He greeted Tu Jing, asked him to watch the child, and went to wait outside the restroom.
Tu Jing had been bossed around all morning, doing this and that, but he wasn't angry at all; instead, he just chuckled.
The Old Chief woke up too and said with a smile, "Envious? I told you to go to the matchmaking mixer before, but you refused."
Tu Jing replied, "There's no rush. I'll consider my romantic life after you finish your surgery."
The Old Chief shook his head and smiled.
Su Lang and Lin Zhilan soon returned.
By this time, Linlin had woken up. Surprisingly, she hadn't cried. Seeing her mother return, she held up the object in her hand to show her.
Lin Zhilan took a look and saw that it was actually a military medal.
"Baby, quickly give this back to Grandpa."
Cheng Qingshan smiled, "It's fine. It's a gift for the child."
"No, this is too precious."
"I have plenty of these things," Cheng Qingshan waved his hand. "Comrade Lin, what are we having for breakfast?"
Lin Zhilan: "..."
Tu Jing also looked over expectantly.
Paired with steamed buns from the dining car, the three men devoured the food like a whirlwind, their faces full of amazement. In an instant, a full jar of sauce was reduced to half.
They would be getting off the train in the afternoon, so Lin Zhilan wasn't stingy and let them eat as much as they wanted.
However, when Cheng Qingshan reached for a third steamed bun, Lin Zhilan stopped him.
"Your health isn't good. You shouldn't overeat."
"I can eat."
"No, you can't."
"Sigh." Her attitude was firm, and Cheng Qingshan reluctantly withdrew his hand.
Lin Zhilan knew his status was extraordinary, and perhaps...
"Chief, may I check your pulse?"
Cheng Qingshan asked, "Have you studied medicine?"
"I learned it from my elders at home. Traditional Chinese medicine."
Cheng Qingshan laughed heartily and placed his hand on the table. "Please go ahead."
Lin Zhilan composed herself, held his wrist to examine his pulse, and pondered before saying, "Your liver has suffered trauma, and your gallbladder has been removed?"
Tu Jing's face was filled with astonishment.
In recent years, the movement to destroy the Four Olds focused on eradicating old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits.
And traditional Chinese medicine had also been included among these Four Olds.
Influenced by this ideology, Tu Jing also believed that only Western medicine was progressive and superior.
When the chief went to the hospital, he had to undergo all sorts of tests before Western doctors dared to make a diagnosis.
Yet Lin Zhilan could determine a person's medical condition based solely on their pulse.
Cheng Qingshan answered truthfully, "Yes. I was shot before, and the bullet is still inside."
Tu Jing hurriedly asked, "Is there any way to take the bullet out?"
Lin Zhilan withdrew her hand. "Surgery."
"Is there no way using traditional Chinese medicine?" Tu Jing felt a bit disappointed.
Lin Zhilan said slowly, "Both traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine have their own benefits; they are not mutually exclusive. Traditional Chinese medicine has its ignorant aspects, but one only needs to absorb its essence and discard its dregs. Blindly rejecting it altogether is not a good thing."
Tu Jing observed their surroundings and whispered, "You're really bold."
Lin Zhilan chuckled softly, "This is what The Chairman wrote in his book. Who would dare say it's wrong?"
Recently, she had not only thoroughly studied the Little Red Book but had also read many of The Chairman's books and poetry collections.
Beside them, Cheng Qingshan nodded slowly. This movement was massive in scale, but in certain aspects, had the actions become somewhat distorted during the policy implementation stage?
It seemed he needed to have a word with his old comrades-in-arms.
Cheng Qingshan spoke slowly, "Little comrade, then tell me, how should traditional Chinese medicine treat my condition?"
"Replenish qi and nourish blood, soothe the liver and strengthen the spleen. Chief, in my opinion, your current physical condition is not suitable for surgery."
Tu Jing looked even more anxious than Cheng Qingshan. "Then what should we do?"
