244 So Comfortable
Su Binglan stopped her mother and said to Baili Jinghua, “You and Xihong have eaten a lot during the afternoon, and now you have snacks. You won’t have an appetite soon. You can have more tomorrow, okay?”
Baili Jinghua would stuff herself if she ate more.
“It’s easy for a kid to have a bad stomach if they overeat,” Su Binglan continued.
Baili Jinghua could not help but nod. “Okay, Miss Su.”
She instinctively listened to Su Binglan. After nodding and speaking, Baili Jinghua became stunned. She had brandished knives and wielded spears as a kid. She was also stubborn, disobedient, and unruly.
However, she only listened to her good friend because she was always reasonable and advised Baili Jinghua for her own good. Baili Jinghua wondered why she also felt that way with Su Binglan.
At that moment, she thought her good friend, Princess Lan Roubing, was still alive, even though she had died three years ago. However, Su Binglan was only fourteen, which did not match the time of Princess Lan Roubing’s death.
Baili Jinghua sighed inwardly. It seemed she was a little obsessed. It was hard for Baili Jinghua to find someone to understand her, but Princess Lan died.
Most young ladies of wealthy families in the capital had more profound thoughts, but Baili Jinghua could not relate nor understand them.
Some felt it was inappropriate for her to brandish knives and wield guns, so they became unwilling to interact with Baili Jinghua for fear of ruining their reputation.
Lan Roubing was the only person who treated Baili Jinghua exceptionally well and did not care what others said.
She once told Baili Jinghua, “You should not care what others think of you as long as you have a strong heart. You will persevere if you feel it is right and worthy of our hearts. Your life is not for others to decide, so only you can make yourself happy.”
Baili Jinghua still remembered what her good friend said. Lan Roubing’s every word was like a beacon, guiding Baili Jinghua on the right path.
If the Wei family had not gotten annihilated and her parents did not die, Baili Jinghua would have wanted to become a female general. However, it was useless to dream since one needed to survive first.
…
Su Binglan went to the stove and poured some spiritual spring water for the mother and son. “Here, drink this, and you will feel better. I added some herbs to help your digestion so you won’t feel bloated.”
Baili Jinghua drank it without hesitation, telling her son to drink it too. Immediately after, the mother and son felt comfortable all over. Moreover, all the fatigue in their bodies disappeared. The water Su Binglan made was simply too magical.
Baili Jinghua had eaten and drunk her fill at that moment. She felt very calm and relaxed when she sat on the heated platform. She even wanted to lie down and sleep since it had been a long time since they could relax.
Still, she dared not sleep, even though her eyes were shallow. She had maintained her vigilance daily and had become exhausted.
Then Shen Qiuhua recalled what Su Binglan asked when she entered the house. She said, “There are some vacant houses throughout the village. That one over there is empty, but no one has used it for many years.
“Your grandfather typically used it to entertain guests, but it has become vacant as of late.” She pointed to the house in front of her on the east side of the front row. “Are you planning on letting your friends stay there?”
Su Binglan looked at where her mother pointed. It was close to where they lived, so they could look after each other should anything happen.
She replied, “Yes, Mother. Jinghua said she wanted to buy a house in the village. That way, she could settle down here, right?”
After some thought, Shen Qiuhua said, “You’ll need the village chief’s approval if you want your friends to settle down here. You must also go to the administrator to get a document and seal.
“You can ask your grandfather for the details, Binglan. He will be the village chief soon, so it’ll be easier to handle more things. Tell your father to bring you to your grandfather’s house when he returns. Then you can talk to your grandfather about this matter.”
Su Binglan asked, “Is that house expensive?”
Shen Qiuhua shook her head. “The houses in the village are not expensive. Still, one must have the chief’s approval to buy a house. That one has two rooms, and it has been a long time since anyone lived there, so it might leak if it rains.
“The house only costs a few silver tails, but your grandfather will lower the price if you tell him about it. However, he can’t lower the price too much, and you still need the administrator to handle the paperwork.”
Su Binglan nodded. “I understand, Mother. Also, these two don’t have anywhere to go for the time being, so I’ll let them stay with me for a few days. I’ll talk to my grandfather about the vacant house next to ours. Then we can be neighbors and look after each other.”
Following that, she and her mother prepared dinner. Since they had guests this time, Shen QIuhua wanted to make something delicious.
After some thought, she said, “I’ll go and buy a grilled chicken and roast duck from your grandparents’ house, Binglan. I’ll also get some salted and preserved eggs, so we’ll have more dishes.”
Su Binglan said, “I’ll use the preserved eggs to make preserved egg tofu. I bought some pork earlier today to make braised pork. I have sweet potatoes and can make sour and spicy potato pancakes with herbal egg soup.”
Shen Qiuhua nodded. “Okay, that’s perfect.”
Meanwhile, Baili Jinghua quietly approached the stove. “Ma’am, Miss Su, is there anything I can do to help?” She felt embarrassed just to eat and not do anything.
Baili Xihong was tired, so he fell asleep on the bed. Then his mother quietly covered him with a blanket and got down from the bed.
Initially, the little boy dared not sleep because his mother’s body was in bad shape. However, it was difficult for a child to hold on for such a long time, and he was sitting on a warm bed, making him feel sleepier after eating and drinking.
Shen Qiuhua said, “There’s no need. You just need to rest.”
Indeed Baili Jinghua only knew about weapons in the past, but life forced her to do many things over the years, like washing clothes and cooking. Still, the food she cooked did not taste good.
“It’s okay, ma’am. Please let me help, or I won’t feel comfortable.”
“Okay, then why don’t you help to light the fire later?”
Baili Jinghua happily agreed.
Su Binglan looked at her and asked, “Is Xihong asleep?”
Baili Jinghua nodded. “Yes, he is. He never slept like this last time and would instantly wake up whenever there was a slight movement.”
Su Binglan sighed inwardly, thinking, ‘Baili Xihong is only a three-year-old child.’
However, she did not ask Baili Jinghua who the boy’s father was and what he was doing. She knew it was Baili Jinghua’s secret, or maybe even something she could not talk about, so she did not ask. Just like how she did not ask Luo Jin’an about his past.
Shen Qiuhua went to Old Master Su and Old Madam Su’s house to get some dishes and quickly returned. As soon as she returned home, she nagged, “Binglan, your grandparents and uncle made it so difficult for me to pay them.
“I told them I won’t buy things from them anymore. After constantly persuading them, I finally managed to pay them a little bit. Nonetheless, their grilled chicken and roast duck are selling like hotcakes.
“Some customers even went to their house to make reservations. People from other towns also came in carriages to place their orders!”