“Madam Gao, I only know how to make a few dishes. When it comes to treating illnesses, that’s really not my strong suit.”
Seeing the disappointment on the faces of Madam Gao and her daughter, Su Zhen quickly added, “However, you can tell me what kind of Medicinal Cuisine you’re looking for, and I’ll think it over. We can give it a try. After all, food won’t harm anyone. If it doesn’t cure the illness, just consider it a new experience. What do you think?”
Her words were reasonable and well-founded, which made Madam Gao trust her even more.
Indeed, if even doctors couldn’t cure the illness, and this young girl confidently claimed she could heal it with Medicinal Cuisine, that would truly be deceitful.
Gao Qinglian, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up, “Mother, I’m willing to give it a try. Even if it doesn’t cure me, I can still enjoy something new!”
For the past three days, she had been thinking about the taste of the nutritious porridge. The cooks in the mansion were skilled, but even with the same ingredients, the dishes they made just didn’t have that same flavor!
After a moment of contemplation, Madam Gao also nodded.
Gao Qinglian cautiously looked around and finally removed the white veil covering her face.
Su Zhen had already guessed that she had some hidden ailment, but after carefully examining her for a while, she couldn’t find anything unusual about Gao Qinglian’s face.
On the contrary, Miss Gao had a delicate oval face, a high nose bridge, and small, rosy lips—she was a beauty.
Just as Su Zhen was puzzled, Gao Qinglian spoke, “Miss Su, please help me.”
Help? How could she help without knowing the illness?
Su Zhen grew even more confused, but suddenly her nose twitched, and her brows furrowed slightly.
What a strong odor of bad breath!
Gao Qinglian looked embarrassed, her cheeks immediately flushing red. Even though she was used to being looked down upon, she still felt sad inside.
Su Zhen quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, Miss Gao, that was rude of me. So, what did the doctors say?”
Madam Gao quickly chimed in, “The doctors said it’s caused by yin deficiency and excessive internal heat, leading to a bitter taste and bad breath. To be honest, we’ve consulted several doctors recently and taken quite a few herbal decoctions. But the medicine only works while she’s taking it. As soon as she stops, within two days, it goes back to how it was before.”
Worried and heartbroken, she held Gao Qinglian’s hand, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes. “My daughter has been healthy since childhood and rarely fell ill. I don’t know why she suddenly became like this. Now she doesn’t like going out or meeting people, covering her face with a veil all day. She’s already sixteen, the age for marriage. If… if this continues, wouldn’t her future husband look down on her?”
Parents’ love for their children runs deep. Su Zhen could feel Madam Gao’s sorrow and empathize with Miss Gao’s suffering.
She reached out to check Gao Qinglian’s pulse and examined her tongue coating, nodding slightly. “The doctors’ diagnosis is accurate. Alright, let me give it a try. Come back to see me in three days. Whether it works or not, we’ll give it a shot.”
Hearing her words, both Madam Gao and her daughter were overjoyed.
However, Madam Gao took Su Zhen’s hand again, looking at her earnestly. “Miss, I have another favor to ask. I hope you won’t…”
Su Zhen gently but firmly held her warm hand and smiled softly yet solemnly. “Madam Gao, although I’m not a real doctor, my master taught me to protect patients’ privacy. Rest assured, I keep secrets well and won’t speak carelessly.”
Mrs. Gao nodded gratefully, “Good child, whether or not you can cure Lian’er, our Gao family will remember this kindness and will surely repay you properly!”
Of course, all that was for later.
Su Zhen took three taels of silver from her purse and pressed it into Mrs. Gao’s hand, also mentioning that she had found and sold the lingzhi mushroom: “Mrs. Gao, when our family was in trouble, you extended a helping hand. We are already deeply grateful. You must accept this money, otherwise my mother will feel uneasy, and my father, resting in peace, would not be at ease either.”
Unable to refuse, Mrs. Gao reluctantly accepted, already thinking of finding another opportunity to return the money to Su Zhen. With the family’s breadwinner gone, their lives were difficult, and they were all so kind and honest—she would help them however she could!
After seeing off the Gao mother and daughter, Su Zhen tidied up the porridge stall and took Su Anyu to the cloth shop to buy cotton and cotton fabric.
With the weather warming up, fewer people were buying cotton for bedding, so the shop’s cotton was much cheaper than before winter—only twenty wen per jin. After some thought, Su Zhen directly bought thirty jin of cotton.
With four people in the household, there would be enough to make two quilts for each, with some left over.
Su Zhen was older now, and although she hadn’t yet started her menstrual cycle, it was wise to prepare small pads in advance.
Thinking of this, she bought an extra piece of red cotton fabric to make small, intimate pads for herself and Mrs. Song.
As for winter cotton clothes and thick quilts, she would wait until she had saved more silver. She couldn’t spend all her money at once!
The two left the cloth shop with heavy baskets on their backs, filled with cotton and fabric, though the silver spent was a bit much—nearly one tael.
Su Anyu adjusted the basket on his back and grinned, “Sis, I can have new clothes too!”
Before, he had always worn his cousin’s hand-me-downs and had never owned anything new.
Now, his sister had specially bought him a piece of indigo cotton fabric, enough to make two sets of new clothes.
Su Zhen looked at her brother with affection, “From now on, we’ll buy new clothes every year. I’ll never let you wear someone else’s old clothes again!”
Then, remembering something, she chuckled softly and whispered, “I just took a careful look—the best and most expensive fabrics in the shop aren’t as good as that torn clothing we picked up. How about I use that to make you two sets?”
Although it was torn, it wasn’t completely shredded. With some piecing and stitching, she could definitely make Su Anyu a nice outfit.
But Su Anyu looked as if struck by lightning, staring at her in disbelief, “Sis! Wasn’t it you who just said you wouldn’t let me wear old clothes anymore? Was it you? Was it you?”
“Ahem.” Su Zhen coughed awkwardly. What a waste not to appreciate such fine fabric.
Since her brother didn’t want it, she would make something else with it.
Smooth and soft—maybe she could make herself some underwear?
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Su Zhen shuddered. No, no, she wasn’t so poor she couldn’t buy good fabric. Why would she use some smelly man’s torn clothes for underwear?
When she had money, she would buy ten bolts of the most expensive, softest fabric, make a hundred sets of underwear, wear and change them every day, wear one set and throw it away, never feeling the slightest regret!
Chatting and laughing all the way, the two returned to Su Village, their fully loaded baskets startling Mrs. Song.
When she heard that Madam Gao had specifically sought out her daughter to prepare medicinal cuisine for treating bad breath, she was so shocked that she couldn’t react for a long time. “Madam Gao asked you to make medicinal cuisine? Will she pay for it?”
Pfft!
Su Zhen nearly spat out the water she had just sipped. She thought Mrs. Song would worry about whether she could succeed, but instead, she was concerned about whether Madam Gao would pay. This mother of hers had really changed quite a bit!
“Don’t worry, Mother. Madam Gao will definitely pay. Besides, even if she doesn’t, it doesn’t matter. Once I succeed, I can sell it outside. It’s sure to make money!”
In this era, not many people brushed their teeth daily, and those troubled by bad breath were certainly not limited to Miss Gao alone. If she could create a delicious dish that also kept breath fresh, it would surely be very popular.
However, before she could figure out the medicinal cuisine for fresh breath, trouble first struck her nutritious porridge stall.