Bittersweet memories

Suyin found herself enveloped in a maelstrom of emotions as she was unceremoniously hauled into the carriage.

The interior, adorned in white and red hues, seemed to offer a stark contrast to her inner turmoil. Wansun's gentle guidance as he settled her within the carriage, juxtaposed with his courteous demeanor as he stationed himself outside on the wooden boards, added a layer of confusion to her already befuddled state.

Where was she being taken? And more pressingly, why had she allowed herself to be swept into this situation? As the carriage rumbled forward, Suyin's mind became a battleground of conjectures.

Who was this enigmatic figure beside her? Would he be her captor, leading her into an uncertain fate?

The uncertainty gnawed at her, fueling her imagination with dark and ominous scenarios. Would she ever see the light of day again, or would she simply vanish, a mere footnote in history? The irony of her predicament wasn't lost on her.

Here she was, whisked away on an unforeseen adventure, when she hadn't even experienced the mundanity of marriage or the flutter of romance.

Her thoughts involuntarily drifted to Minsheng back in the present day, a bitter reminder of not taking the same path again this time. Outside the confines of the carriage, Wansun caught wind of Suyin's muffled groans, tinged with a sorrow that echoed through the air.

He stifled a soft chuckle, masking his true intentions behind a façade of geniality. Despite his desire to make a favorable impression, it seemed coercion was the only means to convey the veracity of his words regarding his family and background. Within the carriage, Suyin battled against a rising tide of apprehension.

Images of demise danced at the periphery of her consciousness, threatening to overwhelm her with their spectral presence.

Yet, she refused to succumb to her fears, steeling herself against the vulnerability that threatened to engulf her. Mentally berating herself, she drew in a deep breath, willing herself to regain composure. The abrupt halt of the carriage jolted Suyin from her introspection, sending her tumbling from her seat.

As the weight of another presence lifted from the carriage, she tensed, anticipating Wansun's departure and her chance to flee.

With determination etched into her features, she counted down the seconds, poised to seize her moment of escape.

But before she could execute her plan, the curtains parted to reveal an elderly maid, kneeling before her in deference.

The unexpected presence of the maid caught Suyin off guard, her mind scrambling to make sense of this.

With a mixture of curiosity and trepidation, she obeyed the unspoken command, descending from the carriage with a sense of wonderment etched upon her features.

As her feet touched the ground, her eyes widened in amazement, beholding the sight before her—a delicate and expansive home, a stark departure from the world she knew. The grandeur of the manor unfolded before her eyes, each detail meticulously crafted to exude opulence and elegance.

Inside, the flurry of activity among the maids hinted at the vastness of the estate. Suyin couldn't help but marvel at the contrast between this lavish abode and the modesty of her own home.

Indeed, this place surpassed hers in every aspect, casting a spell of enchantment upon her senses. As she stood in awe, a young maid approached, breaking the reverie with a gentle summons.

Suyin turned her gaze towards the maid, her mind still reeling from the sudden change in circumstances.

In the maid's outstretched hands, she held a set of clothing, a silent indication of the young master's request. With a nod of understanding, Suyin accepted the garments, realizing the purpose behind her presence in this extravagant setting. The realization dawned upon her—perhaps the man who had whisked her away had spoken the truth after all.

With a resigned sigh, she followed the maid's instructions, retreating into the privacy of the guest room to exchange her attire. With deliberate care, she adorned herself in the garments provided, each movement infused with a newfound sense of nobility and grace. Emerging from the confines of the guest room, Suyin felt transformed, the aqua silk robe enveloping her form like a mantle of prosperity and elegance.

As she made her way towards the courtyard, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Unbeknownst to her, Wansun's gaze lingered upon her, captivated by her newfound radiance.

As the late afternoon sun cast a golden glow over the tranquil scene, Suyin stood beside Wansun by the shimmering pond, its surface rippling gently in the breeze.

A faint scent of wildflowers lingered in the air, mingling with the earthy aroma of the surrounding vegetation.

"What is this?"

Despite Suyin's attempt to dampen the atmosphere with her sharp words, Wansun's grin remained unwavering, his demeanor relaxed as he reclined by the water's edge, a simple fishing pole in hand.

