Chapter 119 The Best Mother-in-law's Handbook 41
In a quiet lotus courtyard in the Pingnan Marquis Mansion, a maid lowered her head and carried a tray into the inner room.
Lin made the quilt for her husband. When she saw the maid bringing the medicine, she immediately stepped forward to take the cooled bowl of soup and waved her hand to let her leave.
He approached the bed, his eyes full of concern, helped the patient lie down, brought the medicine bowl on the small table, and said in a gentle tone, "Dalang, it's time to take the medicine."
Zhu Dalang, lying on the bed, had a pale complexion and dark circles under his eyes. Upon hearing this, he waved his hands and said dejectedly, "I've been taking medicine for half a year, and the disease hasn't improved. Let's just forget it and save money... cough cough cough..."
"What are you saying, my dear? Don't these words break my heart? Only when you are well can we, mother and daughter, get well. Good medicine tastes bitter but is good for the disease. Dalang, I'm sorry for having to endure this for us, mother and daughter." As Lin spoke, tears rolled down her pretty face uncontrollably.
Zhu Dalang was most afraid of Xueniang's tears. He reached out to take the medicine bowl with trembling hands, closed his eyes, and drank the bitter medicine in the bowl in one breath.
Lin sat aside, looking pleased and satisfied.
Ever since Zhu Dalang fell ill, Xiaozao has come to visit his father every morning and evening.
The girl waiting outside the door was already twelve years old. She was graceful and looked like a member of the Zhu family. After the maid lifted the curtain, Xiaozao walked into the room with dignified manners.
In the past six months, the relationship between the father and daughter has become much closer because they meet often. When Zhu Dalang, who was in a listless state, saw his little daughter coming, a loving smile appeared on his face, "Didn't you say that you don't have to come every day?" I wonder who this child inherited her personality from?
Xiaozao turned sideways and saluted his parents. Seeing that his father's illness was getting worse, he felt sad. He lowered his eyes and looked at the empty medicine bowl beside him. His eyes were empty, and finally, for some reason, his eyes became red.
Lin was busy with other things and did not disturb the father and daughter. She just patted the back of her daughter's hand and said, "Your father is short-tempered. Don't stay too long and disturb his peace."
Xiaozao lowered her eyes obediently and said lightly, "My daughter saved it."
Only the parents and a few maids were left in the room. Zhu Xiaozao sent them out and moved a stool to sit down next to the bed. She clenched Zhu Dalang's thin hand and said in a choked voice, "Dad, I want to go back to Deshan Village. It's not good here at all..."
Zhu Dalang couldn't help but think back to the past. After so many years, he couldn't even remember his mother's voice, appearance, or smile. "Xiaozao, I'm afraid Daddy won't be able to return to Deshan Village. As long as you are well-behaved and sensible, your mother will choose a respectable family for you. Once you get married in the future, everything will be fine..."
Xiaozao simply lowered her eyes, hiding the darkness beneath them, and sighed unintentionally, "Dad, it's just a common cold, why hasn't it gotten better? Dad, can we find another doctor? This doctor is probably just superficial and can't even cure a common cold. There are so many important people in the mansion, I hope he doesn't get hurt!"
"Ahem...Xiaozao, just tell Dad about these things. Dad, Dad is just a little sicker. He will be better after a while."
Zhu Xiaozao's eyes instantly turned red, "Dad knows everything, and yet he lets Mom do whatever she wants. Dad, you, you are so confused!" Why would he do this for a heartless woman? Grandma raised him with so much trouble, so is he going to be so self-deprecating just for a woman?
"Your mother, it's not easy for her either! A woman with a child..."
Not wanting to pay attention to her father who was still trying to persuade her, she wiped the moisture from the corners of her eyes and left in a hurry.
Only after returning to her room did Zhu Xiaozao dare to cover her mouth and cry freely.
Unexpectedly, a fat white pigeon flew in from the window, cooing as if greeting her.
Zhu Xiaozao, with tears in her eyes, pushed open the window. The pigeon was not afraid of people. Seeing the window was open, it came in uninvited.
After observing for a while, Zhu Xiaozao discovered a clue. He untied a thin silver tube from the pigeon's leg and pulled out a white silk. There were only four small words "Lanjing Teahouse" written on it.
The handwriting was unfamiliar, but this white silk with the smell of shepherd's purse dumplings had once wet her pillow with tears in her dreams at midnight because she missed the smell.
Clutching the white silk in her hand, Zhu Xiaozao threw herself on the table and sobbed softly. This time, her tears were mixed with sadness and hope.
A day later, Zhu Xiaozao left the mansion directly from the side door in the backyard without even taking her maid. No one in the mansion cared about this inconspicuous little girl. When the gatekeeper heard that it was the third girl from Ouheyuan, he opened the door without blinking.
The concierge knew very well that he could not get any benefits from this young lady, but because she was a favored lady, he was neither respectful nor fawning, but just acted in a normal manner.
Ever since Zhu Xiaozao left the Marquis' Mansion, someone had been secretly following and protecting him. When he arrived at the teahouse, the waiter respectfully invited him to the private room upstairs.
When the little girl pushed the door open and saw her familiar relatives, tears immediately fell from her eyes and she threw herself into her grandmother's arms regardless of everything.
Feng Wu: “…” I just changed into this spring outfit today!
While chatting in the teahouse, Zhu Xiaozao met her relatives whom she hadn't seen for several years one by one. She was overwhelmed with emotions and tears kept falling.
…
By the time they left the teahouse, the tears on Zhu Xiaozao's face had dried. She clenched the purse in her hand and hurried to the marquis' mansion at a rapid pace.
At dusk, Zhu Xiaozao came at the usual visiting time. There was no one in the room except Zhu Dalang who was half asleep and half awake, and there was not even a servant to serve him.
"Chun'er, go to the kitchen and boil a pot of tea so that I can take care of my father's medicine later."
Chun'er agreed and went to do the work.
Approaching his father, Zhu Xiaozao took out a shiny pill from his purse. Grandma said that this medicine could cure his father's illness.
Zhu Xiaozao trusted her grandmother more from the bottom of her heart, so she didn't wake up her father and directly stuffed the pill into his father's mouth.
Anyway, grandma said that this medicine melts in your mouth and does not need to be taken with tea.
Zhu Dalang was half-dazed when he realized someone had stuffed a pill with a medicinal smell into his mouth. He instinctively tried to refuse, but the pill had already melted and slid down his throat. He couldn't help but feel sad. He was already bedridden, so why couldn't he wait even a year or two?
He thought he was mentally prepared to close his eyes at any time, but now that he was really about to die, the only moment he could recall was the burnt Hu pancake that his mother gave him.
That was the first genuine reward he had received in his entire life.
"Mom, in my next life, I will only be your son..."
Zhu Xiaozao was a little confused as to why his father was so excited after taking the pill. He kept calling him "Grandma" and even talked about the next life!
If this wasn't her biological father, she would have wanted to use a firewood stick as thick as her arm to beat up this unfilial son who had forgotten his mother after getting married.
Her grandmother is not so unlucky that she will meet such a terrible son in her next life!
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