“This is how things stand.”
“Comrade Jiang, as long as you agree to work at our health clinic, I will definitely help you apply for various benefits and allowances. Your salary can also be issued at the level of a department director.”
Sitting by the window, Zhong Yu’s leather shoes were already worn through at the edges, cracks filled with dried sand from the long journey. He had rushed to the Dongfanghong production brigade right after finishing work at the hospital, so hurried that he even forgot to take off his white coat.
Once on the boat, Zhong Yu didn’t beat around the bush and directly stated his purpose. After learning that Jiang Li did not have a medical qualification certificate, he was extremely surprised.
He had originally assumed that with such outstanding medical skills, Comrade Xiao Jiang must have graduated from a prestigious medical school or studied under a famous master.
Fortunately, it wasn’t a big problem. Whether or not she had graduated from a famous institution, Jiang Li’s medical skills were real.
Regarding the lack of a medical license, Jiang Li explained carefully:
“I’ve been learning medicine from my grandfather since I was young. He is a well-known old Chinese medicine doctor in the northern city, and our family’s ancestors once served as imperial physicians. Unfortunately, as you know, the environment for traditional Chinese medicine in recent years hasn’t been very good. You probably understand something about that. To avoid unnecessary trouble, my family didn’t let me continue formal medical schooling.”
Zhong Yu understood.
He knew very well about the suppression traditional Chinese medicine had faced in recent years. A friend of his in Beijing, who was extremely skilled in TCM, had been forced to retreat to the countryside.
As for the qualification certificate, Zhong Yu reassured her:
“That can be solved.”
“In previous years, island medical staff were organized to go to the city hospital for exams together. Although this year’s time has passed, it’s not a big issue. The supervising director in the city is my senior brother. I’ll write him a letter explaining the situation, and we’ll make a trip when the time comes. Before that, Comrade Jiang can first intern at our clinic. On a remote island, it doesn’t matter so much for interns without a license.”
Of course it didn’t matter.
Baisha Island lacked medical resources so badly that there were hardly any doctors at the clinic at all. The island residents were already burning incense and praying for someone who could treat illnesses—who would care about a certificate?
As long as someone could treat patients and prescribe medicine, they were a good doctor.
With Director Zhong’s guarantee, Jiang Li didn’t think much and agreed, smiling:
“Then from now on, Director Zhong and I are colleagues.”
“…So it’s settled?”
Zhong Yu’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Yes, yes! I will definitely be a good colleague to Comrade Jiang, helping her out and doing my best to serve the people!”
“As for helping out, that won’t be necessary,” Jiang Li said with a gentle smile.
“Oh—right, right! I misspoke,” Zhong Yu quickly corrected himself, smiling awkwardly. How had he accidentally revealed his inner thoughts?
If he scared Comrade Jiang, that would be a serious mistake.
Jiang Li looked at the easygoing director and relaxed slightly. He didn’t seem difficult to get along with.
After finishing business, Zhong Yu didn’t want to disturb her further and stood up:
“Does Comrade Jiang know where the clinic is? If not, I can send someone to pick you up tomorrow.”
Jiang Li waved it off. “No need. My younger brother knows the way. He’ll bring me there.”
Then she suddenly remembered her three-year-old brother, Jiang Xiaoman. If she went to work at the clinic, he couldn’t stay home alone—this was an island surrounded by sea and too dangerous. Her other younger brother, Jiang Jiayun, also needed to go to school, and taking him along would affect his studies.
After thinking it over, she raised the issue.
Zhong Yu immediately said, “Bring him to the clinic. My wife also helps out there usually—she’s very attentive and patient with children. You can leave the child with her when you’re working.”
Speaking of his wife, Zhong Yu’s heart filled with admiration. Back when he learned the island lacked doctors, he had just graduated from Beijing Medical University and applied to come here. His wife not only didn’t object, she even followed him here without fear of hardship. Later, she helped raise their children. She was his greatest support.
With that reassurance, Jiang Li finally felt at ease. The biggest concern was resolved, and after confirming her start date, she escorted Director Zhong off the boat.
Even as he left, Zhong Yu still felt dazed, as if his head was swaying with the boat.
“This… really just worked out?”
In the city, doctors usually carried pride. Over the years, several had come to Baisha Island, but every time Zhong Yu asked them to stay, they refused—either making excuses or implying that staying on such a remote island would waste their talent and ambitions.
He had never expected things to go so smoothly this time.
Thinking of Jiang Li’s reasons for returning, he felt even more respect.
