Elixir Supplier

“It’s only been a few days, and your hill has changed so much!” Tian Yuantu exclaimed.

“I have the time, so I planted a few trees. Being such a big hill, it seems such a waste not to make use of it,” Wang Yao smiled and replied. “Why did you come today?”

“I need your help,” Tian Yuantu was straightforward and went straight to the point. Having spent time with Wang Yao, he had already possessed a grasp of his character and knew that he could be straightforward with him, without beating around the bush.

“Tell me,” Wang Yao smiled and said.

“Can you do a house call?”

“House call? To where?” This was not the first time someone invited him to do a house call.

“Dao City.”

Hearing the location, Wang Yao did not immediately respond. Although this city was not far from his hometown and was very famous, he had not been there before.

“Your friend?”

“Not himself, but his son,” Tian Yuantu replied.

“Best if I could see his medical records.”

“Sure, I will try to get it to you as soon as I can.”

“Can you take me around? I’d like to take a look.” Having finished discussing the topic, Tian Yuantu suddenly made the request. This surprised Wang Yao.

“Sure,” Wang Yao agreed, smiling. This was this frequent visitor’s first such request.

The two exited the cottage and walked uphill.

“The growth of these herbs is excellent!” It was not the first time Tian Yuantu saw the herbs, but every time he saw them, he could not help but feel amazed.

Wang Yao heard him and merely smiled.

“This is…?!” Tian Yuantu stopped below a tree and gazed at a plant that was not particularly eye-catching.

“Ginseng?”

“Yes.” This was the ginseng that Wang Yao planted the year before.

“You actually cultivated this?”

“It’s not really cultivation; I was only trying it out,” Wang Yao explained.

To the laymen, they do not recognize the bulk of the herbs. However, for herbs such as ginseng, glossy ganoderma, polygonum multiflorum—they tended to know a little bit about them. This was because these herbs have been mentioned on television, in movies, and in novels, which have made them out to be mystical items. Not only were they said to extend the lifespan or increase one’s martial art skills, but they could also even bring the dead back to life. There were some notable herbs that have appeared in the Catalogue of Magic Herbs; amongst them were ginseng and glossy ganoderma, except that their names have changed.

Pine tree, Banyan tree, Eucalyptus tree…

“The trees that you’ve planted seem to be of quite a few varieties of species,” Tian Yuantu commented as he walked.

“Yes, quite a lot.”

Tian Yuantu felt a little tired after making their way around. He stopped to rest. On the other hand, Wang Yao looked like this was just a warm-up for him.

“The air here is so good,” Tian Yuantu sighed.

Between Lianshan county and Haiqu city, there weren’t many heavy industries and high polluting corporations. Hence, the air was not too bad. However, this was still not as good as the air in the village.

“Although life on the hill looks lonely and desolate, it is actually quite appealing. Furthermore, living in this environment in the long term is good for the health.” At the moment, Tian Yuantu admired Wang Yao.

This was a tranquil, carefree life, without a need to ponder too much or to deal with deceit or lies. Just with walking and looking around, Tian Yuantu felt significantly relaxed.

“I admire you so much!” Tian Yuantu exclaimed.

Wang Yao heard him and chuckled. “If you want to, you can live such a life too.”

It was true; with Tian Yuantu’s fortune and social standing, renting a hill and building a few houses was a piece of cake for him. The only issue was whether he was willing to give up his current career at the right moment to lead another lifestyle.

“I shall wait and see!” Tian Yuantu said as he sighed gently.

Wang Yao heard him and smiled. He didn’t reply to Tian Yuantu’s statement, as his reply was to be expected. After all, not anyone could give up a career worth hundreds of millions to lead a pastoral life. This required a great deal of boldness and courage.

After making a round, the two of them walked further up the hill. Although the hill was not high, the view enabled one to look far into the distance, making one feel relaxed and unwound.

While chatting, Tian Yuantu asked Wang Yao if he could check his body. He was curious about Wang Yao’s medical skills and the fact that one decoction could treat a long-standing illness. Also, he had only asked for medicine but had never sought medical attention himself.

“There’s no hurry; have a cup of tea.” Wang Yao poured him a cup of tea.

He took his pulse after they got seated for a while.

“Taking the pulse?” Seeing Wang Yao do so, Tian Yuantu was shocked.

During the diagnosis, Wang Yao’s eyebrows were slightly furrowed.

“Your body is largely healthy, except that there is one area—your back was injured?”

“Yes, it’s an old injury.” Hearing him up to this point, Tian Yuantu was stunned. He had indeed hurt his back, however, that was over 20 years ago. At that time, he was in the military.

“You got injured during the winter time?”

“That’s right! You even know this?!” Tian Yuantu heard him, and he could not help but express surprise on his face.

To discover his back’s chronic pain was not that hard; it could be determined by taking the pulse. However, just from taking his pulse, he could detect his chronic ailment and even determine that the injury happened during the winter—this was too astonishing and bordered on being miraculous.

