At this age, Xu Xiucai is still studying at an academy. Of course, it's not Qianqiu Academy, but Qingyun Academy, where the students are all quite old.
Mo Qianshang didn't know much about that academy, but from what she heard, Scholar Xu still hadn't given up on taking the exams.
After all, it makes sense. For a family like the Xu family, whose parents were uneducated, to be able to produce a scholar, they must have made a great sacrifice. They couldn't just give up halfway through.
Mo Qianshang heard a lot of gossip yesterday, and she was still warmly received when she arrived at the Xu family today.
She went straight to Yu Ru's room. Yu Ru looked much better and was sitting on the edge of the bed wearing an overcoat.
How are you feeling?
Yu Ru thought for a moment: "My throat hurts..."
"Are you dizzy? Does your head feel heavy? Do you have a cough?" Mo Qianshang asked several questions in a row, and Yu Ru shook her head each time.
Mo Qianshang reached out and touched her forehead. Unfortunately, she didn't have the money to buy another thermometer. Fortunately, she could tell from the touch that the child's fever had subsided.
Mo Qianshang breathed a sigh of relief. Although this meant that all her remaining fever-reducing medicine would be temporarily stuck in her hands, the fact that her child was alright was the best thing ever.
"It seems like everything's alright for now. I don't know if the rain will continue. Be careful not to let the child catch a cold, but don't let them sit by the charcoal brazier. Too much heat isn't good either. Just let them sweat it out."
She stood up and said to the Xu couple, "By the way, there's something else I need to tell you. It's fine if no one asks, but if anyone does, I'll pay them one hundred taels a day. Don't let that slip."
The Xu couple quickly agreed, and only after Mo Qianshang left did they realize that she had actually given them a discount, probably because their daughter Ru'er needed the medicine urgently.
To be honest, after drinking the Chinese medicine for three days, the fever not only didn't go down, but it got worse and worse, and eventually the girl even became delirious. Last night, they were really at their wits' end, which is why the whole family stayed here, and no one knew what to do.
Unexpectedly, the child recovered almost completely overnight, all thanks to this neighbor.
Looking at her daughter lying on the bed, Manniang whispered to her husband, "Let's go visit her again in a couple of days when she's fully recovered and bring her some gifts. I remember her family has three sons and a daughter. I wonder if they are all Mo Niangzi's children. We should visit each other more often in the future."
Scholar Xu nodded: "A close neighbor is worse than a distant relative. It is our blessing to have such a neighbor. But you said you have four children? Madam Mo doesn't seem to be that old."
Man Niang was also a little puzzled. Thinking about it, Mo Qianshang actually looked younger than her.
Mo Qianshang saved a life, and two days later, she heard that Xu Yuru had fully recovered. The mother and daughter even brought a lot of food to express their gratitude.
“My husband hasn’t been to the academy for a few days. He left in a hurry today and couldn’t come with us.”
Mo Qianshang quickly waved her hand: "No need, no need. You bought the medicine from me with money. The transaction is settled, so there's no need to keep it in mind."
Man Niang knew in her heart that this was not the case. They had only come to borrow firewood that day, and Mo Niangzi had gone to their house in the heavy rain to check on the children. Later, she even sold them medicine to treat the children.
If she hadn't done all those things, it's hard to say what Ru'er's situation would be like now.
Man Niang now feels a sense of kinship with Mo Qianshang. The two have been seeing each other almost every day these days, and their relationship has grown much closer. She couldn't help but knock around and ask, "Speaking of which, does your family have five children?"
Mo Qianshang said, "I have four children: three sons and one daughter. Xiaoyun is Sister Yao's daughter."
Man Niang said she didn't seem like the mother of four children, and Mo Qianshang felt there was nothing to hide: "I'm not the biological mother of these children, we're just a family that depends on each other for survival."
Man Niang was somewhat surprised. First, she hadn't expected her to be a stepmother, and second, she hadn't expected that none of the four children were her biological children.
She remembered the man in the veiled hat who had visited her home before; he must be the father of these children.
He sounds young, but I never expected him to have four children and still manage to marry such a beautiful, angelic woman. This man must be incredibly capable.
Man Niang was unaware of Mo Qianshang's complicated situation and assumed that the Mo family's business was all owned by the men in the family, but she still couldn't help feeling sorry for Mo Qianshang in her heart.
She was beautiful in her youth and was even pursued by the young masters and noblemen of the county. She had seen what it was like to live in a wealthy family, but she still followed her heart and married the husband she had loved since childhood.
She always felt that having enough money was enough. Too much extravagance was only for show; if the price was heartbreak and compromise, then the extravagance was just for show, and only she knew the bitterness inside.
Looking at Mo Qianshang, she felt that the words people used to use to praise her beauty were utterly insignificant compared to her. She was merely pretty, but this Lady Mo had eyebrows like curved willows, and her eyes always seemed to be full of affection when she looked at people with a smile, making even a woman like her feel afraid to look at her for too long.
With a delicate nose and cherry lips, and flawless skin, it's heartbreaking to see such a beautiful woman marrying into a family as a stepmother in a small town.
Mo Qianshang noticed that Manniang's expression had darkened and her gaze was strange. She wondered what Manniang was imagining. "My three sons are all in school now and are not at home during the day. My youngest daughter is here, though, and she plays with Xiaoyun all day long."
She looked at Yu Ru and said, "My daughter is a bit younger, she's not even five years old yet. Xiao Yun is older than you. If you're bored at home, you can come and play with them anytime. They're both well-behaved children, I think you'll get along well."
As Mo Qianshang spoke, she called Xiaoyun and Qianya over, introduced Yuru to the two children, and the three little girls went inside to play together.
Seeing the way Mo Qianshang treated Qianya, as if they were mother and daughter, Manniang felt even more that Mo Qianshang was indeed extraordinary.
"You ate early, didn't you? Why don't you stay for lunch and join us? It's a rare treat that the child is getting better; consider it a small celebration."
Mo Qianshang also hoped that Qianya could have more playmates, especially since the neighboring family seemed to have good personalities and character, and they were a family she could befriend.
She and Manniang cooked lunch together. There was no reason to let the guests cook, but Manniang insisted, so she let her do as she pleased.
At the dinner table, this was the second time Man Niang had seen Qin Baiyi. As soon as Qin Baiyi entered, Mo Qianshang looked up at him and said, "I'll serve it to you and take it to your room."
Qin Baiyi nodded while wearing a veiled hat. As he watched Mo Qianshang serve him food, Manniang felt even more puzzled.
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