The gentle autumn morning light spilled across the fields of the Hongqi Production Brigade, the golden rice stalks swaying in the wind like a flowing golden sea. In the past, most villagers were busy working in the fields, but in recent days, Lin Wanqiu's courtyard had become the liveliest place in the village—ever since she cured the entire village's chicken plague with "medicinal powder passed down from the old doctor," not only sick poultry would come to her, but even family members with minor ailments would come to her for advice. Her "medical skills" had gradually spread throughout the brigade.

Early that morning, Lin Wanqiu had just dropped Shen Nian'an off at school when Aunt Wang from next door rushed over with a basket of fresh vegetables, her face full of anxiety: "Wanqiu, you're finally back! My old man woke up this morning feeling dizzy and coughing, and his face is frighteningly red. Could you go and take a look at him?"

Lin Wanqiu's heart tightened, and she quickly nodded, "Aunt Wang, don't worry, I'll go with you to take a look." She turned and went home, taking out an old cloth bag from her spatial storage. Inside were several packets of "basic cold medicine" that she had redeemed from the skill panel—this kind of medicine was very common in modern times, but it could be a lifesaver in this era of scarce medical resources. She made up another excuse, saying that it was "cold medicine powder" left behind by an old doctor, before following Aunt Wang to her house.

In Aunt Wang's mud-brick house, Grandpa Wang was lying in bed, covered with a thick quilt, but still coughing incessantly, his face flushed and his lips cracked. Lin Wanqiu reached out and touched his forehead; it was burning hot, clearly indicating a high fever. Knowing the situation, she said to Aunt Wang, "Aunt Wang, Grandpa has caught a cold and has a high fever. I have some medicine powder here; please dissolve it in warm water and give it to him to drink, three times a day. He should be better in two days."

As she spoke, she handed the medicine powder to Aunt Wang, carefully instructing her, "If you don't get better after taking the medicine, or if your fever gets worse, you must go to the commune clinic immediately. Don't delay." Aunt Wang took the medicine powder as if she had grasped a lifeline, thanking her repeatedly, "Wanqiu, thank you so much! I don't know what I would have done without you!"

Lin Wanqiu smiled and shook her head: "Aunt Wang, it's only right for neighbors to help each other. Hurry up and make the medicine for Grandpa, I'll head back now." With that, she turned to leave, and just as she reached the door, she saw Grandpa Zhang carrying a basket of eggs, walking over with a smile: "Wanqiu, I heard you went to see Grandpa Wang? My chickens have laid eggs again, I brought some over for you to help you recover."

Lin Wanqiu couldn't refuse, so she accepted the eggs. Watching Grandpa Zhang's departing figure, she felt a warmth in her heart—she knew that the villagers' gratitude was heartfelt, and all she had done was use the resources in her space to help them solve some minor problems. But she never expected that this kindness would become a tool for others' jealousy.

In the following days, more and more people came to Lin Wanqiu for medical treatment. Some children had diarrhea, so she used "montmorillonite powder" from her spatial storage; some elderly people had joint pain, so she used "basic pain relief ointment"; and she even helped when a villager's piglets wouldn't eat, by providing "livestock digestive powder." Each time, she would make up a plausible excuse, attributing the medicine's origin to "left behind by an old doctor," thus helping others while concealing the secrets of her spatial storage.

Her "medical skills" not only spread throughout the village but also to neighboring villages. Once, Uncle Li from a neighboring village made a special trip of more than ten miles to ask her to treat his cow—the cow was not eating or drinking and was lying on the ground without moving. The veterinarian had come to see it and said that it was beyond saving. He was at his wit's end and had heard that there was a "medical expert" named Lin Wanqiu in Hongqi Brigade. He came to her for help with a "let's give it a try" attitude.

Lin Wanqiu followed Uncle Li to the neighboring village and saw the cow lying on the ground, its eyes glazed over, and white foam dripping from its mouth. She opened her spatial storage, exchanged for "Basic Livestock Emergency Powder," and then made up an excuse, saying it was "powder specifically for treating cattle diseases," and asked Uncle Li to dissolve it in warm water and pour it into the cow's mouth. Unexpectedly, the next day, Uncle Li came to thank her, saying that the cow was already able to stand up and eat grass, and kept praising her "excellent medical skills."

Gradually, Lin Wanqiu's reputation grew. Not only did the villagers respect her, but even the brigade secretary, Zhao Jianguo, looked at her with new respect. He often praised her in meetings, saying that she was "a good role model in the brigade." He also suggested that she be in charge of the village's "poultry disease prevention work" and gave her a lot of work points.

Just as Lin Wanqiu's life was getting better and better, a conspiracy against her was quietly brewing.

That evening, Lin Wanqiu was cooking dinner in the kitchen when she saw Shen Nian'an carrying a small cloth bag, head down, looking dejected, his eyes red-rimmed as if he had been wronged. Lin Wanqiu's heart tightened, and she quickly put down what she was doing, went over, squatted down, and patted his head: "Nian'an, what's wrong? Were you bullied at school?"

Shen Nian'an raised her head, tears welling in her eyes, and whispered, "Mother, today my classmates at school said... said you're a 'husband-killer,' and that you killed Father... They won't play with me anymore, and they're laughing at me for being a child without a father..."

Lin Wanqiu felt a sharp pain and anger, as if pricked by a needle. She knew how vicious the saying "husband-killer" was in this era; once it spread, it would not only ruin her reputation but also make Nian'an unable to hold her head high in the village. She suppressed her anger and gently wiped away Nian'an's tears: "Nian'an, don't listen to their nonsense! Those words are all false. Your father was a hero; he sacrificed himself for the country, not because your mother killed him. If they say that again, just tell them they're wrong, and that your mother will protect you."

Shen Nian'an nodded as if he understood, and hugged Lin Wanqiu's neck tightly: "Mom, I believe you! I don't want them to play with me, I only want Mom!" Lin Wanqiu hugged her son and secretly vowed in her heart - she must find out who was spreading rumors behind her back, and she and Nian'an cannot suffer such injustice.

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