Chapter 668: Chapter 666 For Such a Trivial Matter
Qi Younian had his doubts and tentatively said, “It’s a pity, Ah Qiao is truly a good child, not only skilled with a spiritual energy in craftsmanship but also a rare good-natured person. If he just wastes his life away in Hezhou, that would really be too regrettable.”
After Qi Younian finished speaking, he blew on the leaves floating on his tea and watched for the reactions of the two people attentively.
Upon hearing this, Jinrong simply replied, “Indeed, it’s a sha, but with a mother like that in Wong Qiao, he, as a son, really has no choice. By the way, do you know how the marriage arrangent between Yuanfan and Ye Zi is going? It should be nearly settled by now, right? The New Year is approaching, and if it gets delayed until after the New Year, Yuanfan is going to be quite distressed.”
Jinrong deftly shifted the topic to the marital affairs of Ye Xinyan and then took the opportunity to tease Jiang Yifan.
Qi Younian took a large gulp of tea, realizing Ye Zi’s guess and the malicious idea Jiang Yifan had co up with weren’t just to frighten Lady Zhao sick; there must be more to it. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be so indifferent to Wong Qiao burying such fine craftsmanship.
This kid is so cunning; would Ye Zi be at a disadvantage if they had a disagreent after getting married?
……
No matter how much Lady Zhao couldn’t accept it, there was nothing she could do. Things are often like this; people close to us might be too familiar or guarded, which is why they can’t accept what we say. But the sa words, when spoken by an unrelated party, can be very effective.
Lady Zhao was originally in high spirits, planning to buy everything needed before the New Year and use the leisure ti during the holiday to pack up. But Madam Qian’s words hit her hard, and she lost all her drive.
Moreover, she did feel a heaviness in her chest, as if a massive stone weighed upon her, and she could hardly eat. Wong Qiao had no choice but to disregard Lady Zhao’s protests and called for the doctor.
In truth, Lady Zhao felt unwell, but she also knew that her discomfort was more due to her mood.
It wasn’t just because the prosperity she had envisioned beca a pipe dream, a source of trouble leading to her restlessness. Moreover, she felt stifled that she couldn’t voice her frustration; she didn’t want Qi Younian, Ye Xinyan, and the others to know her true state.
She had just had a falling out with Qi Younian over the Three Thousand Taels of Silver a few days ago. Then Wong Qiao inford Qi Younian that he and his mother would leave to return to their hotown and would no longer work for the Qi family. Following that, she suffered a blow and beca sick with accumulation of stress.
She would rather have people think she fell ill from catching a cold or overexerting herself while buying gifts for relatives back ho than let Qi Younian and the others learn from the doctor that her illness was caused by emotional distress.
However, with the New Year right around the corner and their plans to start the journey ho on the tenth day of the first month of the lunar year, they surely couldn’t travel while she was ill, could they? Lady Zhao always valued her reputation highly; she couldn’t leave in front of these people feeling humiliated. Even if going back ho ant hardship, she had to keep her back straight; she couldn’t let anyone look down on her.
Before, Lady Zhao kept complaining that as the New Year was approaching, Wong Qiao was still incredibly busy, even busier than before, and had no ti to help with chores at ho.
But now that Wong Qiao had stopped working, he had nothing else to do but to stay at ho, accompany Lady Zhao, and continuously comfort her.
“It’s almost unbelievable,” Lady Zhao, with her weary face, sat on the kang, drinking the dicine that Xiuqin had brought to the last drop. Handing back the empty bowl to Xiuqin, she said, “The remaining prescription mustn’t be brewed anymore, it’s not good to drink dicine during the New Year. We’re hoping for good ons for the coming year.”
Xiuqin hesitated for a mont, glancing at Wong Qiao. Insisting on seeing the doctor and preparing the dicine had been her cousin’s doing. After taking two out of three prescribed doses, Lady Zhao’s condition had seemingly improved. As for whether to continue with the dicine, whose advice should she take?
Wong Qiao was sitting on the edge of the kang next to Lady Zhao, trying to persuade her, “I think the dicine is really effective. Your complexion looks much better today. It would be best to finish the last dose. Tomorrow is only New Year’s Eve; it’s not the official start of the holidays yet.”
Lady Zhao waved her hand impatiently, saying, “No need. I wasn’t seriously ill in the first place, see? I’m fine. The doctor said there’s nothing seriously wrong with , just a bit of anxiety, a bit of pent-up frustration. Arguing with like this, will that improve my mood? No amount of dicine will help if I’m not happy.”
Wong Qiao had no choice but to say to Xiuqin, “Then let’s follow my mother’s wishes. You should go rest early. Xiao Cui is here to take care of her.”
Xiuqin had no choice but to agree and take the dicine bowl out. Although she didn’t have much work to do, being with Lady Zhao every single day was quite uncomfortable. Fortunately, she knew how to be accommodating, and her days were not too difficult. These past few days, with her cousin around, she had more free ti to do her own things.
As she walked away, her heart filled with lancholy. Life had been going well, but Lady Zhao wouldn’t listen to anyone, which led to her cousin no longer being able to work in the Qi family. What was astonishing was that Lady Zhao took to heart just a few idle remarks from outsiders, and now look, she’s sick.
If only they had known this would happen, her cousin might have spent a few coins to hire soone to chat with Lady Zhao, perhaps then they wouldn’t have needed to return to the countryside.
Sigh. Now, all she could hope for was that Lady Zhao would continue to live her small, modest life and still think highly of her, letting her marry her cousin and stay at the Wong Residence. That would be much better than going back to her own ho to be married off to soone unknown.
Thinking about it earnestly, given a choice, she would rather stay in the Qi family, no matter what status she had. Bi Ning, who had served the young lady before, was just a servant girl, yet when she married, she chose a young craftsman for herself, not only was she emancipated, but the young lady also gave her a generous dowry. Now, the couple works in the Peach Grove in Clear Water Village, living a life that’s much more carefree.
Of course, she didn’t dare compare herself to Bi Ning, who after all had co from a princely household, and even though her contract had been given to the young lady, she was still held in special regard. But Xiuqin believed that as long as she worked well for the Qi family, the outco would be much better than being a daughter-in-law for Lady Zhao.
Seeing that it was getting late, Wong Qiao said to Lady Zhao, “Mother, you should rest early. Tomorrow morning, I’ll accompany you for a walk. The doctor did say, getting more exercise is good for the spirits.”
Lady Zhao showed little interest, responding half-heartedly, “Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. Every household is busy hanging couplets, chatting idly at ho, and preparing the evening al. The shops will all be closed, and the streets deserted. Better we don’t go.”
Wong Qiao stood up, smiling, “We’re just going for a walk, not shopping for anything. It doesn’t matter whether the streets are bustling or not.”
Lady Zhao still shook her head. After a long silence, she asked Wong Qiao, “Do you resent ? You had a good job in the Qi family, and who knows, in the future, you might have beco a prestigious chief manager in the capital. If you return to Hezhou with , you would have to start again as an ordinary craftsman, earning that laborious, hard-earned money. Do you bla ?”
As Lady Zhao spoke, she scrutinized Wong Qiao’s face intensely, frightened of missing even the slightest change in his expression. He was the child she had carried for ten months, the one she had single-handedly raised, playing the role of both father and mother. If he resented her, his mother, for such a trivial matter, her life would be too miserable, all her years of hardship wasted.
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