Just then, Qi Ergou walked in with a middle-aged woman.
He Tiantian recognized the person; she was Wang Shuilian, Qi Jianguo's second aunt, and the only barefoot doctor in the surrounding villages. There was a small clinic in the neighboring Hujia Village; those who were unwell or unable to walk could have her come directly to their homes for injections, IV drips, and herbal medicine.
People in rural areas usually endure illnesses on their own, and only seek medical help when they can no longer bear it.
Wang Shuilian is probably around thirty-four or thirty-five years old now. She has a long braid, thick eyebrows, and big eyes. Before liberation, the Wang family ran a pharmacy. The Wang family had been practicing medicine for generations, so it was a family tradition. People eat grains and other foods, and everyone gets sick sometimes. Everyone needed the Wang family's medicine, so the Wang family was very prestigious in the neighborhood.
He Tiantian hadn't forgotten how, in her past life, Qi's mother, along with Wang Shuilian's younger brother who worked at the county hospital, had told her that she had a health problem and couldn't have children. In this life, He Tiantian would not let Qi Jianguo's family off the hook, nor would she let her accomplices get away with it.
Grandma Qi twisted her ankle, and we don't know if any bones are broken, so we must call a doctor.
"Aunt Qi, come here, let me see if you have any broken bones?" Wang Shuilian's second aunt is Qi Jianguo's mother. She often comes to Qijia Village and knows most of the people in Qijia Village.
Grandma Qi smiled and said, "Then I'll trouble you."
Wang Shuilian sat on the small stool that He Tiantian had brought over, and rolled up Qi San's trouser leg, revealing a slightly red and swollen ankle. Wang Shuilian touched Qi San's ankle a few times, causing Qi San to groan in pain.
"It hurts a little, Third Aunt, bear with it for a while," Wang Shuilian said, constantly changing her technique as she massaged Grandma Qi's ankle. "It's alright, no bones are broken. It'll be fine after a few days of rest and the swelling will go down. I'll make some ointment for you when we get back, and I'll have the child bring it over later."
"Thank you for your hard work," said Grandma Qi. "How much is it? I'll give it to you."
Wang Shuilian didn't refuse. She couldn't let her hard work go to waste in this hot weather. She said, "This ointment is homemade. Five cents is enough for seven days. It will definitely reduce the swelling."
"Sweetie, go to the cabinet in my room and get the money for the doctor," said Grandma Qi, who was about to tell He Tiantian where the money was kept.
He Tiantian brought a basin of water and placed it beside her. She took out fifty cents from her pocket and said with a smile, "Doctor, please wash your hands first. Grandma, I'll pay you back for this now, and you can pay me back when you're better."
Since it was her first day here, it wouldn't be wise for her to search the place where Third Grandma kept her money, as she wasn't very familiar with the area yet. It was best for her to pay for it herself first; that would be the most appropriate approach.
Qi Ergou had been watching from the sidelines. Thinking about He Tiantian's behavior along the way, knowing when to advance and retreat, he thought the girl was quite good.
Wang Shuilian looked He Tiantian up and down and smiled, "Third Aunt, is this your relative?"
"No, that's not true." Grandma Qi said with a smile, "I don't have such good fortune. This girl is an educated youth who just arrived in our village today. There was nowhere for the educated youth to stay, so I brought this girl to my house to stay, so she can keep me company."
"Not bad, the young lady is quite good," Wang Shuilian praised. Although she is young, she is beautiful. Her good relationship with Aunt Qi in the village will make things easier for her in the future.
He Tiantian lowered her head, looking embarrassed.
"Third Aunt, I have to go to other places. Please wait a little while. My child will bring the medicine before dinner," Wang Shuilian said, washing her hands, taking the money, and preparing to leave.
He Tiantian saw Wang Shuilian to the door and said, "Take care, doctor."
Wang Shuilian was very pleased with He Tiantian's attitude.
In the countryside, ordinary people have a love-hate relationship with doctors, and none of them are as respectful as He Tiantian.
"Don't bother seeing me off, go back now," Wang Shuilian said politely. Just as she was about to leave, she heard someone calling her.
He Tiantian's heart skipped a beat; she had met that person on the very first day.
"Sister-in-law, what are you doing here?" Qi Jianguo walked over slowly. It wasn't that Qi Jianguo couldn't walk fast, but walking fast would show off the disadvantage of his uneven legs, which looked particularly unsightly.
He Tiantian glanced at Qi Jianguo, then turned and went into the house.
The man was dressed as before, in a white shirt, blue trousers, and black cloth shoes. He had neat short hair and appeared to be a refined gentleman at first glance.
When Qi Jianguo first saw He Tiantian, he was quite amazed. She looked like a city girl, with fair skin, a good figure, and good looks.
"I'll come and massage Aunt Qi's feet," Wang Shuilian said with a smile. "I have something to do, so I won't go to your house. I'll come visit you sometime."
"Alright, I won't keep you any longer," Qi Jianguo said. He knew that his sister-in-law was a barefoot doctor in the neighborhood and was usually very busy, but he couldn't stop thinking about the girl he had just seen. "Sister-in-law, who saw you out just now? Was it a relative of Aunt Qi?"
Wang Shuilian smiled and said, "She's not a relative of Aunt Qi, but an educated youth from the city. The educated youth settlement couldn't accommodate everyone, so she's staying at Aunt Qi's house."
After Wang Shuilian finished speaking, she left in a hurry.
At that time, bicycles were a rarity, and Wang Shuilian didn't have one, so she had to walk everywhere.
When Qi Jianguo heard the words "educated youth," his eyes lit up. If they were educated youth, things would be much easier.
He Tiantian went in quickly and didn't see the sinister smile that appeared on Qi Jianguo's handsome face.
Seeing that He Tiantian could take care of He San's grandmother, Qi Ergou said goodbye, "Tiantian, I'm entrusting San's grandmother to you. I left yesterday morning and haven't even entered the house yet. I need to go home to check on things now."
"Second Brother Qi, I will take care of Grandma," He Tiantian said. "You have something to do, so go ahead and do your work."
After Qi Ergou left, He Tiantian started cooking dinner. She used the food she had received that day to cook two bowls of rice porridge, stir-fried green beans, and made a cucumber salad.
"Oh my, Sweetie, your cooking is amazing! The same dishes I make never taste as good as this," Grandma Qi praised, sipping the thick rice porridge, fragrant green beans, and crisp cucumber.
"Grandma Qi, you flatter me. I just made something simple. If there's anything you don't like, please let me know," He Tiantian said, finally enjoying a satisfying meal. Although they used precious rice, it was their first day staying at Grandma Qi's house, so they couldn't be stingy.
After finishing her meal, Grandma Qi rinsed her mouth, paying particular attention to these small details. Before liberation, Grandma Qi was a young lady from a wealthy family and was very well-mannered.
He Tiantian cleaned up the dishes, washed them, and put them in the kitchen. She then moved a small stool to sit next to Grandma Qi and said, "Grandma Qi, can you tell me about what's happening in the village? Secretary Qi said that we new educated youth will start working the day after tomorrow. I don't know how to do farm work, and I don't know what to pay attention to."
Seeing He Tiantian's worried expression, Grandma Qi chuckled and said, "You're young, don't worry. Secretary Qi won't assign you any heavy work. The people in our village are all alright on the surface, but there are a few who aren't very honest in private. Just don't do anything alone in the future, and you should be fine."
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