Chapter 41

Zhou Ganshi had spoken, and the Battalion Commander didn't stand on ceremony, immediately punishing Li Cuiping and Zhou Wei to haul night soil, letting them return to work only when they realized their mistake.

Hauling night soil is the dirtiest, smelliest job in the village, and now it's summer, the night soil is full of insecticide—just imagining the scene makes one's scalp go numb.

Upon hearing this, Chen Wei and Li Cuiping began to throw a tantrum, rolling on the ground, hoping the Battalion Commander would withdraw the punishment.

But the Battalion Commander didn't even glance at them, directly ordering people to drag them away.

After the two left, the scene finally quieted down, and Zhou Ganshi walked up to Su Ruo and said solemnly:

"Comrade Su Ruo, because of your outstanding performance in this disaster relief, the county has decided to reward you with 100 yuan and one National Universal Industrial Roll."

The onlooking villagers, upon hearing this, all cast envious glances at Su Ruo—that's 100 yuan!

Zhou Ganshi looked at Su Ruo's calm expression, his fondness for her growing a bit more; to be so composed at such a young age, unshaken by favor or disgrace, is truly no small feat, and he continued:

"Because your medical skills are superb, the county has specially approved a work position for you, starting tomorrow you can go to the county hospital to work, with a monthly salary of twenty yuan."

This statement shocked everyone outright—a county job! Something they could never get even if they begged.

Being able to avoid field labor and work in the county is such a respectable thing.

Among the envious gazes, Li Shiro's jealous stare stood out especially; at this moment, due to jealousy, her expression became somewhat distorted.

Li Shiro couldn't understand why all the good things kept falling onto Su Ruo.

Why can Su Ruo go work in the county, while she has to work in the fields every day, enduring wind and sun?

Li Shiro originally thought that the only difference between her and Su Ruo was a house, so even if her brother opposed, she persisted in taking out all her money to build a house.

Now, her house is bigger and better than Su Ruo's!

Li Shiro felt that this time she had finally surpassed Su Ruo, and even if it was bitter and exhausting, it was worth it.

But now Su Ruo actually wants to work in the county, and it's a respectable job like a doctor's.

Li Shiro realized that the distance between her and Su Ruo kept growing; no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't catch up. Clearly, clearly, the person standing there, held aloft by everyone's admiration and envied by all, should have been her!

It's all because of Su Ruo; if not for Su Ruo, all of this should have belonged to her, and Su Ruo stole everything from her. At this moment, Li Shiro's resentment reached its peak.

Su Ruo met Li Shiro's resentful gaze, yet she flashed a smile at her, silently thinking in her heart, 'Li Shiro, you can't even handle this? Don't rush—this is just the beginning. In my past life, you did those things to me, and I will repay you bit by bit.'

Su Ruo accepted the reward from the county, but she refused the job.

"Zhou Ganshi, thank you and the county leaders for your favor, but I don't want to leave just yet."

"During my time here in the countryside, the Battalion Commander and the Branch Secretary have treated me very well, taken good care of me, and I also want to repay the village."

"Medical resources in the countryside are too scarce; everyone who falls ill has nowhere to go for treatment, so I hope to set up a clinic in the village to treat people, thereby repaying the villagers for their care."

Everyone thought Su Ruo had gone mad—she actually refused the county job and decided to stay in the village.

But they didn't know that Su Ruo came to the countryside precisely to take revenge; if she went to the county, how could she exact her revenge?

More importantly, based on her memories of her past life, Su Ruo knows that in a year the College Entrance Exam will be restored, and she will definitely go to take it for university.

So, her time here is only one year; time is pressing, Su Ruo has too many things she wants to do, and there's no need to go to the county and waste a work position.

Of course, if she could avoid field labor altogether, that would be best; if she could open a clinic in the village, she wouldn't have to do field work and could also have time to review her lessons and prepare for next year's College Entrance Exam—truly killing two birds with one stone.

After thinking it through clearly, Su Ruo immediately voiced her idea.

Zhou Ganshi listened to Su Ruo's words and also fell into deep thought; after this disaster relief, the county has also realized that the scarcity of medical resources in the countryside is a serious problem that must be resolved quickly, otherwise, given the current rural conditions, there would be no way to cope with possible accidents and dangers.

Actually, the county already had the idea of building clinics in every village, but implementation is difficult, after all, after those few special years, medical personnel everywhere are relatively scarce.

Su Ruo proactively proposing to set up a clinic in the village also counts as solving their urgent need.

So Zhou Ganshi excitedly said: "Good, good, Comrade Su having such awareness is wonderful! Branch Secretary, Battalion Commander, you must strongly support Doctor Su's work and be sure to get the clinic up and running."

It's good that Su Ruo can establish a clinic in the village, and moreover, since Zhou Ganshi has spoken, the Battalion Commander immediately agreed, expressing that he will fully cooperate with Su Ruo's work and help her get the clinic running well.

Although the Branch Secretary Lao Zhishu felt it was a pity that Su Ruo missed the county job, he was still relieved that she was willing to open a clinic in the village.

That way, villagers with headaches or fevers won't have to travel all the way to the county.

The matter of Su Ruo setting up a clinic was thus settled; the Battalion Commander immediately approved two rooms beside the brigade for her to use as a clinic.

Those rooms were originally occupied by a lonely elderly person; after the old person passed away, they remained empty.

Although the rooms aren't large, they have a separate courtyard with a well, and Su Ruo was quite satisfied after seeing them.

Although the house is a bit dirty and dilapidated from being vacant for so long, a bit of cleaning and roof repair would make her clinic ready to open.

Zhou Ganshi said to Su Ruo: "Although the Village Doctor's pay doesn't match that of a county doctor—only ten yuan a month—if you work hard, your efforts will be seen by the county leaders. If you ever lack anything, come to me in the county; as long as it can be done, I will surely get it for you."

Su Ruo knew Zhou Ganshi was just painting a pie for her, but she still smiled and agreed to each point.

After seeing off Zhou Ganshi, the Battalion Commander immediately had people tidy up the neighboring courtyard and promised that from now on he would give Su Ruo full work points, so she wouldn't have to worry about year-end grain distribution.

Su Ruo was naturally pleased and promised she would certainly do a good job treating everyone.

A few villagers cleaned up the courtyard in a day, whitewashed the interior walls, cleared away all the weeds in the courtyard, and even repaired the roof.

Looking at the courtyard before her, Su Ruo grew more and more satisfied.

The Battalion Commander asked Su Ruo what else she needed; she glanced at the empty room and without hesitation said she still needed a few shelves for holding medicinal herbs.

Ideally, there could also be two beds and a few chairs, so patients could rest, and those with serious conditions could stay overnight.

Such a small matter the Battalion Commander naturally wouldn't object to; he immediately said that in two days he would have people deliver the items.

Su Ruo returned to the Youth Work Station and took all the medicinal herbs that the villagers of Qingshui Village had given her earlier to dry in the courtyard.

Besides these, there were some other medicinal herbs she also needed to prepare.

Su Ruo was busily preparing for her clinic's opening, unaware that a new trouble was already seeking her out.