Chapter 256 Donkey-hide gelatin
Xie Qi grasped Shen Yuanzhu's wrist with his other hand, a smile playing on his lips.
He knew, of course, that Yuanzhu was doing it for him.
Although Xie Qi never believed that the Xie family's downfall was related to him, he knew that Shen Yuanzhu was afraid that he would be in a difficult position in the future.
To outsiders, he is still surnamed Xie. Once they find out that he is the behind-the-scenes owner of Jixia Manor, Xie Chengzhi will definitely cause a scene, which will also affect his reputation.
Xie Qi simply didn't care, nor was he afraid of being criticized.
but……
Xie Qi took Shen Yuanzhu's hand and gently pressed it against his cheek.
He nuzzled her gently and said softly, "Yuanzhu, thank you."
The two of them stood in front of Xiecui Pavilion, being intimate as if no one else was around. Xie Xuchuan sat in the carriage and secretly watched them for a long, long time through the gap in the curtain.
He didn't look away until the carriage turned off Wanbao Street.
Jiang Wansu sat in the carriage, staring down at the thick carpet spread out on the carriage. After a long while, she heard Xie Xuchuan say, "It's windy today, do you feel cold?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wansu shook her head slightly, and after a long while, she weakly asked, "Has Xiecuifang agreed to sell us the brothel machine?"
"Okay, I agree."
Jiang Wansu: "That's great."
Since her miscarriage, her health had not improved; she was not only very weak, but also lacked the strength to speak. Fortunately, the Xie family spent a lot of money to buy her many expensive tonics and life-sustaining medicines, which gradually helped her regain her strength.
After saying "That's great," she lowered her head again.
Now, sitting for long periods of time also makes her feel tired.
Seeing Jiang Wansu's timid appearance, Xie Xuchuan couldn't help but say, "If you're tired, just rest at home. You don't need to come out with me."
"Not tired."
She didn't want to be in the room, nor did she want to lie on that blood-stained bed. Every time she opened her eyes and saw the familiar canopy, Jiang Wansu felt short of breath, as if something was pressing on her chest, making it hard for her to breathe.
And... she didn't want to see Zi Tang either.
Xueqing went to work at the textile and dyeing garden because Zitang asked Xie Xuchuan for help, and Xie Xuchuan agreed.
She didn't say anything after she found out.
The person had already left, and she didn't know what reason to use to call Xueqing back.
She would feel inexplicably afraid whenever she saw Zi Tang.
The image of the other person deftly and skillfully taking out the porcelain bottle that day kept flashing through my mind.
Whenever Jiang Wansu saw Zitang, she couldn't help but wonder how long the other party had been thinking about making her miscarry.
Thinking of the fetus in her womb, Jiang Wansu felt a pain in her lower abdomen, as if the fetus was still inside her, turning over and kicking her.
She was slightly taken aback, and her heart suddenly felt empty.
This had happened many times before. On the previous occasions, she would weep bitterly, crying out that the child was still there, still in her womb. Doctor Yan would be invited back to the Xie family home by Xie Xuchuan late at night, where he would prescribe her some calming medicine.
After much trouble, she finally confirmed that her and Yu Lin's child was indeed gone.
Xie Xuchuan looked down and saw that Jiang Wansu's hands, which were resting on her knees, were deathly pale. He raised his hand and grasped them.
The other person's palm was as cold as ice. Xie Xuchuan turned his head to look out of the carriage and continued to hold it.
As her hand, which had been numb from the cold, fell into a warm palm, Jiang Wansu couldn't help but tremble.
A moment later, she reached out and grasped it.
After the miscarriage, she felt weak and had many dreams. She was also always inexplicably anxious and afraid. Only when she was by Xie Xuchuan's side could she feel a little at ease.
The Jiang family has left, Xueqing is gone, and Zitang is here again...
Jiang Wansu shivered and tightened her grip on Xie Xuchuan's hand.
