Chapter 6

Abigail was carrying the same backpack from yesterday. She pulled out a large black lump and placed it in front of an old white-haired man in Jewls' oldest nursing home. "Hans, I need your help." The elderly man looked like a wise old professor as he stroked his long beard. When he saw the dark mass, his eyes widened immediately, and he stumbled backward a few steps. "You brought me cow dung again!" Abigail watched his reaction with a grin, trying to figure out how to smooth things over, when another voice was heard. A crisp female voice interrupted their conversation, sounding steady and slightly amused. "If Hans doesn't want it, I'll take it. I'll help you, little one. My vegetable garden needs fertilizing anyway." Abigail immediately lifted the bag of cow dung like a precious offering and carried it to the woman. "You're the best, Elizabeth." Hans Elmer, known as a miracle doctor, had earned his reputation as a legendary healer. Ten years ago, he and his wife, Elizabeth Sutton, funded this nursing home and retreated from the scene to live quietly away from worldly concerns. Abigail had met the couple by chance, and the childless pair had taken her in like she was their granddaughter. "Alright, what kind of help do you need?" Hans snorted like an overgrown child, putting on airs. "No matter how nice Elizabeth is, you'll still have to rely on me in the end." Abigail raised an eyebrow, feeling warmth in her heart as she quickly explained Yvonne's and Xavier's conditions. She then waited eagerly for his response. Hans stroked his beard. "Those are just minor ailments. Wait here." When Abigail arrived, her backpack had been bulging with over ten pounds of cow dung. When she left, it was still bulging but was now stuffed with medicinal herbs. She took multiple buses and rode a bike, spending an hour to get back to where Samuel had dropped her off that morning. Hans and Elizabeth preferred to keep their whereabouts private from outsiders, so Samuel could only drop her at the bus station early that morning. "Samuel!" Abigail called out energetically from across the street. Despite running around all day, she was still full of vigor, waving enthusiastically at Samuel on the other side. Samuel was still wearing his worn gray work clothes, holding a cup of bubble tea that ladies loved to drink. As soon as the light turned green, he immediately walked toward her. "Don't buy these fancy things anymore. We can easily make something like this at home. The price of one cup could feed our whole family of... seven until we're stuffed," Abigail said while taking the bubble tea with genuine appreciation written all over her bright, clean face. "But thank you so much for getting this for me, Samuel!" Samuel felt deeply moved and a bit heartbroken. Before he could respond, he watched Abigail magically produce another cup and divide the bubble tea in half, offering it to him. She smiled generously. "Here. Halfsies." The bubble tea probably cost a couple of dollars. Given how tight money was for the Parker family, they probably rarely got to drink anything like this. "Alright." Samuel's heart completely melted at Abigail's gesture. Seeing Samuel's barely contained joy, Abigail assumed he hadn't had bubble tea much and was perhaps delighted by this rare treat. This strengthened her resolve to work hard and support this big family. Family stuck together through thick and thin. No matter what, she was a Parker, and she had to do her share. "Drink it slowly. I'll make sure you all can have bubble tea every day from now on." Abigail looked at her half-cup of bubble tea and quietly put the lid back on, deciding to share it with those at home instead. Samuel nearly teared up. Passersby waiting for the bus also cast pitying glances their way. The two were such a good-looking pair of siblings, but their circumstances seemed heartbreakingly difficult. "Don't you need to be at the construction site?" Abigail suddenly realized that Samuel was probably needed at work around this time. Samuel answered smoothly, "I haven't had a break in ages. When my boss heard we found you, he gave me a few days off to spend time with you." "Great, then let's head home. Brewing the medicine is going to be quite a project today." Abigail didn't question it further. … "Darling, why do these herbs smell faintly like manure?" After returning home, Abigail opened her backpack and pulled out the herbs Hans had prepared. A distinct cow dung smell immediately wafted out. Even Yvonne's usually composed face showed traces of disbelief. Abigail scratched her head with an embarrassed laugh. "I had cow dung in my bag earlier, but it's fine! I'll just wash the herbs first." Owen, Yvonne, and Samuel were stunned into silence. "Where exactly did