Chapter 28: Nourish the Heart and Soothe the Nerves
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“I’m thinking about your auntie,” said Zhang Xiuying.
“What about her?” asked w.a.n.g Yao.
His mother had three siblings—Zhang Xiuying was the eldest one. She had a sister called Zhang Xiumei who treated w.a.n.g Yao very nice. Zhang Xiumei used to buy him nice treats when he was younger and often took him out to the park or the zoo. Even now, Zhang Xiumei called him from time to time to ask about how he was going with his work and relations.h.i.+ps. She actually just called him a few days ago.
“Just her usual thing, insomnia,” Zhang Xiuying said.
w.a.n.g Yao knew his auntie had this condition. Every time she had an episode, she suffered from restlessness, weakness, and lack of an appet.i.te. She had visited a number of doctors and tried various medications but none of these could help her. Two old Chinese Medical Pract.i.tioners said her problems were caused by physical recuperation after her birth, so it was difficult to treat.
“She didn’t go see a doctor?” asked w.a.n.g Yao.
“Yes she did, but it’s no use. She’s been to numerous doctors. She is lying in bed at home now. I just talked to her on the phone and she didn’t even have the strength to speak,” said Zhang Xiuying worriedly. After all, she was her sister—her family.
Maybe Anshensan will work! thought w.a.n.g Yao.
He suddenly thought about his unfinished task related to the formula the system rewarded him.
Anshensan alleviates mental depression, harmonizes Qi, nourishes the heart and calms the mind.
Given the wonderful effects of antidote hers, w.a.n.g Yao was certain that the Anshensan would have great effects too.
I can’t wait for the moonlight herbs to be ready. I have to start brewing decoctions tomorrow.
w.a.n.g Yao immediately made his decision. Nothing compared to the health of his family members, not even a couple of moonlight herbs.
“Mom, don’t worry too much. Have you cooked dinner yet? I’m hungry,” w.a.n.g Yao tried to distract his mother.
“Okay, I’ll cook for you now,” said Zhang Xiuying.
w.a.n.g Yao’s father came back after dinner had been cooked. w.a.n.g Yao and his parents had dinner together; they were happy and relaxed together.
After dinner, w.a.n.g Yao went back to his room and read books about herbs and medicine as usual. The sky was nice and clear with only a few clouds, and the moon was glowing up high.
Nice moonlight, hopefully it can make the moonlight herbs grow a bit more, w.a.n.g Yao thought.
w.a.n.g Yao went to sleep after some reading. The next day, early in the morning, it was nice and cool outside. w.a.n.g Yao got up early as usual and had some noodles and dry food before heading to Nanshan Hill.
Every time he saw the herbs in the field he was in good mood. He first walked about the herbal field, then watered the field and the several trees and Ginseng nearby with ancient spring water.
After he had finished watering, he came to see the ten moonlight herbs. He carefully picked two green leaves from two different moonlight herbs. Like the antidote herb, green fluid flew out at the fracture and dried immediately.
Hopefully the leaves will grow back, w.a.n.g Yao thought.
After returning to the cottage, w.a.n.g Yao took out the herbs for making Anshensan, double checked them, and then started to brew a decoction.
Ginseng, Angelica, Poria Cocos, Licorice…
w.a.n.g Yao had to make sure the weight and sequence of putting the herbs in the pot were all identical to what was on the formula. At the same time, the fire was burning cheerfully. The multifunctional pot for herbs was giving off steam and a special smell of herbs soon filled the cottage.
When w.a.n.g Yao estimated that the effect of the herbs had all come out, he put the leaves of the moonlight herb into the pot. The leaves dissolved immediately and turned the liquid inside the pot from a light brown into light orange color.
Seeing the change in color, w.a.n.g Yao quickly moved the multifunctional pot away from the flame. He looked at the decoction that took him a great deal of effort to brew.
“Done?”
But there was no response from the system.
“Let me take the decoction out of the pot first.” w.a.n.g Yao poured the decoction into a gla.s.s bottle after it cooled down.
I’m not sure whether it was successful or not. So I can’t just give it to my auntie in case something bad happens. Maybe I should try it first?
He poured a little bit of decoction out of the gla.s.s bottle then drank it with some water. He soon felt warm in his stomach and the decoction being absorbed.
In the beginning, w.a.n.g Yao didn’t feel any difference. After 20 minutes, he felt quieter in his surroundings as well as having an overall calm feeling. His body was slightly hot but his brain was very alert—It was a nice feeling.
It worked!
He immediately realized that he had successfully made the formula.
Let me give some to San Xiao to try.
He poured some decoction into the small basin outside San Xiao’s doghouse and called out to him.
“Drink, San Xiao.”
w.a.n.g Yao pointed at the basin. San Xian took a look at the basin then lifted up his head towards w.a.n.g Yao, as if he were asking, “Hey, my caretaker, what do you mean? Did you add anything to my drinking water?”
“Just drink it,” repeated w.a.n.g Yao.
San Xiao took a few sips of the water then started to shake his head.
“Anything wrong?” w.a.n.g Yao tried to observe San Xian’s response regardless of whether San Xiao could understand him or not. San Xiao turned out to be fine. He wandered around then returned to his dog house. He sat on the floor and looked ahead, as if he were thinking of something deep and philosophical.
No side effects! After one hour of observation on San Xian, plus his own feelings, w.a.n.g Yao was certain that the decoction had no side effects.
After two experiments, w.a.n.g Yao was sure his Anshensan had no problems. He then placed the gla.s.s bottle inside the system’s package tab, locked the door and then headed to town.
“San Xian, watch the door,” he asked San Xian before leaving. But he didn’t get any response. He turned his head around and saw San Xiao was still looking ahead like a statue.
“What’s your problem?” w.a.n.g Yao waved in front of San Xian.
Woof! Woof! Woof! San Xiao seemed to be unhappy that w.a.n.g Yao was disturbing him.
“Look after the herbal field for me, in particular those licorice roots. Don’t be absent-minded all the time. Hey, what do you mean by that look?” w.a.n.g Yao found the dog was acting more and more like a human being.
“I’m off,” said w.a.n.g Yao.
He went down the hill and rode his motorbike into town.
His aunt lived about 20 minutes away by motorbike. After arriving in town, w.a.n.g Yao bought some supplements before heading to his aunt’s home.
He knocked on the door on arrival. A middle-aged woman opened the door for him. She was medium height and her face was like yellow wax with two big eye pouches. She looked very drowsy.