9. Heading to Tea Mountain Village
The mobile medical van wound its way along County Highway 129. The mountain road stretched into the distance like a gray-white ribbon, rising and falling with the contours of the mountains. The early-morning mist had not yet completely cleared, floating in thin layers along the mountainsides. Sunlight streamed through gaps in the clouds, illuminating terraces carved into the slopes. Tea plantations rose one layer above another, their young green tea bushes gently swaying in the breeze, interspersed with orchards, coffee plantations, and vegetable fields. In the distance, several traditional Tsou houses were scattered across the hillside, their rooftops glowing faintly in the morning light.
Lin Xiuling sat in the passenger seat, resting her elbow against the window as she watched the mountain scenery continuously recede outside. She had always thought she was familiar with the cold white walls of hospitals, the glaring lights of operating rooms, and the perpetually hurried crowds of the city. Yet she had never expected that, in these mountains and forests, life could breathe to an entirely different rhythm.
She secretly glanced at Yang Wenhua behind the wheel. Wenhua held the steering wheel firmly with both hands, his eyes focused on the winding mountain road ahead. Whenever they encountered a pothole, he skillfully slowed down and guided the vehicle smoothly across it. There was none of the habitual tension of a city doctor on his face. Instead, there was a relaxed ease that seemed to appear only after returning to his hometown.
A strange sense of envy suddenly swept through Lin Xiulings heart. She did not know whether she was envious of these mountains or of the man sitting in the drivers seat.
"Senior," she said, pointing out the window, "did you grow up in a place like this?"
"Yeah." Yang Wenhua smiled. "When I was little, I had to walk along mountain roads to school every day. Back then, I thought this road was so long. I was always looking forward to the day I could leave this place."
"And then?"
"I really did leave. Only after I left did I realize that Id always wanted to come back."
Lin Xiuling was stunned for a moment. She looked at his profile but did not ask anything else. Some things, perhaps, did not need to be asked too directly.
Just then, a small settlement appeared beside the mountain road ahead. Three villagers were walking out of a tea plantation, carrying bamboo baskets and shoulder poles. When one of them spotted the mobile medical van from a distance, he immediately raised his arm and waved vigorously.
"Wenhua!"
Yang Wenhua recognized them at once. "Its Uncle Ali!" He stepped on the brakes, and the mobile medical van slowly pulled over to the side of the road. As soon as the door opened, Yang Wenhua jumped out.
"Uncle Ali, long time no see!"
The middle-aged man, dark-skinned and wearing a straw hat, broke into a broad grin. He set down the shoulder pole resting on his shoulder and reached out to pat Yang Wenhua on the shoulder.
"Wenhua, youve come back to serve the people in your hometown again?"
"Of course!" Yang Wenhua said with a smile. "This is my territory. If I dont come back, who will?"
Uncle Ali burst out laughing.
"The tea harvest is pretty good this year, right?" Yang Wenhua asked.
"Weve had good weather. Thanks to you!"
"What does that have to do with me?"
"You come back every year to treat everyones illnesses. Thats good fortune!"
As the two men chatted, a young man standing nearby suddenly turned his gaze toward the van door.
Lin Xiuling happened to be stepping out of the vehicle.
The young man blinked and could not resist letting out a whistle.
"Hey, Wenhua!"
Yang Wenhua turned around. "What?"
"Is this young lady your girlfriend?" An Boyou said with a teasing grin. "Shes a real beauty!"
Lin Xiuling paused slightly when she heard this. She instinctively looked at Yang Wenhua. For some reason, her heart suddenly beat a little faster.
Yang Wenhua, however, responded very naturally and immediately shook his head. "What girlfriend? Shes my junior schoolmate!"
"Junior schoolmate?" An Boyou deliberately drew out the words. "I dont think shes just a junior schoolmate, is she?"
"An-zai, youre overthinking it." Yang Wenhua gave him a playful shove, and the two grown men laughed together.
Lin Xiuling stood nearby with a smile on her face, but inside she felt an indescribable sense of disappointment. They were obviously just friends, she reminded herself. They were obviously just a senior and a junior schoolmate. But why, when she heard him say it so decisively, did her heart still feel a little... empty?
"Wenhua!" Another man walked over and put an arm around Yang Wenhuas shoulder. "Remember to stop by Shanmei Village on your way back! Well have some cherry blossom wine together!"
Yang Wenhua patted him on the back. "Dont worry. Ill stay in Shanmei for two days on the way back." He smiled and pointed at him. "And when I do, Ill drink the cherry blossom wine you made."
"You promised!"
"I promised."
Yang Wenhua turned and walked back to the van. Lin Xiuling followed him inside. The two of them took their seats in the drivers and passengers seats, and Yang Wenhua rolled down the window.
"Were heading to Tea Mountain Village!"
"Wenhua, come back when you have time!"
The three villagers stood by the roadside, waving vigorously.
Yang Wenhua raised his arm and waved back. It was not until the van rounded the mountain bend that their figures gradually disappeared from the rearview mirror.
