Traveling through ancient times: living a different life

The road down the mountain was all dirt. Doctor Lin carried all the medicinal firewood that the two of them had dug, and Bi Yue carried a small backpack, half of which was filled with fresh plantain and dandelions.

Doctor Lin was not tall, about 1.7 meters, neither fat nor thin, and did not look like a farmer. He was pale, about 40 years old, with a slight beard.

Maybe he was carrying dozens of kilograms of medicinal herbs, or he was worried that Biyue would be too tired, so he took a few breaks on the way down the mountain.

When they came across a flat stone platform on the road, Doctor Lin put down his large backpack, pulled out a dry cloth from his waist, and wiped the sweat off his face.

Bi Yue asked him, "Master, are you thirsty? I saw you didn't drink any water the last two times, and you're sweating so much, is your water bag empty?"

Doctor Lin replied, "Yes, there is no water. We will be home in another quarter of an hour. Go home and drink some!"

"I have some water, drink it! You're welcome."

So he searched for the water bag, took out the cake from the morning and handed it to Doctor Lin. Doctor Lin said, "It's good that there is water. You can eat the cake."

"Eat, Master. Grandma gave me two cakes this morning. I ate one. I can't eat so much. If you don't want to eat it, do you want me to take it back?"

Doctor Lin was indeed a little hungry, so he ate some bread and drank some water. After eating, he felt all the fatigue in his body disappear. He then picked up the herbs and continued on his journey with them. He took a break in the middle of the journey and walked for about ten minutes. When they stood on the mountain, they could see the village in the distance.

The two walked home in one go, passing by Doctor Lin's house first. Doctor Lin asked Bi Yue to follow him into the house first. After entering, Bi Yue found a chair in the yard to sit down and rest. Doctor Lin put the herbs on the wooden table under the corridor. Doctor Lin's father and mother came over to hold the backpack, and Father Lin took down the big cloth bag on it.

Lin's mother asked her son, "Why did you dig so many medicinal herbs today? What is this big bag?"

Father Lin continued, "This bag is quite heavy, weighing more than thirty kilograms."

Doctor Lin said to his parents, "The bags are full of Polygonum multiflorum. The bundles and the backpack were dug by Bi Yue. She is such a lucky girl. I have never dug so many good things in the mountains. I brought her here today. You can see that we have returned with a full load. Hahaha!"

Doctor Lin went to the water tank next to the kitchen to fetch water while he was talking. He said to Biyue, "Girl, come here and wash your face."

Biyue came over, and Lin's father and mother went to the kitchen with a smile and put the food on the table. Lin's mother called out, "Biyue, come and eat. You've worked hard today. It's already noon. You must be starving!" Wash up and eat quickly! After that, the two left.

Bi Yue wanted to refuse, but she was hungry, so she just ate! The two of them sat down and saw two dishes, one meat and one vegetable. The meat dish was chicken stewed with mushrooms. Bi Yue asked, "Master, we have chicken today. I am so lucky today."

"If it tastes good, eat more. I went to deliver medicine to a patient yesterday afternoon. Their family was short of money, so they used chickens to offset the medical expenses. Thinking that you and I would go up the mountain to collect herbs today, I asked them to kill the chicken and stew it for dinner. We can't raise too many. You can see that there are more than ten chickens and two ducks in the backyard. Most of them were sent by the patients. Raising too many would waste food."

"Master, how many chickens can you sell at the market? Or if my family wants to eat chicken someday, I can buy one from you to help you get rid of the stock?"

"No need to buy, just take one and eat it."

"That won't work. How can I take your chicken for free? You must pay for it. If you don't accept it, I won't dare to come to your house to buy it. There are so many people in the village, there must be people raising chickens. I'll ask grandma to buy it from other families."

Doctor Lin used chopsticks to pick up a large chicken leg and put it in Biyue's bowl. He also scooped a large spoonful of chicken soup and said, "Eat more. We can talk about buying chicken later. You are tired today. Rest at home tomorrow and come back the day after tomorrow."

Biyue ate a bowl of rice, chicken soup and chicken, and felt very full.

"Why aren't Xiao Xingxing and Auntie here? And Grandma?"

Doctor Lin said: "The mother and son may have taken a nap and haven't woken up yet. Grandma went to her daughter's house this morning and may be back late."

Bi Yue thought to herself: Whose daughter-in-law would sleep until 4 p.m.? She is so lucky to be Doctor Lin’s daughter-in-law. Her parents-in-law are harmonious and there is no mess. It is pretty good.

Doctor Lin thought to himself: My daughter-in-law is only three months pregnant with her second child. I can’t tell anyone, especially this is a 5-year-old girl.

After dinner, Biyue poured the medicine in the small basket onto the ground, put the water bag and the small hoe in it, and prepared to go home. Doctor Lin came over with a fat hen in his hand and put it in her small basket. Biyue wanted to refuse.

Doctor Lin said to Biyue, "This is a hen that lays an egg every day. You can take it home. If you want to eat the chicken, kill it for the meat. If you want to eat the eggs, keep it. You went up the mountain to collect so many herbs today. According to the value and weight of the herbs, five chickens are worth it. You are not allowed to refuse."

"Master, the herbs are for you. I will be very happy if you are willing to take me to the mountains to dig herbs."

"Okay, we'll go again next time." Bi Yue said goodbye to her master and went home happily.