121 How Amazing
The Fourth Born looked up to Lu Jiao and gestured, "Mommy, I'm going to make this much money in the future. I will buy you yummy food every day. I will also buy you pretty clothes. I want mommy to be happy every day."
The kid was so thrilled he was practically dancing.
Lu Jiao's lips couldn't help but stretch upwards as well. He patted the Fourth Born's head, "Okay, I will wait for that day."
She then divided up the cake a little and held it out for her kids, "You guys eat some too. After you are done, we will have lunch. This afternoon, the children from the village will be here. You guys will need to teach them the 'Three Character Classic.'"
The four little ones were excited to teach the others. The idea of them becoming little teachers delighted them.
The children and Lu Jiao finished the cake.
Lu Jiao scooped out the food and brought everything to the living room. She asked the four little ones to eat first while she took some to feed Xie Yunjin.
Xie Yunjin however, told her to eat first.
"You've been so busy. You should eat first."
Lu Jiao didn't mind, "It's okay. The kids gave me some cake just now. Let me feed you first."
Xie Yunjin wanted to argue but Lu Jiao ignored him and started to feed him.
Xie Yunjin straightened up a little, "Lu Jiao, my legs don't hurt as much anymore. Do you think I can sit up more? If I can, I can eat by myself."
Other than his legs, Xie Yunjin's concussion and internal injuries improved drastically. Even his broken ribs were no longer painful.
Lu Jiao decided sitting upright should be okay as long as he was careful.
"Then I will help you sit up. Don't move your legs."
Lu Jiao helped him up and put the food in front of him.
"Are you okay to eat by yourself?"
"That's fine. You go eat too."
Xie Yunjin was very relaxed and there was joy in his eyes. His handsome face was like smooth jade, exuding elegance and warmth.
These days, the eeriness around him dissipated and he was much milder.
Lu Jiao couldn't help but stare at him a little. She silently hoped that this guy would not end up as the villain.
She turned around to go eat. Xie Yunjin stopped him, "Lu Jiao."
Lu Jiao looked back at him. Xie Yunjin sincerely said, "Thank you."
Lu Jiao grinned, "Why are you being so polite? Hurry and eat."
Lu Jiao left. Behind her, Xie Yunjin lifted an eyebrow. Lu Jiao appeared to have lost weight again. Though she was still chubby, she gave away moments of dazzlingness. Her straight teeth and kind smile were like a flower blossoming in the spring.
Xie Yunjin's mood lifted even more as he started to eat.
He originally thought he had trapped himself in quicksand and was slowly sinking into hell. Who knew his future now looked bright again all thanks to this woman?
No longer able to contain his happiness, Xie Yunjin beamed.
Outside his room, Lu Jiao's voice occasionally drifted over. Her voice was pleasant, affectionate, and sweet to the ear like a waterfall in the mountains.
"This afternoon, you'll be teaching other children the 'Three Character Classic'. You four take turns teaching. Be friendly to the kids, don't be mean. Most children here have never learned how to read, so you must be patient."
"Mommy, we know."
The four little ones were exceptionally excited today. Lu Jiao nodded with a grin and continued, "After we eat, I will make you a toy. You can play with the other children later."
A toy! The four little ones were elated. They looked at Lu Jiao, "Mommy, what toy are you making us?"
"A skateboard."
There was a reason why Lu Jiao chose skateboards. Children should exercise. Once they exercise, they will eat more. Once they eat more, they will grow fatter and taller.
The four little ones had no idea what a skateboard was but that didn't stop them from being excited.
"Mommy, can we make that as soon as we are done eating?"
"Of course. I will make it for you once I'm done."
Lu Jiao's lips curled as she watched the kids. Now that Xie Yunjin had surgery and only needed to rest, she will focus her energy on fattening up the four little ones. She was going to make sure they establish good habits.
She decided that starting tomorrow, she will create a schedule for the children. Once she leaves, they can continue to follow that schedule.
The four children and their mom excitedly discussed skateboarding. Inside the bedroom, Xie Yunjin couldn't help but smile at the rowdiness. The aura emitted out of him grew warmer and gentler.
After lunch, Lu Jiao cleaned up the dishes. Then went back to the east bedroom to clean up.
The four little ones followed her around like baby chicks and circled her.
Once they entered the room, they announced to Xie Yunjin, "Daddy, mommy is going to make a new toy."
"A skateboard."
"We are going to make it with mommy."
"Mommy said a skateboard is one board and two wheels. The person can stand on top and roll around."
Xie Yunjin knew right away what kind of toy it was based on the Fourth Born's description. He was a little worried, however, "Is skateboarding dangerous?"
Lu Jiao shook her head, "It's okay. I'm going to make the wheels with wood. It won't be too dangerous."
The roads were mostly made out of mud. If it was concrete, it would be more dangerous.
Xie Yunjin stopped worrying, "Still be careful."
"Daddy, we know. We will be."
"Okay."
Xie Yunjin watched them leave. The way Lu Jiao carefully and tenderly took care of the children created a sense of affection in Xie Yunjin. How did the four little ones get so lucky to have gotten Lu Jiao as a mother?
He's never met a mother as kind as her. When he was young, he was often jealous of those kids who had caring moms. Sadly, his mother wasn't like that.
Because he lacked maternal love as a child, he grew up rather cold. And because he was cold, his parents liked him even less.
Only once Master Chen saw his talent and admitted him as his pupil, did his parents start to treat him better. Sadly, the only reason they did that was because of his ability to fulfill their pride.
Once again, Xie Yunjin felt some negative energy engulf him. However, it dissipated quickly. His old life was so far away from him now, why bother thinking about those unhappy days?
Outside the room, Lu Jiao started to make skateboards. Her method of construction was extremely easy. She made two wooden wheels and stabilized them on the board. She then asked the children to try sliding while on top.
"Remember, keep your body balanced."
The four little ones had never played with this so they were a little afraid.
The Second Born bravely volunteered to try first.
The Second Born fell twice. By the third time, he managed to stand on top and moved forward a little.
The other three watched him in awe.
This skateboard was amazing. People who stood on top could fly.
The Third and Fourth Born started to scream excitedly – they wanted to try.
Lu Jiao then made two more. Now they had three skateboards to share amongst the four of them.
The Third and Fourth Born quickly learned how to play. Only the First Born couldn't figure it out and continued to fall.
Stubborn, the little guy was determined to win against the skateboard. Every time he fell, he refused to cry. He would stand back up and hop on again to try.
Later, the Second Born came over to teach him how to maintain his posture, keep his balance, and roll forward.
Lu Jiao watched the four little ones happily. After a while, the other children from the Xie Village all arrived.
They watched with jealousy as the four little ones skateboarded inside the yard.
122 Giving the Wrongdoer an Opportunity
Gousheng from the Third Grandma's house ran over to the First Born, "First Born, when you took a puppy from me last time, you promised to make me whatever new toy you get."
The First Born turned to Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao agreed.
"Okay, I will make you one. Everyone else shares these three."
Children's laughter soon filled the yard.
Though the four little ones weren't too excited about sharing their new toy, everyone else's happy laughter was infectious. They started to teach the others how to skateboard.
Gousheng stayed with Lu Jiao and watched her make the skateboard. At times, he would happily announce, "This is mine! This is mine!"
Outside the trellis, the parents who came to drop off their kids to study all laughed at how excited the kids were.
They were more than willing to have their children play with Yunjin's children.
Yunjin was a scholar, someone who will pass the national imperial exam and become an honorable official. As for Lu Jiao, she was a miracle doctor.
Lu Jiao and Xie Yunjin's children were well educated and if their own children played with the quadruplets, they may all end up smart and cute.
Some villagers greeted Lu Jiao, "Yunjin's wife, thank you for this."
"If my son misbehaves, tell me and I will beat him up."
Lu Jiao waved at them, indicating that it was no big deal.
The villagers left little by little while Lu Jiao made Gousheng his skateboard.
Outside the trellis, an adult and a child arrived.
They walked right up to Lu Jiao.
Lu Jiao didn't notice until Gousheng started to shout, which startled her.
"You are a bad person! This is my skateboard! Don't you try to steal my skateboard!"
