Chapter 20 She shines brighter than a pearl
After hearing the production team leader's words, Lu Zheng straightened his back without hesitation and said, "Team leader, there's no need to let Xia Qianqian do any work. Just assign her tasks to me, and I'll take care of them all."
His words immediately caused an uproar among the crowd. No one could have imagined that Lu Zheng would be so protective of his wife.
Huang Zhaodi listened from the side, her face contorted with jealousy. She said sourly, "Brother Lu, farm work is hard. How can we let you do it all by yourself? If it were me, I would definitely feel sorry for you and share the burden with you."
As soon as she finished speaking, the others nodded in agreement.
After all, educated youth were sent to the countryside to undergo labor reform; how could they hide at home and not do any work?
It was truly unexpected that Lu Zheng would marry such a lazy woman, and the way everyone looked at Lu Zheng now held a touch more sympathy.
Huang Zhaodi's eyes were full of smugness. In the village, a person's reputation was of utmost importance, and she was determined to ruin Xia Qianqian's reputation.
When the time comes, she'll let Brother Lu hear everyone in the village talking badly about Xia Qianqian, and she doesn't believe he'll still want her.
Thinking of this, her gaze involuntarily fell on the ring on Xia Qianqian's finger.
Hmph, one day, this ring will be hers, and Brother Lu will be hers too!
How could Xia Qianqian not see through Huang Zhaodi's sinister intentions?
If I stay at home for a short time and don't go out to work, it's not a big deal, but if it goes on for a long time, it's not a good thing.
She didn't want to become the subject of gossip among the village women.
Since I've decided to settle down in the countryside, the first thing I need to do is solve my job problem.
She had inquired with Er Ya and learned that children could join the production team to work when they turned ten, earning half a day's work points. The jobs assigned to the elderly and children were relatively easy, such as picking wheat.
The others, however, did not have it so easy. Here, the women were called "Iron Ladies" and did just as much work as the men, so the production team recorded their work points for the whole day.
As for strong and robust people like Lu Zheng, the production team made other arrangements for them. They did the hardest and heaviest work and received the most work points.
Upon hearing Lu Zheng's words, the production team leader immediately frowned deeply.
If Xia Qianqian's work were all assigned to Lu Zheng, how could Lu Zheng do those heavy physical jobs? He would only be able to do the same work as the ordinary men in the village. He didn't want to lose such a strong laborer for nothing.
He was thinking to himself that he should try to persuade Xia Qianqian to come out and work. If that didn't work, he would arrange some easy work for her.
Just as the production team leader was wondering how to start the conversation, Xia Qianqian spoke first.
"Captain, I've rested for a day and I'm all ready to go to work tomorrow."
The production team leader hadn't expected Xia Qianqian to be so understanding.
At first, he thought Xia Qianqian would act like a spoiled young lady, but he didn't expect that she was not like that at all. No wonder she took the initiative to come to the countryside. Her mindset is different from others.
His affection for Xia Qianqian grew stronger, and he thought to himself, "Just because this girl is so sensible, I can't assign her any heavy work."
Lu Zheng hadn't expected Xia Qianqian to speak up, so he quickly stopped her, saying, "You should just stay home and rest. Those rough jobs outside are not something a woman like you should be doing."
Xia Qianqian smiled and shook her head: "Brother Lu, don't look down on people. Women can hold up half the sky too."
As she smiled, her long, wavy hair swayed gently, like seaweed dancing in the wind, exuding a free and radiant beauty.
"What can you do? Can you plant rice seedlings or plow the fields? You're just causing trouble for us."
Looking at Xia Qianqian's smile, Huang Zhaodi found it extremely irritating and couldn't help but retort.
The production team leader frowned, glared at Huang Zhaodi with displeasure, and thought to himself that Huang Zhaodi had been assigned too little work, which was why she had so much free time to nitpick.
He didn't bother to settle accounts with Huang Zhaodi; as if afraid Xia Qianqian would change her mind, he hurriedly said, "Comrade Xia is right. How about this, since you're new here, I'll arrange things for you—"
Xia Qianqian interrupted him crisply: "Captain, I want to be a barefoot doctor."
The production team leader's eyes lit up immediately; this was a brilliant idea!
She followed the village barefoot doctor to prescribe medicine for everyone, and even when she did some farm work, it was the easiest job.
She's definitely a city girl; she's got a sharp mind.
Upon hearing this, Huang Zhaodi's jealousy burned even more fiercely.
In this village, everyone knows that being a barefoot doctor is the best job. Why does Xia Qianqian have to take that job away from us as soon as she arrives?
Her eyes darted back and forth between the production team leader and Xia Qianqian, her gaze filled with suspicion and resentment.
She thought to herself: The production team leader must be bewitched by Xia Qianqian, that vixen, otherwise why would he be so biased towards her?
"I disagree! She's not a doctor, why should she do this job!" Huang Zhaodi shouted emotionally.
The villagers nodded in agreement after hearing Huang Zhaodi's words.
"Yes, Captain, this arrangement isn't quite right. What can a girl like her do?" an elderly villager said, frowning.
Xia Qianqian looked at Huang Zhaodi: "Are you dissatisfied with me?"
Huang Zhaodi raised her head, her attitude couldn't be clearer.
“In the past, when we had headaches or fevers, we could only use some traditional Chinese medicine. We couldn’t even buy sulfamethoxazole and painkillers. If I were to be a barefoot doctor, I would make sure everyone could use these medicines.”
Her words caused an uproar in the room.
"You?" Huang Zhaodi put her hands on her hips and looked at her. "We're all in the village. Even if you used to be a rich girl from the city, you're just a country girl now."
"Just because I know the director of the Revolutionary Committee, and just because my suitcase is full of these medicines, and not just these, but I have others that are even better," Xia Qianqian said firmly.
At this moment, the village's barefoot doctor also spoke up: "This young girl is indeed quite knowledgeable. When Lu Zheng's mother was sick before, it was thanks to her medicine that she was saved."
As soon as he said this, the village chief immediately made the decision: "From now on, Xia Qianqian will be the second barefoot doctor in our village."
Putting everything else aside, just hearing about the medicines she has will benefit the villagers a lot.
Xia Qianqian addressed the villagers, saying, "After I become a barefoot doctor, anyone who has a headache or fever can come to me."
Seeing how Xia Qianqian had resolved this minor crisis so cleanly and efficiently, Lu Zheng looked at her with a smile in his eyes.
In his heart, Xia Qianqian was even more intelligent than he had imagined, like a bright pearl that suddenly shone brightly in the countryside, unique and charming.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com