Chapter 16: What a Lifesaver

In the past, when assisting with sow deliveries, the young soldier had helped Zhou Dazhu before. Although the squad leader had given instructions and even taught him hands-on, he was still nervous when the moment came. Moreover, this wasn’t a normal birth—it was a premature and difficult delivery, which made him even more flustered.

He ran to the mess hall to ask around, but no one was sure what to do. The main concern was that the sow was pregnant, and one careless move could mean the loss of several lives. The young soldier wasn’t afraid to take responsibility, but he knew that if something went wrong, admitting fault and reflecting wouldn’t undo the damage.

Li Sanhua quickly tried to comfort him: “Don’t panic. How about I check with the family quarters? Maybe one of the wives has experience with this.” She was about to leave when Lu Youyou grabbed her arm.

Anxious, Li Sanhua tried to pull away: “Sister, can’t this wait? We can’t afford any delay right now!”

“I can do it,” Lu Youyou replied firmly.

Her clear voice struck everyone’s hearts, and they stared at her in disbelief.

“Sister, what did you say?” Li Sanhua was dumbfounded, thinking she must have misheard.

“I can deliver the piglets,” Lu Youyou repeated.

She was a bona fide veterinary medicine major at university, having treated all sorts of common and uncommon animals. Helping a sow give birth was a basic skill—failure to know how would mean failing to graduate. Most importantly, this was meat! She had been worrying about how to supplement Gu Qingye’s nutrition; if the pig was in trouble, how could she not save it?

Knowing her current appearance gave no hint of her pig-raising background, Lu Youyou continued to use her late grandfather as a banner. “My grandfather and mother were both doctors. A few years back, due to staff shortages, they also treated pigs. They taught me—I really know how!”

Her tone was resolute. When it came to her profession, her entire demeanor changed. Though young to an extreme, her eyes were full of confidence and calm.

The young soldier didn’t hesitate. Even if it meant bringing in more hands, maybe a few extra helpers could solve the problem.

He ran with Lu Youyou through the camp to a designated area full of small pens for these precious animals. Piglets’ cries filled the air.

Five minutes later, Lu Youyou finally saw her patient.

She had seen pigs from Qiaoshan Village before—skinny and malnourished. This one wasn’t like those back then, but it was clear it was well cared for.

Several people in military uniform surrounded them. The cooks had asked around, calling anyone who might have experience with deliveries, even if their family members were butchers.

Li Sanhua and the others were stunned. Were there even military spouses here?

Lu Youyou was very young, delicate as a water plant. Could she also be a cook’s emergency backup?

“Mrs. Li, what’s going on here?”

Li Sanhua didn’t know what to say; she was still confused. Meanwhile, Lu Youyou had already entered work mode.

“Scissors, thread, iodine, buckets, syringes...”

She had streamlined her needs for the current setting. She didn’t mention the specialized powders, ultrasound lubricants, or pharmaceuticals that would be standard in the future.

After a quick assessment of the sow, she found a place to wash her hands and added, “Also need amoxicillin, or penicillin. Oh, and a burlap sack.”

She had initially wanted to say gauze and towels but realized those were precious, so she switched to burlap.

Those curious about Lu Youyou’s identity now looked dazed.

A real savior?

The young soldier sprinted off to gather everything they could. For unavailable medicines, he went straight to the clinic.

Raising pigs wasn’t unimportant. He had heard from the squad leader that a company had won a third-class merit for pig farming—his lifelong aspiration.

The sow’s eyes were bloodshot, restless. Amniotic fluid had been discharged for a while, but no piglets had come out yet—a clear sign of dystocia.

Without oxytocin, they had to resort to manual assistance.

They started by pressing on the chest and abdomen. Lu Youyou pressed for about ten minutes without effect, so she called a cook to continue mimicking her motions.

She quickly disinfected her hands and arms with iodine. Amid the stunned onlookers, she reached in.

Everyone had heard that livestock might need manual help during difficult births, but no one had ever seen such a fierce eighteen-year-old girl do it!

Lu Youyou’s movements were swift and clean, despite the mess on the ground, her brow never furrowed.

“There are two piglets stuck in the birth canal at the same time. I’ll pull one out first. It’s not exhausted yet, and the amniotic fluid is still okay. The rest might be born naturally.”

After locating the piglets, she gently pushed one back inside, then pulled the other out. A nearby young soldier hurriedly brought a basin. The bright red piglet landed in it amid everyone’s watchful eyes.

Li Sanhua couldn’t help but applaud, and soon the others joined in.

As Lu Youyou had predicted, after the stuck piglet was delivered, the sow grunted and moaned for two more hours as the rest were born one after another.

A total of twelve piglets—a very high yield for this era.

“Sister, you’re amazing!”

Li Sanhua couldn’t help but feel she was looking at a god of fortune. In these times, being able to treat and deliver livestock was like being a deity of wealth!

The young soldier who had brought the reinforcements had tears in his eyes. Fearful he might have caused a loss due to inexperience, he saluted Lu Youyou.

Thankfully!

If something had gone wrong and the unit’s assets were damaged, he would never have been able to forgive himself.

Lu Youyou sighed in relief. After several hours of hard work, she was covered in sweat. Smiling, she asked, “You know how to handle the aftercare, right?”

The young soldier nodded quickly. “Yes, I’ve always taken care of newborn piglets.”

“That’s good. If there’s any problem...”

Lu Youyou had intended to say to come find her, but professional instincts as a doctor made it hard to let go of her patient.

“I’ll come by every noon for the next few days until your squad leader returns. Is that okay?”

The young soldier was overjoyed. “Yes, yes, thank you so much, sister!”

Overflowing with gratitude, he saluted again and again, his arm aching but unwilling to lower it.

When Lu Youyou stood up, she realized her legs were numb from squatting so long. As she wobbled, Li Sanhua immediately steadied her. Only then did she realize they had spent hours there.

“Oh dear, our meals are still in the mess hall!”

After saying this, Li Sanhua remembered another thing—not only had she not eaten, but she had completely forgotten about the child.

Xiao Li quickly said, “Don’t worry, sister, I’ll fry something for you now.”

“No, no need. I’ll just take it back and reheat it!” Lu Youyou replied.

Xiao Li ran off but kept looking back: “No way! How can I let you eat cold food, sister?”

In the end, Lu Youyou and Li Sanhua returned carrying freshly cooked dishes.

Though the menu was the same, Xiao Li had clearly made an effort, even bringing Lu Youyou a whole jar of pickled radish—a treasured item from their squad leader, rarely given to outsiders.