Uncle Feng and his wife were about the same age as Teacher Shu and had been neighbors for decades, so Jin Yue naturally knew about their family situation.
Originally, Uncle Feng worked at the Machinery Factory while his wife cleaned public toilets on the streets, specifically responsible for several public restrooms in Liu Ye Hutong and Huai Shu Alley. Their son and daughter-in-law were also workers, so life wasn't bad.
But their daughter Chunxia hadn't been so fortunate.
Feng Chunxia, in her early forties, had been pretty and hardworking when young. She married a cadre from the mining bureau who directly arranged a job for her at the mining authority's newspaper office. She didn't need to do anything, just sat in the office every day, becoming famously known in the Liu Ye Hutong area for marrying well.
Unfortunately, that was only what outsiders saw. Old Mr. and Mrs. Feng had secretly shed countless tears: while their son-in-law was filial, his family valued boys over girls, and Chunxia's "uncooperative belly" meant she hadn't borne a son in twenty years of marriage, often eating her meals with tears because of this.
The old Feng couple had several family conflicts over subsidizing their daughter's treatment for "not being able to bear sons." Their son and daughter-in-law complained about favoritism, but with only two children their whole lives, both were equally precious. Compared to their son who had both sons and daughters, their daughter's situation clearly pained them more.
Uncle Feng had no choice but to be extremely frugal, wishing he could split one peanut into eight pieces. Like Zhao Wan Qiu, he often went to the vegetable shop to pick up rotten vegetable leaves and cucumbers from Shu Wen Ming.
When Jin Yue heard him mention Chunxia's illness, she immediately felt overwhelmed and declared before he could continue: "Uncle, you've misunderstood. I only diagnose illnesses. I can't control whether it's a boy or girl – that's random."
If she could control gender, she'd truly be a "miracle doctor." If she remembered correctly, Feng Chunxia had already given birth to four daughters in over ten years of marriage. The eldest was already working, while the youngest had just learned to walk when she came to pay New Year's greetings last spring.
There was apparently one given away in between – to the sister-in-law of her infertile distant cousin. She wasn't clear about the details, as the Feng family wouldn't mention such improper matters. She'd only heard rumors from Zhao Wan Qiu.
Uncle Feng's old face reddened with embarrassment. "Not that, it's a real strange illness."
He thought: See, the whole compound knows about Chunxia's troubles. How distressing.
"Your sister Chunxia… you know she didn't come back for New Year's greetings last spring, right?"
Jin Yue hadn't noticed before, but now that he mentioned it, it was true. Sister Chunxia was kind – every time she returned, she'd distribute peanuts and candies to the children in the compound. When Jin Yue was little, she always looked forward to Sister Chunxia's visits because she seemed to always give Jin Yue two more pieces than others.
While everyone else called her "little airhead" or "little fool," only Sister Chunxia never used those nicknames and treated her specially. This subtle "difference" felt like favoritism in a child's heart.
Counting her previous life, it had been over twenty years since she last saw Sister Chunxia.
Uncle Feng stamped his foot. "Ah, actually we can't hide this anyway. I'll tell you the truth – your sister Chunxia gave birth again last month."
What?!
Shu Jin Yue desperately controlled her mouth, willing it to behave and not drop open.
Though outwardly calm, she was inwardly stunned for three solid minutes. Another one? That must be the fifth child. While large families were common in these times, both she and her husband were cadres. For people of their status to have five or six children before turning forty was quite rare. Calculating by normal gestation cycles, Feng Chunxia’s marital life over the past decade had been either giving birth or on the way to giving birth—barely had one child learned to walk before the next was conceived.
Compared to her sister-in-law Liu Hui Fang, who remained childless, it was truly a case of the barren envying the fertile!
“It’s another girl. The moment she was born, her mother-in-law said she’d be sent to the countryside. Your brother-in-law couldn’t take it anymore—he had a huge fight with them and moved out. We’ve only had a few days of peace since.”
For years, the couple had handed over their entire salaries every month, keeping not a cent for themselves. Even the school fees for their four granddaughters depended on the elders. Over time, they lost all say in family matters.
Now, with this split, the old couple seized the opportunity to tighten their grip—not a coin, not a needle was allowed to leave the house. They moved out to rent a place with their underage daughters and the newborn fifth child, but Feng Chunxia never properly recovered from childbirth.
