After knocking on the door twice, the butler quickly opened it from the inside.
"Young Master, you're back!"
Liu Chuyu nodded and swaggered inside. After taking a couple of steps, she remembered that He Tiantian was also there.
Liu Chuyu immediately changed his attitude. He ran up to He Tiantian and said with a smile, "Auntie, I'm sorry, I just forgot. Please go first."
He Tiantian glanced at the housekeeper and nodded as a greeting.
Liu Chuyu introduced, "This is Aunt He, she's here to see my mother. Where is my mother?"
The butler then realized what was happening. "Oh, since you are the magistrate's wife's guest, please come in."
It was He Tiantian's first time visiting the county magistrate's residence, and she dared not look around carelessly, lest people discover that she was a rough and uncultured person who had never seen such fine things before.
As He Tiantian walked along, she was struck by how many servants there were in the magistrate's mansion.
In just a short while, she had seen about ten of them.
They know how to enjoy it; being waited on must feel incredibly comfortable.
Although Liu Chuyu couldn't sit still, he still politely accompanied He Tiantian to wait in the front hall.
Furthermore, when the maids brought up fresh tea, he even offered some to He Tiantian.
After serving the tea, Liu Chuyu sat down on the stool and fiddled with a green plant on the table. She plucked the leaves one by one and broke off the branches little by little…
The front hall was filled with the snapping sounds of Liu Chuyu breaking tree branches.
After waiting for quite a while, just as Liu Chuyu himself was getting anxious and was about to go and call his mother himself, the magistrate's wife finally arrived, supported by her maids and servants.
He Tiantian quickly stood up, "Madam."
"Mother, why did you take so long to arrive?" Liu Chuyu muttered.
The magistrate's wife looked somewhat haggard, but managed a forced smile. "Chu Yu, this child has grown taller again."
He Tiantian noticed that the magistrate's wife was in a bad mood, and Liu Chuyu also noticed it.
He looked at his mother in confusion and asked, "Mother, what's wrong with you?"
The magistrate's wife sighed softly and slowly sat down on the stool.
"Alas... Chu Yu, your father has fallen ill."
"What!" Liu Chuyu's eyes widened.
He Tiantian was also quite surprised. Magistrate Liu had fallen ill? No wonder he hadn't been seen eating at the restaurant these past few days.
"She keeps coughing and it won't get better; it's been more than ten days. She even had a fever a few days ago, and we thought it was just a cold, so the doctor prescribed some medicine for it. But she hasn't gotten better after taking it for so many days." The magistrate's wife was extremely worried, her face clouded with worry.
Liu Chuyu couldn't stay any longer and turned to leave, saying, "Then I'll go see Father."
"Oh... cover your mouth and nose with a handkerchief. The doctor said this cold is very contagious." The magistrate's wife gave her instructions with concern, and sent her trusted maidservant to go with her.
Liu Chuyu nodded, a faint worry in her heart.
After Liu Chuyu left, He Tiantian asked in confusion, "Is the magistrate sick because he has been too worried and overworked lately?"
The magistrate's wife shook her head. "It doesn't seem like it. I don't know what's wrong. I used to catch a cold and it would be fine in four or five days, but this time it's been longer, more than ten days."
She took care of him for about ten days, but he couldn't do many things.
The magistrate's wife suddenly remembered the autumn clothes and said apologetically, "You see, I urged you to come back earlier because I wanted to talk to you about the autumn clothes. This has caused a delay."
He Tiantian quickly shook her head, "This matter is not urgent, nothing is more important than the magistrate's health."
The two chatted for a while, and the magistrate's wife planned to organize a gathering after Magistrate Liu recovered, inviting all the wealthy ladies and young women in the city to sell the fine winter clothes, such as the autumn clothes.
Before leaving, He Tiantian suggested that they go and take a look at Magistrate Liu.
The magistrate's wife nodded, also clinging to a sliver of hope.
The magistrate's husband said that it was He who helped resolve the severe plague that had previously plagued the city. In that case, perhaps she has some good ideas.
When He Tiantian met Magistrate Liu, Liu Chuyu and Magistrate Liu were talking about something inside the house, and Magistrate Liu's laughter could be heard from a distance.
The magistrate's wife was deeply moved, and her eyes welled up with tears.
"This is the first time Chu Yu and his father have had such a pleasant conversation. Chu Yu's transformation is all thanks to you, Madam He."
He Tiantian waved her hands repeatedly, very modestly, "Actually, Chu Yu is a good child by nature. It's just that the county magistrate had high expectations of him before. Parents who love their children plan far ahead for them."
"The magistrate's plan for Chu Yu is also out of the best interest of him. Although there's nothing wrong with the plan, he hasn't truly discovered what the child likes. Alas, if parents lower their expectations appropriately, the relationship between them and their children will be more harmonious."
Hearing He Tiantian's words, the magistrate's wife felt as if a new world had opened up for her.
Lower your expectations of your child appropriately...
Yes, he is still a child after all, and we really shouldn't judge him by adult standards.
Upon entering the house, the magistrate saw the arrival of Madam He.
The father and son's conversation came to an end, and Liu Chuyu's childlike face was beaming with joy.
He Tiantian joked apologetically, "I arrived too early and disturbed you."
"It's not early, it's not early. I heard from Chu Yu that you, Madam He, had arrived. I really wanted to thank you in person, but unfortunately I'm ill, so I can only ask you to do it for me, Madam," Magistrate Liu said apologetically.
The magistrate spoke with a heavy nasal tone, and his voice was terribly hoarse.
He Tiantian almost didn't recognize the magistrate's voice for a moment.
"Look at your voice, you can barely speak. Chu Yu, go to the kitchen and take the hot pear soup to your father," the magistrate's wife called out.
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