Chapter 52: The Tan Family Seeks Medical Treatment and Gets Refused

When Zhu Changfeng and Zhu Changfang returned from buying wine in Yibin, the rice transplanting in the fields of Zhenshan County was already finished. Song Weiguo's boat sailed up from Nanjiang County along the Spring River. The rice seedlings on both banks of the river were still thin and weak, their roots not yet established, swaying in the wind.

"When I went out to run the boat, the rapeseed in our commune was just blooming. I've been out running for two months—not only has the rapeseed been harvested, but the rice seedlings have already been planted."

Song Weiguo, his face tanned dark from the sun, sighed: "Time really flies."

Zhu Changfeng walked over to Song Weiguo and also looked at the farmland at the foot of the mountain, smiling: "It hasn't been that fast, actually. Think about it—in these two months, you've traveled back and forth along the Yangtze River, making quite a few deals, right?"

Song Weiguo laughed and patted Zhu Changfeng's shoulder: "What, you want to do my job too? It's easy. Your Zhu family isn't short on money—just buy two boats and you can start running shipments."

"Our family doesn't have plans for that. As for transporting goods, we have you to help."

Song Weiguo said: "Speaking of which, I wanted to ask you—your Zhu family's herbal shop has been open for almost half a year now, right? You must have collected a lot of medicinal materials this half year. Are you planning to ship them out?"

"We've collected quite a bit of medicinal materials this half year, but there's nothing to ship out. All the herbs have been sold through the Medical Hall."

"Sold out? The Medical Hall business is that good?"

"Yeah, there are a lot of patients, so the medicinal materials get used up quickly."

When Zhu Changfeng said there were many patients, Song Weiguo immediately realized he had hit the point. In the old society, ordinary people couldn't afford to see a doctor. When they got sick, they had to endure it, or go up the mountain to pull some herbs and boil them in water—whether they got better depended entirely on fate.

Now it's different. If it's a minor illness, ordinary people can afford the cost of a few mao or one yuan to see a doctor. Even if they get a serious illness requiring expensive medicine, they can grit their teeth and afford medicine costing a few to more than ten yuan.

More people can afford to see a doctor, so of course medicinal materials get used up faster. Just from the perspective of seeing doctors and taking medicine, ordinary people really are living better and better.

"Not only are the medicinal materials used up quickly, but the quantity we collect is actually less than before," Zhu Changfeng said. "There aren't as many people making their living by collecting herbs in our area as before. In the past, the herbs we collected that the Medical Hall couldn't use could be sold elsewhere. Now the situation is that the herbs we collect can't even fill the storage room of our herbal shop."

The several households of herb collectors that the Zhu family got to know through Master Mingjue all settled in the county town one after another in the first half of this year. Presumably, fewer and fewer herb collectors would be willing to live in the deep mountains for their livelihood.

Zhu Changfeng said with a smile to Song Weiguo: "Everyone wants to live a better life. Now that there's a chance to come down the mountain and live a normal life, who wouldn't? Speaking of which, if those people hadn't had no other way to make a living in the past, they wouldn't have hidden in the mountains, dealing with snakes, insects, mice, and ants every day."

Song Weiguo smiled: "So your Zhu family won't be doing the medicinal materials business anymore?"

"There's no medicinal materials to sell. Given our Medical Hall's business, we can only buy in. Brother Song, you have wide connections. If you come across anyone selling good medicinal materials outside, feel free to refer them to us. You can tell them the Zhu family won't let them suffer on price."

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye out for you."

Zhu Changfang, who had been listening nearby, said: "If the herbal shop business won't work, we can do other business. I think there's good business everywhere now. As long as you have capital, you can't go wrong with anything."

Song Weiguo praised: "Fang meimei is right. Since things opened up last year, all industries are thriving. With the increase in goods transportation everywhere, my shipping business is getting easier to do."

Zhu Changfang smiled: "Brother Song runs his boat outside every day. You've seen more small business people than us. You must have a better idea of what's profitable, right?"

Song Weiguo had accumulated some insights during this period. He said: "As the old saying goes, the seven daily necessities are firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea. I think anything related to food and clothing is a profitable business."

Don't underestimate these small businesses. The business may be small, but the profits are not small.

However, that said, while small businesses do make money, they're hard to scale up because individual operators have limited resources, and family workshops have limited production capacity."