“It started the night of the argument—she caught a chill in the cold wind, developed a fever and headaches. She hid it from your brother-in-law to spare him worry. By the time he noticed something wrong and took her to the hospital, the doctor said it was just postpartum complications and told her to rest well at home.” Since she was breastfeeding, medication wasn’t advisable—just plenty of water and frequent urination.
“But two months of rest didn’t help—instead, she worsened and developed diabetes.” Uncle Feng sighed heavily, not minding that Auntie Li was eavesdropping nearby. These things couldn’t stay hidden for long anyway.
Jin Yue was taken aback. “Diabetes?”
“Yes, your brother-in-law brought Dr. Li from the east side to see her—he confirmed it was diabetes. But I’ve heard on the radio that diabetes can be hereditary. No one in our family for three generations has had this disease. Your sister Chunxia is only in her thirties—how could she get it?”
“That’s not necessarily true. Science only says heredity is a factor, not that all diabetes is inherited. As for age, middle-aged and elderly people are more susceptible, but it’s not absolute.” She’d once encountered a diabetic patient in the countryside who was only seventeen.
Moreover, compared to others, Feng Chunxia had a unique circumstance—she’d just completed a pregnancy. There was such a thing as gestational diabetes.
Still, Jin Yue knew better than to let patients or family members dictate diagnoses. She wouldn’t assume it was diabetes just because they said so. “Uncle, first tell me what symptoms my sister Chunxia has been showing.”
“These past two months, she’s always thirsty—can finish two kettles of water a day—but she needs to urinate immediately after drinking, running to the bathroom fifteen to twenty times a day. Stranger still, she eats more at every meal than your brother-in-law, yet she’s lost seven or eight pounds. It’s frightening to see.”
Excessive thirst, excessive hunger, excessive urination, and weight loss—the classic “three excesses and one deficiency” every medical student learns. It was indeed a diagnostic criterion (one of them) for diabetes.
No wonder a doctor had diagnosed her with diabetes.
Jin Yue pondered for a moment. “Has her blood sugar been tested?”
“Yes, and her urine sugar too. Both came back normal. Isn’t that strange?”
Shu Jin Yue frowned. Negative urine sugar was somewhat acceptable, but even blood sugar wasn't high—this was indeed a bit strange.
"How many times did you test? Was it fasting or post-meal?"
"We tested continuously for a week. Neither fasting nor after eating showed high levels."
Jin Yue pursed her lips. This really couldn't be called diabetes then. It seemed her initial judgment was correct—she hadn't been led astray by them.
"In that case, uncle, I can't guarantee whether I can treat it or not. If you'd like to give it a try, could you ask Sister Chunxia to come by when she has time?"
She had been quite busy recently and didn't have time to travel that far.
"Alright, alright, no problem. I'll go tell them first thing tomorrow morning."
Back in the room, Zhao Wan Qiu was also surprised to hear that Feng Chunxia might have diabetes. "This illness—it's not exactly severe, but then again, it can be quite serious. The head nurse in our department, her sister-in-law died from diabetes."
Shu Wen Ming was also astonished. He remembered several colleagues at their vegetable store had elderly relatives with this disease. "Diabetes can actually kill people?"
"Ah, her case was complicated."
That patient had been under her care in the department. Because her blood sugar was too high, reaching diabetic ketoacidosis, Zhao Wan Qiu had managed her throughout the hospital rescue. Though colleagues didn't like her, they always assigned their relatives and friends to her care because of her excellent skills and strong sense of responsibility.
"That patient was disobedient. Even though we forbade her from eating fruits and sugar, she still sneaked them. Luckily, I was prepared and caught her red-handed—others probably wouldn't have been able to."
Even while hospitalized, her daily blood sugar readings remained high. Everyone thought it was due to insufficient insulin dosage. But who was Zhao Wan Qiu? She followed the patient when she went to throw out trash and dug sugar wrappers out from her pile of dirty garbage. The patient stubbornly denied it until Zhao Wan Qiu staked out for several days and caught her eating sugar outright, finally curbing her sweet tooth.
"Unfortunately, she simply wouldn't follow medical advice. After discharge, her blood sugar remained poorly controlled. One winter night, she scalded her feet while soaking them at home. It later led to amputation, uncontrolled infection, and she passed away."
