Violetgrass

Qingce Village

Chaoxing and Baizhu settled in Qingce's community centre the next day, and she was surprised at the way he managed to talk to Granny Ruoxin as though he'd known her his entire life, and still remain respectful. She wondered if it came with the job.

Qingce Village was more of a retreat for older people, and Chaoxing watched as people came to Baizhu for diagnosis and medicine. Most of it all was the same—back aches and pains. She did not look forward to growing old. But no one in her family had shown up, and she wondered why.

Granny Ruoxin walked up to Baizhu, and Chaoxing watched them talk. She couldn't hear, but Ruoxin was making a lot of vague hand gestures. Baizhu nodded along. She then walked away, and Baizhu gestured to her. She walked up to him.

"I need to make a house call," he said, handing her a packet of medicine he had just made. "Could you take care of things here?"

She nodded, and took his spot, and he left immediately.

"A lot of you are suffering from back aches," Chaoxing said, as another old man said the same thing.

He smiled. "It comes with being old." She handed him the packet of medicine, and let him go on his way.

"Chaoxing," said the next person.

She looked up. "Mother?"

"It's been a while."

"That it has." Chaoxing was surprised to find she held no animosity towards her. She supposed her mom had been nice for the most part. The ending just wasn't right.

"I can't stay for long since your father is ill, but how have you been?" She sounded almost uncertain.

"Not bad."

Chaoxing knew her mom was thinking that Chaoxing having left the house because the atmosphere was unbearable, was the same as having been kicked out.

"I'm sorry." Her mom shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "I know you weren't in the best state, and I shouldn't have kicked you when you were down."

"Well... none of us were in a good emotional state at that time," said Chaoxing. "But I'm happy in Liyue Harbor."

Her mom smiled. "I see."

Chaoxing continued packing medicine, and when she looked up again, her mother was gone. Handing the last of the medicine to the last person who'd come, she took a seat.

Granny Ruoxin walked up to her. "Doctor Baizhu has gone to your parents' place. Go see your father," she said softly. Chaoxing supposed she knew everything that happened around here. Nodding, she headed down the road, walking a once familiar path. She stopped briefly at the edge of the hill, staring down at the meadows, a glaze lily blooming here and there.

When she reached the house, she walked in as though she'd owned the place. She stepped quietly into the bedroom, where her father lay on the bed, his face pale and breathing unsteady. It ached her to see him this way. He used to be so hale and hearty.

Her father was telling Baizhu how much pain he was in. Baizhu, momentarily distracted by Chaoxing's footsteps, turned to see her hovering near the door. He gestured to her. "Come here. You came because you wanted to see your father, no?" At her look of surprise, he smiled. "You two have the same smile."

Changsheng let out a small laugh.

"Chaoxing, is that you?"

"Dad, what happened?"

He gave a wheeze of laughter. "Chest aches and pains. Your mother wanted to see you, but she's gone out for a bit."

"I know," said Chaoxing. "I ran into her a little while ago. Will you be alright?"

"Of course," said Baizhu nonchalantly, already writing a prescription. Chaoxing's nerves settled immediately, and she finally understood why he said a doctor always had to be confident. He stood up. "Huangli, would you like me to wait until your wife comes home?"

"There's no need."

"Lijuan, welcome home," said Huangli, pulling himself up to lean on the headboard. Lijuan gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and Chaoxing looked away.

"Thank you, Doctor Baizhu."

He nodded, and then looked at Chaoxing. "Do you want to speak to them for a little longer?" he whispered in her ear. His glasses bumped into her.

She shook her head. "I don't think so."

They left together, and Chaoxing waved a farewell, stopping to stare at the living room. A photo hung on the wall, a photo of the three of them. She smiled at it before she followed Baizhu out the front door.

"Thanks for coming all this way," she said.

"I'd been meaning to for a while. Too bad I can't be in two places at once." They watched a young boy chasing another boy down the road. Chaoxing wondered if they were playing a game of tag.

"What, and overwork yourself twice the amount? You'll dig yourself an early grave."

"Me?" he said with mock surprise. "I'm chasing immortality, remember?"

She smiled, but something in her ached. Here was a barrier. Immortality and death. Chaoxing didn't want to live forever for any reason, even if that reason was love.

"This moment matters the most," said Changsheng, her eyes on Chaoxing.

"Today, tomorrow, the day after." Chaoxing reached up to pull at a leaf on a tree.

"That's right."

***

Three days later, they'd reached the pharmacy again, and business was as usual. Gui looked proud about how he'd held the fort while they'd gone.

Chaoxing stepped outside one afternoon while Baizhu was treating a patient. She looked around to see a pair of fluffy ears in the reception.

"Tighnari, what a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here?"

"I came to see Baizhu," said Tighnari, one ear twitching as he spoke. "Is he free?"

"Treating someone. You'll have to wait."

"I see." He took a seat outside, and Chaoxing followed him. His ears twitched as she stood by the railing. He spoke after a few moments of silence. "What do you think about coming back to the Akademiya?"

"You do remember me." He nodded, and she looked at him drily. "But you shouldn't, because I was there long after you'd graduated."

"Your situation caused quite a stir in Amurta. I heard the Akademiya tried contacting you afterwards, but they couldn't get a hold of you. They said you'd just vanished."

She smiled sheepishly. "That sounds accurate. As to whether I'd return to the Akademiya—"

"You're leaving? I'd be heartbroken." Someone put an arm around her shoulder, squeezing her lightly.

"You'd better be," offered Chaoxing, before turning her attention back to Tighnari. "I wouldn't return to the Akademiya even if you offered me a million Mora. That place holds some really bad memories."

"With a physical manifestation of them too," Baizhu said under his breath. Chaoxing tapped his nose.

"But thanks for asking."

"I see." Tighnari stood up, and Changsheng slithered over to Chaoxing's neck. Baizhu and Tighnari headed down the stairs together. Chaoxing could only make out a few words of their conversation, but she knew what they were talking about.

"Herbs again."

"Those two need more hobbies," hissed Changsheng.

"We can't really fault them."

Qiqi headed outside. "There was something Qiqi needed to do..."

"Storage. Freeze the herbs please."

She nodded and headed back in, and Changsheng followed her.

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