"We don't have chickens, so how about using someone else's chicken to lay eggs?"

Zhu Changfang expressed her idea: "Take winemaking, for example. We don't know how to do it, but there are plenty of people in Yibin who do. They know how to make wine but have no way to sell it outside. But Brother Song happens to have the connections—so doesn't that work out?"

During their trip this time, Zhu Changfang discovered that several more wine factories had opened in the area under the names of communes and production brigades. Everyone wanted to make money and live a good life. A dry "private winemaking not allowed, private sales not allowed" couldn't stop them.

Those who live off the mountain eat from the mountain, those who live off the sea eat from the sea. Since people have the skill to make wine, they definitely want to make a living from their skill.

Zhu Changfang thought that next time she went to buy wine, there would be even more private wine factories operating under collective names. When there was an oversupply of local wine, with money in hand, how much wine couldn't she buy?

Zhu Changfang asked with a smile: "Brother Song, you have boats and connections. If you don't do this business, who will?"

Song Weiguo shook his head with a smile. It was true he had boats and connections, and the business wasn't impossible to do, but his energy was limited and he couldn't manage such a large operation.

"Speaking frankly, our Song family doesn't have as many people as your Zhu family, nor are we as united. The group of brothers I trust are all running boats with me now, and they don't have energy for other businesses."

Zhu Changfang smiled: "As you said, your Song family doesn't have many people, but our Zhu family does. If you trust me, how about I do this business with you? Our family provides capital and people, you provide connections and boats—we split the profits fifty-fifty."

Song Weiguo didn't answer directly. He asked with a smile: "Can you make this decision?"

"I'm confident I can convince the clan." Zhu Changfang asked Zhu Changfeng: "What do you think?"

Zhu Changfeng thought this could work.

The Zhu family was going to buy wine to make medicinal wine anyway. Even if the wine Zhu Changfang bought couldn't be sold, it wouldn't go to waste—it could be made into medicinal wine and sold.

Actually, if the Zhu family could get enough good medicinal materials, the medicinal wine business would definitely be better than just reselling baijiu.

After thinking it through, Zhu Changfeng nodded: "If Brother Song wants to cooperate, Changfang and I can try to get support from the clan."

To be honest, even if this business didn't work out, Song Weiguo didn't have any real losses. After thinking about it, he said: "Since you're here today, let's discuss it?"

"I think that's a good idea."

Zhu Changfang couldn't contain her excitement. If this worked out, she'd have her own thing to do.

This time, Zhu Changfeng and Zhu Changfang bought two thousand jin of wine in Yibin. Unloading that much wine took a while. After reaching the dock, Song Weiguo first went with Zhu Changfeng and Zhu Changfang to Sanqing Lane.

Song Weiguo arrived at just the right time—eleven o'clock, neither early nor late. Zhu Shian was taking her pre-lunch walk. When she heard Song Weiguo had come, Zhu Shian went to the front hall to see him.

Song Weiguo saw the telephone on the counter in the front hall and said in surprise: "Changfeng, when did your family get a telephone installed?"

Zhu Changfeng didn't know about this either.

Zhu Shian walked in with a smile: "It was installed a couple of days after you left last time."

Song Weiguo didn't ask how the Zhu family got a telephone installed. He said with a smile: "Having a telephone is great. It's so convenient. If there's anything I need to contact you about in the future, I can just make a call."

Zhu Changfeng and Zhu Changfang went to look at the telephone by the counter. Zhu Changfang even picked up the receiver to try it. Hey, having a telephone at home was really novel.

Zhu Changfang saw a small notebook on the counter with paper and pen inside. She smiled: "Brother Song, I'll copy the telephone number for you later."

"Sure."

A guest had arrived, so Zhu Fengqin came to serve tea. When she saw Song Weiguo, she smiled: "The boat-running work is hard, isn't it? We're not even at the hottest time of the dog days yet, and you've already gotten yourself sunburned like that?"

"Well, this is the trade I eat from—I can't help it."

Song Weiguo took the teacup with both hands and thanked Zhu Fengqin.

Zhu Fengqin smiled: "Are you hungry? Lunch is still a while away. If you're hungry, I'll go to the pastry shop and get you some pastries to fill your stomach."

"Thank you for your concern, Sister Feng. I'm not hungry yet—no rush."

