Rebirth: My Dear Little Wife Is So Scheming
Chapter 998: Eating a Free Meal

Chapter 998: Chapter 998: Eating a Free Meal

The hospital here closes early because there aren’t that many patients. Frankly, most cases are just minor ailments like headaches and fevers; a few pills solve the problem easily. Many villagers, if seriously ill, don’t come to the hospital, as the elderly believe in the superstition that once they enter a hospital, they won’t return home, and the young know their families can’t afford it.

Honestly, there are very few people who can afford proper medical treatment.

Chicken stewed with mushrooms is ready.

The dinner was too restrained for Dean Lu and her group.

Under the oppressive watch of Dean Lu, Xiaoyu and the others dared not reach for food recklessly, staring at the corn grains in their bowls, occasionally picking up some pickled vegetables, eating with difficulty mainly because Dean Lu feared they’d really embarrass themselves.

She was keeping a strict watch.

Bai Xiao thought, this Dean Lu is quite charming.

Without a word, Bai Xiao picked up a ladle and served a large spoonful of chicken stewed with mushrooms into each person’s bowl, along with slices of pickled meat, indisputable. Even Dean Lu’s bowl was filled with chicken stewed with mushrooms, prompting Dean Lu to almost jump up in panic as she watched nearly all of the chicken stew was spooned into their bowls—imagine that.

The guests hadn’t even had any yet, but it was all given to them, even the morning’s dish of fried pickled meat went into their bowls—how could this be?

Just when they were about to decline, Bai Xiao already took a ladle, serving herself, He Xin, and Dr. Zhang a spoonful of the leftover chicken stew with little meat. Despite everyone’s aversion to pickles, Bai Xiao didn’t mind and could tolerate the taste; for others, eating pickled fried meat seemed like torture, but habits have to change gradually.

"Eat quickly, eat quickly!"

Bai Xiao embraced her bowl and ate scrumptiously.

The cooking skills hadn’t declined.

But the corn rice left a lingering taste, okay for a meal or two, but eating it every day tests their spoiled stomachs.

Some of He Xin’s group started eating quickly; the chicken stew was undoubtedly tastier than the morning’s pickled fried meat, even the corn grains in the bowl seemed less unpalatable.

Unexpectedly, this meal tasted much sweeter than the morning’s.

Originally, Dean Lu wanted to pick out the chicken pieces from her bowl, but Dr. Zhang stopped her; besides, it was already in her bowl—how would she add it back for the guests?

The chicken in their bowls tasted really good.

It’s been so long since they ate something this delicious.

Dean Lu watched Xiaoyu and the other doctors gobble their food down, almost swallowing the chicken bones—they chewed them until they couldn’t swallow and reluctantly spat them out, which were promptly cleaned up by Da Huang, leisurely at their feet.

Da Huang is their dog, a local dog! It might not look pretty, but it’s very friendly.

Just as friendly as Dean Lu and her group.

It had been lingering nearby since it smelled the food aroma, but Da Huang is well-mannered and doesn’t dare act up until the owner speaks.

But now it couldn’t resist cleaning up the chicken bones and scraps on the ground, eating until its belly was round, lying lazily on the ground.

Showing satisfaction from a full meal.

This meal brought everyone much closer, allowing them to joke with each other; among them, besides Dean Lu and Xiaoyu who spoke accented Mandarin, the other doctors spoke in dialects, each differing, incomprehensible to Bai Xiao’s group.

It was like a heavenly script.

Xiaoyu had to translate it all.

This also helped them realize a potential problem in future work: language is a hard barrier to overcome.

A night passed without words.

Next morning, everyone woke up early.

After the laughable incident of He Xin fetching water yesterday, Dr. Zhang volunteered to try fetching water himself, even though Xiaoyu and the other doctors were ordered by Dean Lu to take care of the chores. Still, they’d be living here for a year; they couldn’t always rely on others, or they’d become useless.

Besides, they didn’t have the face for that. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

They had hands and legs, yet needing others to serve them? Tell it anywhere, and they’d lose face.

So early in the morning, Dr. Zhang took two young colleagues to fetch water, and after several tries, they finally understood that fetching water is no simple task.

But their water tanks were now full.

No breakfast served; they realized that yesterday was special treatment, knowing they came from a long train journey, unfed and unrefreshed, so just a gesture of special care. In fact, the locals here only eat two meals a day.

A meal at ten in the morning, another at three in the afternoon—every household is the same.

Finally, Bai Xiao and the team started their medical work.

He Xin and Bai Xiao had Xiaoyu by their side.

This was arranged by Dean Lu, mainly to prevent misunderstanding patients, should they fail to comprehend the dialects.

Unfortunately, there were many visitors in the morning, but they came just to watch.

Many were locals who heard of city doctors coming, feeling insufficient seeing from outside, and rushing in for a closer look at the city folk.

Instead of treating cases, they became watched animals in a zoo.

Days like this were only just beginning.

A few days passed, and they realized there was hardly any use for them, as all cases were minor issues like headaches and fevers, casually handled by Dean Lu’s group.

Rarely were they needed.

Surgery?

Not necessary.

Internal Medicine?

No need either.

Cold medicines need Internal Medicine doctors?

Thus, the five of them became almost ornamental.

Embarrassed, they were idle all day.

Waking at dawn and resting by dusk, life there was ridiculously relaxing.

Not a hint showed their medical qualifications.

It seemed like they were just idling away.

Days went by, and the five became dispirited.

Even Bai Xiao began to doubt: Did Dr. Xue not know there were hardly any patients here—how to practice medicine then?

And practice!

It was just wasting time without gaining practical experience; naturally, there were grievances building inside. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Better to return to the Military District Hospital for internship; this wouldn’t be the treatment they’d receive.

But regretting wouldn’t help; since they were here, running away wasn’t an option.

After a week passed, Dean Lu spoke to them, saying they routinely visit villages each month. Many patients are in remote areas, too difficult to travel out for treatment, so they’ve established monthly visits to villages, offering care.

This is known as traveling medicine.

A unique feature in their region.

This month, with help arrived, Dean Lu planned to split into two groups: Xiaoyu leading two doctors to one direction, while Dean Lu took two colleagues to another.

Others stayed at the hospital to work, ensuring no disruption and saving time.

Finally, Bai Xiao’s group was happy.

They finally had work to do.