Luo Wangcai was not popular amongst the kids because every kid's parents would warn their children to stay away from that guy. That guy was a thief and a bad man, so children should walk away when they see him.
This was why Gousheng started to shout the moment he saw Luo Wangsheng. He was worried that this guy would steal the skateboard.
His skinny fragile silhouette stepped before Lu Jiao.
Lu Jiao glared at Gousheng and raised an eyebrow. Gousheng was so small and skinny he would have collapsed onto the ground within a second if an adult truly wanted to steal his toy.
Lu Jiao ignored Gousheng and looked up at Luo Wangcai and the young girl beside him.
Lu Jiao recognized the little girl. She was Shen Xiu's daughter, Su Xiaoya.
Why did Luo Wangcai bring Su Xiaoya over here today? Was he going to interrogate Lu Jiao about Shen Xiu's whereabouts?
Lu Jiao faked a smile at Luo Wangcai, which made him silently shudder.
He then looked at his Su Xiaoya. Ah, no, he had changed her name. She was now Luo Wangcai's daughter, Luo Xiaocao.
"Yunjin's wife, can you also take in my Xiaocao for today's lesson?"
Lu Jiao narrowed her eyes. Luo Wangcai pulled Luo Xiaocao closer, "She is my daughter, Luo Xiaocao."
Lu Jiao was surprised. Based on the way Luo Wangcai treated Luo Xiaocao, he seemed to care about her quite a bit. He even changed her name and brought her here today to study under Xie Yunjin.
Lu Jiao's first instinct was that Luo Wangcai was pulling another scam. However, when she looked at the little Luo Xiaocao, she realized she was overthinking it.
Luo Xiaocao was younger than her quadruplets. Her gaze was still hazy and confused. She understood nothing.
So Luo Wangcai indeed was here because he wanted Luo Xiaocao to learn how to read?
"You think I would let you leave Luo Xiaocao here?"
Not only did this man try to seduce her once, but Luo Xiaocao's mom had also done terrible things to her. She didn't want anything to do with that family. Who knew whether or not Shen Xiu's daughter had learned a thing or two already from her mother?
Luo Wangcai's face dimmed.
Lu Jiao could tell he was sad. Luo Wangcai however, didn't trouble her further and took Luo Xiaocao's hand and walked away.
Behind them, Lu Jiao watched the tall one and the short one leave. A thought appeared in her head. Was it true that after making a mistake, people have no way of changing for the better? Was there value in giving opportunities to those who regretted their past decisions?
Lu Jiao called out, "Luo Wangcai."
Luo Wangcai stopped and turned to look at Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao asked, "You want to raise Luo Xiaocao, do you have the financial means to do it?"
She remembered that Luo Wangcai had an elderly mother, who he was already having trouble taking care of. Now, he has Luo Xiaocao. Did he have the ability to keep both of them alive?
Luo Wangcai had a serious expression on his face, "I will do everything in my power to raise her."
He turned back to leave. Lu Jiao stopped him, "Luo Wangcai, it's not that there's no way for Luo Xiaocai to stay and learn."
Luo Wangcai's eyes brightened and his energy returned. With Luo Xiaocao's hand in his, they walked back.
"Tell me, what do you need me to do? I will do whatever I need to do if Xiaocao gets to learn under Yunjin."
Lu Jiao was confused, "Why must Luo Xiaocao learn how to read?"
Luo Wangcai smiled, "Reading can make someone smart. I want Xiaocao to grow up to be an intelligent woman."
Not stupid like her mother.
Lu Jiao nodded slightly, "If you agree to two of my conditions, I'll let Xiaocao stay."
"Speak of them."
"First of all, you need to stop stealing. Second of all, you need to put all your energy into educating Luo Xiaocao and make sure she doesn't grow up like her mom."
Luo Wangcai agreed right away, "Okay, I won't be a scumbag like I was before. I will learn how to hunt from Uncle Xiao, so I can make money for Xiaocao and my mother."
Lu Jiao nodded in satisfaction, "You better remember what you are saying. If your old problems come back, I may just beat you."
Luo Wangcai shuddered. However, he also sighed in relief.
As long as Xiaocao could stay and learn, he will happily accept any beatings.
Lu Jiao scanned the adult and the kid. It wasn't going to be easy for Luo Wangcai to raise a child and take care of his old mother. The Luo family had no land and needed to hunt to make a living. It was hard to make enough cash for three people to live off of.
Xu Duojin was a capable hunter and often got prey. Even for him, taking care of the family gets hard.
Since he had the right attitude, Lu Jiao decided to help him out.
"Wait for me here."
Lu Jiao went to the kitchen, took out some medicinal herb samples then walked back out to give them to Luo Wangcai.
"Here are some herbs, take them and study them. You can harvest these when you are up in the mountains and sell them to Baohe Tang. If you manage to make money, save it. Try to save enough to buy some land. That way, you'll be able to take care of your mother and Xiaocao."
123 He Seems to be Altruistic
Luo Wangcai didn't expect Lu Jiao to help him out this much. Tears filled his eyes and this grown man started to cry.
"Yunjin's wife, even after all my schemes, you still treat me so well. You're such a good person."
When Luo Wangcai started to cry, Luo Xiaocao also began to cry.
This startled the other kids in the yard and they looked over in horror.
The four little ones dashed over and formed a wall before Lu Jiao.
"What are you doing!"
"Don't hurt my mommy!"
"We are going to protect our mommy!"
The Fourth Born fiercely frowned at Luo Wangcai and Luo Xiaocao, like a ferocious baby wolf.
Lu Jiao quickly patted each of their heads, "Enough, they aren't hurting me. Luo Xiaocao simply wants to learn from you all."
The quadruplets glanced at Luo Xiaocao. Once they recognized her to be Shen Xiu's daughter, they refused to teach her.
Because they remembered the time her mother tried to become their dad's concubine. No way! They had no plans of teaching an evil woman's kids.
"Mommy, we don't want to teach her."
"Yeah, her mother wanted to be daddy's other wife. She even wanted babies with daddy. I don't want to teach her."
Luo Wangcai blushed immediately – ashamed.
Beside her, Luo Xiaocao hid behind Luo Wangcai out of fear.
Lu Jiao pulled on the children's hand and started to lecture, "Babies, you cannot decide she is a bad person just because her mother isn't a good person. Bad parents can have good children. Similarly, good parents can have bad children. Her mother may not be the nicest, but that doesn't mean she isn't nice. Why don't you give her a chance and judge for yourselves whether or not she is nice? If she isn't, then you don't have to teach her."
The four little ones deeply pondered Lu Jiao's words. In the end, they understood the logic.
The First Born, in an all-serious manner, said to the other three, "Mommy is right. For example, our grandparents are bad, but our daddy and mommy are good kids."
The other three thought about it and nodded in agreement, "You're right."
At once, the quadruplets dropped their defensiveness against Luo Xiaocao. Lu Jiao said to Luo Wangcai, "Okay, let Luo Xiaocao stay and learn from the quadruplets."
Luo Wangcai, with tears in his eyes, looked at Luo Xiaocao, "Xiaocao, stay here and learn from your older brothers. I will come and pick you up later."
The pile of boys here made Luo Xiaocao anxious. She pulled on Luo Wangcai's clothes.
Luo Wangcai bent down to comfort her. Though when he saw how terrified she was, it made him want to bring her home.
But he knew how good of an opportunity this was. Given his current situation, he couldn't send Luo Xiaocao to a private school. Plus, private schools didn't accept girls. This was Xiaocao's one chance.
"Xiaocao, be good. I will give you candy after."
The mention of candy made Luo Xiaocao let go of her dad's clothes. Luo Wangcai said to Lu Jiao, "Thank you, Yunjin's wife."
He then turned around and left. Behind him, Luo Xiaocao started to wail. The boys in the yard all exchanged glances and mumbled.
"Women are so troublesome. They cry so much."
"She's just like her mom. Her mom cried a lot too."
Lu Jiao coughed and looked at the dozen or so children, "As boys, you need to be polite. You cannot talk about girls like this."