"Alright, then you all chat. I still have a pot on the stove in the kitchen." With that, Zhu Fengqin left.

After meeting Zhu Shian, Zhu Changfeng also left. The herbal shop was still transporting wine, so he needed to go oversee it. Before leaving, he said to Zhu Changfang: "What you just talked about—tell Big Jie about it."

Zhu Shian asked curiously: "What matter?"

Zhu Changfang smiled: "I want to partner with Brother Song on the wine business. Since Brother Song is here today, I want to discuss this with Big Jie and the clan."

"Tell me about it."

Zhu Changfang told Zhu Shian about the small wine factories she saw in Yibin, as well as the conversation she just had on the boat with Zhu Changfeng and Song Weiguo. She said: "The wine there can't be sold outside, but other places that don't produce wine are scrambling for it. I think this product will sell well—this business can be done."

Zhu Changfang had even thought that in the future, if they had no shortage of wine or medicinal materials, the Zhu family might be able to open a medicinal wine factory and sell Zhu family's medicinal wine throughout the country.

Zhu Shian asked: "Isn't private wine sales not allowed?"

"They also say private winemaking isn't allowed, but aren't there small wine factories everywhere? I think that policy won't last long. It might change soon."

Since individual businesses were allowed to open, it wasn't impossible that the wine policy would be relaxed a bit. Zhu Changfang felt she was right.

Zhu Shian understood Zhu Changfang's intention. She first expressed her stance, saying: "I also think this business can be done, but there's one thing—you have to wait for the relevant policies to come out before doing this."

Policy? But people were buying and selling private wine now without any policy.

Zhu Shian didn't talk about the current situation. She only reminded them: "Think about it—if you got reported and arrested for doing this business, not only would you not make money, but you'd lose much more."

Zhu Changfang's heated brain was suddenly cooled by Big Jie's words. She hesitated: "We can buy from private wine factories—shouldn't that mean it's implicitly allowed?"

"How much wine does our family buy? It's such a small scale that no one pays attention. Besides, this is Zhenshan County—our own territory. No one would make trouble for us over such small matters. It might be different outside."

The Zhu family had always been careful about this degree. Even though Zhenshan County was the Zhu family's territory, the wine bought back was only used for making medicinal wine—it wasn't allowed to be sold at food stalls.

The Zhu family and Song family, though not particularly large or powerful, were not unknown in the area. There was no need to take such a big risk just to make some money.

Song Weiguo said to Zhu Changfang: "Big Jie is right. Now isn't a good time for the wine business. Let's wait and see."

Zhu Changfang was a bit regretful but nodded: "Waiting is fine too."

Wait a bit longer. Wait until those increasingly numerous private wine factories find no way out. To solve the livelihoods of these private wine factories, perhaps the wine monopoly policy will soon have new changes?

Zhu Changfang smiled: "On the boat just now, we were just talking and got onto this topic. Looking back, we really didn't consider it carefully enough."

"Having a flexible mind is a good thing." Zhu Shian picked up her special health-preservation tea and took a sip.

Zhu Shian wasn't foolish, of course she knew gray-area businesses made money, and she knew that under-the-table businesses made even more money. Making money was important, but for the Zhu family, making money for a while was far less important than the clan's stable and long-term development.

The times had changed. These times were more rule-based than the era she had lived in a thousand years ago. Being rule-based was also quite good.

Song Weiguo understood Zhu Shian's thinking. He said: "Then let's wait first. When there's a new change in the wine policy, our two families can discuss again."

Since they weren't in a rush to discuss the wine business today, Song Weiguo didn't plan to go to Zhujia Village to see the Zhu family clan elders. He planned to leave after lunch.

Zhu Shian looked at Song Weiguo's dark face and asked him: "Have you recently offended someone?"

Song Weiguo was stunned for a moment, then laughed: "I won't hide it from Big Jie—among businessmen who make a living on the water, there are none who don't offend people."

Zhu Shian held her tea bowl and looked at him with a smile: "The person you offended this time should be a tough one. Otherwise, you wouldn't have a disaster of bloodshed."

Disaster of bloodshed?

Song Weiguo's heart trembled. Faces flashed through his mind—the fight at the Wuhan dock over business? The one who threatened to hole his boat? Or the one who lost goods and suspected he stole them, threatening to throw him into the river to feed the fish?

