As dusk settled in all directions, Qin Xian squatted by the well killing fish.
Li Yingtang sat nearby cracking sunflower seeds, occasionally popping one she had peeled into his mouth.
“Hey! Eat them yourself.” Didn’t she see he was busy?
Li Yingtang scratched her head and pulled out a small mirror from her bag, looking at herself left and right, then asked him as if seeking confirmation, “Am I ugly? Am I ugly?”
Qin Xian: “……………………………”
“You’re ugly, then there’d be no pretty people in the village. What are you on about?”
Li Yingtang put away the mirror and smiled politely. “Aunt Liu, what’s wrong?”
Aunt Liu weighed the basket in her hand. “Brought you some shepherd’s purse. All these fish—did you catch them yourself? Didn’t expect such skill from a little girl like you.”
Li Yingtang’s favorability toward Aunt Liu had already dropped to zero. She now viewed everything the woman did with suspicion.
Bringing vegetables for no reason—definitely trying to trade for her fish!
No way!
“Thanks for your trouble, but I don’t like shepherd’s purse.”
“You don’t even eat shepherd’s purse? City girls really are picky,” Aunt Liu muttered.
“Just leave it there,” Qin Xian said.
He glanced at Li Yingtang. In front of outsiders, he always called her by her full name—would they think he didn’t care about her and treat her lightly?
He paused slightly and added, “Tangtang isn’t picky. She caught plenty of fish. Take this one.”
Li Yingtang’s pupils widened.
Tangtang?
So sweet.
“That’s too embarrassing,” Aunt Liu said cheerfully, but her hands were already moving. She poured out the shepherd’s purse, took the fish Qin Xian had selected, and placed it in her basket. “It’s getting late, I’ll head off now.”
Watching her leave, Li Yingtang complained softly, “Wild river perch are so hard to catch. I was planning to steam it. That pile of wild greens isn’t worth anything—we’re losing out trading a perch for that.”
“You like shepherd’s purse? Tomorrow I’ll get you a whole cart of it. Stir-fried, dumplings, whatever you want,” she added, then muttered, “Why give her ours?”
Qin Xian couldn’t help smiling. “Think of it as a gift from me.”
Li Yingtang didn’t quite understand but accepted it anyway. “Fine.”
……
Dinner that night was stewed fish. Around the edge of the pot, thin pancakes were stuck to the sides with batter. Sweet potatoes were roasted underneath.
After eating the fish, Li Yingtang dug out the sweet potatoes, peeled them, and blew on them before eating.
So sweet.
If she couldn’t go home, living like this didn’t seem bad.
No family burden, no scheming.
Simple. Easy.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A violent knocking at the door.
“Dr. Qin! Dr. Qin! Help!”
Qin Xian strode into the kitchen in three quick steps. “What happened?”
A woman rushed out of the clinic room. “My son got his head smashed open by his wife! He’s bleeding everywhere! Look, such a huge cut—this vicious woman was way too cruel! Marrying her has been a disaster for our family!”
Qin Xian examined the wound and asked a few questions.
The man answered clearly and logically.
Qin Xian said, “It’s not serious. Stitch the wound and rest for a few days, and he’ll recover.”
The woman thanked him repeatedly while cursing her daughter-in-law in the most vulgar and vicious terms.
Li Yingtang couldn’t stand listening. That daughter-in-law was too kind—she should’ve hit the mother-in-law too.
“Ah Xian, I’m going to sleep. I want to go to the city tomorrow. Wake me early.”
Even though life here was peaceful and comfortable, it could dull one’s drive.
Eating and staying here without contributing wasn’t right.
More importantly—she wanted to be with him, to experience love.
But without money, how could there be romance?
She needed to earn a lot of money and dress herself up.
Looking like a mess every day—how would he ever notice her?
Qin Xian’s gaze darkened slightly. “Going home?”
“Mhm,” she answered vaguely.
……
Before dawn the next day, Qin Xian woke her up.
She put on her clothes and went outside, shivering from the cold.
In the courtyard was a half-new bicycle.
“Oh? Where did this come from? Is it for me to ride?”
“It’s for you to get around.”
Li Yingtang smiled brightly. “I want to sit in front so you can hug me while riding.”
Qin Xian paused, his expression turning slightly awkward. “Stop talking nonsense.” Then he turned and went into the kitchen.
Li Yingtang wrinkled her nose at his back.
Who was talking nonsense?
If he didn’t like it, she just wouldn’t say it.
Was there a need to get angry?
Stingy.
After preparing, she sat on the back seat of the bicycle.
She wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and chatted casually. “Were you a top student when you were in school?”
“Top student? I never bullied classmates.”
Pfft.
Li Yingtang laughed. “It means someone with excellent grades.”
“Not top. Just average.”
She thought he was being modest. From what she knew, medical geniuses usually came from strong academic families, often excelling in every subject. Yet at 23, he had already been working for two years, and could perform acupuncture and bone-setting with ease.
Even suturing wounds came naturally to him.
His talent and comprehension were far above her friends.
So his elders must also be skilled doctors, right?
But then—
If he had such an expert in the family, how did he end up as a rural doctor?
She needed to understand his family situation.
“By the way, should I greet your father? I can pass on a message. How do I get to your house? I’m a bit directionally challenged.”
With her social skills, it wasn’t impossible to get his father’s approval as his “girlfriend.”
Qin Xian glanced back at her. “Directionally challenged?”
“…Yes. I can’t remember roads.”
“No need.”
“Oh.” She sounded disappointed.
At dawn, the bicycle stopped at the town bus station. He took off his coat and handed it to her.
“When you sleep, wear it. Be smarter this time—don’t even let your shoes and socks get stolen again.”
“Got it.”
When the bus arrived, Li Yingtang quickly hugged him once, then boarded. Through the window, she looked at him from afar.
The ticket inspector tapped her shoulder. “Where to?”
“City center.”
“Sixty cents.”
The inspector held out her hand. Li Yingtang kept looking outside.
“Sixty cents. Pay up.”
“I’m here, am I going to run off or what? Don’t disturb me from looking at a handsome man.”
The inspector: “…”
She grabbed Li Yingtang’s scarf. Li Yingtang turned sharply, snatched it back, and slammed money into her palm. “Didn’t I already pay?!”
The inspector froze, then counted the money and sat down behind the door.
Li Yingtang shot her a glare and closed her eyes to rest.
When she woke up, even the aisle was packed.
She asked the woman beside her, “Auntie, where are we?”
“We’re in the city now.”
Li Yingtang looked around.
Compared to the sparse countryside, the city was lively.
There were a few tall buildings, but most were only three or four stories with storefronts.
Streets were full of people wearing uniform dark-blue padded jackets, matching pants, black handmade cotton shoes, and Mao-style hats like those from textbooks and old TV shows.
Everyone walked upright, energetic, full of vigor—no one was looking at phones.
They looked strong, capable, full of drive.
If factories were built here, efficiency would definitely be high.