Chapter 5: Compassion for the World

Chapter 5: Compassion for the World

As soon as it was dawn, Zhou Yun busied himself by turning over the soil and picking some garlic, cucumbers, water spinach, and pumpkin shoots, soaking them in water.

On the way, he took a look at the jade eel, seeing it swim comfortably, so he fed it some fish food and then took care of the chickens, ducks, and geese.

He then headed to the market, wandering around until it seemed like the right time. He selected two healthy rabbits and, at a liangpi stall, bought two portions of the cold noodle dish, asking the vendor to cut them without sauce or toppings, saying, "I'll match the ingredients myself back home."

The vendor swiftly prepared the liangpi for him, and Zhou Yun returned home. He noticed the door across the way was closed, not even a promotional flyer on the handle.

Military dogs usually benefit from a morning walk, but Guan Yuanfeng, having suffered intense pain at midnight, probably had a hard time and couldn't get up early, likely still resting.

Zhou Yun placed the liangpi in the fridge and prepared a sauce with sesame paste and sugar-vinegar garlic juice. He picked and set aside the pumpkin shoots and water spinach, quickly steamed a fish, and fried a bowl of peanuts.

Then he went out and pressed the doorbell of the house across from him.

After a long while, Guan Yuanfeng came to open the door, his face expressionless. "What is it?" He thought the other was sympathizing with him again, perhaps bringing leftover bones, and felt impatient, but was surprised to see the man's hands empty.

Zhou Yun smiled, "Good morning, have you eaten? I live alone and grow a lot of vegetables; it's too much for me to eat alone. I made some liangpi this morning; would you like to join me?"

Guan Yuanfeng coldly replied, "No thanks, not necessary."

He was about to close the door, thinking that after several refusals, the other would give up. He didn't need this extra warmth and concern.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Yun suddenly pressed his hand on the door and smiled, "Wait, big brother, I have something else to discuss with you."

Guan Yuanfeng asked coldly, "What is it?"

Zhou Yun said, "You see, our floor is the top floor. I've been growing some vegetables on the rooftop, but space is limited. Seeing your rooftop empty feels like a waste. I was wondering if I could rent it from you to grow some medicinal herbs. What do you think?"

Guan Yuanfeng was taken aback, "Medicinal herbs?"

Zhou Yun explained, "Yes, I study traditional medicine and want to cultivate and collect data on some medicinal herbs to write a paper."

Prepared, he took out his pharmacist license and physician license from his pants pocket and handed them to Guan Yuanfeng.

Guan Yuanfeng silently accepted the certificates and glanced at the photos of his neighbor affixed to them, the young man's eyes bright, his lips curving in a smile.

Looking up, he continued to scrutinize Zhou Yun with a discerning gaze, trying to determine if this was mere kindness or if the man genuinely needed something from him.

Zhou Yun did not shy away from that sharp gaze, only smiling, "Why don't you come and take a look at what I've planted? The rooftop air is great, and you can also take your dog for a walk."

This struck a chord with Guan Yuanfeng, and he glanced down at his dog, saying, "Alright, I'll take a look."

Zhou Yun held the door for him, watching Guan Yuanfeng and his dog exit, then closed the door and led him to his own home. As soon as Guan Yuanfeng entered, he saw the drying rack hanging by the window, densely packed with sausages.

He raised an eyebrow, as if he wanted to comment. Zhou Yun, noticing his expression, laughed, "I just made these sausages yesterday, which is why there were so many bones."

Guan Yuanfeng asked, "With this heat, aren't you worried they'll spoil?"

Zhou Yun pointed to a nearby drying machine, "There's a cold dryer. After they're slightly dried, I put them in for cold drying, then store them in the fridge, where they keep for a long time."

Guan Yuanfeng stopped questioning. Though he was detail-oriented, he didn't like to pry into others' personal lives.

His suspicions were dispelled. Seeing all those bones yesterday, he thought Zhou Yun was sympathizing with him and had deliberately gotten the bones. Now, seeing the large batch of sausages and the drying machine, it was clear the preparation was thorough, not just a spur-of-the-moment kindness.

Zhou Yun walked behind him, "Let me help you upstairs."