Everyone sighed upon hearing this. Shu Wen Ming asked curiously, "How did foot soaking lead to amputation?"
"You don't understand—diabetics have nerve damage and impaired temperature sensation. The water was already extremely hot, but she couldn't feel it at all. Thinking it wasn't hot enough, she kept adding boiling water. Those feet… were practically cooked. It was horrifying when she came to the hospital."
Infections in diabetic feet are extremely difficult to control, and wounds heal very slowly. To prevent the infection from spreading, amputation becomes necessary—saving what can be saved.
"Who would have thought that even amputation couldn't control the infection? Ah." Zhao Wan Qiu sighed. She felt she hadn't done anything wrong and had protected the patient's right to life and health to the greatest extent. Yet the head nurse held a grudge against her from then on, constantly making things difficult for her and blocking her professional promotion for years.
Because the head nurse wouldn't sign off, her professional title evaluation never passed. No matter how skilled she was professionally, she remained stagnant.
The children finally understood. They only knew Zhao Wan Qiu had been deliberately hindered at work but never knew this was the reason.
Jin Yue recalled this hostile relationship and felt even more uncomfortable remembering how Zhao Wan Qiu had pleaded for her urban residency permit.
Zhao Wan Qiu seemed rather nonchalant, "Oh my, why am I bringing up these old stories? Weren't we just talking about Chunxia earlier?"
By the time she remarried into the family, Chunxia was already married, so she hadn't interacted much with her. But from what Aunt Zhao and others said, Chunxia was a kind girl who would greet everyone with a smile when passing by on the street, not to mention bringing candy for the children every time she visited her parents' home.
It wasn't much, but everyone remembered her kindness.
"Last time I heard people cursing her in-laws for being heartless, actually giving away their own grandchild. Who would've thought she'd get pregnant again so soon…" Zhao Wan Qiu sighed. "Old Shu was right – when a girl marries, having a good husband isn't enough. You have to consider his parents too."
Jin Yue curled her lip, "Come on, I don't think the man she married is that great anyway. If he were truly good, she wouldn't be having babies year after year. Was he tied to the bed by his parents if he didn't want to do it?" If he didn't release those little tadpoles, did his parents help him with that?
Even though she left the latter part unsaid, the Shu family was already shocked: "Shu Jin Yue! What kind of talk is that for a young girl? Tsk tsk, don't you dare say such things outside."
Jin Yue secretly stuck out her tongue. The Shu family was still too conservative. During her time as an A Piao, she had seen plenty – all those novels and movies. At first she thought those young people were just shameless ruffians, how could they watch such things? But after watching more, she eventually found them tiresome herself.
She even thought, after all that theoretical knowledge, how wonderful it would be to experience the real thing.
See how boring and pitiful being an A Piao could be.
Just as everyone was unanimously criticizing Jin Yue's bold remarks, Shu Wen Yun also agreed: "Jin Yue isn't wrong. If he didn't want to, aren't there condoms?"
Teacher Shu beat his chest in despair: It's over, it's over, both daughters have been corrupted.
Shu Jin Yue never expected news of her curing Sun Tieniu to spread so quickly. The very next day at work, several older sisters from the neighborhood committee upstairs came down to gossip with her.
"Xiao Shu, did you really cure that young man?" Everyone knew about the father and son living in the small room, bubbling away with traditional Chinese medicine. They had all assumed it was just providing some final humane comfort before his death, which was why even Director Niu turned a blind eye.
Equally surprised were her colleagues Zhu Daqiang and Liu Jinbu, who had strongly opposed Jin Yue taking the risk initially.
"Jin Yue, are you really only nineteen?" Liu Jinbu squinted, looking her up and down. "During those three years in the countryside, did you learn some secret remedy from an old TCM practitioner? Some unique skill?"
Jin Yue found it amusing. There were no miracle cures for all diseases in this world – even if Zhang Zhongjing or Sun Simiao were reborn, they wouldn't dare claim such things.
"The station knows about this matter," Zhu Daqiang said as he entered. "They might ask you to attend a meeting soon. You should prepare, preferably by writing down your treatment approach and process." He added, "Such risks shouldn't be taken repeatedly, remember that."
