"Thank you, granny. I was worried about having nowhere to buy provisions. I'll repay you once I buy so at the market in two days."
Bei Lin was very polite to the old lady. She had shared her story with her, and in this Peach Blossom Village, only the old lady knew that Bei Lin was a young woman. Everyone else who saw Bei Lin could only see her as an old lady; even with a good figure, she was rely an old lady with a good figure, never associated with a beautiful young woman.
"No, what are a few provisions? You asking for sothing from is a complint to , girl. You've had it rough already. I hope you can accept this small gesture from an old lady like . Who knows, maybe one day I'll need your help."
The old lady said this only to comfort Bei Lin. Bei Lin, being pure-hearted, easily believed her. She nodded quickly, not even taking the provisions, but instead held the old lady's hand, continuously assuring her that she would do her best to help whenever needed in the future.
"You're such a young girl; how did you end up with this strange illness? But perhaps because you're young, there might still be hope. Girl, you don't know this, but there's a Divine Doctor hidden in our Peach Blossom Village. For us ordinary folks, no matter how serious an illness, as long as we seek the Divine Doctor, they can cure it. I heard from people in the neighboring village that this Divine Doctor can bring the dead back to life and restore bones to flesh. You might want to try your luck and see if the Divine Doctor can cure your strange illness."
The old lady ntioned this secret to Bei Lin because she pitied her and found her kind and easy to get along with.
When the Divine Doctor first ca to Peach Blossom Village, the locals had no idea who they were. Since a family was cured of a mysterious illness by her, that family brought many specialties to thank the Divine Doctor. From then on, her fa grew. Later, as the Divine Doctor couldn't manage alone, she asked the people of Peach Blossom Village to keep her presence a secret and agreed to treat the locals for free, on the condition that outsiders wouldn't know of her existence.
The old lady, having benefited from the Divine Doctor herself, always heeded her words and never considered exposing her. She only told Bei Lin because it would be a sha if this woman had a mishap, given her youthful allure and vibrant face.
"Really? Is there truly a Divine Doctor in Peach Blossom Village who can cure my mysterious illness?"
Is it really that simple?
Bei Lin felt a mont of joy but then fell silent.
Since the person is a Divine Doctor, seeking their help surely isn't straightforward. Why would they decide to help?
She gloomily examined her wrinkled skin, and recalled the lines on her face, forehead, the corners of her eyes, and the loose skin on her neck.
All of this confird that Bei Lin had indeed beco an old lady. This wasn't a dream; unlike past dreams that could just be shrugged off upon waking.
"Girl, I can't guarantee your illness can be cured, but if you don't even try, how can you be sure that you won't get better?"
Indeed, since the mont she looked in the mirror, Bei Lin had believed she would be like this forever, living as an old lady, with her youth gone, hiding sowhere, wasting away her days. But now she thought differently, because the old lady said if she never tried, how could she know she wouldn't get better?
"Thank you, granny. I'll do my best."
Bei Lin chose to live on because she wasn't ready to say goodbye to this world. There are still many cherished things and people she is reluctant to leave behind. Now that she is like this, she can only hide, but it doesn't an she's not going to seize the chance if a way back exists.
"Right, as long as you do your best. I just fear you might give up so young. The Divine Doctor lives in the deepest part of Peach Blossom Village, much like this, in a thatched house, but with a pair of lanterns hanging outside. The lanterns are lit day and night, hard to miss."
The old lady shared everything she knew with Bei Lin after hearing where the Divine Doctor lived. Bei Lin cleaned up the house, packed so provisions, and decided to set off then.
Being unfamiliar with Peach Blossom Village, she didn't know how long it would take to reach the deepest part. To avoid too many variables on the road later, it was best to confirm early if her illness could be completely cured.
There are many stories in Peach Blossom Village. Bei Lin had only walked for half a day when she arrived at a small town with a market. She was sure this market wasn't the one from her place, as she had been to that one to buy things.
The town had a hotel. She ordered so wine there, and coincidentally they had so side dishes fried up. Seeing Bei Lin coming alone to buy wine, looking old, the owner instinctively thought she was an old alcoholic and enthusiastically packed so side dishes for her, handing them over.
"Granny, is this your first ti drinking at our place? I'd say, drinking without a story just isn't as satisfying. Behind our courtyard, there's a place where you can listen to stories and there's quite a crowd. If you're interested, the first ti's on the house. If you like, go have a listen."
A story?
Bei Lin thought, having a drink, eating so side dishes, and listening to a story before continuing the journey didn't sound too bad. She thanked the owner, taking the wine flask and the side dishes, and headed inside.
Sure enough, as the owner described, the room was full of people, each with a bottle similar to Bei Lin's. As soon as she entered, the strong sll of alcohol hit. The storyteller sat among the drinkers, downing wine and spinning tales. Sotis they spoke of events outside Peach Blossom Village, other tis, strange happenings from within it. Because the storyteller never repeated a story, more and more people ca to listen, naturally boosting the hotel's wine sales.
This storyteller could be considered their hotel's deity of wealth. As long as their storytelling brought profit, what's the harm in treating the storyteller with reverence and worship?
"Mr. Zhou, what story do you have for us today? You've been telling about strange incidents from outside lately. Has there been anything significant happening among us in Peach Blossom Village? Why don't you tell us a story from here to change our palate, wouldn't it be nice?"
Who was the first to ask for a story from within Peach Blossom Village?
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