tallest building

Chapter 27 Listen to Good Advice
"Don't let her being a girl fool you, she's quite mischievous!" Liu Cuiyi sighed as she spoke. "I was thinking of getting her to behave a bit when she's older. Girls should be more gentle and docile."

"Temperament is something innate; how can human effort change it? If we can guide it and help it become more complete, that would be a perfect outcome." Wen Mingqian gave the child some snacks. "Go play with your older brothers and sisters!"

Liu Cuiyi's eldest daughter, A-Shu, was feeding fish with Gong Chang'an by the pond. Unlike her younger sister, she looked like a gentle and well-behaved girl.

"Sister, did you manage to get the truth out of Miss Cui that day?" Liu Cuiyi asked with concern.

"She did say that it was Yang Mama, who served Aunt Song, who begged her to do it." Wen Mingqian gently brushed a fallen petal off his clothes. The roses on the flower stand were in full bloom, but it also meant that spring was coming to an end.

"I guessed so. Sigh, that Aunt Song is always good at pretending to be a good person; so many people have been fooled by her." Liu Cuiyi shook her head. "Sister, are you just going to let this go?"

“As you know, I’ve only just returned and haven’t settled in yet. The old lady and the others aren’t in the capital. If this matter causes a huge uproar, everyone will end up being equally culpable, and I won’t benefit from it,” Wen Mingqian said. “The times are not in my favor, so I’ll just have to bear with it for now.”

“Indeed, there’s no need to rush. What’s real can’t be made real, and what’s fake can’t be made real. I don’t believe that Aunt Song can play the role forever,” Liu Cuiyi said. “It’s clear that Madam Feng will definitely not get along with her anymore.”

"Stop talking about me. How have you been lately? Have the Zhou family been giving you a hard time again?" Wen Mingqian asked her.

“It’s the same as always,” Liu Cuiyi smiled, her eyes filled with bitterness. “He’s recently become infatuated with a singer in a brothel, and they’re having a passionate affair. He hasn’t come back for a long time.”

“Your mother-in-law certainly won’t blame her son, but she’ll definitely scold you again, right?” Wen Mingqian said.

"That's right, people say I'm incompetent and can't hold a man's heart." Liu Cuiyi sighed deeply, as if a lead weight was weighing on her heart.

"Are you in charge of things at home now?" Wen Mingqian asked carefully.

“I do have to take care of some things, but I don’t get to handle the big things. I’m the one who takes care of all the trivial matters,” Liu Cuiyi said. “So I don’t get any credit for it.”

“I’ve already asked Aunt Zhao to prepare a dietary therapy recipe for you. Take it home and start eating it from today,” Wen Mingqian said. “From today onwards, just take good care of yourself and the child, and don’t concern yourself with anything else. Remember to be thick-skinned and ignore whatever others say, no matter how harsh it may sound.”

“But I can’t just abandon everything for no reason, can I?” Liu Cuiyi said with difficulty. “There has to be a legitimate reason.”

"It's not hard to find an excuse. Just go to any nunnery and give the abbess some money, and ask her to say it for you. Just say that you are eager to have a child, but you have unresolved grudges from your past life and you need to sincerely repent and cultivate yourself."

Therefore, for the next year, you must observe a vegetarian diet, recite Buddhist scriptures, abstain from meat, and refrain from worldly affairs. This is also to accumulate merit for the Zhou family, and your mother-in-law will not object.” Wen Mingqian had already planned this out for her. “Your health has been severely depleted; it will take at least a year and a half to recover.”

“Yes, young lady, just listen to the second madam!” Zhao Mama caught up and said, “Look what the Zhou family has done to you! If you don’t take good care of yourself, let alone have a son, it will be difficult for you to even have a healthy baby.”

"Cuiyi, no matter how submissive you are now, the Zhou family will not remember your kindness. In the end, you will ruin your health and lose your life. Apart from your two poor daughters who will be left destitute, everyone else will continue to live their peaceful lives."

"While there's still a chance to salvage things, you must plan for yourself. You have to fight back with all your might. If you don't save yourself, even gods and Buddhas can't help you." Wen Mingqian spoke earnestly. She herself had been hurt beyond repair, and only after walking through that unbearable mud did she truly understand that tears and complaints were useless. Only by hardening her heart and taking the first step could she find redemption.

She treated Liu Cuiyi like a sister, which is why she was so open and honest with her.

