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Finally, Shen Youfu left with Shen Zhang shi and Shen Zhu, which brought a sense of relief to Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi. Both of them were not fools; they naturally understood what intentions the guests harbored while being here. It felt awkward, as no one would feel comfortable if guests sensed an attempt to flatter them. Now that they had left, Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi felt relieved, and even Qian Guang and Liang Fu felt more at ease.
Li Qing came to summon Shen Zi’an, asking him to come over regarding the matter with the house. She glanced at Qian Guang and Liang Fu. Earlier, someone mentioned that guests had arrived in the garden, arriving in a carriage. Looking now, it was clearly the young masters and misses from wealthy families. On closer inspection, they were all recognized as the young master and miss from the Qian family, the wealthy household.
“Zi’an, you’ve established connections with the Qian family now.”
Li Qing remarked to Shen Zi’an, his tone tinged with envy. He thought Shen Zi’an had really changed. With such a large garden at home and now even acquainted with the young master from the Qian family in town, it seemed like the young master and miss from the Qian family were quite friendly towards him and his wife.
Shen Zi’an didn’t say much, only attributing it to his acquaintance with Shen Ziju.
Meanwhile, Su Zhi strolled through the garden with Qian Guang and Liang Fu. The weeds in the garden had been cleared away, and many areas were paved with stone slabs. Some trees had been planted as well. Though it didn’t have the lushness of a proper garden, it looked neat. Especially when looking at the lush bamboo not far away, it brought a sense of freshness to the surroundings.
“In the future, we’ll plant some flowers and grass here. These trees are fruit trees, so we’ll be able to harvest fruit later on. Over there, we’ll plant a patch of grapes, and behind that, we’ll grow some grains. In the front, there will be a pond where we’ll plant lotus flowers. We’ll even build a pavilion on it. When summer comes, we can sit in the pavilion and enjoy the lotus flowers. In autumn, we can pick lotus seeds and lotus roots, and we can also fish in the pond.”
Su Zhi whispered to Liang Fu and Qian Guang. Whenever she talked about the development of her home, a soft sentiment always emerged from her heart. Because this was her home, where her family lived. She wouldn’t be alone like in her previous life. Naturally, she was filled with affection for this place.
Listening to Su Zhi’s description, Liang Fu suddenly felt envious of her. Her father held an official position, her mother came from a wealthy family, and she herself could make money through business. Naturally, she had both wealth and influence. She lacked nothing since childhood, enjoying a life of luxury and abundance. Her family not only owned houses in bustling cities but also had estates in the countryside with excellent scenery. It could be said that her lifestyle was as described by Su Zhi’s depiction of the garden months later. But despite all she had, listening to Su Zhi’s enthusiasm, Liang Fu couldn’t help but feel that Su Zhi’s ownership of this garden surpassed everything she had.
Perhaps it was because Su Zhi truly regarded this place as home.
Liang Fu thought to herself that she truly envied Su Zhi for having a loving and devoted husband. At one point, she had even been jealous of such love and such a life. She might never have that. Sometimes, when something is missed, it can never be regained.
A figure flashed through Liang Fu’s mind, and suddenly her chest began to ache.
“Miss Liang, what’s wrong?”
Qian Guang had been listening to Su Zhi’s words with a faint smile on his face, thinking that this woman’s life seemed quite enjoyable. Although she spoke of very ordinary things, the scenes she described seemed intriguing in his mind. He had been paying attention to Su Zhi when he suddenly noticed her looking at her cousin with concern. He quickly followed her gaze and saw that Liang Fu’s complexion didn’t look good, almost unnaturally pale, and she had her hand pressed against her chest.
“Cousin, what’s wrong? Are you having chest pain? Have you taken your medicine?”
Qian Guang hurried over to support Liang Fu. He knew about his cousin’s condition; she would occasionally experience chest pains, so she always carried medicine with her.
The maid who had been following behind Liang Fu quickly ran over and took out a small white porcelain bottle from the pouch hanging at Liang Fu’s waist. She opened the lid, poured two pills into her palm, and then placed them into Liang Fu’s mouth.
“Miss, shall we go back?”
The maid was a little worried, but she didn’t panic. It seemed clear to her that Liang Fu’s condition was a recurring one, and as long as she took her medicine, there shouldn’t be any major issues.
“I’m fine, don’t worry,” Liang Fu reassured them.
Seeing Qian Guang and Su Zhi’s evident concern, Liang Fu assured them, though her complexion remained pale and she still appeared in pain.
“I know my condition well. I’ll be fine in a moment; it’s nothing serious. Let me sit down over there.”
Su Zhi noticed Liang Fu pointing to a nearby stone, so she and the maid helped her over. The maid placed a handkerchief on the stone before assisting Liang Fu to sit down.
