Chapter 278: The Chicks
After inspecting the pig pen, Captain Huang felt the strange tension in the air. Observing the expressions of the people at the scene and Ning Xiyue’s reactions — and knowing his team well — he started to form a guess. Someone beside him quickly explained the situation, and he then shouted across at the others:
“Whoever said anything, apologize to Doctor Ning immediately. If you don’t, don’t expect to get any pork this year!”
The people, already intimidated by Ning Xiyue, quickly apologized. They feared that if they hesitated, Ning Xiyue might get angry with her knife and, in turn, anger the captain, leaving them without any meat.
Captain Huang then turned to Ning Xiyue, who was packing up, and also apologized on behalf of his team:
“Doctor Ning, I’m truly sorry. It’s my fault for not disciplining them properly. I hope you don’t take it to heart.”
These chatterboxes were a nuisance, and the team only had one skilled person like Ning Xiyue. If they offended her, who would handle the team’s sick livestock?
“It’s fine.”
Ning Xiyue didn’t need to dwell on these trivial people. Such characters existed everywhere. She only wanted to give those who spoke recklessly a little scare.
Hearing her response, Captain Huang finally relaxed. He then turned his attention to the annoying group and barked irritably:
“Go, all of you, scram! Don’t get in the way here.”
As soon as he said that, everyone dispersed, not daring to linger.
“Doctor Ning, this way. Your payment has been prepared,” Captain Huang said, inviting her to a nearby room after she finished packing her things.
“Thank you for the trouble.”
Ning Xiyue slung her small backpack over her shoulders, carried the medicine box, and followed Captain Huang to collect her fee.
Normally, fees received for treating humans or livestock would need to be handed over to the team if paid in money, but items or food could be kept. This was one of the hidden benefits of being a barefoot doctor like Ning Xiyue.
So today, the chicks were entirely hers to take, without any fuss.
Captain Huang led her to a heated room — their team’s chick incubation area.
As Ning Xiyue stepped in, a wave of warmth hit her, followed by the sound of chirping chicks. Rows of coops appeared before her eyes, full of downy chicks, only as big as her palm, with two or three per hand’s width.
“Doctor Ning, these outside chicks just hatched. They’re still too small and delicate to care for easily,” Captain Huang explained, pointing to the outside chicks. He then moved toward the far right, behind a cloth curtain: “Follow me. The chicks in this room have hatched for twenty days. Their down has fallen out, and they’re easier to raise.”
Ning Xiyue followed him in and saw an old man whose facial features were harsh and unpleasant, as if glaring at her.
She was puzzled. She hadn’t offended him, so why such hostility? This team really seemed full of inexplicable people.
The old man was simply grumpy due to age. Ning Xiyue ignored him and continued checking the chicks.
“Old Liu, go check on the outside chicks. They need feeding.” Captain Huang, wary that the old man might complain, sent him out.
Old Liu scowled but obeyed and left.
Once he was gone, Captain Huang laughed and said to Ning Xiyue:
“This old man is just mad at me. Doctor Ning, feel free to pick any chicks you like in here.”
Captain Huang had originally chosen three chicks himself, but after seeing Ning Xiyue’s skill, he wanted her to select them personally. It would ensure quality and make future requests easier to justify.
“Thank you, Captain Huang. Then I won’t be polite.”
Ning Xiyue spoke and immediately got to choosing.
The chicks in this room were indeed larger than those outside. One was about the size of her palm, weighing roughly four ounces.
She didn’t pick the biggest ones. Among the bunch, she selected three that caught her eye: healthy, lively, and pretty.
One was a rooster with shiny plumage and a tuft of black feathers under its chin. Another was a pure black hen. The third was a black-and-yellow speckled hen.
“These are all too small, not suitable,” Captain Huang said anxiously, seeing her choices. He personally picked up a larger, light-brown hen and added it to her selection.
Ning Xiyue raised an eyebrow at the added chick and glanced at Captain Huang.
“Raising chickens can easily have losses. Your choices are too small. I worry they won’t survive, so I’m giving you an extra one. At least one should make it.”
Captain Huang smiled kindly at her, explaining his reasoning.
“Thank you, Captain Huang. I’ll exchange it for the speckled hen. I believe these three will grow up healthy.”
Ning Xiyue removed the black-and-yellow speckled hen from her selection, leaving the one Captain Huang picked in as a gesture of courtesy.
She was aware of the unspoken rule: each household could raise a maximum of three chickens. Regardless of the captain’s intentions, she wasn’t going to cause any fuss — three is three.
Captain Huang suddenly remembered this tacit rule. Their team, being a major supplier of task chickens, often let households secretly raise an extra one, and superiors turned a blind eye. That’s why he had momentarily forgotten.
He smacked his head in frustration: “What a brain of mine… all right, let’s go. I’ll take you to meet your Team Captain Zhang. Things should be ready there as well.”
Ning Xiyue nodded. She covered the top of the basket with cloth and tied it with hemp rope to prevent the chicks from escaping.
With everything ready, she carried the basket, slung the medicine box over her shoulder, and followed Captain Huang out of the room.
As soon as they lifted the curtain, Captain Huang saw Old Liu leaning against a chicken coop in the next room, his face pale and lips colorless.
