Chapter Sixteen: Tang Xue's Panic (New Book—Please Support!)

The county health clinic was located on the main street. By the time they arrived, it was already past five in the afternoon.

At this moment, Old Wang had already regained consciousness, but his body was still very weak; he could barely speak.

Li Yi carried him inside and then handled the hospital admission procedures.

To avoid delaying treatment, Li Yi shared his own diagnosis with the doctor on duty. He believed that the old man was suffering from hypoglycemia compounded by heatstroke.

Of course, he was merely offering his opinion. Whether the doctor accepted it or chose a different treatment was beyond his control.

Fortunately, the old man had money and a work ID, so Li Yi did not have to advance any medical fees.

After handing over the old man’s bicycle to the hospital for safekeeping, Li Yi hurriedly left with his third sister.

Although they were both relieved to have saved a life, they were also very anxious.

It was nearly six o’clock when they left the hospital. Given the speed of the mule cart, it would take them until at least nine o’clock to return to the village, which was clearly too late.

Li Yi worried that Tang Xue, with whom he had agreed to go for the marriage proposal, might misunderstand the delay.

But there was nothing to be done now except to urge the mule to go faster!

On the road, Li Na kept glancing at Li Yi without saying a word, which made him feel uneasy.

“Sis, what’s wrong? If you have something to say, just say it!” he urged.

“When did you learn how to treat illnesses?” Li Na finally voiced her doubt.

“I don’t know how to treat illnesses. Why do you ask that?” Li Yi replied.

“Then how did a bowl of brown sugar water manage to wake that old man up?”

Li Yi explained immediately, “I saw that the old man’s face was pale, he was weak and sweating, his skin was cold and clammy, and his heart was racing. It looked like hypoglycemia. Plus, I found sugar cubes in his pocket, which confirmed my suspicion. That’s why I asked you to prepare some brown sugar water to replenish his fluids and sugar.”

“Oh, so that’s how. How do you know so much?”

“By reading books. Everything’s in the books!”

“Hmph, as if you’re really into reading!”

Li Yi just smiled without replying. In Li Na’s memory, he was never a bookish type.

But Li Yi knew his own level. In his previous life, after awakening, his greatest passion became reading.

After decades of voracious study, Li Yi had become well-versed in a wide range of subjects, from astronomy and geography to classical Chinese literature.

Though he had never tested his knowledge formally or earned any academic credentials, his intelligence and eloquence were recognized by all the elites in the business world.

However, he couldn’t explain this to his sister, and given the time pressure, he didn’t want to say more.

So, with intermittent small talk, the two hurried toward the village on the mule cart.

Meanwhile, at the Li family home, a different scene was unfolding.

The already small house was packed with people: besides Li Shankui and his wife, several senior clan elders of the Li family were present, as well as some of the teenage boys who had delivered mushrooms for Li Yi.

Everyone, like Li Shankui and his wife, was restless and uneasy, pacing like ants on a hot pan.

According to the plan, Li Yi should have arrived home by four, and then, after Tang Xue finished work at six-thirty, they would go for the marriage proposal.

To that end, Li Shankui had not only invited the village elders but also brought in the most eloquent matchmaker in the village, Old Lady Zhang, to help smooth things over.

But they waited and waited, and by nearly nine o’clock in the evening, Li Yi and Li Na still had not returned.

“Shankui, do you think Na and Yi ran into trouble? Maybe you should go to the county and look for them,” elder Li Jingfeng said anxiously.

Zhang Yuehong also looked worried. “Husband, maybe you should head to the city.”

“Alright, you go to the youth settlement and tell Xue; I’ll set out immediately...”

Before he could finish, the sound of a bell came from outside.

Everyone looked out to see the gate pushed open and the bright red mule cart rolling in steadily.

Li Shankui hurried outside and saw both his children safe and sound, instantly relieved.

But recalling the whole night’s worry, he asked angrily, “Why are you so late? Don’t you know there’s an important matter today?”

Li Na was about to explain, but Li Yi quickly interrupted, “Sis, let me explain to Mom and Dad. You go to the youth settlement and tell Tang Xue what happened. We’ll get ready and head over right away.”

“Okay!”

After Li Na left, Li Yi turned to Li Shankui and the others and said, “Dad, on our way back, we came across an old man who had collapsed by the roadside. His condition was serious, so the third sister and I took him to the city health clinic. The round trip took several hours. Sorry to worry you all!”

Hearing that their son had delayed only to save a life, Li Shankui’s anger finally subsided.

“Is the man alright?”

“Yes, he was awake when we left. I think he’ll be fine,” Li Yi answered.

“That’s good...”

At that moment, the eldest clan elder of the village, Grandpa Li Qi, leaning on his cane, said, “Shankui, saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. Yi’s act of mercy before the marriage proposal is a great blessing. Don’t blame the boy.”

Li Shankui nodded immediately. “Yes, Grandpa Qi is right. Yi, hurry and get ready. Don’t keep Xue waiting!”

“Okay, just give me a few minutes!”

........

While the Li household was in a flurry, the atmosphere at the youth settlement was somewhat tense.

In the girls’ dormitory, several young educated women surrounded Tang Xue, offering words of comfort.

“Xiao Xue, something must have delayed the Li family. They won’t not come!”

“Right, I heard today at work that Li Yi’s mother went to Old Lady Zhang’s place. She must be asking the matchmaker to speak on their behalf.”

“Li Yi spoke so confidently. He definitely wouldn’t stand you up...”

But Tang Xue, surrounded by everyone, remained silent, her face pale, her heart in turmoil.

She had heard from Li Na that Li Yi liked Wang Xuemei from the neighboring village, and he had sworn he would marry no one but her.

She also remembered that day when she was cornered on the kang bed and asked if he was willing to marry her. He hesitated a long time before finally saying yes.

Clearly, he was reluctant to marry her in his heart.

So today, he was essentially running away from the proposal... No, they hadn’t even married yet; he simply didn’t come to propose.

Thinking about how she, a pure young woman, had been inexplicably defiled and then trapped on the kang by the whole village, only for that person to refuse to marry her—it was overwhelming.

Tears welled up and spilled down Tang Xue’s cheeks.

Meanwhile, outside the boys’ dormitory, under a large poplar tree, a group led by Xu Hong sat on small stools chatting idly. Their topic, naturally, was the Li family’s proposal, but their tone was largely schadenfreude.

“What’s the Li family’s meaning? It’s so late, and they still haven’t come. Could it be they’re standing her up?”

“It’s obvious they’re not coming. Tang Xue is going to be a laughingstock!”

“That’s what happens when a woman loses her virtue. No one will respect her!”

“Exactly. If you’re not a virgin before marriage, even if you get married, you won’t be happy...”

However, just as these young men and women, each harboring their own thoughts, waited to feast on gossip, a figure suddenly came running from afar!