When Yang Dai returned home, Han Lin was already there, talking with someone.
“Thank you, both of you. If it weren’t for you, I would’ve lost my life.” The man grew emotional upon seeing Yang Dai.
Outside, people were gathered around the tractor, gawking.
Mother Yang and Mother Han went into the kitchen to boil water and make tea. They didn’t really know why this person had come, but since he had driven a tractor over and was showing so much gratitude toward Yang Dai and Han Lin, it was only right to show proper hospitality.
“Comrade Han, the doctor told me—if you hadn’t helped me stop the bleeding yesterday before I got to the hospital, I wouldn’t have survived.” Li An’s eyes brimmed with tears. The tractor had overturned so suddenly that he hadn’t even had time to react.
He hadn’t made any protective preparations at all.
According to the doctor, if he hadn’t met a kind person to stop the bleeding early and send him to the hospital, he would have died from blood loss.
Yang Dai looked at Han Lin. After the tractor overturned, she had been focused on the mother and child, leaving the driver entirely in Han Lin’s care. Now she realized Han Lin had even treated the man’s wound in advance.
Li An kept going on, thanking them both again and again.
At last, Yang Dai understood who he was—he was from the commune’s agricultural machinery station.
Her mind immediately flashed back to what her mother had said earlier that day about the tractor driver job.
“My life was saved by you two. If you don’t mind, we’re brothers from now on. Whenever you need me, just say the word.” Li An’s head was wrapped in bandages, his hair all shaved off for treatment. When he laughed and rubbed his bald head, he looked like a shiny boiled egg.
With Li An offering goodwill so openly, there was no reason for Han Lin and Yang Dai to refuse.
Before long, the atmosphere grew lively. With only the three of them in the room, the earlier awkwardness disappeared.
Li An spoke even more.
“You two have great luck—good days are ahead.” He lowered his voice, looking mysterious.
Han Lin and Yang Dai had saved two adults and one child. Naturally, the “luck” Li An referred to was about that mother and child.
“A new top leader has arrived in the county—you’ve heard, right?” Li An said casually, then shifted the subject to the woman still in the hospital. “Comrade Liu has woken up. She wanted to come and thank you herself, but the hospital said she’s pregnant and the fetus is unstable, so she has to rest there for now.”
Yang Dai invited Li An to stay for a meal. The tractor parked in Huangzhuang brigade was an eye-catching sight, drawing many curious onlookers—even the brigade leader came over.
With Mother Yang and Mother Han busy in the kitchen, the meal was warm and cheerful.
Li An had planned to return directly to the machinery station after his discharge, but the Han family’s hospitality—and the brigade leader’s arrival—kept him for lunch.
Afterward, Yang Dai and Han Lin walked him out to the tractor.
Only then did Li An hesitantly ask, “Brother, if you still have that medicinal powder, could you spare me some? I won’t let you suffer a loss.”
Han Lin glanced at Yang Dai, who gave a small nod.
“Since you’ve asked, of course I’ll help. But it’ll take a little time.”
“No rush, no rush.” Li An started up the tractor and left, watched by the villagers of Huangzhuang brigade.
The brigade leader, seeing the tractor depart, hummed a cheerful tune. Huangzhuang was already on the list to receive tractors. Now, with connections at the machinery station, their chances of getting one were nearly certain.
At first, he had only hoped for a used tractor that wasn’t too worn out. Now he dared to dream of a brand-new one.
Wasn’t this exactly what people meant by “having connections makes things easier”?
“You’ve raised good children.” The brigade leader glanced at Yang’s father, clapped Han’s father on the shoulder, and walked off contentedly.
His opinion of Han Lin and Yang Dai had improved greatly, and he even felt a touch of envy for their luck.
Both the Han and Yang families were already doing well in the brigade, and now, with ties to the machinery station, they would do even better.
Fortunately, they were refugees from decades past, with no deep roots in Huangzhuang, and had good relations with him.
No one knew the brigade leader’s inner thoughts. The parents of both families crowded around Han Lin and Yang Dai, eager for details.
When they learned the two had also saved lives yesterday, comments flew from all sides.
Mother Yang pulled Yang Dai off to see the barefoot doctor, insisting she get her face treated.
When she had lain on the ground saving lives, Yang Dai’s arms and even her face had gotten scraped. Though not too obvious, she had concealed them carefully before going out. But with Li An’s visit, she no longer needed to hide them.
Unable to refuse, Yang Dai followed her mother out for medicine, but her mind kept returning to Li An’s mention of the medicinal powder.
That powder was a family heirloom of the Duke of Cheng’s household. Her own storeroom held plenty of it, even with prescriptions.
Whether she gave or sold some to Li An was no issue.
But Yang Dai always thought things through carefully. She didn’t want anyone noticing something unusual about her.
If she couldn’t find a reasonable explanation for the powder, she would rather let it rot in her hands. After all, above all else, her own safety mattered most.