Zhu Shian gave him the warning and didn't say more. Considering the friendship between the two families, she also gave him a Peace Talisman, hoping he would be safe.

Song Weiguo quickly thanked her: "Thank you very much, Big Jie."

Zhu Shian said: "Last year when you came to me for a Peace Talisman, you got one for your mother, one for your wife, one for your eldest brother—but you didn't get one for yourself. You're a good person. I hope you'll take care of yourself and live a long life."

Zhu Shian was eating her health meal—flavorless food not suitable for entertaining guests. Zhu Shian didn't eat with Song Weiguo. After saying this, she left.

Song Weiguo was still worried about what Big Jie said about a disaster of bloodshed. Zhu Changfang said enviously: "Did you hear that just now? Big Jie said you'll live to a hundred."

Only then did Song Weiguo realize. He excitedly slapped his thigh—was Big Jie saying that as long as he didn't have an accident, he actually had a long life?

Zhu Changfang nodded affirmatively—Big Jie must have meant exactly that.

The business didn't work out, Big Jie said he had a disaster of bloodshed, but in the end he learned he had a long life. After eating lunch at the Zhu family, Song Weiguo left feeling quite happy.

Zhu Fengqin saw Song Weiguo off and went to the back courtyard to ask Zhu Shian: "What did you say to make Song Weiguo so happy? When he left, he kept telling me that this time he came without preparation, but next time he'll bring you a thank-you gift."

Zhu Shian, while flipping through a Formation book, said: "Nothing much—just gave him a casual reminder."

Zhu Fengqin said: "Aren't you not supposed to exert yourself? Did you read his fortune for him?"

"His extremely ominous face was too obvious—I didn't need to exert myself to see it clearly."

Zhu Fengqin was startled: "Extremely ominous? He's going to have an accident?"

"I've already reminded him. If he pays a bit of attention, he should be fine."

If he were truly someone destined to die, he probably wouldn't have come before her, giving her the chance to remind him.

"That's good. He's still so young, with an old mother and son to support. If something happened to him, Old Mrs. Song would be devastated."

After finishing talking about Song Weiguo, Zhu Fengqin took the book from Zhu Shian's hands: "Stop flipping through it. Did you just recover and can't stay idle again?"

"It's not that I want to look. I'm finding some simple ones to teach Zhang Jie."

With the book gone, Zhu Shian lay back on her chair—comfortable.

"Speaking of Zhang Jie, when are you going to call Zhang Jie down the mountain? I'll prepare a room for him in advance."

"No rush. Wait until summer vacation, then call him down. Don't put him in the front courtyard. Find him a room in the back courtyard—it's more convenient for me to teach him."

"How about putting him in the courtyard next to yours?"

"Sure."

Zhu Fengqin said: "Old Master Zhang and Zhang Jie depend on each other. If Zhang Jie moves down the mountain, Old Master Zhang will be alone on the mountain."

"That's fine. Have Zhang Jie go back up to keep him company on weekends."

"Zhang Jie running up and down every week—isn't that too exhausting?"

Zhu Shian didn't even open her eyes and asked casually: "What do you suggest?"

"I think having Zhang Jie go back to Yuntai Temple once a month is enough—no need to go every week. What do you think?"

Zhu Shian couldn't help laughing. She opened her eyes and asked: "You just mentioned Old Master Zhang—I thought you were worried about him living alone at Yuntai Temple, that a lonely old person's life is hard."

"Sigh, Old Master Zhang has it hard. Zhang Jie is still a child—it harder on him. Compared to the old one, I still feel more sorry for the young one. Besides, it's not hard on the mountain now. There are people going to Yuntai Temple to burn incense every day. Yuntai Temple isn't lonely anymore."

"You were worried about the young one just now—why did you bring up the old one?"

Zhu Fengqin thought about what she just said and couldn't help laughing: "I feel sorry for both of them. It's just that compared, I still feel more sorry for the young one."

"Sister Feng, you're getting more straightforward in your speech now."

"Are you laughing at me?" Zhu Fengqin put her hands on her hips, looking like a tigress.

Zhu Shian giggled—she dared not admit it.

Zhu Fengqin gave her a slap: "Don't lie here. If you want to sleep, go to your room. It's time for your noon nap."

"Okay."

Zhu Changfang worked at the Medical Hall in the afternoon, standing at the Medicine Cabinet with Zhu Zheng and Zhu Yu to dispense medicine to patients.

