Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
âWell, I know I am wrong. You havenât answered my question yet.â San Jimin smiled.
âIt is hard to say. One enjoys the reputation in Miao Territory for decades. Under that prestige, he must have some skills,â Sang Guzi said. âAlthough Wang Yao is pretty young, I have seen his extraordinary ability. I have talked with him more than once. I have rarely seen someone like him for decades with so rich knowledge in Chinese medicine.â
âUnder the prestige? Maybe it is overstated?â San Jimin said.
âNo, curing disease and saving life depends on knowledge and ability rather than others. If his ability is not enough, it could deceive people for a short while but not for long. If he did not have the ability, he could not be able to enjoy a good reputation in Miao Territory for decades. On the contrary, his prestige is more and more famous with time,â Sang Guzi said.
He had been practicing medicine for decades. He was very clear about his field. Treating people and saving people depended on true ability.
âOne is heard of while the other is seen. Hey, what do you think if there is such a day when they get together? What will happen?â Sang Jimin asked.
Sang Guzi was silent for a while. âThey shouldnât meet each other.â
They were people who lived in simple places and rarely went out. One was in the south, and one was in the north.
âIf, I said if,â Sang Jimin said.
âI donât know, but it would definitely not be harmonious,â Sang Guzi replied.
âFights between masters,â San Jimin said.
Sang Guzi did not continue the conversation.
After sending away two people, Wang Yao closed the door of the clinic and returned home.
âWhat is going on?â He found Du Mingyang had put a lot of small notes on his forehead.
âPlaying cards.â Du Mingyang smiled.
âI have bad luck this afternoon and always lose,â he cheerfully said.
âDo you?â Wang Yao asked.
âWant to play?â Du Mingyang asked.
âAh, forget it, I will watch it.â Wang Yao smiled, picked up the teapot, and poured water for them.
He watched his brother-in-law intentionally lost the game. He sighed. It was not easy to be a son-in-law trying to make his father-in-law happy, but it could not be too explicit.
âDid your friends come?â Du Mingyang asked.
âYes, Mr. Sang,â Wang Yao said.
âHey, that old doctor?â Du Mingyang asked.
âYes, a respectable old man,â Wang Yao said.
In the afternoon, the family did not do anything else. They were happy at home playing poker and laughing.
âHey, time flies fast!â Zhang Xiuying looked at the dark sky outside.
âWell, good times are always short!â Du Mingyang smiled.
âWell, you play some more while Iâll do some cooking,â Zhang Xiuying said.
âI can help.â Du Mingyang hurriedly got up.
âNo need,â she said.
There had been a lot of food in the morning, most of which hadnât been eaten. She just heated it up for the evening and fried two vegetarian dishes.
âYou donât have to do so many dishes,â Du Mingyang said.
âItâs not much. Enjoy the dinner.â Zhang Xiuying smiled. The more she looked at him, the more she liked him.
After dinner, the family gathered to watch TV and chatted. Wang Yao went up the mountain at 9 p.m. He still had something to do. He needed to boil down a drug especially for the old Mr. Wu in Jing.
After the disease reached a certain level, there was pain that could only be alleviated. Corydalis, white peony, licorice, octagonal tung... As an analgesic, the drug was simple but effective.
Wang Yao had used the prescription to treat Zhou Wukang.
The medical herbs he needed were available, as well as the octagonal paulownia, which was planted in the medicine field.
The medicine was slowly boiled down by the small fire. The medical fragrance floated everywhere.
Outside the house, the wind blew gently. The lights went out, and night shrouded the mountain.
Suddenly, there was a faint voice. The dog walked up from the kennel. The goshawk fluttered on the branches and seemed to be rising into the sky. A black shadow peeped out of the grass.
Wang Yao was lying in bed. He opened his eyes. What just happened?
He had an unclear feeling. It almost felt as if the mountain was moving. When he listened carefully, there was no sound. The mountain had recovered its calm.
In the morning, the sun rose as usual. Wang Yao went down the mountain early. After eating at home, he went to the clinic.
Wu Tongxing did not come, but a woman came in. It was Gu Yuanyuan from Jiangnan Water Town,
âHello, sir.â Her voice was soft like the rain in Jiangnan.
âWhy did you come?â Wang Yao was a little surprised.
