Chapter 155: Fainting

Ye Xin Ran felt helpless as she was being observed and could only nod in agreement.

Leng Qing Yu was extremely happy.

She walked around the rooms again, offering suggestions on which colors of curtains to use for each room, and what colors the bedding should be.

“The children’s room should use brighter colors, I think grass green and deep blue would be nice.”

“You two should use more festive colors, red and light yellow would make a good set.”

“The guest room should be more simple and elegant…”

As she listened, Ye Xin Ran couldn’t keep track of everything and had to ask Lu Chang Qing to help her write things down.

“You don’t need to prepare any of these things. The Leng family has a fabric shop here, and I’ll have the shopkeeper deliver everything to you.”

Leng Qing Yu again showed that hopeful expression she had before.

She realized that her daughter was someone who responded better to a soft approach than to being pressured.

If you pity her a little, she might soften up a little.

What a kind-hearted child!

Leng Qing Yu praised silently.

After going through everything, including giving suggestions on several different pillow styles, Madam Leng finally stood up to leave:

“That should be enough for now. I’ll go to the county and arrange for them to prepare everything and have it delivered as soon as possible.”

However, Ye Xin Ran looked at the sun and said, “It’s already noon, you should stay and have lunch before leaving.”

“Can I stay for a meal?” Leng Qing Yu was a little surprised.

“It’s just one meal, madam, don’t worry too much about it.” Ye Xin Ran smiled.

Although Ye Xin Ran knew that Madam Leng had purposely stayed to try to get closer to her, it was true that, as Madam Leng had expected, she was someone who responded better to a gentle approach than a forceful one.

Seeing her biological mother looking at her with such a cautious and hopeful expression, even the barriers in her heart had mostly dissipated.

The new house wasn’t yet ready for cooking, so they first returned to the old house.

But when they saw the old house, Leng Qing Yu’s heart ached.

Chang Qing and Zhi Yi had grown up in luxury, especially Zhi Yi, who couldn’t sleep soundly unless there were at least ten layers of bedding on the bed.

But the house in front of them had broken windows, a leaky roof, and the kitchen didn’t even have a door.

Fortunately, they had built a new big house, otherwise, Leng Qing Yu would have insisted that her daughter and son-in-law’s family return with her.

“I made some mung bean soup this morning. Let me serve you some to quench your thirst.”

Although it was already autumn, the autumn heat was still severe. At noon, the sun was fierce enough to almost make people sweat.

Ye Xin Ran liked sweet things, so every morning she would cook a pot of mung bean soup, add sugar, and leave it to cool.

She served four bowls of mung bean soup, and Xiao Huai’an helped her bring them to the table.

Lu Chang Qing took a sip first and found it sweet and refreshing, cool and sweet, very pleasant. He praised it aloud and then drank it in large gulps.

Madam Leng originally didn’t want to drink it, but since it was brought to her by her daughter, she lowered her head and drank a few sips.

The soft and slightly sweet mung beans melted in her mouth. Madam Leng, who hadn’t eaten mung beans for a long time, actually found it quite good, so she ate a little more.

After finishing her bowl of mung bean soup, Ye Xin Ran got up to cook rice.

Xiao Huai’an also followed her to help.

Madam Leng originally wanted to help as well, but Lu Chang Qing stopped her.

“Mother, don’t join in. My sister’s cooking is delicious. If you get involved, it might not turn out well!”

“You little rascal!” Madam Leng was secretly happy, so she pinched Lu Chang Qing’s nose and said, “Have you forgotten when you praised me for making delicious noodles?”

“That was all to comfort you. I was forcing myself to eat it,” Lu Chang Qing finally told the truth. Madam Leng wasn’t angry and just patted her son’s shoulder, telling him that he should never expect to eat her cooking again.

Since they couldn’t help in the kitchen, they went to the yard to watch the chickens, ducks, and geese that Ye Xin Ran raised. The chickens immediately rushed over as soon as they saw people.

Madam Leng, curious, grabbed a handful of corn kernels and threw them inside the fence, watching the chickens scramble to peck at them.

Lu Chang Qing watched his mother from behind and thought she seemed much happier here than when they were at the Marquis’ residence.

Mother likes it here too. I wish she could stay.

Lu Chang Qing thought to himself.

Soon, lunch was brought out.

The dishes were simple: a plate of meat stir-fried with wild vegetables, a plate of scrambled eggs with chives, and a bowl of milky white crucian carp soup.

Lu Chang Qing quickly served himself rice, urging his mother, “Mother, try sister’s cooking!”

“You’re so eager to eat here, but I never see you so enthusiastic at home,” Madam Leng shot her son a glare.

Lu Chang Qing didn’t mind and first served himself some soup. After drinking a sip, he immediately praised it.

“Sister, your cooking skills are truly amazing. If you go back to the capital, you should definitely teach the kitchen staff there how to cook.”

Madam Leng gave her son a playful shove and explained to Ye Xin Ran, “Xin Ran, don’t mind him. He’s always like this, always talking nonsense.”

If it had been Lu Zhi Yi, she would have started crying and making a scene by now.

But Ye Xin Ran didn’t mind at all.

“I’m just making it casually. If I really had to teach others, I might not even be able to teach well.”

The meal was finished cleanly.

Lu Chang Qing even used the last bit of fish soup to soak his rice.

Madam Leng was about to comment on his lack of manners when she suddenly felt a sharp headache and had to endure it quietly.

Lu Chang Qing didn’t notice his mother’s condition and continued to boast, “Mother, the fish soup with rice is really delicious. Why don’t you try it next time?”

Madam Leng supported her head with one hand and tightened the silk handkerchief in her other hand.

Ye Xin Ran was the first to notice something was wrong.

“Madam Leng, what’s wrong?” she asked.

“I… I’m fine. It’s just an old headache,” Madam Leng waved her hand dismissively.

Only then did Lu Chang Qing realize what was happening.

He put down his bowl and rushed to his mother’s side. “Where’s the medicine? Did you bring it?”

“I… forgot,” Madam Leng said, her forehead already covered in sweat.

She tried to reassure Ye Xin Ran, “It’s nothing. It’s just an old ailment. I’ll be fine in a moment.”

Ye Xin Ran wasn’t convinced.

She lifted Madam Leng’s wrist with one hand and pressed her fingers against the pulse.

In a low voice, she said, “The pulse is irregular. Chang Qing, help your mother to the room.”

Lu Chang Qing didn’t have the strength, so it was Xiao Huai’an who stepped forward and carried Madam Leng to the room.

At this point, Madam Leng had fainted from the pain.

Ye Xin Ran took out her silver needles and first used them to relieve the pain, then took a syringe and drew two vials of blood from Madam Leng’s wrist.

“Sister, what are you doing?”

This was the first time Lu Chang Qing had seen Ye Xin Ran treat someone. When she treated him before, he would fall asleep soon after.

“Testing the blood.”

Ye Xin Ran didn’t offer further explanation.

She put the blood aside and then took two pills of “Riyianan” and placed them in Madam Leng’s mouth.

Seeing that Madam Leng had relaxed slightly and her brows had unfurled, Ye Xin Ran then asked Lu Chang Qing, “What kind of medicine does your mother usually take? From her pulse, it seems like she might have been poisoned.”