“Your back is suffering from cold evil; it has already penetrated into the lungs. Your lungs frequently experience pain, especially during winter, right?”

“Yes,” Tian Yuantu answered.

“Why didn’t you come to me earlier?” Wang Yao said. Tian Yuantu’s chronic ailment was not a small matter as it had already entered the lungs. Although it was not life-threatening, the later it was treated, the harder it would be to eradicate the problem.

“I have looked for treatment everywhere. In the South, I met a Miao tribal doctor. He gave me a decoction to use whenever the pain acted up. These couple of years, the pain was not so bad, only a slight dull pain, hence I did not think too much about it,” Tian Yuantu explained.

“I see.”

“Do you have a way to eradicate this ailment?”

“I will think this over.” Wang Yao did not give any promises.

A hidden ailment that had entered the lungs—it was not going to be easy eradicating it. Suitable medicine was also needed.

Tian Yuantu took with him both surprise and admiration when he left. His original intent was to invite Wang Yao to leave the hill in order to help his friend and business partner. He did not realize that Wang Yao would be able to detect his hidden ailment and potentially treat it. This made him perceive Wang Yao’s extraordinariness.

…

In the village.

To celebrate Wang Ru’s promotion, the dinner was very scrumptious. The family of four also drank some liquor.

“Sis, congratulations on your promotion,” Wang Yao smiled at his sister and gave her a toast.

“Thank you.”

“However, I feel, the more important thing for you to do is to bring back a brother-in-law.”

“Drink!” Wang Ru heard him and glared at Wang Yao.

“Yao is right; you are almost 30!” Zhang Xiuying started her nagging and continued berating her daughter for a few minutes.

The family chatted happily; the atmosphere was joyful and harmonious. Unknowingly, the sky outside darkened. Wang Yao stayed at home for a while after dinner until it was close to 9 pm, and then he left.

Nighttime during the spring was not as cold as it was in the winter. With just a gentle breeze caressing the face—it was actually slightly warm. Wang Yao walked along the winding hill path, not too quickly and not too slowly. Once on Nanshan hill, he poured out a cup of warm water. He then took out the stool and sat in the courtyard, before resting against the wall and gazing up at the sky.

The dog got up and left his kennel; he came to his side and laid down.

“San Xian, what do you think tomorrow will be like?”

Woof, the dog softly howled in reply.

“I guess it will rain tomorrow.”

The rain did fall on the afternoon of the subsequent day. It was not heavy, but light and continuous. This was what spring rain was like. Compared to the previous year, the spring rain was more timely and a lot heavier.

One could never fear that there would be too little spring rain.

In town, however, the rain was much heavier.

“So, you still want to go out?”

“Yes, I still have matters to attend to in the afternoon.”

“You are such a busy mayor; how much did you drink yesterday?”

“Not much—three glasses,” the middle-aged man smiled and said. “Besides, Yao’s medicine was very effective. After drinking it for only two days, I felt so much better, and the pain in my stomach has subsided.”

“Mingbao has said it before; he really is capable. Last time, his grandfather’s recovery was all thanks to him. This afternoon, come home for lunch. Don’t have it outside.”

“Okay, I’ll listen to you!”

…

Wang Yao went down the hill when it was close to noontime. When he reached the entrance of his house, he saw a person coming out. He knew this woman and had encountered her a few days earlier.

“You’re home, Yao,” seeing Wang Yao, the woman smiled and came forward to greet him.

“Yes,” Wang Yao answered simply in one word.

“We were in the wrong the last few days. I have brought here the hospitalization fees; will you count it?”

The woman was the sister of Wang Yide, who was detained at the police station. She came this day for the second time for her brother. Upon arriving, Wang Yao’s parents did not want to talk to her, saying that they had left it to Wang Yao to handle the matter and they did not know anything. Hence, she left and was prepared to go up the hill to look for him.

Wang Yao took the envelope. He did not look carefully at it, but took out 600 yuan and gave it to the woman.

“Give it to your old man to buy some stuff; this is my regards to him,” having said that, Wang Yao turned to enter the house.

“Eh, regarding Wang Yide’s matter?”

“He’s used a knife to threaten the police. Wait till they are appeased, and we’ll talk about it.”

“But…” Wang Yijuan was already quite resentful. She had humbled herself and spoke to a younger generation with a submissive tone, which she felt was humiliating. In the end, she resisted and managed to swallow back the unpleasant words that almost spewed forth from her lips.

“In that case, Yao, please do look into it.”

“I know.”

Wang Yao opened the door and coincidentally met his sister. After seeing him, his sister pulled him aside and asked him about that day’s incident. Wang Yao calmly related the whole incident to her.

“This is too much. I never knew their family was like that!” Having heard it, Wang Ru was pissed. “You did the right thing; they should definitely suffer for a bit.”