Last Bus of Route 13 - Chapter 77 - The Ginseng Doll

Startled by the sight in the mirror, I quickly turned around to see a girl standing by the doorframe, holding a tray. I grabbed my mobile phone to shine a light on her. She had a long braid and wore a red short-sleeved top. Her big eyes were bright and lively, but there was a large birthmark on her left cheek that was quite noticeable.

Seeing my frightened expression, the girl chuckled and said, “You must be from the city, so easily scared.”

I looked at her, puzzled, and asked, “Who are you?”

She walked over and placed the tray by the bed, saying, “I’m Liu Shuilian. Brother Wu asked me to come. From now on, I’ll be bringing you your meals. Just call me Shuilian.”

I glanced at the tray, which held a bowl of rice and a small plate of stir-fried greens. Old Wu had mentioned asking a friend to take care of me before he left, but I never expected him to entrust me to this unassuming little girl.

After introducing herself, Shuilian pulled out a bundle of candles from her clothes, lit one, and finally brought some light into the room. I turned off the flashlight on my mobile phone, and Shuilian sat down on the edge of my bed.

“Is the city fun?” she asked.

“Yeah, it’s alright,” I replied, not really wanting to chat as it was getting late.

Shuilian smiled and pointed at the food, saying, “Go ahead and eat. Don’t mind me. I need to take the dishes back after you’re done.”

Realizing she was waiting for the dishes, I picked up the rice and started eating. It felt awkward to ignore her when she had come all the way to bring me food at night, so I made some small talk while eating. “I heard from Old Wu that this village is called Huaihu Village. The scenery is beautiful, and the mountains are really tall.”

“Maybe it’s nice. I grew up in the mountains and have never been to the city, so I’m used to it. But I love our mountains; there are so many treasures here.”

“Oh? What kind of treasures? Besides mountain vegetables and wild fruits, what else is there?”

My question was a bit abrupt, but Shuilian’s cheerful nature didn’t seem to mind. “There are lots of treasures-herbs, animal skins, and…”

She paused, her eyes suddenly lighting up as she continued, “And ginseng dolls.”

“Ginseng dolls?” I echoed.

“Yes,” she said with a dreamy look. “Ginseng that has lived for hundreds or thousands of years can transform into human form. They’re called ginseng dolls.”

I chuckled, thinking how naive she seemed, and took another bite of my food. “Ginseng dolls, huh? Are they for eating?”

She tilted her head, her large eyes reflecting the candlelight with a clear, watery brightness. “Of course, they’re for eating. My dream is to catch a ginseng doll.”

Her innocence was endearing, and I found myself interested in chatting with her. “Hmm, like how Zhang Guolao in ‘The Eight Immortals’ became immortal after eating a thousand-year-old Polygonum multiflorum? Are you hoping to become immortal by catching a ginseng doll?”

“No,” she replied, covering the left side of her face with her hand. “I was born with this birthmark covering half my face. I just want to eat a ginseng doll to heal it.”

As she spoke, her previously carefree demeanor turned somber, and she looked quite pitiful.

I took a closer look at the large birthmark on her face, which appeared deep red in the candlelight. I recalled a friend of mine who studied medicine mentioning that birthmarks present from birth can be removed, but the best time for treatment is during childhood. Once you grow up, the birthmark grows too, and even if removed surgically, it might leave a dark scar.

I shook my head and said, “Eating ginseng might not work. When you get the chance, you should visit a doctor in the city and maybe have surgery. It might help remove it.”

Shuilian looked at me, smiling, and said, “Eating a ginseng doll will definitely work. Old Lady Qiu told me herself.”

As we chatted, I finished my meal, satisfied, and placed the empty bowl and chopsticks back on the tray.

Seeing that I had eaten everything, Shuilian seemed pleased. She picked up the tray and stood up, saying, “Alright, it’s late. You should rest. I’ll bring you breakfast again tomorrow morning.”

“Thanks,” I replied with a smile.

As Shuilian turned to leave, she paused and looked back, saying, “By the way, I’m planning to go up the mountain tomorrow morning to look for ginseng dolls. Want to join?”

Go up the mountain?

Although I grew up in the countryside, the hills near my home were hardly more than mounds. I had never climbed mountains as tall as those in Huaihu Village.

Since I had nothing else to do here, I figured I might as well go up the mountain with her tomorrow. So I nodded.

“Sure, come find me tomorrow morning, and I’ll go with you to look for ginseng dolls.”

Shuilian smiled and agreed, then left the room.

After chatting with her over dinner, I suddenly felt much better.

She lived in this secluded mountain village, without mobile phones or computers, and was cut off from all sorts of new things. Yet, she was happy and optimistic, unaffected by the complex schemes and hidden agendas of city life.

Of course, I only took her talk about ginseng dolls as a joke, a plot from a TV drama that she had turned into her lifeline.

I made my bed again, tidied up a bit, and went to sleep.

Early the next morning, before I even got out of bed, Shuilian cheerfully came to find me.

