Rust Town crouched in the gray light, like a sick, lame dog.
The notice wall at the entrance of the town was newly pasted with yellow paper that had not yet dried, and a few early risers were hunching their necks to look at it. Ling Shuang glanced at it and saw that it was an additional clause in the "Basic Literacy Code", adding twenty new words that were "not recommended for civilians to write and use", including "epidemic", "plague", and "sadness".
She lowered her head and quickened her pace. There is dark green moss growing in the gaps between the stone pavements, and there are piles of night fragrance that have not been cleaned up in the corners. The air smelled of firewood, low-quality grease, and a hint of... Vague, sweet smell.
Her medicine shop is located in the west end of the town. It has a narrow front and its signboard is "Compliance Herbal Medicine Shop" written by her father himself - the word "Compliance" is particularly large and the darkest color. Pushing the door open and walking in, the bitter and pungent smell of herbs hit your face, slightly diluting the foul smell outside.
His father, Lin Caosheng, was leaning behind the counter, using a bald pen to copy out the "Official Pharmacopoeia: Civilian Volume" stroke by stroke in the dim light coming from the window lattice. Hearing the knock on the door, he raised his eyes, his cloudy eyes falling on the basket on Ling Shuang's back.
"Did you pick it back?" His voice was dry and hoarse. "They were all on the 'list'?"
"Yeah." Ling Shuang put down the backpack and started sorting. The bermudagrass is placed on the wooden stand on the left, and the purple thistle is placed in the clay pot on the right. The movements are skillful.
Lin Caosheng came over, rummaged through the basket with his skinny fingers, and pulled out a few silver-patterned mint leaves. He paused and looked up at Ling Shuang. Something sank in his eyes: "What is this?"
