I Became a Vicious Supporting Role in the '70s
Chapter 111: Saving People

Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Saving People

Shen Meng got up early, and Lu Zhenping also had no habit of sleeping in. One cooked breakfast while the other took a flat cart up the mountain and chopped two cartloads of firewood.

There wasn’t much usable firewood left at home, so while he was home, he had to stock up more to prepare for winter. Apart from firewood, there were also some dry fallen leaves, which were great for kindling.

Lu Zhenping brought two carts of firewood home in the morning. He spread the damp firewood in the yard, waiting for the sun to come out so it could dry for two days before storing it in the firewood shed.

When he came back the second time, Shen Meng had prepared hot water in the wash basin.

"Don’t go out anymore, hurry up and wash your hands for the meal. Wake up the ones going to school too. I want to go to the county after breakfast to buy some things. If you’re free today, why not visit my parents’ home to see if the house is finished? On the way back, get some cypress branches. The mutton has aged a bit, it’s better to make smoked meat out of it form now on, just pick up whenever you want to eat."

Lu Zhenping had hung the mutton from the kitchen roof beam. In this cold weather, it won’t spoil, but it won’t stay fresh for long either. It’s better to eat it quickly.

As soon as Mingyang’s children got up, they smelled the familiar aroma, their speed of crawling out of the warm quilts was much faster than usual.

Hot mutton stuffed buns, a pot of Shuijianbao, and a sizzling spicy soup. Having such a meal on a chilly autumn morning was simply splendid.

Mingyang, Mingliang, and Ming Fang, the three children, ate without even lifting their heads.

"Zhenping, take some buns over to Jinghao’s, I made extra. Let them have a taste too."

"Okay."

Shen Meng took five buns wrapped in a steamer cloth and handed them to Lu Zhenping, who also grabbed one and finished it in just a few bites.

After breakfast, those who needed to go to school did so, those visiting relatives left, and Shen Meng, who was heading to the county, locked the door and rode her bicycle towards the county. On the way, she met Zhou Jiaojiao riding in a bullock cart.

Everyone in the cart was wrapped in headscarves, but Shen Meng recognized Zhou Jiaojiao at first glance. Unlike others who tucked their hands and hunched their backs, the heroine stood straight with a green striped coarse cloth coat that looked incredibly fancy on her.

Tsk, tsk, tsk, the heroine is truly different!!!

After arriving in the county, she didn’t go anywhere else but directly entered an empty space. Riding the bicycle for almost an hour, she was really tired. Once in the space, she quickly took off her thick clothes and then lay down on the sofa in the living room.

After resting enough, she picked up a pot of soup base and comfortably enjoyed an authentic Sichuan hotpot, followed by a bowl of ice cream and slept for over two hours.

Once she felt refreshed, she got up and went to the storeroom, found a stainless-steel coal stove, and decorated it with yellow large peony flower wallpapers she had scavenged from a small commodities market.

The coal stove, initially slightly upscale, now exuded a subdued luxury and a strong sense of the era. After getting it ready, she loaded two bamboo baskets with a hundred coal balls and placed them beside her bicycle.

Mingyang’s four children hadn’t bathed in days, she rummaged through cabinets and finally found two red bathing cloaks. She had forgotten what these were called when buying them and only managed to purchase them after a lengthy description to the vendor.

The freshly ripened pears, apples, and winter jujubes had also been packed by her, along with milk powder, malt extract, orange-flavored vitamin C powder, cashmere yarn, several sets of striped autumn clothes for old grandmothers, both for adults and children, she also found some socks for Lu Zhenping and a pair of cotton-lined Jiefang shoes...

She stuffed the sack full and tied it all to the bicycle. She sighed, knowing it would be quite tiring to ride the bike back loaded like this, but there was no alternative. It was no longer like before—the roads were now always crowded. If she returned with an empty bicycle only for it to suddenly be loaded with goods, people might think she was a ghost!

After securing the coal stove, she finally pushed the bicycle out of the shed, weaving through the narrow alleys. Just as she was about to ride it home, she saw Zhou Jiaojiao supporting a pale-faced pregnant woman standing by the road calling for help, but the alley was a bit secluded and despite her shouts, no one had passed by.

Shen Meng was struck with recognition—the pregnant woman appeared to be the Textile Factory Director’s daughter-in-law. Due to her bulky belly and nearing the due date, she frequently went out for walks fearing difficulties in childbirth. It was such a coincidence that her pains had started today, and Zhou Jiaojiao was the only passerby.

She had saved the lives of both the mother and child, and naturally, the Textile Factory Director wanted to repay her, but Zhou Jiaojiao had refused. Many days later, when a position opened at the factory, it was actually the Director’s daughter-in-law who personally came to persuade Zhou Jiaojiao, who finally agreed to work at the textile factory.

From then on, it was as if she had ascended a ladder to the clouds, encountering things every time she went out, no matter good or bad, which all became reasons to help her and Lu Jiaxuan rise higher.

However, since she had encountered this event, it was not possible to let Zhou Jiaojiao handle this situation alone.

She turned around, pushed the bicycle back to the alley, stored it in the shed, and then took out another bike, quickly pushing it over to the two people.

"Jiaojiao, what happened? Oh my, this lady looks like she is about to give birth!"

Zhou Jiaojiao was extremely frantic. Upon seeing Shen Meng, her brow furrowed as she looked at the woman lying on the ground dressed finely; she had rushed over intending to help, otherwise, she definitely would not have intervened. If something went wrong, it could all fall on her.

"Elder sister-in-law, why are you here? This comrade says her stomach hurts, it seems we need to rush to the hospital. Elder sister-in-law, quickly go and call someone nearby, I’ll stay with this lady."

Thinking to send her away—no, that just wouldn’t do.

"Jiaojiao, you are still carrying a child yourself and also a pregnant woman, you don’t know as much as I do. I’ve given birth before, comrade you can relax, I have a bicycle here. Let’s first assess your situation before deciding. You can’t just move immediately if it’s time to deliver, don’t be scared!"

Li Qianqian was in severe pain, leaning on Zhou Jiaojiao’s embrace, she looked at the woman who suddenly appeared before her, seeming like a life-saving straw. This woman said she had given birth before, which seemed more reliable than the person who was only screaming for help.

First, she took off her jacket and covered Li Qianqian with it.

"Let me first check if there’s any bleeding or if the amniotic fluid has broken. If the amniotic fluid has broken, we should hurry to the hospital to wait for delivery. It’s safe for two hours, and the hospital is not far from here, don’t worry."

Shen Meng reached down to Li Qianqian’s buttocks and untied her waistband, probing her lower body with her hand. When her hand came out, it was covered in blood.

The sight made Zhou Jiaojiao scream in shock, nearly flipping Li Qianqian on the ground.

"Shut up!"