Pei Luo smiled broadly, holding the silver note. In her previous life, many people begged her to see patients before paying, and she often refused. Yet here, she was in the position of asking for payment before treating someone—life was truly full of surprises and unexpected twists.
“My stock of medicinal herbs isn’t much. Without this 100 taels, it would take time to gather enough materials to prepare your medicine. Now, with this money, I can go straight to the pharmacy to purchase what I need.”
After putting away the silver, Pei Luo began preparing meals. The two little ones followed her everywhere, forgetting their own hunger. They seemed genuinely afraid she might abandon them.
Pei Luo knew it was her earlier words to provoke Madam Lu that made them feel insecure. They feared she would really leave them.
“Xiao Man, what Mother said before was only to scare your grandmother, so she wouldn’t mention divorcing Mother again. But you and Xiao Chen are so cute and obedient—how could Mother ever leave you? Even if one day I had to leave, as long as you wanted to come with me, I would take you both along, okay?”
Pei Luo felt that if such a day ever came, she might truly take the children with her. The longer she stayed with them, the more attached she would become. If Lu Yuan ever returned and she disliked him, she would leave—and if the children wanted to stay with her, she would secretly take them, ensuring they never suffered.
Xiao Man and Xiao Chen nodded vigorously. “Yes, yes! When you leave, Mother, take Xiao Man and Xiao Chen with you!”
“Yes, as long as you want, Mother will take you both,” Pei Luo said, ruffling their heads.
Fu Yunqing watched this interaction between the two little ones and Pei Luo, a faint smile forming at the corners of his lips.
Shortly after dinner, urgent sounds of horse hooves and rolling wheels came from the gate. Pei Luo knew it was Fu Yunqing’s escorts arriving. He bid farewell to Pei Luo and the two children, mounted the carriage, and departed. Before leaving, he gave Pei Luo a jade pendant carved with a “Fu” character, instructing her that she could find him at the Yunlai Inn in the county with it.
Pei Luo didn’t have time to refuse before the carriage left. Villagers, seeing such a beautiful carriage for the first time, stood at the gate in awe, recognizing that Pei Luo had encountered someone of high status.
Holding the circular jade pendant, Pei Luo returned to the courtyard.
The next morning, carpenter Wang brought a set of table and chairs on a handcart. One table, four simple chairs, all made of elm wood. Elm doesn’t crack easily, and its grain resembles feathers, very beautiful. In her previous life, such furniture would have been valuable, but here it was considered inexpensive.
Despite its simplicity, this elm set was far more valuable than the fox meat Pei Luo had offered before. Seeing Wang arrange the furniture, Pei Luo went inside to fetch a ten-plus pound front leg of pork to give him.
Wang, in his thirties, was known for his honesty and good nature. His wife was also kind. This was why Pei Luo felt comfortable working with him.
“This house is too old and beyond repair. Once we have enough money this month, we’ll tear it down and rebuild. You’ll be needed, Uncle Wang. This pork leg is for your family—use water to soak it, and if there’s leftovers, dry it to make preserved meat.”
Wang, known throughout nearby villages for his craftsmanship, was often hired for furniture and house construction. He initially wanted to refuse the pork leg. “You keep it for yourself and the children. We haven’t even finished the fox meat you gave us the other day. I can’t take more from you.”
Pei Luo feigned anger. “Uncle Wang, are you saying that if I don’t give it to you, you won’t help me build the house?” Wang had no choice but to accept the meat.
“Don’t worry about payment. I’ll find trustworthy workers for you when the time comes,” he said after chatting with her briefly.
Pei Luo had already begun planning the house construction over the past few days. After preparing meals for the children, she went to the county to gather all the materials for Fu Yunqing’s medicine. It cost her sixty taels, which made her heart ache, but it was necessary. Fu Yunqing suffered not only from a heart condition but also congenital weakness. While he could prepare some of his medicine himself, the Four Gentlemen Pills for body conditioning had to be made in advance by her.