I lay in bed, munching on the big steamed bun she brought, chatting with her casually.

Going up the mountain was just for fun, but she took it seriously, urging me to get up and start the journey.

After finishing the bun, I lazily crawled out of bed, while Shuilian was mysteriously threading a needle with red thread.

Curious, I asked, “What are you doing with the needle and thread? Are you going to sew clothes for me?”

Shuilian laughed and handed me the needle with the red thread, saying, “Catching a ginseng doll depends entirely on this. If you see a ginseng doll on the mountain, you need to find a chance to stick this needle into it. No matter where it runs or turns back into ginseng, we can trace it with this red thread.”

I let out a long “Oh” and pretended to understand, nodding.

I rolled the long red thread into a yarn ball, stuck the needle in it, and put it in my pocket.

The two of us set out at dawn, heading up the mountain to search for ginseng dolls.

Last night was too dark to see clearly by candlelight, but this morning, as I got closer to her, I took a good look.

Oh, this girl Shuilian is quite a beauty with fair skin and big eyes. If it weren’t for that annoying birthmark covering half her face, she’d be a real stunner.

Before I could compliment her, she started praising me instead.

“You city folks look different. You’re really handsome. By the way, I haven’t asked your name yet.”

Her words almost made me trip over my own feet.

My looks are pretty average, the kind you can’t pick out in a crowd. Besides my mom, she’s the second person to call me handsome.

I chuckled and replied, “My name is Li Yao.”

Shuilian smiled, showing her dimples, and said, “How long are you staying in our village? I hope you’re not in a hurry to leave. We can go up the mountain every day to look for the ginseng doll. Two people have a better chance.”

I smiled and asked, “Do you go up the mountain every day to look for the ginseng doll?”

“Yes, I go every morning and come back home before noon to cook. I’ve been doing it for a year now.”

“A year?”

Though I found the idea of searching for a ginseng doll amusing, I truly admired Shuilian’s perseverance.

“By the way, you mentioned last night that Old Lady Qiu told you to look for it? Who is she, and why do you trust her so much?”

Shuilian nodded and said, “It’s Old Lady Qiu. She’s a treasure in our village. I begged her for a month to give me a way to cure this birthmark, and she finally told me about the ginseng doll.”

I felt sorry for Shuilian. I figured Old Lady Qiu was just trying to get rid of her with a random story, but this naive girl took it seriously.

Seeing my silence, Shuilian continued, “You know, Old Lady Qiu is quite amazing. She has no children, yet she manages four plots of land. We’ve never seen her work in the fields, but every plot is well-tended, with no pests and no weeds.”

I couldn’t help but scoff.

“Girl, there’s nothing magical about that. Maybe the old lady has insomnia and works at night, so you don’t see her during the day.”

Shuilian replied earnestly, “No, she has many talents. If you don’t believe me, I’ll take you to see her someday.”

As we chatted, we unknowingly entered the forest.

Shuilian glanced around and said, “Brother Li, wait here for a moment. I’m going to check if my dad’s traps caught anything.”

I nodded, and Shuilian headed towards another slope.

The air in this deep forest was exceptionally fresh. After breathing in city smog for so long, inhaling this clean air made me feel instantly rejuvenated.

I closed my eyes, stretched out my arms, and embraced nature. Just as I was enjoying the moment, I heard rustling in the nearby bushes.

Curious, I opened my eyes.

To my surprise, there stood a little boy in the bushes not far from me!

Where did this little boy come from in the early morning in the wilderness?

He looked about four or five years old, with big eyes and thick eyebrows, wearing only a red belly pocket.

He didn’t seem scared when he saw me, just stood there quietly, not moving.

“Hey kid, how did you end up here on the mountain?”

The boy didn’t speak, remaining as calm as an adult.

Huh?

That’s odd. Normally, kids this age are timid and afraid of strangers. Why is this boy so composed?

Moreover, there’s no sign of his parents around this forested slope, especially at this early hour.

Ginseng doll??

Whoa, could it be? Is there really a ginseng doll that has become sentient?

I took a deep breath. It’s possible!

In a world where ghosts exist, why can’t ginseng become sentient? Could it be that I’ve actually encountered a ginseng doll?

The boy didn’t move, but my mind was racing. I remembered the red thread and needle Shuilian gave me, quickly pulling them out of my pocket and cautiously approaching the boy.

“Are you lost? Don’t worry, I’ll help you find your way home.”

I said as I slowly moved closer.

Initially, the boy didn’t budge, just tilted his head and watched me. But when I got within five meters, he suddenly turned and bolted away.

“This little guy is so small, yet he runs so fast. He really is a ginseng doll!”

I cursed under my breath and chased after him with all my might.

After a minute or two of chasing, I finally got close to him again. I reached out to grab him, but he was agile and slipped away.

Though he escaped my grasp, I wasn’t discouraged. In fact, I felt confident.

Because in that brief moment, I had managed to stick the red thread and needle onto his red belly pocket.