As the crowd gradually dispersed, Lin Xiaxia began organizing the medicine she had just bought.
The village chief stayed behind to help and even asked his daughter, Gao Xiulan, to remain and lend a hand.
“Xiulan, you can read, right?” Lin Xiaxia asked while sorting the medicine bottles into different categories.
“Of course. I graduated from middle school,” Gao Xiulan replied brightly, a hint of pride in her eyes.
“Perfect. Can you help me arrange these medicines on the shelves by category?”
Lin Xiaxia pointed toward the medicine cabinet nearby.
“Put the cold medicine over here, the fever medicine over there, and the medicine for external injuries on the bottom shelf.”
“Sure!”
Gao Xiulan carefully checked each label before placing the medicine in its designated compartment. She worked quickly but meticulously.
The village chief watched from the side for a while before suddenly approaching Lin Xiaxia. Rubbing his hands together, he asked with a smile, “Xiao Lin, what do you think of my daughter?”
Lin Xiaxia froze for a moment.
The question had come completely out of nowhere, leaving her unsure what he was getting at. Still, she answered truthfully.
“Lanlan is one of the few middle school graduates in the village. She’s educated, quick-witted, and a good girl. It would honestly be a shame if she married and started having children too early.”
She looked at him curiously.
“Uncle, do you have something in mind for her?”
“I knew you had a good eye!”
The village chief slapped his thigh.
“That’s exactly what I wanted to discuss with you. How about letting Xiulan work as your assistant? She can read, and she learns quickly. If she follows you and learns more about medicine and treatments, it’ll be much better than staying at home.”
He continued, “I don’t want her marrying too young either. If she learns a proper skill from you, she’ll have something to rely on in the future. And if you ever return to the city, she could take over. That way, our village clinic won’t have to close down.”
His words made Lin Xiaxia genuinely admire him.
The village chief not only loved his daughter, but he also had the foresight to understand that helping her learn a useful skill was far better than rushing her into marriage.
Lin Xiaxia gave him a thumbs-up.
“Uncle, you’re truly one of the most forward-thinking fathers I’ve ever met.”
“Hahaha! You girl, you certainly know how to flatter people!”
The village chief laughed so hard that wrinkles gathered around the corners of his eyes.
He turned toward Gao Xiulan and called out, “Xiulan, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and greet your teacher!”
Gao Xiulan had already overheard their conversation.
Her cheeks flushed as she called out clearly, “Teacher!”
Lin Xiaxia smiled.
“You don’t have to call me Teacher. Just call me Sister Xiaxia. You can learn from me, but I should warn you that it won’t be easy. You’ll have to identify medicinal herbs, memorize prescriptions, learn how to bandage wounds, and plenty more. You can’t be careless with any of it.”
“I’m not afraid of hard work!”
Gao Xiulan nodded vigorously, her eyes shining.
“Sister Xiaxia, don’t worry. I’ll study hard!”
Seeing this, the village chief finally felt a weight lift from his shoulders.
He smiled cheerfully.
“Then I’ll have to trouble you to look after Xiulan from now on. If she misbehaves or doesn’t listen, don’t hesitate to scold her!”
“Don’t worry, Uncle. From now on, Lanlan will be our clinic’s little nurse. I’ll start by teaching her the basics of nursing.”
As Lin Xiaxia continued arranging the medicine, she added, “Oh, there’s one more thing I’d like to discuss with you.”
“Go ahead. As long as it’s something your uncle can handle, I won’t hesitate.”
“It’s about this house. Does Old Qi’s family, the original owners, still plan on selling it? If they’re willing, I’d like to renovate the place.”
Lin Xiaxia gestured toward the layout of the house as she explained.
“I’d like to partition off the back room and turn it into a small operating room. Then we could add another room to the side in front, so patients receiving injections or IV drips have somewhere to rest.”
The village chief rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“I’ll find time to go into the city and ask Old Qi’s family about it. But it’s almost the end of the month, and snow will be coming soon. Once the ground freezes, construction will be impossible.”
He thought for another moment.
“I’m afraid we won’t be able to build anything this year. How about this? Once spring comes and the weather warms up, I’ll immediately arrange for people to start working on it. Would that be all right?”