She could have stayed anywhere—with her education, her work experience in the grain bureau, and her medical training. But she returned to this poor island to care for her young siblings.
Truly admirable.
At dusk, the shadows of the narrow courtyard in a Beijing alley stretched long. Thick coal smoke mixed with cooking fumes rose through the cramped space.
In a side room, two women stood facing each other.
One wore cadre clothing, posture straight, hair neatly combed back with a black headband, full of vitality.
The other looked haggard, half her hair already white, face wrinkled and swollen-eyed from crying.
Ever since receiving the admission notice, Chen Fang had been busy with enrollment matters. It took several days before she finally found Zhou Xueming’s ex-wife.
She handed an envelope to the woman across from her.
“As for Zhou Xueming’s matter, think carefully about what you want to do.”
Feng Cui’e took the envelope, glanced at it under the light, and was shocked to find it was a thick stack of RMB. Her hands trembled as she tried to return it, but Chen Fang pushed it back.
“I can’t take this,” Feng Cui’e panicked. “This money was earned by Comrade Xiao Jiang. It should belong to her. Please help me return it!”
Only then did Chen Fang finally feel relieved. This ex-wife seemed to be a decent person. Originally, Jiang Li had planned to give her 300 yuan, and Chen Fang had opposed it—after all, people might get greedy.
But now it seemed unnecessary to worry.
“Comrade Jiang said this is the dowry money she helped you recover from Zhou Xueming. You can decide how to use it.”
“She… she really said that?”
Tears fell onto the envelope as Feng Cui’e choked up.
She had spent her life working like a servant in the Zhou family. Waking before dawn, sleeping after everyone else, cooking, cleaning, doing endless chores—enduring humiliation.
After being forced into divorce, she had been thrown back to her natal family, where she was despised and bullied. She had no job, no support, no hope of seeing her children.
At one point, she had even prepared poison, intending to end her life that night.
But this message reignited her hope.
Comrade Jiang had told her: if she wanted her children back, she could sue in court—and she would help her.
That sentence gave her a reason to live.
After sending Chen Fang off, Feng Cui’e carefully hid the money and wiped away her tears. She began to smile faintly.
At home, her sister-in-law mocked her cruelly, calling her a jinx, telling her to go die elsewhere.
But this time, Feng Cui’e stood up.
“Enough!”
Her voice was firm. “I’ve worked for this family for years. I contributed plenty. Don’t act like I’ve been freeloading!”
Her sister-in-law sneered, but Feng Cui’e no longer backed down. For the first time, she fought back.
Later, she left the house with her bundle, cutting ties completely.
She swore: once she stepped out that door, she had nothing to do with the Feng family anymore—even if she died, they wouldn’t need to collect her body.
She would live. And she would fight for her children.
A few days later, news spread through the grain bureau: Zhou Xueming had been dismissed for corruption and misconduct.
He desperately begged his uncle in the deputy director’s office.
But his uncle only sighed. “You’ve been caught having an affair—with a colleague no less. Director Song is furious. He’s determined to remove you. I can’t help you. If I say more, I’ll lose my job too.”
Zhou Xueming staggered, face pale.
He had never imagined anyone would dare report him.
He couldn’t figure out who did it.
Jiang Li? Impossible—she had already left Beijing.
Feng Cui’e? Even less likely.
Meanwhile, life in the housing compound had changed drastically.
The Jiang family had fallen from grace. Jiang Yumin and Jiang Xiaoxiao were sent to a remote labor farm. Jiang Jianguo lost his job at the grain bureau. Only Xu Huili still remained, barely holding on, squeezed into a tiny room.
The family now lived in misery and regret.
In their home, Yang Zaohua cried and shouted, while Jiang Jianguo lay on the bed dreaming of returning to the grain bureau.
His wife, Ye Suqin, returned from outside after hearing the news of Zhou Xueming’s downfall.
She calmly entered the house.
“You’re asking for nutrition supplements? We don’t have money. Sell the TV if you want.”
Xu Huili froze, only now realizing how expensive everything Jiang Li used to buy had been.
She began to regret everything.
But Ye Suqin was blunt:
“When she begged you not to take her place, you called her ungrateful. Now you remember her kindness? Too late.”
Jiang Jianguo exploded, but Ye Suqin only coldly replied:
“If you don’t work, we’ll separate.”
At that moment, the entire family realized: their downfall was complete.
Outside, chaos erupted in the Zhou household as well. Neighbors watched the drama unfold.
And far away on the island, Jiang Li’s life continued quietly—far from all of it.