Chapter 54: An Obedient Daughter-in-law

The doctor’s mouth twitched as he was deeply impressed by the peasant woman’s skills. He had not expected such abilities from someone whose appearance was so unassuming. Truly, appearances can be deceiving!

Zhulan saw that she knew the doctor, and everyone has subconsciousness. The doctor cured Zhou Shuren and prescribed prescriptions to regulate her body. Zhulan trusted the doctor’s medical skills very much, and she was very polite and enthusiastic, “It is you who Erge (1) has invited. You must be tired please come in and rest a bit.”

The doctor stroked his beard and nodded before slowly entering the main room.

Zhulan did not follow them in. Instead, when she saw tears streaming down Zhao’s eyes behind Li Shi, she felt a tingling sensation on her scalp and quickly turned around to head to the granary.

Zhao shi forgot to wipe away her tears, “Mother.”

Sobbing, her mother still treated her with contempt. Although she had clearly seen her, she turned around and left without a word, only tossing her five copper coins as an afterthought!

Li shi looked at the streams of tears from her dìmèi (2) speechlessly. She could cry. She automatically made up for her mother’s behavior. As a daughter-in-law, she thought she knew her mother-in-law best. So, she explained, “Mother is embarrassed.”

Zhao shi felt a little embarrassed. She didn’t believe it, “Really?”

Li Shi nodded heavily, “Really, so dìmèi will go back to the house and continue making clothes. Your grateful mother knows.”

Zhao shi felt that sǎozi’s words were somewhat credible. She had misjudged her sǎozi before. Her sǎozi was not a fool forced by things but was too wise. “Then I will go back.”

Li shi waved her hand, “Go back.”

  Come on, don’t fight with her for our mother-in-law.

Zhulan heard this conversation when she came out with the food for the night. She was so tired, the day still had to go, Zhulan waited for Zhao shi to return to her room before she came out with the food.

Li shi hurriedly took it, and saw millet, “Mother, do you want to make millet porridge at night?”

Zhulan thought about the dishes in her heart, “Well, the staple food is millet porridge and cornmeal cakes mixed with white flour Use half of the hen in chicken soup, and the other half stew with mushrooms. Also make a chili scrambled egg.”

It’s not easy being the head of the household. Even cooking a dish requires consideration of everyone’s preferences. The third and the fourth sons both liked spicy food, so if there were no spicy dishes, they will have to wash their own chili peppers to eat. The original host did not balance this well, but now that she has come, things have become more balanced. Don’t underestimate the power of food. Even the smallest details can warm the heart. In just a few days, Changlian, the third son, has stopped calculating every little thing and has become a much more peaceful person.

Li Shi took note of everyone’s preferences, and Zhulan brought out a pottery jar to boil the medicinal herbs. One batch was for immediate use, while the other was for when Erge returned to the county with the doctor and brought back the prescribed medicine.

Li shi boiled the water and asked: “Mother, just now when I went out and saw the second child bringing in the doctor, is daddy not feeling well?”

Zhulan just remembered that Li shi was not at home and did not know what happened. She thought Zhao shi had said something. Well, thinking of  Zhao shi’s never-talking temperament, and discovering one of her strengths, Zhulan didn’t hide the story of Daqian.

Li shi casually wanted to say that it would be a big trouble to keep the child; so send away Daqian quickly, but she kept her mouth shut. She wanted to be a good daughter-in-law who listened to her mother-in-law, so she didn’t ask for anything anymore.

Zhulan motioned for Li shi to look at the clay pot, then went back to the main room and asked Zhou Shuren, “What did the doctor say?”

Zhou Shuren sounded relieved and said, ‘Typhoid fever is nothing compared to problems with the bones and body. Fortunately, he laid a good foundation during his childhood, and it’s not too late to recover now. He will need to take good care of himself, and it shouldn’t take more than a few years to fully recover. But he should avoid doing strenuous work in the future, as it could affect his lifespan.’

These were the doctor’s exact words. The problems were luckily discovered early, if this child had been tossed around for a few years, he couldn’t have lived past thirty.

Zhulan breathed a sigh of relief and was glad that Zhou Datie was kind to his eldest son when he had no second son, otherwise, Daqian would have died prematurely. She reached out her hand and stroked Daqian’s dry hair pitifully, “Then take good care of it.”

Daqian lay down and didn’t dare to move, his hands tightly gripping the quilt. It was the first time in many years that someone touched his hair gently, his eyes were red, but he couldn’t say a word of thanks, because he had nothing, and his thanks were too worthless.

Second SonWife of younger brother of husband