I Became a Medical Genius in the 80s

Chapter 610: Chapter 609: Traveling Companions

Beisitian looked very happy because of the travel plans, even happier than when the sales of Heavenly Blessing greatly increased. Luo Xudong saw this and affectionately patted her head.

Mrs. Qin knew that the two of them finally had time together and prepared enough food for them to take the next day.

Luo Xuping really wanted to go with them, but he had to go to school. Even if he didn’t have school, Mrs. Qin wouldn’t let him go along, as Luo Xudong could only care for Beisitian. Adding another person might cause him to be distracted.

The next day at eight-thirty, Luo Xudong and Beisitian arrived at yesterday’s location on time. When they arrived, the foreign old man was already waiting there, dressed in outdoor gear and carrying a gray backpack.

The foreign old man was named Maynard, and he was from the United Kingdom. He had recently come to China for tourism, also to fulfill his wife’s wishes.

”My wife wanted to come here to fulfill her vow personally, but unfortunately...” Maynard said, sitting in the back of the car.

He didn’t say what was unfortunate, but his face carried a look of sadness. Soon, he smiled again, ”Luckily, I am here, so my wife won’t be left with regrets.”

”My wife hoped to build several hope schools so that children who couldn’t afford to study could go to school and have a better future abroad.”

Maynard was a talkative person, even if Beisitian and Luo Xudong didn’t speak, he could talk a lot by himself.

Maynard was actually not yet fifty years old this year. People look at the age of the elderly partly by hair color. Maynard’s original hair was blonde, but now most of it was white, making it hard to tell his age.

”Do I look very old? My son says to keep a youthful mindset, and you won’t grow old. I’ve always thought my mindset was young, but I still grew old.” Maynard shrugged and said with a smile.

He spoke in Chinese, although his pronunciation was stiff, it was fluent. His grammar was fine, and his vocabulary was very rich.

”Mr. Maynard, do you like calligraphy?” Beisitian asked.

Talking about this, Maynard became interested, ”I like calligraphy. I enjoy cursive script. Actually, I can’t write much in Chinese, but I don’t understand cursive script even when looking at it, yet I love the charm in it. I like the ethereal and dynamic strokes; I can watch them all day!”

”How did Mr. Maynard start liking calligraphy?” Beisitian couldn’t help but ask.

This is somewhat profound for foreigners due to different cultures and upbringing.

Maynard laughed heartily after listening, ”Initially, I didn’t like it. I even called it ghostly talisman scribbles. Chinese characters are complicated enough, let alone that kind of writing. I was influenced by my wife, who loved to write using those soft brushes. I liked watching her when she wrote, as she was focused and serious. The demeanor she exhibited when writing made the characters full of beauty, and through this little by little, I began to like calligraphy.”

Beisitian watched Maynard recount his experiences, and in each scenario, his wife was present, clearly showing he deeply loves his wife.

Thinking about the sadness that showed in his eyes before, maybe his wife has just passed away.

People’s privacy shouldn’t be pried into. Beisitian merely felt sentimental and didn’t intend to ask further questions.

”Do you know calligraphy?” Maynard asked with a smile.

Beisitian nodded, ”Yes, I do.”

Maynard laughed, ”Don’t brag, not every Chinese person can do calligraphy, that I know well!”

Beisitian pursed her lips and smiled, ”That’s true, but I actually do know it.”

”Then when you have time, you must write for me to see. Although I can’t write, I can critique. I’ve collected many famous works, and it’s not just about casually writing with a brush; those aren’t just called calligraphy.”

Beisitian giggled, ”Alright, I wouldn’t write for just anyone.”

Maynard showed a ’you’re quite mischievous’ expression, ”Bragging again, if it’s not good I’ll have to criticize, right?”

He wasn’t sure if he should use the word ’criticize’.

All his language environment came from his wife, and it was his first time in China. Although he spoke fluent Chinese with a rich vocabulary, he wasn’t sure if some words were appropriate in certain contexts.

They drove to Mentougou Tan Tuo Temple, about forty or fifty kilometers away. Some of it was mountain road and not very easy to traverse, but fortunately, there weren’t many cars, so by driving slowly, they reached their destination quickly.

Many people came here to pray for blessings. In the Beijing Suburb, there are a few famous ancient temples, and Tan Tuo Temple is one of them.

Luo Xudong tried to drive the car up the path, but the road wasn’t well repaired, making it impossible for the car to go up.

He didn’t want to disappoint Beisitian; seeing nothing here was frustrating. He decided to drive onto a small path.

This road was more rugged, and the off-road vehicle was very bumpy. He slowed down as much as possible to get closer.

The car finally stopped on a patch of open ground. Beyond this point, there was no road. From here, the temple’s eaves and corners could be vaguely seen, but not the entirety, as the full view was hidden within the forest.

”I know this temple. Your emperor initially named it Xiu Yun Temple, but because of the dragon pool behind the temple and mature expansions on the mountain, it was also called Tan Tuo Temple,” Maynard said, sharing what he knew.

Everything he told was learned from his wife.

Tan Tuo Temple is actually a folk name, and there’s even an old saying that Tan Tuo Temple existed before Beijing, and its incense has always flourished.

It was evident that Maynard really wanted to go inside, but Beisitian and Luo Xudong were not convenient to go up. He felt it was impolite to leave them behind, especially since it was quite a rugged place, and he lacked outdoor experience, making it risky to act alone.

”If Mr. Maynard wants to go inside, we can leave you at the entrance when we go back,” Luo Xudong offered.

Maynard smiled, ”No need. I’ll come again next time.”

The three started their picnic in the golden sunshine. What Maynard brought along were mostly butter bread-type foods, which Beisitian didn’t like much.

However, the things Beisitian and Luo Xudong brought were enjoyed by Maynard with relish.

”Chinese food is profound!” Maynard gave a thumbs up.

Upon hearing this, Beisitian almost spat out her mouthful of water. The use of ’profound’ seemed a bit odd in this context.

Luo Xudong, who had been continuously serving food to Beisitian, suddenly frowned, glanced around, and a sharp light flashed through his eyes.

They were surrounded!

There were seven or eight people. He heard the sound of bullets loading. Were the attacks meant for him?

Luo Xudong quietly moved closer to Beisitian, contemplating their next steps when he heard Maynard sigh beside him.

”Looks like I have to leave.”