She then ordered the quadruplets, "Okay, you've had enough fun now. Take your friends to the living room and start teaching them the 'Three Character Classic.'"
The quadruplets opened up their chests and answered strongly, "Yes, mommy."
The children took their little stools and squeezed into the Xie family's living room. The room filled up quickly. Out of the quadruplets, the First Born was the first to go up and start teaching.
"People at birth are naturally good. Their natures are similar, but their habits become different…"
Lu Jiao poured Xie Yunjin a bowl of sugared water and brought it to the east bedroom.
"Are they disturbing you? I can ask them to study outside."
Xie Yunjin shook his head. He grew up in this kind of atmosphere and the sound of children reading brought him peace.
"It's okay. I'm used to this."
Lu Jiao gave him the water, "Have some."
Xie Yunjin drank all of it before he spoke again, "I promised to teach you 'Three Character Classic' but I haven't had the time. Let's fit that into the schedule. Now that my legs don't hurt anymore, I can teach you how to read."
Lu Jiao originally wanted the quadruplets to teach her. Since Xie Yunjin offered, she didn't decline. With a smile, she nodded. However, she had planned to go into town tomorrow so she informed him, "I need to go into town tomorrow morning."
Xie Yunjin asked caringly, "Are you going in to buy things?"
"Other than buying things, I'm going to pick up the woks from Baohe Tang. I asked Dr. Qi to get me some steel woks, which he managed to get from the prefectural city. Earlier when he brought in Master Chen. he told me I could pick them up tomorrow. Also, I asked him to get me a sheep.
Look at the four little ones, they're so frail, small, and short. Most of the boys their age are taller.
They were born premature and have been malnourished their whole life, which is why they are shorter than other kids. We need to be mindful of this. Or else they'll always be shorter than others."
Lu Jiao then looked toward Xie Yunjin.
Xie Yunjin may be bedridden, but he wasn't short. She estimated him to be around 175 cm. In this day and age, that was considered tall.
Xie Yunjin noticed her peeking and subconsciously straightened his legs. When he caught himself doing so, he silently mocked his own actions.
However, something felt wrong about Lu Jiao asking Dr. Qi for help over and over again.
Xie Yunjin meaningfully looked up to Lu Jiao, "Dr. Qi seems to be rather altruistic towards you. Are you sure he is that nice of a person?"
Lu Jiao thought about it and smiled, "It's because I promised him something."
Tension filled Xie Yunjin's body as coldness emerged, "What is it?"
Last time, she agreed to help Baohe Tang treat seriously ill patients, what did she agree to this time?
Lu Jiao giggled, "In the future, whenever there is a rare medical case, I agreed to investigate and research with him."
Though Lu Jiao didn't plain out reveal that she had taken him in as an apprentice, she did leak some information.
Xie Yunjin was not happy to hear this. He stared at Lu Jiao, "No wonder Dr. Qi is so nice to you."
Suddenly, he had an outrageous thought, "Could it be that Dr. Qi only agreed to do my surgery given those conditions?"
If that were the case, he would be even more indebted to Lu Jiao.
Lu Jiao thought about it. It was true that she agreed to take Qi Lei as an apprentice during that time.
She didn't expect Xie Yunjin to be so sensitive and realize this. She had no plans on telling him the truth.
This was her own business, completely independent from him. All she wanted was a peaceful and clean separation. She wanted to avoid drama at all costs.
124 Wheelchair and Toys
Lu Jiao smiled at Xie Yunjin, "We did discuss it during that time, but it's not connected to your surgery."
Xie Yunjin murmured, "If you don't want to get involved with him…"
Lu Jiao quickly explained, "I didn't say I don't want to. It's very normal for doctors to discuss patient cases. This helps all of us to improve."
Xie Yunjin was silent. He knew Lu Jiao spoke reasonably, but for some reason, he just detested the idea of her and Qi Lei getting close. The bottom line was, this put him in a bad mood.
Lu Jiao didn't want to stay on this topic and brought up something new, "Tomorrow, I want to start a schedule for the four little ones – mainly to get them to exercise."
Xie Yunjin was intrigued.
"Tell me more."
Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, "The four little ones need to exercise more, eat more, and drink more milk. That way, they'll get stronger. I plan on making four mud bags and having them do some boxing first thing in the morning. That way, they'll get hungrier for breakfast.
After breakfast, they can teach the children 'Three Character Classic'. After that, they can play. I will think of more toys I can make that are beneficial for them. It should be lunchtime after that.
After lunch, they can take the dogs out for a walk and digest. Then, they take a nap, have some snacks, and continue to teach the children 'Three Character Classic'. After that's done, I'll take them to climb the mountains."
This explanation made Xie Yunjin realize that her entire plan was to benefit the four little ones. Mainly, she wanted them to exercise more, get hungrier, then stronger. Secondly, she wanted to teach the children life skills and have them use their brains more.
Xie Yunjin was now mostly certain that this woman was fully focused on taking care of the four little ones. Though they weren't her sons, she was doing just as much as a biological mother would. She deserved to be the mother of the four little ones.
Xie Yunjin smiled and nodded, "You're so thoughtful."
Just then, he felt some bitterness. She was so thoughtful about the children but didn't seem to have thought of him at all.
Xie Yunjin somehow managed to ask out loud, "Did you come up with a plan for me?"
Lu Jiao was startled and thought that she heard him wrong.
Xie Yunjin also jolted awake. What was he asking? The startled look on Lu Jiao's face, however, made him laugh. He teased, "Since you have such a thorough schedule for the four little ones, why not make me a schedule as well?"
Lu Jiao got an idea right away, "Honestly, it's not good for you to lie in bed all day. I can think of something that will allow you to move around."
Xie Yunjin was originally just teasing her, but her answer made him very interested.
"What is it?"
Lu Jiao grinned, "A wheelchair."
She gestured around with her hands, "The stitches can come out of your legs in a week or so. After another 10 days, you should be able to do some light exercises that don't involve the legs."
She then excitedly went to the desk and drew out a design for a wheelchair.
Though she didn't know how to write, she was good at drawing. Very quickly, she planned out a simple wheelchair made fully out of wood.
She brought the design to Xie Yunjin and explained, "See, this is a wheelchair. You sit on top and move around using the wheels. You can go wherever you want without applying any pressure to your legs."
Xie Yunjin was in shock as he stared at Lu Jiao's design. He took a corner of the paper.
Lu Jiao didn't notice and the two of them stared at the design with their heads right next to each other.
Xie Yunjin was the first to notice the short distance between them. For a second there, he didn't want to pull away. He could even smell the sweetness on her body, which calmed and relaxed him as if he was bathing in a warm stream.
Originally, Xie Yunjin didn't enjoy being too close to others, especially women. He's always mindlessly kept his distance.
The reason why he didn't detest Lu Jiao right now likely was that he was used to her taking care of him these past weeks.
As Xie Yunjin thought about it, he peeked at Lu Jiao.
Lu Jiao beamed with her eyes and asked, "What do you think? If you think it's good, I will go find Uncle Youcai and ask him to make you one."
This wheelchair wasn't complicated to make. Any ordinary craftsman should be able to make one. Lu Jiao wasn't worried.
Of course, Xie Yunjin agreed with her, "Sure. Find Uncle Youcai and ask him to make me one."
He's felt so useless lying in bed all this time. If he could sit in a wheelchair and go outside, he would feel much better. After all, the wheelchair would allow him to do so many more things.
Lu Jiao happily folded up the design. She wasn't in a rush to get this made. After all, it will take some more time until Xie Yunjin can use the wheelchair.
She wanted to make more toys for the four little ones first.
By afternoon, Lu Jiao had made many new toys for the four little ones.
A wooden slingshot, a spinning top, jigsaw puzzles, a bamboo water gun, and a wooden sword.
At night, the four little ones were astounded to see the toys Lu Jiao made.
"Mommy, you made all of these for us?"
Lu Jiao nodded, "That's right."
Thrilled, the four little ones studied the toys, then looked up to their mommy. She was like the stars – she shone brighter than the constellations.
"Mommy, you're the best. You're better than all the other mommies."
The Fourth Born hugged Lu Jiao and kissed her.
The Second and Third Born of course came over and did the same.