Abby get these herbs? Are we sure that after your mom and Xavier consume them... it won't make things worse?" Owen looked troubled as he watched Abigail's determined figure bustling around, preparing the medicine. Samuel felt somewhat awkward. The truth was, he didn't really know since he had only dropped Abigail at the bus station. Following his principle of respecting her independence, he hadn't had anyone follow her. "Never mind that. It's totally alright. It's the thought that counts." Yvonne forced herself to be consoling, though the smile on her face was utterly unconvincing. Abigail worked up a sweat in the kitchen, spending nearly three hours brewing medicine and making herbal treats. By the time she emerged, it was already dark. All the Parker family members, except Xavier, were gathered in the small living room. Her little face was smudged with soot from working over the traditional wood-burning stove. Her bright, clear eyes sparkled as she walked in wearing a cheerful yellow apron and carrying a large tray. "Everyone's back! Perfect timing! I made some nourishing treats. Since you all do physical work, these will help strengthen you." Everyone stared at the dark, unidentifiable lumps that bore no resemblance to any recognizable food ingredient. Their mouths twitched involuntarily as they exchanged glances, and they fell into stunned silence. Abigail looked around with an innocent, adorable expression and broke into a grin. "They don't look great, but they taste amazing! And they're incredibly nutritious! Don't worry. Everything came from the doctor, so it's good for you—not at all harmful. "Oh, this green bowl is for Mom, and the yellow bowl is for Xavier. I'll take it up to him." Abigail was still thinking about that grumpy fourth brother of hers. "Wait up," Samuel said. He knew Xavier's temperament better than anyone. If Abigail went up there, she'd probably get an earful. Not only would her good intentions be wasted, but both of them would end up upset. Whether this medicine would work or not was unclear, but Abigail had worked hard all day. Even if there were no results, she deserved credit for her effort. "I'll take it up. You should rest." Abigail shook her head. With Xavier's foul temper and Samuel's considerate nature toward his siblings, Samuel would probably just let Xavier refuse to take it. Abigail needed to see him finish every drop with her own eyes. She flashed a sweet smile. "I'll do it. Xavier and I met yesterday, and he actually really likes me." Soon, everyone downstairs heard Xavier's furious roar. "Did you crawl out of a cesspit? Get out of my room!" Abigail tilted her head slightly, easily dodging the flying pillow attack. Her bright eyes blinked as her sweet voice carried a mischievous laugh. "I guess God is fair, huh? He gave you those useless legs but blessed you with a nose more sensitive than a dog's." "Get out!" This was only their second meeting, and they were already having their second fight. Abigail clicked her tongue and strode into the room. Her slender hand swiftly grabbed his wrist while the other held the mug of medicine. Without a word, she pressed a specific pressure point on his chin with her pinky, forcing Xavier to open his mouth and helplessly swallow the entire bowl of medicine that reeked faintly of cow dung. Xavier immediately threw a coughing fit. Abigail nodded with satisfaction as she looked at the empty bowl. She released him and patted his back until his flushed face returned to normal. "I'll tell you a little secret, my dear Xavier. That was cow dung soup." Abigail leaned in playfully, dropped this bombshell, and then immediately darted backward to dodge the anticipated attack. Xavier's mind was completely consumed by the words "cow dung". He kept dry heaving, his chest rising and falling rapidly while he tried to curse her out. The scene was absurdly comical. "Abigail Parker!" After a moment, Xavier finally recovered enough to glare at Abigail, who was doubled over with innocent laughter. He let out a low, resentful growl. She nodded obediently. "Yes, Xavier? No need to yell. My hearing is perfectly fine. I'm a very healthy person. Take these pills with it, or the cow dung won't be properly digested and will come out of your body in various forms." Abigail pulled out a colorful glass bottle, tossed it into his arms, then grabbed the empty bowl and made her escape. Humming a little tune, she headed downstairs where the Parker family was waiting with eager expressions. The soundproofing wasn't great, so the family had heard most of what happened upstairs. "Xavier finished it all! Give it some time, and he'll definitely get better!" Abigail maintained her optimistic, positive energy. Jayden's temple twitched. He had thought Abigail