Inviting the Moon to the Farmhouse

Chapter 6: Even Bitter Medicine is Sweet

Xia Lanyue laughed along with A Xiang.

After laughing for a while, Xia Lanyue finally noticed Dai You, who was still staring at her. "What's wrong?"

"You want to marry Mr. Xia?" Dai You asked with a serious expression.

"Just kidding, I don't even know who Mr. Xia is."

"You promised me you wouldn't lie," Ah Xiang said anxiously upon hearing Xia Lanyue's words.

"But I've never even met Mr. Xia, how can I say I'm going to marry him?"

"Then get up, I'll take you to see him," A Xiang said, taking Xia Lanyue's hand and trying to lead her to Mr. Xia.

Xia Lanyue was just joking with him; she had no intention of actually going to see Mr. Xia. She pretended to yawn and then held her waist, saying, "Aunt Yue is still sick and needs to rest. Let Uncle Dai play with you." After saying that, she stood up and went back into the house.

After returning to her room, Xia Lanyue didn't immediately lie down on the bed. Instead, she stood by the door, listening to the conversation outside. The room wasn't soundproof, so she could hear most of what was being said without even trying.

"Hmph, I don't care, Aunt Yue is going to marry Mr. Xia."

"Good boy, Axiang. Aunt Yue is sick and her eyesight is failing. Uncle Dai will have a contest with you."

"What if you lose?"

"If I lose, I'll be your childhood sweetheart, the best one."

"Okay, it's a deal."

What if Ah Xiang loses?

"Then tell me, what do you want from me? Colored stones won't do."

"Hmm, I don't want colored stones. I haven't decided what I want yet, so I'll owe you one."

"Okay, I'll teach you how to play."

Then came the sounds of the two playing and laughing. Xia Lanyue was too lazy to listen. She lay back on the bed. She had been frightened last night and hadn't slept well the following night, so she was starting to feel sleepy now.

In a daze, she felt someone push the door open and enter the room, and then a childish voice sounded beside her face, "Aunt Yue, are you still sleeping?"

"Ok".

"You're awake?!"

"No," Xia Lanyue replied with her eyes closed, not wanting to play along.

"Are you taking your medicine? Uncle Dai asked me to ask you if you're taking your medicine or not?"

More medicine! She touched her head; although she still had a fever, she didn't want to drink that terribly bitter medicine. "I won't drink it."

"If you don't take your medicine, when will you get better?" Dai You's voice came from outside the door. Then, he knocked on the door and pushed it open before waiting for a response.

"So you know to knock now?!" Xia Lanyue said to Dai You.

Dai You was a little flustered by her teasing. After a moment of silence, he explained, "I did knock on the door yesterday, but you didn't answer, so I..."

Xia Lanyue paused upon hearing his explanation, realizing she had made a mistake. Then, feeling guilty and ashamed to face him, she pulled the blanket over her head to hide her face.

Dai You approached her with a bowl of medicine, saying, "Drink your medicine."

Xia Lanyue turned her back to him and said, "I'm ready, I don't want to drink anymore."

Hearing her say that, A Xiang knelt down beside Xia Lanyue's bed and quietly asked, "Aunt Yue, now that you're better, can you marry Mr. Xia?"

How could A Xiang still remember this? Xia Lanyue sat up, looked at A Xiang helplessly, and then reached out to take the medicine bowl, "I want to drink my medicine."

Dai You handed the bowl to Xia Lanyue, then took out a paper package from his pocket and opened it.

After Xia Lanyue finished drinking, Dai You reached out and handed her something yellowish-brown. Xia Lanyue couldn't tell what it was and reached out to take it, puzzled.

"Gum candy!" Ah Xiang shouted excitedly.

Candy?! Is it for her?! Because the medicine was too bitter?!

Ah Xiang's eyes lit up as he stared at the candy in Xia Lanyue's hand. Then he stood up, turned around, and tugged at Dai You's sleeve, pleading, "I want some too!"