Silence returned to the van.
Lin Xiuling gazed out the window and suddenly said softly, "Im jealous of you."
"Jealous of me? Why?"
"Because you can still run into your old classmates." She turned her gaze back inside and leaned against the seatback. "After graduation, my classmates all went their separate ways. Everyone went to different cities and different hospitals, and eventually we gradually lost touch. Now, even running into one or two of them isnt easy."
Yang Wenhua smiled. "Actually, those two young men we just met were both my junior high school classmates."
"I could tell."
"You could?"
"The moment you saw each other, it was as if you were back in your school days."
Yang Wenhua was silent for a moment before saying, "In our class, some people went down the mountain like I did to study and work. Others stayed up here."
"Why?"
"Their families needed them." He looked at the mountain road ahead, his voice slowing. "Most families up here make a living from farming. Picking tea, growing coffee, growing fruit—every one of those jobs requires people. Once the children grow up, those who have the ability go down the mountain to find work. Those who cant leave stay and help their families."
Lin Xiuling looked out the window. The terraces stretched layer upon layer toward the valley, while several farmers bent over, working in the tea fields. In the distance, a hawk circled above the valley as mist slowly drifted across the mountainside. She suddenly felt that she had always believed "success" meant leaving the place where you came from, moving to a bigger city, getting a better job, and earning a higher income. But at that moment, for the first time, she began to question that belief. Perhaps staying in a place where people truly needed you was also a kind of success.
"To be able to live in a place like paradise," she said softly, "planting tea, vegetables, and coffee every day and living such a simple, unpretentious life... If you really think about it, those of us who work ourselves to the bone in the cities may not be any happier than they are."
Yang Wenhua could not help laughing. "Youre only seeing the happy side of their lives."
"Isnt it?"
"My family has always farmed. Do you really think things are easy during the busy farming seasons?"
He turned his face and glanced at her. "Once youve experienced a real tea-picking season, youll know what being exhausted really means."
"How exhausting?"
"You have to get up before dawn and go into the tea fields to pick tea. By the end of the day, your lower back and whole body ache, and your fingers get rubbed raw by the tea stems."
Lin Xiuling stuck out her tongue. "That hard?"
"Thats why you shouldnt romanticize life in the mountains."
"But..." She paused for a moment. "At least they know what theyre working so hard for every day."
Those words made Yang Wenhua fall silent. His hands tightened slightly around the steering wheel. He suddenly remembered his years working at a large-city hospital—the endless surgeries, shifts, research, promotions, and the faces waiting desperately to be saved. He had once believed that only by rising higher could he save more people. But the farther he went, the more clearly he understood what he truly wanted.
Not fame. Not wealth. Not even so-called medical achievements.
It was simply that one day, when an elderly person in a remote mountain village held his hand and said, "Wenhua, thank goodness you came back," he would know that he had not chosen the wrong path.
He looked at the mountain road gradually rising ahead, and a faint smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.
"So, junior."
"Yeah?"
"When you really get to Tea Mountain Village, you can experience it for yourself." He deliberately pressed down on the accelerator a little, and the van climbed higher along the winding mountain road. "Just dont cry and complain that youre tired."
Lin Xiuling laughed. "Well see whos crying!"
She gazed out the window. The morning mist had gradually cleared, and sunlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating the layers of mountains stretching ahead.
What she did not know was that, on this mountain road leading to Tea Mountain Village, a relationship that had originally been nothing more than that between a senior and a junior was quietly beginning to change.
Some love stories do not begin with the words "I love you." Instead, after two people have walked a stretch of road together, they suddenly discover—
their hearts have already, without realizing it, begun following the direction of the other persons path.
10. Mobile Medical Clinic
In the plaza in front of the Shanmei Village Community Activity Center, a mobile medical van was parked alongside several motorcycles and bicycles.
A row of villagers waiting for their appointments sat on the benches by the door.
Inside, four long tables had been set up, with Yang Wenhua and Lin Xiuling seeing patients separately.
Basoya opened his mouth while Lin Xiuling examined his oral cavity. Xiuling wore a mask, with a stethoscope hanging around her neck.
With a serious expression, Lin Xiuling said, "You need to have a smear test. There are already white patches on your oral mucosa, and I have reason to suspect that this may be early-stage oral cancer."
Basoya looked shocked. "Early-stage oral cancer? Dont scare me!"
"If the smear test confirms that it is early-stage oral cancer, you need to receive treatment promptly. Otherwise, if the condition continues to worsen, you may eventually have difficulty even opening your mouth to drink water."
Basoya asked in alarm, "Is it really that serious?"
"During treatment, you must quit chewing betel nuts and avoid smoking and alcohol as much as possible."
"Whoa! Then wouldnt life be boring? Can I just quit the betel nuts?"
Lin Xiuling said displeasedly, "Dont be naughty! Im telling you to watch what you eat and drink because I dont want you meeting the King of Hell too soon, and youre still trying to bargain with me."
Basoya looked reluctant. "All right, all right! Basoya will listen to the beautiful doctor."