There weren't many patients in the afternoon at the Medical Hall. Two people were more than enough for this work; three made it even more relaxed.

Zhu Yu didn't want to be this relaxed.

Zhu Yu wasn't good at studying, and her personality was somewhat meek. So she got married early after becoming an adult. She was only twenty-four this year, but her daughter was already three years old.

The man Zhu Yu married worked at the Cannery. He was the sole breadwinner, not only having to support their small family but also occasionally giving some money to both sets of parents. Their life was a bit tight.

Last August, when she learned that the Zhu Medical Hall was about to open and needed to select people from the clan to work at the Medical Hall, Zhu Yu desperately memorized medical books. In the end, she exceeded expectations and ranked third, but she still wasn't selected.

Zhu Yu was depressed at home for several months. Who knew that after the New Year, in the first month, something good came. Big Jie said the Medical Hall was short-handed, and the clan elders added her to work at the Medical Hall.

Zhu Yu was overjoyed when she heard the news at home.

Zhu Yu was happy to work at the Medical Hall and get a salary, but she couldn't help worrying—what if the Medical Hall didn't need so many people and let her go?

She came to work at the Medical Hall because Zhu Changfang was out doing errands, so she essentially took Zhu Changfang's place. After Zhu Changfang came back from buying wine and still worked at the Medical Hall, she had a sense of crisis.

The other day, Zhu Changfang went to buy wine again. When she came back today, she was in low spirits. Zhu Yu heard her talking to Zhu Changfeng, saying it seemed like the business she had her eye on couldn't be done for now.

Zhu Yu thought: Can't be done? That won't do. She must make sure Zhu Changfang's business gets done. Only if Zhu Changfang isn't at the Medical Hall can she stay stably.

The patients who came for medicine were all gone. Zhu Changfang took a handkerchief to wipe the Medicine Cabinet, sighing.

Zhu Yu came over with a smile and called out: "Sister Fang, busy?"

"Not busy. What's up?"

Zhu Yu smiled: "Nothing much. I just heard you talking to Brother Feng. I thought maybe we should go ask Sister Liu Xin about this? She works at the county committee—her information must be more up-to-date than ours."

"Wasn't she busy going to meetings in the city with leaders all this time? Is she done?"

"She should be done, I think. I've seen her going to and from work normally these past few days."

Zhu Changfang smiled: "Little Yu, thanks for the reminder. After work, I'll go to her place to find her."

Zhu Yu忙 said no need to thank: "I hope Sister Fang can get her business going too. That way it'll be more convenient for our Medical Hall to buy wine."

"During the time I was away, how much medicinal wine has the Medical Hall sold?"

"There's not much left. Grandpa Shouxin emphasized to us over and over that we must not sell without a medicinal wine prescription. And the prescription has to be from the same day—prescriptions from before won't work either."

"Our family's medicinal wine is never short of buyers," Zhu Changfang said.

Zhu Yu was relieved that Sister Fang really thought she was worried about her business because of the Medical Hall's medicinal wine.

After work, Zhu Changfang went to find Liu Xin. Liu Xin was in the courtyard playing catch-the-sandbag with Fufu. When she saw Zhu Changfang come, Liu Xin gave the sandbag to her daughter and told her to play by herself first.

Liu Xin smiled and asked: "You big busybody—what brings you time to find me?"

"I'm no busybody. If anyone is busy, it's you." Zhu Changfang sat down and asked: "What have you been busy with lately? You're just a little clerk writing documents—how many meetings can you possibly have every day?"

Liu Xin also sat down and smiled: "It's all that household responsibility system thing. In March, the newspaper introduced the Anhui approach to household responsibility, and then readers wrote letters opposing it. This matter sparked huge waves, and leadership teams everywhere are discussing this. County Mayor He of our county is also going to the city every day. As his little assistant, I have to follow and help out."

"Did they reach a conclusion?"

"Not yet. The leaders said practice is the sole criterion for testing truth. Let's first do pilot projects. If they really work, then implement them nationwide."

"Will our county do a pilot project?"

Liu Xin lowered her voice: "You know County Mayor He—he's afraid of taking responsibility. How could he actively request a pilot project? Don't you remember? When issuing business licenses to individual households last year, the city clearly said to delegate the review authority to the county—but he still had to send the list of license applicants to the city. He only dared issue the licenses after the city agreed."

