CHAPTER 58: CHAPTER 58: GOLDEN NEEDLES FOR PIGS

"I’ll do it!"

The team leader and the party secretary moved together and followed Yi Chichi into the pigsty.

Then, Yi Chichi had them assist her in giving the big pig some saltwater.

The process was indescribable and very difficult.

Even after losing strength, the force of a pig over a hundred pounds struggling was terrifyingly powerful.

The captain and the others couldn’t hold it down and ended up being pushed into the pig dung pile, making a mess of themselves. It took four more people to subdue the pig.

Yi Chichi seized the opportunity and resolutely got the saltwater in.

As soon as one was done, Aunt Ma and the others arrived with thermos bottles and salt.

A group of people followed behind, all those who heard the news and couldn’t resist coming despite fearing the cold.

Yi Chichi calmly mixed the saltwater and directed people to hold the pigs down while pouring it in.

After all the pigs had been fed the saltwater, all they could do was wait.

"Will it work?"

After coming out of the pigsty, the team leader asked worriedly, looking at the pigs inside.

Yi Chichi shook her head. "In theory, it should help a little bit, but in practice, I don’t know."

"What’s the theory?"

A curious villager couldn’t resist asking.

Thus, Yi Chichi gave everyone a popular science talk about the role of saltwater.

She explained in simple terms that even someone not too bright could understand.

Liu Chen, a smart kid who was on a break from middle school at the commune and good at drawing inferences, heard this and asked her, "Yi Zhqing, does saltwater have the same effect on humans?"

"Yes."

She nodded, "Saltwater can be a good thing under certain circumstances."

It can save lives.

The young boy became interested. "Is there a proportion for mixing?"

"There is."

When preparing saltwater, you not only need to control the concentration, but also watch the amount of water.

This is somewhat difficult to grasp and requires some medical knowledge.

Therefore, Yi Chichi’s advice was, "Don’t mess around on your own; if something goes wrong, it could cause an accident."

"We won’t."

The crowd hastily replied. Even if some initially planned to try it next time they had diarrhea, after hearing her warning, they didn’t dare to anymore.

No one wanted to worsen their condition trying to fix diarrhea.

People are poor and can’t afford to get sick, so it’s best to be cautious.

Liu Chen didn’t give up and still wanted to ask how to mix saltwater, but an unexpected cheer interrupted him.

"He’s here, Old Ma is here with the vet."

A single ripple stirred a thousand waves; the crowd quickly turned to look down the road.

Ma Yong was riding a bicycle, approaching fast. He must really be in a hurry—he wasn’t even sitting on the seat but stood on the pedals, his legs moving quickly as if he could fly.

An elderly voice shouted in a slurred manner to slow down and said something about cold wind.

"Can’t slow down; the pigs are waiting for rescue!"

The wind was strong today; worried that a soft voice would be scattered by the wind, Ma Yong shouted loudly.

Yi Chichi suspected that if he had a loudspeaker, he would have used it.

But it was good that the vet had arrived.

In a whoosh, the bicycle stopped.

"Old Lin, you’re here. Quickly help us check the pigs."

Before the elderly white-haired man could get off the bike, the team leader and the others rushed over to escort him to the pigsty.

"Let me down; I can walk myself."

"It’s too slow; we’ll carry you to move faster."

The elderly man was so frustrated he blew out his mustache and glared, but couldn’t do anything about it. Fortunately, the distance wasn’t far, and he was soon let down.

"Old Lin, please help us; we have to save our task pigs at all costs."

Yi Chichi raised an eyebrow; did that mean the village pig could die?

Old Lin instantly understood the implication and gave him a meaningful look, "You haven’t changed a bit all these years."

Saying so, he entered the pigsty to examine the pigs.

The team leader and the others quickly followed, and as they passed by Yi Chichi, they even pulled her along.

"You should follow and learn, so you’ll know what to do if you encounter a similar situation next time."

Yi Chichi, ??? What the heck?

Initially, they wanted her to succeed Uncle Yaozi and work with him for the villagers’ and educated youth’s health; now they were even counting on her for pigs?

She wanted to refuse until she met eyes with the threatening looks from the team leader and party secretary and reluctantly nodded.

"Okay."

"What, young lady, have you studied veterinary medicine?"

Old Lin, who was checking the pigs, became interested in the undercurrents between the three and eyed Yi Chichi with curiosity and scrutiny.

"No."

Yi Chichi shook her head. Old Lin didn’t believe her, "If you hadn’t studied something, Xiao Liu and the others wouldn’t say such things."

"I studied human medicine."

She was amused and exasperated, "But I didn’t do well and can’t practice."

"So you studied pharmacology?"

"Yes."

"Western medicine or traditional Chinese medicine?"

Yi Chichi couldn’t fathom why the old man was so interested in her but answered every question he asked.

"Traditional Chinese medicine."

Since childhood, she memorized prescription songs and learned to recognize the types, growth environments, and effects of medicinal herbs.

"Do you want to study veterinary medicine with me?"

"I’m an educated youth!"

"Educated youth can study, too."

Old Lin never paused his hand movements, smoothly trying to recruit her, "As long as you’re willing, I can train you."

Whether it’s appropriate for a girl to study veterinary medicine was not within his consideration.

The veterinarian station was understaffed, with many farm and forest animals depending on him and a few younglings.

He was too busy, really too busy.

Trying to take on apprentices from the younglings at the vet station wasn’t going well; each one was as unteachable as a wooden block.

They learned how to give the pigs injections, but if he asked them to prepare medicine, it was a disaster.

So in the end, it still needed to be him doing it.

He desperately needed a disciple with traditional Chinese pharmacology knowledge to help ease his burden.

"Working at the vet station comes with a salary, and there’s accommodation; young lady, you can consider it."

Yi Chichi, "You’re making such a big promise without knowing how well I studied; aren’t you afraid I’m useless?"

"Useless? Ha!"

Old Lin chuckled dismissively, "Xiao Liu and the others are the useless ones; they don’t even know how to handle pigs with diarrhea and rely on you, an educated youth. If you’re useless, then what are they?"

Yi Chichi, ... Did he actually see through that?

This elder is quite capable.

The team leader and the others, called useless, felt embarrassed, but couldn’t afford to be angry as they asked, "Save our pigs first before you think about poaching people."

"Can they be saved?"

"Yes!"

The resounding answer made a heavy stone in the team’s hearts drop with a clang.

Aunt Ma and the others were so happy they cried, murmuring that their pigs wouldn’t die.

Even Bai Chen and the others couldn’t suppress joyful smiles.

Yi Chichi alone looked at the elder with a peculiar gaze; is he really this impressive?

Could he save these two big pigs that were almost at death’s door from diarrhea?

The truth proved Old Lin indeed could.

Yi Chichi watched with wide eyes as he assessed the pigs and then opened his medical kit, then messed around a bit and handed medicine to her, "After I finish giving the pigs injections later, you’ll feed them this medicine; any problem with that?"

"No!"

Old Lin nodded in satisfaction and then took out golden needles and swiftly injected the pigs.

Yi Chichi was almost stunned; using golden needles on pigs, this elder truly didn’t sweat the small stuff and indeed was quite wild.

Even wilder than her grandfather!

Happy New Year, everyone, and may the new year bring you prosperity and good fortune!