The people whose mouths had been covered no longer showed any trace of their earlier arrogance. Their eyes were filled with shock and disbelief.
None of them had expected this seemingly delicate young educated woman to possess such impressive medical skills.
Lin Xiaxia had no time to pay attention to the men being restrained. She turned to the medicine shelf, took out the necessary medication and IV equipment, and skillfully started an intravenous drip for the child.
The medicine slowly flowed through the transparent tube.
She bent down and touched the child’s forehead before saying softly, “He needs to stay here for observation. We have to watch for a high fever and any signs of a lung infection.”
The woman stared at the faint rise and fall of her son’s chest, and tears once again streamed down her face.
She dropped to her knees and repeatedly knocked her forehead against the ground.
“Thank you, Doctor! Thank you for saving my son’s life! You’ve given our family a second chance!”
“Please get up.”
Lin Xiaxia hurriedly helped her to her feet.
“Saving lives and treating the sick is a doctor’s duty. Go home first and pack some clothes for the child. He’ll probably need to stay here for a few days.”
She continued, “There’s no rush to pay the medical fees. We can talk about that after he recovers. If money is tight, you can pay with grain or eggs instead. If you still can’t gather enough, you can write an IOU and repay it little by little.”
Her words made the men who had just been released stare at her in astonishment.
One of them couldn’t help asking, “You’re even willing to let them pay you back slowly? What do you get out of that? Aren’t you basically working for nothing?”
Only then did Lin Xiaxia look at them.
Her gaze was calm but unwavering.
“I don’t treat people just to make money. Since I’m the doctor in this village, I have a responsibility to look after the people who live here.”
She paused, her voice clear and steady.
“I don’t know who reported me, and I don’t care what their intentions were. I have nothing to hide, so I’m not afraid of being investigated. If you truly believe I’ve violated the rules, you can take me away right now.”
The moment she finished speaking, the men who had carried the child there immediately stepped in front of her and rolled up their sleeves.
“I’d like to see who dares touch Doctor Lin! If you want to take her away, you’ll have to get past me first!”
Even the child’s mother stood protectively beside Lin Xiaxia, her eyes red as though she were ready to fight anyone who tried to harm her.
The leader of the inspection group looked at the furious villagers gathered before him, then at the child on the bed, whose condition was gradually improving.
Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
All of his earlier arrogance had vanished.
He swallowed nervously and waved his hands awkwardly.
“It’s a misunderstanding. It’s all a misunderstanding! We were only carrying out a routine inspection. We didn’t mean anything else. Sorry for disturbing everyone. Sorry…”
Without daring to say another word, he hurried away with the other two men.
They practically fled the scene and disappeared from sight in no time.
Only then did the villagers in the courtyard breathe sighs of relief.
Seventh Uncle leaned on his walking stick and cursed with a laugh, “What a bunch of fools, stirring up trouble for nothing!”
The village chief stepped forward and patted Lin Xiaxia on the shoulder.
“Don’t take it to heart. Those people were just making a fuss. As long as we’re here, we won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Lin Xiaxia shook her head and turned her attention back to the child lying on the bed.
“It’s fine. As long as the child recovers, that’s all that matters.”
Gao Xiulan handed her a clean cloth and quietly said, “Sister Xiaxia, wipe your sweat.”
Lin Xiaxia took it, then carefully instructed her, “Lanlan, take the child’s temperature once every hour and write it down. If it goes above thirty-eight degrees, tell me immediately. Also, pay close attention to his breathing. If he starts coughing, wheezing, or struggling to breathe, record that too.”
Gao Xiulan held her small notebook and nodded seriously.
“I’ll remember, Sister Xiaxia.”
Lin Xiaxia then helped remove the child’s cold, wet clothes. She found two clean old padded jackets in the inner room and wrapped him in them.
After that, she filled three hot-water bottles, wrapped them in cloth, and placed them around the child beneath the blankets to keep him warm.
His little face was still pale, but his breathing was steadier than it had been that morning.
Seeing that the situation was under control, the village chief began sending the onlookers away.
“All right, everyone, go home. Those who have work to do should get back to it. Stop crowding around here.”
He then turned to Lin Xiaxia.
“I’ll go discuss that house you wanted to build with the production team. We’ll try to start construction as soon as possible.”
“Thank you for the trouble, Uncle,” Lin Xiaxia said.
“There’s no need to make mud bricks,” she added. “I’ll go to the county town and buy some fired bricks instead. They’ll be sturdier, and it’ll help speed up construction.”
