The carefree life of Yang Shuisheng, the village miracle doctor

The man threw down his cigarette butt, stood up, and waved impatiently at Yang Shuisheng.

"Yang the Fool, put down the firewood and get out of here."

He was Bai Qinglian's husband, named Wang Youfu. He worked on a construction site in the city and rarely came back home more than a few times a year.

When I came back this time, my thoughts were practically written all over my face.

Seeing the man's anxious look, Bai Qinglian knew exactly what he was thinking. Feeling a little embarrassed, she quickly said, "Youfu, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"I almost drowned in the back mountain just now, but Shui Sheng saved me."

"I need to treat them to a meal to thank them." She emphasized the words "savior," then quickly added, "We can talk about it tonight."

It's rare for a couple to get together, which should be a happy occasion.

Having just experienced a brush with death, she really wasn't in the mood.

"No need to thank me!" Wang Youfu raised his eyebrows, even more impatient. "Why can't we eat a meal now? Why now?"

He looked Yang Shuisheng up and down, his eyes filled with undisguised disdain.

He then turned around, pulled a box of slightly flattened biscuits from his bag on the ground, and stuffed it into Yang Shuisheng's arms. "Here, this is for you. City stuff, more substantial than food!"

"Take this and go home right away!"

To shut Bai Qinglian up, he impatiently added, "Later! We'll eat later, you hear me?"

Yang Shuisheng, clutching the box of cheap biscuits, immediately flashed his usual goofy grin: "Mmm! I'll have some biscuits! Thanks, Brother Youfu!"

After saying that, he put down the firewood and turned to walk outside.

His steps were sluggish, and he looked no different from that fool he used to be.

Bai Qinglian opened her mouth, looked at the man's gloomy face, but ultimately said nothing more, only a hint of disappointment and embarrassment flashed in her eyes.

Yang Shuisheng walked out of the courtyard, but didn't really go far.

He squatted down next to the haystack behind Bai Qinglian's house, his eyes no longer showing any trace of foolishness.

He wanted to hear what Wang Youfu was trying to do, that he was so eager to get rid of him.

Sure enough, not long after he squatted down, a hushed argument came from inside the room; it was Bai Qinglian's voice, trembling with tears.

"Wang Youfu! Are you even human?"

"I just crawled out of the water, I was so scared, and I was bitten on the leg by a snake."

"You came back and didn't even ask me a question, all you could think about was that? I'm not in the mood!"

"You're not in the mood?"

"I came all this way, what for?" Wang Youfu's voice was rough and aggressive. "You were bitten by a snake and you're still alive, aren't you? Stop acting all delicate!"

"Hurry up, take your clothes off!"

Then came a tugging sound, the sound of something being knocked over, and Bai Qinglian's suppressed gasp and struggle.

"Snapped!"

A crisp slap sounded.

"You're asking for it!" Wang Youfu cursed, raising his voice. "You barren hen, I haven't even complained about you being unlucky enough to call you a jinx."

"I've been married to you for years, and there's not a single sign of pregnancy! What good are you?"

"Wang Youfu, you're talking nonsense!"

These words struck a nerve with Bai Qinglian, and her voice suddenly became sharp, filled with grievance and anger: "Is it necessarily my fault that I can't give birth?"

"If you're so capable, then let's go to the county hospital for a checkup and see who's really at fault."

"Checkup? Checkups are free, aren't they?" Wang Youfu said dismissively. "The doctors in the city said it's mostly women who have problems."

"You're useless yourself, yet you try to blame it on me? How shameless."

"You...you bastard!"

Bai Qinglian seemed extremely angry, and cursed in a tearful voice.

Then, the sound of heavy footsteps and the loud opening of the door came from inside the house.

Bai Qinglian rushed out, her face covered, her hair disheveled, and her eyes red, and ran straight towards the courtyard gate.

Wang Youfu didn't chase after them; he just yelled from inside the house, "Run! If you're so capable, then don't come back! Let's see who takes in a man who can't lay eggs!"

