Chapter 37: Seeking Medical Attention
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“You... Keep dreaming!” After holding it in for quite a while, she finally forced the words through clenched teeth, though her voice unconsciously carried a trace of panic and uncertainty.
With that, she abruptly turned around, presenting her back to Zhou Yichen. Her heart, however, began pounding wildly, as if it were about to leap out of her throat.
Oh no, oh no... Her face must be even redder now!
That scoundrel Zhou Yichen—what was he saying?
The nerve!
From childhood onward, she had always regarded Zhou Yichen as her very best buddy—the kind of sworn friend who would climb trees with her to raid birds’ nests, wade into rivers to catch fish and shrimp, and come running to help whenever she got into a fight.
She had always assumed that Zhou Yichen felt the same way about her.
But today... after hearing him put it like that, she found herself recalling the focused tenderness in his expression as he had applied medicine to her wound, as well as the faint, clean fragrance of medicinal herbs clinging to him...
Jiang Xiaoman’s heart was thrown into turmoil.
She realized that perhaps... perhaps she truly did harbor feelings for this childhood friend that were a little different from ordinary friendship.
But... how was that possible?
They were buddies!
It would take more than a moment for her to change the way she thought of him.
Watching Jiang Xiaoman’s back, bristling with indignation yet carrying a hint of girlish charm, Zhou Yichen merely smiled faintly and did not tease her any further.
Having lived two lifetimes, he could still recognize these little maidenly thoughts.
However, what mattered most to him now was surviving properly in this unfamiliar era. He needed to seize every moment, make use of his Gift of Diligence Rewarded by Heaven, and work hard to improve his medical knowledge along with the other skills necessary for survival.
That was the true foundation of establishing himself in the world.
As for romance and all that, he would simply let nature take its course.
He was not opposed to it, but neither was he in any hurry.
After all, the road ahead was still long. Even he could not say what might happen in the future.
Living well in the present and building enough ability to withstand whatever storms lay ahead—that was what truly mattered.
After lunch, Zhou Yichen glanced at Jiang Xiaoman’s hand, wrapped in gauze, and took the initiative to say, “I’ll clear away the dishes. Your hand is injured, so don’t get it wet.”
Jiang Xiaoman murmured an assent, her voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz. She did not turn around.
Zhou Yichen swiftly gathered the dishes and carried them into the kitchen.
Before long, the sound of splashing water rang out.
After tidying the kitchen, Zhou Yichen checked the household supplies and frowned slightly.
The small supply of cabbage was already gone, and there were hardly any pickled vegetables left.
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It seemed he would have to find some time that afternoon to walk around the village and trade with the villagers for fresh vegetables.
If he could get a few chicken or duck eggs, all the better. They would be just the thing to nourish Jiang Xiaoman. The girl had indeed been exhausted these past few days.
He had no intention of trading with Liu Cuilian, though. He always felt that the woman was being far too enthusiastic toward him, as if she were plotting to get him into bed.
When Zhou Yichen came out of the kitchen, he saw at once that Jiang Xiaoman had already removed her shoes and was lying on her side on the brick kang by the window, covered with a quilt. She appeared to be asleep.
For the past two days, they had been working in the production brigade, rising before dawn and not finishing until dark. Apart from mealtimes, they had hardly rested at all. Even someone made of iron would have struggled to endure it.
The girl’s resilience was the only reason she had held up. Had she been more delicate, she would probably have been crying for her parents by now.
Zhou Yichen lightened his steps and did not disturb her.
From his canvas bag, he took out the somewhat dog-eared copy of Fundamentals of Traditional Chinese Medicine, then removed his shoes and climbed onto the kang as well.
He settled down cross-legged at the far end of the kang, choosing a spot neither too close to nor too far from Jiang Xiaoman.
Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, filling the room with warmth.
He had to admit, although the small courtyard assigned to him at the educated-youth station was crude, with barely a decent table, chair, or bench to be found, the brick kang had been built exceptionally well.
