CHAPTER 383: CHAPTER 365: TREATMENT CANNOT REPLACE FAMILY LOVE (2)_2

Mrs. Sang, the County Magistrate’s Wife’s best friend, is a typical example of saving face while suffering.

On the surface, she appears to be very courteous, but she is not generous.

The Sang family’s money is not much, incomparable to the Zhao family. The Sang family is just a bit better off than the poor County Magistrate Li Lixing’s father.

Li Yuzhu smiled and said, "Mrs. Zhao, you misunderstand. It’s not that I think the consultation fee is too little, but rather, I cannot replace the people close to Old Mrs. Zhao. To her, I am just a stranger. Even if she chats with me, it’s about trivial matters and she wouldn’t open her heart to me."

"..."

"And such an illness requires family companionship to help her relieve her worries. As an outsider, how would I know what’s on Old Mrs. Zhao’s mind?"

"..."

"If she has any unpleasant matters or secrets in her heart, like where she hides her money, she certainly won’t tell me when she’s clear-headed."

Mrs. Zhao’s eyes suddenly lit up, realizing something.

Indeed, what if Old Mrs. Zhao suddenly becomes clear-minded and reveals the place where she hides money, and Mrs. Zhao is not there with her...

Mrs. Zhao said, "You’re right, taking care of elders falls to us, the younger generation."

Just empty words.

Li Yuzhu gave a sarcastic smile in her heart but said aloud, "Mrs. Zhao, you are absolutely right, but caring for Old Mrs. Zhao is exhausting. You are busy with household matters, why not take turns with others? A happy mood speeds recovery. Just agree with whatever she says and play along with whatever she wants to do. A good mood leads to fast recovery."

Mrs. Zhao was thinking about Old Mrs. Zhao’s fortune and didn’t oppose what Li Yuzhu said anymore.

She even took the initiative to go over and talk to Old Mrs. Zhao.

Old Mrs. Zhao looked at her, "Lai Qing’s family, can I have soy sauce pig’s trotter tonight? And some osmanthus wine?"

The nanny beside Old Mrs. Zhao widened her eyes. She is the one from Lai Qing’s family; her husband is named Lai Qing, hence everyone calls her Lai Qing’s family.

Mrs. Zhao glanced at the one actually from Lai Qing’s family, reluctant to respond, but Old Mrs. Zhao kept asking her, and Li Yuzhu also treated Mrs. Zhao as Lai Qing’s family, "Lai Qing’s family, perhaps Old Mrs. Zhao didn’t eat well at lunch and wants something good for dinner."

Old Mrs. Zhao rubbed her stomach, "Hmm, I didn’t eat well at lunch."

Mrs. Zhao had no choice but to say, "Alright, alright, we’ll have soy sauce pig’s trotter and osmanthus wine for dinner."

After saying this, she waved to the Housekeeper, signaling her to instruct the kitchen.

After talking about food, Old Mrs. Zhao called out to Mrs. Zhao again, "Lai Qing’s family, I need to use the restroom, help me to the outhouse."

With that, she got up to grab Mrs. Zhao’s shoulder.

This time Mrs. Zhao refused, signaling with her eyes for the actual Lai Qing’s family to help Old Mrs. Zhao.

However, Old Mrs. Zhao, despite her confusion, was stubborn, refusing anyone else’s help, only holding onto Mrs. Zhao.

"Hurry up, I can barely hold it in." Old Mrs. Zhao clutched her stomach, starting to lose her temper.

Mrs. Zhao clearly remembered that when Old Mrs. Zhao couldn’t hold it in last time, she resolved it in the garden in front of the main house, which had been just urination, but if it were to be a bowel movement this time, it would be troublesome.

"Alright, alright, I’ll take you." Mrs. Zhao held back her impatience, supporting Old Mrs. Zhao to relieve herself.

The Zhao family masters did not have to go to the servants’ outhouse, there was a chamber pot in a small room on the side of the main house.

After use, it would be cleaned and returned for use.

It’s just that rinsing it out was troublesome.

Today, while relieving herself, Old Mrs. Zhao held onto Mrs. Zhao, continuing to call her "Lai Qing’s family," because the person serving her was usually Lai Qing’s family.

When Old Mrs. Zhao finished, Mrs. Zhao was nearly overwhelmed with exhaustion.

After washing her hands and changing her clothes, she breathed in several gulps of osmanthus fragrance to catch her breath.