Shu Jin Yue agreed outwardly, knowing he was old-fashioned but meant well. There was no point arguing about whether to take such risks once or twice – if she encountered similar situations again, she still wouldn't be able to stand by and do nothing.
Yes, she didn't deny her own calculations. Like when treating Old Lady Yang, she had considered using it as an opportunity to secure a job. She wasn't completely pure-hearted, but she wasn't entirely utilitarian either.
Whatever, she thought. Having been reborn once, there was no point dwelling on these things. All she wanted now was to be good to herself, to give herself a second chance at life.
The milk powder vouchers from last time had all been used up. When could she go to the Ghost Market to ask Zhang Liangwei if he could get a few more?
Over the past two or three months, she had clearly felt her health improving. The frequent dizziness and stomachaches she used to suffer from hadn’t appeared in a long time, though her hair was still yellowish… Jin Yue sighed and touched her hair in frustration.
However, her "fame" didn’t stop there. Just before the end of the workday, Niu Zhuren actually came in person and asked her with a smile, "Xiao Shu, have you been tired from work lately? How about transferring you to the Office? Let Old Zhu and Xiao Liu handle the tasks here. A young lady like you shouldn’t overexert herself."
Shu Jin Yue was puzzled but replied that she wasn’t tired and had no intention of working in the Office. The tasks at the neighborhood office were far more tedious than she had imagined. On one hand, she had to handle various directive tasks assigned by the district; on the other, she had to interact with residents, dealing with all kinds of difficult troublemakers and trivial matters. Her personality really wasn’t suited for this kind of work.
Still, it was strange. Although she often ran into Niu Zhuren, their interactions were usually limited to greetings. What had gotten into him today?
"Is that so? It’s good that you’re not tired. Well, young people should take on more responsibilities. Xiao Li from our Office is on leave, and there’s an urgent document that needs to be delivered to the Materials Bureau. Could you help with that?"
"Don’t worry, just go after work starts in the afternoon. Once you’ve delivered the document, you don’t need to come back. You can rest at home."
Shu Jin Yue had been quite reluctant at first, but hearing the latter part of his words, she wished such good things could happen every day!
"Jin Yue, is that you?" Just as she stepped out of the unit cheerfully, she encountered Hu Nainai leaning on her cane.
"Hu Nainai, where are you going? Are you alone? Do you need me to accompany you?"
"I’m heading home. Then, help me back, will you?"
Jin Yue supported her as they crossed the street and entered Huai Shu Alley. "Hu Nainai, has anyone been bothering you lately?"
Hu Nainai gently patted her head. "You little rascal, always full of ideas."
"I’m not! Grandma, you’re wronging me."
"Don’t think I don’t know just because my eyes are old and blurry." Hu Nainai chuckled, her toothless mouth widening into a smile. It had indeed been much quieter lately.
"I heard you know how to make medicinal pills? You even made Xiaoyao Pills?"
"How do you know about that too, Grandma? There really are no secrets in our Liu Ye Hutong."
Hu Nainai laughed again. "But for your medicinal pills, using just flour isn’t enough. You’re missing malt sugar."
Huh? Malt sugar needs to be added to Xiaoyao Pills? This was the first time Shu Jin Yue had heard of it. She had never worked in a pharmaceutical factory and only knew the basic formula. She had simply added flour, a common excipient in most pills, without giving it much thought.
"First, tell me how you made them." The old lady let go of her hand and straightened her face, resembling an ancient teacher inspecting a schoolroom with hands behind her back.
Though she was very old and thin, her bones seemingly shriveled, her posture remained remarkably upright. Without any gold or jewelry, she carried the aura of a noble young lady.
Jin Yue instinctively straightened up like a student. "I… I just boiled everything in one pot, filtered it, concentrated it, and then added flour to shape it into pills."
Hu Nainai scoffed. "If you were in our family back in the day, you wouldn’t even qualify as an apprentice."
Jin Yue felt embarrassed. She knew her method was crude and unscientific, significantly reducing its effectiveness, but she lacked professional equipment and, more importantly, the expertise.
Her biggest issue was her incomplete medical training. The old TCM practitioner who taught her had learned through apprenticeship—what the master didn’t teach, the apprentice wouldn’t know. Similarly, Jin Yue only knew what her teacher had passed down. Though she had devoured countless books as a wandering spirit and remembered every detail, her knowledge remained scattered pearls without a string to thread them into a necklace.
