The police officers tried to lift Su Zhiguo onto a bicycle, but because of the pain in his buttocks, he began to howl incessantly. His wailing was so unbearable that the officers had no choice but to begrudgingly arrange for an ox cart to take him away.
Meanwhile, Liu Fang was desperately pleading for mercy. When she realized it was useless, she threw herself onto the ground, kicking and screaming, hoping to trick her way out of trouble. To her surprise, one of the younger officers grew furious, dragged her directly onto the ox cart, and roared, "Don't force me to use force. Even if I quit being an officer, I can still handle you. You’d better stay quiet, or don't blame me for tying your hands and feet. Everyone on the road will see you then—if you don't mind the shame, keep acting up!"
Liu Fang fell silent instantly, not daring to utter another word.
The Brigade Leader simply pulled out his pipe and squatted by the side of the road, his head throbbing. Auntie Zhao suddenly realized that she hadn't seen Su Qianli anywhere, so she stepped forward boldly to ask the police, "Where is Li?"
"She's still in the hospital, undergoing emergency treatment," an officer replied.
"What?" Auntie Zhao exclaimed, and the people around her grew tense as well.
The Brigade Leader realized the gravity of the situation and immediately stood up. "How could her condition be that serious?"
The officer looked indignant. "To drug Su Qianli and have his way with her, Liu Kun bought anesthetics meant for livestock. Worse, he tried to save money and bought expired drugs. Su Qianli inhaled too much, and her condition is critical."
The Brigade Leader was frantic. He didn't care about Su Zhiguo, but absolutely nothing could happen to Su Qianli; otherwise, how could he face the trust of Grandpa Su? He immediately asked which hospital she had been taken to and pedaled his bicycle toward the County Hospital. Auntie Zhao and Grandma Zhou consulted each other and immediately went to find an ox cart, while several other uncles and aunts who had once received kindness from Grandpa Su followed along, hoping to help in any way they could.
Back at the hospital, Su Qianli lay in a coma, her breathing growing increasingly shallow. The doctors had done all they could, and for the moment, no better treatment came to mind. Everyone could only wait.
However, no one knew that Su Qianli's consciousness was struggling desperately. It felt as if she were trapped in a cocoon; she fought with all her might until she finally tore an opening, and her consciousness snapped back.
She slowly opened her eyes and scanned her surroundings, verifying what she saw. The dilapidated doors and windows, the classic half-painted green walls, the vintage clothing worn by the people around her, and the heavy local accent—she was back. Her bizarre experience hadn't been a dream; she had truly transmigrated!
"Oh my! The girl is awake!" a soprano voice rang out.
"Really?" A group of people crowded around in an instant.
Everyone was overjoyed. Auntie Zhao even clasped her hands together in prayer, though she was quickly hushed by the person next to her. In these times, certain words were taboos, and they were afraid of giving anyone an excuse to target them. Yet, this didn't dampen their excitement.
Over the next few minutes, Su Qianli recalled what had happened before she fainted. Although she didn't know who had saved her, she was safe—but were Liu Kun and his accomplices captured? Just thinking about it sent shivers down her spine. Facing multiple attackers alone, even with her strength, was incredibly dangerous. This was a lesson she wouldn't soon forget.
Su Qianli vowed not to let Liu Kun and the others off the hook; she would ensure they received the punishment they deserved. Especially those men—they clearly belonged to a human trafficking ring. Who knew how many women had already suffered at their hands? If she let these men go, more innocent people would be harmed in the future. In her mind, the death penalty for traffickers was the only way to uphold the law and respect human rights.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, her expression twisting. Seeing her face contort, Auntie Zhao began to shout, "Doctor! Doctor, come quickly! Something is wrong with the girl!"
The others were terrified, fearing this might be a final burst of energy before death. The doctor hurried over but nearly tripped because everyone was crowded around the bed. After a quick examination, he realized everything was normal—in fact, she was better than before. The doctor sighed with relief, then scolded Auntie Zhao: "Don't make such a fuss. This is a hospital! Please keep it down, or you’ll give me a heart attack before the patient dies."