Liu Xin knew the Zhu family wanted to plant medicinal materials and had asked County Mayor He about it. He hadn't given a clear answer, saying he needed to wait for policies from above.

He was the county magistrate, yet he had to wait for instructions on everything—sigh.

After listening to Liu Xin's round of complaints, Zhu Changfang finally asked about what she cared about: "Is there a chance the alcohol monopoly policy will be relaxed?"

"I actually heard something about this when I was at the city meetings."

Zhu Changfang's eyes lit up: "What did they say?"

"During a break in the meeting, I heard the director of the Light Industry Bureau say to the deputy mayor that the Light Industry Ministry is going to hold a national wine evaluation conference in Dalian in August. Our province also has famous wines and is going to send them to participate."

"Then what?" Zhu Changfang waited eagerly.

"The director of the Light Industry Bureau also said the alcohol monopoly policy can't be enforced anymore. Besides state-owned wineries, many farms, grain departments, communes, and production brigades are opening wineries. With more private wine supply, state-owned stores' purchasing volume has been declining. Some state-owned wineries have serious production backlogs. If they don't find a way to change, the state-owned factories might not be able to stay in business."

"How to change?"

"I don't know that. I guess the Light Industry Bureau holding that national wine evaluation conference is probably to build fame for the state-owned wineries, to make their wine sell better."

Liu Xin hadn't been following leaders to meetings and writing reports for nothing. She said: "Actually, this matter hinges on grain. If the household responsibility system really achieves large-scale grain increase, and grain supply is opened up, the alcohol monopoly will probably be relaxed too."

In the end, the alcohol monopoly existed because there wasn't enough grain to eat—they couldn't let people use grain arbitrarily to make wine.

Zhu Changfang's expression toward Liu Xin changed. Liu Xin was puzzled: "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Zhu Changfang held Liu Xin's hand: "I think it's a waste for you to be just a little clerk. You've got the makings of a leader."

Liu Xin pushed her away with a smile: "Stop joking. I have no education, no achievements, and no leader to promote me. What leader am I going to be? Who would follow me?"

"Who knows? You're still young. Once you gain seniority, if you can't become a big leader, you can at least become a small one, right?"

"I'll take your word for it. When I really become one, I'll go to the pastry shop and buy a jin of pastries to thank you."

"When you really make it, you can't be so stingy. What use is a jin of pastries?"

After some joking, Liu Xin didn't waste any more time. She told her to go home quickly: "Go check if your two daughters have come home from school."

Zhu Changfang was about to leave: "Alright, I'll go first. Keep an ear out for that alcohol matter. Let me know as soon as you have news."

"Sure."

Liu Xin saw Zhu Changfang out.

Liu Xin closed the door and went to the kitchen. While cooking, Wu Shenpo said: "That girl Changfang is like her mother—a capable person who can get things done."

Liu Xin smiled: "I'm not like someone who can get things done?"

"You can too. Changfang is the type to venture out, while you're good at maintaining what exists." Wu Shenpo smiled: "For a family to develop, it needs both the like of Changfang and the like of you."

Liu Xin laughed upon hearing this.

Before Liu Xin married into the Zhu family, her mother said being a new daughter-in-law wasn't easy—that it was normal to suffer some委屈 and told her to endure it.

After Liu Xin married into the Zhu family, she found it was different from what her mother said. The Zhu family treated daughters-in-law as family too. They said "our Zhu family" and "our clan" all the time.

After hearing it so much, Liu Xin also considered herself part of the Zhu family and was willing to think more for the clan in everything.

Wu Shenpo sighed: "Life is so good now—better day by day, better year by year."

She was old now, and her body and spirit were declining year by year. But seeing the country thriving, she felt she was rising with it and believed she could live many more years.

Some people were growing old, and some were being born.

After the Dragon Boat Festival, Zhu Shian's long-term patients, the couple Xie Ci and Chen Qian, specifically came to the Zhu Medical Hall in Zhenshan County to thank Zhu Shian.

When they arrived, Zhu Shian was strolling in the back workshop of the Medical Hall. She was called to the front hall. As soon as she saw Chen Qian, she asked: "You're pregnant?"

Chen Qian quickly nodded, her face full of joy: "Yes, I'm pregnant—three months already."

