The shopkeeper squinted at his phone, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him. Where was the rare, precious medicine he was promised? Was this it? Really?
Mirabella caught his bewildered look and asked, "What's up? Is it not available?"
Pulled back to reality, the shopkeeper looked up, his face showing a mix of confusion and disbelief. "Is this everything you need?"
"Yeah, why? Is there a problem?" Mirabella asked, genuinely curious.
"Uh, no..." His cheek twitched as he glanced at the list on her phone again, quietly admitting to himself that relying on superstitions was pointless. The old saying about a twitching left eye bringing fortune was clearly nonsense.
With a sigh, he said, "Give me a sec, I’ll get everything for you."
After speaking, he took out his phone, snapped a picture of the list on Mirabella's screen, and headed back to the counter, not forgetting to grab his freshly brewed coffee.
Mirabella watched him, speechless. This shopkeeper was quite the character.
Ten minutes later, he returned with a clear plastic bag and dropped it on the counter. "All set."
Mirabella eyed the no-frills packaging, amused. Well, this was definitely a no-nonsense approach. She liked that.
She opened the bag and checked the contents. To her surprise, the seasonal herbs that required careful selection were spot on.
"Don't worry, buy from me, and you won't go wrong," the shopkeeper boasted, chin up with pride. He was nearing fifty but barely had any wrinkles, looking more like thirty-five or thirty-six.
Mirabella raised an eyebrow and gave him a two-word nod of respect, "You're experienced."
"Young lady, you've got a sharp eye." He gave her a thumbs-up, then took a closer look at her, "Do you know herbal medicine?"
He wished he could charge more, but the herbs were already priced tightly.
Seeing this, Mirabella's eyes showed a hint of disappointment, but she didn't press further. She pulled out her phone, ready to pay.
"I’ve got this," Grady, standing beside her, stepped in, handing over a card. "Use this one."
The shopkeeper's eyes widened at the sight of the limited edition gold card, envy creeping in again. He fetched the card reader.
"Miracle doctor?" Grady asked, puzzled. "What miracle doctor?"
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