"Heres a cotton swab. Go sit in one of the chairs over there and use the cotton swab to scrape some cells from your oral mucosa. I need to send it to the lab for testing."
Basoya said lazily, "Yes, maam, beautiful doctor."
Uncle Ali came to Yang Wenhua, who examined his knee joints, ankles, and finger joints.
"Uncle Ali, your osteoarthritis is continuing to get worse."
"Ive been following the doctors instructions. Ive been watching my diet and trying to avoid foods high in purines."
"Have you noticed that youve been urinating less frequently and producing less urine lately?"
"Yeah. Its gotten to the point where Im even afraid to drink water."
"That makes sense. You may have kidney stones. I recommend that you go to the health center and have Director Li perform a kidney ultrasound. We should deal with the kidney stones first. Otherwise, the more afraid you are to drink water, the higher the concentration of uric acid in your body will become. That vicious cycle will make your gout and joint degeneration increasingly severe."
"All right. Ill go to the health center tomorrow."
"Ill prescribe a months supply of anti-inflammatory medication for you. Take one dose every night before bed, and remember to drink plenty of plain water."
"Okay! Wenhua, thank you!"
Yang Wenhua wrote out the prescription and handed it to Uncle Ali. Ali got up and left to collect his medication from the nurse.
Night fell over Shanmei Village.
The mountains and forests, lively during the day, had now settled into silence. The layers of distant mountains disappeared into the dark night sky, leaving only a few household lights scattered across the hillsides, flickering on and off.
In Basoyas courtyard, a warm yellow light bulb hung beneath the eaves. The mountain breeze swept through the yard, stirring the leaves of several tea bushes beside the table and producing a soft rustling sound. Insects chirped one after another in the grass, and every now and then, a few distant dog barks could be heard, making the entire night seem even quieter.
A rough wooden table stood in the middle of the courtyard. On it were a jar of osmanthus-infused wine, a plate of stir-fried wild boar, two plates of stir-fried wild vegetables, and a large bag of peanuts still in their shells.
Several young people sat around the table, with Yang Wenhua and Lin Xiuling seated side by side.
After a full day of work with the mobile medical clinic, they had finally reached a temporary stopping point.
Lin Xiuling took off the doctors coat she had worn during the day and was left wearing only a simple, lightweight shirt. The mountain night breeze brushed against her cheeks, and for the first time, she felt a rare sense of ease.
Basoya, meanwhile, stared at the osmanthus wine on the table, his eyes lighting up. He reached out and was just about to touch the wine jar when his wife, Paicu, immediately slapped his hand away.
"Basoya."
"Hmm?"
"Be sensible." Paicu pulled the wine jar closer to herself. "Youre not drinking."
"Why?"
"Dr. Lin just told you today to quit drinking."
"I know."
"If you know, why are you reaching for it?"
"I was just looking."
Paicu gave him a cold look. "Every time you say youre just looking, you end up drinking half the jar."
An Boyou could not help laughing. "Hahaha!"
Basoya glared at him. "Whats so funny?"
"Your wife knows you too well."
"What do you know?" Basoya snorted indignantly. He turned toward Lin Xiuling, suddenly clasped his hands together, and put on a pitiful expression.
"Dr. Lin."
Lin Xiuling was startled. "Whats wrong?"
Basoya leaned a little closer to her. "Help me say something."
"Say what?"
"Isnt it cruel to make me sit here and watch you all drink the wine I made myself, Paicu?" He deliberately drew out his voice.
Lin Xiuling could not help laughing. She glanced at Basoya and then at Paicu.
"Actually..."
Paicu immediately frowned. "Dr. Lin, dont let him fool you. He doesnt want to have just a little. He wants to drink until hes completely plastered."
Everyone burst out laughing.
Lin Xiuling laughed along with them. "Still, I think a small amount should be allowed."
Basoyas eyes immediately lit up. "See!" He suddenly stood up. "I knew the beautiful doctor understood me best!"
He clasped his hands together and bowed three times to Lin Xiuling.
"Thank you, Dr. Lin! Thank you for pleading my case!"
Lin Xiuling smiled and waved her hands.
"Dont get excited yet."
"Just a small amount. Understand?"
Basoya nodded repeatedly. "I understand! I understand!"
Paicu looked at her husbands triumphant expression and sighed helplessly. "All right. You can only have one glass tonight."
"One glass?" Basoyas eyes darted around.
"Okay!"
Paicu picked up the wine ladle and prepared to pour him a drink. Just as the ladle was about to touch the glass, Basoya suddenly reached out and stopped her.
"Wait!"
Paicu stopped. "What now?"
Basoya said with complete seriousness, "Im going to change glasses."
"Change glasses?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"This glass is too small."
Before his wife could react, he had already dashed into the house.
"Hey!" Paicu called out, but Basoya had already disappeared through the doorway.
Yang Wenhua shook his head with a smile. "Hes still the same."
An Boyou nodded. "He hasnt changed a bit since he was a kid."
