When the pears are green

Chapter 209 Feeding Medicine

When Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou arrived at the Song family, Song Yue was decocting medicine for Zhang in the kitchen.

Song Li asked Jiang Qingzhou to go to the utility room to rest, and she accompanied Song Yue in the kitchen to boil medicine. She pretended not to know that Zhang was pregnant, and asked Song Yue softly with a heavy face: "Yueyue, what's wrong with mother?"

Song Yue sighed and replied, "Sister, Mom had a miscarriage. The doctor said the baby was unstable, but Mom suddenly started bleeding two days ago, and the doctor said at the time that the baby could not be saved. Mom and Dad are very sad. Dad went to Second Grandfather's house to help Uncle Changming prepare dowry for Xing'er. I'll go call him when the medicine is ready."

Song Li covered her mouth in surprise. She had just heard about Zhang's pregnancy not long ago, but she didn't expect that the child was gone in just a few days.

"Alas, our father did not go out to work with our second and third grandfathers in order to take care of mother. Mother feels very guilty now. She says it's all her fault. Not only did she fail to keep the child, but she also delayed father's ability to make money." Song Yue's eyes became red when she thought of Zhang, who was always in tears.

Song Li comforted Song Yue softly. She waited until the medicine was ready, then took the medicine and gently pushed open the door of Zhang's bedroom.

"Xiaoyue, I don't want to take medicine." Zhang's weak voice came from under the thick quilt, accompanied by a few coughs.

Song Li first placed the medicine on the wooden box beside the bed, then gently pulled back the quilt covering Zhang's head and called out, "Mom."

Zhang pinched her face in disbelief, and then she felt the pain and realized that she was not dreaming.

"Xiao Li, when did you come?" Zhang struggled to sit up.

Song Li quickly helped Zhang up, then considerately pulled the quilt over her and wrapped her up.

Zhang stared at Song Li who was tidying up the quilt for her, her eyes red and she couldn't say a word.

Song Li picked up the bowl, scooped a spoonful of medicine with a porcelain spoon and brought it to Zhang's mouth, coaxing Zhang softly: "Mom, take the medicine while it's hot. After taking the medicine, your body will be better. Xiaoxing also said that he will come back to see you after the study room rests!"

Zhang lowered her head and a tear slipped into the porcelain spoon.

"Mom, take the medicine quickly." Song Li put the porcelain spoon to Zhang's mouth again. Zhang held the porcelain spoon in her mouth and swallowed the medicine in one gulp.

The bowl of medicine was quickly finished, and Song Li went to the kitchen to pour warm water for Zhang to rinse her mouth.

"Mom, take a nap. You'll be fine once you wake up." Seeing that Zhang's face was pale and her eyes were dark, Song Li guessed that Zhang must not have gotten enough rest in the past two days, so she let Zhang lie down and rest.

After Zhang lay down, she kept staring at Song Li. Song Li sat beside the bed, took the initiative to hold Zhang's hand, and patted the quilt to coax Zhang to sleep.

Whether it was due to the effect of the medicine or because Zhang felt at ease, she slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Song Li listened to Zhang's steady breathing, reached out and touched Zhang's forehead, then gently put Zhang's hand into the quilt.

Song Li quietly left the room. When she walked into the yard, Song Yue and Song Changhe also returned home from outside.

Song Changhe hurriedly asked Song Li: "Xiao Li, has your mother taken the medicine?"

Song Li handed the empty medicine bowl to Song Changhe and said that Zhang fell asleep after taking the medicine.

Song Changhe and Song Yue finally felt relieved.

Song Li first went to the utility room to call Jiang Qingzhou over, and then handed the basket containing tofu, garlic sprouts, dried vegetables and pork to Song Changhe.

Song Changhe glanced at the full basket and gently blamed Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou for bringing so many things.

"Dad, this isn't all for you." Song Li smiled and took out a portion of dried vegetables and a piece of tofu, turned around and handed them to Song Yue, asking her to deliver them to the Wu family in the afternoon.

Song Li pointed to the tofu wrapped in cloth in the basket and said to Song Changhe, "Dad, Qingzhou and I learned how to make tofu from others. Since you are staying at home this winter, why don't you learn how to make tofu from us? You have nothing to do anyway."

Song Changhe glanced at Jiang Qingzhou beside him and gently refused, saying no.

Jiang Qingzhou realized that Song Changhe was afraid that he would make a fuss, so he smiled and explained to Song Changhe: "Dad, Xiaoli and I sell near Jiangjia Village, and we can't sell here at all. If you want to make tofu, you can come to our house anytime to learn, or ask Xiaoli to teach you."

Song Changhe then agreed and said with a smile that he would go to Jiang's house to learn how to make tofu when Zhang felt better.

Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou quickly agreed. Song Li asked Song Changhe to buy a millstone in a nearby village. The town was too far away and it was inconvenient to go to the town to buy a millstone.

