Just as Hu Jiaojiao came down from Dongling Hill, she saw a crowd gathered by the river. From the noise, it sounded like someone had fallen into the water. Amid the shouting, she vaguely heard someone calling for “Educated Youth Cheng.”
Dropping her things, she pushed through the crowd and saw Cheng Chen lying soaked by the riverbank. Gu Chenye and Lin Yang were beside him, patting his face.
Hu Jiaojiao rushed forward, picked him up, and ran toward the clinic. As she left, she called back for someone to bring her things home.
At the clinic, the old doctor Ge checked Cheng Chen’s eyes, took his pulse, and listened with a stethoscope.
“He swallowed some water and got frightened—he fainted. Keep an eye on him tonight. Don’t let him develop a fever. His constitution is already weak. If it gets worse, he’ll be dependent on medicine in the future.”
After thanking the doctor, Hu Jiaojiao carried Cheng Chen home. Gu Chenye and Lin Yang were still waiting at the gate.
She brought Cheng Chen inside, stripped off his wet clothes, changed him into dry underclothes, lit the heated brick bed, and then stepped outside.
“Do you know what happened?” she asked coldly.
Lin Yang explained: Cheng Chen had gone to the river to wash clothes and ran into Wu Qing. She mocked him, but he ignored her. Angered, she pushed him. Caught off guard, he fell into the river.
Hu Jiaojiao knew that Cheng Chen’s weak health stemmed from a childhood accident of falling into water. No wonder this incident had caused such a shock.
Without another word, she stormed toward the accountant’s house.
Seeing the gate shut, she kicked it hard. The accountant’s voice came from behind, “What are you doing, kicking my door? Where are your manners?”
“You talk about manners? You raised a daughter who nearly killed someone! If you don’t give an explanation today, I’ll report this to the authorities!”
The door opened.
“Report what? He fell in by himself. It has nothing to do with my Qingqing,” the accountant’s wife argued.
The accountant’s face darkened. “Qingqing, tell the truth.”
Wu Qing lowered her head, silent.
“Enough with the act,” Hu Jiaojiao snapped. “You know exactly what your family did. Cheng Chen is still unconscious. If you don’t give an explanation, I’ll report it.”
“But nothing happened! My daughter is still young!” the wife protested.
The accountant shot her a glare, then turned back. “Comrade Hu, how do you want to settle this? I’ll compensate you.”
“One hundred yuan. And Wu Qing apologizes publicly during work hours. Then it’s settled.”
“You might as well rob us!” Wu Qing suddenly shouted. “He was mine to begin with—you stole him! Can’t I vent a little?”
The villagers gasped. She had truly been spoiled.
The accountant, furious, almost slapped her but held back. “Shut up and go inside!”
Turning back, he said, “Fine. One hundred yuan. But can we skip the loudspeaker announcement? She still needs to marry someday.”
Hu Jiaojiao thought for a moment and relented slightly. “No broadcast, but she apologizes in front of everyone during work.”
He agreed, went inside, and returned with 100 yuan and 20 eggs.
“Take these. Let Cheng Chen rest and recover before working again.”
Hu Jiaojiao accepted without hesitation. “You’d better discipline your daughter. Outside this village, no one will tolerate her.”
With that, she left.
Back home, she checked on Cheng Chen. He was still unconscious, his temperature rising—likely a fever.
She went into her apartment, to the neighbor’s place, and rummaged through the cabinets. She found a bottle labeled “Body Strengthening Pills.” Breaking one in half, she fed it to him with spiritual spring water and took the other half herself.
Then she cooked a pot of millet porridge with red dates and ginger, letting it simmer.
Soon, she noticed a strange smell. Looking back, she saw a layer of black grime seeping out from Cheng Chen’s exposed skin.
She understood—this was impurities being expelled due to the undiluted spiritual spring water and his weak constitution.
Resigned, she boiled water and filled a bath barrel. After hesitating, she decided to handle it herself.
She stripped him down—pausing awkwardly at his underwear—then simply lifted him into the tub fully clothed. While he soaked, she quickly changed the bedding.
After bathing him and rinsing him off, she wrapped him in a sheet and carried him back to the bed. She cleaned everything, washed the dirty clothes, and then quickly washed herself in the apartment before returning to sit by his side.
His breathing was steady now, his complexion improving, though he was still asleep.
Taking the chance, she prepared to change him into clean clothes. When she pulled back the sheet, she couldn’t help noticing his physique—lean but well-proportioned, long legs, slim waist, toned but not muscular.
She thought to herself that she should help him build his strength.
Just then, he stirred slightly. She quickly finished dressing him.
A faint cough followed.
“You’re awake? Don’t talk yet—are you feeling better?” she asked, relieved.
She helped him sit up and fed him a bowl of thick porridge.
“You’re still warm. Get some more rest. You should be better tomorrow.”
He nodded and drifted back to sleep.
What she didn’t know was that Cheng Chen had already regained consciousness earlier—but, embarrassed by her attention, he had pretended to stay asleep until she finished.
Exhausted, Hu Jiaojiao lay down as well.
Unaware, without the small table between them, she ended up clinging to him like a koala as she slept.