Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Ointment
Gu Ya handed the egg he was holding to Mrs. Shen and, noticing that Su Zhongshi was also in the room, respectfully greeted him, “Father!” Su Xiang’e looked Gu Ya up and down, clearly satisfied with the handsome features of her niece’s husband.
Realizing he was being scrutinized, Gu Ya’s gaze fell on Su Xiang’e, aware that this woman was his wife’s aunt, and politely greeted her, “Auntie!”
“Nephew-in-law, we’re all family here, no need to be so formal, please take a seat, quick, sit down!” Su Xiang’e enthusiastically beckoned Gu Ya to sit, and he casually chose a spot to sit down beside the table.
Mrs. Shen then asked Su Yunjin to pour some tea; however, the table had only water, as the Su family had finished their coarse tea last month and hadn’t bought any more since. Realizing this, Mrs. Shen’s face turned somewhat embarrassed. Gu Ya quickly said, “Mother, water is fine for me.
So Su Yunjin poured another cup of water for Gu Ya to drink.
Mrs. Shen divided two bowls of steamed eggs between Su Ningxiu and Su Xiaobao, who, after eating their plain porridge, had regained some strength. Now they no longer needed to be fed by others and could eat by themselves. Su Xiaobao and Su Ningxiu each used a spoon to eat their steamed eggs, with Xiaobao particularly enjoying them.
All the eggs in the house were meant to be sold at the market for money. Sometimes, the Tao family would brazenly come to demand eggs, claiming they were for Su Yunjin’s grandfather to nourish his health. Su Zhongshi and Mrs. Shen were both easy to bully, so whenever the Tao family asked for eggs, neither Su Zhongshi nor Mrs. Shen dared to refuse.
If they didn’t comply, the Tao family would make such a scene that the whole Su family village would be aware of their supposed lack of filial piety for not even sparing an egg for their father to eat.
Having the rare chance to eat an egg, Su Xiaobao found the steamed egg he was eating to be exceptionally tasty.
In the pot, coarse rice was boiling. Initially, Mrs. Shen had intended to cook just enough to fill Su Ningxiu’s and Su Xiaobao’s bellies, but with the presence of her son-in-law, Gu Ya, and her sister-in-law, Su Xiang’e, what was in the pot would surely not suffice. She went into the kitchen and started cooking another pot of coarse rice.
After eating the steamed egg, Su Xiaobao complained of pain, saying his neck felt uncomfortable. Su Yunjin examined Xiaobao’s neck and guessed that the bruises were likely from the Tao family’s harsh treatment; a large, dark bruise discolored the back of his neck. Such a significant bruise would be painful, not just on a ten-year-old child like Xiaobao, but even on an adult.
“Yunjin, why don’t you find a doctor to look at your sister and brother’s injuries, and have the doctor prescribe some medicine for them?” Su Zhongshi, kind-hearted and hating to see his children in distress, suggested Su Yunjin seek medical help for Su Ningxiu and Su Xiaobao despite their financial constraints.
Su Yunjin, adept in medicine herself, planned to gather herbs to treat Su Ningxiu’s and Su Xiaobao’s wounds; they didn’t need to consult a doctor. Just as Su Yunjin was about to decline, Su Xiaobao spoke up first, “Father, it’s alright, Xiaobao is fine, there’s no need for a doctor.”
Xiaobao was a sensible child who knew the family was poor and didn’t want his father to spend money on a doctor for him. Su Ningxiu also declined, “Father, I’m also fine, there’s really no need to find a doctor!”
“Yunjin, I brought the box of ointment your sister-in-law gave us last time. The ointment is meant to promote blood circulation and dispel contusions. Maybe you could apply it to your sister and brother first and see if it helps.”
Su Yunjin turned instinctively to look at Gu Ya, who was coming over, joy appearing on her face, “Husband, you brought the ointment?”
“Yes,” Gu Ya replied as he took out the box of ointment that Mrs. Chu had given him and handed it over to his little wife.