Mountain and River Festival 177. Quiet Village

Staying in this closed and quiet mountain village, under the care of Doctor Lin, Ye Li's body got better day by day. Ye Li was quite surprised that there was a doctor as skilled as Doctor Lin in such an isolated mountain village. Including famous doctors like Shen Yang, Ye Li had seen many doctors with skilled medical skills, but even this little-known Doctor Lin's medical skills were among the best. Ye Li had personally seen him and his neat and skillful technique setting the bone and applying medicine to a young man in the village who had broken his leg while hunting in the mountains. The young man, who Ye Li thought would at least be lame, was able to walk independently a month later. Although he still had some inconveniences, it was obvious that after two or three months of recuperation, the young man would still be able to walk briskly.

Noticing Ye Li's surprised look, Doctor Lin looked at her with a proud look and said, "How can you mortals understand my medical skills?"

Ye Li twitched her lips, lowered her head and found herself sinking into the large number of medical books thrown by Doctor Lin. Now the child is more than seven months old. After more than a month of nursing her, Doctor Lin looked at her with a squint as usual, staring at her belly that had bulged like a ball and hummed: "This kid is really lucky, and he will be a headache in the future." Hearing this, Ye Li stroked her belly and smiled. He accompanied her to fall from the cliff and lay for another four months and was still fine. Isn't that lucky? While reading the medical books, she watched Doctor Lin busy outside the house sorting out the herbs he had trampled back from the mountain. Ye Li asked curiously, "Doctor Lin, you...are different from the people in this village." Doctor Lin paused his busy hands, then quickly started again, saying without raising his head, "Are you the same as them?" Ye Li smiled and said, "Doctor Lin has admitted that you are from outside like me?"

Doctor Lin was different from the people in the village. Ye Li noticed it two days after she woke up. The people in this small village respected this old doctor, not only because of his excellent medical skills, but also because of his profound knowledge, which was different from the people in this village. No matter what era, the common people always respected scholars. Doctor Lin's home also had a special study room, which was neatly filled with various books. Ye Li picked up two books and found that one of them was an ancient book that had been lost in the previous dynasty. It was very strange that such a person appeared in such a small village where almost no one could read, and it was said that he had lived there for decades. Doctor Lin stood up, patted you on his hands, looked at Ye Li and said, "I can see that you are not just an ordinary lady from a rich family. I guess you have found out everything about me in the village these days, right?"

Ye Li pursed her lips and smiled, not denying it. She had indeed inquired about some things about Doctor Lin these days, but there was nothing special. Doctor Lin moved to this village thirty years ago. It is said that his surname is Lin, but since almost most people in this village have the surname Lin, Ye Li feels that this statement may not be true. It is said that he brought a baby named Lin Yuan with him at that time. However, eleven or twelve years ago, Lin Yuan left the village and never came back. Doctor Lin did not look for him. So many years have passed, and many people have gradually forgotten that there was such a person.

"Doctor Lin, have you ever planned to leave here?" Ye Li asked.

Doctor Lin's eyes were dim, and after a while he said, "Where can I go at my age? I might as well stay here and treat the patients in the neighborhood. When I die, they can collect my body and bury it in peace." Feeling the sadness in the old man, Ye Li thought for a moment, "Doctor Lin, have you ever thought about going to look for your son? Maybe I can help a little." Doctor Lin snorted coldly, "He won't come back, and he's not my son."

Ye Li raised her eyebrows and decided to stop talking today. The old doctor was obviously not a person who liked to cultivate his temperament and had a bad temper.

After confirming what Doctor Lin said that she could not leave this remote village for the time being, Ye Li also settled down here with peace of mind. Ten days after she woke up, a small wooden house was built next to Doctor Lin's house, and then she moved in. Usually Ye Li would walk around the village and chat with people, or help Doctor Lin with some chores at home. After dinner, the books in Doctor Lin's house gradually filled up Ye Li's room. Doctor Lin did not say anything about Ye Li moving her ancient books away. No one in this village could read. Since the child he raised left here eleven years ago, those books were just placed there and no one would look at them again. In the remaining time, Ye Li used a plain hairpin she carried with her to exchange for some soft cloth from a weaving girl in the village. The baby would be born in a few months, and she had to prepare clothes for the child.

Looking at the simple and somewhat rough cloth in her hand, Ye Li felt a little sad. If it weren't here, the baby would have eaten and used the best things since birth, but now... Looking up at the setting sun outside the house, Ye Li sighed softly. The outside world is probably also in flames, but here, at least it's much safer, isn't it?