Seeing her pale face, Li Yuzhu couldn’t help but curl her lips.

Old Mrs. Zhao, meanwhile, with the help of a maid, also washed her hands and changed her clothes.

At this moment, the maid who had brewed the medicine brought it over.

Li Yuzhu smelled the medicine and said, "It’s not too hot, let’s take the medicine, Old Mrs. Zhao."

"Lai Qing’s family, bring some candied dates, I’m afraid of the bitterness." Old Mrs. Zhao looked at the bowl on the table, refusing to take the medicine.

"Fetch some, fetch some." Mrs. Zhao waved to the maid.

The maid quickly ran to the kitchen and brought back a small dish slightly larger than her palm, filled with shiny, dark red candied dates with two small bamboo picks placed on the dish for eating.

Like a child, Old Mrs. Zhao first ate two dates.

Li Yuzhu coaxed her, "Old Mrs. Zhao, take the medicine first."

"Okay, take the medicine, take the medicine." Old Mrs. Zhao didn’t want to be fed by others and drank the medicine in one gulp, "So bitter, so bitter."

She stuck out her tongue and ate all the remaining candied dates.

"Lai Qing’s family, tea." After finishing the dates, Old Mrs. Zhao demanded again.

"Old Mrs. Zhao, you just took the medicine, you can’t drink tea, how about some plain water?" Li Yuzhu suggested.

"Rinse my mouth, bitter." Old Mrs. Zhao pointed at her mouth.

It seemed she misunderstood, Li Yuzhu laughed and said, "Yes, yes, rinsing your mouth, that way it won’t taste bitter anymore."

Thus, "maid" Mrs. Zhao went to bring some clear tea for Old Mrs. Zhao to rinse her mouth.

After everything was settled, Old Mrs. Zhao yawned and said, "I’m sleepy, Lai Qing’s family, make the bed."

She stood up and walked.

However, she was walking in the wrong direction, heading towards the door of her bedroom.

Mrs. Zhao pulled her back, "Old Mrs. Zhao, the bed is that way."

"Oh." Old Mrs. Zhao glanced at her and obediently followed her.

Mrs. Zhao patiently comforted Old Mrs. Zhao until she fell asleep.

With the troublemaker quieted, the maids and old women in the room all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Watch carefully, no mistakes allowed." Mrs. Zhao instructed everyone, then left the place.

Li Yuzhu, with her sharp eyes, clearly saw that Mrs. Zhao left as if she was escaping.

As for the others, they all started slacking off, either dozing off or closing their eyes to rest on Old Mrs. Zhao’s rocking chair.

Only one of the youngest maids didn’t slack off, probably more honest; she was playing by idly dusting a chair with a feather duster.

Li Yuzhu walked to the bedside to check Old Mrs. Zhao’s pulse after taking the medicine.

To avoid waking Old Mrs. Zhao, she moved very lightly.

At this moment, she heard a soft sigh from within the curtain.

Was Old Mrs. Zhao not asleep?

Li Yuzhu lifted the curtain to look, and Old Mrs. Zhao had her eyes closed, seemingly sleeping peacefully.

However, her breathing was not even.

Clearly, Old Mrs. Zhao was not asleep.

"Old Mrs. Zhao, are you asleep?" Li Yuzhu asked softly.

Old Mrs. Zhao, in her confusion, would usually open her eyes when asked.

But she guessed wrong, Old Mrs. Zhao didn’t wake up.

Li Yuzhu called softly again, still not waking her up.

Did she hear wrong?

Since everyone was resting, Li Yuzhu also went outside to rest, heading to the pavilion in the yard.

In the pavilion sat Li Xing’an, yawning out of boredom.

"Third Brother, she went over."

Li Xing’an took a glance inside, "How is the Old Mrs. Zhao? Earlier I heard an old lady angrily scolding people, now it’s quiet."

Li Yuzhu said, "Old Mrs. Zhao took her medicine and fell asleep, so I have time to rest now."

Li Xing’an replied with an "Oh," "So when will we leave?"

Leave? Li Yuzhu smiled and said, "The Zhao family’s Mrs. Zhao won’t let me leave yet, I can only go when Old Mrs. Zhao’s illness improves significantly. However, this illness won’t show improvement in two or three months, or even three to five months."

"What?" Li Xing’an was immediately shocked.