Shocking! My Rugged Husband is the Hidden Tycoon in the 70s Novel-Chapter 404: You Have to Help Me, I Don’t Want to Get Pregnant
After the autumn harvest, it’s the season for gathering mountain goods.
There weren’t many people going up the mountain to gather mountain goods last year, and this year there are even fewer.
Most of the people going up the mountain are aunts and children, those without jobs in the factory.
Xu Qinghuan is already showing a bit, and with a basket on her back, she goes up the mountain to gather herbs with Ren Jingmo, teaching him to recognize herbs, their properties, and their medicinal principles as they go.
After filling a basket, Xu Qinghuan sits on a tree trunk struck down by lightning to drink water. She hands a military water bottle to Ren Jingmo, "Drink more."
Inside is the space spirit water, and Ren Jingmo finds it sweet as he drinks it, "Sis, did you put sugar in it?"
"Yes, I put sugar in it. Does it taste good? Drink more, it helps you grow."
In about a year, Ren Jingmo has grown taller and stronger, and his face has become much fairer.
Earlier this year, Xu Qinghuan stepped down from her role as the barefoot doctor of the production team, and Jiang Baohua applied for Ren Shanglu to take up the position.
Life in the Shangjiang Team has become much easier. Since last year, the production team has started paying barefoot doctors ten yuan a month. Ren Shanglu receives this money and earns ten work points a day, making life much better for the grandparent and grandchild than before.
Da Dan came along, calling Ren Jingmo to play. Xu Qinghuan gave him a handful of candy, "Go on, share it with your friends. Ask me for more if it runs out! Don’t go up the mountain or near the river."
"Got it, sis, I won’t!"
Ren Jingmo kept three candies for himself and shared the rest with Da Dan and the others, "My sister gave them, so you guys can have something sweet."
Xu Qinghuan smiled; the little guy sure knows how to speak.
It was getting late when Xu Qinghuan was about to pick up her basket to go down the mountain. A pale, thin hand reached out, "Let me carry it!"
The young man picked up the basket without a word. He looked nervously at Xu Qinghuan. A kitten poked its head out of his pocket, looking around before meowing and retreating back into the pocket.
Xu Qinghuan smiled a little, withdrawing her hand.
As they went down the mountain, Lu Mingxu assisted her carefully. He couldn’t help but smile slightly, with sunlight dancing in his eyes, which were remarkably similar to Xu Qinghuan’s, like twinkling stars.
At the entrance, he put down the basket and turned away without a second thought.
Half a year passed, and the teenager had grown much taller. His old clothes had become too small, leaving his sleeves dangling, but he walked into the sunlight with a light step, leaping occasionally as he crossed ditches, like a bird taking flight towards the horizon.
Jiang Xingye came out from the house, glanced in the direction Xu Qinghuan was looking. He picked up the basket with one hand and held Xu Qinghuan’s arm with the other, "Did he carry this back for you?"
"Yes." Xu Qinghuan rubbed her fingers. The dirt on them had dried and fell off, revealing her white and tender fingertips, "He’s different from Lu Ranglian and Song Wanlin.
When I treated his leg back then, I thought he was too young and pitiful, thinking he wouldn’t recover. But I didn’t expect he was so strong."
He emerged from that shadow, the boy who lost his protection quickly grew up and avenged himself.
"I heard that he reads whenever he has time. When he came from Yan City, he didn’t even bring winter clothes, only books. He probably has some money; every time he goes to the county, it’s either to the Xinhua Bookstore or to the old man’s place to get books."
Jiang Xingye said, "With that determination, perhaps the Lu Family will rise again in the future."
Xu Qinghuan didn’t take it seriously, "That’s his business."
Clearly, Lu Mingxu is destined for greatness.
Duan Qingmei came to visit, crying with her face covered, "Xu Qinghuan, I know I’ve wronged you before, but you have to help me. I don’t want to be pregnant."
She made no secret of it when the police came, taking Qian Shan and Lu Mingqiu away. Even though it was impossible to tell the commune members what happened, rumors were already spreading, spoken of very unpleasantly.
Just before, Lu Mingqiu said no man liked her, and immediately after, she was taken by someone.
"Go find Old Ren, I’m not the barefoot doctor anymore."
Duan Qingmei shook her head, took out five yuan from her pocket, and handed it to Xu Qinghuan, "This is all the money I have. Please, give me some medicine to stop the pregnancy."
Xu Qinghuan saw no reason to refuse the money. She got up and went to the health center, with Duan Qingmei following closely behind.
Xu Qinghuan grabbed some medicine and handed it to her, "Brew it and drink it as soon as possible. It won’t work after three days."
What happened the night before last had already been half the time, and Duan Qingmei’s face changed, as if the seeds had already taken root in her body. She grabbed the medicine and ran to the educated youth point.
Xu Qinghuan handed the five yuan to Ren Shanglu, "A few days ago, I heard my dad say that many people have returned to the city, and the Medical University has sent an application wanting you to return as the dean of the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. What are your thoughts?"
The policies above are changing for the better.
Ren Shanglu accepted the money and noted it in the ledger, "What’s the rush? Aren’t you all still here?"
Xu Qinghuan sat on the bench, watching Ren Shanglu organize pulse records, "It’s still early for us, no fame or achievements, the country won’t think of us for now. They are making policies, not implementing them yet."
Ren Shanglu asked her, "Have you thought about which path you want to take in the future? I see you’re quite lazy; will you be able to handle being a doctor?"
It wasn’t that Ren Shanglu feared Xu Qinghuan couldn’t endure hardship. He could see clearly that the Shangjiang Team had developed industrially and agriculturally to the point of catching up with Europe and the United States. While Jiang Xingye certainly made great contributions, the real guiding force was in Xu Qinghuan’s hands.
She is an incredible person!
"We’ll see when the time comes. I’ll do whatever I feel like doing at the time," Xu Qinghuan playfully replied.
Ren Shanglu’s health had improved significantly after a year of nurturing.
The body that had suffered abuse and was broken had been repaired to be relatively strong now, but shadows remained.
He looked at the distant green hills, shrouded in mist, with sunlight illuminating the mountain tops, vibrant clouds connecting the peaks to the sky, while verdant pines stood at the highest point, unfading through severe frosts and scorching summers.
"You are a good child. Whatever you do, you will achieve greatness. The country needs talents like you. Whatever the country has gone through, it was all human actions. The country, this land, the entire nation is innocent."
These words were as much for Xu Qinghuan as they were for himself.
Xu Qinghuan left the health center and went over to the Jiang Family. The old man mentioned a slight cold, so Xu Qinghuan administered a few acupuncture needles and gave some pills, then chatted with the elderly couple for a while.
"When you give birth, have your aunt take care of you during your confinement," the old lady said, taking out two sets of small clothes she sewed for Xu Qinghuan, "My eyesight isn’t great, and the stitches aren’t tight, just make do with them."
Zhou Guizhi didn’t object, "His uncle said the same. When the time comes, Xinglan can lend a hand. It will be just the right time in May when the weather is warm, and it’s easy to take care of the child."
"This child knows how to choose the time," the old lady said, looking at Xu Qinghuan’s belly, the wrinkles by her eyes piling up as she smiled.
In late March, two Jeeps drove into the Shangjiang Team, looking for Ren Shanglu.
