The hut was covered with a layer of thatch, and a layer of moss grew lightly on the stone steps in front of the house. Zheng Yu jumped over the moss and followed Zheng Chen and Mrs. Xiao into the house. When Zheng Chen opened the door, she discovered that there was a cave in the room.
In the wooden cabin, the hall, reception room, bedroom, and study are all clearly visible and organized. Sunlight filters through the thatch on the roof and enters the house, illuminating the room brightly and warmly. Every piece of furniture is simple and clean, seemingly ordinary and the most extraordinary. Each piece has been aged and has a thick patina. . The room was spotless, every corner was clean. Zheng Yu put on the shoes that Zheng Chen took out and timidly walked into the room, not daring to raise his eyes.
Mrs. Xiao sat on a wooden chair in the hall and raised her hand to signal Zheng Chen to pour tea. Zheng Chen spent a long time tinkering outside the door, changed into a clean shirt, wiped his hands and face clean, then changed his shoes and walked into the house to fill the three teacups in front of him.
When the eldest lady of Zhennan Mansion offered tea, Zheng Yu naturally did not dare to neglect her. She took the tea cup politely, took a sip, and said in surprise: "Thank you, madam, for the hospitality. This tea is so sweet."
Mrs. Xiao smiled and motioned for Zheng Chen to sit down as well. Zheng Chen was sitting aside, wearing gloves and picking herbs from the basket. The two of them were chatting. Zheng Chen was busy with his hands and did not forget to turn around and say a few words.
Mrs. Xiao picked up her teacup and asked, "Xiaoyu, how old are you this year, and what books have you been reading recently?"
Zheng Yu sat upright and replied obediently: "Reporting to Madam, I am six years old this year, and I don't know many words yet. I only read San, Qian, Bai, and Qionglin in kindergarten."
Mrs. Xiao nodded and said: "Three Character Classic, Hundred Family Surnames, Thousand Character Classic, it is already remarkable that you can recite it by heart at your age."
But Zheng Chen tossed his hair and interrupted: "Mom, Xiaoyu is being modest. Xiaoyu, please recite "Poetry" and then recite "Jingnu"."
Zheng Yu had no choice but to speak: "Jing Nu Qishu, I'm waiting for you in the corner of the city. I love you but don't see you. I scratch my head and hesitate..."
She only recited the beginning and her face turned red - this clearly meant that she had just deceived Mrs. Xiao. Mrs. Xiao didn't have any anger at all. Instead, she looked into Zheng Yu's eyes and praised with a smile: "Reciting it is really good, smooth and rhythmic. Neem, you study hard, asking you to endorse it is like making things difficult for you." It’s amazing.”
Zheng Chen also laughed: "Mom, who said I won't memorize it? I just think that memorizing those sentences about 'xi' coming and 'xi' going is not as interesting as cultivating medicine later."
After she finished speaking, she raised a handful of herbs in her hand and asked Zheng Yu: "Xiaoyu, do you recognize this herb?"
The herb was disheveled and looked no different from ordinary weeds. It was extremely difficult to identify, but Zheng Yu replied honestly: "Yes, this is the rhizome of the japonicus flower. It is boiled with fuxianmu and tangerine peel to nourish blood and reduce fever." , is the best way to cure the loss of heart energy." After she finished speaking, she looked at the mother and daughter opposite with some anxiety, as if she was afraid that she would be punished if she memorized it incorrectly.
Unexpectedly, Mrs. Xiao and Zheng Chen looked at each other and laughed in unison.
"She is indeed Lan Zhiqing's daughter. Fu'er, you are still thinking about being a younger sister, but you didn't expect that you would make fun of this generous family, right?"
Zheng Chen shook his head: "I knew Xiaoyu was good, but I didn't expect Xiaoyu to be so good! I'm a master of tricks in my class, so Xiaoyu accepts my obeisance——"
As she spoke, she held the medicinal herbs in her hands and bowed to Zheng Yu. The two of them laughed again. Although Zheng Yu was a little confused, he was infected by the cheerful air in the room and couldn't help laughing.