“All right. We’ll do it your way.”
The village chief hurried off.
After an entire morning of work, the sun was directly overhead by the time some color finally returned to the child’s face. His lips were no longer as bluish-purple as before.
Only then did Lin Xiaxia have time to ask where the child’s family lived.
She learned that they were from Xiashantun Village, only about half a kilometer from Gaojiatun.
“Several children went fishing by the river this morning,” the child’s mother explained, wiping away her tears. Her voice still trembled slightly.
“He was being playful and reached down toward the water, but he suddenly slipped and fell in.”
She choked back another sob.
“When they pulled him out, he wasn’t moving anymore. Someone said the town was too far away and that we might not make it in time…”
“But I couldn’t give up! When I ran to Gaojiatun, someone told me there was a new doctor here. I came with the tiniest bit of hope, but I never imagined you’d really save him!”
She held tightly onto Lin Xiaxia’s hand, unable to stop expressing her gratitude as tears continued streaming down her cheeks.
Lin Xiaxia gently patted the back of her hand.
“It’s all right now. Your son is fortunate. My clinic is small and only has one bed, though, so you may have to sleep on the floor tonight.”
“I don’t mind! I really don’t mind!” the woman hurriedly replied. “As long as my son gets better, I can sleep anywhere!”
Lunch was simple.
Lin Xiaxia cooked a pot of thin noodles. The village chief’s family had sent over a handful of fresh, tender spinach, so she added it to the pot along with several eggs.
The delicious aroma quickly filled the room.
She also prepared a small pot of millet porridge especially for the child, cooking it until it was thick and soft so it would be easy to digest.
Just as the food was ready, the child lying on the bed slowly opened his eyes and let out a weak whimper.
His mother immediately hurried over.
“Sweetheart? Are you hungry? Do you want Mom to feed you some porridge?”
The child didn’t speak. He merely blinked.
Lin Xiaxia filled a small bowl halfway with warm porridge and slowly fed him one spoonful at a time.
To their relief, he swallowed several small mouthfuls.
After eating a little, he fell into a deep sleep again.
“It’s good that he can eat.”
Lin Xiaxia finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She turned to the woman.
“That’s a sign he’s improving. Don’t worry too much. We’ll continue observing him this afternoon. If everything remains stable, he should be fine.”
The woman gazed at her son’s peaceful sleeping face. Her eyes reddened again, but this time, a relieved smile appeared on her lips.
“It’s all thanks to you, Doctor Lin…”
That afternoon, Lin Xiaxia sat beside the table holding a needle in one hand and a radish in the other as she patiently demonstrated the technique to Gao Xiulan.
“When giving an injection, keep your wrist steady and insert the needle quickly. The angle should be around thirty degrees. That way, it won’t hurt the patient as much.”
As she spoke, she made a quick movement with her wrist.
The needle smoothly pierced the radish in one clean motion.
“Now you try.”
Gao Xiulan nodded.
She took the needle and radish, drew a deep breath, and began practicing the way Lin Xiaxia had shown her.
At first, her hands trembled slightly, and she missed the correct spot several times.
But she didn’t become discouraged at all.
She repeated the same movement seventy or eighty times. Fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, but she didn’t even bother wiping them away.
Only when she could consistently insert the needle exactly where she intended did a small smile finally appear on her face.
“Sister Xiaxia, is this right?”
She held up the radish for Lin Xiaxia to inspect.
“Not bad. You’re improving quickly.”
Lin Xiaxia smiled and nodded.
“You just need to apply steady pressure when pushing in the medicine. Keep practicing.”
Just as she finished speaking, someone cautiously poked her head through the courtyard entrance.
It was Auntie Chen from the village, a woman in her forties.
Her face was slightly flushed with embarrassment.
When she noticed other people inside, she hesitated for a moment before turning around as though she intended to leave.
Gao Xiulan’s sharp eyes immediately spotted her.
“Auntie Chen, are you here to see the doctor? Come in and sit down!”
Having been called out, Auntie Chen became even more awkward.
She rubbed her hands against her apron.
“Forget it, forget it. I… I don’t need to be examined anymore. You’re busy.”
“Come inside, Auntie.”
Lin Xiaxia stood up with a smile.
“If you’re feeling unwell, you shouldn’t put it off. The longer you wait, the easier it is for the condition to worsen. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Seeing a doctor when you’re sick is perfectly normal.”