âSecretary Wu canât come over because of some business. He me to get the medicine,â Gu Yuanyuan said.
âOh, here is the medicine.â Wang Yao took out the medicine prepared in advance.
âWhat about the fee?â she asked.
â$10,000,â Wang Yao said. Half octagonal tung was worthy of this price.
Gu Yuanyuan paid without saying anything. She then asked, âWhen will you be free to go to Jing?â
âI have no such plan for the time being,â Wang Yao said.
âOh, OK. What else does Mr. Wang need me to do?â Gu Yuanyuan asked.
She was like a shy neighbor girl.
âI donât need anything. Thank you,â Wang Yao said.
âGoodbye then,â Gu Yuanyuan said.
Her main purpose for coming was to get the medicine. Her other purpose was to ask if Wang Yao had time to go to Jing, which was arranged before she came. Of course, if there were other needs, she would report them so the Wu family could show up to coordinate.
âSafe journey,â Wang Yao said.
Before leaving, she suddenly bowed deeply to him.
âWhy are you doing that?â Wang Yao hurriedly waved his hand. An invisible gas poured out and held her up.
âThank you for speaking to me last time. He has never come to me again,â Gu Yuanyuan said.
âIt is nothing. As long as he doesnât bother you again,â Wang Yao said.
âI am going to get married May 1. If you have time, please come to Jing to have a drink,â Gu Yuanyuan said.
âOK,â Wang Yao said. âCongratulations.â
âThank you,â she said.
While Gu Yuanyuan was leaving, she met Wang Ru coming into the clinic.
âHello.â She found this woman always stared at her, so she became shy with her ruddy face as she greeted her.
âAh, hello, did you come to see the doctor?â Wang Ru asked.
âNo, I come to get medicine,â Gu Yuanyuan said.
âWhere are you from?â Wang Ru asked.
âJing,â Gu Yuanyuan said.
âHey, how old are you?â Wang Ru asked.
âAh?â Gu Yuanyuan had a blank look.
âSister.â Wang Yaoâs voice came from the house. He had clearly heard their dialogue at the door.
âNothing, nothing.â Wang Ru smiled and went into the house.
âOh, that girl is pretty, and she looks like a virtuous wife,â Wang Ru said.
âShe will marry on May Day, a few months earlier than you,â Wang Yao said.
âAh, thatâs a pity,â Wang Ru said.
âNot a pity. She has her own other half. For this reason, she even refused the temptation from a wealthy person. She is such an assertive woman,â Wang Yao said.
âItâs useless to talk about that. I will marry your brother-in-law in October. What about you? Did you break up with Tong Wei?â Wang Ru asked. A the clinic, she seemed to have restored to her original character when with her brother.
âYeah.â Wang Yao nodded.
For a few months, they hadnât called or send each other messages. They had not contact. What did that mean other than breaking up?
âDo you have a new girlfriend?â Wang Ru asked.
âNo,â Wang Yao said.
âWhat type do you like? Long hair? Tall figure?â Wang Ru asked.
âSister, I think your main energy should be on the marriage with my brother-in-law. If possible, you could have a child. Our parents like children very much. You can give them a few first,â Wang Yao said.
âGive them a few? What do you think I am, a sow? A few children!â Wang Ru shouted.
âWhat is it?â Du Mingyang came in from the outside.
âNone of your business. Do you have a suitable girl in your workplace to introduce to Xiaoyao?â Wang Ru asked.
âAh?â Du Mingyang was stunned. âNo problem. I will go back and take a good look.â
...
In Peopleâs Hospital in Lianshan County...
âDoctor, what happened to him?â A middle-aged woman was in a hurry.
Her husband went up the mountain in the morning to herd sheep, but he came back early and said that he was uncomfortable. He had a high fever, which was not treated. He had not taken it seriously. Suddenly, he was unconscious, which scared her. She quickly brought him to the hospital.
âDonât worry, letâs give him a check,â the doctor said.
They first used an antipyretic plug for the patient and let the patientâs family physically cool him. Some of the results of the tests would take a while to come out.
âHigh blood pressure. Low pressure is 140. High pressure is 180. Heart rate is 95,â the doctor said. âIs this your husband?â
âCorrect,â the woman said.
âDoes he have a medical history of heart disease?â the doctor asked.