Noticing that the person next to him was trembling, Xie Xuchuan took a soft blanket from the car and draped it over Jiang Wansu.
“Xiecuifang…”
Xie Xuchuan stared at the gap in the carriage curtain for a long time before saying, "Xiecui Fang is actually... Shen Yuanzhu's property."
Jiang Wansu was taken aback: "The Shenyuan Pearl?"
"Um."
“I thought you saw me standing in front of the shop just now.”
"without……"
Jiang Wansu's hand trembled slightly: "I can't see clearly."
After the miscarriage, she developed many health problems, and her eyesight was far worse than before. She often experienced blurred vision, and medication was ineffective.
Xie Xuchuan didn't know what to say after hearing this, so he turned his head to look at other parts of the car.
After going out, Jiang Wansu was so exhausted that her vision was blurring.
She forced her eyelids open for a while before saying, "You mean Shen Yuanzhu is the owner of Xiecui Fang?"
"Um."
At this moment, Xie Xuchuan finally revealed a faint smile: "She loved doing accounts since she was a child, and she was always with an abacus. I used to think she just played with it, but who would have thought..."
"Can women also open shops and engage in commerce?"
"..."
"Why not? Wasn't Grandmother a businesswoman?"
Jiang Wansu said, "But the Xie family is where it is today because of your grandfather. Father said that your grandfather was a shrewd and capable businessman."
Xie Xuchuan's smile faded, and he said softly, "Both of them are extremely capable individuals."
Jiang Wansu closed her eyes and rested her head against the carriage wall.
"What abilities can a woman have? A woman always needs to find a man to rely on, otherwise how can she survive in this world?"
"What good is having a shop if you have to work hard and make a living outside? It's only because you can't find a capable husband and you have no other choice but to take that path."
"If only one could find a good person to rely on, one would not have fallen into such a predicament."
Xie Xuchuan listened, gave a soft "hmm" through his nose, and said nothing more.
The carriage clattered along for a long time before stopping in front of the Xie family's gate.
Xie Xuchuan helped her down from the carriage and then led her into Tiqi Courtyard.
The Xie family home is much quieter now; Xie Xuchuan even felt a chill when he entered the courtyard.
He pulled his clothes tighter to block out the chill.
When Zi Tang saw the two return, she smiled and placed the hot water bottle into Jiang Wansu's hands.
"Miss, please hold onto these for now."
Jiang Wansu hugged him blankly, but her body leaned closer to Xie Xuchuan.
Xie Xuchuan first took a step back, then seemed to realize what was happening, and then stood still.
Zi Tang said, "Miss, the kitchen has brought you some red dates stewed with donkey-hide gelatin today. The donkey-hide gelatin has been stewed until it's completely dissolved, and the red dates have been pitted and stewed into a paste. It's still warm. Please have a bowl first."
A charcoal brazier was burning inside, and as the temperature rose, Zitang helped Jiang Wansu take off her outer clothes.
She casually hung up her clothes and even fetched hot water for Jiang Wansu to wash her hands.
"After you finish drinking the stewed donkey-hide gelatin, drink the ginseng and black chicken soup. I've kept it warm in the stewing pot for you. The temperature is just right now, so it's easy to drink."
"Black chicken nourishes yin, and since your spleen and stomach are weak after a miscarriage, this is easy to digest."
As Zi Tang spoke, she served Jiang Wansu a stew of lotus seeds, lily bulbs, and pork tripe, placing it in front of her.
Jiang Wansu looked at the food, ate only a few bites of each, and then put down her chopsticks: "I can't eat anymore, you eat."
She has a poor appetite and these days she only eats a little and then stops.
Zi Tang nodded and swept all those things away.
When Xie Xuchuan returned from Xie Boyu and his wife's courtyard, Jiang Wansu had already washed up. She sat in front of her dressing table, staring blankly at herself in the mirror.
Seeing him return, she turned to him and said, "Would you like to sleep with me again tonight?"
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