CHAPTER 803: CHAPTER 765: FAMINE ERA 6 (SECOND UPDATE)

Unexpectedly, the female doctor seemed to have seen through her intention: "Little girl, you can come in and sell some fruit now, but if you become a temporary worker here, you certainly can’t do that. If you’re caught, you’ll be fined! But I’m curious, where did you get these fruits?"

The female doctor’s reminder made Ye Huan’s heart tighten suddenly. She was right; if she became a part of the hospital staff, it wouldn’t be appropriate to sell fruit anymore.

What is a temporary worker? Someone who can be fired at any time, and surely, this also means not having meals or lodging provided.

After considering it, she decided to give up this job for now. After all, compared to being a temporary worker with various restrictions, selling fruit was evidently more liberating for her.

Judging by the female doctor’s age, she seemed younger than her mom. She wondered if she knew about it.

"Aunt, my family suffered during the Famine Era, our house was burned down by bandits, and my elementary graduation certificate was lost too. I want to ask you, if I come to the city for exams, is it difficult?"

The female doctor looked her up and down, "You want to study?"

Ye Huan shook her head, "I want to take the exam directly to get a graduation certificate, the kind for middle school graduation."

"How old are you this year? Where did you study before? Why not take the exam at your previous school?"

"I used to study in the town, but because of the famine, the school closed, and many classmates are no longer there. I don’t want to study there anymore, but I see education as important, so I want to get a middle school diploma through exams,"

The female doctor nodded approvingly at her last sentence: "Your idea is right. No matter how hard or difficult it gets, education is essential. Without cultural knowledge, you’ll end up doing laborious jobs. So, you’ve asked the right person; my husband is a teacher at County First Middle School. If you want to take the exam directly, you can in June this year, but you’ll need to create a student record, prepare the admission ticket, and such, you, "

"Aunt, how much money do I need, please tell me!"

The female doctor laughed softly, patting her head, "You, girl, don’t seem like an unsophisticated rural girl. Given how clever you are, just bring me some fruit more often, and we’ll help you for free, how’s that?"

She really was astute; considering how well-presented her fruit was, and not cheap, bringing more wasn’t unlike giving her money, was it?

But if she could indeed get a middle school diploma, what harm was bringing more? Besides, she planned to continue selling fruit at the hospital. With the female doctor’s help, wouldn’t she then know someone on the inside?

Thinking of this, she readily agreed and didn’t take the money this time. The female doctor then introduced herself.

"I am the head of gynecology, Cao Fang. Should you need anything in the future, you can directly come to me. I’ll help as much as I can, and for your straightforwardness, I can’t let you suffer a loss. Are you sure you don’t want that job?"

"I... what about my mom?"

"How old is she?"

"Forty-eight,"

The female doctor frowned, "Can she read?"

She shook her head again.

Cao Fang sighed, "I’m afraid that won’t do; here we need someone literate, after all; it’s not just any regular waste,"

Didn’t expect even in the forties, there was an awareness of medical waste classification. Of course, medical waste in this era was less varied and complex than in previous lifetimes, and even patients’ IVs were reused with tubing and glass bottles. Still, you can’t say there wasn’t medical waste, possibly dirtier than in past lives, since much needed repeated use, making literacy quite necessary.

She thought for a moment, "Then thank you. I still want to sell fruit; if work limits me, it wouldn’t be very convenient for me either."

"Alright, we’ll leave it at that then. By the way, do you have textbooks for fourth grade? I have some at home, if you need them,"

"Then please trouble Aunt Cao; I could really use them. Rest assured, I’ll take good care of them and return them after using, "

"No problem, no problem. But tomorrow, I’m on the night shift. I’ll leave them in my office. If you come during the day, come back the morning after tomorrow to pick them up. I’ll inform my colleagues."

"Thank you, Aunt Cao. You go ahead with your work; I should head home,"

...

Leaving the gynecology department, she found a secluded spot to replenish her fruit basket. Calculating by silver coins, a basket could sell for 5 silver coins, and she could sell for ten. However, due to the planting and timing, it took about five days to earn those ten silver coins.

Giving up the job was regrettable, but a hospital job wasn’t one where you left on time. Even if she agreed, her family wouldn’t. They couldn’t go to the lengths of renting a room for ten silver coins a month just for a job that pays thirty silver coins a month, could they?