Young Master Liem
Chapter 6 The Paths with the Young Master
Wan Siang's body feels fresh after being massaged by the Sweet One. The man so no longer need to go to the mansion to get the service. That is why that day he seemed excited and intended to invite Sweet to go somewhere with him.
“Sweet, get ready, let's go,” Wan Siang said.
“Where, Mister?”
“I want to buy medicine.”
“What Sir is sick?”
“Not a cure for disease. I like to drink, and it can damage my kidneys. Once damaged, the kidneys cannot be repaired. There is a friend who advised me to drink a kidney booster potion, so that my kidneys are not damaged quickly. I want to buy the ingredients at the drugstore.”
“What's kidney, Mister?”
Because never school, Sweet does not know many things, even his own organs. Wan Siang did not laugh at him because he was very understanding, many small people like Sweet who never got a chance to get a decent education.
“The kidney is an organ in your body, located here.”
Wan Siang pointed out where the kidneys were about by touching the waist of the Sweet without hesitation, to make Sweet jerked in shock by the touch of the young man's hand.
“I understand now,” said the Sweetie with a shy face.
That day Wan Siang wore a long-sleeved blue Chinese traditional dress made of silk. While Sweet wears white kebaya of cotton fabric with long fabric batik shades of black.
They left for the Chinatown area of Semarang by horse carriage.
In the past, Chinese and indigenous people lived side by side and mixed with each other peacefully. But in 1740 in Batavia there was a rebellion by the Chinese against the Dutch, because it could not stand the oppression.
The rebellion itself failed and caused many Chinese to be massacred. Some tried to escape to various places to find survivors, including the safer city of Semarang.
Because of the rebellion, the Dutch government implemented the Wijkenstelsel policy, a rule that stipulates the separation of settlements between Chinese and indigenous people. Chinese people are required to live in a certain area called Chinatown so that their movements are more easily monitored by the Dutch government.
They built houses with typical Chinese models whose roofs are shaped like saddles. Because the Chinese have a strong business spirit, the settlement eventually became not only an ordinary residential area, but also a business center that drives the economic pace in Semarang.
The carriage carrying Wan Siang and Si Manis stopped at Gang Warung, precisely in front of the Toen Djien Tong drugstore which was established in 1800. The fame of the drugstore was caused by the herbalist medicine a Shinse (tabib) graduated from the healer school in Kwangtong, China. People just mention the complaints of his illness or what is desired, then the healer will deftly mengambukan the necessary drugs.
There are also people who look for clues about his illness by going to the Temple and praying to the god of medicine, the most famous of which is the God Poo Seng Tay Tee. After praying to the medicinal god, they shuffled the numbered thin wooden blades. The number that comes out will be matched with the Ciam Sie (pregnancy) paper available in the temple.
The Ciam Sie paper was then taken to the drugstore, like a prescription that only pharmacists or Shinse could understand. Because Ciam Sie sometimes only contains Chinese pantun or verse. Shinse knows what medicine to concoct, along with its composition and amount.
Upon entering the drugstore “Toen Djien Tong”, the Sweetie noticed many wooden drawers on the shelves attached to the wall, which were, ceramic jars in blue and white are round in shape and glass jars to store various spices. There are at least 350 kinds of spices, but only about 200 kinds are often used for concoction.
Among the often used is Ma Huang who serves to smooth the breath, also Mr. Sok who is efficacious to eliminate pain in the body, Sa Jin to cure ulcer disease, heartburn, and of course Ginseng (Shi Yang Sen), medicinal plants from Korea, cinnamon and so forth.
After mentioning his needs to the Shinse, Wan Siang immediately got the potion he needed in the right dose. The herb will be boiled with water and drunk according to the dose.
From the drugstore Wan Siang did not seem to want to go home quickly, he saw a paper umbrella seller and bought it a to be used for a walk down the Warung Gang. The street is called Gang Warung because there are many shops or stalls along it. The Sweet one walked beside Wan Siang, while the man was paddling himself.
