Elixir Supplier

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

“Good to know that it’s been resolved.” Wang Yao was relieved when he heard the news.

Zhou Xiong was a responsible man, and his son was sensible. Wang Yao’s impression of the father and son was very good.

That day, Li Maoshuang personally delivered the herbs that Wang Yao ordered to the village. It was the first time he had visited Nanshan hill and saw Wang Yao’s herbal field.

“My god, you planted so many herbs?!” His eyes were wide.

“Ladybells, radix sileris, radix gentianae, licorice…What is this?”

His curiosity led him to make a round outside the herbal field, and the dog followed him closely with suspicious eyes like it was looking at a thief.

“Huh? Why is your dog looking at me like this? Why do I feel like it’s looking at me like I am a thief?” Li Maoshuang was surprised and remarked.

“Yes, I think that’s what it meant!” Wang Yao laughed.

“This dog is intelligent,” Li Maoshuang chuckled. He was not offended.

“I knew you had exceptional medical skills, and I thought you were a doctor. I didn’t expect that you had planted herbs on your hill too.” Li Maoshuang looked around carefully. Wang Yao had planted many species of herbs, and there were multiple types. The quantities were not much and were insufficient to be considered large-scale cultivation. Due to his occupation, he had come across plenty of herbal field growers. Usually, they would grow one type or a few types of herbs. He had not seen someone grow multiple species of herbs like Wang Yao. Hence, he deduced that Wang Yao did not rely on the herbal field for income.

“These herbs are mainly for my own use,” Wang Yao said, raising his hand and pointed to the herbal field.

“Own use? How?” Li Maoshuang asked out of curiosity.

“For decoction.”

“Decoction? You are a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner?”

“Yes and no; I am a pharmacist,” Wang Yao said, smiling.

“Pharmacist? Like a medicine maker?”

Wang Yao shook his head and smiled. “The former and not the latter.”

Li Maoshuang heard him and was full of doubt. He took note of Wang Yao’s expression, thought about it and did not question further.

Wang Yao invited him into the cottage to have a seat. The cottage did not have many furnishings, only a few tables and chairs and plain, white walls. Instead of saying it was simple, it could be said to be a little shabby.

“Have some tea.”

Wang Yao prepared Li Maoshuang a pot of water and a cup of tea with a faint fragrance.

“This is good tea!” Li Maoshuang drank a sip and remarked. He was fond of tea and could tell the tea was extraordinary just from a sip.

“Are you always on this hill?”

“More or less,” Wang Yao replied.

“You’re like a hermit, reminiscent of Tao Yuanming,” Li Maoshuang commented. “Just that it’s a little boring.”

“It’s not boring at all; I have a lot of things to do.” Wang Yao gazed out of the window.

Tending to the herbal field, reciting scriptures, walking around the hill, practicing his breathing exercises—there was so much to do. How could it be boring?

“Personally, I can’t stand this sort of life,” Li Maoshuang smiled and said. He had controlled smoking and drinking because of health reasons, and if there were dinners, he would decline them whenever he could. However, he had retained certain hobbies such as playing cards, fishing, and traveling. This was the life he liked, and it could be said to be an enjoyment. After the scare that time, he had learned to accept the situation. There could never be enough money to earn. So long as there was enough to spend, health was still the most important.

Li Maoshuang stayed on the hill for around 20 minutes before leaving.

With the herbs, Wang Yao could decoct the Regather soup.

He raised his head to look out the window. A pleasant day—it was good weather. Instead of choosing a particular day, one could allow things to happen naturally—why not choose this day?

Wang Yao prepared the herbs, firewood and other items and started the decoction process. The fire blazed, and the herbal scent was faint. Multiple herbs were continuously added. Wang Yao quietly sat in front of the fire, observing each step. He was extremely serious about his task, as this was a decoction that could extend one’s lifespan.

By the time the decoction was done, the sun had already dipped halfway towards the western part of the sky.

While he was making his way down the hill in the evening, he accidentally overheard the villagers talking about him.

“Have you heard? Wang Yide got detained at the police station because of Wang Fenghua’s family.”

“Yes, but he deserved it; such a scoundrel!”

“Guess it’s his son. I heard the branch secretary comment by accident that this young man is very astute!”

Wang Yao halted momentarily and then continued on his way home. Returning home for dinner, he heard his parents discuss the matter.

Wang Yao said these two words: “That’s good.”

“Good? How can this be considered a good thing?” Zhang Xiuying was a little displeased. She cared deeply about their image and did not like hearing the villagers criticize her family. In her opinion, this was not something to be proud of.

“In future, these people will not give trouble,” Wang Yao smiled and replied.

The villagers’ rumors showed that they had this perception that their family was not to be trifled with or risk getting into trouble themselves.

