I was divorced because I got pregnant during the lean years, so I went back to my parents’ home and

Ji Xiaobei climbed out of bed bored. The yard was quiet.

Some hens were clucking in the backyard.

No one knew where Mrs. Huang and Mrs. Lin had gone.

A lot of vegetables planted in the backyard have grown.

That day, I heard Mrs. Lin say that there was a lot of grass growing there, so she asked Mrs. Huang to pull out the grass.

She squatted down and carefully identified it, confirming that the round leaf was a grass. She raised her two fingers and pinched it off.

You know what, fiddling with these things is quite relaxing.

My legs and stomach just couldn't take it. After squatting for a while, I felt my legs numb and my stomach bloated.

She stood up and stretched her muscles.

Put some eggs in the chicken coop.

I walked around the vegetable patch a few times and felt really bored.

When we were in Jijiawan, there was always laughter in the workshop.

Oh! It's so boring to come here.

Then I heard someone knocking on the door in the front yard.

"Miss Ji, is Miss Ji at home?"

Ji Xiaobei: It’s Aunt Zhang, why is she here?

She took a few quick steps and opened the door.

Aunt Zhang had a bamboo basket on her wrist with a paper bag in it. She smiled and said:

"Girl, my young master brought some here last night. I'll give you a few pieces to eat!"

Ji Xiaobei quickly took the paper bag and thanked Aunt Zhang.

"Madam Zhang, please come in!" said Ji Xiaobei.

Nanny Zhang glanced toward the North Lane and walked in quickly.

Ji Xiaobei closed the door.

Aunt Zhang sat on a stone bench in the yard and said shyly, "Miss Ji, I came here to ask you something!"

"My old lady once ate the snow pear you gave her and thought it was delicious. I want to ask where you bought it. Ah Huang went to several markets but couldn't find it."

Ji Xiaobei smiled and said: “When I went to the southern suburbs, I saw an old man selling it on the street with a shoulder pole!

You may not be able to buy it even if you go there specifically!

I still have some at home. I'll get it for you and you can give it to the old lady!"

Ji Xiaobei went into the house and took out five or six snow pears and a few Red Fuji apples.

"Take all of them and give them to the old lady."

"Miss, thank you so much. How much is this? I'll give you the silver."

Ji Xiaobei tried to refuse, and Nanny Zhang didn't insist on giving it to him.

"Mammy, I haven't seen the old lady for several days. How is her health?"

Ji Xiaobei asked.

"I haven't been feeling well these past few days. I'm too excited to sleep at night, and I'm so groggy during the day that I don't want to get up and feel confused.

I don’t know what’s going on. I’ve been taking medicine but it’s not getting better!”

Ji Xiaobei thought for a moment and asked, "Did you change the medicine? Are you still taking the same medicine?"

Aunt Zhang nodded and said, "I haven't changed the medicine, it's still the same medicine.

The court doctor came to see her last night and said she was weak and told her to take good care of herself! My son was busy with official duties and came back yesterday. The old lady felt much better after seeing her grandson."

"Then your son should come back to see the old lady more often!"

Ji Xiaobei said.

Aunt Zhang sighed and said, "My master is a very busy man and has no time to spare!

On weekdays, Madam Gui and I take care of the old lady. She was in good health last year, but now she is getting older and worse!"

Ji Xiaobei nodded and suggested, "Why don't we find another doctor to take a look? There should be many good doctors in Anzhou Prefecture. Besides, your son should be a capable person, so we can go to the capital to hire a doctor."

Aunt Zhang nodded and said, "We should find another doctor."

Ji Xiaobei asked her why there was no one living in the yard next door.

Nanny Zhang smiled and said that it was the young master's courtyard and he only lived there a few times a year.

After chatting for a while, Nanny Zhang took her things and left.

Ji Xiaobei watched Nanny Zhang leave.

After Nanny Zhang went out, she looked towards the north lane again before hurriedly walking towards the old lady's yard.

Afterwards, a little maid with red eyes came out from the Magnolia Courtyard, holding a fine porcelain bowl, and a smell of Chinese medicine wafted over.

Ji Xiaobei: Was the old lady’s medicine boiled in Madam Gui’s yard?

Ji Xiaobei looked up at the sky and checked the time.

After returning home, she went to the nearby Mingguang Street and bought a few fine porcelain bowls.

I met Mrs. Lin and Mrs. Huang who were walking on Guangming Street.

"Mom, what are you doing?" Ji Xiaobei asked.

"Let's see how much grain costs per pound..." Mrs. Lin said with an evasive look.

"No, it's not like that. Your mother saw that we have a lot of eggs and wanted to sell them. She came here to check things out and even dragged me along!"

Mrs. Huang said.

Mrs. Lin rolled her eyes at her.

"No, Xiaobei, why did you buy so many fine porcelain bowls? Don't we have bowls at home?"

Mrs. Lin asked in surprise when she saw the bowl in Ji Xiaobei's bamboo basket.

Ji Xiaobei: "The bowl at home is too big. I eat one bowl of rice, but you say I eat too little and scold me every time. I'll buy a smaller one so I can eat two more bowls!"

When Mrs. Lin saw her daughter's serious expression, she felt that something was wrong, but also that there was some truth to it.

The three of them returned home and when they reached the entrance of the west alley, they saw a little maid crying as she walked out of the old lady's yard.

He walked very slowly and with a limp.

Ji Xiaobei and the other three quickly caught up with her.

It was the little maid who delivered the medicine just now.

"Little girl, what's wrong with you?" Ji Xiaobei asked.

When Xiaomei saw that it was Miss Ji from next door, she wiped her tears and called her Miss Ji.

She used to work in the old lady's yard. Aunt Zhang and the old lady always mentioned Miss Ji next door, and she had seen her several times when she went out.

I don’t feel that Ji Xiaobei is unfamiliar.

But a few days ago, Mrs. Gui asked her to go to Yulan Courtyard and make medicine for the old lady there.

Life in the Magnolia Courtyard is not easy. Lan Dian relies on the fact that her master is Madam Gui and either beats or scolds Xiao Mei.

"Is your foot injured?" asked Mrs. Huang.

The little maid nodded, tears welling up in her eyes again.

"I sprained my ankle. It hurts a little, but it will be fine in two days. Thank you for your concern, Madam!"

After saying that, she gritted her teeth and walked forward.

Ji Xiaobei looked down and saw some dried blood on her trouser legs.

"Wait!" Ji Xiaobei said.

Xiaomei turned around in surprise and stared at Ji Xiaobei.

"Your foot is seriously injured. Come to my house and apply some medicine!" said Ji Xiaobei.

Mrs. Huang stepped forward, held the little maid's arm, and pulled her home.

The little girl did not resist and followed in obediently.

After she sat down, Huang Po helped her treat the wound and found that her ankle was bruised, swollen and bleeding.

Huang Po helped her deal with it. After applying the medicine, the little maid took out a small purse from her body, took out some change and handed it to Huang Po.

"Xiao Mei thanks Mammy, this is your consultation fee!"

Mrs. Huang stuffed it back to her neatly.

Xiaomei bowed to the three people gratefully.

"I have to go back quickly, otherwise Madam Gui will get angry again when she comes back!"

Xiaomei hurried out.

Mrs. Lin said distressedly: "It's really pitiful. It's not easy to be a maid in a wealthy family!"