Free Web NovelChapter 70: Chapter 33: Healing (Part 2)
"Is this... honey?! It’s too precious!"
Third Lady looked at Fang Rui in surprise.
"Since I brought it, just drink it, Third Sister. Why be so polite?" Fang Rui said with a smile.
Third Lady thought for a moment and didn’t refuse again. She took a sip. The clear, sweet honey water went down her throat and into her stomach, bringing with it a warm sensation.
She looked over at Nannan, who was staring eagerly. "Nannan, come, you have some too!"
"I won’t."
Nannan gulped, swallowing hard, but still shook her head. "Brother Ah Rui made this for Mother. When he was making it, Brother Ah Rui offered to make me a bowl too, but I said no! Mother, you drink it and get better soon!"
She was so well-behaved it was heartbreaking.
Third Lady felt the warmth from that sip of honey water spread from her stomach to her heart, then rise to her eyes, turning into shimmering tears.
She smiled and brought the bowl closer. "Come, Nannan, it’s alright. Mother can spare a little. Have a sip."
"Oh."
Nannan took only one sip and then, holding back, drank no more.
Watching this scene of deep mother-daughter affection.
Fang Rui’s gaze softened. ’In this cold, cruel world, there are still things that can heal you. They’re like fireflies in the dead of night—small and faint, yet stubbornly persistent.’
"Third Sister, there’s this too."
He took out a leather pouch. "I filled this pouch with hot water. You can hold it against your stomach to warm it up."
In truth, it was an imitation of the hot-water pads from his previous life.
Third Lady froze for a moment before understanding how to use it. She looked at Fang Rui with admiration and surprise. "Brother Rui, how did you ever think of something like this?"
"Maybe I’m just meticulous?" Fang Rui joked.
But Third Lady believed him.
—Indeed, how could anyone think of such a thing without being meticulous?
The concern from people like Nannan and Fang Rui sent a warm current through her heart.
"Nannan, come on, let’s go outside. Let your mother get some sleep. We’ll go brew the medicine..." Fang Rui said, taking Nannan’s hand.
"I can help start the fire! When Mother cooks, I’m always the one who starts the fire!" Nannan chirped, hopping a little.
"Good, what a good girl!"
Fang Rui led Nannan out by the hand.
Third Lady watched the backs of the big one and the little one, a moving smile gracing her face.
With a CREAK, the door closed.
Yet she didn’t feel lonely. The hot-water pouch on her abdomen continuously released its warmth, suppressing the pain. Having slept poorly the night before, she felt waves of drowsiness wash over her, and before she knew it, she had fallen into a deep sleep.
...
An unknown amount of time passed.
Third Lady awoke leisurely. Bright light filtered through the window and the curtain, faintly illuminating the room and casting soft, unobtrusive patterns of light and shadow.
She put on her outer robe and got out of bed.
SWISH!
She pulled back the curtain and opened the window.
Outside, a fiery red sun was rising, bursting with countless rays of morning light and casting a series of golden-pink halos. A vigorous morning energy and fresh air rushed into the room from the window.
Accompanying it was the clear, bitter scent of medicinal herbs.
Memories of the morning flooded her mind, and an unconscious smile touched Third Lady’s lips.
’How wonderful,’ she thought.
CREAK!
She opened the door and went out.
Just outside the door, in the courtyard, a small fire burned under a little rack, heating an earthenware pot until it glowed red.
Fang Rui was beside it, occasionally lifting the pot’s lid to stir its contents and take a look.
The herbal broth bubbled and rolled, wisps of smoke and steam rising from it. The clear, bitter scent in the air was emanating from this pot.
A ray of sunlight crested the wall and fell upon Fang Rui, enveloping him. The youth in the light and shadow was as gentle and lustrous as jade.
Hearing the sounds from the room, Fang Rui turned. Seeing Third Lady, he smiled. "Third Sister, you’re awake? There are poached eggs in honey water on the table inside. You can eat them while they’re hot to fill your stomach a bit. You can take your medicine a little later..."
His smile was as bright as the sun and as refreshing as a clear spring in an arid land. It seemed to flow right into one’s heart, leaving Third Lady lost in a daze for a moment.
She looked back and saw it just as he’d said: on the table, in a brown earthenware bowl, pristine white poached eggs floated in orange-red honey water, steaming gently.
"Mother, you’re awake?"
Just then, another voice, Nannan’s, rang out.
She was carrying some firewood, her little face smudged with soot, perhaps from stoking the fire. She put down the wood, came over, and brought the bowl of poached eggs to Third Lady. "Brother Ah Rui cooked it! I helped with the fire, too. Mother, hurry up and eat!"
"Alright," Third Lady replied with a knowing smile.