Wang Yide was a prime example for the villagers to stay vigilant. Wang Yao hoped that the villagers held this perception and be appropriately afraid. It was beneficial to have them think that if they should avoid provoking his family as far as possible.

After finishing dinner, Wang Yao stayed at home for a while and then left.

When he reached the southern part of the village, the lights were dimmed. Further south was Nanshan hill. It was pitch black, and the path could not be seen clearly. Upon reaching this place, Wang Yao’s speed accelerated, his inner Qi circulated, his walk was brisk, and his strides were long. The wind blew past his ears. In the pitch darkness in the wilderness, the path was steep, and yet he walked like it was level ground. In a flash, he had covered the winding hill path and went straight into his little cottage on the hill.

“Whew, that was satisfying!” he sighed in contentment upon reaching.

He could only do this at night. If it were in the day and seen by others, he would be regarded as a monster. The speed was too terrifyingly fast, faster than the sprinting champions. It was as though he was flying, which was astonishing!

“Occasionally, letting go can be pretty good.”

Wang Yao loosened up his limbs. As usual, he went outside his cottage to stare up at the sky. Then, he went into the cottage to recite the scriptures. This was all part of his usual routine.

The next day, Zhou Xiong and his son came to the hill again. Mainly it was to collect the decoction, but secondly, it was for Wang Yao to make a diagnosis. It was also an opportunity to take his son out for some fresh air, rather than being cooped up in the apartment.

Wang Yao took Zhu Wukang’s pulse. It was the same as the last time he took it. The boy’s own vitality was insufficient. The recovery process was still not complete.

“Here is a decoction; take it in the usual manner.” Wang Yao took out the prepared decoction.

“Okay, thank you.” Zhou Xiong carefully put it away.

Wang Yao’s expression changed slightly as he heard the system’s alert.

The free decoction has reached its limit within the period.

Sure enough, the system’s rules of giving a free decoction every three days had its limitations.

Zhou Xiong and son walked about the hill for a bit and then left. Wang Yao drew out the system panel and checked on the alert.

Free decoctions cannot be given to the same person more than three times a month and more than nine times a year.

This meant that for the same patient, they were allowed to receive the system’s formula at most three times a month and nine times a year. If more were needed, the patient would need to pay. This was the system’s limitation.

“Dad, I feel comfortable when I am up on the hill.” After going down the hill, Zhou Wukang’s face was rosy and appeared happy.

“Comfortable? How so?” Zhou Xiong heard him, smiled and asked.

Zhou Wukang thought for a while before answering, “I can’t really say. It’s better than the apartment we rented.”

“In that case, Dad will bring you here whenever I have time, okay?”

“Okay. But we’ll have to make sure Mr. Wang won’t be unhappy.” Although the child was young, he was very considerate.

“Dad will be sure to ask him beforehand.” Zhou Xiong smiled and ruffled his son’s hair.

“Okay.” Zhou Wukang happily nodded his head.

…

In the county, in an elegant teahouse, in a private room, two people sat facing each other. There was a pot of tea on the table.

“I shall leave this matter to you.”

“I will try.”

Amongst the people chatting, one of them was Tian Yuantu. The other person’s identity was special but was also someone Tian Yuantu knew. That person did not stay in the teahouse for long. When he left, he was very discreet, as though afraid that others would see him.

“Eh, these people!” Tian Yuantu sat at the teahouse, raising his cup and drank up all the tea.

As a businessman and a successful one at that, he had met with all sorts of people. There were some people he had no wish to interact with, yet had no choice but to come in contact with. The more contact he had, the more he had seen, and the more matters would crop up. Up to this point, quite a few people knew his relationship with that person and would come looking for him to gain access to said person.

A favor was hard to accept and difficult to decline.

“Sometimes, I really envy him!” At this moment, Tian Yuantu suddenly thought of the person on Nanshan hill, the carefree and contented Wang Yao. “He probably doesn’t get bothered by such matters.”

In reality, Wang Yao was at the moment, troubled by a matter.

Wang Yao’s house had two visitors: one was his third uncle, and the other was clad in a suit and leather shoes. His face was shiny; it was his third uncle’s boss. His surname was Zhang.

Sigh. Wang Yao sighed and then laughed.

Previously, because of this matter, he remembered his third uncle and aunt argued and even threatened to divorce. Within a few days, something similar happened. Furthermore, his third uncle did not warn him beforehand. Wang Yao had already furnished a strong reason previously, that the medicine was finished and he could no longer provide it. Did his third uncle not hear a word of what he said?!

Wang Yao was tempted to ask his third uncle directly—what was he thinking?! There was a saying that said that trouble was usually created for the father. Instead, what was this—trouble created for the nephew?

“Don’t worry. I have money, and I won’t give any less!” Third Uncle’s boss said. The words were clear, but his expressions and mannerisms look feigned.