Chapter 18: Selling Medicine in Town

Just like how his eldest sister had been thrilled for half a day after hearing the mere words “You should learn from your elder sister,” when the unexpected treat appeared, combined with Song Liangzuo’s suggestion that their grandmother had prepared it for them, their hearts surged with excitement, creating ripples of joy.

“Quick, eat up! Grandma said you’re to enjoy them indoors and not mention it in front of anyone, just act like it’s no big deal. She wants to do something nice for you but isn’t used to it just yet,” Song Liangzuo urged.

Song Zhao bit her lip and suddenly pushed the snack toward Song Liangzuo. “Brother, you eat it instead. We’re not too fond of this.”

“You can eat some, and I just want to smell the flavor in your mouth afterward,” Song Pandai chimed in, wiping her mouth with her sleeve and staring longingly at the snack in their brother’s hand.

Song Liangzuo looked at his second sister with a puzzled expression. What was this strange preference?

He had a craving for the treat himself; after all, in his previous life, he hadn’t had much of it, mainly because many sellers added too much sugar. Now, he regretted not indulging in all the delicious treats before his time travel.

If he had known he would cross over one day, he would have eaten everything he could find!

Now, it was too late for regrets.

Putting on a nonchalant facade, he said, “Sister, I already had some this afternoon. It was so sweet! Look at the marks on it; I couldn’t resist taking another bite after finishing the first one.”

Without waiting for his sisters to respond, Song Liangzuo quickly split the snack in half and forcefully shoved portions into their mouths.

Seeing his sisters savoring the treat quite slowly, he anxiously stuffed them with two pieces of oil residue, urging them to swallow quickly.

Later, the porridge made from the large bones and wild vegetables was so aromatic that it required Song Liangzuo to force open his heavy eyelids, which had started to droop. He tried to convince them to pay more attention to the food.

In the end, half-done, he went straight to sleep. The grandmother knew he must have been worn out that day, so she asked Wang Chunlan to carry him back to the house.

When Song Liangzuo opened his eyes again, the sun was high in the sky, and he felt puzzled. He usually slept in the east room with his grandmother; why was he in the west room this time?

After he got dressed and went to the courtyard, he was immediately embarrassed to see the list hanging on the clothesline with a ‘map’ of sorts scribbled on it.

Fortunately, no one was around to tease him.

As his grandmother had said, the weather had been excellent; the medicinal herbs had dried out in just two days.

On the third morning, while his grandmother went to work in the fields, Song Liangzuo took advantage of the sunny day to turn the herbs in the courtyard again. By noon, when his grandmother returned from the fields, they packed up the herbs and set out for the town once more.

As they approached the entrance of the herbal medicine shop, the grandmother unexpectedly felt nervous and pulled Song Liangzuo close, anxiously asking, “My dear grandson, do you think we can do this?”

At home, she was the matriarch, but out in the world, she remained just a village woman unfamiliar with larger affairs, having spent her life dealing with the fields. She had never even shouted while selling vegetables, so the thought of selling medicine made her uneasy.

Looking up at his grandmother, Song Liangzuo replied, “Grandma, why wouldn’t we? Even if it doesn’t work out, we’ve only wasted two days’ time. Starting tomorrow, we can return to the fields and weed again.”

After a brief moment of hesitation, the two entered the herbal shop together.

The shop’s clerk had just finished doing the shopkeeper’s bidding when he turned around and quickly came up to greet them, “Customer, are you here to pick up medicine or consult about an ailment?”

“We’ve come to sell herbs,” the grandmother hesitated, instinctively saying “sell vegetables” since her basket contained herbs. Feeling it wrong, she quickly corrected herself, “I mean, we’ve brought some herbs.”

Realizing what they meant, the clerk raised his hand and guided them toward the counter. “This is our shop’s herbal medicine shopkeeper. Please show us what good herbs you have, and I assure you we’ll provide you with a fair price.”

At that moment, Song Liangzuo smiled at the clerk. “Big brother, do you still remember me? I came here a few days ago.”

The shopkeeper, busy organizing the accounts just moments ago, had briefly glanced up to see who was delivering herbs. At the sound of the child’s voice, he looked closer at the elderly woman and boy, recognizing that the child looked somewhat familiar. When he heard him mention visiting a few days prior, he took a closer look.

The young clerk, who remembered the boy well, suddenly exclaimed, “Oh, he’s the grandson of the old man who sold us herbs last time!”

The grandmother was aware of this, having been told by her grandson on the way back that day about how he had been mistaken for the old man’s grandson when they were in the shop. She remained quiet, worried that their hard-earned herbs would not be purchased.

But since Song Liangzuo had spoken, he said, “Big brother, that old man isn’t my grandfather. I came in by myself and happened to bump into him that day.”

The clerk, realizing his mistake, chuckled awkwardly, saying “Oh,” and then stayed silent, not wanting to say anything further.

Song Liangzuo had pointed this out deliberately; he didn’t want to create any complications. He noticed how the staff had spoken to the old man before; it seemed the shopkeeper recognized him. Given that most relationships in this town were straightforward, he thought it would not be good if there was further confusion about the old man’s “grandson.” If the shopkeeper saw the boy who was impersonating someone else’s grandson, he would certainly question this boy’s character.

Once a label of “dishonesty” was attached to him, he would be finished.

He figured the best way to handle this insignificant matter was to mention it first, ensuring it didn’t draw attention.

At this moment, the shopkeeper asked, “What kind of herbs do you have? Show them to me.”

“Only dandelions and plantains,” Song Liangzuo replied, turning to his grandmother and calling, “Grandma!”

The grandmother removed the bamboo basket from her back, lifted the lid, and revealed the dried dandelions inside.

The shopkeeper stepped around the counter and picked up a few stalks for inspection. “These appear to be of good quality,” he noted. He then instructed the clerk, “Take them to the back courtyard and check all the herbs thoroughly. Evaluate which of them can be used and tally up the count for their payment later.”

The three of them followed the clerk into the small garden behind the shop. As they entered the back, Song Liangzuo noticed other medicinal herbs drying there. “Oh, so black nightshade is also a medicinal herb!”

The clerk smiled and nodded, looking at the nightshade leaves in the garden. “Yes, black nightshade is a medicinal herb, but we’re not accepting it right now.”

“Hey, and what about the ‘dog ignoring’ herb? Do you accept that too?” he asked.

“Dog ignoring,” known scientifically as xanthium, gets its nickname because its seeds have many small, hooked structures that easily attach to clothes and hair, which is why even dogs avoid it. It’s toxic, and its seeds are the most poisonous part, often used for treating colds and nasal congestion.

The clerk again smiled and shook his head.

Now, as they began counting the herbs, Song Liangzuo fell silent, ready to let things unfold.