Long-distance running was Annette's strong suit, but the original body she was inhabiting was so out of shape that after only a short run, she felt a suffocating pain in her chest.
Thinking about her ration coupons and five yuan, Annette gritted her teeth, held her breath, and surged forward like the wind after the thief.
Step by step, the distance closed. The thief tripped over something and fell face-first into the dirt.
Annette dashed over in a flash, swinging the flour bag to slam it against the thief's back, then swiftly stomped on it. "Give it back!"
The thief refused to admit he had stolen anything, his eyes filled with rage as he spat, "Give what back, you shrew? Let go of me!"
As he spoke, he tried to flip over, but Annette, though not as strong as a man, quickly reacted and delivered a sharp kick to his chest, targeting the acupuncture point known as the "Tan Zhong."
The thief went limp like a fish out of water, collapsing onto the ground in pain, clutching his chest while crying out, "Murder! The woman's trying to kill me!"
Annette's face turned cold. If she hadn't held back, she could have kicked the man to death. She crouched down, grabbed the thief's arm, and with a loud snap, dislocated his right arm.
"Give me my money and ration coupons!"
Sweating cold and writhing in pain, the thief knew he had met his match. With his free hand, he pulled out a handful of coins, ration tickets, and Annette's lost ration book — evidently, he'd stolen quite a lot that day.
Annette took back her five yuan and ration book, then picked up the flour bag and started to leave.
The thief, clutching his dislocated arm, scrambled to his knees and cried out, "Lady, you can't just leave me like this! What am I supposed to do if you go?"
Annette glanced at the gathering crowd and smiled lightly. "Go find the police. They'll help you."
Then, confidently, she slung the flour bag over her shoulder and walked away.
Stuart watched Annette's retreating figure with deep, thoughtful eyes. From the way she had fought the thief — her swift moves, the precise strike on the Tan Zhong point, and the skillful arm dislocation — it was clear she was very familiar with human anatomy and experienced in combat.
Yet, he knew well that Annette shouldn't have this kind of knowledge.
Beside him, Ge Dazhuang was also stunned. The fierce woman had really surprised him. "Is she really the captain's wife?" he muttered. Usually, she was just loud and unreasonable in the housing compound, but now she had such fighting skills. He couldn't help but feel sympathy for Stuart.
Rubbing his chin, he asked, "Captain, should we give your wife a ride?"
Thinking back, if it weren't for Stuart kicking the thief's leg earlier, Annette might not have caught him so easily. He guessed Stuart was willing to help her.
If they could ease the tension between the couple, life might get better for both.
Stuart looked away. "No need. We still have to go to the Agricultural Machinery Bureau. Don't bother with her."
…
Annette carried the ten-pound flour bag back home, her mind full of thoughts. Since getting married, her household registration had been transferred to Stuart's place. She didn't understand why the original Annette's family had been in such a rush to marry her off and transfer her registration so quickly.
The original family's conditions weren't bad; both parents had jobs, and the elder siblings were already working. Why had they been so eager to send her as far away as possible?
Annette had no memory of the original's past — she didn't know if it was intentionally forgotten or simply unknown.
She resolved she would have to find a way to earn and save money. After divorcing Stuart, she'd move to the city, buy a house, and transfer her registration there.
But how to make money?
Annette was from a medical family, though her mother and brother were in business, so she wasn't lacking in business sense. The only problem was not knowing what kind of business suited this era.
As she turned into the housing compound, an idea suddenly struck her: if nothing else, she could become a barefoot doctor.
At this time, practicing medicine didn't require official qualifications. Many small clinics were run by "folk doctors," and few had formal medical training. Compared to them, she would have a clear advantage.
But that might not work either — if she treated patients, Stuart would surely become suspicious.
After wracking her brain for a solution, she gave up and decided to focus on dinner first.
After running around and tussling with the thief again, Annette was exhausted. She changed clothes and lay on the bed for a while before rolling up her sleeves to knead dough.
Annette wasn't a delicate girl. She enjoyed cooking and was good at it — even her mother loved her dishes.
Thinking of her mother, her nose tingled. Who would have thought the little princess of the Sheng family would face hunger in the 1970s?
She didn't know if she had already died in her original world, but her family must be heartbroken.
Pressing back the tears, she started kneading the dough.
When Stuart came home, Annette had already made a batch of fried pork cakes. Though the first two were a bit burnt from not mastering the heat, the rest were golden and shiny — enough to make anyone's mouth water.
Seeing Stuart enter, Annette greeted him with a bright smile. "You're back! Freshly made cakes — wash up quickly and come eat."
Stuart swallowed hard, unaccustomed to the smell of food filling the house. Previously, he'd come home to an empty stove, having to cook himself, while Annette slammed the door after serving a bowl.
Annette glanced at the last cake in the pan. "I put scallions, pork lard, and salt in these. They're delicious — you don't even need to cook a vegetable dish."
She had just checked the enamel pot and noticed the pork lard was running low. She'd unknowingly used cooking oil to light the fire at lunch, so cooking more dishes would be extravagant.
After all, Stuart was the only one earning wages, so she needed to be thrifty.
Stuart nodded, went to wash his hands, then helped carry the cakes to the small dining table. He thought for a moment, then took out a metal can and an empty bowl from the cupboard.
He scooped two spoonfuls of pale yellow granules from the can, poured hot water over them, and a faint milky aroma wafted up, sweet and pleasant.
Annette clumsily covered the pot lid, washed her hands, and sat down. Seeing the pale yellow liquid Stuart had made, she wrinkled her nose but took a deep sniff — the comforting sweet smell lifted her mood.
Stuart pushed the bowl toward her. "Drink this."
Annette glanced at the can — "Malt Extract" — a nostalgic taste for a generation.
Seeing Stuart put the can away without making a cup for himself, she suddenly found this quiet, taciturn man a little endearing.
She didn't hesitate and took a sip, smiling contentedly. "So good, so sweet. Want to try some?"
Stuart shook his head and silently poured himself a bowl of plain hot water. Holding the pork cake, he suddenly said, "If you want to go to the city, I'm going to a meeting there in a few days. I can take you with me."
Annette was overwhelmed with happiness. "Really? You'd take me?"
Stuart looked at her, his handsome eyes full of hope and surprise.
He pursed his lips and lowered his gaze, silently biting the cake, but inside, he hesitated — should he tell her about the Sheng family's current situation? At the same time, he wanted to find out why Annette knew so much about medicine.