While sewing clothes for the baby, Ye Li also made a set of clothes for Doctor Lin. Although the old man didn't show anything, his usual sarcasm towards Ye Li was obviously much less. From time to time, one or two books that Ye Li had only heard of but had long been lost would be thrown to him. Ye Li looked at the ancient books that Doctor Lin threw to her as if they were worthless waste, and a faint smile appeared on her lips. She knew that this old man with a strange temper was gradually accepting her existence. In fact, if there were not so many people outside that she had to worry about, it would be a good choice to spend her old age in this small village.

"Sister Chu...Sister Chu, are you there?"

Just as he was thinking, a young man's voice came from outside the house. Ye Li sighed helplessly. There are indeed one or two speechless people in this world. He stood up with the help of the table. The person outside had already walked in. He was a tall and straight young man, holding a pheasant in his hand. Seeing Ye Li, he hurriedly stepped forward and said with a smile: "Sister Chu, I went up the mountain to hunt a pheasant, give it to you to nourish your body." Ye Li sighed helplessly in her heart, looked up and smiled at the man: "Brother Lin, thank you for your kindness. But I don't eat much meat, so you should take these back to nourish your uncle and aunt." The young man frowned and said disapprovingly: "How can that be? Even if you don't eat it, the child must be nourished. This... is what my mother asked me to send it to you." At this point, the young man's simple face turned red, and he looked at her eagerly.

Looking at the young man in front of her, Ye Li couldn't help but want to pat his forehead. In fact, there are also disadvantages of being too simple and honest, right? If it were in other places, people would always be a little cautious about a woman like her who lives alone and is pregnant. But in this small village, since she was able to go out, Doctor Lin told her that two families have come to her house to hint that they want to marry her, and they don't care that she is still pregnant. Although she has explained several times that she came here only because of an accident, and she will leave after the child is born and she is well. But it is obvious that not many people believe it. After all, in people's eyes, if you want to leave here and go outside, it is dangerous all the way. Even a strong man dare not go out easily, let alone a weak woman like her with a child.

"Brother Lin, thank you for your kindness. However... my husband and I love each other, and he will definitely be waiting for me at home. So, as long as the child is born, I will definitely take the child back to see him no matter what. So... Brother Lin really doesn't have to worry so much about me." Ye Li didn't want to say it so bluntly, but this man sent some wild game and food to her home every few days, and finally made it so that every time she went out, the whole village, young and old, would pull her aside and talk about these things with an ambiguous look on their faces, which really made Ye Li very annoyed. The most important thing is that some things should be decided decisively, and procrastination is not a good thing. The young man's face suddenly turned redder, and he said in a frustrated and flustered tone, "I know... Doctor Lin said that you are a daughter of a wealthy family. I... I am not worthy of you, so... I just caught this by chance in the mountains, you can keep it. I... I..." In the end, he seemed to have no idea what to say, and he threw the pheasant away and turned around and threw it out in a hurry. Ye Li looked at the door, lowered her head and supported her bulging belly with a bitter smile.

"You girl, that boy is the best guy in our village." Doctor Lin came in from outside at some point, looked at the game on the table and said with understanding.

Ye Li smiled helplessly and said, "Doctor Lin, why do you have to tease me like this? You know I must leave here."

Doctor Lin sat down and sighed, "I know. I saw at first sight that you are not an ordinary girl. You can't be trapped in this small mountain village. You are just like that kid back then. You have no heart at all. You left without saying anything for so many years without even coming back to visit."

Seeing the old man frowning and complaining, Ye Li smiled faintly and thought that she would help him find Lin Yuan when she got a chance. Doctor Lin looked at her with some regret and said, "I am not young anymore. I saw that you are smart and perceptive, so I wanted to pass on my medical skills to someone else. This village...will have a doctor to look after it in the future."

"Why doesn't Doctor Lin choose someone from this village to inherit his legacy?" Ye Li asked curiously. Doctor Lin has lived in this village for thirty years. If he wanted to find a successor, he should have found one long ago. Doctor Lin snorted and said, "There is no one in this village who can read. It is said that the rules set by their ancestors are that they are not allowed to learn to read or leave the village. What can I teach someone who can't read? If I teach him, he will be a third-rate doctor at best."

Ye Li smiled and said, "It's a pity. If Doctor Lin doesn't mind, please teach Jun Wei. But I don't know how much he can understand in these few months."

Doctor Lin looked her up and down for a few times, and only said as he stood up to leave, "First, memorize the book I gave you yesterday."

Looking at the old man's back, Ye Li smiled faintly, "Yes, Master."