Chapter 56 Slippery Meat Soup with Rice
The clinic wasn't far from the Qiao family's residence; it was only a 15-minute walk away.
Qiao Mianmian carried the pottery jar and bowls to the clinic, asked the young apprentice for directions, and went to the backyard to find Lu Zhao.
"Lord Lu, Qingjiu, I've brought you some food." Seeing the door was half-open, Qiao Mianmian pushed it open and went in, but unexpectedly, she saw Lu Zhao's bare shoulders.
His shoulders were taut like steel strings, and the muscle fibers under the morning light revealed his low body fat. Even just a small part of his back was enough to make one's blood boil.
Qiao Mianmian's gaze immediately shifted downwards, but then Qingjiu's untimely voice came from behind her.
"Miss Qiao, what brings you here?" Qingjiu went to fetch some hot water.
When Lu Zhao heard that Qiao Mianmian had arrived, he quickly dressed, but when he pulled at his wound, he winced in pain.
Qiao Mianmian said her brothers were all busy, "I've come to bring you food. Is Lord Lu alright?"
"It's nothing serious, our master is in good health." Qingjiu said as she pushed open the door and went in. "Master, have you changed your dressing?"
With his back to Qingjiu and the others, Lu Zhao hummed in response, but his body remained tense.
Qiao Mianmian was disappointed. If only it were a frontal view, Lu Zhao would definitely have chest and abdominal muscles.
She doesn't like guys who are too muscular; a thin layer of muscle is best. The little bit that Lu Zhao just showed perfectly matched her aesthetic.
It's a pity, we'll hardly see it again in the future.
As a modern person, Qiao Mianmian wasn't shy at all. She had never touched it before, but she had seen it a lot on her phone.
"Miss Qiao, what are you saying is a pity?" Qingjiu heard Qiao Mianmian murmur.
"Oh? It's nothing!" Qiao Mianmian was a little embarrassed and quickly changed the subject. "You guys eat quickly, and just bring the bowls to my house when you're done." She went home first.
After Qiao Mianmian left, Qingjiu noticed that her master's ears were red and said anxiously, "Are you feverish again? Oh dear, you really are feverish! I'll go call the doctor!"
Qingjiu ran so fast that Lu Zhao couldn't catch her.
After the doctor arrived, he carefully took Lu Zhao's pulse and confirmed that the fever had subsided before letting them go home. "Although the wound is not deep, it is best not to do anything for the next two days. It is better to rest at home for two days until the wound scabs over before going back to work."
Qingjiu noted everything down, first sending the official home, then going to the yamen to inform him.
And they came and went, and everyone in the alley saw them.
Jin brought Da Hu over, "Lord Lu, I made some bone broth, I'd like to bring you some. How did you get injured? You were all in too much danger."
"Actually, it's nothing serious, I..."
"How could it be nothing serious? I heard that you fainted last night and your voice is hoarse now. After something so serious, how could it be nothing serious?"
Jin was eloquent, but as soon as Lu Zhao opened his mouth, she had ten sentences waiting for him: "This won't do. There needs to be a woman in the family. What about your elders?"
At this moment, Chun Sheng's mother and Zeng Hongzhi came in together. Zeng Hongzhi snorted and said, "Are you in such a hurry to play matchmaker again? I advise you to give up on that idea. Lord Lu has high standards, so don't disturb his rest here."
"I'm here to bother you, but aren't you the one who's here?" Jin often bickered with Zeng Hongzhi, simply because Zeng Hongzhi had said that Da Hu and Er Long smelled bad. Jin had never gotten along with Zeng Hongzhi since hearing this.
She brushes her two children's teeth and washes their faces every day, how could they possibly smell bad?
“I’m not like you, sitting down and refusing to leave. I say, Big Tiger Mother, were you a morning glory in your past life? How can you talk so much?” Zeng Hongzhi laughed heartily.
Ms. Jin immediately glared at him, one hand on her hip.
Seeing that the two were about to start arguing, Chun Sheng's mother quickly said, "You're not children anymore, what are you arguing about here? Lord Lu is watching."
As she spoke, she looked at Lu Zhao again, "Why aren't you lying down to rest? Is there any chores around the house? We'll help you with them now."
Lu Zhao felt bad about troubling them, so she said, "No, thank you."
"How could there not be? Your yard looks very messy," Chun Sheng's mother said, helping to tidy up.
Although Jin and Zeng Hongzhi did not get along, they rolled up their sleeves when they saw Chun Sheng's mother take action.
“We live in the same alley. They say a close neighbor is worse than a distant relative. Lord Lu, please don’t be so polite,” Zeng Hongzhi said with a smile. But when Widow Wang came in, his smile vanished instantly, and he snorted.
Widow Wang noticed that Zeng Hongzhi also seemed embarrassed, so she put down the eggs and prepared to leave.
"Auntie, why haven't I seen your daughter-in-law come out?" Jin asked. "She's been married into the family for quite a while now, and I've only seen her at the door a few times. If she has nothing better to do, why don't she come over to my house for tea?"
“Okay, I’ll talk to her about it later,” Widow Wang said.