A moment later, the sound of rummaging through boxes and cabinets came from inside the house. Then—
"Found it!"
Basoya came rushing out, carrying a huge beer mug.
"Paicu!"
He slapped the mug down on the table.
"Pour the wine!"
Everyone simultaneously looked down at the enormous beer mug.
The air fell silent for two seconds.
Then—
"Hahahahaha!"
An Boyou was the first to collapse into laughter. Lin Xiuling could not help covering her mouth. Yang Wenhua lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly.
Paicu, however, did not laugh at all. She reached out and picked up the enormous beer mug.
Basoya immediately flashed a victorious smile.
"Thats more like it! Now thats a drinking glass."
But in the very next second, Paicu pushed the huge mug in front of Yang Wenhua.
Then she picked up Yang Wenhuas original small drinking glass and placed it in front of Basoya.
"You can only drink from this one."
Basoya lowered his head and looked at the small glass.
Then he looked at the huge mug in front of Yang Wenhua.
His mouth slowly fell open.
"Whoa!" He suddenly stood up. "Thats a huge difference!"
Everyone burst into laughter again.
Paicu folded her arms across her chest. "Quit complaining! Your classmate Yang Wenhua only comes to visit our home once a year. And you still want to compare yourself with him?"
Basoya reluctantly sat back down. "Thats way too big a difference..."
An Boyou laughed so hard he slapped the table.
"Ha! Theres always someone who can keep someone else in check."
He pointed at Basoya.
"Basoya, Paicu is the one person in this life you cant beat."
Paicu rolled her eyes at her husband.
"If I didnt keep him under control, hed have drunk himself into the hospital a long time ago."
Basoya muttered, "Is it really that serious?"
Lin Xiuling immediately chimed in.
"Yes."
Basoya immediately shut his mouth.
Yang Wenhua could not help laughing.
"All this bickering." He looked at the married couple. "Now thats what being married is all about."
An Boyou smiled.
"Wenhua."
"Hmm?"
"What about Cien?"
The wine glass in Yang Wenhuas hand paused slightly.
An Boyou did not notice and continued asking, "Has Cien replied to your message?"
The words were like a sudden cold wind blowing into Yang Wenhuas heart.
The smile that had just been on his face instantly faded.
He did not answer. He simply lowered his head.
After a moment, he gently shook his hand.
"No."
His voice was very low.
Sitting beside him, Lin Xiuling clearly sensed the change in his emotions at that instant. She turned her face toward him. The man who had just been joking and laughing with Basoya suddenly fell silent.
His eyes gazed into the distance, where there was nothing to see.
But Lin Xiuling knew—
his heart had already returned to another place.
Back to long ago.
Back to the side of a girl named Cien.
Basoya also sensed the change in the atmosphere and put down his wine glass.
"Wenhua..."
Yang Wenhua looked up.
"Hmm?"
"Are you still going to keep waiting?"
Yang Wenhua did not answer immediately. His fingers gently rubbed the rim of his glass.
After a long while, he finally nodded.
"Yeah. Two more years."
His gaze grew solemn.
"Cien and I made a promise."
Lin Xiuling felt a slight tightening in her chest.
Two years.
So this was the reason he had continued waiting.
A ten-year promise. A man had staked his youth on a promise with no visible end date.
She suddenly did not know whether she should envy the girl named Cien or feel sorry for the man sitting before her.
Basoya shook his head.
"Oh, man! Ten years!"
He looked at Yang Wenhua, then at Lin Xiuling.
"You two are practically Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü from The Return of the Condor Heroes."
An Boyou laughed loudly.
"You really do kind of look like them."
Yang Wenhua gave a bitter smile.
"Oh, come on."
But Basoya continued.
"Meeting again after ten years. By then, your hair will both be white, right? Maybe Cien wont even recognize you when she sees you."
Yang Wenhua did not argue. He simply smiled faintly.
"If she really comes back..."
He paused.
"I think shell still recognize me."
Those words sent a slight tremor through Lin Xiulings heart.
She looked at his profile.
At that moment, she finally understood.
This was not an ordinary kind of waiting.
It was a mans stubborn devotion to his youth.
Lin Xiuling lowered her head and gently wrapped her fingers around her wine glass.
For the first time, a thought that frightened her surfaced in her mind:
If Cien really comes back, then... what am I?
She did not dare think any further, yet she could not control herself.
She secretly glanced at Yang Wenhua.
There was longing in his eyes, along with a deep loneliness.
At that moment, the jealousy that had filled her heart gradually disappeared.
In its place was understanding.
Even compassion.
She suddenly realized that if she truly liked this man, she could not simply think about pulling him out of his past.
She first had to understand his past, because that past was part of his life.
Yang Wenhua noticed her gaze and turned his face.
Their eyes met.
Lin Xiuling did not look away. She simply smiled faintly.
She asked no questions.
She offered no blame.
And she showed no jealousy.
That smile made Yang Wenhua pause for a moment.
For some reason, he suddenly felt a sense of reassurance he had not experienced in a long time.
It was as if someone finally understood the things he had never been able to say.
