Chapter 1947: Chapter 992: Closing the Net
Lady Zhang is very attentive to the meals of all the children, not just Lian Manman, but also Wu Lang and Xiao Qi. Whenever they come back from outside, Lady Zhang usually has prepared suitably warm tea and fresh snacks at home. If any child says they want to eat something, Lady Zhang is very happy to cook personally. She doesn’t see it as a burden; on the contrary, she considers it a form of happiness.
Although she isn’t very shrewd or capable, and doesn’t understand many things outside, in this family, the children need her, and she can do things for them.
"Mom, after I left, did Yan Daopo come by?" Lian Manman held the teacup but didn’t drink immediately; instead, she asked Lady Zhang first.
"Yes, she came by." Lady Zhang nodded. Everyone in the house saw Yan Daopo when she came, so even if Lady Zhang wanted to keep it a secret, it wasn’t possible.
"Why are you eager to ask about her? Drink your tea first. It’s cold now, and the tea cools quickly; it might get cold soon." Lady Zhang only said this and urged Lian Manman again.
Don’t underestimate this little cup of tea; it’s a token of Lady Zhang’s motherly care. Lian Manman thought to herself that the question for Lady Zhang wasn’t urgent, so she picked up the cup and took a sip.
"How is it?" Lady Zhang asked, seeing Lian Manman drink the tea, her facial expression softening even more. "Is today’s tea good?"
"It’s not bad." Lian Manman said, seeing Lady Zhang asking, she took another sip, "Mom, is there something special about today’s tea?"
"Same as today, your father went to the village and just sent someone back, saying the water from the well on the small hill there is particularly sweet, intentionally sent two buckets home. I tasted it, and it’s no worse than the water from our old home. I’ve always heard you say that tea brewed with good water is especially fragrant, so I had someone prepare it for you and your siblings when you came back."
"Oh." Lian Manman replied and put down the teacup.
"Just now Shan Xi came back, saying you were eating at the Shen Family; why are you back so soon? Is something the matter?" Lady Zhang asked Lian Manman before Lian Manman could ask her.
"Yes." Lian Manman nodded, "Mom, what did Yan Daopo say to you when she came this time?"
"Didn’t say much." Lady Zhang thought for a moment and then said.
"Mom, in these days, haven’t I told you, are we closer or are you closer to her? She told you something, and you won’t tell me." Lian Manman complained.
"Look at what you’re saying. No need to say, of course she can’t rank ahead of you." Lady Zhang said, then after thinking for a moment she added, "She did come for a reason this time."
As Lady Zhang said this, she took out something from her sleeve. It was a clean cloth, wrapped into a small bundle. Lady Zhang opened the cloth to show Lian Manman.
"She came to give me this." Lady Zhang told Lian Manman.
Lian Manman took the cloth from Lady Zhang’s hand, carefully examining the pills on the cloth. The pills were as big as a longan, white and smooth.
"What is this..." Lian Manman asked Lady Zhang.
"Said to be some Immortal Elixir, originally sought for someone else who didn’t use it, given to me, saying it’s for you to eat." Lady Zhang said, "It’s just like what she mentioned before, something about a concubine, or giving birth to a son..."
"Wanted me to secretly give it to you without letting you know."
Lian Manman looked at the pills in her hand for a while, then raised her head to laugh at Lady Zhang.
"Mom, why didn’t you listen to her and secretly give this to me?" Lian Manman asked Lady Zhang with a smile.
"Do you think I’m really foolish?" Lady Zhang gave Lian Manman a playful glance and said, "Like me and your third aunt, we’ve been wives, we’ve given birth, we’ve been through it all, we don’t have those scruples, some things can’t be spoken, we can endure anything. But you’re still a young girl, how could your mother give you things to eat carelessly."
Lady Zhang’s words were wise; in daily life she was also very careful with Lian Manman’s clothing and food. For instance, even during the hottest days, she wouldn’t let Lian Manman eat cold things. When she was ill, and the doctor was called, although Lady Zhang couldn’t read, nor understand pharmacology, she would still tell the doctor that young girls can’t endure things that are too cold or too strong.
Not only for Lian Manman, but for Lian Zhizhi as well.
Even back at the old house, with Lady Zhou above, Lady Zhang wasn’t very protective of her own children. Lian Zhizhi had to follow Lady Zhang in doing housework from a young age, but in the winter, Lady Zhang was very careful not to let Lian Zhizhi touch cold water. Whenever there were chores involving cold water, Lady Zhang would either take them on herself, or make sure hot water was boiled for Lian Zhizhi to use.
