"Consort, this medicine..." Xiaotao pointed at the dark, murky liquid and scribbled rapidly on her notepad: "The smell is off. Shall I..."
I pressed my hand down on hers and shook my head. Though Xiaotao was mute, her perception was sharper than anyone’s. Ever since she had helped me pass messages with her sketches, the unspoken understanding between us had only grown deeper.
I picked up the medicine bowl. A bitter, acrid scent assaulted my nostrils, carrying a faint, unmistakable trace of something raw and metallic.
Chapter 111