But if she still can't be helped up, then I have nothing more to say. After all, everyone has to walk their own path and overcome their own tribulations.

Each person's spiritual practice is good, and each person's karma is their own to deal with; that's all there is to it.

Fortunately, although Liu Cuiyi was weak, she was not without ambition.

She lowered her head and thought for a moment, then gritted her teeth and said, "Sister, you really care about me, that's why you teach me without any reservations. Although I'm not very capable, I can see clearly that if things continue like this, I'll probably have no way out."

I had only hoped to have a son, so I would have someone to rely on for the rest of my life. But now, not only can I not have a son, but I also toil away all day for nothing, enduring ridicule and scorn. I feel like a bitter weed in the field, trampled on by everyone; even if I don't die, I won't live a good life.”

Wen Mingqian noticed that the colors of her clothes were hibiscus and ultramarine, neither gaudy nor bright, and really not good-looking. So he said, "From now on, you should only wear eggshell blue, honey, moon, and luxuriant colors at home. Your hair is a bit dry and yellow. Take my hair washing recipe and wash it every three days. It will get better in a few months."

"And that jade ointment, you must use it well too. Although it's unavoidable to rely on one's looks to please others, a beautiful and dignified appearance can inspire respect, and that cannot be ignored." "Sister is so thoughtful, she has considered everything for me. I will definitely do as you say and not let you down," Liu Cuiyi said gratefully.

"Also, avoid your master; try not to see him if you can avoid it," Wen Mingqian said. "Let those concubines make a fuss as they please; you just focus on taking care of yourself."

Liu Cuiyi nodded after every sentence she said, making sure she remembered what she said.

When it was time for lunch, Zhang Ma personally cooked. Although there weren't many dishes, every single one was a masterpiece.

"This whole table is full of vegetarian dishes. Try them and see if you can get used to them. You'll be living like this from now on." Wen Mingqian smiled and handed the chopsticks to Liu Cuiyi.

"Zhang Ma's vegetarian dishes are really good, they smell so good!" Liu Cuiyi couldn't help but praise.

“These are all recipes. If you follow the recipes, no one will make a mistake,” Zhang Ma said with a smile. “I have written down your menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner this month. Just have Zhao Ma follow it.”

After Liu Cuiyi finished her meal, the two children, still wanting more play, played for a while longer before deciding to take their leave, thinking they still needed to go to the temple.

Wen Mingqian escorted her to the door and watched until the carriage had driven far away before turning back.

As they walked inside, Zhang Ma said, "This old man Zhou spends all his time fooling around outside. He's probably already suffering from kidney deficiency. How can he possibly have a son?"

"That depends on fate," Wen Mingqian said. "Having children is also a matter of destiny; who can say for sure?"

This morning I suddenly found myself unable to get up.

Whenever I looked up, my vision would blur, and I would feel nauseous and dizzy. This happened several times, so I got scared and thought I was having a stroke.

But my hands and feet weren't numb, and my heart didn't feel uncomfortable. So I figured it probably wasn't too serious.

I'm used to waking up early, and I get up no later than 5:30 a.m. If I go to the hospital at that time, there will probably only be doctors on duty.

So I turned to my all-knowing third sister for help. After I described my symptoms on the phone, she immediately asked me, "Did you leave the window open when you went to sleep last night?"

I said it wasn't closed properly, but I had drawn two layers of curtains!
She said, "You've been infected by an evil spirit. Try cupping! One cup will make you feel better."

So I got a cupping jar applied to the back of my neck.

My cervical spine has always been fine, and I've had cupping done before, sometimes for half an hour or even longer, and my skin would only turn a little red. This time, however, it took less than ten minutes for my skin to be covered in blood blisters, each one as big as a corn kernel. There were also many smaller blisters, which triggered my trypophobia.

However, after removing the jar forty minutes, I was able to get up. I still felt stiffness in the back of my neck, but I was no longer as dizzy and nauseous.

There was just an indescribable weakness in her body.

Still worried, I went to the hospital again and had several tests done, all of which showed no organic lesions.

I went to see a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, who also said it was due to pathogenic wind entering the body. He prescribed several kinds of Chinese medicine, all of which are for promoting blood circulation and clearing the meridians.

I woke up from my nap at noon and my neck was still a little stiff, but I could already type with my neck stiffened.

Although the temperature is still high, it is already autumn, so please take care and stay healthy.

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(End of this chapter)