Chapter 2

At the first hint of dawn, I got up to heat some water.

After showering Grandpa, I helped him turn over, patted his back, and massaged his legs. By the time I finished changing his bedsheets, it was almost 10 AM.

I had just picked up the spoon to start eating cereal when Mr. Zellen tossed a ring of keys onto the table.

“The chicken coop in the backyard needs hosing down, and there’s a pile of firewood in the kitchen that needs chopping.

“And the leaves in the greenhouse are covered in dust. Get them cleaned this afternoon.”

I hesitated for a moment, then replied, “Mr. Zellen, I was hoping to go into the mountains today.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What for?”

“To gather some medicinal herbs. Grandpa’s oxygen concentrator needs replacing, and I want to save up enough money to buy him a new one.”

Mr. Zellen burst out laughing as though I had just told him the funniest joke in the world.

“You think Mr. Spencer Sr.’s medical supplies are your concern? The Spencer family took you in. That doesn’t mean you get to wander off whenever you please.”

I clenched the hem of my shirt.

“I’ll finish all the chores first. I promise I’ll be back before dark.”

He was about to curse me out again when Grandpa suddenly slammed his body against the bed rails twice.

Annoyed by the noise, Mr. Zellen turned around and walked out.

I worked until noon, finishing every chore assigned to me before finally slinging my wicker basket over my shoulder and leaving the residence.

The trail up the mountain was treacherous. It had rained the day before, leaving the rocks slick with moss.

With my mind fixed on a patch of Solomon’s seal I found earlier, I hurried along without watching my step. My foot slipped, and I tumbled down the steep slope.

A sharp rock sliced open my palm, and my ankle began to swell.

The pain made my vision swim. I lay there for a long while before finally pulling myself up by gripping a tree trunk.

The Solomon’s seal was just a little farther ahead. A whole patch of it grew there, beautiful and lush.

I could not bear the thought of going home empty-handed. After wrapping my bleeding palm with a strip of cloth, I painstakingly dug up the roots, one by one.

By the time I reached town with my basket full of herbs, dusk was settling in.

The owner of the herbal shop spent ages sorting through my haul before handing me $20.

I counted the money thrice, then tucked it into the little cloth pouch I kept close to my body.

$1,000 still felt impossibly far away, but $20 was nothing to sneeze at.

If I kept saving little by little, I would get there eventually.

My stomach growled. A nearby bakery had just lifted the lid off a fresh batch of meat pies. White clouds of steam carried the savory smell of meat straight to my nose.

“Excuse me, how much are the pies?”

“$2 each.”

I touched the little pouch at my waist, then finally took out just $1.

“In that case, could I have a loaf of plain bread?”

I squatted by the wall and took a few bites of the stale bread, washing it down with cold water.

Just then, a black luxury car pulled up outside the private club across the street. Mother stepped out wearing an elegant white suit.

Alistair was beside her, followed by several staff members carrying gift boxes.

I jumped in fright and quickly lowered my head.

However, Alistair had already spotted me.

“Zachary?”

He strode over, glancing at the mud caked on my trouser legs before looking at the dry loaf in my hand.

“Why are you squatting here, eating?”

Mother turned at the sound of his voice. Her face darkened.

“Zachary, what are you making a scene about this time?”

I hurried to my feet and explained, “Mother, I'm not making a scene. I came to sell some medicinal herbs.”

Alistair’s gaze fell on the bulging cloth pouch at my waist.

He reached out and yanked it away, scattering my money all over the ground.

“Selling medicinal herbs?”

“The flowers and plants at the old residence belong to the Spencer family. What gives you the right to sell them?”

I hurriedly crouched to gather the scattered bills.

“I dug these up in the mountains. They’re not from the residence. I just wanted to buy Grandpa a new oxygen concentrator.”

Alistair let out a soft sigh.

“Zachary, if you need money, you can just ask. Why use Grandpa as an excuse? The family gives you so much money for his care, and you’re still out here trying to make people feel sorry for you.

“If anyone sees this, they’ll think the Spencer family can’t even afford to support its own biological son.”

People nearby were already turning to stare.

Mother’s expression tightened with embarrassment. She raised her hand and knocked the medicinal herbs from my arms.

The roots scattered across the ground, and several rolled straight into a filthy gutter.

“Just look at yourself! What kind of state are you in? You’ve brought nothing but shame to the Spencer family! Starting today, you’re not allowed to leave the house without my permission.”

Ignoring the pain in my hand, I dropped to the ground and scrambled to salvage whatever herbs I could.

However, before I could gather them, one of the bodyguards kicked my wicker basket away.

Alistair stepped beside me and lowered his voice, “Zachary, you get all that money every month. How can you still be so greedy?”

I froze for a moment. He must have meant the $150. Well, $150 was indeed not a small amount.

However, Grandpa needed medication, and we needed incontinence pads. Neither came free.

I dared not talk back. All I could do was nod. “Got it.”

By the time I returned to the old residence, Mr. Zellen was already waiting at the entrance.

He slapped three banknotes onto the table, then snatched one of them back.

“You abandoned your post without permission, leaving Mr. Spencer Sr. unattended for hours. I’m cutting your nursing allowance this month. You’ll only get $100.”

The two remaining banknotes fluttered to the floor. I ignored the pain in my ankle, bent down, and picked them up.

One of the bills looked a little strange. I held it up to the light and examined it for a long time before the truth finally sank in.

It was fake.