Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

Gui Xiang sat down next to her master's wife, chatting softly about everyday things, the progress of the village's post-disaster reconstruction, and the recent situations of the neighbors. Her words were gentle, and the atmosphere was warm and harmonious. Taking advantage of the break in everyone's conversation, Xing Bao took out a pair of non-slip shoe soles that he had carefully cut and polished from his pocket, and presented them to his master with both hands.

"Master, these soles were specially made from tire scraps given to me by a veteran, tailored to your shoe size," Xingbao explained softly. "I repeatedly sanded the edges smooth and even added anti-slip treads. You travel to the countryside and mountains year-round for medical consultations, and the mountain roads are muddy and slippery. Ordinary cloth shoes are neither waterproof nor easy to slip on. By sewing these soles into the bottom of your cloth shoes, you'll be much more stable when walking in rain or snow, and they'll also be more durable."

The master looked down at the evenly thick, regularly patterned sole in his palm, his fingertips gently tracing the smooth edges and sturdy rubber, his heart filled with emotion. He had spent half his life practicing medicine, braving wind and rain to travel through the mountains and fields, and he knew best the hardships of making house calls on mountain roads. For a doctor who was constantly on the move, a pair of non-slip and durable shoes was the most practical and comforting item.

"You are a thoughtful and meticulous child." The master nodded repeatedly in approval. "You are always engrossed in studying medicine and researching pharmacology, yet you still keep me in mind in every way. This kind of thoughtfulness is truly rare."

Upon hearing the reason, the master's wife hurriedly stepped forward, picked up the shoe sole and examined it closely. The more she looked, the happier she became: "What a clever and thoughtful child! He's so considerate. I'll go find a needle and thread right away and sew it up for your master today. From now on, when he goes out to practice medicine, he won't have to worry about slippery roads in the rain or his feet getting chafed on mountain paths."

Wei Bao sat quietly on a small stool, listening attentively to the adults, having already forgotten his earlier clamor to go home for meat. His big, round eyes gazed curiously at the furnishings, his expression gentle and obedient. Seeing his good behavior, his teacher's wife placed a soft, sticky osmanthus cake in his hand, gently coaxing, "Our Wei Bao is the most obedient and sensible. I've packed the rest of the cakes for you to take home and enjoy later."

Wei Bao held the osmanthus cake in both hands, obediently bowed his head, and whispered his thanks.

The master and his apprentices sat around chatting for a while. The master casually asked about the harvesting of camphor trees and the preparation of equipment at home. Xingbao truthfully replied that the ceramic distillation equipment used by the master had been cleaned and dried, and that his father and elder brother had also been picking branches and leaves at home. Once the harvesting and chopping were completed, they could officially distill and purify the camphor.

The master praised him highly and solemnly instructed, "The purification of borneol requires meticulous attention to every step, from controlling the heat and sealing to condensation. Impatience is the worst thing you can do. I have always trusted your calm and meticulous nature and your reliable work ethic. If you are unsure about anything in the subsequent operations, come to me on the mountain at any time."

Xingbao bowed respectfully and accepted the instruction, carefully remembering his master's guidance and secretly memorizing the key points of pharmacological processing.

After the master and apprentice finished their conversation, the elder of the Yang family, who had been sitting quietly for a long time, finally spoke up, his expression earnest: "Fifth brother, now that your prized apprentices are here, Yuze and his brother have finally managed to return to their hometown. With the war raging and Japanese warplanes frequently bombing the countryside, the mountain village is far from safe. They are worried about your safety and your wife's, and they plan to take you to settle in the county town. This way, they can take care of you nearby, and they can work with peace of mind. Your two apprentices haven't completed their apprenticeship yet, so they can go to the county town together to study and practice medicine. They'll meet more people there, which will benefit their medical studies."