With these fragments, she could treat many illnesses, but beyond basic treatments—like processing medicinal herbs or formulating prepared drugs—she could only rely on rudimentary, primitive reasoning.
Sure enough, Hu Nainai scoffed again. “Do you even know that the volatile oils in angelica, mint, and bupleurum are the key active components? You’ve boiled them for two hours—you’ve boiled the soul right out of them!”
Jin Yue flushed.
“With skills like yours, you’d better quit now. Spare our ancestors the disgrace.”
Jin Yue hung her head, feeling wronged. She had always thought she and Hu Nainai got along well—she often helped the elderly woman cross the street! Back in elementary school, that alone would’ve supplied two years’ worth of essay material. But why was Hu Nainai being so harsh? Wasn’t it okay to make mistakes when you didn’t know better? Had Hu Nainai never erred in her entire life? She’d even been a love-struck fool once, hmph!
“Grumbling in your heart won’t help. You need to fix this flighty attitude of yours.”
“Don’t take it personally, but our family’s Free Wanderer Pills never received a single complaint. Come challenge me again when you can make them yourself.” Hu Nainai waved a dismissive hand and headed home, leaving Shu Jin Yue alone at the doorstep.
Shu Jin Yue questioned her entire existence. Was she really that incompetent?
Yes, her previous life had been a failure—she’d been a useless fool who died tragically, without ever tasting good food or experiencing love. But wasn’t she striving to live well now? She’d managed to stay in the city, cured several patients, and improved her family’s livelihood. She thought she was doing remarkably well!
Oh well, no use arguing with an old lady. Grandmas like that belonged in elementary school essays.
Shu Jin Yue’s anger flared and faded quickly. She bounced cheerfully home for lunch—after all, she had the afternoon off!
Happily, she grabbed a kraft paper envelope and took the bus downtown. She’d already confirmed before clocking out: this delivery went to the Municipal Supply Bureau, not the district office. Just five stops on Bus No. 3.
In her buoyant mood, she’d even washed her hair, combing it neatly with wispy bounces to avoid scalp-clinging flatness, creating illusion of fuller locks. She’d even changed into a dress.
Well, currently called a “bulaji”—a knee-length white dress with purple florets, impeccably tailored at the waist to emphasize her slender frame. Her pale calves gleamed below the hem, paired with black cloth shoes featuring flexible soles. She stood straight and fresh as a spring onion.
As she entered the supply bureau gates, several eyes lingered on her.
“Comrade, who are you looking for?” a young male comrade proactively asked.
“The Reserve Management Section.”
“Hey, that’s our section! Which unit are you from?” The young man smiled. This was promising—definitely worth a good chat.
"Is your section chief in?" This document must be handed directly to the section chief per Niu Zhuren's instructions.
The young man's face stiffened, thinking to himself: Why is everyone looking for Section Chief Xu again? Could they have heard the news and found an excuse to come?
It really wasn't his fault for overthinking. Since the new section chief took office, rumors had spread about how young and promising he was, with handsome features. Not only were leaders within the bureau actively introducing their daughters, nieces, and nieces to him, but even female colleagues from other units would find excuses to steal a few extra glances when coming by on business.
Really now, what did that make the rest of them single men look like?
Though reluctant, he didn't dare refuse to escort the visitor. Leading Jin Yue to an office door, he knocked.
"Come in."
Jin Yue was just thinking the voice sounded familiar when the door opened. Well! "Chief… Xu, hello. I'm here from Xinqiao Sub-district to deliver documents."
Xu Duan had been writing something with a fountain pen. Hearing the voice, he looked up and smiled. "Why is it you?"
"Director Niu sent me. So you work here." For some reason, even though he was dressed in formal cadre attire with a serious expression, Jin Yue felt no intimidation toward him. After all, this was the Uncle Xu who had warmed milk for her, given her plenty of chocolate, and patiently listened to her ramblings.
He truly was an approachable person.
"Xiao Li, you may go attend to your duties." Xu Duan rose from his chair, took out a clean enamel cup, rinsed it with hot water, and poured her a drink.