Fang Rui saw Third Lady leaning against the doorway. She wore a loose-fitting tunic and skirt that hid her slender figure. Her face was pure and beautiful, and the fair skin left exposed seemed to be enveloped in a halo, making her look like a young girl.
However, amidst that lazy leisure, there was also a maternal radiance.
Contradictory, and yet captivating.
...
After eating the poached eggs and drinking the medicine, Third Lady retrieved a jar of wine from her room. She carried it over carefully, and when she opened the sealed red cloth, a rich, mellow fragrance instantly burst forth.
"Good wine!"
Fang Rui exclaimed in admiration.
With his keen eye, he could naturally tell how precious this wine was.
"Brother Rui, you came looking for wine from me last time, saying it was to build connections... Here, take it!" Third Lady said with a smile.
"Third Sister, let me give you some money..."
"Brother Rui, don’t say another word about it."
Third Lady cut Fang Rui off, pressing down on the hand he was using to pull money from his robes. She feigned anger, "You diagnosed my illness, gave me honey and eggs, and didn’t ask for any money! If you really want to keep score, should I give you money for all that?"
"Alright!"
Fang Rui had wanted to say that this jar of good wine was far more valuable than those other things, but seeing Third Lady’s reaction, he ultimately kept his mouth shut.
Just then, as Third Lady pressed his hand to stop him from taking out money, their skin touched. That orchid-like fragrance once again wafted around the tip of his nose...
And he was a young man, full of fiery vigor...
"What are you looking at, Third Sister?"
Fang Rui probed boldly.
He wasn’t a eunuch. If he wanted something, he would fight for it. He would make his move when the time was right.
"Pah! What haven’t I seen?"
True, Third Lady was a grown woman, but even as she spoke with such bravado, a faint blush still colored her cheeks. She took two steps back, averted her gaze, and changed the subject. "I still have some white flour at home. At noon, I’ll go find my sister-in-law, and we can make steamed buns..."
"Great! But let’s wait until the evening. I have plans to drink with someone at noon..."
Seeing Third Lady’s evasion, Fang Rui knew he hadn’t reached the right moment. He didn’t press the attack, stopping at the appropriate point.
Being romantic was fine, but not vulgar. Pestering someone endlessly wasn’t his style, let alone forcing himself on them.
The two chatted idly for a little while longer.
Fang Rui bid farewell to Third Lady and left, carrying the jar of good wine.
...
「Noon.」
Fang Rui brought two jin of corn flour, five portions of Scar Remover, and a jin of the good wine from Third Lady, then headed to Sweet Water Well Alley to drink with Jiang Ping’an.
Sister-in-law Jiang was, of course, very enthusiastic and overjoyed.
"Good wine! Good wine!"
Jiang Ping’an exclaimed repeatedly, marveling at Fang Rui’s good fortune to have stumbled upon such fine wine.
When the wine was flowing and spirits were high, Fang Rui took the opportunity to make a request: he asked Jiang Ping’an to keep watch over Willow Alley at night for the next two or three days, looking out for the Fang Family and, in the future, to also keep an eye on Third Lady’s House.
Jiang Ping’an naturally agreed without hesitation.
...
In the afternoon, Fang Rui, slightly tipsy, left Sweet Water Well Alley. He walked back to Willow Alley under the scorching sun.
A gentle breeze stirred. Under the brilliant sun, the leaves of the great willow tree flipped and danced, glinting with fragmented light like bits of broken silver.
Fang Rui saw that two families from the alley were picking willow leaves.
One of them was Sister-in-law Cai Gen’s family. Seeing Fang Rui pass by, she subconsciously averted her gaze—ever since that incident, she felt awkward whenever she saw anyone from the Fang Family and would take a detour to avoid them.
"Uncle Changlin! Sister-in-law Cai Gen!"
Fang Rui, however, didn’t mind. He greeted them politely and went home.
...
In the courtyard, under the eaves of the veranda, Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and Third Lady sat side by side, sewing and mending.
Nearby, Fang Ling and Nannan were playing a game of catching stones.
After the morning’s affair with the diagnosis, it seemed that Third Lady’s House and the Fang Family had grown closer.
"Third Sister, are you feeling any better?" Fang Rui asked as he entered.
"Brother Rui, you’re back? Much better, thanks to your medicine," Third Lady said with a smile.
"That’s good."
Fang Rui scooped up the pouncing Nannan and Fang Ling, one in each arm, and sat them down beside him. At the two little girls’ request, he began to tell a story.
His gentle voice rang out, unfolding a magnificent, mythical tale.
At that moment, the cicadas and other unknown insects were chirping with all their might. Under the great sun, a warm breeze passed through the hall, and time seemed to slow down.
...
