“What?” Yuan Yaqing was stunned. “You’re joking! How could Dr. Xu possibly be suspended?”
The gossiping military wife rolled her eyes at her. “If you don’t believe me, go ask for yourself. I just came back from the hospital and heard with my own ears that Xu Zhicheng was suspended!”
Yuan Yaqing wanted more people to know that Lü Yuzhi had been driven away by Lin Xun, so she deliberately chose the main gate of the residential area, where the most people gathered.
Although some were rushing to thank Lin Xun, most stayed where they were. When they heard the news, the crowd completely erupted:
“Wow, wasn’t Xu Zhicheng about to be promoted to attending physician? And now he’s suspended?”
“Yuan Yaqing said the Huo family had bad luck marrying Lin Xun, but I think Xu Zhicheng marrying her is the real misfortune. He got married the day before yesterday, and today he’s already suspended!”
“Exactly! Some black-hearted people start gossiping about the sister-in-law early in the morning, but they should check their own behavior first!”
The last comment came from He Yuerong. Even though Yuan Yaqing was pretending to be pitiful, He Yuerong immediately saw that this woman had ill intentions, spreading rumors first thing in the morning.
Serves her right!
The disdainful gazes around made Yuan Yaqing feel like a fool. Today, Lin Xun should have been the unlucky one, the one being cursed by everyone. Why had it turned out to be her?
But she didn’t have time to think about it. She had to rush to the hospital and find out what had really happened.
Actually, Xu Zhicheng’s suspension was still because of the mutton at the wedding banquet.
As a doctor, he usually maintained a dignified appearance, but at the wedding, the mutton had gone bad and was served to the guests, many of whom ended up in the hospital. This bizarre incident spread like wildfire, severely damaging his reputation at the hospital.
Many patients refused to see him once they heard his name, and numerous complaints were filed.
The hospital leadership had no choice but to suspend him.
While packing up his things, Xu Zhicheng overheard the nurses mentioning Lin Xun, realizing she had performed a great deed—she was commended at the train station and recognized throughout the Military District.
“Who is this Lin Xun? How is she so impressive?”
“I heard she’s Dr. Xu’s girlfriend.”
“Don’t make things up, she’s his ex-wife! Lin Xun divorced Dr. Xu long ago.”
“Exactly! If they hadn’t divorced, Xu Zhicheng wouldn’t have married Yuan Yaqing, and the bad mutton incident wouldn’t have happened.”
The small nurses’ chatter rang in his ears. Xu Zhicheng’s face darkened, especially when he saw Yuan Yaqing running toward him, his resentment growing.
He couldn’t help but think, if he hadn’t divorced, if Lin Xun were still his wife, her heroics in stopping the train accident would have boosted his reputation in the hospital.
Instead, now he was driven out like a worthless dog, barely keeping his job!
“Zhicheng, what happened? I heard you’ve been suspended?” Yuan Yaqing tried to hold his hand, but he yanked it away violently.
Xu Zhicheng’s face was dark and grim. “It’s all your fault! If you hadn’t demanded so much for the bride price, how could my mother have bought spoiled mutton to save money? And how would my reputation have suffered?”
“I… I…” Yuan Yaqing was stunned. She hadn’t expected him to blame her, even though she was also a victim.
Seeing the growing crowd, Xu Zhicheng took a deep breath, suppressing his rage and returning to his usual refined demeanor. “Forget it, let’s go back first. We’ll figure it out later.”
He couldn’t be driven away like this. If he lost his hospital position, he would never be able to win Lin Xun back.
Indeed, after all this, Xu Zhicheng suddenly understood—he couldn’t let Lin Xun go. He believed someone like Huo Yanzhou wouldn’t value a village girl with no education or family background.
Huo Yanzhou’s interest was temporary; he would eventually divorce Lin Xun.
Then Xu Zhicheng could let go of past grievances, accept Lin Xun, and she would follow him wholeheartedly for the rest of her life.
At that moment, Lin Xun was in a particularly good mood.
The train station staff had brought her an award!
The prizes were simple but practical—an enamel pot with peony flowers and a Hero-brand pen. Lin Xun accepted them with joy. “Thank you, comrade. Why don’t you stay for a meal?”
The staff waved them off. “No time. The railway authorities are taking this very seriously. We need to inspect all the surrounding tracks, so I must get back quickly.”
