The morning light pierced through the clouds, gilding the rooftops of the Hongqi Production Brigade with a thin layer of gold. But the usual wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys were sparse, and an atmosphere of anxiety permeated the air. Lin Wanqiu escorted Shen Nian'an to the school gate, watching her son run into the classroom with his small cloth bag on his back before turning back. Just as she rounded the old locust tree at the village entrance, she saw several villagers gathered by the roadside, their faces grave as they discussed the matter, forgetting to put down their hoes.
"You didn't see it! In Old Wang's chicken coop, there are five or six chickens lying haphazardly, their feathers all ruffled, their eyes tightly shut, and their bodies are cold to the touch!" It was Li's wife speaking, gesturing with her hands, her voice trembling uncontrollably. "My three speckled chickens didn't eat this morning either, they just lay motionless in their nest, and their droppings are white, just like Old Wang's chickens!"
Grandpa Zhang, squatting on the ground nearby, puffed on his pipe, his brow furrowed so deeply it could trap a fly: "This is probably chicken plague! A few years ago, a chicken plague broke out in the neighboring village, and all the chickens in the village died, and even the pigs were affected. What are we going to do now!"
Lin Wanqiu's heart sank, and she quickened her pace involuntarily as she walked to the front of the crowd: "Sister Li, Uncle Zhang, is what you're saying true? The chickens really aren't eating and are even pooping white droppings?" As she asked, she recalled the description of the "Basic Livestock and Poultry Disease Prevention Technique" in her space—chicken plague is highly contagious, and if it is not controlled in time, the poultry of the entire brigade will suffer within three days, and her few chickens that had just laid eggs would be in even greater danger.
When Li's wife saw that it was Lin Wanqiu, she grabbed her hand as if she had grasped a lifeline: "Wanqiu, that's right! When I was feeding the chickens this morning, I thought they were just sleeping, but when I got closer I found that one of them was already dead, and the other two were listless. My heart was pounding! You're quick-witted and knowledgeable, do you have any ideas?"
The surrounding villagers chimed in, chattering about their own chickens' conditions, their eyes filled with hope. Seeing their anxious expressions, Lin Wanqiu had an idea—this wasn't just about saving the poultry, but also a crucial moment to gain the villagers' trust. She took a deep breath and said in a clear voice, "Don't panic, everyone! When I was back at my parents' house, the old doctor in the village talked about this disease, called 'chicken plague.' He said it can be cured if the right medicine is used! I still have a few packets of medicine powder I got from the old doctor before, specifically for this. I'll go back and get it now and share it with everyone!"
"Can it really be cured?" Grandpa Zhang suddenly stood up, his pipe falling to the ground. "Wanqiu, don't lie to us. If all these chickens die, we won't have any money for oil and salt this year!"
"Uncle Zhang, when have I ever lied to you?" Lin Wanqiu reassured her with a smile. "You wait here, I'll run fast, I'll be back in a quarter of an hour at most!" With that, she turned and ran home, her canvas shoes splashing mud on the dirt road, but her mind was racing—the origin of the medicine powder had to be perfectly fabricated so as not to arouse suspicion. She would say that it was left to her by her grandmother and then passed down to her by her mother, who had never been willing to use it, but now it would come in handy.
Running all the way home, Lin Wanqiu first went to check on the chicken coop—her chickens were pecking at their food, full of energy, showing no signs of illness, which relieved her. She quickly went into the inner room, closed the door, and with a thought, entered the jade pendant space.
The warehouse in the space was still filled with modern supplies, and the skill panel emitted a soft white light in mid-air. Lin Wanqiu clicked on "Basic Livestock and Poultry Disease Prevention Technique," and the option to exchange for medicinal powder immediately popped up on the screen. She exchanged for twenty packets without hesitation—the pale yellow powder was packaged in an oil paper bag, emitting a faint fragrance of mugwort and honeysuckle, which was reassuring to smell.
She packed the medicine powder into an old cloth bag, then took out a chipped, rough porcelain bowl from her storage space, deliberately chipping a small crack in the rim to make it look like an old item from many years ago. With everything ready, she picked up the bag and headed out. Just as she reached the village entrance, she saw the villagers still waiting, even the usually lazy Wang Er was there, clutching an empty basket tightly, clearly very anxious.
"Wanqiu, you're finally back!" Li's wife was the first to greet her, her eyes fixed on the cloth bag in her hand. "Did you bring the medicine powder?"
Lin Wanqiu nodded, placed the cloth bag on a roadside stone, opened it, and saw twenty packets of medicine powder neatly arranged: "Listen to me, everyone, this medicine powder is very easy to use. Each packet can be mixed with two catties of feed, stirred well, and fed to the chickens once a day for three consecutive days, and the sick chickens will get better. If any chickens are about to die, mix the medicine powder with some warm water, use a small spoon to feed it into their mouths, twice a day, and they can be saved."
As she spoke, she distributed the medicinal powder to everyone. With each packet, she would remind them, "This medicinal powder is precious, so use it sparingly. If you need more, come to my house for more; I have some left over." The villagers received the powder as if it were a lifeline, thanking her repeatedly and running home without even having time to say a few more words to her.
Grandpa Zhang was the last to take the medicine powder. After receiving it, he pulled two crumpled cornbread buns from his pocket and stuffed them into Lin Wanqiu's hands: "Wanqiu, I don't have anything good to give you. Take these two cornbread buns and give them to Nian'an as a midday snack. Don't worry, if this medicine powder really cures the chickens, we will definitely not forget your kindness!"
Lin Wanqiu couldn't refuse, so she accepted the cornbread. Watching Grandpa Zhang's hurried departure, she felt a warmth in her heart—in these times of scarcity, two cornbreads were a very precious gift. She packed up her cloth bag and was about to go home when she saw Old Lady Shen hobbling over with a cane, a hint of schadenfreude on her face.
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