Dai You then placed another one in A Xiang's hand.

Ah Xiang held it in both hands, as if it were some kind of treasure.

Dai You wrapped the candy, put it in his pocket, took the medicine bowl from Xia Lanyue, patted A Xiang's head, and went out.

Xia Lanyue watched Dai You's retreating figure without saying a word.

Looking at A Xiang, the child first licked the candy, then looked at it carefully, and then licked it a couple more times. Seeing him like this, Xia Lanyue thought it was some kind of unparalleled delicacy.

She tossed the candy into her mouth, wanting to taste what it was like that made the child so fond of it.

The sugar doesn't taste very strong when you put it in your mouth, so you just bite into it directly. It has a malty aroma and a subtle sweetness.

Ah Xiang, with his head held high, asked Xia Lanyue, "Is it delicious?!"

Xia Lanyue nodded. Not bad.

Ah Xiang followed her example, stuffing the candy into his mouth, but he didn't chew it. He just rolled it around in his mouth, probably because he couldn't bear to eat it all at once.

Seeing Ah Xiang like this, I felt sorry for the child. A piece of candy could make him so happy. "When we go to the market in town, Aunt Yue will buy you another one."

"Really? That's great. Can I buy one for A-Lian?" A-Xiang asked, blinking his eyes.

“Of course, there’s more than one, there can be many, many more. Aunt Yue is rich.” After saying that, Xia Lanyue patted the spot on her stomach where the silver notes were, and winked at A Xiang smugly.

Ah Xiang burst into laughter instantly.

"Do you know what time it is now?" Xia Lanyue asked A Xiang.

It's almost noon.

"Oh? It's lunchtime again so soon?" Xia Lanyue had just finished taking her medicine and was still feeling full.

There will be no lunch; we won't get food until evening.

"Two meals a day?" Xia Lanyue asked.

Ah Xiang nodded. "If you're hungry, I'll pick some vegetables from the garden for you."

Xia Lanyue shook her head. She wasn't hungry, but she was pondering whether their two meals a day were due to poverty. For the past two days, their meals had been simple porridge with some side dishes, and coupled with their meager shelter, it was clear their living conditions were far from affluent, even strained. She wondered if she should do something for Uncle Tian to improve their lives as a way of repaying their kindness.

Her gaze swept across the room as she began to ponder what she could do for Uncle Tian. Giving him money might be the most practical approach, but she wasn't sure if he would accept it. If he didn't, she could hire someone to renovate his yard, furnish the house to make them more comfortable, buy a few pigs to improve their diet, add some chickens to save them the trouble of sharing eggs, and a cow to plow the fields. She could also get other necessities depending on the situation.

"Ah Xiang, what does your grandfather like?"

"Hmm... I like fishing and swimming," Ah Xiang said, his eyes darting around as if he were trying to think.

Do you like drinking?

"Hmm," A-Xiang nodded.

Sure enough, men have always enjoyed a drink or two, Xia Lanyue thought.

"And what about Grandma? What does she like?"

"Money," Ah Xiang smiled.

"Pfft—" This hobby is just like hers, Xia Lanyue's.

"You're awake. Shall we go to the yard to play with Uncle Dai?" Xia Lanyue pulled back the covers, put on her shoes, got out of bed, and the two walked out of the house hand in hand.

There was no one in the yard.

"Dai You...brother...brother?" No one answered her.

It looks like she's gone out, Xia Lanyue thought.

"He went out and will be back in about an hour," Wang Cui said as she opened the door to the main house. Her face was still dark, and she was carrying a small bag, like the kind of burlap sack used for storing grain.

Seeing that her expression was not good, Xia Lanyue asked cautiously, "Does Aunt Wang know where he went?"

"I'm going to gather firewood," Wang Cui said as she walked. "I'm going out for a bit. If you need anything, have A Xiang come to my great-grandmother's house to find me."

