Chapter 11: Recovery Rate
When Jon returned home, he immediately went to his parents’ bedroom to check if their condition had changed.
As expected, his parents were lying on their bed, unmoving like statues.
Heartbroken after seeing them in such poor condition, he hurriedly went to the kitchen to prepare their medicine.
“I am such an embarrassment,” he reprimanded himself. “How can I account to my parents about what had happened after they wake up?”
He sighed and shook his head, “There is no point crying over spilled milk. I have to make the best of my situation.”
After he took out the medicine he bought from the pharmacy, he looked for other ingredients that may boost the strength of the brew he was about to make.
“Black lotus extract is highly nutritious,” Jon carefully poured a few drops on a teaspoon and added it to the cauldron.
When he eventually opened the parcel of medicine, he was shocked to see a large improvement in its quality. He held it close to his eyes to scrutinize it.
“What happened?” Jon questioned. “Did I take the wrong packet of medicine and pay the wrong amount to the cashier?”
After recalling the chain of events that had occurred at the pharmacy, he realized it was not possible for that mistake to occur.
“I distinctly remembered staring at the price that appeared on the cash register,” he confusedly mused. He then checked the contents in his backpack.
Jon found the crystal that he bought from the elderly man and remembered what was said.
“Is the medicine’s transformation a result of it being placed next to the crystal?” Jon was skeptical about the crystal’s powers.
While preparing to brew the medicine, Jon puzzled over the mystery.
Before long, he was halfway through the process of brewing the medicine.
“There is no other explanation,” Jon was finally convinced after contemplating the issue for a prolonged period. “The transformation is the result of the crystal.”
To test his hypothesis, he gathered some substandard ingredients and placed them next to the crystal.
As expected, the diamond-shaped clear crystal immediately glowed brightly. Slowly, he saw the condition of the ingredients improve.
He was utterly glad he had made the transaction with the elderly man, “Eureka! I have hit the jackpot! This crystal will be really helpful when I concoct other commodities in the future.”
Jon clapped and jumped as he cheered. He gleefully encouraged himself, “There is good in the world after all!”
He then whistled the tune of his favorite song as he continued brewing the medicine for his parents.
“My parents will definitely get better after drinking this brew,” Jon smiled to himself as his mood lifted significantly.
Soon, the medicine was ready. He gingerly poured it into two bowls and carried them on a tray to his parents’ room.
He patiently cooled the medicine before slowly feeding it to them.
After an interval, the medicine’s effect kicked in.
Cough, cough, cough…
His parents gradually blinked opened their eyes and looked around the room.
“Ouch, my head hurts,” his mother placed her fingers on her temples and rubbed them.
Jon’s father slowly turned to him and asked, “What time is it now son? Have you eaten?”
Jon smiled and nodded, “Please rest well father and mother. Both of you were not well so I bought some medicine and fed it to you.”
Frowning, his mother inquired with a tinge of worry, “Where did you get the money from? The last time I checked, we do not have enough to buy more medicine.”
Jon patted his mother on the shoulder and smiled, “Not to fear mother. I managed to buy the medicine after selling a power-focusing pill I concocted from the ingredients I gathered in the nearby forest.”
Upon hearing that, his mother heaved a sigh of relief.
Jon then stood and left the room to retrieve the crystal he bought from the elderly man.
He soon returned and gave the crystal to his parents so that they could inspect it.
“An old man sold me this crystal that can purify ingredients. This helped me make the medicine for you,” Jon explained to his parents.
“That is wonderful son,” his mother praised him as she hugged him tightly. “Well done! I am very proud of you. Thank you for caring for us.”
“Yes son,” his father chimed in and gave Jon a thumbs up. “Well done.”
The entire family loudly rejoiced at the turn of events.
---
After his parents tucked in for the night, Jon went to his room to complete his homework.
With newfound hope, Jon could concentrate well on his task at hand. His mind was clear and sharp. In half the usual time, he completed his work.
Fatigued after a long day, he washed up before crawling into bed. That night, he went to sleep with a full heart.
He was filled with hope for his future, “I believe my parents will get well soon and our family will no longer struggle with poverty.”
For the next few days, Jon continued to brew medicine and care for his parents after school.
Within a few days of consuming his special concoction, his parents regained their strength.
His father even managed to get out of bed to stretch his legs after staying in it for a long while.
“I believe I am getting much better,” Jon’s father smiled as he hugged his son. “I will go back to work as soon as I find a job.”
It was a dream come true for Jon. At long last, the plight of his family was getting better.
“This is just the beginning of a bright future,” Jon optimistically told himself.
---
After another tiring day at school, Jon took his usual route home. He planned to drop some of his items at home before visiting the nearby forest to collect herbs.
“Ah! Someone, please help me!” a shrill voice echoed in the air.
“What was that?” Jon was alarmed. The voice sounded disconcertingly familiar.
He rushed in the direction of the sound to find out what was happening.
Upon reaching closer to the scene, Jon saw that the people were dressed in his school uniform. He could vaguely recognize the people’s faces. They were a part of Raphael’s gang.
He zoomed his vision in on the victim in the middle of the group of students.
“Mel!” he was taken aback. Seeing that his best friend was in danger, he immediately rushed to her aid.