She was the mother Xu Jiang imagined she would be.
Xu Jiang walked to the bed, held her hand, and called softly, "Aunt, I'm A Jiang. I'm here to see you."
Mrs. Lin did not answer.
She sighed softly, put Mrs. Lin's hand under the quilt, and was about to get up to go to the outer room to check the medicine, but when she looked up, she saw a pair of embroidered shoes placed under the low table at the head of the bed.
She took the embroidered shoes and saw that they were the pair that Mrs. Lin made for her later. The missing part had been sewn up at some point in time.
Xu Jiang held the shoes and stared at Madam Lin lying on the bed. Her nose felt sore and tears immediately fell.
The outer courtyard board was knocked, and school was dismissed.
Just as Xu Jiang finished feeding Mrs. Lin the medicine, Master Lin came in, accompanied by Lu Zhen. Both of them were a little surprised to see her.
"Sister." Lu Zhen called out and ran to her side. Then he glanced at Mrs. Lin on the bed, his little face wrinkled.
Master Lin came over and touched Mrs. Lin's forehead, then straightened her messy hair, and then invited the two of them to talk outside.
"Where's the red hoe?"
"I let her go to sleep, and she hasn't woken up yet."
Master Lin glanced into his daughter's room and couldn't help but sigh.
Xu Jiang saw that his usually straight back had become hunched and his face looked not so good. She felt a little uncomfortable. "You should also take care of yourself and don't overwork yourself."
Master Lin shook his head, "It's okay, I can handle it."
Lu Zhen held Xu Jiang's hand and shook it, his face stern. "Sister, the teacher almost fainted during class today."
"What?" Xu Jiang was startled and hurried forward to help Master Lin.
Master Lin waved his hand and said, "I just felt a little dizzy for a moment, but I'm fine now."
Xu Jiang stared at him for a moment and said, "I'll stay and look after my aunt tonight, so you and Little Chu can have a good rest."
Master Lin was about to refuse, but was interrupted by Xu Jiang, who said firmly, "Listen to me on this matter. If you two continue to hold on, something bad will happen."
Thinking of his daughter, Master Lin nodded in agreement and said gratefully, "Thank you very much."
Xu Jiang breathed a sigh of relief, "We're a family, so let's not talk about other things."
Lu Zhen jumped up and down and said, "I want to stay and take care of the master and his mistress, too." He had officially become a disciple and entered the sect, so he should serve them.
Master Lin patted his head and said gently, "No, go back."
Lu Zhen did not dare to disobey his master's order and just blinked and stared at Xu Jiang.
Xu Jiang also said, "You still need someone to take care of you. I'm here, don't worry. When your grandfather comes later, you can go back with him."
"Oh." Lu Zhen lowered his head in disappointment.
As he was speaking, Uncle Cao appeared outside the second gate, carrying a food box. He didn't dare to go inside, so he just stood outside the door and greeted Master Lin and Xu Jiang.
Master Lin went forward to greet him, and Uncle Cao quickly handed him the food box, saying, "This is a little gift from my old lady. Please don't refuse it."
Xu Jiang led Lu Zhen over and advised Master Lin, "Auntie Cao's cooking skills are better than mine, and she's also very straightforward. Master, please accept it, or she'll be upset if you take it back."
Uncle Cao also nodded repeatedly, "These are all home-cooked dishes, Master, please stay and try them."
Master Lin accepted it and said, "Thank you, sister-in-law, for me."
Uncle Cao smiled and said, "Okay, okay." Then he said to Lu Zhen, "Zhen'er, we should go home. It's too late and the gate will be closed."
Lu Zhen was reluctant to leave, so Master Lin said to him, "Go back."
Xu Jiang also waved at him, "Go, come back tomorrow."
Only then did he leave with Uncle Cao.
After everyone had left, Xu Jiang cooked a pot of porridge with the dishes brought by Aunt Cao and called Lin Hongchu to eat.
The father and daughter have been enduring for so many days, and their spleens and stomachs are weak. They need to eat something that is easy to digest and nourishes the stomach. Aunt Cao also thought of this, so the dishes she sent were light.
They had a quiet meal. Afterwards, Xu Jiang asked Master Lin to go into the house to rest while she and Lin Hongchu cleaned up the kitchen and the front yard.
When we finished cleaning up, it was already dark.
The two went to Mrs. Lin's room to check, but saw that Master Lin had placed a recliner next to the bed and was lying on it, holding Mrs. Lin's hand and fell asleep.
Lin Hongchu went in and covered the quilt for her father, tucked in the corners of the quilt for her mother, and then quietly left.
Xu Jiang lit a lantern under the eaves so that she could check at night. Then she said to Lin Hongchu, "Let's go to your room and talk."
"Okay." Lin Hongchu lit the lamp and walked into her room with her.
After entering the room, the two climbed onto the bed fully clothed, then huddled together, wrapped in the quilt.
Lin Hongchu opened his eyes and said nothing for a long time.
Xu Jiang held her hand, and felt that the little bit of energy he had gained in the bookstore had been consumed, and he became more and more silent.
"Years ago, I agreed with my mother to go to Taoyuan to see the peach blossoms." Lin Hongchu suddenly spoke up, saying softly, "But why haven't the peach blossoms bloomed yet?"
Peach blossoms bloom in March, and it's only February. Xu Jiang could only console him by saying, "They'll be blooming soon."
"I can't wait any longer." Lin Hongchu murmured.
Xu Jiang felt a sharp pain in her heart, and after a long while, she finally gathered her spirits and said, "I have a way to make the peach blossoms bloom earlier."
A glimmer of light flashed in Lin Hongchu's dim eyes, "What method?"
"A painting," Xu Jiang said. "In the painting, it's spring all year round, and the peach blossoms never wither."
Lin Hongchu pondered for a moment, immediately got up from the bed, and then pulled Xu Jiang to Bajizhai.
Inside the Bajizhai, there was bright firelight.
Two figures, holding brushes together, painted a vibrant peach hue, a grove of peach trees. After finishing the grove, they added characters. Without a second thought, Lin Hongchu sketched Master Lin and Madam Lin in a few strokes, then added Xu Jiang and herself.
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