Xie Ci also smiled and said: "Thanks to you for regulating our bodies and helping us."

Zhu Shian waved her hand with a smile: "Don't mention it—it's what I should do."

Chen Qian touched her belly: "When I discovered I was pregnant, I was working in the mountainous area of Guizhou. I wanted to come to Zhenshan County to thank you then, but the transportation was inconvenient and I was afraid the fetus wasn't stable yet. So I waited until the baby was three months old before coming to Zhenshan County."

The couple came to thank Dr. Zhu, but they also wanted Dr. Zhu to feel their pulse so they could be at ease.

However, when the couple saw Zhu Shian's frail body, they hesitated. Did Dr. Zhu seem to be ill? Was it appropriate to ask Dr. Zhu to feel their pulse?

Zhu Shian had been recuperating for so long—there was some color in her face now, not as pale as before. Otherwise, when Xie Ci and his wife saw her, they wouldn't even have dared to think about asking Dr. Zhu to feel their pulse.

Xie Ci hesitated, not knowing if he should bring it up. Zhu Shouguang beckoned to Chen Qian: "Come here. Let this old man feel your pulse."

Chen Qian quickly went to the consultation room and sat down: "Sorry to trouble you."

Zhu Shouguang felt Chen Qian's pulse, found something unusual, and pressed again. He smiled and said: "You're carrying twins."

"Twins?"

Xie Ci and Chen Qian were so happy they could barely believe it.

Zhu Shian stood at the door of the consultation room and smiled: "If I'm not mistaken, it should be a boy and a girl."

A boy and a girl. Tears glistened in Chen Qian's eyes. Master Zhu was so skilled—how could she be wrong? It must be true.

Chen Qian was both excited and hesitant. After hesitating for a long time, she finally asked: "That child—has it come back?"

The child she accidentally lost—has it come back?

Zhu Shian's health wasn't good—she couldn't have thoughts or make calculations. She could only say: "Coming to you means it's destined to be your child. Does it matter whether it's the same one?"

Xie Ci held his wife's hand: "We didn't do it on purpose back then. The child definitely knows. It will come back."

Yes, Chen Qian believed that too. The child would come back.

The couple left their thank-you gifts and expressed endless gratitude to Zhu Shian. Only after Zhu Shian repeatedly urged them did they leave.

Chen Qian said she would be working at the Nanjiang County Railway Engineering Department for the next year. She asked Zhu Shian if she could come to the Medical Hall for consultations every month.

Zhu Shian told her: "There's also a Zhu family doctor at the Nanjiang County Hospital. I suggest you get checked at the Nanjiang County Hospital. Don't tire yourself out traveling."

Chen Qian didn't think it was tiring. She could just take a boat to come.

No other doctor, however good, could compare to her place in Chen Qian's heart.

Zhu Shian couldn't persuade her and smiled: "Come if you want to."

Chen Qian smiled at that, then left with her husband Xie Ci.

People watching outside the Medical Hall watched Xie Ci and Chen Qian leave. Today they weren't boasting about Big Jie's medical skills anymore. They were all discussing the railway in Nanjiang County.

"The Railway Engineering Department has moved over. The railway in Nanjiang County is about to start construction, right?"

"Didn't they say construction wouldn't start until autumn?"

"What do you know? When a general goes to war, they know that troops and supplies must move ahead of the army. Before the railway is built, shouldn't the preparatory work be done first?"

"Once construction starts in Nanjiang County, Zhenshan County will lose a lot of its excitement."

"What do you mean?"

"Nanjiang County will be busy with railway construction—workers everywhere. Won't our county's merchants go to Nanjiang County to do business?"

"Oh, what you say makes sense."

"Small merchants will go to Nanjiang County, but Sanqing Lane can't move to Nanjiang County, right, Dama? I'll be happy if I can come buy a jin of pastries every few days."

An old grandpa who already knew Cui Yunhe patted his shoulder: "Big Jie looks even better than last month. You queued early. When Big Jie is better and willing to see patients, I'll make sure you're first in line."

An old lady who often queued at the pastry shop said: "I won't agree to anyone cutting in front of you. You're young and too shy to speak up. Call me—I'll go yell at them for you."

Cui Yunhe quickly thanked the grandpa and Dama.

