Time Travel: My Comfortable Life After Going to the Countryside

Liu Xiangyang fell silent; he sensed her deep affection and her demands.

She wasn't vying for favor; she was demanding a most private and exclusive "contract," a romantic certificate that belonged solely to the two of them and transcended the bonds of their real-world identities.

After a long pause, he spoke, his voice carrying a solemn tone: "Okay, I'll get the tattoo for you."

"But what to get tattooed, and how to get it done, is up to me. And..." He paused, his fingertips gently tracing the skin of her neck, "...the process might be a bit more grueling than Roland's. Are you scared?"

Xue Bingbing shook her head violently in his arms, her hair brushing against his chin: "I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid of anything you give me." Then, she added softly, "As long as you did it yourself."

"Go to sleep." Liu Xiangyang kissed the top of her head, a deep chuckle escaping his chest. "We'll talk about it when you're well-rested. Go to sleep now."

Xue Bingbing was finally satisfied and adjusted to the most comfortable position in his arms, as weariness washed over her like a tide.

On the other side, Roland murmured unconsciously in her sleep and leaned closer to him.

Liu Xiangyang lay flat on his back, with women on either side of him who had given themselves to him body and soul.

He closed his eyes, listening to the two even, shallow breaths beside him, and his consciousness slowly sank into darkness.

In the early morning, Liu Xiangyang vaguely felt as if he was surrounded by a warm feeling, which felt so real and warm.

A feeling of unease, like that of a bird, made him feel incredibly stifled, slowly waking him from his dream.

No, it wasn't a dream. That force shot straight to the top of his head, so clear and distinct. Liu Xiangyang opened his eyes.

The blanket was bent over, and the sound of bowls and chopsticks clattering came from the kitchen.

Liu Xiangyang lifted the quilt, and as the light shone in, he saw Roland huddled inside.

"Awake? Time for breakfast~" After saying that, Roland went back to her work. The morning light shone on Roland's slightly sunken cheeks, making her look incredibly beautiful.

"What time is it? Where's Bingbing?" Liu Xiangyang felt like he was still asleep, so much so that he didn't have time to listen to her morning call.

"Sister Bingbing is cooking." Roland raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

Liu Xiangyang fully woke up and realized that he was not dreaming; she was indeed saying good morning to him.

Just then, Xue Bingbing's voice came over: "Roland, is Xiangyang awake? If he's awake, let him wash up and have breakfast."

"It'll be ready soon, just wait a moment," Liu Xiangyang replied in a suppressed voice.

Roland let out a muffled groan.

He reached out and wiped away Roland's tears, saying, "I can't hold it in anymore. I'm going to the bathroom first. You go wash up first."

After saying that, he quickly put on his clothes and ran to the bathroom.

After he finished washing up and returned to his room, the three of them had just finished breakfast when He Xiaoqin and the others came over.

After discussing it, the group concluded that Xue Bingbing and He Xiaoqin's grades were still acceptable, while Luo Lan and Zuo Qingqing had long forgotten everything they knew.

Liu Xiangyang told Xue Bingbing and He Xiaoqin to review the material first, while the other two had to start from scratch and ask Xue Bingbing and He Xiaoqin if they didn't understand something.

Liu Xiangyang then picked up "The Barefoot Doctor's Manual" and started reading it.

He's been partying every night lately. Although his kidney function is still strong, he has to think about the future and see if there's any way to make it sustainable.

Liu Xiangyang put down the "Barefoot Doctor's Handbook," rubbed his temples, and said it was a good book that offered solutions for common headaches and fevers, but it was useless for his current needs.

What he needs isn't some common health knowledge like soaking goji berries in water or massaging the Zusanli acupoint—those things are better than nothing for his body.

What he needs is a way to truly strengthen his foundation and maintain his energy in the long run, so that he can continue to enjoy his current life of nightly revelry.

At that moment, he remembered Dr. Han from the village clinic.

He was a rather eccentric old man. The villagers said he was almost seventy, but when Zuo Qingqing was injured last time, he looked to be over seventy, and at most in his early fifties.

More importantly, the way Dr. Han looked at him and Qingqing that time had an indescribable deeper meaning.

Perhaps this old man knows more than just about headaches and fevers?

Liu Xiangyang decided to try his luck. He took out a bottle of good wine from his spatial storage, along with a pound of meat, carefully wrapped it in oil paper, greeted them, and headed towards the clinic at the east end of the village.

The clinic was a low, mud-brick building with a faded red cross sign hanging at the entrance. The door was ajar; Liu Xiangyang knocked twice, and Dr. Han's dry voice came from inside: "Come in."

Pushing open the door, I entered a dimly lit room. Dr. Han was sitting at a worn wooden table by the window, carefully slicing medicinal herbs with a small cleaver by the daylight. He was slicing licorice root, each slice as evenly thick as if measured with a ruler. Hearing footsteps, he paused, glancing up at the ground.

"Inspector Liu," Dr. Han nodded in greeting, then lowered his head to continue cutting the medicine. "Where does it hurt?"

"This time it's just me." Liu Xiangyang placed the tobacco and pastries on the bench by the door, sat down on the small stool for the consultation, and said, "I want to ask Dr. Han for some advice on how to regulate my body."

Dr. Han ignored the medical documents, his hand still wielding the scalpel: "Young man, strong and healthy, what do you need to treat?"

"It's just... I always feel tired easily and can't sleep soundly." Liu Xiangyang carefully chose his words. "Sometimes after finishing work, or... well, in short, I just feel that my energy and spirit are not as good as before."

This time, Dr. Han stopped scalpel. He put down the guillotine, wiped his hands with an old velvet cloth, and then turned around to look directly at Liu Xiangyang. His gaze was not that of someone looking at a patient, but rather like someone examining a medicinal herb—carefully scrutinizing it from top to bottom.

"Reach out your hand," Dr. Han said.

Liu Xiangyang extended his left hand. Dr. Han's fingers touched his wrist, the fingers thin and withered, yet unusually steady and strong. The pulse diagnosis took much longer than usual; Dr. Han closed his eyes slightly, his brows gradually furrowing.

"You..." Dr. Han opened his eyes, his gaze complex. "Your constitution is much stronger than that of an average person. Your blood and energy are abundant, and your muscles and bones are strong. Logically speaking, you shouldn't have any weakness."

Liu Xiangyang's heart tightened; he knew this old man was indeed quite skilled.

"Unless," Dr. Han released his grip and said slowly, "unless you've overexerted yourself. Your pulse, on the surface, indicates excessive Yang, but upon closer inspection, it reveals a hint of weakness—like a fire that's burning too brightly; it looks lively, but it'll probably burn for another twenty years."

The words were spoken subtly, but Liu Xiangyang understood. He breathed a sigh of relief—Dr. Han had indeed figured it out.

"So I'd like to ask Dr. Han if there's any way to keep this fire burning?" Liu Xiangyang leaned forward slightly, his attitude sincere.

Dr. Han didn't answer immediately. He got up and walked to the medicine cabinet by the wall, opened a few drawers, and picked out some medicinal herbs—goji berries, astragalus, poria cocos, and angelica sinensis, all common tonics. He placed these herbs on the table and poured some dark brown paste from a ceramic jar.

"Do you know how to use these?" Dr. Han asked.

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I really enjoyed this book, and I hope everyone will give it a five-star review. Thank you so much!