Hearing the elder's explanation, Xingbao suddenly understood. He realized that the village had been devastated by air raids, leaving behind a scene of devastation and numerous deaths and injuries. The horrific disaster had undoubtedly terrified his two senior brothers. His second senior brother had taken the Mid-Autumn Festival as an excuse to return home, partly out of concern for their master and mistress's safety, worried about the village's location on the edge of war and the unpredictable dangers, and insisting on bringing them to the county town for a peaceful stay; and partly out of concern for him and Guixiang, unwilling to leave their two junior brothers and sisters, who had not yet completed their apprenticeship, alone in the chaotic mountain village. He was being considerate and thoughtful in every way. In fact, their master lived in seclusion in the mountains, his courtyard far from the main roads, in a quiet and secluded location. As long as the Japanese army didn't launch a large-scale attack on the village, it would be safe and secure. Xingbao understood; he couldn't bear to refuse or stop his two senior brothers' sincere filial piety and fraternal bond.

All eyes turned to their master, awaiting his decision. The master pondered for a moment, his expression calm yet resolute, before slowly replying, "It's not that I'm unwilling to go with you to the county town for refuge. It's just that if I leave, there will be no doctor practicing medicine in these surrounding villages. If anyone in the village has a headache, fever, or a minor injury, they'll have to travel a long way to the town for treatment, which is extremely inconvenient. Xingbao and Guixiang are exceptionally talented and diligent; their medical skills are already firmly established. What they lack is clinical experience and worldly wisdom. I will wholeheartedly mentor and train them for another two years. Once they can stand on their own and steadily manage the village's medical practice, then I will feel at ease moving with you to the county town to settle down."

The second senior brother and the two elders remained undeterred, patiently taking turns to earnestly persuade their master, appealing to his emotions and reasoning with him. Despite their repeated, heartfelt pleas, they could not sway their master's mind in the slightest. Everyone present understood perfectly well that their master was not yearning for the tranquility of the mountains, but rather deeply concerned for the people and elders of the surrounding villages, and even more so, reluctant to leave behind the land where he had dedicated half his life to healing and helping others. Their master and mistress were now quite old; if they were to travel to the county town now, they feared they would never be able to return to their homeland again.

They chatted for most of the morning, and as the sun began to set, it was nearing noon. Xingbao remembered that he needed to go back to distill and purify the borneol, and that his grandmother was also waiting for Weibao to eat. So he stood up, bowed slightly, and said softly, "Master, Mistress, Senior Brother, it's getting late. We need to hurry back to refine the borneol, so we won't bother you any longer."

The master and mistress didn't try to persuade them to stay any longer. Knowing that there were many things to do after the disaster at home, they told them to be careful on the road and not to act rashly. The mistress then put the packaged osmanthus cakes into Guixiang's hands, telling them to take them home and share them.

The three bowed again in thanks, bid farewell to their master and mistress, and turned to leave the courtyard. The second senior brother, still filled with helplessness and resentment, worried about the safety of his parents but unable to dissuade his master from his stubbornness, used the excuse of seeing them off to silently follow them out. Under the fragrant osmanthus tree, Xingbao reached out and untied Heitan's reins. Noticing the knot in his senior brother's eyes, he softly comforted him, "Senior brother, the frontline defenses are now secure. The Japanese are only bombing transport routes along the way. The courtyards deep in the mountains are safe and secure, so Master and Mistress are certainly safe. My sister and I will diligently follow Master in studying medicine and gaining solid experience, so that we can master our skills as soon as possible, take over Master's mantle of healing the sick, and share your burdens."

After listening to Xingbao's words of comfort, the second senior brother felt a little better. He lifted Weibao onto the donkey's back and had Guixiang help him sit down before saying, "Okay! Take it easy! Be careful going down the mountain and watch the road."

Xingbao then replied, "Senior brother, please wait." He turned and led the donkey slowly down the mountain path towards his grandmother's house. Guixiang and Weibao waved to their senior brother under the osmanthus tree and their master's wife leaning against the gate. A gentle breeze blew along the mountain path, and the fragrance of osmanthus lingered in the air, making the journey peaceful and leisurely.