Chapter 202: Inquiring
Yuan Yuan nodded her little head, a flash of unusual brilliance passing through her eyes.
In no time, a series of “meow” sounds came, and a fat orange cat led a group of cats jumping down from the surrounding rooftops.
Soft fur rubbed against Shang Wan’s legs, the cats’ tails swaying lightly, their “meow” sounds affectionate and clingy.
Yuan Yuan stretched out her arm to pet the cats, the fur brushing her palm, tickling her into giggles.
The cats jumped onto the ox cart, settling into spots on their own. The biggest orange cat jumped directly onto the yellow ox’s back, shaking its tail at Yuan Yuan.
With the cat army guarding the ox cart, Shang Wan left with peace of mind.
Yuan Yuan lay on her shoulder, waving her small hand at the cats, as if saying they’d play together later.
Shang Wan didn’t rush to the apothecary on the neighboring street; she carried Yuan Yuan, strolling and stopping, browsing every shop, and hearing quite a bit of news from shopkeepers or shop assistants.
As she stepped into the apothecary, the shop assistant immediately came to greet her, “What medicine does the customer want to buy?”
Shang Wan looked around but didn’t see the young resident doctor.
She asked, “Is the doctor not here?”
“He is, the owner is behind the cloth curtain giving acupuncture to a patient and will come out soon.” The shop assistant pointed to the small space in the corner enclosed by a light blue cloth curtain.
Shang Wan looked in the direction he pointed, slightly surprised in her heart.
That young doctor was actually the owner of this apothecary; it really wasn’t obvious.
The shop assistant examined Shang Wan’s complexion but couldn’t see anything wrong. Thinking that she had asked for the doctor right upon entering, he asked, “Is the customer feeling unwell?”
Shang Wan: “Not me, my daughter.”
The shop assistant lowered his eyes to look at the little baby girl in her arms; her complexion was rosy and she was full of energy—where did she look like a sick doll?
Seeing the strange uncle staring at her, Yuan Yuan friendly waved her small hand in greeting.
The shop assistant was amused by her, thinking this doll was not only cute but also not shy with strangers.
He couldn’t see anything wrong with Yuan Yuan, and Shang Wan couldn’t explain clearly either, so the shop assistant had no choice but to let the two sit aside and wait for the doctor to come out.
Shang Wan, with nothing to do, said to the shop assistant, “Weigh two taels of forsythia for me.”
The shop assistant agreed and went to the medicine cabinet to grab the medicine; Shang Wan followed over.
The pear wood medicine cabinet was against the wall, from the ground all the way to the top; one glance showed over a hundred drawers.
These drawers didn’t have labels like the pharmacies of her previous life, but the shop assistant reached out and found the medicinal herbs Shang Wan needed, clearly knowing by heart what medicine was in which drawer.
Shang Wan thought that when she custom-made her medicine cabinet, she couldn’t do it this way; she had to at least put labels on the outside so it was clear at a glance what medicine was inside.
While the shop assistant was grabbing the medicine, Shang Wan asked about the prices of a few medicinal herbs; they were similar to the two apothecaries where she often sold herbs, some even a bit cheaper—she wondered if the quality of the herbs was not good.
In front of the medicine cabinet, many medicine packets were hung with thin hemp rope. The shop assistant said they were for repelling mosquitoes and insects, and there were also some packaged common medicines, like for stomach pain, sore throat, toothache.
There were also medicine packets for bathing or foot soaks, some ground into powder and some not, all depending on what the customer needed.
Tooth powder was also sold; according to the shop assistant, it was for strengthening teeth and had the effect of whitening them—it was one of their apothecary’s bestsellers.
Ointment and medicinal powder were also sold, mainly for trauma and bruises; it was the apothecary’s exclusive formula.
Shang Wan pondered that her family’s ‘ancestral secret recipe’ could also be brought out to shine.
While weighing, the shop assistant said, “Lately with the summer heat, quite a few customers come to buy forsythia. Forsythia does clear heat and detoxify, but it is cold in nature and not suitable to take too much, as it may worsen spleen and stomach deficiency cold, especially for women, who cannot use too much.”