Even the First Born didn't hesitate. He too went up to her and kissed her.
Satisfied, Lu Jiao started to explain the toys to them.
"This is a slingshot. You can put rocks here and hit birds with it. You cannot hit people using this – it would hurt the other person."
The Second Born snatched the slingshot over, "What about those who bully us?"
"That's an exception. But don't aim for their head or eyes. You can hit their butt or legs."
The Second Born laughed, "Got it, mommy."
The First Born took interest in the jigsaw puzzles, "Mommy, this is…?"
"This is a jigsaw puzzle. I drew a picture, then cut it into different-shaped pieces. You can look at my original picture, shuffle the pieces, then rearrange them until you get the original picture back."
The First Born's eyes lit up. This was his favorite, "Mommy, I love this one."
The Third Born took the bamboo water gun, "Mommy, what is this?"
"This is a bamboo water gun. You can fill it with water, then press that button to shoot out water."
The Third Born nodded excitedly, "This is great."
The Fourth Born shoved the remaining toys into his mom's hands, "Mommy, how do you play with these?"
Lu Jiao pointed at the spinning top, "Use a rope to hit it, then it should spin. You can compete against your brothers and see which one of you can make it spin the longest. This other one is a wooden sword. We can use it to spar."
The four little ones burst into the east bedroom to show off their new toys to Xie Yunjin.
"Daddy, look, mommy made us so many new toys."
"Mommy is so great. Not only did she make us a bamboo copter and a skateboard, but she also made us these new fun toys!"
125 Scheming Lady Ruan
Xie Yunjin saw how excited the four little ones were and his gaze softened. He never imagined he'd witness such a scene in this lifetime.
He's always worried about the four little ones, thinking that they suffered from trauma during their childhood. These days, they've gotten extroverted, lively, and cute. If they continue to grow up this happily, they will become warm and pleasant adults.
Xie Yunjin's gaze landed on Lu Jiao. This woman's slightly chubby face was getting more and more dimensional. The collected and confident demeanor that appeared while she smiled reflected light onto his heart.
The children she educates will for sure grow up proper, bright, and intelligent.
At that moment, Xie Yunjin had thoughts of grasping Lu Jiao.
Lu Jiao looked at how overly excited the four children were and chuckled, "Okay, come out now and have your bath. Let your daddy rest. Your daddy needs lots of sleep."
The four little ones nodded, "Then, daddy, rest well. We'll go take a bath."
Xie Yunjin nodded. Just as Lu Jiao gathered the kids, Xie Erzhu arrived, "Third sister-in-law."
"Second brother."
Xie Erzhu nodded. He wasn't as scared of this woman as before. Though she's proven herself to be tough and sometimes overbearing, Xie Erzhu realized that she was a good person and she never acted unreasonably.
Xie Erzhu entered the room and Lu Jiao tried to lead the children to the yard.
However, the children were far too thrilled and refused to stop playing with their toys.
Lu Jiao let them be. She went to the kitchen and boiled a giant pot of water.
"Okay, it's late now. Play tomorrow."
The four little ones were exceptionally obedient these days. Their respect towards their mother was bone deep.
Lu Jiao bathed the four little ones, changed them into pajamas, and brought them to the west bedroom for story time.
When the mother and children got to the living room, they heard Xie Erzhu speak.
"Third brother, I noticed mother and first sister-in-law are being sketchy. I think they might be plotting something against you. You should be careful."
Xie Yunjin's crisp voice followed, "Thanks Second Brother, I got it."
Lu Jiao gestured for the children to go wait in the west bedroom. She paid the east bedroom a visit.
The four little ones went to wait in bed. Lu Jiao went to ask Xie Erzhu, "Second Brother, what do mother and first sister-in-law want?"
Xie Erzhu shook his head, "I don't know. I heard them mention third brother. They were whispering so I didn't hear it well."
Lu Jiao frowned in exasperation. She was truly sick and tired of having Lady Ruan as her mother-in-law. Not only did she highly overestimate herself, but she was also as stupid as a brick.
Instead of fixing her relationship with her son, she continued to make decisions that worsened things. Did she really believe her son hasn't changed? The way she brought up trouble every day will only force more distance between her son and her.
Lu Jiao didn't really care about that – she simply wanted three peaceful months. Just what could she do to make Lady Ruan quiet down? If she schemed against Lady Ruan, would Xie Yunjin get mad at her?
Lu Jiao shot Xie Yunjin a complex look.
Xie Yunjin knew right away what Lu Jiao was thinking. That woman had some tricks up her sleeves and she was honestly very kind at heart. This made it impossible for her to hide her emotions. Any smart and observant person would notice what she was thinking.
Xie Yunjin couldn't help but think that if she left his side, she may fall for others' traps. Therefore, to repay her for raising his boys, he should keep her by his side.
Xie Yunjin noticed the cold atmosphere and quickly said, "Perhaps I'm overthinking it. Don't worry too much."
Lu Jiao shook her head, "It's okay, Second Brother."
Lu Jiao grabbed a handful of candy and gave them to Xie Erzhu, "Take these and give them to Daya and Erya."
Xie Yunjin didn't decline. By now, he was aware of Lu Jiao's personality. If she wanted you to have something, she truly meant it. If she didn't want you to have something, there was no way you could get it. There was no need for him to be overly polite with her.
"Thank you."
Xie Erzhu had already helped Xie Yunjin use the washroom so he got up and left. Seeing how late it was, Lu Jiao urged, "Try to sleep early."
She turned to leave, but Xie Yunjin stopped her.
"Lu Jiao."
Lu Jiao turned her head in time for Xie Yunjin to say, "Come closer, I want to tell you something."
Lu Jiao walked up to him, "Yes?"
Xie Yunjin looked up at her. Under the dim light, his eyes were as dark as ink and as quiet as a pond.
Lu Jiao was a little stunned at the sight. They all say beauties look exceptionally pretty under candlelight. Xie Yunjin was already as handsome as a painting; the glowing warm light only exaggerated his handsomeness and softened his hard edges.
Xie Yunjin caught Lu Jiao staring. Not only was he not annoyed, but he was also happy.
He didn't notice how abnormal it was for him to feel this way and opened his mouth, "You don't want my mother to plot against us anymore, do you?"
Lu Jiao nodded furiously, "I want my days to be peaceful."
She just wanted to take care of the four little ones and him.
Xie Yunjin understood and whispered back, "I have an idea. Let me teach you what you can do."
Lu Jiao subconsciously inched in closer. Xie Yunjin's lips curled up as he continued in a low voice, "Do you know the widow, Wang Cuihua?"
Lu Jiao searched her memories. There truly was that widow in this village. She was rather young – only 27 or 28.
Widow Wang married into the Xie family with the purpose of saving a sick man's life by giving him a wedding to counteract bad luck. However, the night she married, the man died.
The villagers spread the gossip that she brought misfortune with her. Despite those rumors, many men in the village had relations with her.
This woman lived right next to Aunt Guihua. Lu Jiao heard that Aunt Guihua was terrified that Widow Wang would seduce her husband so she kept her eyes on her man like a hawk.
"I know her. She's Aunt Guihua's neighbor."
Xie Yunjin's lips curled slightly, "If that woman becomes a part of the Xie family, do you think my mother would still have the energy to spend time with us?"
Lu Jiao stared at Xie Yunjin in horror, "You want your dad to marry Widow Wang?"
Xie Yunjin was speechless, "You want a widow to go above me and be my mother?"
"What do you mean by this then?"
Lu Jiao wasn't sure what he was thinking.
Xie Yunjin lightly glanced at her. This woman was just as he expected her to be – capable but not calculative. Therefore, it was probably better for him to keep her by his side so he could take care of her.
"That widow's been trying to find a family to marry into for a long time now. If she ends up in my family, she would be a happier concubine here than being a wife elsewhere. If she knew that would be the case, would she think twice?"
Lu Jiao was speechless. So he was scheming against his mother? If that young Widow Wang got into the Xie family, his mother would go delirious. However, it was true that if that were to happen, his mother wouldn't have the time to cause any more trouble.
