A disease difficult to express

  She survived, but her face never regained its joy. Every day, apart from performing the pipa for guests, she gradually learned to accompany them in drinking and abandoned herself.

  Step by step, under the brothel owner's clever words and deliberate calculations, she agreed to the brothel owner's repeated pleas in a half-drunken state and accompanied a customer for the first time.

  After the first time, she became a tool for the madam to make money, and the guests who stayed with her were like a tide, the door was like a market. The old madam didn't care about beauty or ugliness, age or youth, as long as they gave enough silver, she would let them be served by her.

  After a long time, she contracted this venereal disease.

  But the madam not only didn't show any sympathy, she also didn't invite a doctor to treat her, nor did she allow her to rest and recover. Instead, she became even more ruthless, forcing her to receive guests day and night until her condition worsened and the best opportunity for treatment was missed. Moon's illness couldn't be treated, and she was too ashamed to seek medical help, until she became so weak that she couldn't get out of bed. The madam then scolded her in front of everyone, revealing all the evil things she had done.

  Sun Langzhong said at this time, already with a face full of indignation: "That madam saw that Yue'er no longer had any value to be used, so she sent someone in the middle of the night to abandon her in the deep mountains and old forests of the north city, leaving her to live or die as fate would have it. If not for this old man happening to pass by while collecting medicine, Yue'er would have already been devoured by wild beasts in the forest."

  Zhen Ming silently listened, without uttering a word.

  Sun Langzhong said: "This matter, Moon only mentioned to me before, I see that you are really concerned about Moon, so I told you in detail, hoping that you will not spread it out..."

  "I understand." Zhen Ming nodded slightly.

  Sun Langzhong pulled him again and said a few words, reminding him of some things to pay attention to when he was ill, and finally asked him to stay for dinner.

  She reluctantly agreed after being persuaded.

  Sun Langzhong happily went out and let Xing'er and others prepare meals.

  Zhen Ming sat for a while, bored and randomly flipped through the various medical classics in Sun Langzhong's house, but unfortunately they were all abstruse ancient texts that were difficult to understand.

  As soon as I stepped out of the room, I saw Xing'er taking away the ceramic basin of rice from Yue'er's hands with a scolding face. She pushed Yue'er into the room, and Yue'er begged her to let her do some work, but was met with a scolding from Xing'er, saying she would only make trouble. In the end, unable to resist Yue'er's pitiful begging, she reluctantly allowed her to watch from the side without lifting a hand.

  The girl stood aside watching them play, smiling and quietly picking vegetables.

  Looking at this warm scene, Zhen Ming stood in the yard, forgetting to move his feet for a while.

  After a while, Xing Er inadvertently discovered Zhen Ming standing outside the door, and shouted: "What are you looking at? Haven't you seen people choosing vegetables and cooking rice? When the meal is ready, I will naturally call you up. No matter how pitiful you look, I won't give you an extra bowl."

  Then "bang" sound, closed the kitchen door, from the kitchen came Yue's scolding voice and Huan's crisp laughter.

  Zhen Ming's voice was hoarse and he lost his smile, turned around and walked out the door. After a tour of the surrounding area, except for being relatively remote, there were no other households nearby. The place chosen by Sun Langzhong could be called a treasure land of Feng Shui. A thatched hut was built in the valley, with a clear stream flowing slowly from the mountain pass and passing through the side of the thatched hut. Next to the stream was a flat beach, the soil was fertile, suitable for planting various herbs.

  Far away, I saw several pieces of land that had already been cultivated, with various seedlings growing on them, and the lush green color was quite pleasing to the eye.

  Standing on the wooden bridge over the small stream for a long time, Sun Lang suddenly appeared behind him and said with a smile: "How is it? The place I chose is still okay?"

  He nodded: "With mountains and rivers, the four seasons are always green, the east wind and south wind enter the valley, the west wind and north wind are blocked by the mountain, it can be called a treasure land of Feng Shui, the air is clear, it's a good place to hide."

  Sun Langzhong was overjoyed as if he had met a kindred spirit, and took him on a tour of the surrounding area, introducing him to the various wonders of the valley, and even taking him to see the vegetable gardens by the stream.