“You understand medicine too?”
The shop assistant skillfully wrapped the medicine, smiling, “How could a mere errand-running shop assistant like me understand these things? I just overheard the owner and picked up a few phrases.”
Shang Wan: “…”
Ordinary shop assistants couldn’t even use idioms.
The shop assistant handed her the wrapped medicine, “That’ll be forty copper coins.”
Shang Wan counted out copper coins from her money bag and gave them to him, glancing sideways toward the blue cloth curtain, “How much longer?”
“Should be soon.” The shop assistant mentally calculated the time, “Customer, please wait a bit more.”
Other people came in to buy medicine, and there was only one shop assistant in the shop. The shop assistant poured a cup of water for Shang Wan, gave a couple instructions, and went to serve other customers.
Shang Wan played with the baby while watching the doorway; though this apothecary wasn’t big, there were still quite a few people coming to buy medicine.
In the time she waited, three people had already come in, and they all looked like regulars.
“Uncle Zhang, when you go back, absolutely don’t lift heavy things; the ointment must be applied continuously for three days and kept dry.”
A clear and pleasant male voice came from the side; the blue cloth curtain was lifted, and the youth in blue clothes supported an old man as they walked out.
When the old man walked, his knees were stiff, and he seemed somewhat lame.
The youth noticed Shang Wan’s gaze; his eyes swept over her, momentarily stunned, then he nodded lightly.
He quickly fetched several sheets of ointment and handed them to the old man, exhorting him carefully a few times, and only returned after seeing the old man over the threshold.
“Owner.” The shop assistant finished serving the customer and came over, pointing toward Shang Wan and explaining the situation.
The youth nodded, washed his hands in the copper basin, then walked toward Shang Wan, gesturing toward the desk nearby, “Madam, this way please.”
Shang Wan followed him to the desk and sat in the chair facing away from the doorway.
The youth first smiled at Yuan Yuan, took her small hand, and while taking her pulse, asked Shang Wan, “What symptoms does your daughter have?”
Shang Wan made up, “She doesn’t sleep well at night; yesterday she coughed a couple times.”
The youth: “…”
Perhaps having seen many patients, the youth’s expression didn’t change. He carefully took her pulse, then had Yuan Yuan open her mouth and checked her tongue coating.
“Doctor, how is my daughter?” Shang Wan acted like a worried mother, her willow brows furrowed, clearly very concerned.
The youth looked up at her, his lips parting as if to speak but hesitating.
Shang Wan: “Just say it straight; I can handle it.”
The youth: “…Your daughter is in good health and shows no signs of illness.”
Not only no illness, but better than most people.
Shang Wan glanced at the baby in her arms grabbing the medicine pillow and slapping the table, worriedly saying, “Then why does she cough?”
“Perhaps she caught a chill.” The youth said, “Infants are delicate; coughing a couple times from a chill is normal.”
“Then why doesn’t she sleep well at night?”
“Your daughter has some food accumulation, which can affect sleep.”
Shang Wan lowered her head and met Yuan Yuan’s eyes, pinching her little cheek, “Hear that? From now on, only half a pot of milk at night.”
Yuan Yuan pouted her little mouth, unhappy.
“Doctor, prescribe something for her as you see fit.”
The youth was serious and suggested, “All medicine has some toxicity; your daughter’s symptoms are mild and she’s young—it’s just slight food accumulation, no need for medicine. Hawthorn is warm in nature; madam can boil hawthorn slices in water for your daughter to drink, best if some sugar is added—it aids digestion and stimulates appetite, with a sweet and sour taste that children like.”
Shang Wan nodded, enlightened, “Thank you, doctor.”
“You’re welcome.” The youth glanced at the little baby girl smiling at him and smiled back, “Does madam have hawthorn at home?”
“No.” Even if she did, she said no; Shang Wan said to the shop assistant nearby, “Weigh half a catty of hawthorn, and get a box of the tooth-strengthening tooth powder too.”
Learn from excellent opponents!