126 Those Women could Hang out Together
Lu Jiao thought it over and became excited. To be able to see Lady Ruan get clobbered thrilled her.
She was a little worried, "What if Widow Wang manages to make your father leave your mother? Then she'll become the wife and you'll have a widow as a mother. That woman can give you a hard time if she becomes the mother of the family."
Xie Yunjin snickered in a frigid tone.
"You really think I'll let her do whatever she wants? If she wants to enter my family, she must sign to waive her rights."
Lu Jiao's heart thumped. This man was rather harsh. Though she hasn't spent a lot of time with Xie Yunjin, she knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't hurt the harmless. Did this Widow Wang wrong him in the past?
"Did Widow Wang wrong you?"
The air around Xie Yunjin intensified. Annoyed, he glared at Lu Jiao, "It's late. Why don't you go read the children your nighttime story."
Lu Jiao nodded and turned to leave. By the time she got to the door, something clicked in her brain and she asked Xie Yunjin, "Did Widow Wang try to seduce you before?"
Xie Yunjin's face darkened as he stared at her and gritted through his teeth, "Lu Jiao, just what is going on inside your head every day?"
Lu Jiao tried to run away, fast. However, Xie Yunjin stopped her. Subconsciously, he didn't want her to misunderstand.
"Wait."
Lu Jiao stood still and awkwardly chuckled, "I was just joking."
Xie Yunjin explained almost angrily, "Widow Wang ordered her niece to seduce me. I found out. Since that failed, she tried to seduce my father. I found that out too and warned my father to keep his distance. That's the only reason she failed last time."
Since he was now tired of his mother, he was okay with that woman getting into his family.
Nobody in that family was a nice person. Other than his mother, there was his eldest sister-in-law, and his soon-to-be fourth sister-in-law… all of them were hard to deal with. All those women could just hang out together.
Xie Yunjin closed his eyes to rest.
Lu Jiao didn't even know what to say. Everything that happened was like a dramatic theater show.
Lu Jiao went to the west bedroom to tell her bedtime story. She then ordered them to sleep. The Third and Fourth Borns obediently went to accompany their father.
The next day, after the family ate breakfast, and Lu Jiao fed Xie Yunjin medicine, she gathered the four little ones and announced her plans for them.
Not only were the four little ones not annoyed, but they were also even excited. Their mother had made them four mud bags that morning and hung them on the trees. The four children were excited to throw punches this morning.
Now, they had fun toys, yummy food, materials to learn, and books to teach.
Everything was wonderful.
"Mommy, we got it. We will do as you planned."
Lu Jiao nodded in satisfaction, "I will have to go into town to pick up my woks and bring home a sheep. I will get milk from the sheep for you to drink."
The four little ones wanted to go with her, "Mommy, we want to go."
Lu Jiao said no. She had a lot of things to buy today, "Once your father heals, we can all go together. I can't bring all of you today because I have lots of things to carry today. You can, however, tell me what you want to eat. I will buy it for you."
The Second Born shouted immediately, "Mommy, I want those peaches you got last time."
The Third Born, "I want grapes."
The Fourth Born grabbed Lu Jiao's arm, "Mommy, I don't want anything. I want you to come home early."
The First Born stared at Lu Jiao seriously, "Mommy, I will take care of them for you."
Lu Jiao patted his head, "I know. You're the best kid."
The Second, Third, and Fourth Born all yelled, "Mommy! What about me?! What about me?!"
Lu Jiao laughed, "You're all great kids."
While they chatted, the village children started to arrive one by one. Lu Jiao cautioned the four little ones, "Be patient. The others have never learned how to read and may be slow. Don't get moody."
The four little ones were extremely intelligent and learned new words fast. They also had good memorization skills and could easily memorize whatever they read.
The other village kids may not have as good of a memory. This was why Lu Jiao was worried.
The four little ones promised they would take teaching seriously.
Lu Jiao made sure everyone was comfortable before she got her basket and left for town.
The four little ones didn't make a scene this time because the other kids had found their new toys and formed a circle around them. The four little ones started to proudly show off their toys and forgot all about Lu Jiao.
The Village Leader's ox-cart was going into town anyway today. By the time Lu Jiao arrived, several people were already inside.
There was Lady Zhang, the Village Leader's wife; Lady Jiang, the Clan Leader's daughter-in-law; Aunt Guihua; Zhang Chunhua, Xu Duojin's wife; and a pale-skinned, long-faced young woman.
Lu Jiao recognized her right away. That was the Widow Wang Xie Yunjin brought up.
Since Widow Wang had once seduced Xie Laogen, Lu Jiao couldn't help but study her a little. She was a good-looking woman and she was young. It wasn't impossible for her to marry a nice and proper man.
There was no law in the Zhou Dynasty that banned women from remarrying. So if this woman could find a nice man to marry, she could easily live a comfortable life.
Sadly, she was greedy. Because Xie Yunjin was a scholar, she asked her niece to seduce him. When that failed, she herself went after Xie Laogen.
Lu Jiao felt a little guilty. After all, the original host drugged Xie Yunjin and snuck into his bed.
Lu Jiao sneakily studied Widow Wang and silently thought over Xie Yunjin's suggestion.
His words that night meant for her to give Widow Wang the idea that the Xie family was a good one to get into.
As Lu Jiao pondered, Lady Zhang waved at her with a grin.
"Yunjin's wife, you're going into town also?"
"I asked Dr. Qi to get me some woks – they are here. I'm going to pick them up. It's really hard to cook and boil water with just one pot at home."
Everyone nodded. Lu Jiao got in and before she could sit down, Aunt Guihua made some room and pulled her to sit.
"Jiaojiao, come and sit."
Lu Jiao smiled and thanked her. Aunt Guihua shook her head, "Why are you being so polite? Your mother and I are close. You don't need to be reserved."
Everyone was speechless. This woman was truly shameless. Before, she fought Lu Jiao's family whenever she could, and now, she claimed they were close?
Aunt Guihua didn't care what others thought and continued to chat, "It is hard to only have one pot. When I was young and newly married, we only got one pot as well. It took years of saving for me to get a steel wok."
127 Hinting Widow Wang
Everyone nodded when they heard Aunt Guihua's words. Xue Duojin's wife, Zhang Chunhua, whispered, "We only have one wok right now. It's impossible to find another one."
The cart got chatty as Xie Tieniu led the ox to Qili Town.
Everyone chatted inside the cart except Widow Wang. Lu Jiao, however, knew that the woman stole glances at her. At times, Widow Wang couldn't hide the annoyance in her eyes.
Lu Jiao ignored her.
Just then, Aunt Guihua caringly asked, "Jiaojiao, did that mother-in-law of yours cause any more trouble?"
Lu Jiao was ecstatic. She was having a hard time bringing up the Xie family.
"Who knows? I doubt she'll stay seated for long. I'm sure she'll cause trouble soon."
Everyone started to judge Lady Ruan.
Aunt Guihua angrily cursed, "That wicked woman had it good yet she never stays friendly. Karma will get her one day."
Everyone nodded in agreement. The Village Leader's wife, Lady Zhao raised an eyebrow, "The Fourth Grandma is the luckiest woman in town. After marrying the Fourth Grandpa, she hasn't had to work hard. The Fourth Grandpa's always protected her. Their children are very filial and all listened to her. Despite all that, she refuses to be friendly. If she keeps this up, she will taste her own medicine."
Lady Jiang nodded, "Yunjin is such a good kid. Others pray for a child like that and don't get one. Yet she treats him like a burden. Out of all the kids she bore, Yunjin's the best one. Yunjin's wife is the best too."
Lu Jiao scanned around and sighed, "Sadly, my mother-in-law is determined to say we are unfilial. We do what we do and the gods are watching. I am okay as long as I know I am doing my best."
Lu Jiao then added, "Honestly, this is all because my father-in-law dotes on her. If he didn't, there's no way she would have grown so arrogant. Truthfully speaking, my grandpa is really nice to people. No matter what my mother-in-law does, he never tells her off."
Everyone nodded, "Xie Laogen truly does dote on his wife. He's been like that since they were young. I never understood it. Laogen's wife isn't pretty and is a very sour person. Why does Xie Laogen treat her like she's a treasure?"