He quickly turned his gaze away and picked up his wine glass.
"All right. Enough about this."
He deliberately put on a smile.
"Its rare for everyone to get together today. Lets drink."
Basoya immediately chimed in.
"Right! Lets drink!"
He raised his little glass and deliberately gave it a shake.
"Lets not waste this beautiful evening!"
Paicu coldly added from the side, "You only get that one glass."
Basoyas smile instantly froze.
"I know..."
Everyone laughed again, and all five of them raised their glasses at the same time.
"Cheers!"
The glasses gently clinked together.
Clink—
The crisp sound rang especially clearly in the quiet mountain night.
The osmanthus wine gave off a faint floral fragrance as the mountain breeze swept through the courtyard.
Yang Wenhua tipped his head back and took a sip.
Lin Xiuling also took a small sip.
But her gaze once again fell unconsciously on Yang Wenhua.
She suddenly had a feeling that there was a door in this mans heart.
Inside that door lived a girl named Cien.
And what she could do now was not force the door open.
She could only stand outside it.
Patiently waiting.
Waiting for the day—
when he would be willing to open that door himself.
The night grew deeper, and the mountain breeze continued to blow through the tea bushes.
The laughter of the five people lingered through the valley for a long time.
11. A Confession on the Suspension Bridge
At dawn, Danayigu was still immersed in a mountain haze that had not yet awakened.
Thin mist slowly drifted through the deep valley, like a layer of translucent white gauze, winding through the lush forests on both sides.
The morning light emerged from behind the mountain peaks, tinting the mist with a faint golden glow.
The stream murmured along the bottom of the valley. The clear water struck against the rocks, producing a delicate, distant sound.
Occasionally, a fish darted across the surface, its silvery-white body flashing briefly in the morning light before disappearing.
The entire Danayigu Valley looked like an ink-wash landscape painting that had not yet dried.
A suspension bridge stretched across the deep valley.
The morning wind blew upward from the valley floor, causing the steel cables of the suspension bridge to vibrate slightly, while the bridge deck swayed gently with the wind.
Yang Wenhua stood alone in the middle of the bridge.
He held the cables with both hands, leaning slightly forward from the waist as he gazed past the railing toward the upstream section of the stream.
The mountain mist obscured his face.
At that moment, he did not look like a young doctor.
Instead, he looked like a man standing at a crossroads in life, waiting for an answer.
He did not know what he was looking at.
Perhaps the flowing water.
Perhaps the distance.
Or perhaps the future he was unwilling to face.
Faint footsteps came from behind him, and the wooden planks of the suspension bridge creaked softly beneath each step.
Yang Wenhua did not turn around.
A slender figure slowly emerged from the morning mist.
Lin Xiuling held onto the cable along the side of the bridge and walked toward him step by step.
She stopped a few steps away from Yang Wenhua.
She did not speak immediately.
She simply stood there quietly, looking at his back.
She had barely slept the night before.
The conversation in Basoyas courtyard had continued to linger in her mind.
Cien.
That name was like an invisible wall standing between her and Yang Wenhua.
She knew she had to ask him today, even if the answer might hurt her.
She still wanted to know.
After a few seconds, she finally spoke.
"Senior."
Yang Wenhua did not turn around.
"Hmm?"
"Would you be willing to let me ask you a question?"
The mountain wind blew past them, and Yang Wenhuas fingers tightened slightly around the cable. He seemed to have known for a long time what she wanted to ask.
"What do you want to ask..." He paused. "I know."
Lin Xiuling was startled. She took two steps forward. The soles of her shoes made a soft "clack, clack" against the wooden planks.
"If you already know..." She stopped beside him. "Then, would you be willing to face me, look into my eyes, and answer?"
Yang Wenhua finally turned around.
In the morning mist, their eyes met for the first time without either of them hiding anything.
Lin Xiuling looked at him. His expression was calm. But beneath that calmness, there seemed to be a deep wound.
Yang Wenhua said quietly, "Go ahead. Ask."
Lin Xiuling took a deep breath.
"That girl named Cien..." She paused. "She was your first love, wasnt she?"
Yang Wenhua did not avoid the question.
"Yeah."
His voice was very soft.
"Xie Cien was my girlfriend when I was in high school."
Lin Xiulings heart sank slightly.
Although she had already guessed the answer, hearing it from him still made her feel a pang of sadness.
She lowered her eyes.
After a while, she raised her head again.
"Why did she ask you to wait for ten years?"
Yang Wenhua fell silent.
He turned around again and looked toward the distant valley. The morning mist was slowly clearing.
"Cien was diagnosed with leukemia."
Lin Xiulings breathing stopped for a moment.
"Leukemia?"
Yang Wenhua nodded.
"During our senior year of high school, she suddenly started having frequent fevers and dizziness. Later, the examination showed..." His voice was unusually calm. But when he reached the final words, his Adams apple moved slightly.
"Her parents took her back to Canada for treatment. Before she left, she made a promise with me..."
He stopped, as if recalling a long-sealed memory.