Auntie Zhao felt embarrassed, covering her mouth with her hand, and replied in a whisper, "I understand. It won't happen again."
The doctor shot her a sharp look. "There will be another time?"
Auntie Zhao immediately caught the hint, gently patted her own mouth, and said firmly, "There will not be another time. Please rest assured, comrade!"
The doctor left, and everyone turned their attention back to Su Qianli.
"Li, how do you feel? Is anything uncomfortable?"
"Li, are you hungry? Auntie brought you some boiled eggs."
"Li, you..."
"Hold it," the Brigade Leader finally spoke. "Don't scare her. She just woke up."
The others went quiet, waiting for the Brigade Leader to take charge. For a moment, the room was so silent you could hear a pin drop—an awkward tension filled the air. The Brigade Leader didn't know what to say either. He looked at Li, but when he received no response, he gritted his teeth and asked, "Li, are you hungry?"
Auntie Zhao thought to herself, *And here I thought you were so capable, that you’d come up with something profound. Hmph, turns out you’re nothing special.* Though she didn't say it aloud, her eyes raked over the Brigade Leader with utter disdain. He felt it but dared not say a word; because he had failed her in the past, he always felt smaller whenever he was around her.
Su Qianli was enjoying the spectacle until a nurse walked in, causing her to tense up. The nurse was carrying a tray, and Su Qianli instantly spotted the syringe. Her body went rigid in a conditioned reflex. The fear of needles from her childhood still haunted her; even as she got older, she had tried watching the injections versus looking away to see which was less painful. The result? Her butt hurt regardless!
She absolutely didn't want to be poked. Su Qianli said in a hoarse, urgent voice, "I’m awake now. I don't need an injection."
The nurse was used to patients resisting, but she didn't stop her hands, skillfully drawing the medicine into the syringe. Her voice drifted over calmly: "If you're afraid of needles, just say so; I'll be gentle. But the anesthetics haven't been cleared from your system, and you nearly didn't make it. So, there is no way around this shot. Put that unrealistic thought out of your head, or it’ll be more than just painful—it’ll be heartbreak."
*Wow,* Su Qianli thought, *this nurse is quite the poet and a realist—a true heart-piercer.*
Since there was no escaping the injection, and she certainly didn't want to bare her bottom in front of so many people—not that she would ever admit it was because she was afraid of looking ridiculous while getting the shot—Su Qianli looked at the people around her with teary eyes. The uncles and aunts who had been doting on her thought she wanted them to help her avoid the shot, so they collectively turned around without hesitation.
Fortunately, Grandma Zhou offered a final word of encouragement, patting Su Qianli on the shoulder: "Li, we must embody the spirit of Marxism and the revolutionary spirit of the older generation. Don't fear the pain; charge forward!"
Auntie Zhao added, "That's right! You are strong as steel, keep calm and don't panic! You can do it!"
With that, they exited the room in perfect synchrony.
Su Qianli: "..."
*Is it possible that by acting pathetic, I just succeeded in kicking everyone out?*
Looking at the gleaming needle, she was at a loss, but she definitely wasn't going to "charge forward." In fact, when she felt the cold touch of the alcohol swab, she wanted to hide. Su Qianli let out a muffled groan as she experienced her first physical sensation since waking up in this book.
It really hurt!
She confirmed once again that it wasn't a dream!
Afterward, the nurse left the medication for the next few days and gave instructions on how to take it before departing. Since Su Qianli had woken up, she was past the danger zone and could be packed up to go home and recover. Thanks to everyone's help, Su Qianli didn't have to lift a finger; she simply lay back on the ox cart as it wobbled its way home.
Along the way, Su Qianli reorganized the plot of the novel in her mind and combined it with the original owner's eighteen years of life experience here, forming a rough plan for the future.