Is the beginning of a catastrophe? The little farm cook is raising a family with a full warehouse.

Cheng Yuntao nodded and said sincerely, "Thank you for the reminder. This is the consultation fee. Please keep it. It's really troublesome for you to come all this way."

"Jiang Yu, please send the doctor back and bring the medicine back as well." Cheng Yuntao turned sideways and said to Jiang Yu.

Jiang Yu agreed without hesitation: "No problem, leave these things to me, you just stay at home and take care of grandma."

After saying that, he turned around and respectfully gestured to the old doctor, "Doctor, please come this way." Then he accompanied the old doctor out and stepped into the streets where the cold wind was still blowing.

The long street was covered with snow a foot deep, and the dry grass rustled in the wind as if crying.

"Forgive me for being so abrupt," Jiang Yu finally couldn't help but speak, the white mist from his breath misting up his eyebrows and eyes. "Now most of the people in the city have moved south, looking for a warm and stable place. Why do you still stick here?"

The old doctor paused slightly, raised his head, and gazed into the distance through the layers of cold air. His eyes were filled with indifference and determination. He said slowly, "I am old and my physical strength is not as good as before. I really can't endure the long journey. Even if I have gone through so much trouble to reach Nanzhao, I have no relatives and am still just a stranger after all."

He sighed softly, his tone filled with nostalgia, "I was born and raised in Junhua. All my life's memories are here, and my roots are deeply rooted in this land. I don't want to be adrift in this land when I die, like a rootless duckweed."

The old doctor raised his dry branch-like fingers and tapped his heart, "Where my heart is at peace is where I shall bury my bones."

"Besides, as a doctor, it's my duty to heal and save lives. Now that the cold weather is here, the number of patients has increased, and there are still many people in urgent need of treatment like me. How can I just walk away?" A hint of worry flashed in his eyes as he spoke. "This cold weather has caused severe snow and frost on the mountains, and the supply of medicinal herbs has almost dried up. I don't know how much longer the clinic's inventory can hold out, but as long as there's a medicine and a patient left, I will stay here."

Jiang Yu listened to the old doctor's words and felt a surge of admiration in his heart.

In the past, Jiang Yu only admired those heroes who robbed the rich and helped the poor, punished evil and promoted good. But now, looking at the thin, kind-faced old doctor in front of him, his thoughts completely changed.

Jiang Yu was deeply aware that there were many ordinary people like the old doctor in this world, but they had great righteousness in their hearts. Although they did not do earth-shaking feats, they were silently protecting the people in their area and were equally worthy of respect from the world.

The two chatted all the way and arrived at the clinic unknowingly.

The old doctor skillfully prepared the medicine for Jiang Yu, carefully wrapped it up, and repeatedly reminded him of the precautions for decocting it. Jiang Yu took the medicine package, thanked the old doctor again, and turned to leave.

Looking at Jiang Yu's back as he walked away, the old doctor stroked his beard, sat back in his usual seat, picked up the pestle and mortar beside him, and continued to grind the herbs quietly.

The wind and snow outside the window grew stronger, but he was like a black stone lying quietly at the bottom of a deep pool. In this city where people were in panic and there was an atmosphere of uneasiness everywhere, he only cared about the medicinal herbs in front of him and the patients who urgently needed treatment.

……

At this critical juncture, grandma's illness undoubtedly made the situation worse, making the already difficult situation even more difficult.

Her original plan to leave was interrupted. Cheng Yuntao looked at her frail grandmother lying on the sickbed, her heart filled with worry. After much thought, in order to allow her grandmother to get better rest, she finally decided to stay and make plans after her grandmother's condition improved.

After two days, the wind and snow gradually stopped, and the cold wind that had been raging for a long time also gradually lost its edge.

The morning light of dawn penetrated the clouds and poured unreservedly onto the blue bricks and black tiles of Junhua City. The icicles hanging from the eaves turned into translucent pearl curtains in the sunlight. The snow water meandered down along the patterns of the lion carved on the tiles, and struck out clear melodies like the sound of a pipa on the bluestone slabs.

The teahouses east of the city were the first to shed their snow, their steam, laced with the scent of jasmine, drifting across the streets, awakening the hustle and bustle of the city life that had been dormant all winter. The citizens of Junhua City emerged from their homes, their faces brimming with long-lost joy, and the streets were filled with laughter and joy.

Children chased and played on the street, holding simple toys made of branches and snow, chasing each other, their laughter like silver bells echoing in the air. Groups of three or five elderly people sat in the warm sunshine on the street, basking in the sun and chatting about family matters.

"Finally we made it through this. This horrible weather really froze us." A white-haired old man sighed, and the wrinkles on his face were smoothed out by his smile.

In the streets where the cold fog had not yet dissipated, several young men were gathered together.

The leading young man raised his eyebrows as he spoke, his eyes sparkling with light. "The weather is finally warming up. Once the frozen ground thaws, we can quickly plow the soil and start planting again. Although this season's harvest will definitely not be as good as previous years due to the cold weather, as long as we plant, we can still harvest something, which is good for the emergency."

The round-faced boy next to him clenched his fists, his knuckles white in the morning light. The branches bent by the snow reflected in his pupils, like new seedlings eager to sprout. "I'm thinking we should plant some cold-resistant crops that ripen quickly, like buckwheat and oats. They have a short growth cycle and yield a quick harvest, which will help us get through this difficult time as soon as possible."

A quiet young man nearby pushed up his tattered cloth cap and explained, "Before planting, we need to clear the ground of any remaining snow and debris. Only by letting the soil fully bask in the sun and absorb more warmth can the seeds thrive and the harvest be good."

Everyone was talking at once and the discussion was in full swing. Although the shadow of the cold disaster had not completely dissipated, they were already actively planning for a new life.

Suddenly, there was a clanging sound of iron colliding. A dozen strong men had picked up shovels and wooden spades. The leader looked around with fierce eyes. His black leggings sank into the foot-thick snow. The soles of his boots made a crisp sound like broken jade when they rolled over the ice. The snow foam flew like silver scales where the shovels flew. Soon, the snow on the side of the road was cleared.

The weather cleared up for two days in a row, and the warm sun shone on people, making them feel comfortable all over.

The wine flags along the street stretched out their curled-up muscles in the chilly spring breeze; the owner of the soy sauce factory leaned against the door lintel and greeted people with a smile, the brass abacus in his hand clacking; a half-broken wood was stuck diagonally in front of the rouge shop, but the girl with a spiral bun didn't care at all. When her slender fingers brushed across the gilded makeup box, the silk flowers on her temples trembled with laughter; the white mist rising from the steamed cake shop was wrapped in sweet fragrance, and entwined with the clinking hammers of the blacksmith shop in the distance, spread over the rooftops.

The long street seemed to have regained its former glory, and even the water droplets dripping from the icicles on the eaves seemed to be clapping and singing.

Seeing the restored vitality, Cheng Yuntao felt quite happy, and her steps unconsciously became lighter. She shuttled among the bustling crowd, listening to the laughter and conversation, and feeling the warmth of surviving the disaster.

But for some reason, a trace of uneasiness lingered in her heart like a shadow.

Will this cold disaster really pass so easily?