Chapter Nine: The Illness
"Doctor Chu."
In the courtyard, Chu Shitang stopped and turned around.
Hua Zhi made a gesture of invitation, and the two of them walked one after another to the gate of the courtyard.
"Doctor Chu, are there any other precautions we should take regarding my grandmother's health?"
Chu Shitang wasn't surprised by Hua Zhi's question. When he had said that the Old Madam was temporarily stable and everyone else had relaxed, only she had frowned.
"To be honest with you, Miss, if the Old Madam can set aside her worries and rest properly, there's a chance she might recover. However, it won't be easy for her to let go of her concerns. Emotional distress requires emotional healing. I can only stabilize her condition for now. In the future, you must encourage the Old Madam to release her pent-up worries."
Hua Zhi smiled bitterly upon hearing this. For her grandmother to set aside her worries, unless her grandfather returned right now.
"Miss, you needn't worry so much. Things will eventually pass; it's just a matter of time."
"Thank you for your kind words. However, there's another matter I need your help with at the moment."
"Please go ahead, Miss."
"I'd like to order some medicinal pills and ointments from you. The ingredients must be of good quality, and they need to be sealed with wax. I'll settle the accounts with you once a month. Would that be acceptable?"
"May I ask, Miss, if these are intended to be sent to the northern border?"
"Yes, it's cold there, and medical care is likely hard to come by. I want to prepare more supplies to send over."
"Miss, your thoughtfulness is commendable. I will do my best to assist."
"Thank you. Steward Xu, please escort Doctor Chu back to the clinic."
Steward Xu promptly acknowledged the order, his attitude toward the young lady even more respectful. Even the Old Madam hadn't considered how harsh the northern winter would be, yet the young lady was already making preparations. She had even thought that far ahead yesterday. Fortunately.
Watching them leave, Hua Zhi covered her mouth and yawned. After a day and night of busy work, her body was struggling to keep up.
Returning to the room, she sat on the edge of the bed and felt her grandmother's forehead again. Hua Zhi said softly, "Everyone has been busy half the night. Su Momo, arrange for everyone to take turns resting. If we're short-handed, borrow a few people from elsewhere."
"Yes, I'll arrange it right away. You've worked hard all night, Miss. Please go back and rest."
Hua Zhi didn't push herself. If it weren't for propriety, she would have climbed into her grandmother's bed to lie down. "Make sure to give Grandmother plenty of water. If her fever spikes again, use the previous method and inform me immediately."
"Yes, I've noted everything."
Unaccustomed to labor, Hua Zhi was practically half-carried and half-supported by two maids back to her room. The moment she touched the bed, she fell into a deep sleep.
Meanwhile, the Old Madam opened her eyes shortly after she left. Su Momo was so overjoyed she immediately wanted to send someone to recall the young lady, but the Old Madam stopped her. "Let her go back and sleep properly. In our Hua family right now, anyone else can collapse, but she cannot."
Seeing that the Old Madam was uncomfortable lying down, Su Momo quickly helped her sit up a bit, while Chen Momo stuffed a mattress behind her.
"You have no idea how frightening last night was," Su Momo said, her voice choking with emotion. "She kept delirious, her face burning hot to the touch, and we couldn't wake her no matter how hard we tried. If it weren't for the young lady's effective method...""Coming through this is fine. I know my own body—it would be worse if I kept forcing myself not to fall ill." Old Madam comforted her loyal servant who had followed her for decades with a sigh. "Go inform all the households that there's no need to come pay respects today. Let them rest in their own courtyards. I don't need them to attend to me here either. Oh, and tell them not to disturb Zhi Er either—let her have a proper sleep."
"Yes."
When Hua Zhi woke up, she saw her four maids quietly going about their tasks. Her sleep-addled mind momentarily forgot what day it was.
Ying Chun turned and noticed her young mistress's gaze, quickly putting down her needlework and picking up the clothes to approach. "Young Mistress, you're awake."
"What time is it?"
"It's one quarter past the hour of Wei (1:15 PM). You slept so soundly you didn't even turn over once."
"My body was exhausted." Now fully awake, Hua Zhi extended her arms for Ying Chun to dress her. "How is Grandmother? Has anyone come from her courtyard?"
"Knowing you'd be concerned, Su Momo came personally earlier. She said Old Madam has woken up and everything is fine, and asked you not to worry."
After washing up and eating, Hua Zhi headed to her grandmother's courtyard again. From the yard, she could hear a soft child's voice coming from the inner chamber, while the relatives from various branches sat in the outer room.
"Did you sleep well?" The madam felt relieved seeing her daughter looking refreshed. Though she had heard some commotion last night, she hadn't realized the old lady had fallen so seriously ill. Fortunately, her daughter was capable.
"I slept well. Second Aunt, Third Aunt, Fourth Aunt, you've all come."
Second Aunt said gently, "We should be attending to the sick. You bore the burden alone last night—why didn't you send someone to inform us?"
"That was my oversight."
"We're not blaming you, but there's no reason for you to shoulder everything alone."
Such were the women of the Hua family—gentle and refined on the surface, yet sharp beneath. While dealing with them, Hua Zhi sighed inwardly. She wasn't a man—she couldn't appreciate this kind of gentleness. She preferred straightforward and candid women instead.
Entering the inner chamber, Hua Bolin immediately stood up upon seeing her. "Elder Sister."
The others in the room all greeted her accordingly.
All the direct descendants of the Hua family were gathered here—six males and four females.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, she touched her grandmother's forehead. The fever was still slightly present, but much improved compared to last night.
"Don't worry, I'm much better." Old Madam held her hand, clasping both together in her palm. The contrast between the tender and withered hands was striking, like the transition between youth and age.
"Just focus on recovering well. Leave everything else to me."
"Good, good. I'm blessed to have such a granddaughter." Old Madam smiled cheerfully, as if forgetting she was still ill.
Hua Zhi felt that as long as her grandmother kept smiling like this, the family would surely thrive. As long as she remained present, even if they felt anxious, they wouldn't lose hope for the future.
"Grandmother, everything will be fine."
"I only hope for recovery." Old Madam sighed deeply. "With such a major incident happening in the family, your two aunts haven't even come to visit. I wonder who they inherited such heartlessness from."
"If they no longer consider themselves part of the Hua family, then their absence makes sense. Once women marry and have children, they often think less of themselves and more of their offspring." Hua Zhi smiled. "It's hard to say about Eldest Aunt, but given Youngest Aunt's temperament, she's probably hidden away crying her eyes out."Indeed, Hua Xian was likely the only one in the Hua family who could completely disregard her maternal family’s plight. Among her four children, Old Madam had always favored her eldest daughter the most, yet it was this very daughter who had hurt her the deepest.
Sighing, she pushed aside thoughts of those unworthy of her distress and asked gently, "We may ignore the plans of the Hua family’s various in-laws, but shouldn’t our Hua family also have a clear course of action?"
"As my aunts are my elders, I cannot make decisions over their heads. I will simply share my thoughts, and you may consider them for what they’re worth."
—Content sourced from book recommendations on 【Migu Reading】
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