Before leaving for work that morning, Lin Su looked at Lin Yi’an and said, “I was short on time and didn’t have a chance to prepare a proper gift. I picked out a few bottles of wine from my collection. Take them back for Uncle.”
Lin Yi’an nodded. “Okay.”
She didn’t thank him. They were family, and saying thank you would only make things feel distant and overly formal.
Lin Su gently patted her on the head with a smile before heading out.
Wang Xiujun poked absentmindedly at the porridge in her bowl, feeling both jealous and envious. Her eldest cousin and eldest cousin sister treated everyone else with the same reserved attitude, yet they were exceptionally gentle and caring toward Lin Yi’an. They even thoughtfully prepared gifts for Lin Yi’an’s adoptive parents.
Every time Lin Yi’an went back to visit, not only did her aunt and uncle prepare gifts for her adoptive parents, but even Lin Su and Lin Manqing did the same. This was probably what people meant by loving someone and extending that affection to those they cared about.
After breakfast, Wang Yuehua and Lin Weiqi began loading things into the car. Some had been prepared by the two of them, some by Lin Su and Lin Manqing, and there were also the clothes Lin Yi’an had bought for her parents.
After Lin Yi’an got into the car, Wang Yuehua and Lin Weiqi stepped forward with a few final reminders. “Give us a call when you get there.”
Lin Yi’an nodded. “I will.”
Wang Yuehua then turned to Ye Lingzhi. “Take good care of Miss Yi’an, and drive carefully.”
Ye Lingzhi nodded.
Lin Yi’an looked at her parents outside the car and said, “Mom, Dad, you should get back to your work. I’ll be back in about a week.”
Wang Yuehua smiled. “If the traditional Chinese medicine clinic isn’t too busy, stay home with your parents for a few more days. There’s no need to rush back.”
The drive from the Imperial Capital to Changping took about six hours. They set off at seven in the morning and arrived just in time for a late lunch.
Lin Yi’an had called her parents the previous evening. Knowing their daughter was coming home, Lin Shuhe and Liu Zhengying had gotten up early to slaughter an old hen and set it to simmer in a pot, eagerly waiting for their daughter to return and enjoy the meal.
Having slept well the night before, Lin Yi’an wasn’t sleepy at all as she sat in the car.
The car swayed too much for reading, so she didn’t open a book. Neither did she look at her phone. She had always been good at entertaining herself. Even the scenery outside the window was enough to keep her occupied. No matter how dull the journey was, she never found it boring.
Once they got onto the expressway, Ye Lingzhi asked, “Miss Yi’an, would you like to listen to some music?”
Lin Yi’an replied, “Just put on anything.”
Ye Lingzhi grinned. “You got it.”
After leaving the expressway and driving along a stretch of country road, Ye Lingzhi smiled. “We’re almost there.”
Lin Yi’an looked at the familiar scenery outside and gave a soft hum in acknowledgment.
The car pulled up in front of the house. Hearing the sound of the engine, Lin Shuhe and Liu Zhengying hurried outside at a trot.
Lin Yi’an got out of the car. Seeing them, a bright smile spread across her face. “Dad, Mom, slow down.”
Lin Shuhe responded with several cheerful “Mm-hm’s,” his honest face beaming with delight. “You got here more than ten minutes earlier than we expected…”
Ye Lingzhi got out as well and began carrying the luggage inside. “The road through town wasn’t congested today.”
Grandma Lin was inside the house seeing a patient. When she heard her granddaughter’s voice, she wished she could run outside immediately. But with a patient still waiting, she could only hold herself back.
The patient was a village woman in her fifties. Lin Yi’an addressed her as Auntie Ma, while Auntie Ma called Grandma Lin “Auntie.” Smiling, she asked, “Yi’an’s back?”
“Just home for a few days,” Grandma Lin replied.
After taking her pulse and examining her tongue, Grandma Lin asked, “You’ve been in a low mood lately, haven’t you?”
At the question, Auntie Ma let out a long sigh. “It’s all because of my son. He’s talking about getting divorced again. This is already his second marriage, and he still won’t settle down and live properly. What exactly is he trying to do? I’ve been so worried that I can’t sleep night after night…”
Adjusting her reading glasses, Grandma Lin said, “Your body can’t handle this kind of anger. Otherwise, no matter how much medicine you take or how many acupuncture sessions you have, it won’t help. Children and grandchildren have blessings of their own. If he refuses to listen to you, getting angry won’t change anything. You’d be better off letting it go and living your own life well.”
Auntie Ma wore a troubled expression. “Auntie, tell me, who wouldn’t get angry after something like this happened?”
Grandma Lin looked at her. “You’re only fifty-two this year. You’re still young. Take good care of yourself. Your better days are still ahead. If you keep wearing yourself down like this, your life will only become harder, and your son will feel miserable too.”
As they were talking, Lin Yi’an walked in. Seeing who was there, she greeted them with a smile. “Grandma! Auntie Ma!”
The smile on Grandma Lin’s face grew even warmer when she saw her granddaughter. “Baobao, come over and sit.”
