Jinshi and Maomao Short Stories Collection

Stay with me! Part 5

Yes, Maomao had recognized that she definitely had to apologize to Jinshi.

And just after having reached that conclusion, she suddenly heard sounds coming from the hallway, right from the other side of her door, and lifted her cheek from her palm in astonishment, turning her head into the direction of the sounds.

Somebody was standing there, without a doubt. And the apothecary already suspected who that mysterious somebody might be.

No way! What perfect timing! It was truly as if he had read her mind and promptly headed to her. A real sixth sense! Maomao almost couldn't believe that coincidence. But oh well, that certainly did make things easier, since that meant that she didn't have to spend time looking for him.

Maomao stayed seated and kept staring at the door, waiting to hear some knocking and a voice calling her “apothecary”.

She waited and waited.

But nothing happened.

Instead, she eventually heard steps, indicating that the other person was most likely walking away.

"Eh? So it wasn't Master Jinshi after all?”

However, her sense of intuition told her that it had to be him. Not to mention that she had already learned to recognize the sound of his steps and tell them apart from others'. And who besides him and Suiren would even come to her room, anyway?

Maomao's curiosity was piqued, hence she finally got up from her chair and headed to the door in order to check.

She opened the door and peeked outside into the hallway. Nobody was there. So the person had already left. How odd…

And just as she was about to go out herself and look for the one who had just been there and took a step, her foot suddenly came in contact with something standing on the floor, which made her drop her gaze.

It was a gourd. 

Maomao raised both eyebrows in slight confusion and picked it up. Judging by its weight, it had to be full.

With her curiosity growing larger and larger, she opened it and brought it to her nose, sniffing the content.

The smell entering her nostrils instantly made her face light up and brought a delighted smile to her lips, with her eyes starting to sparkle.

It was wine!

But what was it doing there?

Still smiling and taking a closer look at the gourd, Maomao finally noticed the piece of paper attached to it. Good quality paper, one of the expensive kinds. There was something written on it.

After having cleaned Jinshi's office more than once while he had been working, the apothecary could immediately tell that it was his handwriting. But even if she couldn't, the words themselves made it more than clear: 

"This is for you, apothecary. Please forgive me!”

"I see…”

So in other words: he had been feeling guilty as well and decided to offer her a gift as an apology.

How very thoughtful of him.

The alcohol-loving Maomao already intended to take a few sips then and there, but before the opening of the gourd could meet her lips, she suddenly stopped in her tracks, as she remembered something important.

Ah yes, her own apology... she almost forgot. Now that he had made the first step with that gift, it was definitely her turn now.

"He couldn't have gotten very far yet!”