Chapter Twenty-One: Heartfelt Efforts

  In the evening, every household and courtyard had lit up their lamps. At this time, Su was just finishing her dinner and was lying on the warm kang in the outer room, with her wet nurse occasionally saying something to distract her attention, hoping that the feeling of vomiting would be alleviated a bit.

  "Four miscarriages..." The wet nurse paused, "None of them were as troublesome as this one, how can this be good?"

  "Once the month is over, it'll be fine." After finishing speaking, another wave of vomiting came. Su Shi felt like her abdomen was churning and her vision was spinning, she almost wished she could vomit out her stomach as well, just to get it all out.

  The wet nurse hastily brought over a spittoon from the side, and after Madam Su had finished vomiting, she instructed the maids to take away the filthy things, then brought over some clear water for her to rinse her mouth with, and replaced it with a new spittoon, only then was everything settled.

  The wet nurse hastily picked a date and put it in Su's mouth, then used a handkerchief to wipe her mouth before asking: "How is that? Do you feel better?"

  Su had already vomited until she was exhausted, and could only nod her head, leaning back against the patchwork pillow, not even bothering to open her eyes, looking listless.

  The wet nurse was still worried and asked: "What would you like to eat? I'll have someone prepare it."

  Su shook her head, "I couldn't eat another bite."

  The wet nurse knew that she was worried about the third young lady, and wanted to persuade her but didn't know where to start, so she just said: "Don't worry, madam, the old lady is not a hard-hearted person, and will let the young lady return soon."

  "Her?" Su Niang didn't even use a respectful tone, and simply said: "Her mind is still on her natal family! How would she think of Ah Li?"

  The wet nurse was shocked and quickly covered Su's mouth: "Auntie, don't say a word."

  Su saw the anxious look in her wet nurse's eyes, and her heart softened. In a world where everyone else might abandon her, at least her wet nurse still stood by her side.

  The wet nurse saw Su's expression and knew she was aware of the severity of the situation, so she comforted her: "Miss, I know you're worried, thinking about Third Miss, even though she's a foolish girl, after all, she's your own flesh and blood. This time, being punished to the countryside for over three months, you..."

  Just then, they heard the little maids outside shouting: "Madam Wan has arrived."

  Both of them were shocked and quickly composed themselves.

  Madam Fang had three most trusted housekeepers by her side, and among them, Wan Mama was the one she valued the most. She would discuss all matters, big or small, with her, and even when it came to important decisions, she wouldn't neglect to seek her opinion. Perhaps it's because she brought her from her hometown that made a difference, just like Su Shi, whose most trusted person was still only her wet nurse.

  The wet nurse hastily got up and went forward to welcome Wan's mother: "On such a cold day, it's really...to trouble you to come in person, with such..." Her words were warm and sincere.

  All the mothers still looked calm, but one of them asked Su: "I heard that you're having a bad time with morning sickness, vomiting everything you eat. Have you seen a doctor? Did you have dinner?"

  "She only drank half a bowl of millet porridge and just threw it up again." The wet nurse said hastily.

  "It can't go on like this, even if adults aren't hungry, they have to think about the one in their belly!" Madam Wan stepped forward, grasping Su's hand and gently patted it: "I have a 'good medicine' here, Auntie will be half cured just by hearing it, everything she eats will taste good."

  Su and the wet nurse were both perplexed, and could only look at Wan's mother with puzzled eyes for an explanation.

  When the two of them looked at her, Mother Wan was no longer being coy and said straightforwardly: "Old Lady has already given the order today that tomorrow someone will come to take Third Miss out from the villa. It's only a few dozen li away, and it'll take half a day at most to arrive. Auntie, you can eat whatever is delicious."

  This is good news, and Su Shi was indeed delighted that her daughter could return to the mansion. However, she couldn't understand why this was happening at this particular time. If she wasn't mistaken, tomorrow would be the day of the plum blossom viewing party at the Jia Mansion. Wouldn't bringing her back tomorrow be equivalent to acknowledging Alai's visit to the Jia Mansion?

  Su thought deeply in secret, but on her face there was no expression, only her eyes were full of sparkling smiles.

  "The old lady saw it and said, 'Third Miss is a person who knows how to repay kindness.'" These words were spoken with quite some depth of meaning.

  Has the old lady really changed her mind?

  One word, two meanings, how could his mother not understand? He smiled and said a few more words to the occasion, then got up and left.

  "Miss, your good days have come." The wet nurse was overjoyed and her heart was truly happy. She was an unlucky person, unable to raise three children, and her husband's family had kicked her out with a divorce letter, making her a person who couldn't return home. Just when she was desperate and ready to die, the late Mrs. Su had saved her and taken her in. The miss was someone she had raised herself, like her own flesh and blood. As long as the miss was well, she would be too.