“Sini let me just protect, Sir,” said the Sweet, feel sad because it is waded.
“Let me carry an umbrella, I will be higher than you,” replied Wan Siang. “If you hold it, then my head will even stick to the umbrella. Here's more convenient.”
Thus Wan Siang and Si Manis take a walk together exploring Chinatown at sunny noon. The appearance of Wan Siang who was like a young master from a rich family contrasted with the Sweet who came from among the commoners. The sight of them walking around attracts the attention of people who happen to see or cross paths with them.
Two Chinese mothers who were walking towards the "New Gang" Market were talking about the two of them.
“See that's the one who's riding together, is the master riding with his assistant?”
“But the woman seems to be very young, just like her sister.”
“Mistakably it must be young, so look for the young. You know Babah Ong owns a cloth shop? He was old man, but he had a young brini, like his grandson.”
“Yes, everyone knows that too. Indeed, that's the habit of men, old bini is treated like a butut bike, then buy a new bike. Yes, but it's not all like that.”
“That woman must be very happy to be her young man Sir, just look how handsome and dashing she is. I myself if I was young would want to be his young man.”
“Hush! Don't dream in broad daylight hahaha..”.
The two middle-aged women were laughing indistinctly on the street.
While walking together, Wan Siang made sure the hot sunlight that is usually felt in Semarang does not hit the skin of the Sweet One.
“Master, where are we going?”
“There is something I want to buy, later you will also know,” replied Wan Siang.
From Gang Warung road, Wan Siang and Si Manis walk paddled towards Gang Pinggir, still around Chinatown area. Jalan Gang Pinggir is famous as the center of jewelry sales. In addition, there are many restaurants, food factories, and various shops that sell various needs.
Wan Siang brought Sweet into one of the jewelry stores in the Waist Gang. The store sells gold jewelry, but also sells jewelry made of jade imported from China.
“Is there a jade bracelet here?”
“There is a Master, and in various sizes,” replied the merchant kindly, especially since Wan Siang looks like a rich man.
The merchant man took out several jade bracelets, from light green to dark green.
“Sweet, you pick one bracelet. Which one do you like best?” said Wan Siang.
Sweet did not think that Wan Siang intended to buy her a jade bracelet. The price of real jade bracelets can be very expensive.
The Sweet chooses one medium green bracelet that matches the size of her wrist. The green color of the jade bracelet is very suitable with the skin of the Sweet One who is brown. The surface of the bracelet felt cold and rather heavy, indicating that it was made of high-quality jade.
After paying for the bracelet, Wan Siang and Si Sweet walked out of the jewelry store and went to the restaurant for lunch. Living with Wan Siang will not be far from the business of eating well.
“Thank you, Sir has given me this bracelet,” said The Sweetie.
“Your hand is talented, so it wouldn't hurt if I decorated it with a jade bracelet.”
Hearing that Sweet became blushed embarrassed, also so remember the event he was ordered to massage Wan Siang's body. From that incident, the Sweet one became acquainted with the man, first of all from his body.
Wan Siang always paid the women who served him in the mansion with a large sum of money, but none of them had ever given him a jade bracelet. Of course the price of the jade bracelet was not worth the amount of money that the man had given to another woman. What was clear was that the price of jade bracelets was much more expensive.
Wan Siang himself also did not know why he thought of buying the Sweet One something very valuable, but it became a picture of how Wan Siang appreciated what the Sweet One had done to him.
“I want from now on you to continue wearing that bracelet,” Wan Siang said.
“Good Mr.”
“If you obey me, I will not only give you this bracelet. I'll give you other things you'll definitely like. If I was happy because of you, then you would also like me,” Wan Siang said as if he was making an unwritten agreement with the Sweet One.
The Sweet still did not fully understand Wan Siang's words, but he understood what it meant to obey. To obey means that he must do whatever the man tells him to do with all his soul and body. The girl did not really know what would happen to her.