Jin Yue remained standing, curiously surveying his office. It was spartan—only a few documents, a fountain pen, and a bottle of ink on the desk. Against the wall, a filing cabinet stood neatly arranged with books and documents. Her first impression was one of meticulous order, like troops lined up in perfect formation.
None of the men in Jin Yue's life maintained such tidiness in their living spaces or belongings. Even women weren't this organized. It made her wonder: Did Xu Duan's quilts always resemble neatly folded tofu blocks? Were his clothes always pressed with sharp, defined creases?
"What's on your mind?"
Jin Yue pursed her lips into a sly smile, accepting the water to take a sip. "So sweet."
"Added a bit of honey. Hope you don't mind?"
Jin Yue shook her head. How could she mind? This was a luxury the Shu family could rarely afford. Uncle Xu always seemed to have sweet treats on hand.
She couldn't resist another sip. The temperature was perfect, the sweetness just right—not cloying in the slightest.
"Why did Director Niu send you? Weren't you at the epidemic prevention station?" As he spoke, Xu Duan unbuttoned his formal outer jacket, revealing a slender neck. Though not particularly fair, his Adam's apple was prominent—seemingly larger than most men's. Even his nose… Jin Yue's gaze lingered on his nose.
Then those phrases from mobile phone chats surfaced in her mind: "Big nose, big Adam's apple means that thing is big too," "Long fingers mean that thing is long too."
Ah… Uncle Xu's fingers were quite long as well…
"Hmm?" Noticing her thoughtful stare, Xu Duan offered a slight smile.
"Are you always this easygoing with everyone?" Having just endured Grandma Hu's scolding at noon, Jin Yue now felt Uncle Xu was truly kind—exceptionally approachable, skilled at encouragement, and attentive to others' feelings and moods.
Xu Duan paused, then laughed again. "What are you thinking about? Want more water? It's over there—the purple thermos has warm water."
"Have we met before?" Jin Yue stared into his eyes, trying once more to discern something within them.
She wasn't usually this familiar with strangers, but Uncle Xu was different. She dared to be impudent around him, relying on an instinctual certainty that he would never get angry with her.
But if they were complete strangers, how could one person unreservedly tolerate another? Even someone like Hu Nainai, whom she had always thought she got along well with, had scolded her. Yet in front of Uncle Xu, despite her having acted unreasonably several times, he had always been tolerant of her.
She wore an expression that suggested she wouldn’t rest until she got a reasonable explanation, like a defiant little kitten tilting its head up, quietly curling its claws, ready to scratch at the slightest disagreement.
"Please sit down first. Can I talk to you?" Xu Duan pulled his stool closer, sitting near enough for her to see the distinct grains of his eyebrows, his tall and straight nose bridge, and the faint pores on the tip of his nose.
"You probably already know about our family’s connection with your father, Brother Li Min. Our family has always been grateful for what he did back then… but due to various reasons, we couldn’t find you and your mother until the latter half of last year."
Jin Yue nodded to indicate she understood.
"I don’t know how you perceive this matter, but from my perspective, without your father, our family wouldn’t be where it is today." He looked into her eyes, his tone gentle, but Jin Yue inexplicably sensed a heaviness in his words.
"Si Qi can sometimes be a bit thoughtless in his actions. I hope that if you ever face difficulties in the future, you’ll come to me. Think of me as someone who can protect you and keep you safe, alright?"
He spoke slowly, word by word, as if each one struck a chord in her heart.
Keep her safe? When she first arrived in the countryside, Jin Yue had also hoped for someone like that to appear—it could have been a father, mother, brother, sister, partner, or close friend… But even when she died on that cold night, no such person had come.
"I don’t know what you went through in the countryside, but just remember this: it won’t happen again, not ever."
Jin Yue snorted. She disliked it when Xu Duan talked like this. "Anyone can boast."
Hu Nainai was even more arrogant than you.
Xu Duan looked at her quietly, as if disapproving of a child’s reckless words, yet also seeming helpless in dealing with her.
It made her feel like she was being unreasonable and ungrateful. Jin Yue grew even more displeased, letting out another cold snort. "You don’t need to burden yourself with this. My father’s death wasn’t your fault. Even Director Xu doesn’t have this kind of awareness."
After all, she had to rely on herself for everything.
