CHAPTER 387: CHAPTER 369: A GIFT THAT CANNOT BE IMMEDIATELY UNWRAPPED (3)

The two children saw Li Yuzhu and Li Xing’an, excitedly calling out to them.

"Once inside, do not be too naughty, do not make noise; Old Mrs. Zhao is not well and needs quiet." Li Yuzhu reminded them.

"We got it." The two kids replied in unison.

Upon entering the residence, everyone customarily first paid respects to Mrs. Zhao.

Mrs. Zhao this morning was once again looking after the elderly lady.

But was irritated to the point of illness by the elderly lady, and now she was in her room resting with her eyes closed.

Seeing Sister-in-law Chai and Li Yuzhu arrive, she impatiently waved her hand, instructing the maid to take Li Yuzhu and the others to the back yard.

Li Xing’an, being a gentleman, paid his respects to Old Mrs. Zhao as usual before being left to rest in the pavilion.

Li Yuzhu and Sister-in-law Chai brought the two children into the room to accompany Old Mrs. Zhao.

Old Mrs. Zhao saw Li Yuzhu coming and averted her gaze.

"From Lai Qing’s family, from Lai Qing’s family? Jing Niang brought the children here, quickly bring the snacks." Old Mrs. Zhao loudly instructed the nanny inside, and called Li Yuzhu Jing Niang.

Li Yuzhu, "..." Is the old lady truly confused, or just pretending?

Observing the brain structure, indeed some parts of brain tissue showed signs of atrophy.

This could cause mixed-up speech and also impact memory and the ability to act.

Yet last night, Old Mrs. Zhao’s eyes were so clear, like a normal person.

Li Yuzhu felt a bit perplexed.

Sister-in-law Chai saw her confusing Li Yuzhu with her forty-year-old daughter once more, and couldn’t help but let out a long sigh.

The arrival of the two children brought some smiles to Old Mrs. Zhao’s face.

Li Yuzhu watched the maid assist Old Mrs. Zhao with her medicine, then let the children play counting games with her.

Counting from one to one hundred wasn’t difficult for the two kids, but with Old Mrs. Zhao’s decreased memory, she often counted back and forth, never reaching one hundred.

Li Jing and Chai Tianlang would frequently correct and remind her.

Just counting took them an hour to play together.

After counting, they played chess.

Counting was Li Jing and Chai Tianlang’s forte, but playing chess was a bit too challenging for two three or four-year-old children.

Li Jing and Chai Tianlang only knew a little, whereas Old Mrs. Zhao used to have very high skills in chess.

Now, although old and confused, she hadn’t completely forgotten.

This time, Old Mrs. Zhao ended up teaching the two children how to play chess.

The two kids were sometimes mischievous, sometimes focused, unknowingly keeping Old Mrs. Zhao company until dinner time.

The nanny from Lai Qing’s family made arrangements for dinner to be sent over; everyone accompanied the old lady for dinner.

After dinner, Old Mrs. Zhao again walked and played with the children before having snacks together.

A maid reported Old Mrs. Zhao’s condition to Mrs. Zhao.

Whenever Mrs. Zhao didn’t visit Old Mrs. Zhao, she would arrange for a trusted maid to stand in for her.

She worried that the elderly lady might disclose the hidden money to someone, thus she needed to be vigilant at all times.

"The elderly lady did not get angry this afternoon and played very well with the two children brought by Miss Li." The maid reported.

"Did she mention anything about money?" Mrs. Zhao asked.

"No, not a single word, she only said to let the children come play again tomorrow."

"Alright then, she’ll spare me a day’s trouble." Mrs. Zhao did not oppose Li Yuzhu and Sister-in-law Chai bringing the children to play again tomorrow.

The next day, Li Yuzhu and Sister-in-law Chai again brought the children to accompany Old Mrs. Zhao.

They arrived early today, just after breakfast.

As Li Yuzhu and the others walked into the courtyard, Old Mrs. Zhao was still taking her walk, picking a bunch of osmanthus branches to bring to them.

"Fragrant, so fragrant, come, come, pick some and put them into the pocket. Jing Niang, you love osmanthus the most, this big bunch is for you."

Old Mrs. Zhao stuffed a big bunch of osmanthus branches into Li Yuzhu’s hands.

She hadn’t mistaken the flowers; she indeed picked osmanthus.

"The old lady is in very good spirits today; after waking up, she wanted to go for a walk in the garden, she would usually get lost, but today she did not." Smiled the member from Lai Qing’s family who accompanied Old Mrs. Zhao.

The two children joyfully ran forward, one tugging on her left sleeve, the other the right, "Hello, grand-aunt."

"Good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good. It’s drizzling outside, isn’t it? Quickly come inside, beware of getting wet." Old Mrs. Zhao used her hands to shield the two children.

Everyone was puzzled and exchanged glances; was she confused again?

