Qinghe opened the clinic room for anyone who wanted to compare health with the collection dates. Sato brought Meili first and asked that no name leave the room.
“Your examination can stay private,” Qinghe said. “The council receives only anonymous totals, unless you choose to share more.”
Two residents from nearby households arrived after Seli explained the survey. One was an older fisherman who could not read the questions easily. Bai sat with him and translated each one. The man wanted to take part but did not want his family named in the archive.
Bai wrote his answers on the anonymous sheet and left the identity line blank. “You can still tell us when the collection happens,” he said. “You don’t have to give the archive a name.”
The fisherman nodded and spoke about fatigue after the monthly payment. He also worked late shifts on the boats. Qinghe asked about sleep and illness, then took his pulse. She noted both details without deciding which one caused the tiredness. The fisherman said his knees ached most after hauling nets, while the low energy came a day or two after collection. Qinghe asked how many hours he had slept on those days. He could not remember exactly, so Bai wrote “unknown” instead of guessing. The fisherman seemed pleased that the blank answer did not disqualify his account.