In truth, she was just venting. She fully understood Director Xu’s powerlessness—wanting to help her stay in the city but unable to do so. Xu Si Qi had managed to find so many job opportunities in such a short time, and behind the scenes, Director Xu had contributed to that effort.
"You should know, Su Jin Yue, you’re very smart, more capable than many others. Even without us, you could accomplish a great deal on your own."
Jin Yue’s lips curled upward involuntarily. Of course, she thought. Staying in the city was something she had managed to arrange herself.
"But you could make things a little less exhausting for yourself. You can come to me for the dirty or heavy work."
"That’s more like it." Jin Yue felt her mood lift again. "Alright, I’ll remember. Anyway, I know where you live and where you work. I’ll definitely come to you in the future… hmm, to help me with the dirty and heavy work."
Xu Duan chuckled softly, and for a moment, he felt the urge to ruffle the top of her head.
"If there’s anything you want to buy, you can tell me."
Jin Yue usually had plenty of things she wanted to buy, but at that moment, she couldn’t think of a single one. She shook her head slightly, feeling a little regretful. What a pity.
"Still want the leather shoes?"
"Huh?"
Xu Duan smiled. "I heard you wanted to buy leather shoes. Your parents already have theirs, so get a pair for yourself."
Jin Yue blushed, thinking of the chocolate she had exchanged for the leather shoes—more shameful than borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha.
"Will size 36 work?"
"What?"
Xu Duan didn't answer, carefully examining her feet and the shoes she was wearing. "Size 36 might be a bit big. Let me see if there's a 35.5."
Shu Jin Yue uncomfortably retracted her feet. Her cloth shoes had two small holes where her big toes were, and any more wear would expose her "big brothers." The soles looked fine but were actually worn smooth, making it easy to slip in rain or snow. Not to mention the socks inside—both the soles and toes were torn and patched with fabric from old clothes.
In the Shu Family, no old or torn clothing could be thrown away. After being taken apart and repurposed, they'd always reappear on everyone as circles, squares, and triangles.
Xu Duan didn't look at her shoes again. Instead, he stood up and went to the cabinet, packing the honey she had called "so sweet" earlier—jar and all—into a net bag. "Take it home to eat."
This reminded Jin Yue of the chocolate from last time. Recently, she'd been in a good mood and rarely dreamed about her past life, so she hadn't been sneaking treats under the covers… Of course, she also didn't want to ruin her teeth.
"Still want the chocolate?"
Shu Jin Yue's face reddened. Speak of the devil.
"I don't have it with me. I'll bring it to you another day."
Shu Jin Yue really wanted to ask why he always had such sweet, delicious things on hand.
"Let's go. I happen to have some business outside. I'll give you a ride." He buttoned his coat all the way up, his large Adam's apple half-hidden and half-exposed by the collar.
He wheeled the bicycle out from the shed, sat on it first to steady it.
Jin Yue didn't hesitate either, sitting sideways on the rear rack, smoothing her skirt and keeping her legs together. She worried about losing balance but found nothing to hold onto on the seat.
"If you don't mind, you can hold onto me." Xu Duan didn't turn around, pedaling very slowly.
Jin Yue blushed slightly, thinking it's just holding on, won't lose any flesh—she'd seen far more intimate things and grown tired of them.
Then the man felt the corner of his clothes lightly touched, followed by a slight tug downward, like a kitten gently hooking its claws.
Shu Jin Yue was naturally restless. After the initial nervousness faded and she found his cycling much steadier than Yao Qingqing's, she relaxed and started chattering about work, mainly about Sun Tieniu's suspected schistosomiasis.
She didn't need him to respond, just an occasional "mm" to show he was listening, and she'd keep going. When she paused, he'd "mm" in a questioning tone, and she'd continue babbling.
He dropped her off at Liu Ye Hutong but didn't go in, handing her the honey jar. "Don't use too hot water to mix it, and don't drink it on an empty stomach."
Shu Jin Yue felt Uncle Xu was really too naggy—last time reminding her to be careful after dark, this time even instructing her on something as simple as mixing honey… Ungratefully, she thought, hmph, he probably thinks I've never had honey before and would waste his.
Just like Hu Nainai, looking down on people.
"I'm just a wild boar that can't appreciate fine grains."
Xu Duan was about to get in the car when he heard this grumbling remark and couldn't help but chuckle. "You, just go home quickly."
