The air in the small park was fresh and cool. Zhu Yanyi stood still, her eyes fixed on the green trees and the quiet path. Her mind drifted far away, to a future she remembered from her past life.
In that future, every family bought air purifiers and oxygen machines. People did this just to survive indoors. The economy grew, traffic improved, and technology advanced. Life seemed better, but the environment got worse. People’s health declined. All kinds of diseases appeared—cancers, lifestyle diseases, and more. Humans had destroyed their own chance to live well.
Thinking about the widespread ecological damage of the future, Zhu Yanyi felt a chill run down her spine. Maybe I should do something, she thought.
A phrase echoed in her mind: "The highest doctor heals heaven, the middle doctor heals the nation, the lowest doctor heals people."
She paused. Healing the nation. If she didn’t want the country to suffer from environmental destruction in the future, development had to respect the ecological balance. Progress was inevitable, but it had to happen in a way that allowed humans to survive and didn’t harm future generations.
Zhu Yanyi looked around the small park. It was quiet and peaceful. Just standing here made her heart calm. In the busy city, such a place was rare.
What if this park became tall buildings? she wondered. Would the peace remain? Would it be hard to find a quiet place?
Environment was like a baby. If you cared for it gently, it would grow strong and beautiful. But if you hurt it, it would die young. Then, there would be no fresh air, no peace. People would wear masks outside, keep windows closed at home, and look up to see smog. Their hearts would feel heavy, like a mountain was pressing on them. What fun would life be then?
"Yanyi, what are you thinking about?" Luo Kun asked, noticing her silence.
Zhu Yanyi smiled softly. "I heard Master say that doctors must not only heal people but also heal the nation. Our country needs to develop, and that is good. But what if this development harms our health?"
"That is certainly not good," Luo Kun replied. "But how does that relate to what we see now?"
Zhu Yanyi glanced at her, then spoke slowly. "It is related. Look at this park. It is small, but it feels quiet and refreshing. I only stayed here for a short time, and my mind became calm. Such a place in the busy city is very rare.
But if this place became tall buildings, do you think the atmosphere would remain the same? If we wanted to find a quiet place, it would be difficult.
The environment is like a baby. If you care for it carefully, the atmosphere gets better. But if you destroy it, the atmosphere dies like a child. Then, there is no fresh air, no peace. You wear a mask when you go out, close the windows when you come home, and see smog when you look up. Your heart feels heavy, like a mountain is pressing on it. Do you think such a life has any joy?"
"But this is the need for development," Luo Kun said. "As people’s living standards rise, such development is necessary."
Zhu Yanyi smiled faintly. "Yes, I did not say development is unnecessary. But what if we could avoid environmental damage? What if we could protect the environment while developing? Wouldn’t life be more fulfilling? Higher living standards and good health—that is the life we need. Without a healthy body, who can enjoy good conditions?
In life, whether we live happily or painfully depends on our own choices."