Tan’er rested her two little fists on her cheeks, staring unblinkingly at Meng Qianqian: "Sister."
Meng Qianqian said calmly: "She’s gone."
Tan’er’s apricot-like eyes widened.
Not listening for a little longer? That’s your own mother! She’s still alive!
Watching Meng Qianqian’s brisk and resolute figure, faint tears surfaced in Tan’er’s eyes as she muttered sorrowfully, "Not even caring for her own mother... Sister is truly... so heartless! So unfeeling! So cold-hearted! So... utterly captivating!"
Excitement gleamed intensely in her eyes as she hurled herself forward to catch up!
The neighboring courtyard gate was ajar. Meng Qianqian called out twice at the door to the elderly woman, but hearing no reply, she worried something had happened. Saying, "Granny, I’m coming in," she carefully pushed the door open and entered.
Nanny Li hadn’t lied to Meng Qianqian; Granny really had taken a fall, witnessed by Ban Xia.
Ban Xia wanted to help her up but was startled into retreating back to her own yard by a fierce glare from the old woman.
Meng Qianqian found her in the bedroom. Granny’s complexion was pallid, her forehead glistening with cold sweat, as though enduring excruciating pain.
Meng Qianqian hurried to the bedside.
Granny didn’t soften her attitude toward Meng Qianqian despite the latter having once helped repair her roof. She glared at Meng Qianqian precisely as she’d done to Ban Xia.
But Meng Qianqian was unfazed.
"Granny, let me take a look at your leg."
Bending down slightly, Meng Qianqian gently pulled back the quilt covering Granny.
A steely glint flickered across Granny’s eyes.
"Is it this leg?" Meng Qianqian quickly spotted stiffness in her right leg. With practiced tenderness, she examined the leg’s bone, "The bone is fine. Granny, I’ll check your pulse now."
Without waiting for refusal, she took Granny’s withered hand and placed her fingertips upon the aged wrist.
Granny stared coldly at Meng Qianqian.
Meng Qianqian was not unaware of Granny’s resistance and vigilance, but such reactions were only natural for a pitiful elder estranged from her family.
"Granny, is it arthritis?"
Hoarse-voiced, Granny retorted gruffly, "You’re the doctor, you tell me!"
Meng Qianqian nodded. "You’re right. Let’s go by my remedy, then."
Turning to Tan’er, who had just entered, she said, "Tan’er, bring the Blood Coagulation Ointment."
Tucking close to Meng Qianqian’s ear, Tan’er murmured, "Sister, there’s only one box of the Blood Coagulation Ointment left in the entire Capital City. Are we really just giving it to her? What’ll we do if we need it for ourselves later?"
Blood Coagulation Ointment was a renowned healing medicine, also particularly effective for arthritis.
Meng Qianqian said firmly, "Go get it."
Tan’er pouted. "Fine."
Surveying the room briefly, Meng Qianqian added, "I remember Madam Du made Dragon Bone Soup; fetch a bowl here and ask her to stir-fry some bamboo shoots and pork, lightly spiced."
Counting on her fingers one by one, Tan’er listed, "Blood Coagulation Ointment, Dragon Bone Soup, bamboo shoot pork stir-fry... Got it!"
Standing, Meng Qianqian strolled to the window. "Granny, you need to rest indoors but keep your room ventilated. The weather is good today; I’ll open the window for now and stop by in the afternoon to close it."
Granny ignored her. Meng Qianqian took it as silent consent and propped the window open.
"Sister, it’s ready!"
Noticing leaves on Tan’er’s shoulder, Meng Qianqian asked, "Did you climb over the wall to come here?"
Tan’er glanced skyward. "It’s close."
Setting the food box on the table, she addressed Granny, "Granny, I’ll often climb the wall to visit you going forward!"
Opening the food box lid released the mouthwatering aroma of rich soup mingling with the savory-spicy essence of bamboo shoots and pork.
Granny swallowed discreetly.
Meng Qianqian smiled, applied the ointment to Granny’s leg, and left the bottle on the table. "Granny, apply it twice a day. It should ease up by evening. I’ll check back tomorrow."
Exiting the courtyard, Tan’er asked curiously, "Sister, how did you know Granny likes spicy food?"
Meng Qianqian replied, "Last time, I saw a row of dried chili peppers hanging in her backyard."
Enlightened, Tan’er headed into her own yard and looked toward the East Wing. "Cousin, lately, I don’t know what he’s been up to. He hasn’t been home much at all."
Meng Qianqian remarked, "Isn’t he meeting classmates?"
Crossing her arms, Tan’er said, "He’s from You State; what classmates would he have in the Capital City?"
Meng Qianqian pondered before replying, "Maybe they’re fellow scholars from You State who came to study here."
Yu Li was a guest; he had his own freedom. Where he chose to go was his business, not something his cousin had a right to interfere in.
"Ah, could it be that he’s heartbroken from not being able to marry you, Sister? Too devastated to face you now? Poor Cousin—"