It was spacious and level, with more than enough room for four or five people to sleep comfortably.
Sleeping alone on it at night was wonderfully comfortable. He could roll around as much as he pleased.
He opened the book, quieted his mind, and soon immersed himself in the world of medicine.
The saying that diligence was rewarded by Heaven was no empty phrase.
As Zhou Yichen lost himself in the medical text, notifications that his proficiency had increased reached his mind from time to time.
The tangible sense of progress filled him with energy.
He read for a while longer, until he heard the loudspeaker outside announcing that it was time to report for work. Only then did he wake Jiang Xiaoman.
“Ah... We have to go work again?” Jiang Xiaoman rose from the kang with great reluctance, her face full of resistance.
“That’s right. Hurry up, or you’ll be late.” Zhou Yichen nodded, though he was already thinking that labor in the production brigade was truly exhausting. If an opportunity arose, he wanted to help her find a less strenuous job.
Unfortunately, the easier positions in the production brigade were all tightly rationed, one person to each spot, and the good ones had long since been claimed. There was no way they would be handed to educated youths like them.
Still, he believed that with his abilities, securing an easier job would not be difficult.
Though Jiang Xiaoman was extremely unwilling, she nevertheless tidied herself up efficiently and hurried out.
After Jiang Xiaoman had left in a rush, Zhou Yichen also rose from the kang.
He stretched his arms and legs, then brought up the talent panel that only he could see.
[Medical Skill Level 1 (768/1000)]
“Not bad.”
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A satisfied smile curved Zhou Yichen’s lips.
At this rate, it probably would not take more than a few days to reach Level Two.
By then, his understanding and mastery of medicine would make another great leap forward.
After leaving the house, Zhou Yichen went into the courtyard.
The medicinal herbs he had dug up that morning were still piled in a corner, giving off the fresh fragrance of earth and greenery.
He found a clean stone slab, gathered his tools, and began processing the herbs in an orderly fashion.
Some needed washing, some slicing, and others had to be crushed while still fresh.
His technique was practiced, his movements neither hurried nor slow, as though he had performed the same tasks thousands of times.
As he worked, his medical proficiency continued to increase from time to time. The increments were small, but they came steadily and without end.
Just as he was bent over his work, a familiar voice sounded from outside the courtyard gate.
“Little Yichen, are you home?”
Zhou Yichen raised his head and saw Uncle Zhang walking in with a sack in his hands, a simple, honest smile on his face.
“Uncle Zhang, you’re here!” Zhou Yichen set aside his work and went to greet him.
Uncle Zhang placed the sack on the ground, dusted off his hands, and said with a smile, “I was thinking that you’ve only just arrived. The grain allotted by the brigade is probably barely enough to eat, and your household must be short of vegetables.”
He pointed at the sack on the ground. “They’re nothing special—just things I grew in my own fields. I brought you some radishes and cabbages, along with a few scallions. Eat them while they last.”
Zhou Yichen’s gaze fell on the sack, and he felt a little moved.
He had indeed been worrying about having no vegetables to eat and had planned to go into the village that afternoon to trade for some.
“Uncle Zhang, how can I accept this? You’re too kind.” Zhou Yichen tried to refuse.
But Uncle Zhang’s expression turned stern. “Little Yichen, why are you being so formal with me? If it weren’t for you, who knows whether my angina would have gotten better!”
“What are a few vegetables? If you keep refusing, you’re looking down on me!”
Since Uncle Zhang had put it that way, Zhou Yichen could no longer refuse.
He knew very well that in these times, vegetables were hardly abundant in any household.
“Well... then I won’t stand on ceremony, Uncle Zhang. We’ve just run out of vegetables at home.” Zhou Yichen smiled. “Thank you very much.”
“Thank me for what? It’s only right!” Uncle Zhang’s face softened into a relieved smile.
Zhou Yichen carried the sack beneath the eaves and put it away, then said to Uncle Zhang, “Have a seat, Uncle. I’ll take a look at you. It’s time for your acupuncture today as well.”
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