After Widow Wang left, Chun Sheng's mother immediately approached Jin Shi and said, "Isn't it strange? In our alley, apart from Madam Xu and Old Madam An, who are in poor health, we rarely see them going out. Everyone else, no matter how busy they are at home, will sit at their doorstep. Is this daughter-in-law of the Wang family very shy?"
"Who knows? I've never seen her come out. When I went to her house, she was always sitting quietly doing chores." Jin pouted. "Maybe she looks down on us? She's the daughter of a scholar."
Jin herself was illiterate and had never been to school. It was only after her son came to Lu Zhao's place to learn to read for a few days that she learned how to write her surname.
Speaking of this, Chun Sheng's mother spat, "What's there to look down on? Has the Wang family ever been to school? None of Wang Dazhu's family has ever been to school, yet the Chen family was willing to marry their daughter into the family. How could they possibly look down on them?"
"Then why?" Jin asked, puzzled.
"You're asking me? Who should I ask?"
The two worked and chatted at the same time, but Lu Zhao couldn't get a word in edgewise.
Zeng Hongzhi lazily approached Lu Zhao, saying, "Don't underestimate a woman's nagging; having a wife is always a good thing. My family's circumstances don't allow it, but you should take advantage of your youth and good health and find someone to marry soon. My younger brother has one..."
"Oh, Uncle Zeng, you're not letting me arrange a marriage? Is it because of your brother's niece?" Upon hearing this, Jin put down her broom.
“So what if it is? My niece is a model and a good person!” Zeng Hongzhi said.
"My niece is even better!"
"Hello, my niece!"
The two started arguing again at the Lu family home, and they only stopped when Qingjiu returned with food.
“Lord Lu, I’m heading back now. If you need anything, just come to us. My Xu Zhongyi may not be the most eloquent, but he’s very capable. Don’t stand on ceremony with us.” With that, Madam Jin glared fiercely at Zeng Hongzhi.
Zeng Hongzhi retorted, not to be outdone, "Lord Lu, why don't you come to my house? My son is eloquent and capable, making it easier to communicate with him."
Chun Sheng's mother shook her head as she looked at the two of them, "They argue all the time, never giving us a moment's peace."
Lu Zhao breathed a sigh of relief after watching his neighbors leave.
“My lord, Miss Qiao said that since you are ill, it would be better for you to eat something light. She made you some tender pork soup to eat with rice.” Qingjiu said, sounding hungry. “There is also a bowl of cabbage hearts. Don’t be fooled by its bland appearance. I ate a piece of the tender pork. The sweet potato starch coating was very flavorful, and the meat inside was very tender.”
"Wipe your drool," Lu Zhao said helplessly, looking at Qingjiu.
Qingjiu chuckled, took a bowl and chopsticks, served soup and rice to his master, and then made himself a big bowl.
The broth was sweet and savory, and a few scallions added layers of flavor. I ate meat and rice with scallion wine, and in the blink of an eye, a big bowl of tender meat soup with rice was finished.
Lu Zhao still had half left. He was used to eating slowly and deliberately. Seeing that Qing Jiu was watching him, he told Qing Jiu to eat the rest.
"Alright, leave it to me, don't worry!" Qingjiu put some on the adult's plate, poured the rest into his own bowl, and finally let out a satisfied burp. "People need to eat their fill to feel happy."
Seeing Qingjiu's satisfied expression, Lu Zhao said, "If you stay in the Lu family, you can eat even more every day."
Qingjiu wasn't so greedy before. The Lu family had everything, and as Lu Zhao's personal attendant, Qingjiu could eat meat every day. He never lacked food, so Qingjiu only ate until he was normally full.
He developed a love for food after he went hungry for a while because of the food he cooked himself after arriving in Lin'an.
"I'm not staying in the Lu family. Wherever you go, I'll go!" Qingjiu chuckled as she took the bowls and chopsticks to clean up.
He was taken to several families by slave traders, but they all rejected him because they thought he was too stupid. The slave traders thought he wouldn't sell, and since Qingjiu was fairly handsome, they decided to send him to the palace or sell him to some low-class place, since they couldn't afford to lose money.
Upon hearing the news, Qingjiu, who was only a few years old, cried uncontrollably. Lu Zhao, who was playing on the wall, happened to see her and took her back to the Lu family.
Qingjiu almost lost its lifeline.
Even now, Qingjiu still remembers how his master looked that day. It was as if a god had descended from heaven. His master was his god!
Later at the Lu family, Qingjiu was still not that clever. The lady wanted to choose other personal servants for her master, but Qingjiu secretly cried again. It was only because her master insisted on keeping him that he was able to stay by her side.
His master taught him to read and practice martial arts, but he couldn't learn them, so his master taught him again and again.
Despite being so slow-witted, Qingjiu now recognizes most of the characters and can even recite some of the Four Books and Five Classics.
His master is very soft-hearted; he's an extremely kind and good person!
"Wow, our kitchen is so clean!" Qingjiu exclaimed as soon as she entered the kitchen.
After he finished washing the dishes, he saw his master about to take out his sword, so he quickly went over to dissuade him, "The doctor said to rest for a few days first. If you're really bored, how about playing chess with me?"
