After going through an entire cycle of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, a full cycle of blooming and wilting, the trees had become firewood. In a sense, it was the end of their lives, but at the same time, a new beginning for them. Today, they would discover another purpose—to become firewood.
Wang Yao would always use firewood when he decocted medicine. He would never use natural gas or the electric cookers that modern pharmacists used. This was not only a form of respect towards tradition, a preservation of culture, but also a way to retain the medical strength of the herbs.
Over the span of the afternoon, Wang Yao searched around the mountain for more firewood. He managed to find a decent amount, which he piled up behind the small cottage.
It doesn't look like the weather is going to get any better, Wang Yao thought.
He looked up at the sky. It was still overcast but showed no signs that it was going to rain. The breeze was chilly.