“Okay, thank you for your advice. But tell me: I am doing a good thing—why should anyone destroy me?”

“You don’t understand. But maybe there’s no point in trying to. I’m not sure. I have to go home now.”

Gray put his money away and headed off in the opposite direction.

Mia was a little confused by Gray’s words. Maybe he was right about grudges in everyone’s heart. But why didn’t these people pursue their own dreams? Was it because of inertia or restlessness? That’s right, Gray had been restless just now. He was probably confused by a lot of things.

Mia sympathized with Gray, but at the same time she couldn’t help feeling a little pleased. She saw that she could take over the space that Gray had left open. When he talked of people with grudges, did he mean himself? No, he was pursuing his own happiness. His business was picking up. He wouldn’t hold grudges. Although Mia gave it careful thought, still she couldn’t figure out what Gray meant.

She recalled Gray sitting at the side of the road counting bills, and felt that this was a little strange. It seemed to be another Gray, whom she didn’t know. Gray had once dreamed of being a barefoot doctor, but he had given up.

Before Mia got home, Lohan had already signed the lease for the hill. From now on, the hill was theirs. Their son Milan ran around the room shouting, “We have a mountain, we have a mountain . . .” Mia smiled broadly as she picked up her son, although tension was building inside her.

“I have to learn cultivation techniques from Mrs. Yi first,” she whispered to her husband.

“Relax. Do whatever you have to do. I’ll support you 100 percent.”

“How did you know that I’m nervous?”

“I’m your husband. We’re all in, aren’t we?”

“Yes, everything is difficult in the beginning. I’ve learned a lot from Mrs. Yi.”

Someone came in without knocking. It was the village barber, a gloomy fellow.

“Hi, your barbershop is doing very well recently, isn’t it? Even people from neighboring villages come to your shop for haircuts,” said Lohan, handing him a cup of strong tea.

“The barbershop is no big deal. I just get by, day in and day out,” he said over his tea.

“That’s not true. People love the haircuts you give them,” Lohan said.

“Doing good deeds is risky these days.” The barber squinted, as if recalling some painful experiences.

What did that mean? Mia thought. Why did he, and even Gray, think that doing good was dangerous?

All three of them stopped talking, and the room became very quiet. Mia heard some big birds flying outside, circling round and round.

The barber suddenly stood up and went out without saying good-bye.

“Someone broke his leg before he moved here. That’s why he is crippled. Why would someone hurt such a good man?” asked Lohan.

“I’ve had warnings from two people today, both about planting herbs, I suppose,” Mia said.