"Ten years. She would come back after ten years."
Lin Xiuling looked at his back.
"So youve been waiting all this time?"
Yang Wenhua did not answer.
But his silence itself was an answer.
Lin Xiuling bit her lip and looked at the man before her.
For an entire year, she had watched him closely.
From the first time she met him in the library, she had always felt that he was different from the other male students.
While the others would leave class in groups, he was always alone.
While others would date, go shopping, and watch movies, he devoted all his time to books and medicine.
He was like a nut wrapped in a thick, hard shell. No one knew what was hidden inside.
And now, she finally saw it.
Inside that hard shell was a piece of youth he refused to let go of.
Lin Xiuling asked softly, "What if..."
Yang Wenhua did not move.
"I mean, what if?" Her voice became even softer. "What if she doesnt come back to keep the appointment two years from now?"
Yang Wenhuas body stiffened slightly.
"What will you do?"
"Keep waiting?"
"Or..." She looked at his profile. "Keep shutting yourself away inside your ivory tower?"
The wind blew across the suspension bridge.
The bridge deck swayed slightly.
Yang Wenhua lowered his head.
"I dont know. I dont want to think about that right now."
Lin Xiuling looked at him.
"Because youre afraid?"
Yang Wenhua did not answer.
"Afraid of what?" Lin Xiuling pressed. "Afraid she wont come back?"
"Or..." She paused. "Afraid that youll really have to start over?"
This time, Yang Wenhua turned his head.
Their eyes met again, and for the first time, a clear flicker of emotion appeared in his eyes.
"Junior. I know youre curious about me."
Lin Xiuling smiled slightly, with a hint of stubbornness in her smile.
"Im not just curious about you."
Yang Wenhua was startled.
Lin Xiuling tightened her grip on the cable.
"I also want to try to crack open that nut of yours."
Yang Wenhua froze for a moment.
Then he gave a bitter smile.
"Why bother, junior?"
His voice was very soft.
"I cant make any promises to you."
Lin Xiuling felt a stab of pain in her heart.
She had actually expected him to say this.
But hearing it from him still felt like being pricked by a needle.
She lowered her head.
Her fingers unconsciously rubbed the rough surface of the cable.
She understood.
Yang Wenhua was not rejecting her—not completely.
He simply could not make a promise to her while there was still someone else in his heart.
That made her feel even more sorry for him.
After a moment, she raised her head again.
Her eyes became firm.
"Only two years."
Yang Wenhua was stunned.
Lin Xiuling looked at him.
"I can wait."
"What?"
"Two years."
She spoke each word clearly.
"I can wait for you."
Yang Wenhuas eyes trembled slightly.
"Xiuling..."
This was the first time he had called her by her name directly.
Hearing her name spoken by him, Lin Xiuling suddenly felt an indescribable flutter in her heart.
But she did not retreat.
"I dont expect you to answer me now. And I dont expect you to accept me now."
She took a deep breath.
"I only want to ask you one thing."
"What?"
"Are you willing..." She looked into his eyes. "To let me wait for you?"
Yang Wenhua fell silent.
For a long time.
So long that Lin Xiuling thought she had already received her answer.
But then he slowly turned around, leaned forward again, and gripped the cable.
He looked down toward the suspension bridge below.
Lin Xiuling did not press him for an answer.
She also walked to his side.
The two of them stood side by side on the suspension bridge.
Neither said a word.
The stream beneath them continued to murmur.
A small fish swam along the riverbed, flicked its tail once, and disappeared between the rocks.
Yang Wenhua gazed at the surface of the water.
But inside, another enormous storm was raging.
He had always believed that all he needed to do was wait.
Wait two years.
Wait for Cien to come back.
Wait for their ten-year promise to be fulfilled.
But now, another girl was standing beside him.
She had not forced him to forget Cien.
She had not demanded that he make a choice immediately.
She had simply said—
"I can wait for you."
Those words, instead, made him feel afraid for the first time.
Because waiting had never been something that belonged to only one person.
If Cien came back, what should he do?
If Cien did not come back, what should he do?
And if Lin Xiuling really waited for him for two years...
Could he bear the weight of another persons feelings?
Yang Wenhua closed his eyes.
The morning breeze brushed against his cheeks.
Beside him, Lin Xiuling did not urge him.
She simply stood quietly, accompanying him as he looked at the stream below.
The thin mist gradually cleared.
The first rays of sunlight passed through the mountains and fell onto the suspension bridge.
They also fell across the shoulders of the two people.
Yang Wenhua opened his eyes.
He did not answer.
But this time, he did not tell her, "Dont wait for me."
And Lin Xiuling understood—
some answers are not spoken with a simple "yes" or "no."
The real answer may need time.
Two years.
Perhaps even longer.
She was willing to wait.
At least for now, she was willing.
12. Shanmei Village
In the afternoon at Shanmei Village, sunlight slanted through the windows on both sides of the community activity center.
The mountain breeze passed through the half-open windows, carrying the scent of leaves and earth.
