Lin Jinyong walked over quietly and patted Gong Mama's shoulder lightly, smiling: "Mom, you're working hard, getting up early to cook medicine. You're old now, let Xia Ye or Chun Meng do these things?"

  Mrs. Gong was startled, her face sank, and when she saw it clearly was Lin Jingrong, she revealed a few smiles: "Miss sympathizes with me this old bone, but the two masters are both ill, this medicine is to be watched for timing, how dare I slack off?"

  As they spoke, the medicine started to boil over. Lin Jing took a pair of chopsticks and stirred the pot that Mrs. Gong had been watching most closely: "Is this the mistress's medicine?"

  Gong Mama stared intently at the chopsticks in Lin Jianrong's hand and smiled: "No, this is Master's medicine. The mistress' is that jar beside it."

  Lin Jinrong was stunned, but Gong Mama had always been loyal to the Tao family and hated Lin SanYe even more after what happened last time. In such a situation, she actually cared more about Lin SanYe's medicine than the Tao family's, which was really strange. She thought for a moment and said, "The prescription that Water Old Master just wrote is really hard to find all the medicines in this place. I thought we had to go back to the city to get them."

  Gong Mama took the chopsticks from Lin Jinyu's hand, smiling humbly: "Of course, it's not just our family. The past few miles is the residence of Lin Changye, the head of the clan. His family lives in the countryside all year round and often prepares some medicine for wind, cold, stomach pain and other ailments. Tie took the medicine box to look for it, and it happened to be ready."

  "Lin Changye? Lin Jinrong immediately thought of this distant relative who inadvertently gave her the first idea to make money: "Is his house and land nearby?"

  Mrs. Gong carefully stirred the medicine jar of Lin San Ye and said, "Of course, later on, you will definitely come to visit Master and Madam." Then she coaxed in a tone used for soothing children, "It's smoky and fiery here, Miss shouldn't stay here anymore. Whatever you want to eat, let the maid go and tell Tie Huai's family, it's more comfortable than being in the mansion, isn't it?"

  Lin Jiarong looked at the medicine jar again, shook his head slightly: "I'm not picky, whatever is in the kitchen is what it is. What time did Madam fall asleep last night after being disturbed?" After Mrs. Tao's illness, her sleep was poor, and once she woke up with a start, she found it extremely difficult to fall back asleep, so she asked this question.

  "Girl, don't worry," said Mrs. Gong with a smile. "The mistress woke up in the middle of the night and heard that Old Master Lin just had a common cold, so she went back to sleep. She slept well, and it's likely she'll get up soon."

  Just then, Chun Ya came over to support Lin Jing Rong's arm and smiled: "Miss, the mistress has woken up and heard your voice, she wants you to go to her room." As she spoke, she exchanged a serious glance with Gong Mama.

  Lin Jin quietly sized up the two of them, then went into the Tao family's house. Mrs. Tao was wearing a apricot-colored jacket with gold trim and a brand new dark red pleated skirt, sitting in front of the dressing table while Xia Ye helped her comb her hair. Hearing the noise, she softly said: "Niang niang, did you sleep well last night?"

  "Alright, where's your mother?" Lin Jirong leaned in closer to Tao Shi and sat down beside her, looking up at her expression. She saw that Tao Shi's complexion was noticeably better than before, with the corners of her mouth slightly raised, and a long-unseen radiance flowing through her eyes. Indeed, there wasn't even a hint of sleep deprivation, and her mood seemed particularly good, dispelling the gloom of previous days, leaving Lin Jirong secretly wondering in surprise.

  "I'm fine." Mrs. Tao opened the jewelry box with a good mood: "Today we have guests coming, let Nangnang help me choose a hairpin."

  Lin Jinrong saw that she was in a particularly good mood, and her emotions also relaxed by half. She rummaged through the dressing box, found a pearl hairpin, and carefully gave it to Tao Shi to wear on her hair, smiling: "Just now when I came, I saw a pot of tea flowers at the door opening very beautifully, if mother is willing, why not let Xia Ye sister go pick one that is blooming the best to clip and wear on her hair?"

  Without waiting for Tao Shi to speak, Xia Ye smiled and took out a pair of silver scissors from her needlework basket: "Good idea, Miss. The chrysanthemum is really fresh."

  Before long, Xia Ye brought in the tea flowers, and Tao Shi looked at them with delight, personally inserting them and admiring herself from all sides in front of the mirror. Chun Ya brought in a small celadon bowl and said softly, "Madam, the medicine is ready."

  Tao Shi put on a smile, held up the medicine bowl, and lowered her eyes, saying: "Where's the medicine for Master?"

  Chun Ya said: "It's done, Mother Gong personally delivered it and I've taken it."

  Taoshi stared silently at the medicine in his hand for a while, then lifted his head and drank the dark, murky liquid clean.

  Lin Jinrong hurriedly held up a cup of tea for her to rinse her mouth: "Since Father has already woken up, I'll go ask after his well-being first."

  Taoye remained silent for a long time before covering his mouth with his handkerchief and spitting out the tea he had been holding in his mouth into the spittoon. In a low voice, he said, "Leave."

  The place is small, and Mr. Lin lives next door to the Tao family, so Lin Jingrong only needs to walk out of one gate and into another.

  At this time, the sky was already bright, and Old Master Lin had a white cloth wrapped around his head, sitting on the couch in front of the window with his legs crossed, holding a thermos, frowning and carefully selecting dried fruit from a lacquer box to eat. While rummaging through it, he said to Gong Mama, who was standing beside him with her head down and eyes lowered: "This medicine is too bitter, I've never had such a bitter-tasting medicine before. The weather is good today, so after lunch, I'll go back to the city." Gong Mama dryly laughed: "Good medicine tastes bitter but is beneficial for the illness, Master's body is precious, it's better to recover from the illness first before going back. Otherwise, how can Madame be at ease?" She raised her head and saw Lin Jingrong, hastily saying: "Fourth Miss has arrived just in time, quickly persuade Master."

