Staying in this isolated and peaceful mountain village, under Doctor Lin’s care, Ye Li’s health improved day by day. She was quite surprised to find such a skilled physician as Doctor Lin in this secluded mountain village. Including renowned doctors like Shen Yang, Ye Li had met many skilled physicians, but even so, this unknown Doctor Lin’s medical skills could be counted among the very best. Ye Li had personally witnessed his extremely clean and efficient technique when treating a young villager who had broken his leg while hunting in the mountains. Though Ye Li had thought the youth would surely end up lame, within a month he could walk independently. Though still somewhat inconvenienced, it was clear that after two or three more months of recovery, the young man would be able to move as freely as before.
Noticing Ye Li’s surprised gaze, Doctor Lin looked at her rather proudly saying, “How could ordinary mortals like you understand this old man’s medical skills?”
Ye Li’s mouth twitched as she lowered her head to immerse herself in the large pile of medical texts Doctor Lin had thrown her way. Now her child was over seven months along, and after Doctor Lin had treated her for over a month, he looked at her sideways as usual, staring at her balloon-like abdomen and humphing, “This little one certainly has great fortune, will surely be quite a handful in the future.” Hearing this, Ye Li gently stroked her belly and smiled – surviving falling from the cliff and lying unconscious for four months, wasn’t that indeed great fortune? While reading the medical texts and watching Doctor Lin busy himself outside sorting the herbs he’d gathered from the mountains, Ye Li asked curiously, “Doctor Lin, you’re… different from the villagers.”
Doctor Lin’s busy hands paused, then quickly resumed moving as he said without looking up, “Are you saying you’re the same as them, girl?” Ye Li smiled gracefully, “So Doctor Lin admits it? That you’re like me, coming from outside?”
Doctor Lin was different from the villagers – Ye Li had noticed this within days of waking up. The villagers all greatly respected this old doctor, not just for his medical skills, but for his profound knowledge that set him apart from the village people. In any era, common people always held extra respect for scholars. Doctor Lin’s home had a dedicated study filled with neatly arranged books of all kinds. When Ye Li casually picked up two, she discovered one was a lost ancient text from the previous dynasty. For such a person to appear in this tiny village where almost no one could read, and reportedly live here for decades, felt very strange.
Doctor Lin stood up, dusting off his hands, and looked at Ye Li saying, “This old man has also noticed you’re no ordinary noble lady. These days, you must have inquired quite thoroughly about my affairs in the village?”
Ye Li smiled faintly, not denying it. She had indeed inquired about Doctor Lin these days, though there wasn’t anything particularly special. Doctor Lin had moved to this village thirty years ago, supposedly surnamed Lin, though since almost everyone in the village was named Lin, Ye Li doubted this was true. He had reportedly brought an infant called Lin Yuan. However, about eleven or twelve years ago, Lin Yuan left the village and never returned. Doctor Lin hadn’t gone looking for him either, and as the years passed, many gradually forgot such a person had ever existed.
“Has Doctor Lin never thought of leaving here?” Ye Li asked.
Doctor Lin’s eyes dimmed somewhat, and after a while, he said, “At this old man’s age, where else could I go? Better to stay here, treat these neighbors’ illnesses, and when I die they can at least bury me and give me peace.” Sensing the elder’s melancholy, Ye Li thought for a moment, “Has Doctor Lin never thought of looking for young Master Lin? Perhaps I could help somehow.” Doctor Lin snorted coldly, “He won’t come back, and besides, he’s not my son.”
Ye Li raised an eyebrow, deciding to end today’s conversation there. The old doctor wasn’t one for peaceful nurturing of temperament, his disposition not particularly good.
After confirming Doctor Lin’s statement that she temporarily couldn’t leave this remote village, Ye Li settled in contentedly. About ten days after she woke up, a small wooden house was built next to Doctor Lin’s house, and she moved in. Usually, Ye Li would walk around the village chatting with people, or help Doctor Lin with household chores, and after meals there were rooms full of books at Doctor Lin’s house, which gradually filled Ye Li’s room. Doctor Lin showed no reaction to Ye Li moving his ancient texts – no one in the village could read, and since the child he had raised left eleven years ago, those books had simply sat there with no one to look at them. With her remaining time, Ye Li traded a plain hairpin she carried for some soft fabric from village girls who could weave. In a few more months the child would be born, and she needed to prepare clothes.
Looking at the simple, somewhat rough fabric in her hands, Ye Li felt a slight bitterness in her heart. If not for being here, the baby would surely have the very best of everything from birth, but now… Looking up at the slanting sunset outside, Ye Li sighed softly. The outside world was probably filled with war now – at least it was much safer here, wasn’t it?
