records, the country had gone from having nothing at the time of its founding to building a rural healthcare system within twenty years. It raised the average life expectancy from just thirty-five to over fifty and halved the infant mortality rate of over 20%. That was an extraordinary achievement.
So Wang Ying didn’t consider the medical methods of the time primitive. She was genuinely committed to being part of the process.
The female doctor teaching the lesson was quite pleased. Few barefoot doctors ever thought to take notes. Most relied on memory, and how much they remembered was a matter of luck.
When Wang Ying was taking notes diligently, the doctor even paused occasionally to let her catch up.
Soon, Zhao Di quietly asked Wang Ying, “Comrade, sorry to trouble you — I forgot to bring paper and a pen. Could you spare some? I’ll return it next time.”
Wang Ying noticed the others were also looking at her hopefully, so she simply borrowed a small knife from the doctor, cut four sheets of paper, and shared them. Then she split her pencil into five pieces.
Now, everyone held a little stub of pencil and started taking notes.
Zhao Di bit her lip, clearly unhappy.
Why did Wang Ying have to share with everyone when she had been the one to ask first?
But Wang Ying was focused solely on her notes and paid no attention to the petty scheming among the girls.
After two hours of training, Wang Ying, clutching her notebook full of notes, thanked the doctor.
The older woman liked her more and more. A good student is always welcome — and Wang Ying was also pretty. The original Wang Ying had been timid and easily overlooked, but now she exuded confidence. Her full cheeks and delicate skin made her look vibrant, which dispelled the former “fragile little flower” impression.
It was a look older people found endearing.
Wang Ying even asked the doctor about the requirements for being a midwife, and the doctor explained everything clearly.
“A midwife needs to recognize some common characters. Second grade elementary level is enough. Just study with us here for a bit and then take an exam.”
The doctor added kindly, “If you don’t understand anything, feel free to ask. My surname is Wei.”
Wang Ying immediately responded, “Thank you, Teacher Wei.”
So tactful — the others instantly felt outdone by her presence and demeanor.
Sun Ertao, though uncomfortable, took solace in the fact that Wang Ying outshone Zhao Di. She really didn’t like Zhao Di, so it was better to be overshadowed by someone she found more tolerable.
After the class, Wang Ying said goodbye to Doctor Wei, got on her bicycle, and rode off without bothering to chat with the others.
When she was far down the road, one girl spat on the ground and muttered, “Such a bootlicker!”
The insult meant Wang Ying was all about currying favor and sucking up to the higher-ups.
Zhao Di’s eyes flashed, and she said softly, “Ertao-jie, why didn’t she offer you a ride? Your brigade is right next to hers — it’s on the way, isn’t it?”
Sun Ertao rolled her eyes. Did Zhao Di think she was stupid?
“She doesn’t owe me anything — why should she take me? But you, remember you owe her a piece of pencil and a sheet of paper. Be sure to return it next time.”
Sun Ertao didn’t even spare a glance at the other two. Although Wang Ying seemed a bit aloof, at least she had lent them pencil and paper. If they had the guts, they should have said something to her face—what good did it do to curse someone behind their back?
Sun Ertao left, leaving Zhao Di behind, biting her lip.
Zhao Di hadn’t planned on returning the pencil stub. Her family didn’t really have the means for that. But being called out by Sun Ertao still left her feeling humiliated.
The other two young women were fuming as well.
“Why can’t that girl say a single decent word?”
Zhao Di walked away too, expressionless. Sun Ertao was hateful, and the other two were cowards—none of them dared to say anything directly to Wang Ying’s face.
Wang Ying returned home. She had already informed Tian Youfu and Wu Guihua that she was going to attend training, so no one from the brigade would waste time looking for her to treat patients in her absence.
Just as she arrived home, it started to rain.
Wang Ying wondered if she should bring an umbrella to Xu Shuang, but before she could act, Xu Shuang returned home, drenched from the rain.
“You’re home early?”
Xu Shuang shook his head to get rid of the water:
“It started raining. There wasn’t much work left at the shop, so I finished early and came back.”
Whenever it rained, fewer people came to eat at the shop. Xu Shuang didn’t want to just sit around doing nothing, so he packed up dumplings and buns and left a bit of marinated meat behind. Those few things were enough for any customers who might stop in for a drink.
Wang Ying poured him a cup of hot water. Xu Shuang wiped himself down in the house and came out in a fresh change of clothes.
“Our home still lacks a proper bathing space. As soon as it rains, it’s no good to bathe in the courtyard.”
Xu Shuang had built the courtyard walls high, so there was no fear of being peeped at. Usually, he bathed outside, and Wang Ying used the main room inside. But it was still inconvenient.
Wang Ying took the chance to suggest:
“How about we build a bathhouse later?”
She really missed having a real bathroom. Every time she bathed in the main room, she had to be careful not to splash water everywhere—it was such a hassle.
Xu Shuang said,
“Now’s not the right time. We can’t gather enough people. Let’s wait until the autumn when things quiet down.”
That was the normal timing for building houses in the countryside—autumn was post-harvest, so it was easier to gather help.
Wang Ying was already thinking about something else:
“Let’s get a big bathtub. Then we can bathe in winter too.”
Xu Shuang replied,
“Sure. And let’s also get one of those pipes that pours water from above. I saw one at my uncle’s house in the provincial capital.”
Wang Ying thought, Isn’t that just a shower?
Feeling delighted:
“That sounds amazing.”
For dinner, Xu Shuang made scrambled eggs with black fungus. They’d eaten the rooster during the New Year, and now only a hen remained—one that laid two eggs a day. She was truly a model worker among chickens.
Since their household was doing well, Xu Shuang didn’t allow Wang Ying to sell any eggs—they kept them for themselves.
The scrambled eggs with wood ear mushrooms were soft and tasty. Xu Shuang also stir-fried some garlicky green vegetables in pork fat. The two of them ate the stir-fry with steamed corn buns. Soup was spinach and tofu, the spinach fragrant and the tofu tender. A sprinkle of pepper made it the perfect meal on a rainy night—warm and comforting.
After dinner, the two washed up and went to bed. Xu Shuang reached down to the foot of the bed, searching around. Not finding what he was looking for, he finally remembered—they’d used up the few dozen he’d collected after the New Year.
Seeing Wang Ying biting her blanket and giggling, Xu Shuang grew exasperated. He pulled her into the blanket and muttered:
“Sleep!”
he really had to push his senior brother to hurry things up. How could he be this slow? The letter was sent, so why hadn’t the stuff arrived?
The two of them were sleeping soundly when, suddenly, they heard someone pounding on the door outside. The bang bang bang echoed clearly in the middle of the night.
“Wang Ying! Wang Ying! Get up and check—the educated youth dorm collapsed!”