Aunt Guihua chimed in, "I don't understand either. See, if she's a beautiful woman, we can claim that it's because the Fourth is perverted. But that's just not the case. On the contrary, it was the Fourth who was tall and good-looking when he was young. Yunjin didn't grow up looking like his mother or father. I wonder who he took after."
Lady Jiang answered, "I heard my father-in-law say that Yunjin is most like his grandpa. His grandpa was the best-looking man in the village back then. When he left the village, a pile of young women pursued him. However, his health had never been good. Yunjin's grandma was tall and stocky and was very in love with Yunjin's grandpa. Though they didn't have that couple look, they were in love all their lives. Right after Yunjin's grandpa passed away, Yunjin's grandma passed away. They didn't know how to live without each other."
Lu Jiao shot Lady Wang a look and found her eavesdropping.
Lu Jiao said, "My mother-in-law was born to enjoy luxury. Once Yunjin passes the imperial exam and becomes an official, she's going to be an official's mother."
Many people sighed at that, "That infuriates me."
"How can someone so wicked get so lucky? The world isn't fair."
Lu Jiao added, "She better not go too far and make my father-in-law angry. If she angers my father-in-law too much, and he finds another woman he likes, her good days will be over."
The women inside the cart all shook their heads, "No way."
"Your grandpa's going to die in that woman's hand."
"I think it's impossible. I respect whoever manages to steal the Fourth from Lady Ruan."
Widow Wang's eyes flashed a little, but she didn't comment.
Lu Jiao smiled gently and stopped discussing this matter.
The conversation moved on to harvesting herbs. Aunt Guihua said, "I'm going into town today to buy horse chestnuts. I'm going to put them in my pouch to shield away snakes and bugs. Once I have that, I can start going into the mountains."
Lady Zhang also smiled, "I'm doing the same thing. This afternoon, Xiaojun will start to harvest herbs. I'm worried she'll get bitten by a snake so I asked her to only roam around the outskirts of the mountains. Once I get her the chestnuts, she can go up the mountain."
Aunt Guihua grinned, "I've asked my daughter-in-law to do the same. Tomorrow, we'll go into the mountains."
Everyone once again felt appreciative, "Thank you, Yunjin's wife."
Lu Jiao shook her head, "It's okay. Everyone, be careful. If you get bitten by a snake, rub the horse chestnut against the wound immediately. It'll help with the inflammation."
"Okay."
The ox cart soon arrived in Qili Town. Lu Jiao went straight to Baohe Tang with her basket.
There, Dr. Qi was looking around by the door. When he saw Lu Jiao, he greeted her, "Master, you're here."
The two villagers inside looked over at them in awe. Did they hear him wrong? That young woman was Dr. Qi's master? How skilled did that make her?
The manager and the other workers didn't pause. They already knew about this.
Though they found it hard to believe, they didn't say anything. After all, this was Dr. Qi's business.
Dr. Qi led Lu Jiao through Baohe Tang and into the backyard. As he walked, he announced, "Linfeng is waiting for you."
Lu Jiao asked, "Are you good friends with Owner Zhao?"
The way Qi Lei talked about him and addressed him made her think that Qi Lei wasn't simply Owner Zhao's employee.
Since Lu Jiao was his Master, he didn't try to conceal anything, "Our families are friends. We grew up together. We may not be brothers, but we are close to that. He chose to come into this town to start a business and I followed him."
Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, "The way you talk and act makes it clear that you two are not ordinary people. Why would you come to a place as poor as Qili? What's the purpose behind your trip?"
Qi Lei froze up. He wasn't sure how to answer her.
Lu Jiao realized that the background story likely involved the owner and Qi Lei couldn't speak on his behalf.
By now, they had arrived in the backyard. There, Baohe Tang's owner, Zhao Linfeng, was studying her with a profound gaze.
Lu Jiao wasn't afraid, "Greetings."
Zhao Linfeng nodded and gestured for them to sit. Before Lu Jiao could say anything, he asked her straight away, "Qi Lei said you have a lot of money-making ideas?"
Lu Jiao didn't follow etiquette either, "Yes, I have ideas for both short-term and long-term businesses. I wonder, do you plan on partnering up with me on these ventures?"
128 Ice Making and Oil Making
Zhao Lingfeng sized up Lu Jiao. When he first met her, he thought of her as a common countryside woman. He didn't expect her medical skills to be even better than Qi Lei's.
There were a handful of doctors in the Zhou Dynasty, but very few of them were outstanding. Who knew this woman would be outstanding?
Zhao Lingfeng found this to be unbelievable. Today, he discovered that other than her superb medical skills, her temperament was also extraordinary. It would be impossible for him to believe that she was simply a countryside woman.
Zhao Lingfeng had done his research on Lu Jiao. He knew for a fact that she was born and raised in Apricot Flower Village in Qili. As for her medical knowledge, the rumor was that she was taught by an old grandmother.
Zhao Lingfeng continued to stare at Lu Jiao, who grinned in response, "What is it?"
Zhao Lingfeng shook his head. Whatever. Right now, he had to prioritize business.
"If you have good money-making ideas, we can partner up. Or, you can sell your ideas to us. Don't worry, I'll make sure you're fairly compensated for them."
Zhao Lingfeng was leaning towards buying her ideas rather than cooperating with her.
Naturally, Lu Jiao saw right through him. She didn't want to force anything.
"Sure. It's fine if you want to buy some ideas off of me. However, I'm not willing to sell all my ideas."
Lu Jiao was referring to her pharmacy and cosmeceutical store ideas. If she couldn't work with Zhao Lingfeng, she'll find someone else.
Her plan to open a pharmacy and a cosmeceutical store was to make money, as well as bring benefits to the villagers. Since she had access to spiritual stream water, she wanted to help more people.
Qi Lei was a little flustered by this as he gawked at Zhao Lingfeng in disagreement. Previously, they had discussed working together with his master. Why did it become buying ideas off of her?
Zhao Lingfeng said what he said to test the waters. If Lu Jiao persisted with the partnership, he would've allowed it. Who knew this woman would not even put up a fight?
Zhao Lingfeng narrowed his eyes at this patient and calm woman. So it appeared that she had plenty of ways to make money.
This woman didn't beg to partner up with him. In the future, he may end up begging her to partner up.
Zhao Lingfeng now leaned towards cooperating with her.
"Tell me some of your ideas."
Lu Jiao smiled, "I have a lot. Clothes, food, accommodation… there are so many ways."
Zhao Lingfeng froze, and suspicion arose. Was this woman truly this capable or was she acting tough?
"You have lots of secret formulas?"
Lu Jiao nodded, obviously noting the skepticism in Zhao Lingfeng's eyes, "You don't have to question me. I have lots of secret formulas. You want to buy ideas off of me? I can offer you two things. Ice making and oil making."
She could sell these two things, get enough start-up money for her pharmacy and cosmeceutical store, then find another partner.
Lu Jiao looked up and found Zhao Lingfeng astounded. He said in a low voice, "Ice and oil making?"
Lu Jiao nodded, "It's the end of June now and you're from the Capital City. There, you must be lacking ice. If you manage to make ice, I'm certain you will make loads of money. As for oil making… right now, our entire country is mostly using oil from animals. In the north, there's been a new product called sesame oil. I can teach you how to extract soybean oil, peanut oil, and rapeseed oil."
The reason why Lu Jiao wanted to sell the formula for oil making was that this technology hasn't been discovered and therefore, should be expensive to sell.
Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei were both astounded. This woman knew how to make ice and oil? Either one of those would be highly secretive and profitable.
Lu Jiao didn't care for their surprised faces. She was more concerned about how much cash they were willing to give her for these.
She wouldn't sell it if the price wasn't right.
She smiled, "Then, let us talk about the price?"
Zhao Lingfeng's head was a little numb. He's been looking for money-making ideas recently and decided on opening up a pharmacy.
But a pharmacy was a long-term business and would not generate profit in the short term. As for the other ideas he's had, most of them would be slow to kick off. The ones that would make him money immediately would involve too many other influential families.
His decision to move to the Town of Qili wasn't only because he was kicked out by his clan. It was also because he needed to make money for that someone.