The soft murmur of the flowing water provided a soothing backdrop to their conversation. "It fits you perfectly," Wansun remarked casually, his attention divided between the line drifting lazily in the water and the woman beside him. Suyin's brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean, 'it fits you perfectly?' Do you think that this is a joke?" With a practiced gesture, Wansun set aside his bamboo fishing pole against the sturdy trunk of a nearby tree, the dappled sunlight playing across its polished surface.

As Suyin followed his gaze towards the pavilion, her eyes widened in astonishment, her lips parting in silent wonder. Stretching out before them in meticulous rows were an array of herbs, their vibrant colors and varied textures a testament to nature's bounty.

Dried leaves rustled softly in the breeze, while delicate tendrils reached towards the heavens in silent supplication. "You should figure out what these are, correct?" Wansun's voice held a note of gentle encouragement as he turned towards Suyin, his eyes crinkling at the corners with amusement. Unable to tear her gaze away from the mesmerizing sight before her,

Suyin could only nod in silent agreement, her mind racing with possibilities.

Was he about to pass his knowledge of medicinal herbs to her? Wansun's laughter echoed through the tranquil surroundings, dispelling any tension that lingered in the air.

"I apologize for my earlier rudeness, and for neglecting to introduce myself sooner," he began, his tone sincere as he inclined his head towards Suyin in a gesture of respect.

"My name is Cheng Wansun, and I come from a family of medicine." A warm smile graced his features, a hint of bashfulness coloring his expression as he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment due to Suyin not recognizing who he was.

Suyin. Han Suyin." The name rolled off her tongue with a sense of assurance as if she had finally pieced together a puzzle. "I... just have a question that I wanted to ask."

With a graceful sweep of her arms, she presented the exquisite robe adorning her frame, her eyes searching Wansun's face for answers. Seating himself on one of the weathered stone chairs, Wansun inclined his head in attentive acknowledgment.

His gaze held a quiet understanding as Suyin voiced her inquiry, her words hanging in the air like delicate wisps of smoke. "I've heard around town that some lady was trying to learn medicine," Wansun began, his tone measured as he carefully chose his words.

It was clear to Suyin that she was the subject of the rumors he referenced. "As for the outfit... if you would like to work as a student under my care, I don't think it's proper for me to mistreat my first student," he continued, his explanation tinged with a sense of propriety that resonated with Suyin's own values. "But... why me? You do know that I am a woman." Suyin's voice carried a hint of incredulity, her brows furrowing in genuine confusion.

The notion of a woman delving into the realm of medicine was still a foreign concept to many, and she couldn't fathom why Wansun would extend this opportunity to her. A bitter grin flitted across Wansun's features, a fleeting expression that Suyin almost missed.

"My mother learned medicine and passed it on to my father. As a child, she was a mother who I felt could cure the world if she wanted to," he confessed, his voice soft with reverence for the woman who had shaped his understanding of healing.

Suyin listened intently, her heart stirred by the depth of his words. With a resigned sigh, Wansun patted his thighs in a silent invitation to refocus their attention.

"Anyway, why don't we get started?" he suggested, gently steering the conversation back to their shared purpose.

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As the day unfolded into evening, Wansun guided Suyin through the intricate teachings of Chinese herbal medicine, unraveling the mysteries of Yin and Yang within the human body and their profound influence on health and balance.

Together, they traversed the expansive halls of his medicinal sanctuary, a treasure trove of knowledge rivaling even the revered libraries of the Long clan. Dusk descended like a velvet curtain, casting long shadows across the tranquil courtyard as their lesson drew to a close. "I'll take you back home," Wansun offered, his voice gentle with concern.

But Suyin, her heart brimming with gratitude, shook her head with a soft smile. "Thank you for teaching me. I learned so much today that I think I'll be in debt to you if you help me like this," she expressed earnestly, her fingers clutching the aged medical tome to her chest with reverence. The book, once a vibrant shade of blue, had weathered with time, its cover now a faded echo of its former hue.

Within its pages lay a wealth of knowledge, illustrated with delicate ink drawings of various herbs and their properties.

It was both a contract and a promise between mentor and student, a tangible symbol of their shared journey ahead. As Suyin stepped out into the cool night air, she exchanged her ornate robe for her plain attire, feeling out of place in garments that spoke of a status she had yet to attain.