  Lin Jin understood that Lin San was taking medicine to coax Huang Niang, so he said: "Father, taking care of your body is the right way. Don't worry about home, big brother has already gone ahead and returned, uncle won't be in a hurry, he will definitely wait for you to recover and go together."

  This remark reminded Lin Sanlao that he had to accompany the guests, and if Tao Shunqin didn't leave, how could he run away by himself? Thinking of this, he felt cold and lonely, with no one to keep his bed warm or add fragrance to his clothes. He couldn't help but let out a long sigh, leaning on the couch with a look of boredom all over his face, and ordered Lin Jirong: "Go invite your uncle over and tell him I want to play chess with him." Maybe he could persuade Tao Shunqin to hurry back to Qingzhou, who knows.

  "Yes." Lin Jinrong stared at his face for a few moments, seeing that he was somewhat listless in spirit but otherwise normal, before turning around and walking out of the room.

  Tao Shunqin indeed arrived as scheduled, allowing Old Master Lin to make whatever insinuations he wanted, without mentioning when he would leave, but instead smiling all over his face and talking nonsense from head to toe.

  Lin Jiner accompanied Tao's family to eat breakfast and came out, and saw Gong Mama squatting in front of the stove, making medicine with great effort, carefully serving Lin Sanlao's medicine like a child.

  Abnormality is eerie. Although in her previous life, Old Master Lin had been causing trouble until his death, many things are different this time around. Lin Jingrong stood under the corridor for a long time, feeling uneasy in her heart, so she instructed Li Zhi: "Go and tell the kitchen to simmer some more of that red date black chicken soup from last night." Then, alone, she walked over to Mother Gong's side and squatted down to take the fan: "Mother, I'll simmer it myself, also as a way to show my filial piety."

  Gong Mama wouldn't agree and went to snatch the fan from Lin Jingrong's hand: "How can this be? This is something a servant should do."

  "Mother, you are wrong. Serving medicine to parents is a child's filial duty. I don't know how, so please teach me. By the way, what kind of medicine is this? Do you recognize it?" As she spoke, her chopsticks stirred and flipped through Lin San Ye's medicine jar again.

  "This medicine slave can't be recognized, but is it okay for the iron locust family to accompany you to go out and play? The weather is fine now, and it's fun in the fields, where we can catch some wheat to feed the sparrows."

  Lin Jinrong did not back down, staring straight into Gong Mama's eyes, saying word by word: "No matter how fun the fields are, they can't be more important than parents' lives." Before, she didn't know many things and didn't understand observation and analysis, but now she could see many differences...

  Mrs. Gong's eyes sparkled, and after a long pause, she carefully chose her words: "You're a filial daughter, but your mother is ill, Third Sister is getting married next year, you haven't settled on a husband yet, Seventh Young Master is still too young... Uncle can't stay here for long either, once things are settled here, he'll have to hurry back. So Third Master's illness needs to be treated quickly, no delay is allowed. You, just don't make trouble."

  This makes sense, Sanfang can't leave Mr. Lin at this time, since Gong Mama understands, Tao Shi and Tao Shunqin won't be clueless either, Tao Shi may not be clever, but Tao Shunqin is not stupid. Lin Jirong remained silent for a moment, finally withdrew his hand, stopped asking more questions, and said in a low voice: "Alright, I'll listen to mom, and go take a walk in the fields."

  Gong Mama nodded slightly, watching Lin Jinyong's back disappear into the distance with a long sigh. She continued to tend to the two jars of medicine. After a while, Chun Ya came out and took the fan from her hand: "Mom, go rest, I'll chat with Auntie, I'll take over."

  Gong Mama looked at Chun Ya, and Chun Ya nodded slightly. Gong Mama walked into the Tao family's house, but saw that Mrs. Tao was holding a book in her hand, yet her eyes were not on the book, but staring blankly at the green bricks on the ground.

  "Madam?" Mrs. Gong handed over a cup of tea and gave Xia Ye a signal, Xia Ye quickly went outside to stand, leaving the two of them to talk.

  Tao let go of the book and didn't take the tea, but instead furrowed his brow and looked at Gong Mama in a low voice, saying: "You say, is it really useful?"

  "Uncle said it's useful, so it must be right," Mother Gong said without hesitation. "You just focus on recovering from your illness. Didn't you used to be at ease? Why are you worried again now?"

  Tao sighed softly: "After I was happy, this left eyelid has been jumping."

  Gong's mother smiled: "Good lady, the left eye jumping is getting rich, after this, you will be guaranteed to be smooth and safe..." Seeing that Tao Shi's eyebrows had cleared up a bit, she lowered her voice and said: "I think Fourth Miss is too clever. She has been guarding that medicine and even wants to decoct it herself."

  "Though she's still just a child, she must have seen that we're all ill and is worried," Tao said with a slight frown. Still, she couldn't help but add, "You... be careful."

  "Please rest assured," said Mrs. Gong with a serious expression.

  Tao closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh. Tao Shunqin's words were right, since she couldn't give birth to any more children and didn't have the energy or strength to compete with Lin San Ye for them, it was better to cut off this source completely for the sake of these three children, so that everyone wouldn't suffer!

  Next door, Mr. Lin shouted in a disgruntled tone: "I made a mistake, this doesn't count!"

  Tao Shun smiled freely and said: "Brother-in-law, no regrets in this life!"

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