Lin Xun nodded. More inspections would prevent accidents. She took two leftover wedding candies, saw the staff to the station, and returned to the residential area.
At home, she found He Yuerong waiting at the door, smiling. “Sister-in-law, you’re the big star among military wives this time!”
Lin Xun smiled. “Did you bring the things?”
Getting down to business, He Yuerong nodded quickly.
Yesterday, she had asked Lin Xun how to get hens to lay eggs. Lin Xun, seeing her urgency, didn’t hide anything and told her to fetch some discarded wooden boxes from the logistics office.
Many military wives used the logistics office for furniture, but the workers there were not professional carpenters, some had physical impairments and weren’t highly skilled. Their pieces often had defects.
These defective boxes weren’t good for much, but they were perfect for chicken coops.
“The main reason hens don’t lay in winter is the cold. Focus on warmth and diet,” Lin Xun explained, demonstrating how to set up the coop.
The large boxes were first lined with newspaper glued on the sides to prevent drafts and provide insulation. Thick dry straw was laid at the bottom, the boxes were sealed with only two ventilation holes.
“Place the coop in the shed, away from the cold wind,” Lin Xun instructed.
He Yuerong nodded repeatedly. “What should the chickens eat?”
Lin Xun said, “Remember the soybeans I bought yesterday? I’ll make tofu from them, and the leftover bean pulp, once dried, can feed the chickens.”
The bean pulp was rich in protein, which encouraged hens to lay.
But it didn’t need to be their sole diet—just a handful mixed in. Grain was precious, especially in the northwest, so everything had to be used sparingly.
He Yuerong didn’t buy soybeans yesterday, but her family grew them, so she could fetch some later.
She nodded. “Shall we make tofu this afternoon? I want to feed the chickens and get them laying sooner.”
Lin Xun shook her head. She planned to go to the farm that afternoon.
After marrying Huo Yanzhou, her household registration had transferred, and she had originally planned to start work at the farm the day after the wedding. But a dream had delayed her two days. She needed to go early today.
At that moment, a loud cry for help came from outside:
“Weifeng! Weifeng! Hang on! Someone help me get Weifeng to the hospital!”
Lin Xun and He Yuerong ran out quickly and saw a middle-aged woman collapsed on the roadside, shouting, with a dog foaming at the mouth beside her.
He Yuerong said, “Sister-in-law, that’s Director Chang’s wife, Director Chen. That dog is Weifeng, the one who saved Director Chang’s life.”
There were many hunting dogs in the pastoral area, but Weifeng was extraordinary, brought over by Commander Chang from the south.
Years ago, during a sudden flood, Commander Chang was swept away, and Weifeng jumped into the water and saved him.
When he transferred to the northwest Military District, snow disasters struck villages, houses collapsed, and villagers were trapped. The unit sent rescue teams, but the snow made finding them impossible. Weifeng sniffed and pawed tirelessly, bleeding from all four paws, until the trapped villagers were found.
Weifeng became a hero, officially recognized and even reported in newspapers.
But now, no one dared to approach.
“Director Chen, stay back! The dog is foaming; it might have rabies!”
“Yes, one bite and it could be deadly!”
Everyone kept their distance.
At that moment, a pale-faced woman stepped forward softly.
“Director Chen, I’ll help you. I’ll get Weifeng to the hospital.”
Her name was Wang Fengzhu. She was well-known in the residential area. Her husband had been a company commander, killed in action. She had planned to return to her hometown, but her mother-in-law’s pleading to the leadership allowed them to stay.
Wang Fengzhu had three sons. In this male-dominated era, she was admired, and other wives envied her success in bearing children.
Though happy, she worried—the three sons ate a lot, and the military allowance wasn’t enough. She set her sights on Weifeng.
Director Chen and Commander Chang had no children, and after Weifeng saved Commander Chang, they treated the dog like their own child.
Wang Fengzhu thought this family was crazy, treating a dog like a person and feeding it meat. She wanted Weifeng dead, which would allow her family to gain favor and possibly inherit from Commander Chang and Director Chen.
She remembered that dogs could choke quickly. She minced meat, hid a strong fishing line inside, and buried it in the snow. Director Chen would pass by that path in the morning, and Weifeng would surely find it.
Early the next morning, she heard Director Chen calling. Everyone else was too scared to go forward. Wang Fengzhu stood out, buying time to ensure the dog’s death.