Patients like Cui Yunhe, who had the time to specifically come to Zhenshan County to stay and wait to see a doctor, were extremely rare. Some patients wanted to seek medical help but couldn't leave their work to come in person. They sent people specifically, hoping Zhu Shian could go to them.

When Zhu Shian was drowsing on the low couch by the window in the mid-afternoon, Zhu Shouxin was helping her reject yet another patient's family member.

The visitor, Lin Zhi, said不敢—he wasn't a patient's family member. He was just a secretary sent by the patient's family member.

Lin Zhi诚恳 said: "As long as my boss can do it, Dr. Zhu can make any requests. If Dr. Zhu agrees to go to Shenzhen, we'll fulfill them."

Zhu Shouguang glared at him: "Young man, why don't you understand what I'm saying? I said our Big Jie isn't going. You should leave quickly—don't delay other patients from seeing the doctor."

"Dr. Zhu, let me meet with Dr. Zhu. Let us talk face to face."

Face-to-face was impossible. Zhu Changfeng led a few people to escort Lin Zhi out. Lin Zhi tried to enter the Medical Hall again but was blocked by a group of old grandpa and Dama.

The old lady pointed to the side, to Cui Yunhe, who had nothing to do and came to Sanqing Lane to watch the fun every day: "Look—that person who can't walk can come to Zhenshan County to seek medical treatment. How is your patient so special that you need to invite Big Jie to your place? Where do you get that big face from?"

Lin Zhi wanted to say, our chairman's face isn't big, but we have a lot of money. He really didn't understand—how could there be someone who would throw away money that was delivered to their door?

Lin Zhi couldn't enter the Medical Hall again. It was getting late, so he could only go back first to report to his boss.

In April this year, there were rumors that special economic zones would be established. Old Master Tan of the Tan Clan personally went to Beijing and got a definite answer—four special economic zones would be established in Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou, and Xiamen.

Among the four zones, Old Master Tan was more optimistic about Shenzhen's development prospects. So for the past two months, Old Master Tan had been in Shenzhen meeting with local investment promotion officials, discussing investment, land acquisition, taxation, and so on—almost without rest.

Old Master Tan's health hadn't been good these past few years. With the busyness of these two months, the old ailment that used to only act up during seasonal changes came back with a vengeance. The doctors who were called to examine him, some tactfully and some directly, gave their opinions—they believed the old man was ill from exhaustion. If he didn't stop to rest, it would be hard to get better even with medicine.

Tan Pingzhang was in Port City, busy absorbing the shipping business that the Ye family had collapsed. Just as he was getting the business there in order, he heard his grandfather was ill and hurried back to Shenzhen.

Tan Pingzhang knew he couldn't stop his grandfather from working. He could only try his best to share the burden for his grandfather, and then search everywhere for famous doctors.

Among the famous doctors Tan Pingzhang invited, several mentioned Zhu Shian of the Zhu family in Zhenshan County. Tan Pingzhang still remembered—this person was a doctor recommended by a leader above to his grandfather. In spring, his grandfather said to invite her to diagnose him. Tan Pingzhang didn't agree.

This time, Tan Pingzhang valued Zhu Shian a lot. He specifically sent his secretary Lin Zhi personally to Zhenshan County to invite her. Unexpectedly, Lin Zhi didn't even see the person and was rejected.

Tan Pingzhang frowned: "Were they not satisfied with the conditions you offered?"

Lin Zhi was also helpless: "I didn't offer conditions. I asked them to set the terms, and they still refused without hesitation. They didn't even give me a chance to introduce the chairman's condition."

"Lin Zhi, your work ability makes me doubt you. Can you胜任 your job?"

Lin Zhi's nerves immediately tensed. He said quickly: "Boss, I learned that Dr. Zhu isn't in good health and is recuperating at home, not seeing anyone. Patients seeking her are staying in Zhenshan County, queuing to see her. In this situation, I think the lack of progress isn't because our conditions weren't generous enough."

It wasn't his work ability that was lacking—it was that the other party simply didn't want to go out.

Lin Zhi顺势 proposed a solution: "Since you want the chairman to put down work and see a doctor, why don't we invite the chairman to Zhenshan County? That way, we can both have Dr. Zhu examine him and let the chairman rest for a period."

On the other end of the phone, there was a long silence.

"I understand. Come back."

"Yes, boss."

After hanging up, Lin Zhi finally breathed a sigh of relief.