While sewing clothes for the baby, Ye Li also made a set of clothes for Doctor Lin. Though the old man showed no reaction, his usual sarcastic remarks toward Ye Li notably decreased. He would occasionally toss her one or two rare books that she had only heard of but had long been lost. Looking at the ancient texts that Doctor Lin threw to her as if they were worthless trash, Ye Li’s lips curved in a faint smile. She knew this eccentric old man was gradually accepting her presence. Actually, if not for all the people she worried about outside, settling down in this small village for life wouldn’t be a bad choice.
“Sister Chu… Sister Chu, are you there?”
Just as she was thinking, a young man’s voice came from outside. Ye Li sighed helplessly – truly, no matter where in the world, there were always one or two speechless characters. Supporting herself on the table to stand up, the person outside had already entered – a rather tall and straight young man carrying a wild pheasant. Seeing Ye Li, he quickly came forward with an ingratiating smile saying, “Sister Chu, I caught a pheasant in the mountains, it’s good for your health.” Ye Li sighed inwardly, looking up at the man with a smile, “Brother Lin, thank you for your kindness. But I don’t eat much meat, so please take this back to nourish your uncle and aunt.” The youth frowned, disapprovingly saying, “How can that be? Even if you don’t eat it, the child needs nourishment. This… my mother asked me to bring it over.” Saying this, the youth’s simple face reddened as he gazed at her hopefully.
Looking at the young man before her, Ye Li couldn’t help but want to hold her head. Perhaps customs being too simple and honest had its downsides. Elsewhere, people would be somewhat wary of a woman living alone while pregnant, but in this small village, since she could walk about, Doctor Lin had told her two families had already hinted at wanting to marry her, not minding her pregnancy. Though she had explained several times that she had only arrived here by accident and would leave after giving birth and recovering, clearly few believed her. After all, in people’s eyes, wanting to leave here for the outside world was so dangerous that even strong young men didn’t dare venture out easily, let alone a weak woman with a child.
“Brother Lin, thank you for your kindness. But… my husband and I are deeply in love, he must be waiting for me at home. So, after the child is born, I must take the baby back to see him no matter what. So… Brother Lin needn’t trouble himself so much for me.” Originally Ye Li hadn’t wanted to speak so directly, but this person brought wild game and food to her home every few days, eventually causing everyone old and young in the village to stop her with knowing looks whenever she went out to discuss these matters, truly exhausting Ye Li beyond endurance. Most importantly, some things should be cut off decisively – dragging things out wasn’t good. The young man’s face immediately reddened further, somewhat dejected and flustered as he said, “I know… Doctor Lin said you’re a young lady from a wealthy family outside. I… I’m not worthy of you, so… this is just something I happened to catch in the mountains, please keep it. I… I…” Finally seeming not to know what to say, the youth dropped the pheasant and hurriedly fled. Ye Li looked at the doorway, then lowered her head to support her round belly with a bitter smile.
“You girl, that lad is the best young man in our village.” At some point, Doctor Lin had walked in from outside, looking knowingly at the wild game placed on the table to the side.
Ye Li smiled helplessly and bitterly, “Why must Doctor Lin tease me so? You know very well I must leave here.”
Doctor Lin sat down and sighed, “I know, I could tell at first glance you’re no ordinary person. This tiny mountain village can’t keep you, just like that boy back then, without a bit of heart, leaving just like that and not coming back to visit all these years.”
Watching the old man complain with furrowed brows, Ye Li smiled faintly, thinking that after she left, she should help the old man look for Lin Yuan if she had the chance. Doctor Lin looked at her somewhat regretfully saying, “This old man isn’t young anymore. Originally seeing how clever and quick to learn you are, I thought of having an heir for my medical skills. The village… would be good to have a doctor watching over it in the future.”
“Why hasn’t Doctor Lin chosen someone from the village to inherit your legacy?” Ye Li asked curiously. Doctor Lin had lived in this village for thirty years – logically, if he wanted to find an heir, he should have long ago. Doctor Lin snorted lightly, “Not a single person in this village can read or write. Their ancestors supposedly set rules – not allowed to read, not allowed to leave the village. Without literacy what can I teach? At most, I could only produce a third-rate doctor.”
Ye Li smiled apologetically, “It is quite a pity. If Doctor Lin doesn’t mind, please teach Jun Wei. Though I don’t know how much I can grasp in these few months.”
Doctor Lin looked her up and down, only tossing back a sentence as he stood to leave, “First memorize the book I gave you yesterday.”
Looking at the old man’s retreating figure, Ye Li smiled faintly, “Yes, Master.”