CHAPTER 97: CHAPTER 97: I’M NOT COMFORTABLE SPENDING THIS MONEY, SO I MIGHT AS WELL USE IT FOR CHARITY

At this moment, someone in the field chimed in, "Branch Secretary, since Chu Zhiqing is knowledgeable in medicine, why not have her work in the health clinic? At least then people wouldn’t have to run to the commune health center for minor aches and fevers."

The Branch Secretary sighed softly. "About that, I’ll discuss it with the brigade leader later."

He handed the six yuan he had received from Gao Chuanbei to Yunyi. "Chu Zhiqing, this is the medical fee for Feng’s fourth sister. Please, take it."

However, Yunyi did not take it. Although she was no saint, the money had come from improper means and she felt uncomfortable keeping it. Her objective to teach Feng Dazui a lesson had been achieved, and that was enough.

She had yet to decide what to do with the money when she heard voices from the edge of the field, "Xue Zhidong, you’re just an unwanted bastard, unable to even afford your textbooks, yet you insist on coming to school with us. Aren’t you ashamed?"

Then, a group of children chimed in with even more mocking, "Xue Zhidong, unwanted, one meal at a time with no guarantee of the next."

For a while, the children at the edge of the field kept repeating these words.

With her good eyesight, Yunyi saw the little boy surrounded by a group of children, his lips tightly pursed and his hands clenched into fists, enduring their ridicule in silence.

Yet, the people in the field all seemed unfazed, as if it were a common occurrence, and no one stepped in to stop it. "Branch Secretary, what’s the matter with that child?"

The Branch Secretary sighed. "His father had an accident in the mountains the autumn two years ago. The villagers found him and brought him back, but he passed away a few days later. His mother, unable to cope with the hardships, returned to her parents’ home last spring and remarried.

The man she remarried didn’t want her to bring the child. Furthermore, Zhidong’s grandmother didn’t want her grandson to go with them and suffer disdain, so she kept him. The family then lost its labor force, and life grew tough, relying solely on the grandmother’s work.

But no matter how tough things got, his grandmother insisted on sending him to school. The boy is diligent, and the teachers at school often praise him. Naturally, the mischievous kids in the village resent him and haven’t stopped causing trouble for him."

Yunyi looked at the six yuan in the Branch Secretary’s hand. "Branch Secretary, just find some pretext to use this money for that child."

The Branch Secretary did not expect Chu Zhiqing to make such an arrangement. "Chu Zhiqing, this... you..."

Yunyi smiled lightly. "I really couldn’t stand that aunt’s behavior, which is why I asked for such a substantial sum. I won’t feel at ease spending this money, so I might as well use it for a good cause."

After speaking, she swung the hoe in her hand and said no more.

The Branch Secretary realized that Chu Zhiqing was a genuine person, acting on her own principles without any pretense. "If that’s the case," he said, "then on behalf of Zhidong, I thank you."

Having said that, he walked away toward the brigade office with his hands behind his back.

He had to discuss the village health clinic with the brigade leader. It couldn’t remain closed forever.

The brigade leader was sitting at his desk reading a newspaper. Seeing the Branch Secretary come in, he said, "I heard that Hua’an Agricultural Reclamation Group is going to have electricity installed in a few days. I wonder if our village could benefit from it too?"

The Branch Secretary sat down in his own seat. "Who did you hear that from?"

The brigade leader turned a page of the newspaper. "I heard it from an acquaintance while I was in the county."

The Branch Secretary pondered for a moment. "We should indeed inquire. If the lines are strung from the commune, going through the mountains behind our village would save a lot of distance. I’m just not sure if they’ll run the lines from this direction."

The brigade leader did not object. Although Hua’an Farm Reclamation was part of Hua’an Commune, it wasn’t far from Tunli Commune next door.

Before the Branch Secretary could speak, the brigade leader brought up another matter. "What’s the situation with Doctor Gong now? We can’t keep the health clinic unattended, can we?"

Upon hearing the brigade leader raise the issue first, the Branch Secretary replied, "Yesterday, I asked Weimin, who had returned to get something. He said Doctor Gong might need another four or five days to be discharged from the hospital. Even after returning, he’ll need some time to recuperate before he can start working."

The brigade leader expressed some frustration. "And of all times, this had to coincide with Lin Fang taking her leave for such a long stretch after years without taking any."

The Branch Secretary could also tell the brigade leader had his own ideas, so he played along, saying, "Exactly, the health clinic cannot just stay shut. It’s very inconvenient for the villagers to have to go all the way to the commune for every little health issue."

The brigade leader put away the newspaper. "I’ve heard that the newly arrived Chu Zhiqing is quite skilled in medicine. How about having her fill in at the health clinic for a while? Once Lin Fang returns, she can go back to working in the fields?"