Old Mrs. Zhao was sometimes clear-headed, sometimes confused, everyone had gotten used to it.

No matter if what she said was true or false, everyone just listened without contradiction.

When children were playing there, Old Mrs. Zhao’s mood was considerably stable.

Li Yuzhu tended to Old Mrs. Zhao taking her medicine, and after dinner she bade farewell.

According to the prior agreement, she came to town twice a month, each time only staying three days at the Zhao family.

Now three days had passed, she was leaving.

But at this moment, Old Mrs. Zhao stopped Li Yuzhu and Sister-in-law Chai.

"Wait a moment, you two." She sat on the chair and said to the maid and nanny inside, "You two take the children outside first, once we’ve finished speaking, then you can come back."

The nanny from Lai Qing’s family was uneasy, "Old lady, how can the room be unattended?"

"Aren’t they people?" Old Mrs. Zhao pointed at Li Yuzhu and Sister-in-law Chai, speaking sternly.

Her expression was so serious it was intimidating, as if the old lady from the past who was decisive had returned!

The person from Lai Qing’s family froze, "Yes, elderly lady."

She waved to the maids, who took Li Jing and Chai Tianlang outside to play.

Watching the others walk far away, Old Mrs. Zhao slightly sighed and took out two envelopes from her sleeve.

"These are for you; keep them."

One envelope had "Xiang Shiyun" written on it, and the other "Li Yuzhu from the Li Family."

Both were written in elegant plum blossom script.

During her days at the Zhao family, Li Yuzhu had become familiar with Old Mrs. Zhao’s handwriting, and the characters on these two envelopes were indeed by Old Mrs. Zhao.

The seal imprinted at the closure showed the security measures were quite rigorous.

Li Yuzhu and Sister-in-law Chai glanced at each other, both extremely surprised, unsure of what the elderly lady intended.

"Old lady, what is this?" The two dared not accept, asking in unison.

"Simply keep them, but do not open them today. Wait until one day I am no more, and then invite Lord County Magistrate, open them in the presence of him and the Zhao family, the contents inside are gifts to you, you must not transfer them to anyone else, especially not to the Zhao Family."

The expression just now when speaking didn’t resemble that of a confused person, but now gifting items, could it be she was confused again?

"Old lady, how can this be? How could we take your belongings?" Sister-in-law Chai didn’t dare accept, "My husband and I have benefited much from your help with our shop, we haven’t repaid you yet, how can we accept gifts? Old lady, please take them back." Sister-in-law Chai waved her hands repeatedly.

Li Yuzhu felt even more embarrassed accepting, "Old Mrs. Zhao, I’m neither a relative nor kin to you, and also cannot accept."

Old Mrs. Zhao’s face turned solemn as the night, she glanced at Li Yuzhu then Sister-in-law Chai, "You accept them, and you are helping me; do you not wish to help?"

The two quickly spoke, "What are you saying, old lady, of course we wish to help you."

"Then accept them, stop blabbering, many people want my things, but I don’t want to give them." Old Mrs. Zhao waved her hand, "Accept them, accept them, accept them."

She again instructed the two, this matter must not be spoken of before her death.

Clearly, she was fine one moment, continuously mentioning death the next, gifting this day again, making Li Yuzhu feel as if the elderly lady were arranging affairs.

Sister-in-law Chai also sensed this, her heart heavy, unsure what to say.

A seventy-year-old lady, sometimes confused, sometimes clear-headed, it was truly uncertain when she might suddenly depart.

After bidding farewell to Old Mrs. Zhao, Li Yuzhu and Sister-in-law Chai went to Mrs. Zhao’s main room to say goodbye.

Though Old Mrs. Zhao remained as confused as ever, her temper had improved greatly, especially when playing with children.

This earned Mrs. Zhao some appreciation for Li Yuzhu’s abilities.

"Thank you, Miss Li, for your hard work. As agreed, I’ll first pay part of the consultation fee, once our old lady is completely well, and no longer confused, I will settle the remaining hundred tael." Mrs. Zhao placed a silver ingot in front of Li Yuzhu.

Since Li Yuzhu refused to stay at the Zhao family for twelve hours a day to care for the elderly lady, the consultation fee remained unchanged, just one hundred and ten taels.

Ten taels were paid in advance, the remaining hundred later.

Li Yuzhu took it in her hand, "I’ll come to town again in half a month." She nodded slightly at Mrs. Zhao and left the main room.

After exiting the Zhao family home, Li Yuzhu and the others’ carriage first returned to Chai’s Candle Shop.

It was time to leave, yet Li Jing was reluctant to be apart from Chai Tianlang.

No matter what, he wouldn’t agree to be separated from Chai Tianlang, wanting to stay with him.

Li Yuzhu smiled and said, "Sister-in-law Chai, I’d like to take Tianlang to stay at his aunt’s place for a few days, and bring him back next time when I’m in town, what do you think?"