That someone had ordered him to stay lowkey and banned him from getting too involved with too many parties. This limited his options.
This was why he couldn't think of any good ways to make money. Who knew this woman would come up with two ideas this quickly?
Zhao Lingfeng stared at Lu Jiao rather excitedly. This woman likely had many other ideas.
Zhao Lingfeng pondered for a while then decided to ask, "Other than these two, do you have any other ideas? If I partner up with you, what businesses would you recommend?"
Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow at him. So this guy wanted to work with her.
It was Lu Jiao's turn to ponder. If she could cooperate with Owner Zhao, it wouldn't necessarily be bad for her.
She didn't reveal her pharmacy and cosmeceutical store idead. Instead, she asked Zhao Lingfeng, "I still don't know which family you're from in the Capital City."
If he wasn't influential enough, she wouldn't work with him.
Zhao Lingfeng knew Lu Jiao's intention and answered calmly, "I'm the third young master from the official residence of marquees of Yongning."
Lu Jiao stared at him surprised. If he was a young master from the marquees of Yongning, why did he move to this poor and isolated village?
Zhao Lingfeng noticed her shock and explained, "I'm the third son born from a concubine mother."
Because he was the son of a concubine, the family didn't value him, and the lady of the house saw him as a nuisance. This was why he was exiled to such a poor place.
Well, he was also here with his own agenda. He was doing something for that someone.
Lu Jiao was a little worried, "Are you sure you're able to keep all the assets under your name?"
Zhao Lingfeng's gaze sharpened as he answered in a low voice, "Though my position isn't high, I can protect what's mine. That's not for you to worry about. Why don't you tell me what you want to do?"
Lu Jiao studied him for a while and found him to be genuine.
Beside her, Qi Lei chimed in, "Master, don't worry. Lingfeng can protect our businesses. You don't have to worry about others taking advantage of us."
His statement managed to bundle them together.
Lu Jiao thought about it. If they were able to make such a statement, it meant they had some power. She shouldn't exactly doubt everything just because he was the son of a concubine.
"I originally wanted to start three businesses – an oil mill, a cosmeceutical store, and a pharmaceutical manufacturer."
Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei exchanged glances. They felt lots of emotions growing inside.
Lu Jiao ignored them and continued, "The oil mill and the cosmeceutical store would make money fast. But the most profitable business would be pharmaceutical manufacturing. That is because the medicines I make will be more effective than all the other drugs in this country."
129 Signed the Contract
Lu Jiao exposed this much for two reasons. First, she wanted to bewilder Zhao Lingfeng a little. Second, she wanted to see how reliable Zhao Lingfeng was by working on ice and oil production with him. If he proves himself to be reliable, she could stop worrying and partner up with him on the pharmacy.
Other than making money, she wanted to use the spiritual stream water she had to help others.
Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei were in shock and asked in unison, "Are you being serious?"
Lu Jiao smiled, "Naturally. Why would I lie to you? Honestly, I want to open my own pharmacy to help others. Medicine is far too rare in this dynasty, resulting in many people being unable to seek doctors. A weak cold can manage to take a life. If I have the resources to make medicine, I'll make sure the people have what they need to get well."
For example, if a cold could be cured with cold medicine, it wouldn't be a big deal at all.
Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei became strangely motivated after they heard her speech. To be able to both make money and help the citizens of this dynasty was something they were more than willing to do.
Zhao Lingfeng said, "Then, let's partner up. Tell me, how do you want to do this?"
Lu Jiao could tell that Zhao Lingfeng was very genuine. He sincerely wanted to work together.
She nodded in satisfaction, "I will offer my formula while you find the people, the space, and the funds. I get 30% of the revenue, Qi Lei gets 10% of it, and you can allocate the remainder as you wish. I'm certain that you will need to use some of it to get things done."
Lu Jiao's words stunned Qi Lei. His Master bore him in mind?
He shook his head, "Master, you can have my 10%. I don't want it."
Lu Jiao rolled her eyes, "Are you stupid? Saying no to money? Once you have money, you can do whatever you want. You can help others."
Qi Lei was speechless while Zhao Lingfeng was surprised. He didn't expect Lu Jiao to only want 30% of it. Though that was still a lot of money, he truly didn't expect it. The secret formula was the most valuable of all, after all.
Before Zhao Lingfeng could speak, Lu Jiao added, "I'm not taking advantage of you at all. In terms of producing the medicine, you have to use my recipes to get the best quality products. As for cosmeceuticals, you have to follow my formulas as well."
Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei weren't sure what she meant by cosmeceuticals, "What is that?"
Lu Jiao explained, "Soap with medicinal effects. Products to get rid of dark spots, or to lighten up the skin… Products to lose weight, to promote relaxation… perfume… all those things are cosmeceuticals."
Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei were no idiots and understood. Lu Jiao's explanation excited them even more. Oh man, if they could sell all those products, they would be so rich! They would also be helping out people.
Zhao Lingfeng couldn't sit still anymore and started to pace around the room.
"Let's work together. Hurry, let's start planning."
Lu Jiao nodded, "Let's first make ice to sell. We can make enough money for our future ventures with the ice-selling money."
Her idea even saved Zhao Lingfeng initial capital. Zhao Lingfeng stared at Lu Jiao and suddenly found her to be far more dazzling than the wealthy missus from the Capital City.
"I'm going to draft up a contract."
Lu Jiao nodded, "Once we sign, I'll tell you the formula for ice making. As for the other stuff, there's no rush. Write up a business plan for me later."
"Okay."
The three agreed on this and Lu Jiao left to buy items for her home.
She bought a bunch of food and home gadgets. She'll soon be rich and she doesn't need to be frugal anymore.
Rice, flour, oil, salt, sauce, and vinegar were bought by her in bulk. She took everything to an empty alley and shoved them into her space. Then, she'd go back and buy smaller portions to put in her basket.
Other than condiments, she bought pork, ribs, chicken, duck, and fish. For fish, she bought several. Then, she got some baked goods and candy. As for fruits, she had lots grown in her space.
After buying food, she restlessly went to a store to buy Xie Yunjin some new clothes. This time, she bought robes made out of expensive cotton. In this town, there were no clothes made out of silk. However, cotton was comfortable on the body so Lu Jiao didn't mind. She ended up getting him two sets.
As for the four little ones, she bought some textiles. She planned on making two more sets of clothes for each of the four babies and making them one more set of pajamas each.
As for herself, she decided to wait until she lost more weight.
By the time she was done, it was already late. She quickly went back to Baohe Tang with her basket full.
There, Zhao Lingfeng was done drafting the contract. The three of them signed it. It will need to be stamped by the officials in the government for it to be valid.
She left it to Zhao Lingfeng to take care of.
Lu Jiao told them the way to make ice – by using a big pot filled with saltpeter and a small pot.
Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei stared at Lu Jiao in disbelief, "It's that easy?"
Lu Jiao nodded, "Yes, it's that easy. Ice-making is just that. Okay, you guys get busy. Qi Lei, give me the works and the sheep. I need to head home and cook. I have four children and a sick husband at home."
Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei didn't think her method would work. But since she was in a rush, they didn't stop her.
Qi Lei gave Lu Jiao the two woks and the sheep. He worriedly confirmed with her, "Master, are you sure your method would work? Fill the big pot with saltpeter and water, then place the small pot with water in the big pot, then the water in the small pot would turn into ice?"
"Yes. Do not worry and go give it a try."
Lu Jiao wanted to use ice-making to test out Zhao Lingfeng and check how reliable he was.
If he isn't reliable, then she'll figure out a way to stop working with him.
Lu Jiao took her woks and her sheep to an empty alley. She shoved one of the woks away, as two woks were far too attention-catching.
Despite so, her new wok and her sheep triggered much interest in Lady Zhang and the others. It wasn't that they were super jealous, they were very intrigued.
"You got this wok from Dr. Qi from Baohe Tang? He got it from the prefectural city?"
Lu Jiao nodded, "Yes, it's hard to find it where we live."
The other women nodded. Widow Wang suddenly whispered, "What is that?"
