Time Travel: My Comfortable Life After Going to the Countryside

The clinic was filled with the distinctive bitter scent of herbs. Dr. Han was carefully sorting a batch of newly received medicinal herbs when he saw Liu Xiangyang enter. He raised his eyelids slightly and said, "You're here? First, memorize the properties, meridians, and contraindications of the herbs I taught you a few days ago."

Liu Xiangyang took off his coat, rubbed his hands together, and without hesitation, began to recite fluently. He had strong mental fortitude and a memory far exceeding that of ordinary people, so these basic contents were not difficult for him.

Dr. Han listened with little expression on his face, but a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

Dr. Han smiled slightly, "The way to maintain health relies on medicine and diet externally, and on one's own body's ability to regulate qi internally."

"You're young and full of vitality, but... cough cough, you also need to know how to exercise restraint and regulate it, otherwise it's like draining the pond to catch all the fish." As he spoke, he glanced at Liu Xiangyang meaningfully.

Liu Xiangyang blushed, realizing that Dr. Han might have guessed something, and quickly and respectfully accepted the gift: "Thank you, Master, I understand."

"Good that you understand. This guiding technique not only strengthens you, but also... well, harmonizes Yin and Yang, and benefits those around you as well. Practice diligently, at least for an hour every day, without fail." Doctor Han waved his hand. "Go back now, you don't need to come again."

Dr. Han's last words were like an icicle, piercing Liu Xiangyang's ears unexpectedly. The respect and slight blush on his face froze instantly, replaced by astonishment and confusion.

"Master?" Liu Xiangyang's voice carried a hint of urgency he himself didn't realize. "What...what do you mean? Did I do something wrong, or...?"

Dr. Han had turned around and continued handling the medicinal herbs. His profile was somewhat blurred in the dim light, and his voice had returned to its usual calm, even tinged with weariness: "I've taught you everything I needed to, the basics. I've also pointed out the essentials of identifying medicinal properties, processing techniques, and guiding exercises, as well as the key points of that book, 'Essentials of Sexual Health.' The rest is simply a matter of gradual practice; you'll have to learn, understand, and put it into practice on your own."

"It's a waste of your time to come see me every day. I don't have much more to teach you, and you have a lot on your plate, so you don't need to come see me every day."

"Master, you have passed on your family tradition to me. I have no way to repay you except to come and see you every day. As for seeking revenge on Watanabe, please give me a few more years. I will definitely find him and avenge you within five years."

As Dr. Han listened to Liu Xiangyang's resounding "five-year agreement," the forced smile on his face froze slightly, then transformed into a deeper, almost liberated weariness. He gave Liu Xiangyang a deep look, his gaze indescribably complex, containing relief, entrustment, resolve, and also a subtle, almost cruel calculation.

"Five years...that's fine too." His voice grew lower and hoarse, as if squeezed from the depths of his heart. "I'm relieved that you have the heart to remember this."

He waved his hand, his movements even slower and weaker than before: "Go on, go on, I'm tired, I need to rest. You don't need to come often in the future."

"Just passing by occasionally, seeing that my old bones haven't been carried off by stray dogs yet, that's enough." He tried to use his usual, slightly sarcastic tone, but the weakness in his voice couldn't be concealed.

At this moment, Liu Xiangyang was so caught up in his promise and his master's "understanding" that he failed to notice Dr. Han's unusually low spirits and the deep sense of farewell hidden in his words. He simply assumed that his master's long-standing inner conflict had eased and that he was getting tired due to his age.

"Master, please rest well. I'll come see you again tomorrow and bring you some easily digestible food." Liu Xiangyang bowed again, secretly planning to take out some nutritional supplements from his spatial storage to nourish his master.

"Whatever you want." Dr. Han had already turned his back to face the medicinal herbs again, his thin shoulders drooping slightly, as if he was losing the strength to even lift his hand.

Liu Xiangyang stood there for a few more seconds, and seeing that his master was indeed no longer speaking, he quietly retreated and carefully closed the door behind him.

After the soft sound of the door closing, the clinic returned to silence, leaving only the bitter scent of herbs lingering in the air.

Dr. Han remained motionless with his back to the door. After a long while, he slowly and tremblingly raised his hand, covered his mouth, and coughed a few times in a suppressed manner. When he opened his palm, a dark red bloodstain was clearly visible.

He stared at the bloodstain, his murky eyes showing no surprise, only a stagnant calm and a faint, satisfied glimmer.

As Liu Xiangyang walked back, he passed Li Jianjun's house and heard a cacophony of curses coming from inside. He stopped and listened for a while. Standing outside the Li family's courtyard wall, Liu Xiangyang could hear the argument going on and on.

"Can good looks put food on the table? Gu Xiaoyu is pretty, but do you know how much dowry her family is asking for? They're asking for an astronomical sum! That money is enough to build two houses in the village!" Li Jianjun's voice was angry, anxious, and pained.

"I don't care! I just love Xiaoyu! Dad, you're the accountant, can't you do something? It's not like we really can't afford it! I'll marry her, and I guarantee we'll live a good life together!" Li Kaixuan's voice was full of shrewdness and greed. His "love" for Gu Xiaoyu was mostly based on her looks and her supposedly stubborn nature, which he found more appealing and gave him a stronger desire to conquer her.

"Live a good life? How are you going to live on that? With those few work points, how can you support your wife? You're still going after those shady women, you've completely drained your body, do you think I don't know?"

Li Jianjun was disappointed in his son, but his tone revealed his doting love and helplessness towards his only son.

He knew his son was frail and lecherous, his reputation was already ruined, and no respectable girl would want to marry him. Gu Xiaoyu's family was poor, and she was willing to marry him for money, so perhaps... it was the only option.

Liu Xiangyang listened to the gist of the story, shook his head, and turned to leave.

He didn't want to get involved in the Li family's mess. He vaguely remembered the name Gu Xiaoyu; she was the prettiest girl in the next village, indeed beautiful, but seemed to have a rather stubborn personality. Her family was dirt poor, and she had an older brother waiting to get married; she was practically a commodity with a price tag.

When I got home, I saw everyone reading, so I didn't disturb them. Instead, I went to the office and brewed a pot of tea to pass the time.

Not long after I sat down, the office door was pushed open, and Xue Bingbing led two middle-aged women in.

However, what was rather unusual was that they were grabbing each other's hair, followed by a large group of onlookers.

Liu Xiangyang looked at Xue Bingbing, his eyes asking what was wrong.

Xue Bingbing shook her head and said, "Brother Xiangyang, these two aunties came to our house saying they want you to be their judge."

Seeing that the two women were still not letting go, Liu Xiangyang walked up to them and said, "Aunties, we're all from the same village, let's talk things out. Let go first, this isn't how you two talk things over."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Please give me a five-star review, please keep reading, please add it to your bookshelf, otherwise these two aunties will really pull my hair out!