Wang Fengzhu was ecstatic, ready to step forward, when suddenly a clear voice rang out. “Don’t move!”
Lin Xun stepped forward, looked at Weifeng’s condition, and asked, “Director Chen, when did Weifeng start foaming at the mouth?”
Director Chen, who had also attended the wedding banquet and knew Lin Xun, replied, “About three minutes ago. He was fine just a moment earlier, and then he suddenly collapsed. I don’t know what happened. He was fine before leaving the house.”
Wang Fengzhu hurriedly said, “Comrade Lin, what are you doing? Weifeng probably has rabies. I’m taking him to a veterinarian. Move aside.”
But Lin Xun shook her head. “This isn’t rabies.”
Director Chen looked at her. “How do you know? Do you have medical skills?”
“A little. Director Chen, can you let me take a look at Weifeng?” Lin Xun knew that while there were veterinarians in the northwest, the hospital and the Military District office were still some distance away. A dog foaming at the mouth was serious. If she didn’t act quickly, it might die on the way.
Director Chen hesitated but finally nodded. “Alright, Xiao Lin, take a look.”
She wasn’t blindly trusting Lin Xun. Commander Chang had said that morning he would be taking several officers to the county for a meeting and all the vehicles were gone. Without transportation, getting to the hospital would take at least half an hour. She feared Weifeng wouldn’t survive that long.
Wang Fengzhu nearly laughed. Her mother-in-law had a good relationship with Aunt Cai and had already heard that Lin Xun was just a village girl who hadn’t finished middle school. How could someone like her have medical skills? She must be pretending to please Director Chen.
But this worked in her favor, letting Lin Xun waste time would ensure that if Weifeng died, no one would suspect her.
From a distance, Lin Xun had already noticed Weifeng shaking his head and pawing at his mouth, and the foam had faint streaks of blood.
Compared with rabies, this looked more like a foreign object stuck in the mouth.
Judging by how uncomfortable Weifeng looked, the object had probably reached the esophagus, creating a risk of suffocation.
Lin Xun’s expression was serious. She didn’t mind getting dirty. First she cleaned the area around Weifeng’s mouth, then placed her hand on his head. “Weifeng, it’s okay. I know you’re uncomfortable. I’m going to help remove the object. Don’t be afraid. It will be over soon.”
Dogs could understand humans and Weifeng was smart. Perhaps he understood Lin Xun’s soothing words. Although he still twitched, his aggression diminished.
When his paws retracted, Lin Xun seized the opportunity. She lifted him into her arms, placed her fist on his abdomen just below the sternum, and pushed upward. After five compressions, she paused. “Did it come out?”
Director Chen shook her head quickly. “No!”
Lin Xun held her breath and pressed five more times. “Now?”
“Still nothing.”
She was using the Heimlich maneuver. Each round could be repeated three times at most. The obstruction was deep, and Weifeng’s breathing was rapid. His lips were turning purple. She had tried two rounds with no effect, leaving only the last chance.
Without a word, she applied force. One push, two, three.
“It’s out, it’s out.”
With a dry heave, a bloodied piece of meat fell onto the snow.
Instantly, Wang Fengzhu’s face went ghostly pale.
“Good heavens. There really was something.”
“Xiao Lin, how did you know there was something in Weifeng’s mouth?”
“Why would you press on his belly if there was nothing?”
Everyone watching during the rescue was curious. When they saw Lin Xun succeed, they were shocked.
Weifeng was still weak but visibly better. As if recognizing Lin Xun had saved him, he panted and gently rubbed his head against her hand.
Lin Xun finally relaxed, smiling as she patted his furry head. “Director Chen, Weifeng was so brave.”
In her previous life, she had treated many dogs, but one this intelligent was rare.
Director Chen, moved to tears of joy, grabbed Lin Xun’s arm. “Thank you, Xiao Xun. If it weren’t for you, Weifeng wouldn’t have survived.”
Lin Xun replied calmly, “It’s nothing. Thanks to your trust. If I had arrived a few minutes later, given how deep the obstruction was, it would have been impossible to remove it.”
Wang Fengzhu’s face twisted in rage. So close. If it weren’t for Lin Xun, the dog would have died.
Lin Xun advised Director Chen to give Weifeng some milk to protect the esophageal lining, then answered the crowd’s questions. “I used an emergency technique. If someone is choking, they can use this method immediately or suffocation may occur.”
Normally, people might ignore her advice. After witnessing Weifeng’s rescue, they asked how to use the technique.
Director Chen said, “Xiao Lin, why don’t you hold a lecture on this emergency method. That way, people won’t constantly bother you.”
Lin Xun nodded. Even as a veterinarian, saving lives was her duty. She wouldn’t withhold knowledge if others wanted to learn.
“But Director, can we arrange it for this afternoon? I want to go to the farm first.”
“To the farm?”
“Yes, I can share some veterinary knowledge while I look for a job.”
Director Chen thought Lin Xun was too modest. Judging by how she treated Weifeng, calling it “a little skill” was an understatement. She was practically a miracle worker.
Having worked in the Military District and the commune, she knew that the farm had barefoot veterinarians with low pay and hard work. Someone like Lin Xun should go to the commune or the field office, where conditions and pay were better.
She knew Director Hu at the veterinary station and could recommend Lin Xun.
As Director Chen was about to speak, He Yuerong suddenly exclaimed.
“Sister-in-law, look. There’s so much string inside this meatball.”
She pried the meatball open with a stick and saw severed pieces of fishing line inside.
Lin Xun frowned. “This is mutton. Director Chen, did you feed Weifeng mutton today?”
“No!” Director Chen did treat Weifeng like her child but didn’t feed him meat every day. That morning, he had only eaten cornbread. He had been rooting through snow before foaming at the mouth.
On the snowy grasslands, animals like frozen rabbits or voles might be found but not prepared mutton with fishing line.
Director Chen’s expression changed immediately. “Someone did this deliberately, hiding meat in the snow.”
Though she didn’t know the motive, it was clearly targeted at Weifeng. Only a dog would dig through snow for food.
Still shaken, she resolved to investigate and brought Weifeng home, giving him a bowl of milk before thinking of Lin Xun.
She called Director Hu to recommend a skilled veterinarian, saying, “There’s an exceptional military wife, Comrade Lin Xun, who I’d like to bring to the veterinary station.”
After handling Weifeng, Lin Xun went to the farm to see Secretary Sun.
He had already heard of her marriage to Huo Yanzhou and was delighted. “Comrade Lin, your household registration has been transferred, right?”
Lin Xun nodded.
“Good! Let’s go to the commune now. Once approved, you can officially start work.”
Lin Xun was puzzled. Didn’t she just need the farm’s approval? Why the commune?
Secretary Sun noticed her confusion and smiled. “I spoke with Director Xiong. Xiao Lin, your skills are too exceptional for just the farm. It’s better for you to join the field office’s veterinary station. There, not only will you get meat and grain rations, but your salary will be ten yuan higher.”
Lin Xun had been about to decline, thinking the commune was too far and cold. Hearing the raise, she immediately brightened and raised her hand. “Then I’ll go.”
Ten yuan! Meat, grain, and extra pay. What cold could bother her? She wouldn’t feel cold even in Antarctica.
They rode to the field office in a small two-story building. The commune leaders were there, and the veterinary station was in the office on the far right of the first floor. As soon as Lin Xun followed Secretary Sun inside, a young man blocked her way.