Yet there was none of the usual afternoon leisure inside the activity center.
Several long tables had been arranged into a temporary medical clinic, covered with stethoscopes, blood pressure monitors, medications, and basic medical equipment.
Several villagers were still sitting on the benches outside, waiting to see the doctors.
Some held children in their arms.
Some held their lower backs.
Others kept peeking inside.
This mobile medical team serving the remote mountain communities was like a temporary hospital anchored in the mountain village.
Yang Wenhua lowered his head as he examined the lower leg of a middle-aged villager.
He rolled up the mans pant leg and saw that the area around the wound was already swollen and shiny. The skin was noticeably red and swollen, and there was even some discharge.
His brow immediately furrowed.
"How did you let it get this bad before coming in?"
Yang Wenhua raised his head, his tone much more stern than usual.
"Its swollen this badly. This isnt an ordinary minor wound anymore. Its cellulitis. If you delay treatment any longer, it could lead to sepsis, and in severe cases, it could become life-threatening."
The villager had originally looked unconcerned.
But when he heard the words "life-threatening," his expression immediately changed.
He looked down at his leg.
"Ah... I thought it was just a little wound."
He scratched his head awkwardly.
"I figured putting some ointment on it would be enough. I still have to work during the day. When would I have time to come see a doctor?"
Yang Wenhua looked at him and remained silent for several seconds.
He knew this was not an issue affecting just one person.
In the mountain areas, many residents relied on physical labor to make a living. If they did not work for a day, they could lose a days income.
But illness never stopped demanding its price simply because life was difficult.
"If you dont take a small wound seriously, one careless moment can cost you your life."
Yang Wenhua softened his tone.
"Ill give you a dose of antibiotics first, and then arrange for you to be hospitalized for treatment."
He pointed at the wound.
"You need to complete the full course of antibiotics. Dont stop taking them on your own just because your symptoms improve. While youre in the hospital, you have to stop working."
The villagers face immediately fell.
"Then what am I supposed to do about my job?"
He leaned forward anxiously.
"If I dont work, I dont get paid!"
Yang Wenhua did not speak for a moment.
He looked at the exhausted face before him, worn down by the pressure of making a living, and suddenly felt a sense of helplessness.
A doctor could treat an illness.
But could a doctor solve the life problem of someone who simply could not afford not to work?
That was the part of rural healthcare that weighed most heavily on him.
"You dont normally have any savings?"
The villager gave a bitter smile.
"I do odd jobs for a living. I dont have much money to begin with."
Yang Wenhua thought for a moment.
"First, call the township office and ask for the social welfare section."
"The social welfare section?"
"They have emergency assistance funds. It can help you get through this immediate crisis."
The villager was stunned for a moment, then nodded repeatedly.
"Okay. I understand. Thank you, Doctor."
Yang Wenhua nodded.
"Get yourself treated first. You can find work again later."
Just then—
"Doctor! Doctor!"
Urgent cries suddenly came from outside.
The doors of the activity center were suddenly pushed open.
Two young men, drenched in sweat, stumbled inside while supporting an elderly woman between them.
The elderly womans right arm was tightly bound with a belt. Her face was deathly pale, saliva continuously dripped from the corner of her mouth, and her body convulsed from time to time.
Yang Wenhuas expression changed instantly.
"Bring Grandma over here!"
The two young men hurriedly helped the elderly woman over to the examination chair.
Yang Wenhua was already on his feet.
"Nurse!"
He called toward the other examination table.
"Ill handle this emergency patient first. Give the previous patient his antibiotics, and Ill write the referral in a moment."
The nurse immediately nodded.
"Okay, Doctor Yang."
Yang Wenhua crouched down and supported the elderly womans shoulders.
"Grandma."
He gently asked in the Tsou language, "What color was the snake that bit you?"
The elderly woman could only gasp for breath, her eyes unfocused, seemingly unable to understand the question at all.
One of the young men said anxiously, "Doctor, my grandma has dementia. She cant explain what happened!"
"Did you see the snake that bit her?"
"No."
The young man shook his head.
"We heard Grandma screaming in the vegetable garden. By the time we ran over, the snake had already slithered away."
Yang Wenhua did not ask any more questions.
His eyes fell on the elderly womans muscles, which were continuously convulsing.
Her pupils, muscles, swallowing, and breathing...
He rapidly compared the symptoms in his mind.
Neurotoxic venom—and the condition was progressing rapidly.
"Judging from the symptoms..."
Yang Wenhua raised his head.
"It should be neurotoxic snake venom."
His voice was calm and decisive.
"I can handle it."
Lin Xiuling, who had been standing nearby, had already walked over.
She looked at Yang Wenhua.
At that moment, she clearly saw the change in his eyes.
He was no longer the quiet, reserved senior she knew from the library.
Nor was he the man who had been drinking osmanthus wine the night before, wounded by memories of the past.
At this moment, Yang Wenhua had eyes only for the patient.
Calm.
Focused.
Without the slightest trace of panic.
"Senior, Ill help you."
"Good."
