Chapter 10 The Chronic Sick Cat

  "It's really Second Sister," Yao Shizan's pale lips curled up into a faint smile, and her dull grey eyes brightened slightly as she laughed and said: "I haven't seen Second Sister in such a long time! Second Sister has come to see me, it's great!"

  I still remember when my mother was still alive, my second sister and I were very close! At that time, my current mother was just a small concubine! When did everything change? Yao Shizan was momentarily stunned, furrowing her small brow in painful recollection.

  "Will your sister come to keep you company often from now on, okay?" Yao Cunhui's heart felt sour, forcing a smile, almost shedding tears.

  "Great! Second sister can't talk doesn't count!" Yao Shizan was very happy and childishly nodded repeatedly.

  Mr. Yao's face couldn't help but add a few more smiles, and his eyes looking at his daughter were even softer: It seems that this daughter is not entirely useless! At least, Zan likes her!

  "Whether you're busy or not, come visit Zan'er more often from now on! You two are siblings, and it's only right that you spend more time together!"

  "Yes, Father!" Yao Cun Hui smiled brightly, her eyes inadvertently sweeping over Li Xiang and Qing Xiang, whose faces indeed looked a bit unsightly.

  Ugly is ugly, Yao Cunhui sneered in her heart!

  "What did the young master eat for dinner? What dishes were sent over from the kitchen?" Not getting an answer from Yao Shizan, Old Master Yao's gaze fell on Li Xiang and Qing Xiang, his tone carrying a hint of severity.

  "Dad..." Yao Shizan slightly furrowed his brow, and under his father's severe gaze, he swallowed back what he was about to say.

  Li Xiang and Qing Xiang exchanged a glance, and Li Xiang smiled carefully and replied: "To answer the old master's question, the kitchen has sent over stewed lamb with Chinese angelica and dried wolfberries, stewed black chicken with tuckahoe and gastrodia, stir-fried pork strips with yam and white lotus seeds, sautéed lily bulbs and waist flowers, and a carp soup with dandelion and white peony. The young master's appetite has not been good, so he hasn't eaten much..."

  "Dad, I have a bitter taste in my mouth, it's because I don't have an appetite myself, please don't blame them, they've been advising me to eat more all along!" Yao Shizan tugged at his father's sleeve as he saw him showing signs of getting angry.

  Mr. Yao's face slightly relaxed, but he was still unhappy: "Even if you don't have a good appetite, you can't not eat, how can this go on? Why is your mouth bitter? Did you take medicine and then eat some sweet honey to clear your mouth? If not, call someone to tell your mother to buy some!"

  "Yes, there are several kinds, including sweet plum, honey-glazed apricot kernel, honey-glazed kumquat, winter melon sugar, and longan dry fruit..."

  Yao Cunhui listened quietly, her heart secretly shocked. Among the dishes reported by Lixiang, almost every one contained Chinese medicine. Medicine is three points poisonous, with this way of eating, Yao Shizan's body could withstand it, what a wonder!

  He's still so young, and yet he's always taking medicine. Even a healthy person would be worn down by this, let alone someone who is already ill?

  She had her doubts about this illness, she didn't believe that a healthy person would fall ill and not recover just because of excessive grief and accidentally falling into the water. There must be something fishy going on! Unfortunately, the entire backyard was now under Madam Ma's control, and without solid evidence, she didn't dare to make any rash moves.

  "Dad, Zan'er's body is not suitable for this, and his stomach is weak. How can he handle such rich food? Why don't we let Hui'er cook some plain porridge tomorrow to try it out? Grains nourish people, maybe something light will work better for him!"

  "All right, let's give it a try then!" Old Master Yao nodded.

  "Tomorrow I'll instruct the kitchen to prepare it, why bother Second Miss with such a chore!" Lixiang hastily chimed in with a smile.

  Yao Cunhui smiled and no longer insisted.

  "Zan'er should also go out and move around more often, exercise, a good mood, a good spirit, it's also beneficial for the illness!" Yao Cunhui said with a smile.

  "Second Miss is joking, Young Master's body is not good, can't blow wind, can't bear the sun, the doctor has ordered him to rest well!" Lixiang added with a smile.

  Yao Cun Hui sneered, staring at Li Xiang and retorting with a sentence: "Zan Er naturally should rest well, but can't he even take a walk? Staying cooped up in the house all day without seeing the sun, who can stand it? Going out to see the flowers and grass, watching the fish swim in the lake, wouldn't that clear his eyes and lift his spirits? You people just won't take good care of him, you won't even let him go for a walk in a safe place, but instead make the young master catch cold or get sunburned?"

  "Miss Yao is absolutely right!" Old Master Yao suddenly remembered that one of the reasons for his son's illness was excessive heartache, and maybe if he cheered up a bit, he would feel much better. Therefore, he highly agreed with Yao Cun Hui's words and nodded, saying: "From now on, when the weather is good, you all should accompany Young Master to go out for walks and clear his mind!"

  "Yes, sir!" Li Xiang and Qing Xiang didn't dare disobey Mr. Yao's words, and had to nod in agreement.

  Mr. Yao sat for a while, seeing that Yao Shizan looked tired and couldn't bear to disturb his rest, so he comforted him with some kind words before leaving with Yao Cunhui.

  Yao Cunhui and Hong Lian returned to Luomei Courtyard, instructing Hong Zhi to bring water over to wash her face and remove her makeup. She left Hong Lian to keep watch for the night and ordered Hong Zhi to return and rest. Hong Zhi had become much more obedient and replied in a proper manner before retreating.