It was very rare to see animals like sheep in the south, let alone this small village. The Xie village didn't have sheeps in the mountains so not many people recognized it.
Lu Jiao explained, "This is a sheep. I asked Dr. Qi to get me one from the city."
Lady and the others knew right away what it was when they heard the name. Though they've never seen a sheep, they've heard of it. They heard that many people in the city liked to eat lamb. However, it was an expensive type of meat and they naturally have never had it.
Lady Zhang asked, "What are you doing with a sheep?"
Lu Jiao pointed at the sheep, "This is a female sheep. I bought it so I can squeeze its milk for the four little ones. They were born premature so they are physically weak. When they were babies, they also didn't eat well and are still malnourished. They're very short now and I'm afraid they won't grow anymore. I decided to buy a sheep so they can start drinking milk."
Widow Wang exclaimed, "Humans can drink sheep's milk?"
Lu Jiao glared at her, "Of course. Not only can we drink sheep's milk, but we can also drink cow's milk. However, cows are very expensive and I cannot get one right now. Sheep milk will have to do."
On the side, Aunt Guihua rolled her eyes at Widow Wang, "Jiaojiao is an exceptional doctor. She knows so much more than you. If she says sheep milk is good for you, then it is."
130 You Treat me with Sincerity Today, I return the Sincerity Tomorrow
Aunt Guihua started to ignore Widow Wang and turned to Lu Jiao.
"Jiaojiao, is sheep milk really that great?"
Lu Jiao nodded, "There are many benefits. Sheep milk is very gentle and can heal the stomach and spleen. It cures deficiencies and provides moisture. Sheep milk can even help detox the body. There are many benefits."
Aunt Guihua's heart fluttered, "Once I get rich, I'll also get a sheep and give the milk to my Tiedan."
The other women inside the cart speechlessly looked at Aunt Guihua.
Aunt Guihua had a grandson, fat like a ball. Obviously, he was a frequent over-eater and didn't need any extra nutrition.
When Lu Jiao arrived home, the four little ones were waiting for her by the door. They stared in her direction and the moment she appeared, they jumped up and rushed to her side.
"Mommy, you are back!"
"Momy, we were good and taught everyone how to read."
"Mommy, are you hungry?"
The Fourth Born hugged Lu Jiao's legs and whined, "Mommy, I missed you. Did you miss me?"
Lu Jiao found this funny. They only separated for a little bit and they already miss her?
She patted the Fourth Born's head to taunt him, "How much did you miss me?"
The Fourth Born let go of Lu Jiao and extended his arms out, "This much!"
Lu Jiao replied with a grin, "I missed you that much too."
The Fourth Born giggled out of happiness.
The mother and her children entered the yard. From the kitchen, Lin Chunyan walked out and greeted, "Third aunt, you're back. I made you lunch. You're back just in time."
Lu Jiao felt really bad and pulled Lin Yanchun aside, "Chunyan, stop doing all my chores for me."
Lin Chunyan was anxious, "Third aunt, I…"
Lu Jiao felt that Lin Chunyan hated doing nothing more than chores. The anxiety of doing nothing was worse for her illness.
Lu Jiao thought about it and decided to add, "Of course, if you're free, you can help me out. But you can only help me once you are done with your own housework."
Lin Chunyan smiled and agreed, "Okay, third aunt!"
Lu Jiao grinned back, "Wait a second."
She went to the kitchen and took out three medicinal herbs from her space – a horse chestnut, bark lotus, and amaranthus. She also grabbed a handful of candy.
"Chunyan, crush these herbs and put them in a pouch. Bring it with you when you go into the mountains to protect yourself against snakes. If you get a snake bite, smear it on your wound to get rid of the inflammation. Also, I got some candy today while I was in town, take some to try."
Lin Chunyan declined right away, "Third aunt, I can't take these."
Lu Jiao pulled onto her, "Your health isn't good. You need to eat more sugar for your body. If you feel bad, do some housework for me."
Lin Chunyan's eyes turned red. Honestly, because of her inability to carry children, she's been very suppressed at home. Her mother-in-law never treated her well because she hasn't had any children. Growing up, she's never had someone show her this much care.
"Thank you, third aunt."
"Do you want to have lunch before heading back?"
Hearing that, Lin Chunyan took the medicine and the candy and left.
Lu Jiao took the wok and the sheep and headed to the kitchen.
Only now, did the four little ones notice the sheep that came back with Lu Jiao.
The First Born asked in shock, "Mom, what is that?"
"This is a sheep. I asked someone to get it for us. I'm going to feed you the milk from this animal. That way, you get to grow tall and be healthy!"
The First Born was ecstatic. With his eyes as clear as crystal, he stared at Lu Jiao.
His mom was so nice to them!
The First Born was now certain that the only reason his mom treated them poorly before was that she wasn't happy back at the Xie family home. When people are in a bad mood, they naturally get angry and transfer that negativity to others. He, himself, has done the same. Therefore, no matter what, he refused to go back to the Xie family home. As long as his mommy is in a good mood, she will treat them well.
The Second, Third, and Fourth Born were very happy to be able to drink milk.
Lu Jiao tied the sheep near the kitchen and reminded the four little ones, "Remember to feed the greens I grew to the sheep."
Once the sheep drinks the greens that've been nourished by the spiritual stream water, her milk will be more nutritious and better for the body.
The four little ones circled the sheep and discussed while Lu Jiao took in the wok.
While she was at it, she took out a small portion of all the food she brought back so everything looked reasonable.
When the four little ones came inside and saw all the items in the kitchen, they were stunned.
They were still young and didn't wonder how their mom managed to stuff so many things in her half-full basket.
Right now, they were far too thrilled to see all the food, "Mommy, you bought so much good food!"
Lu Jiao nodded with a smile. She washed some grapes and placed them into a bowl.
"Share these with your dad. I will scoop out lunch for us to eat."
The four little ones cheered, "Okay mommy!"
Then they went to the east bedroom with the bowl of grapes to share with Xie Yunjin.
Lu Jiao scooped out the dishes and brought them to the living room table.
For lunch, Lin Chunyan made rice, steamed some eggs with green onion, and stir-fried long beans.
The thought of her two new woks elated Lu Jiao. From now on, it'll be easy to cook. This afternoon, she'll clean the woks, and then she'll be able to use them for dinner.
Lu Jiao was getting happier by the second as she thought about it. She took a tray of food and went into the east bedroom.
Right now, the four little ones were happily eating grapes with Xie Yunjin. There was honestly only enough for a few grapes per person. Lu Jiao had a lot of fruits in her space but she didn't dare to take them out. Fruits such as strawberries and cherries didn't exist in the Zhou Dynasty. She wouldn't be able to explain how she got them.
She could only take out fruits that were on the market.
She felt very saddened by this but she had no other choice
"Okay, wash hands and eat lunch."
Lu Jiao placed Xie Yunjin's food by his bed and helped him sit up. She asked, "Are you okay to eat by yourself?"
"It's fine. I can eat by myself."
"Do your legs hurt today?"
"No, they stopped hurting. Did Dr. Qi have any messages for me while you were there today?"
Lu Jiao thought about it, "Dr. Qi said you need to rest well and eat nutritious food, such as bone broth. I bought chicken, duck, and fish today, as well as some big bones. Now that we have two pots at home, I can make soup easily."
Xie Yunjin's gaze deepened. Looking at Lu Jiao, he very much wanted to tell her –
You treat me with sincerity today, I return the sincerity tomorrow.
In the end, he couldn't bring himself to say it. He asked, "Didn't you say I can get the stitches out in a few days? Did Dr. Qi say when?"
Lu Jiao walked up to his legs and lifted his pants. She unwrapped the bandages and checked, "Dr. Qi said five to seven days. It looks like your wounds are healing well. You can probably get the stitches out the day after tomorrow."
Though she hasn't been able to administer saline for him, she's been giving him anti-inflammatory medicine daily. This was why he was healing nicely.
Xie Yunjin's mood was unspeakably wonderful.
His happiness crawled up his brows and his eyes gathered much light. His dark pupils emitted rays of softness and slight drunkenness. The way he stared at Lu Jiao seemed to hold much affection.