  "These vegetable fields were all proposed by Moon to be reclaimed, and before that, they also raised a lot of domestic fowl. Unfortunately, in recent years, Moon's body has been getting worse and worse, and Xing'er and the others are purely making trouble, so the land has been abandoned for a long time. Fortunately, Moon always says she wants to dig a small pond next to it and raise some fish."

  Zhen Ming sighed and nodded: "If there's a pond, raising a few hundred fish wouldn't be bad either. Fish is nutritious and would be perfect for nourishing Yuer's body."

  "Yes, it's a pity that I'm old and the girls don't have much strength. Otherwise, we could dig a pond nearby, raise a few hundred fish, and occasionally catch one or two to steam or stir-fry, which would be a great pleasure."

  Just then, a voice calling out to eat came from behind.

  ……

  On the dinner table, the dishes are rich in color. Although they are all vegetarian dishes, it can be seen that the person who stir-fried them put a lot of thought into it.

  There are five or six dishes on the table, steamed red dates with black chicken, scallion tofu, sautéed mushrooms and wood ears, loofah soup, eggplant stir-fried with chili peppers, and cucumber fried eggs.

  Fragrance wafts everywhere.

  Yuè ér gave Sūn láng zhōng and Zhēn mìng kǔ and others a full meal, then sat down with them.

  "Life is hard, come on, let's dig in and taste the culinary skills of Moon. I've been eating her stir-fries for years now, and others' just don't taste right to me anymore."

  Xing Er said: "But Dad, it's not just Moon Sister who did the work, we helped too!"

  "What did you help with?" Sun Langzhong asked with a smile.

  "This egg and cucumber stir-fry was cooked by me!"

  "Is this a cold cucumber omelette?" Zhen Ming looked at the plate on the table with a burnt and fragmented object, asking in surprise.

  Yuèr covered her mouth and laughed, Xing'er's pretty face turned bright red as she stared fiercely at Zhēn Mìng: "You're not allowed to eat!"

  "Thank you very much."

  A life of hardship is like a drop of sweat on one's forehead, as if escaping a great calamity.

  Yue'er and Huan'er were amused by his exaggerated actions, and the atmosphere at the dinner table suddenly became lively and harmonious. Sun Langzhong also smiled and said: "Xing'er, your brother Fanzai and Feilong have come from afar as guests, how can you not show hospitality? Come, let's try some of Yue'er's signature dishes."

  Sun Langzhong said, and added a few pieces of green pepper, bean sprouts, and eggplant to Zhen Ming's bitter bowl.

  The three girls all stared at Zhen Mingsu in surprise, while Xing'er looked at him with a strange expression, as if she had seen a rare treasure.

  "What's wrong? Is there a flower on my face?"

  Xing'er's face was full of surprise: "Who are you? My godfather has never served me dishes before!"

  Zhen Ming bitterly endured and couldn't help but joke: "Don't you know that Sun Daifu asked me to find a wife for you? This meal is considered a thank-you gift."

  Xing'er was taken aback for a moment, her face suddenly turned red, and she turned to look at Sun Lang with pouting lips: "Uncle, he bullied me!"

  The moon and ring were hiding their mouths and smiling secretly.

  Sun Langzhong also smiled and said, "A girl should get married when she grows up. Your brother-in-law has promised to find a husband's family for you, this is your good fortune, inviting him to dinner as a thank you isn't the right thing to do?"

  Xing'er saw everyone gathering together to laugh at her, she stopped talking, lowered her head and puffed up while eating rice, but her eyes kept stealing glances at Zhen Mingshu, with a curious look in her eyes.

  When she saw Yue'er and Huan'er stifling their smiles, she finally couldn't help but say: "If you want to find a husband's family, you should first find one for Sister Yue'er and Sister Huan'er!"

  In an instant, he provoked a counterattack from Yue'er and Huan'er.

  "Bad apricot, it's not like we're squeezing you dry, why should we compensate you?"

  "Who made you not help me!"

  In the midst of the three sisters' playful and noisy chatter, Zhen Ming had the most delightful and sumptuous meal since arriving in this era. After finishing dinner, they also drank the mountain tea brewed by Yue Er, before Fei Long stood up to bid farewell together.