Yet Mrs. Yan still felt troubled in her heart, so she pulled Mrs. Chen aside and said, "Miss Chen, to express my apologies, why don’t you co to my house for dinner? I have just been embroidering so flowers at ho and I would like you to help see how they turned out."
Mrs. Chen didn’t want to inconvenience her, but couldn’t resist Mrs. Yan’s enthusiastic invitation, and had just agreed to go when Ruan Mian arrived.
"Sister-in-law."
She heard from her mother that Mrs. Chen was here, and she had specially brought so newly developed incense powder from her aunt in the garrison to discuss with Mrs. Chen.
Seeing Mrs. Yan intending to invite her for dinner, Ruan Mian simply suggested, "I just went to the garrison shop today and brought back quite a lot of delicious food. Miss Yan, why don’t you co to us and have dinner together?"
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Yan’s eyes flickered and she quickly declined politely.
"I won’t trouble Miss Ruan. Since you have important matters to discuss with Miss Chen, I will schedule another day to invite Miss Chen over."
Without waiting for Ruan Mian to insist, Mrs. Yan hurriedly left.
Watching her back, Ruan Mian frowned slightly, feeling that Mrs. Yan’s expression just now was sowhat evasive.
Seeing this, she inquired more from Mrs. Chen.
"Sister-in-law, do you often associate closely with Mrs. Yan? I noticed that her husband stood up for you this ti, which must be due to the relationship between you two."
Mrs. Chen didn’t deny the relationship between them, but she was surprised that Yan Yi would help her in such a way.
Ruan Mian had made up her mind, first taking her back to the house.
The next day, the Magistrate unexpectedly sent a servant to invite Ruan Mian to go to Wuheng City.
This was a private trip, and there was no need to go to the governnt office; the newly appointed Lord Prefect wished to see her.
Upon hearing this news, Ruan Mian was a bit startled, and after sending the servant away, she went to freshen up.
However, just as she was leaving, she saw Mrs. Yan looking for Mrs. Chen again.
Once more, she was inviting Mrs. Chen to her ho, and although Mrs. Chen didn’t want to trouble her, she thought better of it and decided against it.
But Mrs. Yan was insistent, with a sowhat forceful attitude.
Ruan Mian couldn’t help but watch for a mont longer, before deciding to walk over.
Mrs. Yan saw her again, and hesitated for a mont, but quickly put on a smile, "Miss Ruan, are you going out?"
Ruan Mian smiled slightly but shook her head, "Not at all. Yesterday I took my sister-in-law away from Miss Yan’s hands; is Miss Yan planning to invite my sister-in-law over for a delicious al today? I wonder if I can have the honor as well."
The two of them were slightly startled, evidently surprised by Ruan Mian’s initiative.
Mrs. Yan laughed awkwardly, and after a mont of embarrassnt, hurriedly nodded, "Of course you have the honor!"
"Miss Ruan has helped us so much, how could she not be honored? Why not co with us!"
Seeing Mianmian agree to go, Mrs. Chen also found it hard to refuse.
Thus, Ruan Mian and Mrs. Chen accepted the invitation to visit Mrs. Yan’s ho.
Ruan Mian had t Mrs. Yan several tis before, all related to the family’s cloth workshop.
Her skillful hands and excellent embroidery had led her mother to ntion her several tis.
Outsiders also said that she and her husband were deeply affectionate; their family had been degraded to slave status and sent to Wuheng for labor.
Originally from Yuanzhou, not too far from Wuheng, the couple survived with their family in Wuheng, which wasn’t easy.
Currently, Ruan Mian still had a favorable impression of this Mrs. Yan.
However, just now, seeing her evasive gaze, Ruan Mian felt sothing was amiss.
Perhaps due to dealing with people who were cunning, Ruan Mian habitually pondered things more.
Especially when it concerned her own family.
She glanced at Mrs. Chen beside her; on this journey, Mrs. Yan frequently ntioned her husband, inadvertently making Mrs. Chen’s expression more forlorn.
Ruan Mian understood her sadness and gently held Mrs. Chen’s hand, speaking softly to comfort her.
"Sister-in-law, don’t be sad; there’s always a brighter day ahead. I have spoken with my brother, and he doesn’t know why he has beco like this either."
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Chen suddenly felt compassionate for Ruan Qingsong.
"Mianmian, what happened to your brother that he beca like this? I know he must also be feeling deeply uncomfortable, and as his wife, I can’t even help him; instead, I..."
"Sister-in-law, don’t think that way. We can continue to be his support behind the scenes, which is indeed the greatest support for him. I believe brother will surely co to understand."
With these words from Ruan Mian, Mrs. Chen also wrestled internally.
At this mont, she shouldn’t add to the chaos; it was best to give Asong so ti, and perhaps let Brother Jing and Asong spend more ti together.
Perhaps their own son could awaken so of his mories?
Just as she was lost in thought, they arrived at Mrs. Yan’s ho.
Mrs. Yan enthusiastically invited them in, but as they passed a small room, she tightened her expression and lowered her voice.
"Miss Ruan, Miss Chen, let’s keep our voice down. My mother-in-law is unwell and bedridden; she has been quite troubled recently."
As she spoke, her expression dimd.
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Chen hurriedly glanced at Ruan Mian and whispered, "I wonder how your mother-in-law is doing now?"
"No wonder you’ve rarely co to the cloth workshop these days; it must be because of your mother-in-law, right?"
Mrs. Chen said sympathetically.
At the sa ti, Mrs. Yan suddenly thought of sothing and looked at Ruan Mian pleadingly.
"Miss Ruan, I just suddenly rembered that you are knowledgeable about dicine! My mother-in-law’s leg has suddenly beco unable to get out of bed, just in the past few days. I went to Wuheng City to consult a doctor, but he couldn’t find the cause, only advising my mother-in-law to rest well."
"But if my mother-in-law remains bedridden, her health will only worsen; we must at least find out the cause of her leg issue to treat it properly!"
"Miss Ruan, your dical skill is superb, and I am working at your cloth workshop; I harbor no other intentions! I sincerely request Miss Ruan to show rcy and perhaps examine my mother-in-law now!"
After listening to her, Ruan Mian did not refuse.
Thinking she had co all this way, and seeing Mrs. Chen’s look indicating the sa intention, she agreed, "But my dicine box is still at ho..."
"I will imdiately go and get it for you! Miss Chen, you might as well go to another room and wait for a while while I bring the dicine box over."
Ruan Mian nodded, first heading to her mother-in-law’s room to diagnose the situation, determining what action to take once her dicine box had arrived.
Mrs. Yan led Ruan Mian into the small room first; at this mont, her mother-in-law was lying on the bed. Seeing Mrs. Yan bring a stranger in, her face darkened.
"I just heard Brother Ming say you were planning to invite that Miss Chen to our ho for a al?"
"How much food do we have at ho; are you not aware? As a woman, how can you casually decide to bring soone to the house!! Your husband hasn’t said anything yet!"
Regarding her mother-in-law’s dissatisfaction, Mrs. Yan replied respectfully, "Mother-in-law is right; I won’t do that in the future."
"But mother-in-law, this is Miss Chen’s sister, Miss Ruan; I specifically invited Miss Ruan to examine your ailnt. Miss Ruan’s dical skills are surely superior to those of those doctors outside!"
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