Chapter 575
Chapter 575: Chapter 569_1 Chapter 575: Chapter 569_1 In fact, there was bound to be someone at home; it was just an excuse. For one, Auntie did not want others to know about the things she intended to give Lin Yue, not even her grandchildren. If word got out, that heartless pair, the parents of the second girl, would surely stir up no end of trouble. Furthermore, Auntie still had some misgivings before meeting Lin Yue, who had now become wealthy. Auntie was uncertain whether Lin Yue would still be willing to associate with their poor relatives.
However, having chatted with Lin Yue for so long and observing her speech and behavior, Auntie was convinced that the second girl was still the same as she was before. Although she claimed to have forgotten her past, she was even more kind-hearted than before, and her words were warmer. Naturally, Auntie was willing to maintain closer ties between the two families. It wasn’t that she coveted anything from Lin Yue; after all, relatives should keep in touch regularly, or else the relationship would fade over time.
After seeing off Auntie, Lin Yue checked the time and made another trip to Lin Youfu’s house to visit Lin Qing. After all, with Lin Qing having been seriously ill before, Lin Yue was somewhat worried. In this backward ancient time, a simple cold could be fatal, as Doctor Zheng had said not long ago.
Seeing that Lin Qing was already much better, Lin Yue could not help but praise Doctor Zheng’s medical skills again, which seemed to be advancing by leaps and bounds. Other doctors had treated Lin Qing for so long without much improvement, yet with Doctor Zheng’s prescription, Lin Qing had recovered significantly. It is said that poor medical skills can kill a person; Doctor Zheng’s effective treatment was a stark contrast to the ineptitude of others. Fortunately, Mrs. Zhou, who often lacked clear judgment, had done one thing right by asking Doctor Zheng to treat Lin Qing.
Although Lin Qing’s chill was mostly cured, he was left with a severe cough. Now that Doctor Zheng had returned to the city, Lin Yue could not find anyone to consult. She could only wait until Doctor Zheng’s visit the next day to see if there was a way to alleviate the condition. She had thought of a home remedy, but since Lin Qing was still taking Doctor Zheng’s prescribed medicine, Lin Yue didn’t dare to meddle, fearing it would interfere with the drug’s effectiveness. Thankfully, although the cough was irritating, it wasn’t an emergency. As long as it didn’t persist indefinitely, it should not be a significant problem. Best to wait until the next day. By then, the symptoms might naturally ease.
While Lin Yue did not leave Lin Qing’s room, she inevitably encountered Mrs. Zhou. Perhaps because of the five taels of silver she had received, or maybe due to the reverence the village chief had shown Lin Yue, prompting her to realize something, Mrs. Zhou was now surprisingly polite and attentive, showing none of her previous harsh and sour disposition.
“Erhu, you’ve come to see your big brother again. You and your brother have always been close since childhood. No wonder you can’t stop worrying about him. As your mother, I’m very happy and reassured seeing your bond. Siblings should indeed support each other,” said Mrs. Zhou, who had tasted the sweetness from the five taels of silver. No wonder the old man said that currying favor with one’s daughter brings many benefits. Now that she had reaped the rewards, she understood this well. Besides, the words Lin Qing had spoken had hurt Mrs. Zhou deeply. It did not matter what others said, but those words came from the mouth of her beloved son, accompanied by accusations and irritation. Mrs. Zhou could hardly bear it and certainly didn’t want her son to become estranged from her. Out of various concerns, she made a 180-degree turn in her attitude toward Lin Yue.
If Lin Yue hadn’t been sure the person before her was Mrs. Zhou, she might have suspected that Mrs. Zhou had become someone else. It wasn’t impossible, considering that she herself was living in a different body. While Mrs. Zhou’s changed attitude toward Lin Yue was noticeable, her mannerisms barely altered, confirming she was still the same person. Only, Lin Yue wondered what motive had prompted such a sudden change of heart. She certainly didn’t believe Mrs. Zhou had suddenly developed a conscience.
When Mrs. Zhou spoke to her, Lin Yue nodded to acknowledge she had heard, maintaining a detached demeanor that was no longer as icy as before. After all, Lin Youfu and Mrs. Zhou were the biological parents of her former self. If they could get along peacefully, Lin Yue had no desire for conflict, as she had done before. Even though her association with her natal family had been severed because of the contract signed with Zhao Erhu previously, Mrs. Zhou could not accuse her of being unfilial. However, carrying a reputation as callous and ruthless was also unappealing.
Mrs. Zhou, seeing that Lin Yue’s attitude towards her had softened, couldn’t help but show a genuine smile for once. Her strategy seemed to be effective. It appeared that yielding to this wretched girl wasn’t that difficult after all, considering her son and the silver involved, so she decided to endure it for now.
To Lin Yue, Mrs. Zhou was nothing more than an insignificant person. Even knowing what Mrs. Zhou was up to, Lin Yue couldn’t bother to pay attention. Out of recognition for Mrs. Zhou’s sensibility, Lin Yue took another five taels of silver from her purse.
“Elder Brother has been sick, and he looks much thinner. Take this silver to buy ingredients. Make him some delicious food to nourish his body. Don’t be too frugal. I’ll give more if it’s not enough,” Lin Yue said as she handed the silver to Xixi, who passed it on to Mrs. Zhou.
“Ah, yes, don’t worry, I will certainly make him lots of good food. Your elder brother has lost a lot of vitality because of his illness and needs to replenish it. You always think things through, Er Ya,” Mrs. Zhou said delightfully, clutching the silver tightly, further reinforcing the idea in her mind that soft tactics were the way to deal with this girl. See, just a few soft words, and the silver came her way.
Lin Yue wasn’t blind to the greed on Mrs. Zhou’s face, but if she could use a bit of silver to buy herself peace and quiet, why not?
After leaving Lin Youfu’s house, Lin Yue visited Zhao Yunxiang at Lin Genfa’s house and had a brief conversation before leaving in her carriage. Zhao Dahuo and his wife stayed behind in Shanglin Village. Since Lin Yue had returned to the village, someone needed to stay and look after things, just in case Zhao Yunxiang suddenly passed away and there were not enough hands to help.
Upon returning to Zhao Family Village, the first thing Lin Yue did was to have someone prepare hot water for her. It was very inconvenient to wash up while away from home, especially staying in Lin Youfu’s house. Although Mrs. Zhou claimed that the bedding was clean and freshly changed, Lin Yue could still see stains on it. Mrs. Zhou had always been lazy, and it was unclear whether the stains were from not being washed properly or at all. Regardless, there was a distinctive smell that made Lin Yue, who was somewhat fastidious about cleanliness, uncomfortable. She barely endured it for one night and hadn’t expected to stay in Shanglin Village, otherwise, she would have made proper preparations and brought everything necessary, as the carriage made transportation easy.
After a thorough bath, she felt much refreshed. Lazily lying on the soft couch, Lin Yue let a maid help dry her hair while she called Madam Xu to her side to inquire about the household and the progress of various workshops during the past few days. Despite being busy, she could not neglect the affairs of the home.
With Madam Xu looking after the household, everything was well-managed. Lin Yue then thought of Zhao Erhu and wondered if the person she sent had notified him and where he might be now.