Women Can Hold Up Half the Sky
Wu Yunzhu squeezed through the crowd and knelt beside the kang. She touched the child’s forehead—it was alarmingly hot. Gently prying open the child’s mouth, she saw the tongue coating was thick, greasy, and yellow.
“It’s acute infantile convulsion.”
She calmly made her diagnosis while quietly removing a small gourd from her waist and dripping a few drops of crystalline liquid into the child’s mouth.
The villagers watching only saw Wu Yunzhu take out a small porcelain bottle from her chest and pour some powder for the child to swallow.
That was the cover she had prepared beforehand; what really worked was the spiritual spring water mixed in with it.
“Go fetch a basin of cold water,” she commanded while skillfully massaging several of the child’s acupressure points.
Yuan Ye maintained order on the side, getting the onlookers to step back and leave space for the child.
In less than a quarter hour, a miracle occurred.
The child’s convulsions gradually stopped, and his breathing became steady. After a while longer, he actually opened his eyes and weakly called out “Mother.”
Widow Wang fell to her knees with a thud, about to kowtow to Wu Yunzhu. “Yunzhu, you saved my little Bao’s life. I’ll work like an ox or horse to repay you for the rest of my life!”
Wu Yunzhu quickly helped her up. “Aunt Wang, please don’t do this. We’re all neighbors—why talk like that?”
She turned to the watching villagers. “The child is fine for now, but needs rest. Everyone should go home.”
The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only a few women who stayed to help.
Wu Yunzhu gave Widow Wang a few more instructions on what to watch for, left behind some “medicine powder,” and only then left with Yuan Ye.
The night had grown deep, moonlight spilling like water onto the village paths. The two walked side by side, silent for a moment.
“In my previous life, this child didn’t survive,” Wu Yunzhu suddenly spoke, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible. “Aunt Wang threw herself into a well afterward.”
Yuan Ye silently grasped her hand.
They both understood that having been reborn, they not only had to change their own fates but also do their best to save these innocent lives.
“By the way, you mentioned earlier that someone was watching by the bamboo grove west of the village?” Wu Yunzhu asked.
Yuan Ye nodded. “I suspect it’s Kang Danian’s people. He was caught too easily—I always feel it was a decoy.”
Wu Yunzhu thought for a moment. “Tomorrow I’ll make a trip to the county and inquire about Kang Danian’s situation. You keep watch in the village, especially for any unfamiliar faces.”
The next morning, Wu Yunzhu was already standing in the threshing ground at the village center.
She held a small copper gong in her hand, took a deep breath, and struck it forcefully three times.
“Aunties, sisters-in-law, and sisters from every household! Come gather at the threshing ground!”
The crisp sound of the gong was especially loud in the morning village.
Before long, women came out from their courtyards in twos and threes—some still holding nursing babies in their arms, others carrying half-finished shoe soles they were working on.
“Yunzhu girl, what are you calling us out for so early?” Aunt Li asked while gathering up her disheveled hair.
Wu Yunzhu stood on a large rock. When about twenty or so women had gathered, she cleared her throat and began. “Dear aunties and sisters, yesterday the men went up the mountain and hunted game. Did everyone eat well?”
“Need you even ask!” Widow Wang, holding little Bao who had already recovered from his fever, wore a grateful smile on her face. “It’s all thanks to Team Leader Yuan and you.”
“So does everyone want to be able to eat meat regularly from now on?” Wu Yunzhu’s eyes sparkled as she swept her gaze across each face. “Without depending on men—just depending on ourselves!”
The crowd suddenly fell silent. Zhang family’s daughter-in-law muttered quietly. “What can women do? Don’t we still have to depend on men…”
Wu Yunzhu had anticipated this reaction.
In her previous life, she had thought the same way, until after her family’s destruction when she struggled to survive alone—only then did she understand women’s strength.
“Sisters, I have an idea.” She jumped down from the rock and took out several medicinal herbs from her basket. “This is astragalus from the back mountain. The county purchasing station buys it for thirty cents per catty.”
“This is honeysuckle—dried, it can sell for fifty cents. The back mountain is full of these treasures. Why can’t we go gather them?”
The women looked at each other. Widow Wang was the first to step forward. “Yunzhu, you’re right! I’m with you! If men can hunt, we can gather medicinal herbs!”
“But…” Aunt Li hesitated, “we don’t know how to identify medicinal materials. What if we pick the wrong ones?”
Wu Yunzhu smiled. “I know how. I learned from barefoot Doctor Li some years ago.”
She patiently explained to everyone the shapes, growing environments, and harvesting methods of several common medicinal herbs. The women gradually gathered closer, their eyes sparkling with curiosity and hope.
“Besides gathering herbs, we can also raise chickens and ducks, grow vegetables,” Wu Yunzhu continued planning. “I’ve inquired—the county supply and marketing cooperative buys eggs at twice the price we get selling them in the village!”
Just as she was speaking, footsteps could be heard in the distance.
Yuan Ye walked over with several militiamen, looking somewhat surprised at the scene. “Yunzhu, what’s all this?”
Wu Yunzhu straightened her back. “We women are also forming a production team to be self-reliant!”
A flash of surprise crossed Yuan Ye’s eyes, followed by an approving smile. “Good idea! Just say the word if you need any help.”
“No need,” Wu Yunzhu proudly lifted her chin. “We women can take care of ourselves.”
The women were infected by her confidence and nodded in agreement one after another.
Yuan Ye tactfully left with the militiamen, but looked back at Wu Yunzhu once before leaving, his eyes full of admiration.
That very morning, the first women’s production team was established. Wu Yunzhu was elected as team leader, with Widow Wang as deputy leader.
About ten bold women followed them up the back mountain, while the others promised to finish their housework first and definitely join next time.
The mountain air was fresh and pleasant. Wu Yunzhu walked at the front, stopping from time to time to identify various medicinal herbs.
“Look, these leaves shaped like palms are astragalus. When digging, be careful not to damage the roots.”
She crouched down to demonstrate, skillfully excavating a complete astragalus plant.
Widow Wang learned the fastest, and soon had dug up several plants. The other women gradually mastered the technique too, and cheerful laughter echoed through the mountain forest.
“Sister Yunzhu, is this honeysuckle?”
Tiezhu’s younger sister Xiaofang pointed at a shrub with yellow and white flowers and asked.
Wu Yunzhu walked over to look. “Yes, that’s it! Xiaofang has sharp eyes.”
She quietly dripped a few drops of spiritual spring water onto that cluster of honeysuckle. “The ones blooming vigorously like this have the best medicinal properties.”
At midday, everyone sat on flat ground halfway up the mountain to rest and share the dry rations they had brought.
Wu Yunzhu took out her water flask mixed with spiritual spring water and had everyone take turns drinking from it.
After drinking, the women all remarked with surprise that the water was exceptionally sweet, and their fatigue had lessened considerably.
The afternoon harvest was even more abundant.
By the time the sun slanted westward, everyone’s basket was filled with various medicinal herbs.
On the way back to the village, Wu Yunzhu deliberately detoured to a secluded thicket where several rare lingzhi mushrooms grew.
This was something she had discovered by chance while fleeing during her previous life.
“This one,” she carefully picked the largest one and hid it in her chest, “can be exchanged for quite a bit of money.”