As soon as Bai Qinglian rushed out of the courtyard, she looked up and saw Yang Shuisheng squatting by the haystack.

The two locked eyes, and Bai Qinglian's face flushed red with embarrassment, awkwardness, and grievance, tears welling up in her eyes.

Yang Shuisheng stood up, his face expressionless, simply looking at her.

Bai Qinglian wiped her eyes, sniffed, and asked softly, her voice still choked with emotion, "Shui...Shuisheng, can I stay at your house for a while?"

"I... my family home is far away, I can't go back now..."

She really had nowhere else to go.

Yang Shuisheng nodded and said decisively, "Okay, come with me."

Bai Qinglian glanced at him gratefully, then followed behind him with her head down.

Yang Shuisheng's home is at the westernmost end of the village, near the foot of the back mountain. It is an old, dilapidated house left over from the production team that used to watch over the mountain.

The adobe walls had several large cracks, which were patched up with mud. The thatched roof had long since rotted away and was now covered with asbestos tiles and plastic sheeting, which leaked whenever it rained.

Besides a kang (heated brick bed), a broken table with a crooked leg, two rickety stools, and a dilapidated cabinet with peeling paint, there was nothing else decent in the room.

The windows were covered with plastic sheeting, and the room was dark, damp, and had a musty smell.

This place is worse than even the poorest family in the village.

However, when Yang Shuisheng pushed open the creaking, broken wooden door, even he was taken aback.

The room was messier than usual.

Their already meager possessions were thoroughly searched and turned upside down.

The door of the broken cabinet was askew, and several old clothes covered in patches had been pulled out and thrown on the ground.

The only broken mat on the earthen bed was lifted, revealing the rotten straw underneath.

The empty burlap sacks piled in the corner were also torn open, and two broken enamel mugs that he had previously picked up and used as bowls were rolling on the ground.

It was obvious that someone had broken in and ransacked the place.

Bai Qinglian followed in and was stunned by the scene. Forgetting her grievances, she stammered, "What...what happened? Did we get thieves?"

Yang Shuisheng's eyes turned cold as he scanned the room.

His house is so dilapidated that even mice would run away crying. What is there to steal?

If they're not stealing, then they're just causing trouble, or... looking for something?

Suddenly, a possibility occurred to him: Zhao Hu!

I ruined his plans and even beat him up.

That guy is capable of doing something like that.

"I don't know, maybe someone's dog ran in and made a ruckus."

He knew what was going on, but his face remained expressionless. He secretly resolved to cause trouble for Zhao Hu later.

Looking at the messy room, Bai Qinglian forgot her own troubles and instinctively bent down to help tidy up.

"Sister Bai, sit down and rest for a while. Don't move around too much with your injured leg." Yang Shuisheng stopped her and helped her sit down on the only relatively intact stool. "I can do it, it'll be quick."

As he spoke, he quickly began to tidy up.

Pick up the torn clothes scattered on the ground, fold them neatly, and put them back in the closet. Although the closet door was broken, it looked better when they were arranged neatly.

Re-lay the torn mat and smooth it out.

He picked up the broken bowl that had been kicked into the corner and placed it on the table. His movements were swift, efficient, and methodical.

Bai Qinglian sat there, watching Yang Shuisheng's busy figure.

He was tall with broad shoulders, and when he bent over to tidy up, the lines of his back were taut, exuding the efficiency of a young man.

His eyes were focused, and he no longer looked like the dull and confused person he used to be.

Thinking back to his composure when he saved her today, and his thoughtfulness in not asking a single question even though he had clearly overheard her family's scandalous affairs outside...

A strange feeling welled up in Bai Qinglian's heart.

Her nominal husband, Wang Youfu, was never home. When he came back, all he did was cause trouble. He would curse and even hit her if things didn't go his way, complaining that she couldn't have children.

And look at Yang Shuisheng in front of me... Although he was poor and used to be foolish, he is now cured of his illness, has a decent appearance, a strong physique, knows how to care for others, and is reliable in his work... He is far better than Wang Youfu.