  Yao Cunhui secretly gave a signal to Hong Lian, who understood and quietly left the Luomei courtyard. Before long, she returned with a large package in her arms, calling out softly "Second Miss".

  Yao Cunhui lifted up the bed curtain and got out of bed, hastily asking: "Has it arrived?"

  Hong Lian nodded, carefully placing the things on the table, rubbing her hands on her clothes, and came over to help Yao Cunhui up, saying in a low voice: "The slave has taken everything, not a single thing is left!"

  "Get paper and pen ready." Yao Cunhui nodded, sat in front of the round table with a solemn expression, opened the package, and a strong medicinal smell wafted out.

  She had Hong Lian go fetch the dregs of Yao Shi Zan's medicinal stew.

  Hong Yu brought over the paper and pen, only to see Yao Cunhui using her slender fingers to sort through the black medicinal residue, occasionally picking up a piece to examine it carefully, then putting it under her nose to sniff or even placing it in her mouth to lightly nibble on, afterwards writing something down with the pen.

  After a good half of the time, Yao Cunhui finally stopped his movements, put down his pen, held the paper in his hand and shook it slightly, staring at it without blinking, his eyebrows furrowed, and his expression became more and more solemn.

  "Second Miss! But this medicine, this medicine——" Hong Lian suddenly realized what she was doing, her face changed drastically, and she broke out in a cold sweat!

  Yao Cunhui raised her warm and gentle eyes, gave a slight smile, nodded slightly and said in a low voice: "Deal with these cleanly, today's matter, don't let out half a word to anyone, understood?"

  "Yes, Second Miss!" Hong Yu's mind was a jumbled mess, she had never dared to dream or think that Madam would actually...

  To the extent that Hong Lian didn't even think about it, how did the second young lady suddenly understand pharmacology?

  "Second Miss, rest assured that I will never speak of it even if I die!" Hong Lian quickly wrapped up the paper package, her voice trembling but firm as she added another sentence, whether to comfort An Yao's heart or her own.

  Yao Cunhui softly murmured "en", her eyes fixed on the paper illuminated by the flickering yellow candlelight, her heart sinking beat by beat.

  For her, who was a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner in her past life, no one is more familiar with these medicinal materials than she is. No wonder Yao Shanzhu's illness has not been cured for so long! If he continues to take them day after day, Yao Shanzhu can only become a useless person, a useless person who will neither live too long nor die too soon.

  Yao Cunhui smiled slightly and slowly folded the prescription in her hand into strips, ignited it on the lamp flame, and watched as it slowly turned to ashes.

  Now that she has met her, she will certainly not let Yao Shizan have an accident.

  The next morning, after paying respects at the Ma's place and having breakfast, Hongzhi reported: "Madam Wen has arrived!"

  Yao Cunhui's lips curled up slightly, and she gently smoothed her hair with her hand, smiling: "Don't be slow to invite me in! Warm Mama is a rare guest!"

  "Second Miss!" Madam Wen entered, slightly bent her knees in a greeting manner, and before Yao Cunhui could react, she straightened up and said with a worried expression and a somewhat dazed tone: "The mistress ordered me to come over and make clothes for the second miss. Please take your measurements, Second Miss, and report the sizes to me."

  Yao Cunhui was taken aback for a moment, and then she slightly narrowed her eyes, tilted her head to size up Mrs. Wen without saying a word.

  Wen's mother must have been up all night, her usual proud and arrogant expression nowhere to be seen, replaced by a face full of fatigue and despair, with large dark circles under her eyes. Her hair was disheveled, the usually neatly combed bun now messy and tied up with only a silver pin, without any other adornments. She wore a half-old tea-brown jacket and skirt, tied with a faded indigo waistband that had been washed white.

  Who would have thought that just yesterday she was the respected and authoritative housekeeper, but now she's just a rough laundry woman?

  She really has no status, and everyone doesn't take her seriously! This Wen mother, even if she lost power and was punished, still didn't put her in her eyes! Ambiguous, shoddy, and casual, just two sentences to get rid of her!

  Yao Cunhui's mouth corners slightly hooked, seeming to smile but not quite smiling, her dark and shiny eyes quietly, calmly, and unexcitedly stared at Wen Mama, unable to discern any meaning.

  Mrs. Wen hung her head, lost in thought, and didn't notice that Miss Yao hadn't responded for a while. When she subconsciously lifted her head, she suddenly met a pair of dark, unfathomable eyes. Mrs. Wen inexplicably felt a tremble in her heart, and with a hint of unease, reminded again: "Please, Second Miss, take your measurements and tell them to the old slave, so the old slave can..."

  "It seems I recall," Yao Cunhui interrupted her slowly with a faint smile, "the young ladies of the mansion should have had the tailor's shop send over an expert to take their measurements for new clothes? Is it that Mother Wen is getting old and her memory isn't what it used to be?"

  Mrs. Wen was taken aback, her eyes wide with astonishment as she stared at Yao Cunhui, momentarily stunned and unable to react.

  "How dare you!" Hong Lian couldn't bear it anymore, her pretty face twisted in anger, glaring at Wen Mama as she shouted: "Wen Mama, how dare you be so rude to Miss?"

  Madam Wen hastily withdrew her gaze, patiently explaining: "Second Miss has misunderstood. The tailor's shop sends a master to take measurements in the mansion only when it's time to add new clothes according to the annual schedule. The next season's clothing to be added is autumn clothes, and now it's not yet time!"

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