Lin Yi’an took a seat beside her grandmother. Auntie Ma looked at her and smiled as well. “I heard you’ve opened a traditional Chinese medicine clinic in the Imperial Capital?”
Lin Yi’an smiled. “I’ve been memorizing herbal prescriptions and learning medicinal herbs from my grandmother since I was little. I majored in traditional Chinese medicine at university too. After graduating, I didn’t want to work at a hospital, so I invested my own money and opened a clinic.”
Seizing the opportunity, Auntie Ma said, “You went to university, and people in the Imperial Capital come to you for treatment. Your medical skills must be excellent. Why don’t you take my pulse too?”
That was quite the compliment…
Lin Yi’an glanced at her grandmother.
Grandma Lin waved a hand dismissively, smiling from ear to ear. “My Baobao is a properly trained university graduate. She’s far better than this old woman. Let her examine you.”
Auntie Ma rested her arm on the table. Lin Yi’an placed her fingers on the cun pulse point on the inside of her wrist. After a few minutes, she looked up thoughtfully.
“Auntie Ma, you really need to get angry less often…”
Auntie Ma sighed. “Your grandma said the same thing. But when you’re living your life, how can you not get angry? You treat patients in the Imperial Capital. Don’t those people get angry too?”
Lin Yi’an explained in the simplest way she could. “Feeling angry isn’t the problem. Bottling it up is. Sometimes, letting those pent-up emotions out is actually good for recovery. But if you keep suppressing your anger without any release, your condition will only get worse…”
Grandma Lin adjusted her glasses and said, “Your son makes you angry, and you’re the one making yourself sick. Honestly, Niece-in-law, what am I supposed to say to you? If nothing else works, why don’t you give him a good beating? Once you’ve gotten all that anger out, take the medicine I’ve prescribed, and your health will improve in no time. Then your head won’t feel dizzy, your vision won’t blur, your chest won’t feel tight, and your heartbeat will return to normal. After that, go out and earn some money. Once you’ve got money in your pocket, won’t you be happier? What’s the point of staying home every day, stewing over your son?”
Auntie Ma sighed bitterly. “With this worn-out body of mine, even if I wanted to find a job, who would hire me?”
Lin Yi’an said, “Your health isn’t in bad shape, Auntie Ma. It won’t be difficult to nurse you back to health. But you need to keep your emotions steady and trust Grandma and me…”
Auntie Ma quickly replied, “Of course I trust you both. Everyone knows your grandma’s reputation after all these years.”
Grandma Lin said, “Then I’ll write you a prescription. We’ll start with three doses. After you’ve finished them, I’ll adjust the formula.”
Auntie Ma nodded. “I’ll do as you say, Auntie.”
After Grandma Lin finished writing the prescription, Lin Yi’an helped prepare the medicine. Many of the medicinal herbs in the house had been grown by the family themselves or gathered from the mountains, so there was no need to worry about their quality.
Once the medicine was packed, Auntie Ma picked it up and prepared to leave.
Grandma Lin called after her, “If you’ve taken the medicine and still can’t sleep tonight, come back and have my Baobao give you a few acupuncture treatments.”
Auntie Ma smiled. “Will do.”
After Auntie Ma left, Grandma Lin took her granddaughter’s wrist and felt her pulse. Smiling, she said, “Neither floating nor deep, neither strong nor weak, with an even rhythm…”
Lin Yi’an smiled back at her.
Grandma Lin continued, “Your parents have taken very good care of you. They never let you suffer any grievances.”
Lin Yi’an hugged her grandmother’s arm. “They love me very much and always let me do as I wish. Even my engagement happened because I thought it was suitable and agreed to it. If I hadn’t wanted it, they never would have forced me.”
“Grandma, I’ve been lucky ever since I was little. Even though I was abandoned in the middle of a snowy wilderness, I met all of you, and you raised me with such care. Then, after I grew up, I found my biological family, and they love me too. I have every reason to be happy.”
Grandma Lin took her hand and helped her to her feet. “That’s exactly right. Come on, let’s eat. I stewed chicken soup for you, and I also made your favorite sticky rice pork ribs.”
The whole family gathered around the dining table. With his daughter home today, Lin Shuhe was in high spirits. He brought out the bottles of wine that her biological father had sent over and poured himself a small glass. For once, Grandma Lin didn’t stop him and simply let him enjoy it.
That only made Lin Shuhe even happier.
Liu Zhengying shot him an amused glance. “Look how happy you are.”
Then she ladled a bowl of chicken soup for her daughter. “Drink some soup first.”
Lin Yi’an accepted it with a smile. “Mom’s cooking is still the best. No one else’s chicken soup tastes like this.”
Liu Zhengying knew that her daughter’s biological family employed a professional chef, a famous one at that. There was no way her own cooking could compare. But knowing her daughter still loved the food she made pleased her more than anything.
They had just finished lunch when a car pulled up outside the gate. Lin Yi’an assumed it was another patient coming to see her grandmother. Instead, the man climbed out of the car and immediately grinned at her.
“Lin Yi’an, you’re back?”
Lin Yi’an looked over and greeted him with a smile. “Zuo Mingyang? You’re back too?”