As she was lost in thought, Yang Shuisheng had already finished tidying up and poured a bowl of water from the chipped thermos, handing it to her: "Sister Bai, have some water."

The bowl was broken, and the water was cold, but Bai Qinglian felt a warmth in her heart as she took it.

"Thanks……"

She held the bowl, tears welling up in her eyes again.

All the shock, grievances, and embarrassment I experienced today suddenly came rushing back.

"Don't think about it anymore, it's not worth it for someone like that."

Yang Shuisheng squatted down in front of her, looked at her red eyes and the way she was trying to hold back her tears, sighed, and softened his voice.

"Sister Bai, you can rest here with me for now. We can talk again when you feel better."

His words of advice only made things worse. Bai Qinglian, who had been holding back her tears, finally let them fall. At first, she sobbed softly, but then her shoulders trembled and she burst into tears.

She felt her life was truly miserable; she had married a man who didn't treat her like a human being, had no one to rely on in the village, and today she had almost drowned and been bitten by a snake...

Yang Shuisheng hesitated for a moment, then reached out and gently patted her trembling shoulder.

Bai Qinglian cried so hard that she leaned against him, resting her forehead on his strong shoulder, her tears quickly soaking his thin undershirt.

The warm, soft flesh was in my arms, carrying a faint scent of soapberry and a hint of moisture.

Yang Shuisheng's body stiffened slightly; he could clearly feel the softness and curves of the woman's body in his arms.

But he didn't move, just let her lean against him, gently patting her back like he was coaxing a child.

Bai Qinglian cried for a while, then gradually calmed down. Realizing she was leaning against Yang Shuisheng's chest, her face flushed. She quickly sat up straight, wiped away her tears, and said apologetically in a low voice, "I'm so sorry, I got your clothes wet..."

"Gurgle—"

Just then, an untimely sound came from inside her stomach.

Bai Qinglian's face turned even redder, and she wished she could disappear into the ground.

She went into the mountains to collect firewood today and didn't eat much at noon. After being scared and frightened for so long, she was starving.

"Um... Shuisheng, I promised to treat you to a meal... but I can't go home..." She lowered her head in embarrassment, rummaged in her pocket, and pulled out a neatly folded five yuan note, which was all the money she had on her. "This... here's five yuan. Go to the village store and buy some white noodles. I... I'll make you some noodles."

When she said the word "below," she seemed to think of something, her face flushed even more, and her voice became softer.

"Okay, sure."

Yang Shuisheng took the still-warm five-yuan note and nodded: "Sister Bai, sit down and rest for a while. I'll be back soon."

Watching Yang Shuisheng walk out of the dilapidated house with the money, Bai Qinglian sat alone in the dimly lit room, her hand unconsciously touching her cheeks where she had just cried.

She gently touched the bandaged area on her leg, her mind a jumble of thoughts, yet her face felt hot.

……

The small shop at the entrance of the village is run by the village chief, Zhao Youcai. It's a single-story building with goods displayed in the front and people living in the back.

Normally, it's Zhao Youcai's wife, Zhou Caifeng, who takes care of things.

Yang Shuisheng walked to the entrance of the convenience store and found that the door was ajar and the lights were off inside, making it a bit dark.

The shelves were stocked with cigarettes, alcohol, snacks, cooking oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar, but there was no one behind the counter.

"Is anyone there? I need to buy something."

Yang Shuisheng called out, his voice sounding a bit abrupt in the quiet little shop.

No one answered.

Just as he was wondering what was going on and was about to call out again, he suddenly heard a faint noise coming from the staircase leading to the inner room behind the convenience store.

It sounded like a wooden board being pressed down, accompanied by a woman's intermittent panting. The sound was sticky and unsettling.

"Um...you...you be gentle...you rascal...watch out for people coming in..."

A woman's voice, low and trembling, came from Zhou Caifeng, the village chief's wife.