C11 Electricity!

He had just helped an ailing elderly man out of his car and into the hospital before turning to greet Shen Shuling. After a bit of conversation, it became clear that Xu Qian had taken up the job of transporting emergency patients. Ever since the doctor at the local clinic called Xu Qian to save Lim Shan's life, people from nearby villages have been reaching out to him to transport their sick to the city hospital.

Xu Qian charges based on the distance to the city hospital, with a maximum fare of five dollars per trip. Over the past few days, his business has only grown, spreading by word of mouth in the countryside, and he's finding it hard to keep up with the demand on his own.

"Normally, there would be an ambulance for emergency patients, but right now, only big cities like New York have them. It'll probably be a while before we get one here," Xu Qian said with a smile.

After a quick goodbye, Lim Fuqing glanced back at Xu Qian several times. So, this is the guy Liu Xue talked about? Hmph, his face looks as pale as a ghost, doesn't seem strong at all. Still, he and his wife make the perfect pair.

Back home, Shen Shuling sat in the cool shade of the yard, watching Lim Fuqing bustling around, washing and cleaning with great enthusiasm. The rumors about her had completely disappeared. Instead, when she entered the village, she heard that Liu Xue had been "punished" by Lim Fuqing, and now no one dared to go near her.

Liu Xue's parents were criticized for not raising their child properly, and even the extended family with the same last name in the village faced disdain because of her actions. Liu Xue managed to upset her entire family, and rumor had it that her father slapped her a few times and grounded her at home.

Shen Shuling slowly made her way to the makeshift "vegetable greenhouse," placing her hand on the ground to gently channel some energy, ensuring the yellow chives would grow a bit faster. Using the excuse of "going for a walk," she wandered over to her own vegetable garden and noticed the weeds were nearly overtaking the crops. With a simple wave of her hand, she caused most of the weeds to wither away gradually, not instantly.

She picked a fresh tomato, rubbed it on her clothes, and took a bite. It was fresh, sweet, and juicy, with an excellent flavor.

By mid-afternoon, the sound of firecrackers erupted at the village entrance, creating a festive atmosphere akin to New Year's. Several village officials, who were rarely seen, appeared on a wooden platform set up at the entrance. Shen Shuling's curiosity got the better of her, and Lim Fuqing, unable to refuse her, carefully helped her over to see what was happening. As they got closer, they saw a banner strung across the top of the platform, announcing the launch ceremony for the new rural electrification project.

"Wow, are they getting electricity now?"

"Are they finally going to have electric lights in their house?"

"At last, no more straining our eyes with kerosene lamps. Even a 15-watt bulb is way brighter than those old lamps."

Lim Fuqing, having visited places like New York, knew exactly what getting electricity meant. He immediately started planning to buy a few light bulbs to install around the house.

The village leader was full of enthusiasm, explaining the benefits of having electricity. Essentially, he was asking the whole village to support the temporary power outages during the transition.

"My uncle lives in the city, and I've heard electricity is expensive. Costs a few bucks a month."

"That much? So what can we do with electricity? My kerosene lamp hardly costs anything and lasts forever."

"Don't talk if you don't know. Ever heard of a TV? That little box where people sing and act? It needs electricity to work. And then there are light bulbs, radios, all sorts of appliances."

...

While the crowd buzzed with excitement, Shen Shuling suddenly remembered reading some articles online about the early days of electricity in the '90s. They mentioned how technology and management couldn't keep up, leading to high electricity bills. In some areas, it even reached two dollars per kilowatt-hour.