CHAPTER 125: CHAPTER 125: WANTING RUMORS TO TIE THEM TOGETHER

Yunyi arrived at the village clinic early the next morning and saw the brigade leader with a dark expression. "Chu Zhiqing," he said, "who allowed you to take it upon yourself to go up the mountain to collect herbs?"

Yunyi displayed the Chinese herbs she had processed the day before on the sunning trays previously used by Doctor Gong. "The day before yesterday, after finishing work," she explained, "Branch Secretary happened to pass by, and I mentioned to her that some of our medicinal materials were running low. If we didn’t collect more, we wouldn’t be able to put together the medicine packets. Since the brigade leader disagrees, I won’t venture up the mountain anymore. From now on, when people come here, we’ll just prescribe Western medicine."

Upon hearing Yunyi’s words, the brigade leader’s face grew even uglier. He just wanted to put this Chu Zhiqing in her place, to show her who was in charge in Songling Village, but she was always so sharp-tongued.

Holding back his annoyance, he said, "Chu Zhiqing, I told you before to consider moving over to the clinic. What have you decided?"

Yunyi hated this kind of pestering. She had already given a clear answer, yet he kept asking. "Brigade leader," she said, "I quite like that little courtyard and don’t want to move."

Seeing that Yunyi hadn’t changed her mind, the brigade leader pressed on, "Chu Zhiqing, you are currently working at the village clinic, earning ten work points a day, equivalent to the work points of a strong laborer. I hope you can think of the bigger picture, comply with the village’s arrangements, consider the brigade members, fulfill your duties, and not let everyone’s trust in you go to waste."

Yunyi was somewhat frustrated. She didn’t understand what the brigade leader’s motives truly were but suspected hidden agendas; she’d be damned if there weren’t any underhanded schemes involved. But what was it for, exactly? Could it be that someone desired her small courtyard and had bribed the brigade leader? Or was it because she hadn’t paid a visit to his home with a gift, and now he was deliberately making things difficult for her? The house was renovated with her own funds; what could he do if she refused to move? Just because he was a village official, he thought he could ignore people’s wishes? How audacious of him.

With an incredulous look, Yunyi asked, "Brigade leader, both Doctor Gong and Lin Fang used to live at home too, didn’t they? Why is it that when it comes to me, I must live in the clinic?"

The brigade leader was quite angered. "Chu Zhiqing," he retorted, "am I not considering the convenience of the brigade members? Living here would also save quite a bit of trouble. Since you don’t appreciate it, then as you wish."

He had thought that if she obediently vacated the house, he wouldn’t make things difficult for her anymore. But since she refused his offer and chose the hard way, she shouldn’t blame him for taking action.

Seeing she was unyielding, the brigade leader turned with a dark face to leave.

As he started to walk away, Yunyi asked, "Brigade leader, should I still go up the mountain to collect herbs in the future?"

The brigade leader struggled to suppress his anger. "You earn the work points of a strong laborer. Is there really a need to separately assign someone just for you to collect herbs?"

Yunyi replied with a maddeningly calm smile, "I just thought I should ask clearly. I wouldn’t want to be scolded upon my return after going to all that trouble for the brigade members. If that’s the case, I might as well work in the fields."

The brigade leader then looked towards Widow Qiu, who was standing not far away, and gave a discreet nod in her direction before turning and heading under the Willow Tree to distribute work.

With the nod from the brigade leader, Widow Qiu’s face lit up with a triumphant smile. She pulled out two boiled eggs from her pocket and handed them to her son, Qiu Baolin. "Take these two eggs to Chu Zhiqing," she said.

Qiu Baolin understood his mother’s intention immediately. "I’ll go right now."

This mother and son duo made no effort to lower their voices. They were doing it on purpose, hoping to mislead the villagers and entangle Chuyunyi and Qiu Baolin in gossip—a common tactic previously used in the village.

Many people saw Qiu Baolin trot into the village clinic, but what they hadn’t expected was that Chuyunyi was not an easy target.

They had just seen Qiu Baolin enter when Chuyunyi kicked him out.

He fell so hard that he struggled to get up for a long time.

Seeing her son humiliated, Widow Qiu disregarded everything else. "You, surnamed Chu!" she shrieked. "What the hell do you think you’re doing, kicking my son?"

At this time, everyone from the village was waiting under the big willow tree in Daliu Village to be assigned work. Yunyi could not let them succeed. She didn’t want to quibble with them, but that didn’t mean she was afraid to.

Trying to scheme against me? They must be tired of living, she thought.