The village head, sipping his tea, gestured for us to settle down and take a moment before speaking. Ah Li entered from outside, carrying two teacups, her face blooming with a smile.

Wang Jue and I each took a cup. Wang Jue sipped his slowly, but I had no heart for the tea; I set my cup aside and looked at the village head with deep concern.

Perhaps feeling uneasy under my scrutiny, he finally set down his cup, cleared his throat, and spoke, "There is a master-raiser in the village, one hundred and thirty-two years old this year. I will take you to see her shortly; there is hope she can lift the Gu poison from your sister. However, it might not be in time, as the afflicted person must be present during the detoxification process."

This news brought me both elation and worry. I was happy that hope had finally appeared, but distressed that my sister was a thousand miles away. Even driving flat out would take eight or nine hours; could we reach her before Li Xiaohao made his move?

After finishing our tea, the village head led Wang Jue and me toward a house at the east end of the village. Ah Li skipped along merrily, following closely behind.

The house was modest, just three tiled rooms and a small courtyard. A few sparse bean vines grew there, a pathetic sight compared to the gourds and cherry trees outside the village head's home—truly a world apart. It seemed the wealth disparity in this village was quite significant.

The village head stepped forward and knocked on the door ring. With a creak, the door opened, revealing a young woman dressed in a blue floral top and trousers.

"Hua Gu!" Wang Jue exclaimed, lunging forward with a happy stride that startled both the village head and me. Apparently, that earlier act of delivering medicine had planted a seed in Wang Jue’s heart. At this moment, that seed had taken root and sprouted into a tiny rose.

Hua Gu flushed instantly, hastily stepping aside to usher us in. The village head and I were already seated in the main hall, but Wang Jue was still locked in an intensely meaningful gaze with her, while Ah Li watched from the side, biting her lip to stifle a giggle.

I understood that feeling perfectly, the same nervous anticipation I felt when I first saw Wen Shu. I wondered how many such heart-stopping moments one experienced in a lifetime; this one alone was unforgettable.

"Hua Gu, please ask your grandmother to come out," the village head said, seeing the silent communication flowing between the pair and leaving us momentarily forgotten. He cleared his throat to prompt her.

"Oh," Hua Gu snapped back to attention. Seeing us both watching her, her face reddened further, like a Fuji apple. "Grandmother is still asleep. Please wait a moment; I’ll go wake her."

Children lack patience. After playing in the hall for a while, Ah Li darted out, leaving the three of us seated formally in the room. Wang Jue, still embarrassed by the recent scene, kept his head down and remained silent. The village head shook out his tobacco pipe, preparing for a smoke, while I anxiously stared at the inner door, willing the person inside to emerge quickly.

Soon after, the inner door creaked open. Hua Gu slowly helped a white-haired old woman walk out. The three of us stood up simultaneously to offer our seats, but the old woman ignored everyone, allowing Hua Gu to help her directly to the chair positioned to the left of the center of the main hall before sitting down.

The village head put down his pipe, approached the old woman, and knelt respectfully, kowtowing once. Witnessing this, Wang Jue and I were at a loss, unsure whether to remain seated or follow the village head’s example and bow to her.

As our awkwardness peaked, Hua Gu gave us a meaningful glance, signaling that we should follow suit and kneel. Thus, we rose from our seats, leaving the chairs, and knelt down on either side of the village head to perform the kowtow.