Someone in the water was talking to him.

“Who are you?” Gray asked.

“I am Tauber. Have you heard Mrs. Yi speak of me?”

“Yes, I have. You’re a highly respected ancestor.”

“You woke me up when you were digging herbs. This is a beautiful place to stay, but I always like to talk with people. How’s Mrs. Yi?”

“She’s very well. Grandpa Tauber, will I be able to talk to you again next time I come to Niulan Mountain?”

“Next time? No, you mustn’t think of doing that. My dear boy, I’m in the most beautiful place, but in this kind of place we can’t make appointments to see people. People meet only by chance. Well, just as we did. We had a pleasant talk about our mutual friend. Are you happy?”

“Ha, I’m so happy! Grandpa Tauber, I hope you’re always happy!”

A pebble flying from somewhere fell into the water, and Gray regarded it as Tauber’s messenger.

Carrying the herbs and the two-toothed hoe, Gray walked down the mountain. He was not a bit tired, and he even hummed a folksong.

As he passed by the cliff, he heard Tauber’s voice again.

“Oh, how I’d like to chat with Mrs. Yi again under the pear tree!”

“You will, Grandpa Tauber. I promise.”

Gray honestly believed it would happen.

16
Mia and Her Patients

With Grandpa Onion’s guidance, Mia was successful in planting herbs. Again and again she was surprised by the young people from Deserted Village who volunteered one after another to work at her herb hill. Everything was going well. Lohan was now happy from morning to night.

“Milan, your mother is a barefoot doctor now!” he said to his son.

“Mom is wearing shoes.”

“But she goes barefoot to the places where neither you nor I can go for the time being.”

“If I took off my shoes, could I go?”

“Ha-ha, ha-ha, Milan, you little imp!” He burst out laughing.

Mia produced more herbs than her clinic needed. When the harvest season came, three men wearing black clothes and straw hats showed up at Mia’s house. Mia talked with them quietly in the back room, which she had made into a pharmacy. When they left, they were each carrying a large burlap bag of herbs. One of them patted Milan on the head.

Mia blushed with excitement as she told Lohan, “They’re from Blue Mountain. The girl Angelica broke through all the obstacles, and her career is prospering.”

“What obstacles did she break through?” Lohan asked.

“I don’t know. It’s just a feeling I had. It is so enlightening. Angelica is remarkable!”

“I think so, too,” Lohan said. “I often tell myself that Mia is a miracle.”

“Come on! You should see this girl. You don’t know how extraordinary she is.”

“Anyway, it’s great that there’s so much demand for our herbs. Are those men in black members of the medical journal staff? I think they must be.”

This was a good day, and they decided to go to Yang’s place to celebrate. Milan cheered and ran wildly around the room.