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Lin Xuejun raised her hands and leaned against the wooden post behind her. The muscles she had been tensing suddenly relaxed, and only then did she realize how sore her entire body was, especially her arms, which felt almost too heavy for her to lift.
She turned her gaze to meet Mu Junqing, who was also holding up his hands, standing just a step ahead of her.
The male educated youth who was only in his early twenties had now shed the mask of forced maturity that was put on out of obligation to act like an older brother to the others. His naturally curly hair had become even more disheveled from wrestling with the calf and pushing the cow’s hindquarters, resembling a messy bird’s nest. His glasses that sat slightly askew on his nose were now smudged and fogged up, adding an air of mystery to the handsome, double-lidded eyes behind them. His once clean, wheat-colored cheeks now bore a faint mark from where the cow’s tail had whipped him at some point…
Mu Junqing seemed completely unaware of his “disheveled” appearance. His exhausted eyes met Lin Xuejun’s, and then his expression softened into a smile, like spring warmth blooming, as if vast fields of flowers had suddenly burst into bloom.
Lin Xuejun grinned back foolishly, looking like a drunken simpleton.
She wanted to find a place to wash her hands but suddenly realized she couldn’t move her left arm. Turning her head, she bumped into a small head adorned with braids—it was Yi Xiuyu, who stood half a head shorter than her.
“Comrade Yi.”
Hearing Lin Xuejun’s call, Yi Xiuyu looked up in confusion. Only when their eyes met did she realize that, in her excitement, she had been tightly clutching Lin Xuejun’s left arm against her chest.
She quickly let go, intending to apologize, but when she opened her mouth, she couldn’t help but laugh, forgetting everything she had meant to say.
The only water in the cattle shed was the water in the trough. Lin Xuejun walked over, first rubbing her arms and gloves with snow before rinsing them in the trough.
As she turned to peel off the rubber gloves that were practically glued to her hands, she suddenly noticed something unusual. Looking up, she was met with countless gazes.
She froze, scanning the crowd, and realized every pair of eyes crinkled with warmth. They were all looking at her with kindness in their eyes.
A large hand suddenly clapped her shoulder from the side. The brigade leader, who had seemed particularly gruff earlier, now wore a bright, hearty smile. His heavy pat made her shoulder dip slightly as he booming voice echoed, “You’ve got some real skill, young comrade! What’s that old saying again? Young people shouldn’t be underestimated! And what did the Great Leader say? Women hold up half the sky!”
The brigade leader laughed heartily, gesturing for Yi Xiuyu to pass over a small blanket, which he then shoved into Lin Xuejun’s arms. “Wrap yourself up, don’t catch a cold.”
Just then, Ülzii, the livestock owner, squeezed out from the shed, bringing his wife and child to thank Lin Xuejun.
The dark clouds of worry that had hung over his face earlier had indeed dispersed, replaced by a simple, radiant smile.
Lin Xuejun’s commanding energy from earlier had now faded, replaced by a bashful expression. As she dried her hands on her military coat, she mimicked the local way of speaking, “Uncle, no need to be polite. We’re all members of the commune, and the cattle belong to everyone. This is just what I should do.”
“Haha, don’t call him ‘uncle’—Ülzii’s only 34. Just calling him ‘big brother’ will do,” the brigade leader joked before translating her words.
The wind and sun of the grasslands were truly harsh. Ülzii’s weathered skin and wrinkles could easily cause someone to mistake him for someone who was sixty.
Having mistakenly used the wrong generational title and inadvertently making someone sound older than they were, Lin Xuejun couldn’t help but blush. Fortunately, everyone was immersed in the joy of the cow’s successful delivery, and no one really paid attention to such minor details.
The herders who had come to help took turns bidding farewell with their oil lamps. As each person left, they not only greeted the brigade leader and Ülzii, but also nodded subtly to Lin Xuejun or praised her with a smile before departing.
Standing in the cowshed, Lin Xuejun said goodbye to each person, gradually falling into a bit of a daze.
So this was what it felt like to be respected, seen, appreciated, and liked?
A warm trickling sensation soon began to swell in her chest. She bundled herself up in her small quilt and lifted the edge to cover her flushed chin and cheeks.
In the dim cowshed, devoid of neon lights or electricity, Lin Xuejun’s eyes shone brightly.
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pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:
As the crowd of people constantly exhaling warm breaths thinned out, the temperature in the cowshed dropped accordingly.
Lin Xuejun shivered slightly and turned to instruct Ülzii, “I’ve already put oxytetracycline in the cow’s uterus to prevent infection. Also, let the cow lick the calf thoroughly—even the amniotic fluid stuck to the hay should be eaten by her since it helps with the expulsion of the afterbirth. Once the placenta comes out, don’t feed it directly to the cow—chop it up first to avoid gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea or bloating. It’ll also help replenish the cow’s essential amino acids and proteins. Make sure to keep an eye on the calf; if it still can’t stand after being licked dry, manually squeeze some colostrum for it. With proper nutrition and stronger immunity, it’ll stand and nurse on its own. And make sure the calf stays warm—you can add some dry hay, and keep an eye out so the mother doesn’t accidentally trample the calf…”
She rattled off a long list, causing the brigade leader’s face to scrunch up in confusion. When translating for Ülzii, he skipped all the explanations and just relayed the key points.
Lin Xuejun suppressed a laugh and continued pretending not to understand.
“Alright, it’s been hours—you must be exhausted. Let me walk you back to rest.” The brigade leader stretched his arms, bid farewell to Ülzii’s family, and then escorted the eight educated youths toward their tiled house.
Wang Ying, the medic, tucked her gloves into her medical kit, wrapped her scarf tightly, and hurried to catch up. Falling into step beside Lin Xuejun, she beamed and said, “Comrade Lin, you’re amazing! I’ve really broadened my horizons today. You’re even more skilled than our teachers.”
“Thank you for lending me your gloves,” Lin Xuejun replied, remembering them gratefully.
In this era, brucellosis1 was still quite prevalent. While sheep brucellosis was severe and easily detected, cattle brucellosis was often overlooked due to its milder symptoms.
This zoonotic disease could cause fever, pain, and even infertility in humans, with symptoms worsening over time and proving difficult to eradicate.
In cows with brucellosis, the highest bacterial concentration would be found in the birth canal. Without Wang Ying’s gloves, Lin Xuejun might not have dared to intervene manually.
“You used them to save a cow—that’s its purpose! Its glory!” Wang Ying laughed heartily before a gust of cold wind forced her to cover her mouth. Waving at Lin Xuejun and the others, she dashed off into the night.
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- Brucellosis is an infection that can be transmitted to humans from animals such as cows, sheep, goats and pigs. People with brucellosis may develop fever, sweats, headaches, back pains, and physical weakness. In severe cases, the central nervous system and the lining of the heart may be affected. ↩︎
