Su Ruanruan picked up a piece of paper from the table next to her; it was a prescription she had written a few days ago.
“A few days ago, I saw a woman in the city whose symptoms were similar to your mother’s. I saw her go into a clinic for a consultation, and then I borrowed her prescription and copied it down.”
She stuffed the prescription into Qin Bei's hand, "Tomorrow when you go to town, get a few doses of this prescription and try it. Maybe it will be effective."
Seeing Qin Bei staring blankly at the prescription, Su Ruanruan assumed he was questioning it. This was a prescription she had written herself, and if his mother took it properly for a while, her condition would improve.
"If you have any doubts, you can ask the clinic in town if this prescription is suitable. Just don't go back to the previous one. Your mother has been taking their medicine for so long without any improvement, which shows that their medical skills are not very good."
"Ruan Ruan, I didn't doubt you. I... I just think you're really good to me."
Su Ruanruan glared at him, "You're such a chatterbox. Alright, go back now."
She escorted Qin Bei to the back door, but he looked at her with a lifeless expression. "Ruan Ruan, Su Fangfang went to town to bother me again today. I'm almost driven crazy by her. But don't worry, I ignored her."
Su Ruanruan pouted; she couldn't deny that Su Fangfang was too annoying.
"Alright, alright, hurry back and take care of your mother."
Su Ruanruan closed the door, completely cutting off his voice.
After seeing Qin Bei off, she lifted the curtain and glanced out the window a few times. Only after hearing a commotion in the courtyard did she put on the pomegranate-colored skirt and try it on, looking shy and timid.
Just then, the front door was kicked open.
Su Ruanruan looked panicked and quickly hid the pastries from the oil paper package under the quilt, then covered herself with the quilt as well.
Second Aunt Zheng glanced at her mother-in-law Wang and said, "Mother, what did I tell you? That slut really is eating alone behind our backs."
Su Fangfang glanced at the bed, then rushed over and yanked off Su Ruanruan's blanket, revealing her brand-new and beautiful pomegranate red dress.
Compared to her, her own old and tattered pink dress paled in comparison.
Seeing Su Ruanruan hiding something behind her back with her hands behind her back, she immediately tugged at it and found it was an oil paper package containing pastries.
"Fine, you shameless Su Ruanruan, you really do eat alone."
Thinking of how a tall, strong man had protected her that morning, and how she was now all alone, looking terrified and helpless, her resentment at being ignored by Brother Qin dissipated somewhat.
Second Aunt Zheng smiled sinisterly, "Mother, I heard from others that her uncle's child dug up a ginseng today and sold it for seven taels of silver! It seems that this is true, otherwise, where would she get the pastries and new clothes?"
Madam Wang narrowed her eyes and said sternly, "Tell me, where did you get these things? You traitor, you go to dig ginseng for others without even helping us. How could our Su family produce such an ingrate?"
Su Ruanruan shook her head. "That ginseng was dug up by my cousin, and it has nothing to do with me. Today I went to Daohua Village and went into the forest with my cousin, but I was not with him... These things were not bought for me by my aunt and uncle, but by... butcher Zhou."
"Butcher Zhou?" Wang asked in surprise.
Su Ruanruan's cheeks flushed slightly, her expression shy. "Actually, Butcher Zhou and I had already arranged to meet in the woods south of Daohua Village. He even said he wouldn't mind my past as a fallen woman and was willing to offer ten taels of silver as a dowry to marry me..."
“It’s just that my clueless cousin caught me with him. Zhou the Butcher didn’t want others to know about my relationship with him, so I warned my cousin to tell others that I’ve been with him all along.”
"I didn't know he was so lucky to find ginseng. Everyone knew we were together, so they assumed we found it together..."
When Aunt Zheng heard about the ten taels of silver, her eyes lit up immediately.
Ten taels! If Su Ruanruan, who is unfaithful and ugly, is worth so much money, then wouldn't her Fangfang be worth even more?
It should be noted that the betrothal gift for an ordinary family is only five taels of silver, and not just anyone can afford to pay five taels of silver.
It seems the butcher made quite a bit of money selling pork in the county this week.
Wang glared at Su Ruanruan several times. Seeing that Su Ruanruan didn't seem to be lying and maintained a shy, girlish demeanor, Wang knew that Su Ruanruan and Butcher Zhou hadn't done anything good in the woods.
A burly man had just left the house that morning, and now this butcher Zhou has come in. This girl is plain-looking, but she has a lot of suitors. I wonder what they all like about her.
"Since everyone knows you're with your cousin, then half of the ginseng should be yours. Go ask them for four taels of silver tomorrow."
Su Ruanruan was terrified. "Grandma, you don't know, I told them right away, and my uncle pointed his finger at me and yelled at me. My aunt even kicked me in the waist a few times, and it still hurts to this day."
“Not only did they not give me any money, but my little cousin also threatened me, saying that if I asked his family for money again, he would tell everyone that he saw Butcher Zhou bullying me in the woods. That would ruin me. Who would want me then? I’m afraid even Butcher Zhou wouldn’t want me.”
Su Ruanruan burst into tears immediately, quickly got out of bed, and tugged at Wang Shi's sleeve, "Grandma, I'm your own granddaughter too! You can't push me into a fire pit!"
"Don't worry, Butcher Zhou said that after we get married, he will definitely take good care of you. Our family will have braised pork every meal and new clothes to wear."
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