RBI1960 Chapter 28 V1

Ruan Yuanjiang and the others had finally settled into life in Qingshan Village.

Bai Fangqiu’s medical skills were second to none. He came from a long line of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and had studied Western medicine abroad in his youth, making him well-versed in both Eastern and Western techniques. In a place like Qingshan Village, where medicine was scarce, he would hike into the mountains to gather herbs and prepare remedies for the villagers. Many chronic illnesses that had plagued the villagers for years were cured by his hand. If it weren’t for the sensitive nature of his background, his reputation as a miracle doctor would’ve long spread far and wide.

Even so, it didn’t stop the villagers from deeply respecting him.

Everyone gets sick at some point, and when that happens, you don’t want to be on bad terms with the doctor. The villagers of Qingshan might not be highly educated, but they understood at least that much.

As for Huo Wu, there wasn’t much to say—he was strong and capable, quick with his hands, and good at any kind of labor. Aside from a brief period of adjusting to farm work, where he was a little clumsy, he quickly picked things up. Before long, he was even more efficient than the seasoned farmers who had worked the fields their whole lives. While others might clear one plot of land, he could handle one and a half, leaving no room for criticism.

Among the three of them, Ruan Yuanjiang probably had the hardest job, but thanks to Huo Wu cleaning out most of the manure pit each morning before heading to work, things were a lot easier for him.

The livestock feed was taken care of by the women in the work team, so Ruan didn’t have to worry much about that. All in all, the three of them were living a fairly comfortable life in Qingshan Village.

No struggle sessions, no politics, and even their health had improved significantly since arriving.

“Ruanyuan, how much longer—?”

Jiang Yiliu was holding a horse stance, balancing an enamel basin half-filled with water on his head, and gripping it carefully with both hands. His body trembled from the strain. He glanced toward the two little girls sitting nearby on small stools and gritted his teeth as he asked.

Despite the freezing weather, beads of sweat were forming on his forehead—it was clear how exhausted he was.

“Three more minutes,” Ruanyuan replied hesitantly after checking the small silver pocket watch in her hand.

Uncle Dawu had said no cheating—she had to make sure Yiliu held the stance for the full thirty minutes. But seeing how tired he looked, she thought… maybe she should shave off a little time.

Ruanyuan felt a little guilty. The watch showed six minutes remaining, but she cut it in half.

Her chubby cheeks and big blinking eyes gave her away, and she didn’t dare meet Jiang Yiliu’s gaze. Behind her, Sini was helping braid her hair, paying no attention to her suffering younger brother.

Sini’s braiding skills weren’t great—one pigtail was higher than the other, and both were crooked—but Ruanyuan didn’t mind. She just let her be, indulging her “creativity.”

Back then, watches were still rare, especially in Qingshan Village. No household owned one. Jiang Yiliu had only seen one before—his uncle’s. That Seagull-brand wristwatch had been bought during a trip to Haicheng for a study tour. It cost a whole 120 yuan, along with a bunch of grain coupons and foreign exchange certificates to acquire. His uncle had gone out looking plump and healthy and come back skinny as a rail, grinning like an idiot just because of that watch. For a while, Jiang Dazhen wouldn’t stop complaining about it at home.

But even as she complained, Jiang Dazhen secretly adored that watch. In those days, owning a watch was a big deal and a huge status symbol.

Recently, Ruanyuan had been using a golden pocket watch—much fancier than Meng Pingchuan’s Seagull. Its circular gold case had intricate floral engravings and was studded with deep red gemstones. When you pressed the tiny latch, it would pop open to reveal an old black-and-white photo on one side—a young couple, probably her late parents. Jiang Yiliu guessed that the photo might’ve been taken on their wedding day. The other side was the timepiece itself. The watch was attached to a long chain so she could wear it around her neck.

The first time Jiang Yiliu saw her pull it out, he nervously warned the careless little girl to never show it in public.

Money stirs desire. The villagers might be kind and sympathetic to her parents’ heroic sacrifice, but there would always be a few who’d stoop to petty theft. If word got out, both she and her grandfather could be targeted.

Worried, Jiang Yiliu quietly spoke to Grandpa Ruan as well. The next day, Ruanyuan swapped the gold watch for a plain silver one—simple, unremarkable, and tucked away under her coat most of the time.

Her parents’ photo had been moved into the new watch, too. Unless she was timing Jiang Yiliu’s training, she rarely took it out. Jiang Yiliu figured his and Grandpa Ruan’s warnings had worked.

He sometimes wondered how Grandpa Ruan had ended up with so many pocket watches, but never asked. All he could do was point out the little things they might not notice. Ruanyuan was a sweet kid—he didn’t want anything bad to happen to her.

“Ruanyuan, don’t go easy on that boy,” Huo Wu said as he walked in and overheard their conversation. He glanced at the pocket watch and added a pointed reminder. “What did he feed you to make you side with him after just a few days? Helping him cheat your uncle—unbelievable.”

He shot Jiang Yiliu a look, already considering whether to make things even harder for him.

Though Huo Wu was a principled man and had made a bet with the old folks, he hadn’t deliberately tried to make things impossible for Jiang Yiliu. The training regimen he’d set was tailored to his age and condition.

Every morning, Jiang Yiliu woke at five, ran two laps around the village, then, after a short rest, held the horse stance for thirty minutes. If he couldn’t manage, he’d be deemed to have given up.

It had been almost half a month, and through wind and rain, Jiang Yiliu hadn’t missed a day. He never once complained. That earned Huo Wu’s respect—maybe he’d misjudged the kid. Maybe he really could tough it out.

Huo Wu smiled at his red-faced little niece and handed her and Sini some wild fruit he’d picked in the mountains. The two girls squealed in delight, dashed to the well, gave the fruit a quick rinse, and happily split the spoils.

Unlike Jiang Yiliu’s repetitive routine, Huo Wu would run with him in the morning, then head deeper into the mountains on his own. He often came back with snacks for the kids.

The village children never dared venture too deep into the mountains, only picking from the outskirts, which had long been stripped clean. With autumn setting in, wild fruit was even scarcer, and only someone as daring and skilled as Huo Wu could still find any.

“I checked. He’s got five or six minutes left. Don’t you dare play favorites again, Ruanyuan. If I catch you cheating for him again, no more fruit for you,” Huo Wu warned, calling out to the two girls by the well. “Sini, keep an eye on her for me!”

Ruanyuan’s cheeks bulged with wild fruit, her eyes wide as she glanced between the sweet, tangy treat in her hands and the sweat-soaked Jiang Yiliu nearby. She hesitated.

Sini patted her chest and declared, “Don’t worry, Uncle Dawu. I’ll keep them in line!”

Her tone had zero sibling love in it. A few wild fruits, and she was completely bought off.