Lin Zhilan replied, "First, focus on recuperation. I heard there is also a traditional Chinese medicine department in the military region hospital. Just follow the doctor's arrangements when the time comes."
"Alright, thank you for the reminder."
Lin Zhilan was too young, with a beautiful face as radiant as jade. It was truly hard to believe she possessed such brilliant medical skills.
Cheng Qingshan and Tu Jing didn't say much else.
In the afternoon, the train arrived at its final destination, Yangcheng.
The remaining half jar of sauce was claimed by Cheng Qingshan. In exchange, Little Linlin received two military medals.
Lin Zhilan felt helpless but also felt a sense of admiration for the old man in front of her. He must have walked through hails of bullets; he had so many military medals it was as if he got them wholesale.
Declining Cheng Qingshan's invitation to travel together, Su Lang and Lin Zhilan took the child to a guesthouse in Yangcheng first. After taking a bath, they collapsed on the bed and slept soundly.
The boat to the island wouldn't leave until five in the afternoon. After a comfortable sleep, they made a trip to the state-run store before boarding.
As expected of Yangcheng, the merchandise in the state-run store here was much more abundant than in the town, and there was even a counter on the second floor selling clocks, watches, and clothes.
According to Su Lang, he and his nephew had never cooked at home, and they didn't have a single pot, bowl, ladle, or basin. All of these needed to be purchased.
She and Linlin also needed to buy some new clothes. When they were in the north, they were still wearing padded cotton jackets, but the people here were wearing unlined garments and short sleeves.
However, she didn't have much money on hand right now, which made her feel a bit melancholic when she thought about it.
Afraid that his wife would be hesitant to buy things, Su Lang said, "Buy whatever you want. Once we get to the island, transportation will be troublesome, and there will be things you won't be able to buy even if you want to. You don't need to save money for me."
With the wealthy and generous Su Lang speaking up, Lin Zhilan hesitated before discussing it with him, "Su Lang, can I buy a watch?"
"Of course."
Su Lang felt a bit of self-blame; he hadn't been thoughtful enough. He had heard from his comrades that it was popular nowadays to have three spinning things and one sounding thing for a wedding. He hadn't prepared anything for Lin Zhilan and had just casually married her.
When they reached the watch counter, Su Lang asked the clerk to bring out the most expensive watch.
Lin Zhilan gave him a reproachful look and picked one she liked. The only issue was that the watchband was a bit long and needed to be sent to a master craftsman for adjustment, meaning she wouldn't be able to pick it up until the next day.
Su Lang took out money and coupons to pay the bill. "It's fine, I can adjust it."
Little Linlin curiously touched the watch on her mother's hand, and Su Lang asked the counter staff again, "Do you have watches for children?"
The staff at the counter couldn't help but laugh.
Lin Zhilan quickly pulled him away, scolding, "Are you burning a hole in your pocket? She's just a little kid, can she even read a watch?"
"She likes it, she can just hold it and play with it."
Unable to out-argue him, Lin Zhilan carried her daughter and walked forward.
Su Lang wrinkled his nose at Linlin, earning a sweet smile from his daughter.
Su Lang also wanted to buy a sewing machine, a radio, and a bicycle, but Lin Zhilan stopped him from buying any of them.
The radio and bicycle were one thing, but a sewing machine? She didn't even know how to use one; wouldn't buying it be a waste?
He looked like a spendthrift, but Lin Zhilan wasn't far behind, buying quite a few ready-made clothes for herself and her daughter.
Su Lang was happily paying the bill when he heard her say, "When I start working in the future, I will pay you back the money for the watch and clothes."
Su Lang's smile visibly sank. "Comrade Lin, I wonder what price you set for the chicken and flatbread I ate on the train? How much should I pay you?"
Lin Zhilan bit her lip, realizing she seemed to have been too distant and had hurt his feelings.
But she had spent so much money this time...
Su Lang: "I'm going to buy the sewing machine."