Yang Wenhua immediately gave her instructions.
"Go to the refrigerator and take out the antivenoms for the many-banded krait and cobra. Take two drops of each and place them separately in Petri dishes. Label them clearly."
He glanced at the elderly woman.
"I need to obtain some discharge from the wound first so I can make a preliminary assessment."
"Okay. Ill get everything ready."
Lin Xiuling turned and walked quickly toward the refrigerator.
Her heart unconsciously began beating faster.
This was the first time she had truly seen Yang Wenhua up close while he handled such a critical case.
And for the first time, she realized—
she had always thought she was merely attracted to him.
But at this moment, what truly drew her to him was perhaps not simply his appearance or talent.
It was the almost instinctive sense of responsibility this man possessed when faced with a human life.
“Hold the old woman’s hand steady.” Yang Wenhua picked up the sterilized instruments. “One person hold her hand, and another keep her upper body still.”
The two young men immediately did as instructed. The elderly woman began struggling from the pain.
“Ma’am, hang in there.” Yang Wenhua spoke softly to reassure her. “It’s going to hurt a little.” He bent over, his eyes firmly fixed on the wound.
The entire community center suddenly fell silent. There was only the sound of the wind outside and the elderly woman’s rapid breathing. Yang Wenhua quickly treated the wound and took a sample, sending it to the culture dishes Lin Xiuling had prepared.
Lin Xiuling held her breath and carefully completed each step. Yang Wenhua continued monitoring the elderly woman’s condition. He did not panic despite the crude conditions at the scene. Every movement was extremely controlled.
“Give me the culture dishes.”
Lin Xiuling immediately brought them over to him. Yang Wenhua lowered his head and compared the changes in the two samples. After a few seconds, he pointed to one of them.
“Junior, take a close look.”
Lin Xiuling leaned closer. The color of one of the culture dishes had changed noticeably faster than the other. She suddenly understood.
“This is cobra antivenom!”
Yang Wenhua nodded. “Right.” He immediately took out a syringe. “This is the one.”
Lin Xiuling quickly handed him the antivenom. Their fingers lightly touched for an instant as they exchanged it, but neither of them noticed. All their attention was focused on the patient.
After completing the treatment, Yang Wenhua checked the elderly woman’s vital signs again. After a while, her convulsions seemed to lessen slightly. Only then did Yang Wenhua quietly let out a breath of relief.
Lin Xiuling had been standing beside him the entire time. Unable to hold back her curiosity, she asked, “Senior, that treatment method just now…”
Yang Wenhua glanced at her. “Making a local incision in the wound actually carries risks.”
“Why?”
“Because in an emergency setting, the instruments may not be completely sterilized, which can actually increase the risk of infection.” He paused. “Also, snake venom usually enters deeper tissues. Making an incision in the wound does not mean you can remove all the venom.”
Lin Xiuling nodded.
“But if we don’t take a sample, it’s difficult to determine what kind of venom it is.”
“Exactly.”
Yang Wenhua glanced at the elderly woman. “Her muscles were continuously convulsing at the time, so it was difficult to obtain venomous blood.” His tone became more serious. “This was an emergency measure taken under the circumstances. Unless absolutely necessary, this method should not be treated as a general principle of care.”
Lin Xiuling nodded thoughtfully. “I understand.” She looked at him. “That’s very valuable clinical experience.”
Yang Wenhua did not answer. He simply reached out and took the elastic bandage handed to him by the nurse. He redressed the elderly woman’s wound and affected limb, then instructed the two young men:
“Let her rest for now. Have her lean back slightly, with her elbow kept lower.”
“If she develops difficulty breathing or any change in consciousness, notify me immediately.”
The two young men quickly nodded.
“Okay, okay.”
They carefully helped the elderly woman lie down.
Some semblance of order finally returned to the community center, but Lin Xiuling could not take her eyes off Yang Wenhua for a long time. She watched his profile. Sunlight from outside fell across his shoulders, illuminating the slight furrow in his brow.
At that moment, a clear thought suddenly arose in her mind.
This man would surely become an outstanding doctor in the field of surgery someday.
But the next thought made her herself pause for a moment.
If one day he really became a famous doctor… who would be the person standing beside him?
She thought of that name: Ci’en.
The tenderness that had just risen in her heart suddenly became covered by a faint shadow.
She knew that she was beginning to fall for a man whose heart already belonged to someone else.
Perhaps this feeling was destined to be difficult from the very beginning.
But she did not step away. Instead, she quietly continued watching him.
Yang Wenhua seemed to sense her gaze and turned his head. Their eyes met briefly.
Lin Xiuling did not look away. She simply smiled faintly.
Yang Wenhua merely gave a slight nod before turning back to attend to the next patient.
From outside the door came the villagers’ voices again.
“Doctor, the next patient is here.”
Yang Wenhua picked up the medical chart again.
“Come in.”
Lin Xiuling took a deep breath, put her mask back on, and picked up her stethoscope.
She knew that today’s medical clinic was not over yet.
And the story between this man and her had only just begun.
