She stared at the dark, murky herbal dicine for a while before deviating from her usual habit of drinking it. Instead, she closed up the cup and set it aside.
At 11:55 a.m., Xia Wan’an hailed a cab, taking the thermos cup straight to the esteed dical hall.
She quickly located the office of the traditional Chinese dicine (TCM) elder that Song Youman had ntioned. The physician was kind and genial, full of white hair but brimming with vitality. When he found out who had referred Xia Wan’an, he warmly welcod her and offered her a seat.
Thinking Xia Wan’an had co for treatnt, the TCM elder offered her a cup of water before instructing her to extend her wrist saying, "Miss Xia, let take your pulse."
"Oh, not exactly, sir. I’m not here for a consultation..." Xia Wan’an apologetically explained her purpose before handing over the thermos cup to the elder, saying, "I wanted to ask for your help in identifying the purpose of this herbal dicine."
The elder did not dwell on the misunderstanding of Xia Wan’an’s intentions. He smiled, saying, "I see", then took up the thermos cup, unscrewed its lid and poured out so of the dicine. He sniffed it, then tasted it.
With his actions, he began to recite several nas of herbs.
About ten minutes later, he seed to have identified all the herbs. He jotted them down, gazed at the notes thoughtfully, and then uttered two words, "Detox? Aid conception?"
Xia Wan’an did not fully understand, "What?"
The elder tasted the dicine again and pondered for a mont before he finally affird, "Miss Xia, who is the one drinking this dicine?"
Xia Wan’an nodded.
"Do you want a child?"
Upon hearing this, Xia Wan’an hesitated, "Sir, I don’t fully understand."
"This dicine has certain detoxifying effects, but more importantly, it aids in conception. In short, it assists you in getting pregnant..."
Pregnant? Aiding her in getting pregnant...
This dicine was given to her by Xie Lin. Initially, Xie Lin said it was because she had a cold constitution. The dicine, he said, would help ease her irregular nstruation and nstrual cramps...
With these thoughts, Xia Wan’an voiced her confusion, "Sir, isn’t this dicine supposed to cure a cold constitution? After drinking this dicine, indeed, my hands and feet haven’t been as cold these past two months. Even my last nstruation didn’t cause as much stomach pain..."
"It certainly does alleviate your coldness to so extent, as many of the herbs inside are of a warming property. But its main effect is to help you conceive..."
Xia Wan’an did not say anything, but her fingertips involuntarily clutched the zipper on the bag on her lap.
"Miss Xia, do you have any other questions?" The elder serenely addressed her when he saw that she had been silent for a while.
Xia Wan’an blankly stared at the thermos cup, not responding.
"Miss Xia?"
After being called by the elder several tis, Xia Wan’an regained her composure. She realized her own discourtesy and hurriedly apologized to the elderly man, "I’m sorry." Then she continued, "Sir, what were you saying just now?"
"Oh, I was just asking if you had any other questions to ask?"
Xia Wan’an shook her head, zoned out for a mont, shook her head again, and then thanked and bid farewell to the elder, "No, I don’t. Thank you, sir."
After leaving the dical hall, Xia Wan’an didn’t flag a taxi back to the office; instead, she aimlessly walked along the main road.
She didn’t stop until she didn’t know how long, and then she lowered her head, looking at the thermos cup still in her hand.
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