At this time, many people could pick up a pen, there was no need for her to add more detail, but the shortage of medical personnel and medicine would become increasingly scarce as the war began.

Although she knew that Penicillin came out in ’28, she didn’t have the capability to extract it in this situation, conditions were lacking, her ability was lacking. The only thing she could do was to use her modern and ancient knowledge, combining Chinese and Western medicine, to help more people.

The System very humanely reminded her of all the skills she had experienced, the only things blurred were probably the emotions and daily life she had in those worlds, yet these skill-based memories often appeared in her mind subconsciously.

After the Spring Festival of 1928, she transferred the ownership of the small courtyard to Li Man as the final gift, and then found Zhang Jie to tell him.

"Uncle Zhang, I am leaving here to go to Nanjing, the last novel is here with you, from now on I will stop writing. If we meet again in the future, I will give you the manuscript. If we don’t, it’s probably going to be for a lifetime. I give you this last novel for free, without any fees, it is to make up for the sudden departure and the losses caused to you..."

Zhang Jie’s eyes widened, feeling a bit dizzy, "No, what’s wrong with you? Suddenly saying this is quite scary. Why go to Nanjing? Anyways, even if you go to Nanjing, it’s fine, we have a cooperative bookstore in Nanjing, you can submit your work," 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"Uncle, I’m retiring, no longer writing, going to Nanjing is not for fun, I have things to do, which I can’t disclose. Anyway, from now on, let’s each take care, my share of the royalties, I don’t want them anymore, consider it a compensation for your hard work all these years. No more words needed. I’ll write to you once I’ve settled down, I have already given the house to my mother, farewell!"

By the time Zhang Jie realized, Ma Lu had already taken the bamboo suitcase and was on the rickshaw heading to the dock.

Now, she had accumulated enough money and stockpiled enough food, although it wasn’t enough for a lifetime of squander, at least until she reached fifty, she wouldn’t suffer too much, of course, the premise was that she would be able to live to that time.

Since she wasn’t a legitimate graduate from a nursing school or medical school, without a graduation certificate, people wouldn’t hire her without questions. Besides, even in times of emergency now, political investigations of personnel were strict, she wasn’t a specialist graduate, nor did she have a graduation certificate, and she’s getting on in age, it was hard to gain trust.

Fortunately, she was relatively laid-back, found a hospital and started working as a general worker. Though tired and earning little, she often interacted with doctors and nurses and gradually integrated among them. It wasn’t impossible for her to go to a war zone or rear area when opportunities arose.

Though she couldn’t directly become a doctor or nurse, she had the heart for learning. When she had downtime from work, she would watch teaching and training, with nobody stopping her, and if a nurse needed help, she’d quickly assist. Gradually, in the mouths of the younger nurses, ’Sister Lu Lu’ became synonymous with a warm heart.

Although the hospital provided her food and accommodation, she wasn’t used to living in the cramped dormitory of seven or eight people, so she lived in the space.

Everything in the space was well set up, and she didn’t need to cook, usually solving her eating and going needs in the hospital. Sometimes, she would have a kind of feeling as if she were separated from the times, appearing to have returned to that frightening Spring Festival of 2020...

A month after arriving in Nanjing, she reconnected with Zhang Jie. Naturally, he did not want to give up this cash cow, and when multiple persuasions failed, he even personally went to Nanjing. Ma Lu was helplessly pestered by him and had to tactfully persuade with good words.

"The situation now is different from before, I believe you can change careers. Look, there are uprisings everywhere, and war might break out at any moment. The Japanese may invade anytime. Uncle, while your bookstore still fetches a good price, sell it, and go to Hong Kong to find your son!"

Zhang Jie looked at Ma Lu dressed in the hospital’s white but yellowed janitor’s uniform, filled with confusion and thoroughly unexpectedness as she was even urging him to sell his ancestral business. He wanted to shake his head and refuse, but her gaze was so firm. In the years of cooperation, he naturally saw a wise woman whom he could not underestimate. Nowadays, she even left him with a sincere word after he went to find her, which showed just how sincere she was moved by his honesty to say so.

Though he didn’t understand why, he, a businessman, could sense the tense domestic situation and, after much thought, didn’t persist.

"Since the niece says so, if Uncle remains stubborn, who knows how you might criticize Uncle for refusing. Fine, if it weren’t for you, my bookstore wouldn’t be like it is today. I’ll discuss it with my son at home; if he agrees, I’ll go. Rest assured, I’ll keep your share, no matter what business I do in the future, your portion will always be reserved for you, forever!"

Zhang Jie left with many puzzles and misunderstandings. But he was a qualified businessman, not asking more than necessary, which was also why Ma Lu was willing to cooperate with him for over ten years, never agreeing when others tried to poach her.

Here at the hospital, she earned ten silver coins per month, very little and tiring, even though the earnings were small, she would occasionally send pieces to newspapers and magazines to show her presence proving that Linglong still exists, albeit under another form, and earning 20 to 30 silver coins in a manuscript fee each month.

After three years at the hospital, she took the nursing exam at the high age of thirty and passed through hospital training, successfully obtaining a position.

Later, seeing her strong educational and professional ability, the hospital doctors suggested she apply to a medical university, which was also considered a way of further study, and the hospital recommended her for admission. She hadn’t expected to be able to apply for a college at thirty.

Facts proved, people’s eyes were deeply considered, and she had the potential to be a doctor, being a nurse would be a waste of her talents.

At first, she thought being a nurse was fine, at least it also involved healing and saving people. But she never imagined that, by relying on her personal charm and learning ability after entering the hospital, she could have such circumstances. She studied in college for five years and directly entered the largest hospital in Nanjing for her internship in ’35, which was also the hospital she initially chose.

The surgical director said at the time that after she graduated, she could come and work with him, and he would personally mentor her. Now, she had said her goodbyes and had finally joined them, though already thirty-five, but in the medical profession, the older one gets, the more valuable they become. No one minded her age. The only curiosity people had was why she wasn’t married, she casually invented an excuse after being asked too much.

"Was married, cannot bear children, divorced."

She explained her infertility self-deprecatingly mainly to avoid being urged to marry by wave after wave of people or treated with a peculiar look, saying certain words upfront also saved her from explaining all around.

As time entered 1937, she formally became a certified, qualified surgeon.

Of course, the terrifying 1937 also arrived, and inside, she was fully aware of what would happen this year. As news of occupation came from everywhere, with gunfire riddling the air, the number of patients treated at the hospital increased daily, often being taken to certain people’s homes for treating and saving lives, and she could only pray, in limited time, that she could save more lives...