"Okay, you go ahead with your work, I'm fine."

Wang Cui turned to A Xiang and instructed, "Stay home with Aunt Yue and learn to write from her. Don't run around."

Ah Xiang nodded obediently.

After Wang Cui left, A Xiang didn't pester Xia Lanyue to teach him to write. The two looked at each other, not knowing what to do, so they simply moved some stools to the yard to sunbathe.

"Ah Xiang, do your grandmother and great-aunt not get along?" Xia Lanyue had just noticed that Wang Cui's gaze towards the other woman revealed disdain and helplessness.

Ah Xiang shook his head.

"Is it bad, or do you not know?" Xia Lanyue couldn't understand the meaning behind the shaking of the head.

“Grandma always cries,” A-Xiang said, pouting.

"Why are you crying? Did your great-grandfather hit you?" Xia Lanyue asked, leaning forward with interest.

“My third aunt is a silly girl, and my great-grandmother is very sad and always cries,” A Xiang’s answer left Xia Lanyue even more bewildered.

Who is Tang Sangu? What is her relationship with her great-grandmother? And what does this have to do with Wang Cui's long face?

Xia Lanyue sighed. Forget it, she was too lazy to gossip about this; it was too much of a brain drain.

Xia Lanyue squatted on the ground and drew grids on the ground with a stone. She was so bored at the moment. There was no phone, no books, no entertainment, no food... nothing at all.

She touched the silver notes in her clothes. Fortunately, she had silver notes. She could just bear it a little longer; once she got into the city, everything would be fine.

"Ah Xiang, is Gujing Town far?" Xia Lanyue asked.

"Yuan, are you going to town?" A-Xiang's big eyes lit up. "Can I come with you?"

"Not now."

Ah Xiang's eyes dimmed again.

"I'll take you with me when I go," Xia Lanyue said to A Xiang. "Besides candy, what else do you want? I'll buy it for you."

"Hmm... I want a calligraphy brush, a picture book, and a nine-linked ring," Ah Xiang blinked his big eyes, wanting to say everything he wanted at once, "and..."

"I'm back".

Tian Guang's voice interrupted their conversation; he had returned, followed by someone.

Tian Guang led the old man into the courtyard. The old man had a white beard and a box slung over his shoulder.

“Miss Yue, it just so happens that Doctor Zhang is in the village. Let him take a look at how your recovery is going,” Tian Guang said, leading the doctor closer.

Xia Lanyue quickly stood up to greet her.

Tian Guang waved his hand, gesturing for Xia Lanyue to sit down, and then sent A Xiang away, letting Doctor Zhang sit down so he could take her pulse.

Xia Lanyue extended her wrist, and Zhang Langzhong's fingers gently rested on her wrist.

When the doctor began taking their pulses, everyone remained silent, quietly awaiting the results.

Xia Lanyue dared not speak, glancing between Tian Guang and Zhang Langzhong, feeling a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.

After a moment, Zhang Langzhong slowly loosened his grip on his wrist, a complex expression on his face.

She asked nervously, "Doctor, what was the result?"

Doctor Zhang looked up at her and slowly said, "Your symptoms have improved slightly. You should continue taking the prescription I gave you."

Xia Lanyue nodded.

"Once the girl finishes her previous medication, I'll prescribe another one for her."

Hearing the doctor say that it was probably nothing serious, Xia Lanyue breathed a sigh of relief. "It was Doctor Zhang who treated me a few days ago, right? Thank you, Doctor Zhang."

"Oh, no need to be so polite," Zhang Lang said as he stood up to say goodbye to everyone.

"Let's have dinner before we leave," Tian Guang said.

"No, I have other patients and can't delay. I'll pay the consultation fee when I get the medicine," Zhang Langzhong said, and then walked out of the courtyard.

Xia Lanyue and Tian Guang escorted Zhang Langzhong to the village entrance and then watched him leave.