C19 Go up the Mountain to Pick Herbs

Sung Zhu's life here quickly became enriched.

She was able to eat her fill every day, having witnessed firsthand that many villagers could only afford two meals a day, each barely more substantial than plain water!

Occasionally, she would go out to play with her brothers, Sung Xiang and Sung Xiangqian, acting the part of the well-behaved child. Afterwards, she would dutifully stay home to practice her writing.

Two weeks passed, and Sung Zhu had thoroughly mastered the two picture books designed to teach reading and writing.

Of course, this was what Sung Guodong observed. Sung Zhu had long since lost interest in these rudimentary materials. Yet, she still had to feign enthusiasm to appear as though she was learning effectively. Sigh, pretending to be a child could be quite exhausting at times.

"Grandpa, I can write all these words! If you don't believe me, test me!"

Sung Zhu felt she couldn't keep up the pretense any longer. After more than two weeks, it was time to delve into more advanced knowledge.

"Really? Zhu, you're so clever. But acquiring knowledge isn't just about being smart; you need to practice your writing diligently every day."

Sung Guodong was immensely proud to have such an intelligent and eager-to-learn granddaughter, but he was skeptical that Sung Zhu had completely mastered both books.

After all, the books were a two-part series, and the second volume involved not just picture reading but also vocabulary.

"Grandpa doesn't believe me. Hmph, just dictate some words to me, and you'll see."

Sung Zhu, having prepared her paper and pen well in advance, insisted that Sung Guodong dictate words for her to write.

"Alright, let's see just how impressive our little Zhu is."

Sung Guodong believed that intelligence needed to be grounded in hard work, so he chose several challenging words for her to write.

Sung Zhu made a concerted effort to ensure her handwriting appeared childlike. Once finished, she triumphantly lifted her notebook for Sung Guodong to see.

"Oh my, they're all correct! Zhu, you're truly remarkable!" Sung Guodong hadn't expected his granddaughter to be so adept. She had not only memorized words that were difficult for her peers but could write them as well.

"Absolutely. Grandpa, I've memorized the pictures in the book too. I remember the herbs and can write them down!" Sung Zhu thought that while she shouldn't show off too much, her progress couldn't be too slow either.

So, she puffed out her chest and proudly told Sung Guodong about her achievements.

Of course, she only spoke about the simpler names of the herbs; the more complex ones were beyond her current knowledge.

"Zhu, you're doing great. Let me tell you about this Chinese medicine. It's quite remarkable. It may look like just some grass, but its effects are significant!"

Sung Zhu had mentioned that she not only recognized the characters but also used the Chinese medicine book to learn the words from the illustrations, which was truly heartwarming. Grandpa immediately began to share his knowledge of medicinal herbs with her.

Sung Zhu listened intently, realizing just how much her grandpa knew! She was determined to learn as much as she could.

"Just talking about it isn't enough. Let's go up the mountain, and I'll introduce you to some of the herbs firsthand!" Sung Guodong, caught up in his enthusiasm, quickly gathered a small backpack, a hoe, and other tools, eager to take Sung Zhu up the mountain.

After all, practice is the key to understanding!

Sung Zhu agreed wholeheartedly and excitedly got ready for their mountain excursion with Sung Guodong.

Along the way, Sung Zhu feigned ignorance: "Grandpa, do we have medicinal herbs where we live? Does that mean they're all around us?"

"Exactly. Traditional Chinese Medicine is an incredible art. What might seem like insignificant weeds to some are actually potent medicines. Take this dandelion, for example—it's a valuable herb."

Sung Guodong demonstrated with practical examples, while Sung Zhu diligently took mental notes.