Lu Zhao's gaze swept over Qing Jiu, his disdain undisguised. "No."
At that moment, several people of different ages appeared at the door.
Qiao Mianmian and her two older brothers stood at the door, with Dalong carrying a small bag at the bottom.
"Lord Lu, how are you?" Qiao Mianmian asked.
"It's alright, it doesn't hurt anymore," Lu Zhao said.
Upon hearing this, Qiao Jiaxing was the first to walk in, saying, "I knew Lord Lu had an iron will... what was it again?"
Qiao Mianmian said she was of unwavering integrity.
"Yes, that's the word. How could someone as tough as him feel pain?" Qiao Jiaxing chuckled. "Lord Lu, if you have some free time, could you help us review this?"
Qiao Jiawang stood at the door and said he wanted to go home first, "I guess I won't study anymore."
“Brother, you’ve changed. Now you go straight to your sister-in-law as soon as you get home. You two won’t be short a few hours.” Qiao Jiaxing came over and pulled his brother inside.
Da Long also looked at Lu Zhao shyly.
Lu Zhao looked at the Qiao siblings and smiled slightly. "Alright, all of you come in. Where's Xia He? Isn't she coming?"
“My fourth sister is busy; she’s making things for the family,” Qiao Mianmian said.
At this moment, Lin Xiahe took the socks and insoles she had made to her grandmother, and then went to her parents' room.
Lin was discussing renting another stall with Qiao Mancang when she saw her daughter come in to deliver socks. Feeling sorry for her, she pulled her daughter to sit down, saying, "Didn't I tell you not to do so much? Look at you, you've been working so hard these past few days, your eyes are bloodshot."
"Mom, it's almost done. I want to leave something for the family," Lin Xiahe said.
“You’re not marrying off to some distant place. You can come back anytime you want. There’s no rush.” Madam Lin held her daughter’s hand. “But you need to prepare gifts from the Wang family. They have more than our family. You’ll have a hard time.”
With only a few days left until her daughter's wedding, Madam Lin counted on her fingers, "Listen to your mother, stop making things. Rest well for the last few days. Tell me what you want to eat, and I'll go buy it for you."
"I want to eat the red bean tofu pudding you used to make when I was little." Lin Xiahe rarely acted coquettishly with her mother, but perhaps because she was getting married soon, she was showing her girlish side.
"That's easy. I'll soak the beans later and make it for you tomorrow." Lin chatted with her daughter for a while with a smile. After her daughter left, she looked at her husband and said, "It's settled then. We'll take over the stall next to yours. I'll have Jiawang and the others nail down the tables and chairs these next few days and try to get it done as soon as possible."
The sugar figurine vendor's business has been bad lately, and he felt he couldn't continue operating the business. He didn't want to rent the stall anymore, so he transferred it to the Qiao family.
Qiao Mancang nodded and said, "We happen to have some old wooden planks at home. We can make a few simple wooden tables and paint them."
They are street vendors, not so particular, as long as they can set out their bowls and eat.
The couple were calculating their expenses when their eldest daughter knocked on the door.
In the past few days, Lin Wangchun noticed a lot of changes in her home, which she observed silently.
When Qiao Mancang saw Wang Chun arrive, he knew that the mother and daughter had something to talk about, so he took the initiative to go out and fetch water.
"Mother." Lin Wangchun sat down next to her mother, who was always taciturn. "This is for Xia He's dowry."
She took out a handkerchief, inside which was a pair of silver bracelets. Although they were plain, they were quite heavy.
"Does the son-in-law know about this?" Madam Lin frowned.
Lin Wangchun nodded.
"Knowing is no excuse. It's at least five taels. You're struggling financially yourself, so don't give such a generous gift," said Madam Lin.
Moreover, Jiawang's wife did not receive this gift.
Lin Wangchun refused to take it back. After becoming a mother, she had become a bit plumper. She held her mother's hand and said, "Mother, this is my heartfelt wish. Only Xia He has it. Do you understand?"
She really didn't know how to express herself and was afraid that Xia He wouldn't accept it, so she came to find her mother. Ever since she got married, she had been most worried about Xia He. Now that Xia He had a good home and the Wang family was very wealthy, she didn't want to give her sister any more dowry because she was afraid that her sister would be looked down upon by the other sisters-in-law.
Lin opened her mouth, but in the end, all that remained was a sigh.
Of course she knew that in this family, only Wangchun and Xiahe were children she had with her ex-husband.
When Lin was divorced by her ex-husband, Wangchun was still very young, an age when she should not have remembered anything. However, people would always say a few words about it, and the little girl was sensitive. Every time she heard it, she would become very quiet.
“I…I also prepared one for Xia He,” Lin said.
“It’s different. This is for Xia He.” Only Xia He has it. Lin Wangchun admitted that he was biased, but his eldest and second eldest brothers had their grandparents’ savings. Not to mention Mianmian, even when her grandmother ate a spring pancake, she would give Mianmian an extra one.
To avoid gossip, the mother treated all her brothers and sisters the same in every way, never daring to show any favoritism.
Only she could show favoritism towards Xia He, and she wanted to do the same.
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