Guan Yuanfeng's wheelchair could usually manage the stairs, but he was somewhat surprised to see that Zhou Yun's staircase had a smooth ramp. Zhou Yun explained, "My mother was ill and used a wheelchair for a long time, so I built this ramp for her convenience."

Without a word, Guan Yuanfeng let Zhou Yun push his wheelchair up to the second floor and through the corridor to the rooftop balcony. Guan Yuanfeng felt a sense of relief as the view opened up before him. Even his dog seemed to perk up, sniffing around the flowerpots with its tail wagging happily.

It was nearly noon, and the sky was an endless blue with bright sunlight.

The air up here was always fresh, but with all the plants Zhou Yun had cultivated, it was now infused with the earthy scent of grass and wood. Despite the nearby chicken coop and rabbit hutch, there was no unpleasant odor.

A gentle breeze carried the scent of the surrounding mountains, and the panoramic view of the landscape stretched out before them, instantly lifting their spirits.

Even Guan Yuanfeng couldn't help but secretly admire. Looking at the well-tended vegetable garden and the livestock, he began to believe that Zhou Yun really did want to rent the rooftop.

Zhou Yun introduced himself, "I'm Zhou Yun—Yun as in farming. You can just call me Zhou."

"In my spare time, I like to grow vegetables, fruits, and flowers. My parents named me Zhou because they were farmers who loved growing things, and they came from the same village."

Guan Yuanfeng looked at him with clear eyes and thought for a moment before saying, "My surname is Guan, Guan Yuanfeng, meaning distant peaks."

Zhou Yun smiled and said, "I think you're a few years older than me, so I'll call you Brother Guan."

"Look here," he continued, "these are the gastrodia elata I've cultivated, these are honeysuckles—old stumps, very rare. These are indigo, ginseng, and agastache. I plan to plant them in large quantities, but unfortunately, there's not enough space. If I plant them, I'll have to dig up these vegetables."

He gently touched a pumpkin that had grown to the size of a large washbasin. "This is a giant pumpkin variety I've been cultivating for a while. It's a shame to dig it up—it still has room to grow."

Guan Yuanfeng looked at the impressive pumpkin and nodded. "It would be a shame indeed."

Zhou Yun plucked a bunch of grapes from the trellis and offered them to Guan Yuanfeng. "Try these—they're a sweet variety my parents planted years ago."

Guan Yuanfeng accepted them, and his dog came over to sniff. Zhou Yun smiled. "This dog is well-trained. Does it have a name?"

Guan Yuanfeng popped a grape into his mouth, savoring the sweet-tart flavor. "Her name is Comet," he said, watching the dog wag its tail contentedly.

Zhou Yun nodded. "What a good name. The grapes taste good, right? Let me pick some for you to take back. They're ripe and no one's eating them."

Saying so, he picked a few more bunches and some fresh cucumbers, green peppers, chili peppers, and tomatoes, placing them in a nearby bamboo basket. "These cucumbers are just right for mixing with cold noodles. The tomatoes here are thin-skinned and full of juice."

"Cold noodles are perfect for this weather. Why don't you join me for lunch, Brother Guan? It's hard to gauge the right amount when cooking for just one person."

Zhou Yun turned to him with a smile. "Brother Guan, really, don't be polite with me. I heard your family asking you to order takeout yesterday. Takeout isn't clean, and the oil and seasonings aren't good. It's better for you to eat here with me."

"You see, these vegetables are already ready. As for the rent, just let me pay a bit less. Anyway, I cook for myself, and it's not much trouble to cook for an extra person and a dog."

He pointed to the wildly growing vegetables. "You might not know, but with all the summer rain, if the vegetables aren't harvested, they'll bolt and go to seed within days. I have to pick them and chop them up to make organic fertilizer. I've raised some rabbits, but they don't like eating these either."

Guan Yuanfeng saw that Zhou Yun was sincere and had a request. After a moment of silence, he said, "Alright, let's eat together, but the rooftop is free for you to plant. No rent. However, the waterproofing must be done properly, and you can't exceed the load-bearing capacity or damage the roof structure."

Zhou Yun said, "Brother Guan, you're losing out."

