“Who is it?! Who dared to mess with my cow?! If anything happens, who’s responsible?!”
Dr. Li from the health clinic roared with full force, instantly overpowering all the noise in the cowshed. He had returned late from a meeting in the county and, rushing back in panic after hearing about the team leader’s cow struggling in labor, was met with this chaotic scene.
The villagers, who had just been reveling in joy, felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over them, instinctively clearing a path for him.
Lin Zhaodi’s eyes lit up immediately at the sight.
An opportunity!
Like a drowning person clutching at a straw, she jumped to the front of the crowd, pointing at Su Wanqing and squealing accusations: “Dr. Li! It’s her! It’s her! Su Wanqing! She’s just a city girl who knows nothing, yet insisted on delivering the cow herself. No matter how we tried to stop her! If anything goes wrong, it’s got nothing to do with us!”
Her words sounded self-righteous, washing her hands of all responsibility while pinning the label of “reckless” onto Su Wanqing.
Dr. Li’s gaze followed Lin Zhaodi’s finger and landed on Su Wanqing.
Seeing her unnaturally pretty, delicate face, and her clothes—though slightly soiled, still clearly high-quality—he instantly frowned, and the disdain and distrust in his eyes nearly spilled over.
“Nonsense! This is absolute nonsense!” he cried, slapping his thigh in frustration, pointing at Su Wanqing’s nose. “You’re just a girl! What do you know? You can’t just poke around a cow’s birth canal! This is a delivery! Without strict sterilization, any infection—puerperal fever—would be fatal! And those two calves, after your meddling, who knows if they’ll survive! Truly, ignorance is bliss!”
Every word he said carried the weight of an expert, instantly turning the previously joyful atmosphere tense.
A few timid villagers paled and whispered to one another:
“Dr. Li… he might have a point…”
“Could… could the cow really be in danger?”
Lin Zhaodi’s heart leapt for joy, though she put on a worried expression, adding fuel to the fire: “Yes, Dr. Li, you’d better check! This is our team’s precious cow—nothing can happen to her!”
Liu Cuihua, whose heart had just settled, felt it rise again to her throat. She nervously glanced at Dr. Li, then at Su Wanqing, unsure whom to trust.
Facing this sudden accusation, Su Wanqing simply stood quietly, her exhausted, pale face calm and unflustered.
She even had the presence of mind to steal a glance at Gu Yanshen from the corner of her eye.
From the moment Dr. Li appeared, that man silently stepped forward, positioning himself just behind her, not too close, not too far, shielding her with his tall frame.
Silent, yet resolute.
Su Wanqing felt instantly reassured.
She lifted her eyes, meeting Dr. Li’s prejudiced gaze, her voice soft but clear and steady:
“Dr. Li, you are the professional, and I do not deny that, but you haven’t even examined the cow. Isn’t it a bit hasty to conclude that the cow will get an infection and the calves won’t survive?”
“You—!” Dr. Li was momentarily speechless. He hadn’t expected this delicate-looking girl to be so sharp-tongued.
Su Wanqing didn’t give him a chance to react, continuing: “Before I assisted the delivery, I had everyone wash with hot salted water and repeatedly clean my hands and arms with strong liquor. The mother cow is breathing steadily, her temperature is normal, and there are no signs of infection. As for the two calves…”
Before she could finish, a strong, full-throated “Moo—!” interrupted her.
The mother cow, which had just been lying weakly, wobbled and stood on her own!
She nuzzled the tearful, overjoyed Liu Cuihua, then turned her head down and began gently licking her two newborn calves with her rough tongue.
The calves, comforted by their mother’s care, shakily began to stand, letting out soft “mmm” sounds, full of life.
This scene spoke louder than any words ever could!
The cowshed went first silent, then erupted with even louder exclamations than before:
“My heavens! She’s standing on her own!”
“Look at those calves—so lively! They don’t look like they wouldn’t survive at all!”
“Su Zhiqing… she really knows what she’s doing!”
Dr. Li’s face immediately turned dark purple, as if he had just been publicly slapped multiple times—burning, humiliating pain.
Every word he had just spoken now sounded absurd in his ears.
Lin Zhaodi felt as if struck by lightning, her jaw hanging open like it could fit an egg.
“How… how is this possible?!”
“Dr. Li,” Team Leader Chen Aidang’s voice rang out appropriately. He didn’t scold, but his tone made his displeasure clear:
“Facts speak louder than words. If Su Zhiqing hadn’t acted decisively, our cow would have been dead and the calves lost before you returned from the county.”
Liu Cuihua also came to realize the truth, grabbing Su Wanqing’s hand, tears streaming—this time, tears of gratitude.
“Su Zhiqing—no, our savior! You are our family’s savior! Auntie kneels to you!”
She really tried to kneel.
“Not allowed, not allowed!” Su Wanqing quickly helped her up. “Auntie, this is what I should do.”
Chen Aidang looked at Su Wanqing, his admiration and gratitude clear, but he knew it was not the time to escalate things. Su Wanqing didn’t have a medical license, and if news of this spread, it could harm her.
Suppressing his excitement, he signaled the villagers and announced in a loud voice:
“Su Zhiqing acted bravely, saving the team’s livestock and adding two calves. This is a great merit! I have decided to reward Su Zhiqing… with 100 work points! That is all—no one is to talk about this further!”
One hundred work points!
Not as grand as 300, but equivalent to half a year of hard labor.
And the team leader’s final sentence clearly protected Su Wanqing!
The villagers, quick-witted, immediately understood the leader’s intent and nodded in agreement.
“Yes, yes, the team leader is right!”
“We all follow the team leader!”
Lin Zhaodi’s jealousy made her chest ache—one hundred points! And everyone is keeping it secret for her! Why should this incredible fortune go to Su Wanqing, that wretched girl?!
Dr. Li’s face had completely lost all composure.
Seeing this warm, motherly scene and hearing the villagers’ unanimous praise for Su Wanqing, he felt like a ridiculous clown.
He gritted his teeth, attempting a last futile protest:
“Cough! That… that was just beginner’s luck! This method is unscientific and not to be recommended!”
Su Wanqing calmly interrupted him, a faint smile playing on her lips:
“Dr. Li, luck seems to favor only the prepared, don’t you think? After all, if we had waited for you to rush back from the county, we might not have even found someone to bury the cow.”
“Pfft—”
Someone couldn’t hold back and laughed first, followed by a chorus of mocking laughter.
Dr. Li’s old face turned dark purple; he could stay no longer. Glaring at Su Wanqing, he nearly fled the crowd in embarrassment.
The farce ended, and the cowshed returned to its joyful atmosphere.
Chen Aidang grabbed Su Wanqing’s hand, his smile sincere:
“Su Zhiqing, today you’ve truly helped us! Those 100 work points are well deserved!”
“Truly, thank you so much!”