Under the moonlight, Shen Xiaohua’s pale little face was especially striking.
Jiang Qingli crouched down and gently placed her fingertips on the girl’s slender wrist.
The pulse was weak, but still relatively steady.
She let out a sigh of relief, then carefully lifted the blood-soaked trouser leg to examine the injury.
Fortunately, it was only a sprained ankle. Although the wound on her other leg looked terrifying, it had not damaged any tendons or bones.
Most likely, the girl had fainted at the sight of blood, which was why the situation had escalated into such a commotion.
Watching Jiang Qingli inspect Shen Xiaohua from head to toe, the crowd grew anxious.
“Shen Family’s daughter-in-law, I’ve heard that people with broken legs shouldn’t be moved around carelessly. Why don’t we take her to Doctor Miao at the clinic next door?”
Naturally, Jiang Qingli understood that principle. However, she could handle an injury of this minor herself.
Besides, while cleaning the room earlier, she had practically turned the entire place upside down and still hadn’t found a single copper coin.
The original owner had probably spent every last cent before choosing to end her life.
Thinking of that, she smiled.
“Thank you, everyone, for the suggestion, but I can handle an injury like this myself.”
The moonlight happened to fall across her face, making her expression appear especially gentle.
The crowd stared in stunned silence.
W… was this really the crazy woman who wandered around with disheveled hair all day long?
“Brother Zhang…”
As she spoke, she turned toward Zhang Dazui, her voice clear and pleasant.
“Could I trouble you to carry Xiaohua inside? Thank you.”
“Y… yes, of course…”
The moment the words left his mouth, Zhang Dazui froze.
Wait, why had he agreed so quickly?
More importantly, that single “Brother Zhang” almost made him think he had mistaken her for someone else.
And just now…
She had actually smiled at him.
The two shallow dimples on her cheeks were unexpectedly beautiful.
Was this really Jiang Qingli, Shen Li’s infamous crazy wife?
“What are you standing around for?!”
Minister Zhang’s shout snapped Zhang Dazui out of his daze.
Wang Dagou also came back to his senses and hurriedly picked up Shen Xiaohua.
The group made their way toward the rear courtyard.
Before they even reached the house, they caught a faint, refreshing fragrance in the air.
But when they arrived at the storage room, everyone was stunned.
Moonlight filtered through freshly pasted window paper, casting mottled shadows across the floor.
The once filthy doorway now gleamed from being scrubbed clean. The moment the door opened, the scent of mugwort and soapberry drifted out to greet them.
The table was neatly arranged.
The floor was spotless.
Even the pile of dirty laundry in the wooden basin had been folded into orderly stacks.
“This…”
Wang Dagou froze at the doorway.
Had he somehow come to the wrong place?
He clearly remembered passing by three days ago. Back then, the room had been piled high with moldy clutter, buzzing with flies, and reeking of sour odors from far away.
Voices of disbelief immediately erupted behind him.
Xu Mazi’s Wife rubbed her eyes vigorously.
She had personally seen Jiang Qingli dumping spoiled leftovers outside this very door earlier that morning!
“Brother Wang?”
Jiang Qingli’s voice came from inside the room.
“Please put Xiaohua here.”
She patted the wooden bed covered with a clean piece of coarse cloth.
Although there were no quilts or blankets on it, somehow it looked even cleaner and tidier because of it.
By now, Wang Dagou had become completely disoriented from being repeatedly called “Brother Wang” by Jiang Qingli.
He practically forgot how to walk.
Moving stiffly with the same arm and leg on each side, he carefully carried Shen Xiaohua into the room and gently laid her on the bed.
Under the dim lamplight, he finally noticed Jiang Qingli’s hands.
The fingernails that had once been caked with grime were now neatly trimmed and rounded.
There were even traces of water still lingering on her wrists, evidence that she had recently washed them.
“Do you need hot water?” he asked before he could stop himself.
“Thank you for the trouble.”
Without even looking up, Jiang Qingli continued tearing strips of cloth.
Her lowered eyelashes trembled gently in the lamplight, giving her an air of quiet concentration and unexpected tenderness.
Wang Dagou found himself staring.
Was this really the same woman who used to throw tantrums and make scenes every day?
With the help of several older women, scissors and hot water were quickly prepared.
Everyone stretched their necks forward as Jiang Qingli somehow produced a bottle of strong liquor. Her movements while disinfecting and cleaning the wound were smooth and practiced, leaving everyone astonished.
Just when they assumed she was about to bandage the wound, she reached into a drawer and pulled out an embroidery needle.
Granny Liu immediately stepped in front of Shen Xiaohua’s bed.
“Shen Li’s wife, I know you don’t like little Xiaohua, but you can’t stab her with a needle!”
“That’s right! A life is a life!”
The room instantly exploded with outrage.
At last, they thought they understood why Jiang Qingli had refused to send Shen Xiaohua to the clinic.
She wanted to stab the girl to death herself.
Just as expected, she had bad intentions all along.
The accusations flew from every direction.
Xu Mazi’s Wife even rolled up her sleeves as if preparing for a fight.
Completely unfazed, Jiang Qingli soaked the needle and thread in liquor to disinfect them before calmly explaining,
“Granny Liu, you’ve misunderstood. Xiaohua’s wound is too deep. If I don’t stitch it closed, the bleeding won’t stop.”
“S… stitch the wound?”
Granny Liu’s eyes widened.
She had lived in the village for most of her life and had never heard of treating wounds the same way one mended clothing.
At that moment, Minister Zhang cleared his throat.
“I’ve seen military doctors use this method on severe injuries while serving in the army.”
He studied Jiang Qingli thoughtfully.
“I never expected Shen Li’s wife to know it as well.”
Only then did Granny Liu step aside awkwardly.
It was all because her previous impression of Shen Li’s wife had been too poor.
It seemed rumors could not always be trusted.
Jiang Qingli nodded gratefully toward Minister Zhang before turning back to Granny Liu with a gentle smile.
“Granny Liu, could you help hold Xiaohua still? I’m worried she’ll wake up from the pain and start moving around.”
Granny Liu had not expected Jiang Qingli to ask for her help after being misunderstood.
She immediately beamed with delight.
“Of course, of course!”
She agreed so eagerly that she barely knew where to put her hands.
Watching Jiang Qingli thread the needle with practiced ease, Minister Zhang could not help asking,
“Shen Li’s wife, who taught you these skills?”
Without pausing her work, Jiang Qingli replied,
“My maternal grandfather was a barefoot doctor.”
Silently, she added in her heart:
Although he was actually a veterinarian who delivered livestock.
She had already thought this through.
As a medical school intern, she could not allow all her medical knowledge to go to waste.
Sooner or later, it would come in handy.
And conveniently enough, the original owner’s maternal grandfather had often helped deliver calves and lambs in the village.
Hearing this, Minister Zhang nodded.
People had always said Shen Li’s wife was lazy and gluttonous.
Now it seemed she was not completely useless after all.
Meanwhile, just as Jiang Qingli finished the final stitch, Shen Xiaohua awoke from the pain.
The little girl opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was a room packed with dark silhouettes.
Her face instantly turned deathly pale.
“Waaah!”
She burst into tears.
It’s over! It’s over!
I’ve caused trouble again!
My sister-in-law is definitely going to beat me to death this time!
Sure enough, just as everyone stood there in confusion, Jiang Qingli suddenly raised her hand.
The spectators unconsciously held their breath.
Granny Liu instinctively stepped forward half a pace.
Zhang Dazui had already clenched his fists.
But in the very next second, everyone’s eyes widened in shock.