Courtyard Check-in: Starting with a Small World of Cultivation

May 6th is the start of summer.

The weather suddenly turned hot. In the small courtyard in front of the gate, the pomegranate tree blossomed with its first flower, a vibrant red, like a tiny flame. The roses in the corner of the wall also bloomed, pink and white, their fragrance wafting faintly. In the vegetable garden, the seeds planted a few days ago had sprouted, tender and green, a delightful sight.

Nian'an, wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, ran around in the yard, his little face flushed red from the sun. He squatted by the vegetable patch, looking at the seedlings, and muttered to himself, "Grow quickly, Nian'an is waiting to eat them."

Qin Huairu was tidying up her seasonal clothes inside the house, putting away her winter coats and trousers and taking out summer clothes. Ding Qiunan was also helping, folding clothes and packing boxes, working efficiently and methodically.

"Qiu Nan, is there any progress on your apprenticeship?" Qin Huairu asked.

Ding Qiunan shook her head: "Not yet. Some people have asked, but it's not quite right. Either they lack the foundation, or they're too old, or they're not calm enough."

"These things can't be rushed; take your time finding them."

"Um."

Just then, there was a knock on the courtyard gate. Chen Yu went to open it, and there stood a boy of about fifteen or sixteen years old, wearing a worn blue cloth jacket, carrying a bundle in his hand, looking at him timidly.

"Excuse me, is Dr. Ding here?"

"Yes." Chen Yu stepped aside to let him in. "You are...?"

The boy entered the courtyard and saw Ding Qiunan coming out of the house. His eyes lit up, and he quickly walked over and knelt down with a thud.

"Dr. Ding, please take me as your apprentice!"

Ding Qiunan was stunned, as were Chen Yu and Qin Huairu. Nian An ran over from the edge of the vegetable garden, looking curiously at this unfamiliar older brother.

"You...you get up first." Ding Qiunan quickly went to help him up.

The boy refused to get up, kneeling on the ground with tears in his eyes: "Dr. Ding, my name is Lin Zhiyuan, I am sixteen years old, and I live in Tongzhou. My father was seriously ill last year, and you cured him. My father said you are a living Bodhisattva and asked me to come and learn medicine from you so that I can save people in the future."

Ding Qiunan remembered. Last winter, an old man from Tongzhou did come to see her for a lung ailment. He had been coughing for more than half a year, and he recovered after taking more than a dozen doses of her medicine. Unexpectedly, he sent his son to study medicine.

"Have you been to school?" Ding Qiunan asked.

"I've read books, attended a private school, and know how to read."

Have you studied medicine?

"I haven't studied it, but my dad taught me to recognize medicinal herbs, and I've also read some medical books myself."

Ding Qiunan glanced at Chen Yu. Chen Yu nodded slightly, indicating that it was up to her to decide.

Ding Qiunan thought for a moment and said, "Get up first, let's go inside and talk."

The boy then stood up and followed him into the main room. Nian'an followed him in as well, leaning over the table and watching him curiously.

"Lin Zhiyuan, studying medicine is tough. You have to memorize a lot of things and practice for many years before you can become a master. Can you persevere?" Ding Qiunan asked.

"Yes!" the boy nodded vigorously. "I'm not afraid of hardship!"

"I don't want you to kneel or kowtow. But since you're going to become my apprentice, you have to follow the rules. First, respect your teacher; second, study diligently; third, don't use your medical skills to harm people. Can you do that?"

"It's possible!"

Ding Qiunan nodded: "Okay, from today onwards, you are my apprentice."

The boy was overjoyed and was about to kneel down and kowtow again, but Ding Qiunan stopped him.

"I told you, you don't need to kowtow. Just call me Master."

"Master!" the boy called out loudly.

Nian'an, who was watching from the side, suddenly spoke up: "Auntie, Nian'an also wants to be an apprentice!"

Everyone laughed. Ding Qiunan picked him up and said with a smile, "Nian'an doesn't need to be an apprentice. Nian'an is his aunt's precious treasure."

Nian'an nodded in satisfaction, then looked at the boy and asked, "Brother, what's your name?"

"Lin Zhiyuan".

"Brother Zhiyuan, you will learn medicine from your aunt in the future, and Nian'an will also learn from your aunt."

Lin Zhiyuan nodded with a smile.

