The Stunningly Beautiful and Delicate Darling in the 1980s Military Compound - Chapter 10

Song Mingyue pushed through the crowd. Since she was the one who had helped save the girl, the onlookers trusted her implicitly.

She pressed her hand against the girl’s forehead and began spinning a web of lies. “She’s running a fever. I only managed to get her breathing again, but river water has likely entered her heart and lungs. She must go to a major hospital for an examination. If she develops a high fever, she might not make it.”

The crowd had witnessed Mingyue performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation earlier, so they naturally assumed she had medical knowledge. Everyone grew tense. A middle-aged man spoke up to support her: “That’s true. I read in the newspaper about someone who was saved from drowning only to die a day later.”

The man’s words further validated Mingyue’s claims.

A neighbor who recognized the girl countered loudly, “But going to the hospital costs money! Her family is so poor; where will they find the money for a hospital visit?”

Mingyue retorted, “What’s more important—a life or money? At most, I’ll pay for her. We have to save her life first. We’re going to the nearby hospital. Please tell her parents to look for her there later.”

“Yes, yes, you truly are a Bodhisattva! The Yang family has met a good person.”

Only the girl herself refused to budge. She didn’t want to live anymore; her heart was like dead ashes, and she didn’t want to waste money.

Time was of the essence. Mingyue shot her a meaningful look. Despite her despair, the girl was quite sharp and understood the signal immediately. Only then did she follow them to the hospital.

On the way, Mingyue learned that the girl was named Yang Fangfang, from the outskirts of the provincial capital. Her mother had an eye ailment, and her brother was disabled. The family survived solely on her father’s meager wages as a shoemaker; they were destitute.

For years, her father had worried himself into gray hair trying to ensure the family line would continue through his son. Recently, a matchmaker had introduced an “exchange marriage” with a family from a neighboring village. That family’s daughter was twenty and a hardworking housekeeper, but Fangfang’s brother was thirty-six and a cripple.

Yang Fangfang refused to marry. She originally had a childhood sweetheart named Yang Jianguo, but when his family heard about the situation, they immediately found him a new wife and forced the two to break off contact.

Heartbroken and hopeless, Yang Fangfang had sought death.

Her emotional experience was very similar to the original host of Mingyue’s body, but she was far less fortunate, having not been born into a family that cherished her like a treasure.

Mingyue took out a handkerchief to wipe away the girl’s tears. “Is a man like that worth giving up your life for? You’re still young, and the future is long. There’s always a solution.”

Yang Fangfang shook her head. “I have no way out. Living is too exhausting.”

“Listen to me first. Your family wants this marriage to continue the bloodline. That family in the village likely wants the same—to have children. When we get to the hospital, we’ll see if we can get a certificate stating you are infertile. If you can’t have children, they almost certainly won’t want you. As for how you want to live after that, that will be up to you.”

This was the provincial capital, and the private economy was slowly opening up. It wouldn’t be hard for a girl to find a job to support herself.

Chen Che listened from the side, utterly stunned. She was truly a clever one to come up with such a scheme.

The nearest hospital was the First Hospital. Chen Che’s cousin on his uncle’s side, Zhou Yinyin, worked there. When they arrived, it was lunch break. Zhou Yinyin had just finished eating and was about to head to the dormitory for a nap.

Chen Che usually disliked socializing, but he had grown up in Zhou Yinyin’s home, so the two were quite close.

Zhou Yinyin asked in confusion, “What is going on? Just explain it clearly.”

Mingyue was truly exasperated with him. If you’re asking for a favor, is it that hard to open your mouth?

She pushed Chen Che aside and briefly explained the situation to Zhou Yinyin. “I know this is a difficult request. You just need to give us a slip of paper. We’ll write the content ourselves. If anyone investigates later, the responsibility will be entirely on us.”

“That would indeed violate hospital regulations. As a doctor, I cannot help a patient tell such a lie,” Zhou Yinyin said apologetically.

Mingyue understood. “Then forget it. We’ll find another way.”

“Wait. It’s my break time now. I won’t lock my office door for the moment. The official red stamp is right there on the desk. If Chen Che wants to find me, he can come in anytime.” Her cousin wanted to be a Good Samaritan, and Zhou Yinyin didn’t want to dampen his spirits.

Mingyue immediately grasped the hidden meaning. Zhou Yinyin wasn’t willing to write it herself, but if Mingyue wrote the diagnosis, the doctor’s professional ethics remained technically intact.

Mingyue nodded and thanked her. “Cousin, you’re such a good person! Once this is settled, I’ll have Chen Che treat you to dinner.”

Zhou Yinyin had assumed Mingyue was just someone Chen Che was helping out with, but hearing her tone, it sounded like they were well-acquainted. In all these years, Zhou Yinyin had never seen a girl hanging around Chen Che. She immediately asked with curiosity, “You and Chen Che know each other?”

Mingyue boldly took Chen Che’s arm. “Yes, I’m his partner. We’ll talk about that later—saving a life is more important!”

Zhou Yinyin: “…”

Now that is big news.

Chen Che let her drag him away, but once they were done, his face turned cold. “Don’t talk nonsense in the future.”

“What was I talking nonsense about? We’re practically getting married. Oh my, could it be that someone is shy?”

Chen Che was so annoyed he didn’t know how to respond. Mingyue stepped forward and tugged at him. “Alright, alright, I won’t tease you anymore. Business first.”

They had the ER doctor perform a basic check on Yang Fangfang. They checked her heartbeat and blood pressure; the vitals were fine. The doctor told them they could go home and observe.

Mingyue refused decisively, looking full of worry. “Doctor, my ‘sister’ has been frail since she was a child. She just choked on a lot of water and she’s still in a daze. We aren’t comfortable with this. Can we be admitted for a day of observation?”

“You can, but it’s not necessary. You’ll have to pay the hospitalization fee. Observing at home is the same.”

“That’s fine, I brought money. Please give me the form; I’ll handle the paperwork.”

Shortly after she was admitted, a crowd of people swarmed into the hospital. At the head was Yang Fangfang’s family, followed by several neighbors, including two who had been at the river.

Seeing her daughter lying on the bed, Yang Fangfang’s mother—who had poor eyesight—couldn’t help but burst into tears. “My poor daughter, you’re trying to take my life! Mother has failed you.”

Her brother was a small man with dark skin. One of his legs was broken, and his other foot wore a tattered straw sandal. “Sister, I know you don’t want to marry. I won’t force you. Don’t be foolish like this again.”

Her father stood by the side, sighing and scolding, “Don’t talk nonsense! The Yang family line cannot end with your generation. Fang-wa, recover your health. The Wang family is coming for you in a few days. It’s just your luck to be born into our family; this is your fate.”

The matchmaker added, “Yes, yes, Fangfang, trust your auntie. The Wang family knows how to treat people well; you won’t suffer.”

Cowed by the family’s pressure, Yang Fangfang didn’t dare utter a sound. She could only lower her head and cry silently as her mother wept beside her.

Mingyue stepped forward, holding two hospital slips, her tone sincere: “Excuse me. This is Comrade Fangfang’s hospitalization slip; it’s 12.85 yuan. And this is the result of the check-up. It says that because she just drowned, the ‘cold energy’ has entered her body… I’m afraid she won’t be able to get pregnant in the future.”