Chapter 91 – Old Woman Li
It was a hazy night. The dilapidated temple at the end of the village seemed like a lonely orphan hidden in the dark.
Faint light flickered on the broken wooden lattice window.
“Third Sister, you’re so skilled with your hands. These bits and pieces of fur scraps have become beautiful and cute fur balls with your craftsmanship.”
“Yes, among us sisters, Third Sister’s hands are the most skilled. With such skills, she will surely marry into a good family in the future.”
“Third Sister is great, but my Big and Second Sisters are not bad either. My three sisters should not get married but bring their husbands to our home.”
“Xiaosi, stop joking. Is that how you talk about your sisters?”
In the run-down room, Yan Shuqin put down the wooden hairpin she was carving, reached out to smack Yan Xiaosi. Yan Xiaosi stood up and dodged, Yan Shuqin got up and chased him. The sisters chased each other around in the narrow room, with faces full of joy.
Yan Xiaosi ran behind Ms. Zhong, grabbing her arm, “Mom, Big Sister is going to hit me, you protect me.”
“You child, you have no filter, you deserve to be hit.”
While Ms. Zhong was carving the wooden hairpin, she watched the children play, unable to hide the smile on her face, a mother’s love shining on her face.
“You little girl, you’re quite cunning, knowing to seek protection from your mother.”
Just as Yan Shuqin’s words were spoken, Ms. Zhong heard a series of hurried footsteps outside.
Her face changed instantly, and she quickly signaled Yan Shuqin.
“Shuqin, don’t speak.”
After advising Yan Shuqin, her face was tense, fearing that what Yan Shuqin just said was heard by outsiders and would be passed on to the Yan mansion, letting Master Yan and Madam Jiang know of Yan Xiaosi’s real gender.
They had kept this secret for so many years. If Master Yan and Madam Jiang found out, it would definitely cause a stir.
Yan Shuqin also understood the seriousness of the situation, she quickly shut her mouth, a regretful expression on her face.
It’s all her fault, she was so excited that she forgot the phrase “walls have ears.”
Old woman Li arrived at the dilapidated temple, saw the light shining from the temple, and looked somewhat surprised.
She hadn’t expected that this widow and her children could afford to burn oil lamps.
The lamp was still on, and it seemed that the people inside had not yet rested. old woman Li hurriedly quickened her pace and knocked on the window, “Third Madam, have you rested yet?”
She called out “Third Madam,” but her face showed no respect.
If it weren’t for the old master sending her to fetch someone, she wouldn’t have come to this place more run-down than a latrine.
A long time ago, old woman Li had been a servant in the Yan family. At that time, Yan Bowen was still alive. As soon as old woman Li started to speak, Ms. Zhong recognized her. The already tense expression on her face tightened a bit more.
What was old woman Li doing at the dilapidated temple this late?
Ms. Zhong was worrying inside, Yan Xiaosi noticed her strangeness and asked, “Mother, do you know who the person outside is?”
Otherwise, Ms. Zhong wouldn’t be so scared.
“Mom, are you talking about that fierce old woman Li?”
Upon hearing the three words “Old woman Li”, Yan Shuqin’s face also changed.
Although she was not familiar with old woman Li, her memory of this woman was very deep.
That year, when her father died of illness, it was this old woman Li who spoke ill of her mother with her aunts in front of her grandmother. In her anger, her grandmother incited her grandfather to drive her mother and her sisters out of the Yan family mansion.
“Coming to us this late, it can’t be any good news, mom, Second Sister, Third Sister, Yan Xiaosi, let’s put everything away first.”
Afraid that old woman Li would overhear something, she quickly corrected herself and called Yan Xiaosi as “fourth brother”. Also, this old woman Li was very loose-lipped, they absolutely could not let old woman Li see the craft projects they were currently working on.
Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuxue, and Yan Shuyun all nodded in agreement. The mother and daughters hurriedly put away their things.
“Third Madam, are you asleep?”
After calling out a few times without getting a response, old woman Li stood outside the window and shouted again, even tiptoeing to peek inside.
Seeing that everything had been put away, Yan Xiaosi glanced at the wooden lattice window and said, “Mom, Eldest Sister, Second Sister, Third Sister, you sit down, I’ll go and open the door.”
Watching Yan Xiaosi get up, Ms. Zhong was worried, “Xiaosi, maybe mom should go.”
“Mom, are you worried that old woman Li will eat me?”
Yan Xiaosi could easily handle a mere crafty servant without much thought.
“Mom, don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”
Hearing Yan Xiaosi speak so lightly, and considering the changes in her recently, Ms. Zhong felt a bit more at ease.
Yan Xiaosi left the room where Ms. Zhong and Yan Shuqin were staying, passed her own bedroom in the dark, and then went to the kitchen to open the front door.
Hearing a squeak, old woman Li quickly left the window and headed towards the kitchen.
“Is it the Third Madam? I am old woman Li.”
She couldn’t see who was standing at the kitchen door in the pitch dark.
Yet, because of her cultivation of mental strength, Yan Xiaosi’s vision had improved, and she could see old woman Li’s appearance clearly.
She was a crone around fifty, a face full of wrinkles, with a pair of triangular eyes on her face, she looked like a crafty and cunning servant.
“It’s me, Yan Xiaosi. Old woman Li, what are you doing here at the broken grass temple so late?”
Old woman Li came to the broken grass temple to find Yan Xiaosi. Upon hearing Yan Xiaosi’s voice, she immediately felt excited. “Young master, you must hurry to the Yan family mansion with this old servant, the old lady is ill.”
Yan Xiaosi’s mouth curled up, a cold smile appearing on her face.
No wonder old woman Li came to the broken grass temple so late, it turns out that Madam Jiang had fallen ill.
“Old woman Li, you must be getting old and muddled. If the old lady of the Yan family is sick, what are you doing here looking for me? You should go to the Ge house and find Ge Dongshu.”
She didn’t have the spare time to treat Madam Jiang’s illness unless she was paid for it.
Upon hearing this, old woman Li gritted her teeth secretly.
This Yan Xiaosi was pretending to be confused with her.
“I’ve already been to the Ge family. Doctor Ge has also seen the old lady and said he couldn’t cure her. It was Dazhuang’s wife who said your medical skills are remarkable, so the old master sent me to invite you.”
Despite her annoyance, her tone of voice did not betray it.
Seeing her gritting her teeth, the cold smile on Yan Xiaosi’s face deepened.
This old cunning servant, she still thinks she can’t see her.
“I do indeed know medicine.”
Since Dazhuang’s wife had already been promoting it, she might as well tell old woman Li that she knew medicine. Besides, curing Madam Jiang would be good for his reputation.
Upon hearing this, old woman Li’s anger turned to joy, “Young master, then what are you waiting for? Come with me quickly.”
She turned around and took a step forward, thinking that Yan Xiaosi would certainly follow her.
Such a good opportunity, this young man would surely make a good impression, cure the old lady’s illness, and perhaps Ms. Zhong could return to the mansion. It wasn’t until she had taken a few steps that she realized Yan Xiaosi hadn’t followed. She turned around to see Yan Xiaosi still leaning against the door frame, without having moved a step.