The three of them laughed for a while, then Mrs. Xiao suddenly coughed a few times, and the room suddenly became quiet. Zheng Yu saw his sister put down the basket and stood up. She took out a red handkerchief from her lapel and handed it to Mrs. Xiao. Mrs. Xiao wiped the water stains on her chin with a handkerchief. Zheng Chen immediately took the handkerchief, glanced at it, said "I'm going to work first" and entered the kitchen with the selected herbs.
Zheng Yu watched her leave, and his body wanted to follow her out, but his legs and feet seemed to be fixed and unable to move. She lowered her head and heard Mrs. Xiao cough a few more times. She hurriedly jumped up from the chair, took out the handkerchief and handed it over, but she did not dare to look directly at Mrs. Xiao.
As soon as her white handkerchief touched Mrs. Xiao's lips, a bright red color suddenly appeared. Zheng Yu's hands trembled. She recited the prescription her mother taught her in her mind, but her mind became a mess. Seeing the blood on the handkerchief gradually spreading, Zheng Yu's tears began to fall down.
She heard a few gentle laughs. Mrs. Xiao took her handkerchief, hugged her and held her on her lap. She covered her eyes with her other hand, her skin feeling cool.
"Little Rain Baby," Mrs. Xiao hugged her, her voice a little dry, "Believe me, you will become a great person in the future."
"So, when that time comes...if possible, can I ask you to help my daughter?"
Zheng Yu heard Mrs. Xiao's voice getting closer and closer, until it was close to her ear: "She is the last work left by me, Xiao Jing, in this life, Xiaoyu, after all, I can't always be by your side, so, as Mei'er, you My sister...must..."
She held her breath and waited for Mrs. Xiao to finish her words, but she didn't hear her continue. Zheng Yu took off Mrs. Xiao's hand from his face, only to find that Mrs. Xiao had a pale face and had fallen asleep at some point.
/
Han Ling and Zheng Yu drove non-stop for two days before arriving at the gate of Ming City.
"When we enter the city later, we need to let the horse rest first." Han Ling, dressed as a coachman, wiped his sweat and said with a smile, "I feel exhausted all the way here, let alone the horse."
Zheng Yu was sitting in the car and teased him: "Since you know you are tired and you still run so fast, is it because you are afraid of my eldest sister and is driving faster?"
Han Ling smiled and dismounted, holding the horse's reins and walking slowly towards the city gate. He raised his hand and pressed it, so that his mask could be worn firmly on his face, and then said in a rough voice: "Miss, don't you dare to say this nonsense——" Halfway through, he raised his voice again, "—— Because even if I want to deny it, I can’t deny it.”
Hearing Zheng Yu being amused by her, Han Ling breathed a sigh of relief, changed his voice and asked, "Zheng Yu, which voice do you think is better?"
Zheng Yu didn't speak for a long time. When she spoke, he lowered his voice and said in a low voice, "In my opinion - it must be - this is better -"
Han Ling laughed for a while and said, "You and eldest sister don't look alike, but with such a low voice, you are somewhat similar."
Zheng Yu asked, "Don't we look alike?" After receiving Han Ling's negative answer, she smiled and said, "It's strange. In the past, during the holidays, people who came to visit us for New Year greetings would always say that we look alike. I and Although my sister was not born to the same mother, I have always felt that our looks should be very similar."
After she finished speaking, Han Ling continued: "It's impossible to tell. In the past, Zhuchen's younger brother Xiaojue liked to come to my house to play. He and my younger brother Xiaojie were similar in age. Sometimes the guests would admit their mistake and They would point at Xiaojue and me and say, 'You two brothers look really alike.'"
After he finished speaking, he seemed to see the past scenes again through the warm yellow twilight - the guests in rich clothes, the well-behaved and smart Xu Zhujue, Han Jie who was so angry that he kept jumping around, his mother and father who were laughing so hard... It wasn't until Zheng Yu coughed a few times that he came back to his senses.
The guards guarding the city have appeared in front of them. Han Ling calmed down the expression on his face and pretended to be dull and honest.
"Miss—" Han Ling shouted roughly, "sit tight, we are about to enter Mingcheng."