Shu Jin Yue watched as he paused with one long leg already inside the car and instantly grew irritated. "Fine then, don't leave yet. Watch me get home before you go."
She felt she truly had issues – acting timid around Hu Nainai yet deliberately making things difficult for someone she knew was reasonable. He must have realized she was pretending to be well-behaved, right? Once he saw through her true nature, he'd surely stop paying attention to her.
Her father's favors to their family were ancient history – who would genuinely remember them forever? Xu Si Qi was clearly trying to distance himself from their family anyway.
"Alright."
Jin Yue froze instantly, desperately wanting to ask him: Brother, are you really this easygoing without any temper at all? How can someone like you be a regiment commander? Your subordinates must be running wild!
To present herself properly, she couldn't bounce along like usual. She needed to walk slowly, chest out, stomach in, silently reciting "nostrils sweeping for landmines, chin cracking walnuts, breasts shooting lasers, buttocks clutching big bills" [1]. She had to walk with poise, with elegance.
What normally took just over a minute took her a full three minutes. When she reached the gate and looked back, he was still there, even waving at her.
Though she couldn't clearly see his expression, she knew he was either captivated by her elegant demeanor or dying of laughter.
"Jin Yue, why are you standing there? Come inside quickly. Uncle Feng and the others have been waiting," Teacher Shu called out upon seeing her at the doorway.
"Knowing you could leave work after delivering documents this afternoon, Uncle Feng's family came over right after picking up Sister Chunxia."
Jin Yue quickly dismissed her utterly childish thoughts and entered to greet everyone, first looking toward the middle-aged woman sitting on the stool.
The woman wore a headscarf and thick padded jacket, holding a scrawny infant in her arms. A preschool-aged child stood beside her, decently dressed but with timid eyes, avoiding eye contact and too shy to initiate greetings.
Feng Chunxia tried to get her to call Jin Yue "Auntie," but the child remained silent, sometimes sucking her fingers, sometimes staring at the honey jar in Jin Yue's hands.
"This child is quite timid," Feng Chunxia explained apologetically. "I can't believe Jin Yue has grown so much, become such a young lady. In my memory, she was still about the same age as our Fifth Sister."
The mentioned Fifth Sister looked up at Jin Yue, then at her mother, her large eyes glistening.
Remembering the topic they needed to discuss, Jin Yue signaled for Uncle Feng and his wife to take the children away, mainly concerned they might disrupt the adults' important conversation.
"Jin Yue is quite famous now. My father says everyone in Liu Ye Hutong knows you've cured several difficult cases. He suggested I come try my luck, though I'm sorry to trouble you," Feng Chunxia said with a gentle smile, like a warm older sister.
Jin Yue remembered how as a child she'd received peanuts and candy from her, how Chunxia would warm her hands and gently stroke Jin Yue's little ears while asking "Is little Jin Yue cold?" or "Did you eat dumplings this year?" But now, Feng Chunxia's hands held little warmth.
Frequent childbirth and an unspeakable marriage had stolen her body's warmth.
"Don't stand on ceremony, Sister Chunxia. I can't guarantee I'll have a solution, but we can try."
"I'm just glad to give it a try. We've seen several doctors who all said it's diabetes, but my blood sugar levels are normal. Western medicine says it's not… Some say yes, some say no. I don't even know what illness I have anymore." Feng Chunxia sighed, her eyes dimming.
Just like Sun Tieniu, the difficulty lies in not knowing what the disease actually is, leaving no starting point for treatment.
"Sister Chunxia, was your blood sugar high during pregnancy?"
"Tests showed it wasn't."
That ruled out gestational diabetes. Jin Yue nodded, took her wrist, and placed three fingers on her radial artery.
The moment her fingers made contact, her eyebrows furrowed – the pulse was surging and powerful, a typical flooding pulse.
As the name suggests, a flooding pulse resembles turbulent floodwaters, indicating internal heat syndrome. Yet Feng Chunxia was wearing a heavy cotton coat and still felt cold, with ice-cold hands and feet completely devoid of warmth – where were any signs of heat?
Moreover, internal heat syndrome is accompanied by reduced urination, which completely contradicted her diabetes-like symptoms of frequent urination.
The pulse and symptoms were completely contradictory!