Wansun followed her to the threshold, his concern palpable in the silent exchange between them. "Are you sure you don't need a ride home?" he asked once more, his offer laced with genuine concern. "No. I greatly appreciate all that you have done today. I'll find you again when I can," Suyin assured him, her steps quickening as she hurried off into the night. Watching her retreating figure with a mixture of admiration and concern, Wansun couldn't help but marvel at her resilience. Despite the challenges that lay ahead, he had no doubt that she possessed the strength and determination to overcome them all.

The memory of his mother lingered like a bittersweet melody in Wansun's mind, a testament to her unwavering passion and the sacrifices she had made in her quest to defy societal norms.

Her fervent desire to shatter the taboo surrounding women in medicine had ignited a flame within her soul, a flame that was cruelly extinguished by the merciless hand of illness when Wansun was just a child. With his mother's legacy weighing heavily upon his heart, Wansun's father had stepped into the breach, shouldering the mantle of being a royal Doctor in her stead and preserving her precious knowledge for future generations.

Hidden within the hallowed halls of their ancestral home lay the secret scroll of medicine, a testament to the untold sacrifices made in the pursuit of healing. As he watched Suyin vanish into the darkness, a flicker of recognition stirred within Wansun's soul.

There was something about her, a spark of innate talent that mirrored his mother's own prodigious gifts. In their brief time together, he had sensed her natural affinity for the healing arts, her grasp of his teachings seamless and effortless. Returning home beneath the veil of nightfall, Wansun sought solace beneath the shelter of his pavilion, the gentle breeze carrying whispers of distant memories and unspoken dreams. --- "Areum! I have so much to tell you!" Suyin burst through the door with palpable excitement, only to be met with the sight of her friend packing their belongings.

Areum's bowed head and apologetic tone pierced the bubble of Suyin's elation, her heart sinking at the news that awaited her. "My lady, we're getting kicked out tomorrow morning," Areum confessed, her words heavy with regret. The weight of disappointment settled upon Suyin like a leaden cloak, overshadowing the joy of her newfound passion for medicine.

In her single-minded pursuit of knowledge, she had neglected her responsibilities, her selfishness now laid bare before her faithful friend. Pushing aside her own crestfallen feelings, Suyin reached out to comfort Areum, the words of apology caught in her throat. The revelation of her imminent displacement eclipsed any thought of sharing her new learning with her dear friend, the precious tome clutched tightly to her chest a silent reminder of the promises she had yet to fulfill.

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Areum's voice trembled with worry. "My lady... where are we going to go?" she queried, her grip tight on the meager remnants of their belongings.

But Suyin, lost in her own thoughts, could offer no answer, her response a mere shrug of her shoulders.

Together, they trudged along the dusty road, the early morning hour casting long shadows across their path. Few souls stirred at this hour, the rhythmic cadence of their footsteps punctuated by the distant crowing of roosters and the muted bustle of early-morning commerce. Suddenly, a scene unfolded before them that shattered the quietude of the morning.

An elderly man, dressed in a simple white robe, crumpled to the ground before them, his form limp and lifeless. Areum gasped in alarm, her eyes widening in shock as Suyin rushed to his side, her hands trembling as she shook the man with urgent concern. "Are you okay?!" Suyin's voice rang out with desperation, but the passersby paid little heed, their indifference a stark contrast to the urgency of the moment.

Areum hovered nearby, torn between fear and uncertainty, unsure of how to assist her friend in this sudden crisis. Suyin's heart ached with the desire to help, but she knew the risks of drawing attention to themselves in this public setting.

With a heavy sigh, she made a reluctant decision, gently shaking the man's shoulders in a futile attempt to rouse him from his unconscious state.

"Young kind lady, please take me to my home."

To her relief, the old man stirred, his voice weak with pain as he pleaded with Suyin to take him home. A small scroll slipped from his pocket, falling unnoticed to the ground below.

Areum's skepticism lingered, but Suyin, driven by compassion and duty, hoisted the frail figure onto her back without hesitation. With each step, Suyin's determination hardened. She may have been a doctor in the present, but her oath to heal knew no bounds, regardless of time or place. As she carried the old man's slight frame, she silently urged Areum to investigate the fallen scroll.

Areum stooped down, the gentle rustle of the scroll unfurling in her grasp echoed in the quiet morning air.

The parchment, weathered and delicate, bore the weight of their hopes. Its size, no larger than a modern smartphone, belied the significance of its contents. Upon its surface, intricate lines traced the familiar pathways leading to the old man's home. Yet, nestled in the corner, inked in a script both foreign and strangely intimate, were the words "(Lili's Home)". The journey to the old man's abode wound through the eastern reaches of Yuewei, where the town's pulse slowed to a gentle rhythm, lulled by the proximity of the countryside.

