301 Where I Should Go (1/2)
Chapter 301: Where I Should Go
Translator: Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Richard stared at her arm for a while before jumping up on it. Because of the weakness in its claws, it staggered a bit, and Sun Xiaomeng quickly stretched out her other arm to stabilize it.
”Well, let's go,” she said, raising her right arm so that Richard was on the same level as her own eyes.
She took small steps forward, and opened the living room door with her left hand.
”Shhh!” She put her index finger up in front of her mouth, signaling Richard not to speak loudly.
She pushed open the kitchen door and took it into the kitchen.
Since the deaths of his parents, Zhang Zian scarcely used the gas stove, but right now, it had been turned on with light blue flames swaying upon it. A rugged earthenware pot was placed on the stove, gurgling with steams. Something unknown to Richard was boiling in the earthenware pot, exuding an extremely bitter smell that made Richard immediately turn away its head.
The steel folding chair of the cashier downstairs had been moved here, Zhang Zian was sitting in the chair, with an arm leaning on the edge of the sink. He was taking a nap with his chin rested on his hand, drooling, and didn't notice that Sun Xiaomeng and Richard had appeared behind him. There was an alarm clock beside his hand, which was running with tick-tock sounds incessantly.
”Do you know what's inside?” she pointed to the earthenware pot and whispered.
Richard shook its head. No matter what was inside, it must be unsavory.
”There are Chinese herbal medicines inside,” she said, looking straight into its eyes. ”Western medicine alone cannot save you. But many unique things have been passed down by our ancestors, and Traditional Chinese Medicine is one of them.”
”They smell bitter,” said Richard hesitantly.
”Bitter medicine cures sickness.” Sun Xiaomeng smiled, ”This sentence is also passed down from our ancestors.”
She glanced over at the alarm and whispered ”Shhh” towards Richard.
Ding…ding…ding…
The alarm rang, and Zhang Zian almost fell from the chair. He wiped his saliva near his mouth and looked at the time, muttering, ”It's time to add water.”
He used his right hand to pick up the kettle on the sink, padded his left palm with a cloth for insulating from the heat, and opened the lid with his left hand.
The steam erupted all at once, and Zhang Zian turned his head to avoid the blast of the high-heated steam.
Two or three seconds later, the steam had cleared away. The water in the earthenware pot had been boiled for such a long time that it had almost gone, with only a lump of dark things visible, which were quite disgusting. Zhang Zian poured the water of the kettle into the earthenware pot, covered the lid, sit back in the chair, set another alarm, and continued his nap by leaning on his arm.
”Decocting medicines is a meticulous job, which requires to be simmered slowly. When the next alarm rings, you'll need to drink those medicines. Just imagine that you are eating some unpalatable wild fruits,” she whispered.
”Doctor, can these bitter things really cure the disease?” Richard remained skeptical, it had never tried such things in the West.
She said solemnly, ”I promise.”
Richard gazed at her eyes. It could tell that she was not joking or comforting it. She had never hidden anything from it; she had even informed it in advance that copper sulfate solution was toxic.
Just when Sun Xiaomeng opened the kitchen door again to take Richard away from there, she and Richard heard Zhang Zian talking behind them.
”Richard...”
She turned around with Richard.
Zhang Zian was still napping with his chin rested on his arm, with saliva drooling in the shape of thin and long threads coming from his mouth.
”Richard, come on, let's tell dirty jokes together...”
Sun Xiaomeng couldn't help but laugh, ”Look at this guy, even remembering to tell dirty jokes in his dreams!”
She and Richard left the kitchen and entered Zhang Zian's bedroom.
Wang Qian and Li Kun were playing poker in chairs, and seeing that Sun Xiaomeng had come in the bedroom, they stood up straight quickly.
”Sister Xiaomeng, do you need us to help with anything?” they asked.
Sun Xiaomeng shook her head, ”Nothing, I am taking Richard to walk around casually. You've been running errands for the whole afternoon and the night, so you must be exhausted. Why not lie down and rest for a while?”
Wang Qian and Li Kun looked at each other and answered in an awkward manner, ”Sister Xiaomeng, to be honest, we will fall asleep soundly the moment our heads hit the pillows, and nothing will wake us unless we've slept for enough hours. We thought that you might need us to run errands, so we decided to keep watch overnight. We are incapable to share our Master's worries, the only thing we can do is to run some errands...”
Sun Xiaomeng showed a thankful smile, ”Don't worry, there are no errands for you to run, take some rest for a while.”
They nodded, however, from their expressions, they did not change their minds.
”How is Richard? Is it getting better? If anything happens to it, Master will be very upset.” They looked at the weary grey parrot and asked with concern.