At noon, Qin Huairu prepared a few extra dishes as a welcome meal for Lin Zhiyuan. Lin Zhiyuan was a little reserved, sitting at the table and not daring to take too much food. Nian'an, on the other hand, was generous, constantly putting food on his plate: "Brother, eat, this is delicious, this is delicious too."

Lin Zhiyuan's eyes reddened again as he looked at the overflowing bowl of food.

"Thank you... thank you all."

"Don't mention it," Qin Huairu said. "From now on, we're family."

After dinner, Ding Qiunan took Lin Zhiyuan to the pharmacy. Chen Yu and Qin Huairu cleaned up the dishes, and Nian An followed them to the pharmacy.

The pharmacy wasn't large, but it was clean and tidy. Ding Qiunan pointed to the medicine cabinet and said to Lin Zhiyuan, "Identify these medicinal herbs first, and then you can learn about others."

Lin Zhiyuan nodded, walked to the medicine cabinet, opened each small drawer, looked at the medicinal herbs inside, and silently memorized them.

Nian'an also leaned over and began identifying, "This is angelica, this is astragalus, this is codonopsis..."

Lin Zhiyuan looked at him in surprise: "You can do that too?"

Nian'an proudly raised her little head: "Nian'an knows so much!"

Ding Qiunan smiled: "Nian'an has been learning about medicinal herbs with me since she was little, and she knows quite a few."

Lin Zhiyuan admired him even more and began to study diligently.

In the evening, Chen Yu came to pick up Nian'an. Nian'an held onto Lin Zhiyuan's hand, unwilling to leave: "Dad, let Brother Zhiyuan come to our house for dinner."

Chen Yu looked at Ding Qiunan. Ding Qiunan said, "He lives in Tongzhou, so it's inconvenient for him to come and go. I was thinking... let him stay at the pharmacy; there's a small room in the back that can be tidied up and is habitable."

"Okay, I'll help him pack," Chen Yu said.

Several people worked together to clean the small hut behind the pharmacy, laid out bedding, and set up tables and chairs. Although it was simple, at least they had a place to stay.

Looking at the small house, Lin Zhiyuan's eyes reddened again: "Master, Uncle Chen, thank you."

"Don't cry." Ding Qiunan handed him a handkerchief. "A real man doesn't cry."

Lin Zhiyuan took it, wiped away his tears, and smiled.

In the evening, the family sat in the courtyard enjoying the cool air. Lin Zhiyuan also sat beside them, initially somewhat reserved, but gradually relaxed.

Nian'an climbed onto his lap and asked, "Brother Zhiyuan, who else is in your family?"

"And my father, my mother is gone."

"So your dad's all alone?"

"Um."

Nian'an thought for a moment and said seriously, "Then let your father come and stay with us."

Lin Zhiyuan was taken aback and looked at Chen Yu. Chen Yu smiled and said, "Your father can come anytime if he's free."

Lin Zhiyuan nodded, feeling a warm glow inside.

It was late at night, and Lin Zhiyuan returned to the pharmacy to rest. Nian'an also went to sleep.

Chen Yu and Qin Huairu sat in the courtyard, the moonlight dappling the pomegranate tree.

"Now that Qiu Nan has taken on an apprentice, things at the pharmacy will be a bit easier," Qin Huairu said.

"Yes," Chen Yu nodded. "That kid looks honest; he should be able to learn it."

"Chen Yu," Qin Huairu suddenly said, "what do you think, should we take on an apprentice too?"

"Us?" Chen Yu was taken aback. "What kind of apprentices are you taking on?"

"Cultivation," Qin Huairu said. "It's so lonely cultivating alone. Taking on a disciple will at least give you someone to talk to."

Chen Yu thought for a moment, then shook his head: "Cultivation cannot be taught casually. It requires a certain affinity."

Qin Huairu nodded and said nothing more.

The light was still on in the east wing. Ding Qiunan sat at the table, a book in her hand, but she couldn't concentrate on reading. She was thinking about the apprentice she had taken on today, and about Nian An's words, "Let your father come too," and an indescribable feeling welled up inside her.

She looked at the painting on the bedside table; it depicted a family of four, holding hands.

"We're family," she said softly.

Outside the window, the moon is full again.

The courtyard was quiet.

A new day is about to begin.