looked sweet and soft, like someone who could be easily bullied. Who knew she'd have Xavier completely under control? Not bad at all. She was definitely his sister. "You and Xavier, um, did everything go smoothly?" Owen asked. He could hear Xavier's continued grumbling from upstairs. The process hadn't seemed entirely pleasant either. Abigail sat casually at the dining table, clearly in a good mood. "Yeah. Like I said, Xavier really does like me. We get along wonderfully." Adrian looked skeptical. For someone so young, she sure had a talent for telling bald-faced lies. "Why aren't you guys eating?" Abigail picked up one of the dark lumps from the plate, about to pop it in her mouth. Before it reached her lips, multiple hands suddenly shot out toward her, and everyone shouted in unison, "Wait!" Abigail jumped, startled to see four men—everyone except Yvonne—reaching toward her. The sudden pressure was quite intimidating. Her eyes showed confusion as she asked, "What's wrong?" Jayden couldn't bear to watch Abigail eat what looked more toxic than actual poison. He grabbed the lump from her hand. He closed his eyes, clenched his other hand, and shoved the lump into his mouth with the determination of someone making the ultimate sacrifice. Owen, Samuel, and Adrian immediately rejoiced. Everyone stared at Jayden expectantly, with Samuel even ready to call 911. Meanwhile, Jayden looked like he was making peace with his fate. His expression slowly shifted from heroic resignation to relaxed relief, and after chewing, he actually started to enjoy it. His eyes snapped open, somewhat sparkling. "It's delicious!" "Occupational hazard," Adrian said, watching Jayden's dramatic performance. "Or he's hallucinating from poisoning." A big question mark slowly appeared over Abigail's head as she looked at Adrian in confusion. "How could it be poisonous? These are all non-toxic herbs." "Abby, how are you so talented at cooking?" Jayden couldn't resist reaching out to pinch those soft, clean cheeks, still savoring the taste. Quick as lightning, Jayden grabbed several more lumps and stuffed them into his brothers' and parents' mouths before patting his chest in assurance. "It really is good! I'm not lying!" Yvonne savored it carefully and was full of praise. "Abby, this is delicious! How did you make it taste this good? It's got that sweet and slightly bitter thing going on, and it's so soft and creamy." Owen was even more dramatic. Tears glistened in his eyes as he wiped them away. "My daughter has grown up. She's so thoughtful, making all these delicious things for us. She has really grown up." "The taste really is excellent," Samuel added in his praise. Adrian said it was "just okay" but contradicted himself by reaching for another piece. Abigail felt a pang of sympathy. She had just thrown this together casually, but seeing how poor the family was, it was clear they rarely got to enjoy anything delicious. "I just mixed in some of the bubble tea Samuel bought this afternoon to balance out the bitter taste of the herbs, then added some stevia leaves. It was hard to control the heat on the stove, so they don't look very pretty," Abigail explained. Something dawned on Yvonne as she reached out to take Abigail's hand. "Abby dear, were you always cooking when you were with the Newmans? How else would someone so young have such amazing cooking skills? I'm sorry. Your father and I should've been more careful." As she spoke, her nose tingled with emotion. Abigail's heart softened at her words, and she linked arms with Yvonne affectionately. "No, no. I just figured it out when I was bored. The Newmans had a cook, so it wasn't my job anyway." Previously, Abigail was quite busy, and since Anita always disapproved of everything she did, the two constantly clashed. She had basically never set foot in the kitchen. The fact was, although Anita had always been at odds with her, Abigail never lacked food or drink. She hadn't lived a hard life with the Newmans. "Abby, my boss is really into healthy food. How about you make some more and I'll bring them for him to try? If he likes them, we could work out some kind of deal. What do you think?" Samuel suggested this approach. He couldn't bear to let the sweet, thoughtful Abigail shoulder too much burden, so he needed an excuse to give her money. This seemed like the safest way. Abigail thought for a moment. "These ingredients are too pricey if we're selling to your boss. Let me find some cheaper alternatives tomorrow, Samuel. Don't worry. I'm definitely going to work hard and get our family back on our feet!" After Abigail went upstairs to wash up, Yvonne asked reluctantly, "Are we going to keep Abby in the dark forever?" Everyone's hearts were conflicted, but no one answered.