Guan Yuanfeng replied, "I'm troubling you to take care of me. You can cook when you're free, and if you're not, just let me know. There's no need to specially cook for me. Take care of your work first."

Zhou Yun shook his head. "I don't have a job. I have several pharmaceutical projects to work on and quit my job to focus on writing my thesis. Meals are to be made anyway, and I find it hard to control the portion for one person."

Guan Yuanfeng listened seriously and believed him. "I eat anything. You don't need to make anything too complicated."

Zhou Yun nodded and continued to discuss his medicinal planting project seriously. "This wall is just a thin partition. I could install a door with an iron gate so we can easily access your balcony from here."

"You can also come over from your side anytime. That way, when you don't feel like taking Comet downstairs for a walk, you can just put her on the balcony. When I feed the chickens and ducks, I can also feed Comet for you."

"Here's the planting blueprint I've drawn for you, including the waterproofing plan, automatic sprinkler systems, precision air conditioning, temperature monitoring systems, and rainwater collection systems. These will all be installed—because some medicinal plants are shade-loving, I'll build a shade structure and a glass greenhouse, mainly to grow desert plants. Don't worry, I won't damage your roof structure."

He discussed in detail with Guan Yuanfeng, clearly having thought about and planned this for a long time. "By the way, Brother Guan, I've already installed solar panels on my side. Since your rooftop is unused, would you consider installing some there too? They could power the medicinal garden. And I can help you build a doghouse for Comet."

Guan Yuanfeng observed that Zhou Yun had planned everything in great detail, speaking at length with full confidence. Noticing the equipment on Zhou Yun's side was indeed very advanced, he thought to himself that Zhou Yun was truly involved in research. Even for growing medicinal herbs, he had such high-tech devices. Guan simply said, "Sure, go ahead," having completely trusted Zhou Yun.

Zhou Yun took him to visit the chicken and duck pens. Comet happily sniffed the chicks and ducklings, who were still young and unafraid, boldly circling the dog.

The newly arrived rabbits in the rabbit cage huddled in the corner, and Comet ran over to look at them for a long while, then chased the chicks and ducklings around the balcony, frolicking.

Seeing how happy Comet was, Guan Yuanfeng thought that if the roof over there could be set up, Comet would have a place to roam, which would be better than staying cooped up at home with him.

Noticing Guan Yuanfeng's expression soften, Zhou Yun knew he had gained his trust. Today's goal had been achieved and he said with a smile, "Let's go down and have breakfast first. I apologize for going on and on."

Guan Yuanfeng replied, "It's okay." It was clear that Dr. Zhou truly enjoyed planting and was quite familiar with the medicinal properties of Chinese herbs.

Zhou Yun wheeled him to the dining room downstairs and made him sit, poured him a glass of water, and went to wash and slice freshly picked cucumbers. "Wait a moment, it'll be ready soon... Do you like sesame sauce? Would you like some peanuts?"

He brought out two large porcelain bowls, filled them with chilled cold wheat noodles, topped with finely sliced cucumbers, drizzled with sauce, and sprinkled peanuts before placing them in front of Guan Yuanfeng.

Then he poured a cup of yam and corn juice from the soy milk machine and brought it over. "This is freshly made. If you'd like other flavors tomorrow, I can make soy milk, mung bean soup, or something else. They taste good too."

The yam juice was good for the stomach, and since Guan Yuanfeng had taken a lot of medication, it could help heal his damaged stomach over time.

Sitting in the wheelchair, Guan Yuanfeng quietly watched his doctor neighbor busily working in the kitchen with precision.

Wearing a loose white linen shirt with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his short black hair framing his bright eyes, Zhou Yun's hands moved skillfully. His long fingers and gentle, refined demeanor made him look like a scholar, even when holding a kitchen knife. As he focused on mixing the noodles, his lowered lashes gave away a quiet compassion, as if he could feel others' pain.

Guan Yuanfeng suddenly realized why he had sensed Zhou Yun's sympathy from the start. It was probably the natural medical professional demeanor—respecting life while maintaining a calm, rational presence.

Zhou Yun was genuinely sympathetic and helpful without patronizing him. He had subtly suggested a fair exchange without offending Guan's pride, allowing him to accept the help with dignity.