“That’s fine. There’s no rush. Spring would actually be perfect.”
Lin Xiaxia smiled and agreed.
Just then, Huzi’s mother called out from outside the courtyard.
“Little Sister, I’m here! What did you need me for?”
She walked into the courtyard carrying little Huzi in her arms, a warm smile on her face.
“Anything you need is my business too. Whatever work you have for me, just say the word!”
“Perfect timing, Sister.”
Lin Xiaxia turned and went into the inner room. She dragged out a sack of cotton, then brought out several pieces of thick black fabric.
“I wanted to trouble you to make a few thick padded winter coats for me. I need both men’s and women’s sizes. Simple styles are fine.”
Huzi’s mother pinched the fabric between her fingers.
It felt thick and sturdy, and she immediately praised it.
“This fabric is really good! It’s much stronger than what they sell at the supply and marketing cooperative. Clothes made from this could last for years! Where did you buy it?”
“I bought it in the capital before. I still had some fabric left over. If you like it, I can spare some for you later.”
“That would be wonderful!”
Huzi’s mother beamed and eagerly took the fabric and cotton.
“Don’t worry. I guarantee I’ll make them fit well and keep you nice and warm!”
Nearby, little Huzi sat obediently on a stool, sucking on his finger.
Suddenly, he spread his legs a little wider.
Lin Xiaxia happened to glance over, and her brows furrowed slightly.
Huzi’s mother noticed where she was looking and laughed.
“Little kids don’t mind the cold down there. Letting him go without pants is more convenient, and he won’t dirty his clothes as easily.”
“That’s not what I mean, Sister.”
Lin Xiaxia looked more closely.
“I think there might be a small problem with Huzi’s private area.”
Huzi’s mother froze.
She immediately lowered her head to look between the child’s legs.
“What kind of problem? Little Sister, you have to look carefully! This concerns Huzi’s entire future!”
Without the slightest embarrassment, she immediately lifted little Huzi and gently spread his legs so Lin Xiaxia could get a clearer look.
Gao Xiulan and the village chief curiously leaned closer as well.
They stared for quite a while but couldn’t see anything unusual.
“Looks perfectly normal to me,” the village chief said, scratching the back of his head. “I don’t see anything wrong.”
Huzi’s mother’s bold actions caught Lin Xiaxia off guard for a moment.
She quickly regained her composure, examined the child carefully, and gently checked the area.
“There is a minor issue. The foreskin seems a little too long,” Lin Xiaxia explained.
“But he’s only three years old, so he’s still very young. We should continue observing him as he grows.”
She paused before continuing.
“If it’s still like this later, then when he’s around seven or eight years old, a simple circumcision should take care of it. It shouldn’t affect his development afterward. Leaving a genuine problem untreated for too long, on the other hand, could cause complications.”
“What… what does that mean? Can’t it be treated now?”
Huzi’s mother immediately became anxious, and even her voice began trembling.
“He’s still too young right now,” Lin Xiaxia patiently explained. “His body is weaker, and young children can be more sensitive to medications and procedures, so there’s no need to rush into surgery.”
She then briefly explained some basic physiology to Huzi’s mother.
“When he’s older and stronger, if the problem is still there, a minor procedure should be enough. Recovery should be quick, and it shouldn’t cause any lasting problems.”
Only then did Huzi’s mother relax slightly.
She hugged little Huzi tightly, her eyes turning red with worry.
“Then… when Huzi is seven or eight, Little Sister, you have to still be here in our village!”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be here.”
Seeing how worried she was, Lin Xiaxia nodded seriously.
“When the time comes, I’ll keep an eye on him and make sure everything is fine. It’s only a minor issue, so you don’t need to worry too much.”
The village chief also reassured her.
“That’s right. With Educated Youth Lin here, what are you afraid of? Besides, there are still several years before you need to worry about it. You can deal with it when the time comes.”
Gao Xiulan listened attentively from the side.
Although her cheeks were slightly red, she silently committed everything Lin Xiaxia had explained to memory.
Huzi’s mother finally felt reassured.
After thanking Lin Xiaxia several more times, she carried little Huzi home.
Before leaving, she didn’t forget to call back, “I’ll finish those padded coats as quickly as I can! I guarantee they’ll be warm!”