"What a coincidence! There is someone in the village selling millstones. Although they are a little small, they are better than nothing. I will go buy one in the afternoon." Song Changhe felt much better and went into the house to see Zhang.

Zhang slept until noon. Song Changhe went to chat with her to relieve her boredom, while Song Li, Song Yue and Jiang Qingzhou went to the kitchen to cook.

Song Li was holding a ceramic basin filled with cabbage and garlic sprouts and washing the vegetables with Song Yue by the well. Song Li smiled and asked Song Yue if she knew that Wu Mingde would be back from the county school in eleven or twelve days.

Song Yue lowered her head and replied with a blushing face: "Sister, I heard from Sister Wu."

Song Li laughed softly upon seeing this, and Song Yue then realized that Song Li was teasing her on purpose.

"Sister..." Song Yue shook Song Li's arm and begged for mercy.

Song Li quickly stopped laughing, picked up the washed dishes, and pulled Song Yue back to the kitchen.

After the meal was ready, Song Li and Song Yue accompanied Zhang in the bedroom to eat. The two sisters sat on the edge of the bed, one put food into Zhang's mouth, and the other handed a steamed bun to Zhang's mouth.

At this moment, Zhang forgot the pain of losing her children. She smiled and asked the two sisters to sit on the stools and eat obediently.

When the two sisters were seated, Zhang said to Song Li while eating, "Xiao Li, I heard your father talk about the tofu incident. I hope Qing Zhou doesn't mind!"

Song Li quickly shook her head and repeated Jiang Qingzhou's words to Zhang, who then felt relieved.

It was early winter, and Zhang and Song Changhe did not dare to keep Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou for too long, fearing that they would not be able to return home before dark, so after feeding them, they sent them back early.

When Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou returned home, it was already dark. Master Li had just told Jiang Qingzhou that Chen Yuan was coming over when Chen Yuan knocked on the Jiang family's gate with three wooden swords.

After Chen Yuan handed the wooden sword to the three children, he and Jiang Qingzhou went to Jiang Baogen's house in the dim light.

The two of them returned soon. Song Li curiously poked her head out of the kitchen and asked, "Qingzhou, Constable Chen, have you reached an agreement?"

Chen Yuan nodded happily, and said to Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou with a smile: "Cousin, cousin, when we go to the government office to complete the formalities tomorrow, the three acres of land will be mine. However, I have never farmed before, so should I learn to farm the three acres of land myself or rent it out?"

"Let's rent it out." Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou answered in unison.

Chen Yuan thought about it and agreed with what the two said, so he asked Jiang Qingzhou to help him find a reliable family.

Jiang Qingzhou agreed and planned to go to the Liu family, who had been renting his land, to ask after he sold the tofu tomorrow. The two families had been working together for five or six years and had a good impression of each other.

Song Li invited Chen Yuan to have dinner at her home. Before the meal was ready, Chen Yuan taught the three children how to make sword flowers.

Jiang Qingye and Li Yi were either hit on the head, face or arms by the wooden swords. They looked at Song Xing, who was having fun, with bitter faces.

Song Xing was very talented. After only watching it once, he was able to basically perform the sword flower.

Chen Yuan took Song Xing to the kitchen and said to Song Li who was lighting the fire with a smile: "Cousin, Xiao Xing has a talent for martial arts. I want to take him as my apprentice."

After hearing this, Song Li smiled and asked Song Xing for his opinion.

"Sister, I want to take my brother-in-law as my teacher." Song Xing replied quickly.

Song Li thought that learning martial arts was also a good way out, so he told Song Xing not to neglect his studies while learning martial arts.

Song Xing nodded quickly, pulled Chen Yuan to the yard, and begged Chen Yuan to teach him more.

Chen Yuan looked at the anxious Song Xing, smiled and told Song Xing not to be anxious, and asked Song Xing to start by learning the horse stance first.

Chen Yuan demonstrated and explained to Song Xing: "Spread your feet three feet apart, straighten your chest and abdomen, relax your arms and knees naturally, and straighten your waist. Squat down with your knees, don't bend forward or backward. Put your hands in front of your chest, like hugging a ball."

Song Xing squatted down following Chen Yuan's movements, and soon he felt pain in his back and waist.

Chen Yuan kept asking Song Xing to hold his head and chest high and continue squatting. After repeating this several times, he finally squatted into a horse stance that satisfied Chen Yuan.

"From now on, you should squat for half an hour every day. It's normal that you are not used to it now. If you feel tired, you can give up as soon as possible. Practicing martial arts is not easier than studying." Chen Yuan said to Song Xing meaningfully.

Song Xing hurriedly said that he could persevere, and Chen Yuan nodded with satisfaction.

After Chen Yuan left Jiang's house after dinner, Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou soaked five pounds of soybeans, preparing to make tofu early the next morning.