Suyin, her steps punctuated by brief rests, pressed forward, each pause a reminder of the urgency pressing upon her. Time, a merciless taskmaster, brooked no delay, not when a life hung in the balance. At last, they arrived at a modest cottage, its timeworn facade softened by the warmth of familiarity.

Before the dwelling, stacks of wood stood sentinel against the chill of impending winter, a testament to the foresight of its solitary inhabitant.

Nearby, a patch of earth, tenderly tended, bore the promise of sustenance in the form of herbs and verdant greens. But for Suyin, these details faded into insignificance beside the frail form she bore upon her back. With a tenderness born of determination, Suyin lowered the old man onto the bed, the creak of the wooden frame a somber counterpoint to her labored breaths.

As she leaned in, her fingers sought solace in the rhythm of his pulse, a silent dialogue between life and the void.

Each beat, a reassurance; each pause, a harbinger of uncertainty. With the weight of knowledge pressing upon her, she concluded her examination, her diagnosis echoing in the stillness of the room — fatigue, a silent adversary that had claimed its unwitting victim. Meanwhile, Areum, still tethered to the hazy realm between sleep and wakefulness, stirred from his slumber.

The remnants of a restless night lingered, courtesy of the innkeeper's boisterous proclamations.

"He's alright now," her voice, tinged with the weariness of dawn's early light, cut through the lingering fog of sleep. "Let's go." But for Suyin, the simple act of departure eluded her. Anchored by an inexplicable sense of connection, she remained rooted by the old man's side.

His features, weathered by time's unrelenting passage, stirred a memory long buried, its edges softened by the passage of years.

In the quietude of the moment, her heart found solace, a silent affirmation of trust in the face of uncertainty. For in the gaze of the old man, she found not an enemy, but a kindred spirit, a beacon of hope in the dim recesses of her soul.

The room, bathed in the soft glow of early evening, cocooned Suyin and Areum in a hushed stillness.

Suyin's arms, weary from the weight of uncertainty, found solace in the cool embrace of the bed. With each passing moment, she lingered, her gaze fixed upon the slumbering form of the old man, a silent sentinel guarding the threshold between life and oblivion.

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[A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER]

Hours slipped by unnoticed, swallowed by the yawning abyss of time's relentless march.

In the gentle embrace of sleep, Suyin and Areum surrendered to its seductive embrace, their weary bodies seeking respite from the tumult of the day. Yet, as the dim light of dusk yielded to the encroaching shadows of night, Suyin stirred from her slumber, a jolt of awareness rippling through her consciousness.

Blinking away the remnants of sleep, she surveyed the room, her heart racing with a sense of foreboding. With a start, she leapt from her perch, the echo of her hurried footsteps punctuating the silence of the room.

Panic gnawed at the edges of her consciousness as she searched, her frantic movements a desperate plea against the encroaching void. "Areum!" Her voice, tinged with urgency, shattered the stillness, rousing Areum from her slumber.

As her eyes fluttered open, Suyin turned to her, "Help me find the old man!" Together, they scoured the confines of the small dwelling, their footsteps a frenzied dance against the encroaching darkness.

Yet, their efforts yielded naught but empty rooms and barren corridors, the old man's absence a haunting specter in the silence that enveloped them. "My lady, look!" Areum's voice, tinged with a note of discovery, broke through the suffocating silence as he proffered a letter to Suyin, its delicate script a testament to the mysteries that lay concealed within. Suyin unfolded the parchment, her eyes tracing the elegant curves of each letter. As the words unfurled before her, she felt a surge of emotion welling within her, a bittersweet symphony of gratitude and loss. "To my savior," the letter began, its words a haunting echo of the old man's enigmatic presence. With each line, Suyin felt the weight of his absence pressing upon her, a silent reminder of the fleeting nature of their encounter.

"Thank you for helping me while many others may have just passed by me. There are things that are best kept in the dark, such as who I am and what purpose I serve in this world.

I advise for you to take over this home until I, one day, have fully accomplished my duties in this life, for I believe that you will one day make this world a better place.

The flowers that had blossomed in the spring will soon wither in fall, but the petals tell a story of its time. The season that has been granted will soon blossom again in the next spring."