Qian Guang said, “Cousin, Aunt mentioned that your health hasn’t been good lately. I didn’t take it seriously, but I didn’t expect you to have this kind of illness. Aunt said it’s chest pain. How serious is it? Does it usually hurt like this for a while? If not, we should go back to town quickly and have the doctor take a look at you.”
Qian Guang felt anxious. If anything happened to his cousin while she was out here, even if it wasn’t his fault, he would inevitably face Aunt’s anger. Aunt doted on this daughter immensely, and he heard that even Uncle cared more for this daughter than his son.
Liang Fu smiled and said, “I’m really fine. It was just for a moment. Look, I’m much better now, aren’t I?”
Su Zhi and Qian Guang looked at Liang Fu and indeed saw that apart from her slightly pale complexion, she seemed perfectly fine. They both breathed a sigh of relief, glad that nothing serious had happened.
Su Zhi had been genuinely worried earlier. In her mind, Liang Fu appeared gentle and dignified, with a somewhat strong-willed nature. She hadn’t expected her to have such a delicate constitution, to be in pain like this. It made her realize that appearances could be deceiving. However, she admired Liang Fu’s sharp and strong-willed character, and seeing her endure the pain made her feel sympathetic.
“What kind of illness do you have, Miss Liang?” Su Zhi asked. She knew her lotus pollen was a miraculous remedy, but since she didn’t know Liang Fu well enough yet, she wouldn’t offer it. However, if she could cure Liang Fu’s illness, she would have another way to control her in the future. She remembered the way Liang Fu looked at her husband, and while she could admire a potential rival, she also had to be cautious. She wouldn’t casually give such a precious thing to someone, especially to someone who could harm her.
Liang Fu replied, “It’s just a minor illness. I occasionally experience chest pains. I’ve consulted a doctor, but they couldn’t find anything wrong with me. In the end, they prescribed some medicine to improve my mood, just for peace of mind. Actually, the medicine I have here is just a tonic; even a healthy person can take it.”
Qian Guang suggested, “Let’s invite a few more doctors to take a look.”
Liang Fu replied, “A few days ago, when my mother fell ill, we called a doctor, and I had the same doctor check me too. He still said there was nothing wrong.”
“Medicine for the heart requires understanding of the heart. Miss Liang, do you have something on your mind?”
Seeing Liang Fu, Qian Guang, and the maid all looking at her, Su Zhi hesitated. She realized that prying into someone’s heart wasn’t a good idea, especially when it came to a young lady.
“I’m just saying,” Su Zhi continued, “When people are hungry, their stomachs growl; when they’re sad, they shed tears. If you’re feeling uncomfortable in your heart, it might manifest as chest pain. I’m just speculating. But if you really have something on your mind, Miss Liang, you should talk to your parents or your loved ones about it. Sometimes, just talking about it can make things better. I’m sure they would be willing to help you achieve what you desire.”
Since she had already started, Su Zhi decided to continue. She truly didn’t want to see Liang Fu in that pained state again. They say that West lake’s pained expression is exquisite and moving, but Su Zhi had been genuinely startled earlier.
Liang Fu smiled and said, “Thank you, Sister Zhao. I really don’t have anything on my mind.”
Su Zhi looked at Liang Fu’s flickering gaze and thought to herself, Who are you trying to fool? How could you have nothing on your mind? But since Liang Fu didn’t admit it, Su Zhi didn’t press further. Their relationship hadn’t yet reached the level of closeness where such matters could be discussed openly.
As they sat there, none of them noticed a figure hiding nearby, behind some large rocks, evading detection.
The person hiding behind the rocks was none other than Sun Shi. She had come here to work too. Since Shen Youfu and his family didn’t come, they had sent their son and daughter-in-law instead. They claimed they were a family and couldn’t afford to let the village people laugh at them for not helping out. Besides, the Shen family had their reputation to uphold. Sun Shi had feigned illness all winter, but she couldn’t continue doing so now, hence her arrival. However, even though she was here to work, she wasn’t putting in much effort. She would claim to need to use the restroom and then sneak off to rest in quieter areas.
“Master Qian, Miss Liang, if you’re feeling unwell, you should come to my younger brother’s wife. She’s a miraculous healer. It’s such a shame not to seek her help when you have such a talented healer right in front of you,” Sun Shi interjected, having overheard the conversation among Su Zhi and the others.
Sun Shi’s thoughts were straightforward. Since Su Zhi had cured her own illness and had also concocted a strange remedy for Shen Ziju’s injury, she must be skilled in healing. If Su Zhi treated Liang Fu’s illness and she recovered, Sun Shi could take credit for suggesting Su Zhi as a healer. If Su Zhi failed to cure Liang Fu, Sun Shi could simply claim that Su Zhi hadn’t put enough effort into it. After all, everyone in the village praised Su Zhi’s medical skills, so if such a talented healer couldn’t cure someone’s illness, it must be due to her lack of effort.
Sun Shi didn’t stand to gain anything directly, but she could still cause trouble for Su Zhi.