Chapter 21.2 - Pinellia ternata 半夏
Shen’s mother took the prescription from her, not even lifting her head. “About five days ago, when you went to your grandmother’s house, I forgot to tell you afterward. People get forgetful when they get older—ah, this one, for vomiting and acid reflux.”
Shen Xifan leaned in to look at it and read aloud, “Sudden vomiting accompanied by fever and chills, headache and body aches—Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San; Vomiting with sour regurgitation, aversion to food—Bao He Wan; Vomiting with sourness, chest and sides distended—Si Ni San combined with Ban Xia Hou Pu Tang.”
Shen’s mother smiled mischievously, “This young man is a doctor? Doesn’t look like it at all. How do you know such a handsome guy? What’s your relationship with him?”
Shen Xifan stammered, “No, no relationship, just a friend.”
After speaking, her heart was pounding hard, almost losing control. She kept asking herself, why was he doing this—caring for her so attentively, without a word, could it be—
A thought flashed through her mind like a bolt of lightning, making her tremble uncontrollably, both scared and excited.
Her cousin-in-law glanced at the prescription, “How about I go to the pharmacy in the neighborhood and get the medicine? It’ll close soon.”
Shen Xifan jolted up, “I’ll go, I’ll go. I’m familiar with this place. It’s better if I go.”
After some hesitation, Shen’s father intervened, “Let Fan Fan go, she’s been staying at home recently and has put on some weight.”
She walked the familiar path again, side by side with him, walking to the lake center in their neighborhood—one turning left, the other right. She never turned back to look at He Suye’s figure. Perhaps she had always been too slow, or more precisely, she had been blinded by one small leaf.
Unknowingly, He Suye had entered her life. To her, he was the skilled, kind-hearted doctor, the friend with whom she could talk about anything. She was grateful to have met such a person in her life, yet she had never considered the nature of their relationship.
Perhaps it was just her feelings for him—because she had gotten so used to having someone by her side, she had always felt that everything was taken for granted.
After looking at Banxia, she was disappointed. The brown, spherical object didn’t resemble what she had seen before. If it weren’t for the leaves or stems, she couldn’t understand what this round thing was.
In the end, the pharmacist, seeing her doubtful expression, explained, “This is Fa Banxia; the prepared Banxia comes from the tuber.”
He Suye had always told her not to judge by appearance. Traditional Chinese medicine often looks unimpressive but can be extremely effective. But she felt that such a beautiful name had been wasted.
Banxia—it should be like this, with the electric fan blowing so you don’t feel the heat, the early morning and evening being cool, ice cream newly available, and fruits and vegetables subtly changing with the seasons—warm, gentle, as described in Chinese medicine: pungent, warm.
Watching the pharmacist skillfully grab the medicine, Shen Xifan smiled secretly, thinking, how should I describe you, He Suye?
In the end, she couldn’t resist walking downstairs to his building. Even though she knew he wasn’t there, she still stood at the bottom, foolishly staring for a long time.
In the past, the orange light from his windows would pierce through the thick night, spreading warmth. Every time she came, she would see it, and it felt like they had some kind of unspoken connection, giving her the illusion of being awaited.
It turns out he had waited for her for too long.
But now, the darkness enveloped everything, and she felt a sudden surge of emotion called longing. It wasn’t that she hadn’t experienced longing before, nor had she never been reminded of someone by the sight of familiar things. It was just that she had never felt longing like this—so sudden, so unexpected.
It was like winning the first-class grand prize, hitting her head with a dull thud. She would be excited and unable to sleep at night, waking up in the middle of the night, needing to confirm that the prize hadn’t been taken away.
Shen Xifan smiled foolishly as she held the bag of Chinese medicine. Her heart fluttered again. Was I just imagining things? He Suye always seemed so nice and amiable. How much weight do I really have in his heart?
Unable to hold herself back, she sent him a message, simply asking when he would return. But she waited for a long time and got no reply. She set her phone to vibrate and fell asleep unknowingly, feeling fuzzy.
When she woke up in the morning, her phone was empty, and so was her heart. She felt an instant sense of loss.
Weakly, she buried her head in her arm and sighed long and hard. The long-awaited feeling of longing poured out, almost uncontrollable.
She went to the temple to pray, as her mother had said, to fulfill her vow. Before leaving, she asked for peace and safety.
Strolling through the courtyard, she admired the magnificent architecture of the temple, the exquisite statues of the deities, the colorful murals that had remained unchanged, and the ancient music that brushed past her soul. She walked quietly, almost as if she didn’t want to breathe, her steps light.
The elderly people with white hair held long incense sticks, praying for the safety of their children; middle-aged women knelt, praying for their children’s academic success and the health of their husbands. As for her, she prayed for her parents’ safety and well-being.
And for He Suye, she prayed that he would return soon and safely.
Finally, she couldn’t resist calling him.
At that moment, Shen Xifan was in the woods behind the temple. There weren’t many trees, but there was an abundance of bamboo, thick and lush. A light breeze passed through, making a rustling sound. Many elderly people were meditating. She spoke softly, her voice low, but her joy was undeniable.
It sounded like He Suye was in a very busy place. She could hear the howling wind and the bustling crowd. She couldn’t help but ask, “He Suye, it’s so noisy, what’s going on?”