  "It's probably not that simple." Su's face was full of worry, and the joy from earlier had completely disappeared.

  "What's wrong?" Good things are right in front of you, how can Miss still not be at ease?

  "Wet nurse still remembers how Ah Li was punished by the old lady to the countryside at first?" Su Shi thought of the past and couldn't help but take a deep breath.

  "The wet nurse said, 'How could she not remember? The Jia family came to ask for the hand of the third young lady in marriage. Lady Fang used her youth as an excuse and said that they would have to wait two more years. In fact, everyone in the household knew what was going on; she just wanted to marry off the second young lady to the Jia family.'"

  "It's not possible." Su patted her still-flat belly and sighed, "A Li is also unlucky. Her temper is always on display, she can't hide her emotions, it's all written on her face. If it wasn't like this, how could she have almost lost her life?"

  The wet nurse comforted her: "After a few years, you will be married into the Jia family and everything will be all right."

  "It's not that easy." Mr. Su was no longer concerned about the nausea in his stomach, but only thought that things were suspicious and should be more cautious.

  "The old lady didn't ask to bring the person back? She's probably also thinking that the madam is a bit out of line, so she has to step in and take care of it." The wet nurse's way of thinking was always simple, often unable to see things beneath the surface.

  Su said: "Previously, wasn't she going to send A Li to Jiang's family as a substitute bride? How did she suddenly come around?"

  The wet nurse thought for a moment and felt that Mrs. Su's worries were not unreasonable, so she asked: "Perhaps it's because the days are long and the old lady has become somewhat reluctant? After all, they are grandmother and grandson, and considering Master Jia's face, maybe she'll let it go. The Jia family has never given up on marrying the third young lady, that momentum is like 'if not you then no one', I'm afraid some people can't bear it?"

  This statement also makes some sense, just hope nothing else happens.

  "After talking for half a day, are you hungry?" asked the nanny tentatively.

  Su smiled: "I'm a bit hungry, let someone bring some food over!"

  The wet nurse was overjoyed and hastily ordered the maids to make preparations.

  Some people are happy, while others are worried. Fang Wenyu understood the old lady's meaning and was anxious in her heart, not knowing what to think or why she had to come back at this critical moment.

  "Mother, say something." Fang Wanru sat on the edge of the old lady's bed, asking anxiously.

  In Mrs. Fang's house, only Wan Mama was attending to her, Fang Wenyu knew that this mother-in-law trusted her the most, so she didn't avoid it and directly questioned the old lady who was meditating with her eyes closed.

  "Madam, please rest assured, I have everything under control."

  Miss Fang wore a half-new, half-old sapphire blue plain jacket with a same-colored skirt underneath, only a few jade hairpins on her head, no gold or silver. There were only two coral earrings hanging from her ears and a large string of emerald Buddha beads in her hand.

  "How can you be so impatient!" The old lady still said with her eyes closed: "San Yatou gritted her teeth and struggled in the countryside, wasn't it just to marry into the Jia family?"

  "So you're letting her come back?" The tone didn't have the respect a daughter-in-law should have for her mother-in-law, but rather had an 80% chance of being a niece quarreling with her aunt.

  "She refused to marry into the Jiang family as a concubine, and spoke back to her elders. That's why I sent her to the countryside to be raised." The old lady opened her eyes and asked: "Do you know why I didn't form an alliance with the Jiang family?"

  "My wife doesn't know, I'm afraid it's because her mother looks down on me!" Fang Wanru was choked with anger at this time, and her tone was naturally not good.

  The old lady said with a tone of resentment: "If we marry San Yazi to the Jiang family, how can we deal with the Jia family? The Jiang family has no power, the Jia family is powerful, and you can't even tell this apart? Can't I be in charge of the girls' marriage? Isn't it just because of fear of the Jia family that we haven't forced her to marry, thinking of creating some opportunities for Er Yazi?"

  Fang Wanru was choked with anger, but had to admit it. She muttered in a low voice: "Then can you bear to see your own granddaughter disappointed?"

  "Which one is not my own granddaughter?" The old lady couldn't help but raise her voice, and continued: "For more than three months, the Jia family has been keeping an eye on San Er, you don't have a reliable plan, if I don't call San Er back, I'm afraid the engagement will not be successful, this grievance will become real."

  "Then you are..."

  Fang's family saw that she had taken the words to heart, and only then did he say: "The Jia family people have never met San Yazi, they must have misheard some rumors, so they would be eager to marry. There is a saying 'what you hear is false, what you see is true'!"

  Thinking of Qin Dai's usual behavior, Fang Wanru had a plan in her mind, and she smiled with her eyes open, so much so that she was afraid he wouldn't come back.