A Good Country Wife
Chapter 475 - 469 - _1

Chapter 475: 469 Chapter_1

Zhang Qiusheng’s wife’s illness wasn’t as tricky as Zhao Yunxiang’s; however, it couldn’t be cured in a short period and needed to be nursed gradually. After Dr. Zheng had diagnosed her and prescribed several doses of medicine, he instructed that once Zhang Qiusheng’s wife had finished the current prescriptions, he would check on her condition and prescribe accordingly. It was expected that she could recover about seventy to eighty percent in roughly a month.

In truth, Zhang Qiusheng’s wife’s illness wasn’t as severe as imagined. She had merely caught a chill, compounded by anxiety over her daughter’s affairs. Then, after moving to Lin Yue’s estate, the ordeal became too much for her, and she found herself bedridden for several days, unable to get up. This left her quite disheartened, believing she might not recover, which only seemed to exacerbate her condition. It turned out that much of her illness was the result of psychological effects.

Zhang Qiusheng himself had a similar mindset, originally thinking his wife couldn’t hold on much longer; however, when Dr. Zheng confidently declared that he could treat her, Zhang Qiusheng’s eyes brightened, as if a huge weight had been lifted from his chest, "Thank you, Dr. Zheng, thank you. If my wife gets well, I’ll definitely go to your clinic and bow in gratitude."

"There’s no need for that, Master Zhang. It was your employer’s wife who asked me to come. If you want to thank someone, thank your employer’s wife," Dr. Zheng replied.

"Alright, remember everything I’ve told you. Once I return to the city, I’ll prepare the medicine for you to take back. Follow my instructions carefully when brewing and administering it to the patient. Also, be sure to heed my advice on the everyday precautions. A cold may seem minor, but it can be serious. Failure to treat it properly has resulted in the loss of many lives," Dr. Zheng cautioned.

Zhang Qiusheng quickly assured in response to Dr. Zheng’s medical advice, "Rest assured, Dr. Zheng, I’ve remembered everything. I’ll take great care."

"Dr. Zheng, please accept this." After treating Zhang Qiusheng’s wife, Lin Yue took out two taels of silver and handed them to Dr. Zheng, paying for the diagnosis and medicine on Zhang Qiusheng’s behalf.

Lin Yue was dispensing her benevolence knowingly because of Zhang Qiusheng’s situation. Pressured by Master Wei, Zhang Qiusheng had nearly spent all of his silver even before he started working for Lin Yue. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have waited several days with his wife bedridden before seeking a doctor, relying solely on medicine they had from before.

Zhang Qiusheng was indeed out of money to pay for the medicine, so he thanked Lin Yue profusely, feeling fortunate to work for such an employer. He had initially thought the employer’s wife was too shrewd and calculating, but now he realized just how kindhearted and generous she was.

Now he was in no position like he was in the past, where people would sweet-talk him for his services. Being under contract with Mistress Lin, even if she turned out to be harsh or exploitative, he had no alternatives. At most, he could slacken in his work, cutting corners, but the employer’s wife had every right to discipline him. Considering all the benefits he received from Lin Yue, Zhang Qiusheng was even more determined to work hard and repay his employer’s wife’s kindness.

After finishing his visit, Dr. Zheng was ready to return to the city. Lin Yue had arranged a carriage to pick him up that day, and naturally, a carriage was also sent to take him back. Coincidentally, Lin Yue needed to purchase some items and left the instructions with Liu Aniu.

The next day, after arranging everything at home, Lin Yue loaded a horse-drawn cart and set out for Shanglin Village early.

Because Lin Yue had not mentioned it yesterday, Lin Genfa was not expecting her visit today and was quite surprised. "Sister-in-law, why have you come again today? Is there something the matter?" he asked.

"There isn’t much, just that I’ve been worried about Sister’s condition and specially came over to check on her. Did Sister take the medicine prescribed by Doctor Zheng yesterday? How was the effect, is there any improvement?" Lin Yue asked with genuine concern, truly worried that Zhao Yunxiang might not be able to hold on until Zhao Erhu could return.

Speaking of this, a hint of joy appeared on Lin Genfa’s face. "I want to thank my sister-in-law for her concern on behalf of my wife. Doctor Zheng’s medical skills are indeed remarkable. After taking one dose of the medicine he prescribed yesterday, she took another this morning. Though her complexion is still poor, she has come to her senses and can eat now, unlike yesterday when she was in a stupor and couldn’t recognize anyone. I believe that if she continues to take the medicine, she will definitely improve."

In the past, the several physicians we had consulted prescribed many remedies that were essentially ineffective. This time, after just one dose of Doctor Zheng’s remedy, we immediately saw results. Lin Genfa felt even more convinced of Doctor Zheng’s medical expertise, wishing he had sought Doctor Zheng’s help sooner—it might have been possible to cure his wife. But then the thought of the terrible thing that Zhao Yunxiang had done made him heave a silent sigh.

"That’s good to hear. I trust Doctor Zheng’s medical expertise; it’s just that I couldn’t rest easy without hearing about Sister’s condition myself. Now that you’ve told me this, I’m relieved. Since Sister is awake, I’ll go in and keep her company, talk to her," Lin Yue said as she made to go inside the room, but then she paused as if remembering something.

"Sister-in-law, what is it?" Lin Genfa wondered why Lin Yue had advanced and then retracted her steps, asking in puzzlement.

"I was just thinking that Sister has never seemed too fond of me. Now that she is so ill and has finally woken up, my presence might be a disturbance to her. After all, Sister’s health is what’s most important. Whether I see her or not is secondary. I can just listen to what you, brother-in-law, tell me about her condition."

"That’s..." Lin Genfa was truly uncertain. Whenever Zhao Yunxiang returned from visiting Zhao Erhu’s home, she would always berate Lin Yue, speaking harshly and bitterly. Now, he hadn’t heard Zhao Yunxiang curse at all, but it wasn’t clear if this was because she lacked the strength due to illness. If Zhao Yunxiang were to see Lin Yue now, Lin Genfa couldn’t predict how she would react.

However, Zhao Yunxiang, who was lying in bed inside the room, upon hearing Lin Yue’s voice, struggled to get up but was too weak and had to ask her daughter, Lin Xiaoxiang, to deliver the message.

"Auntie, my mother says she wants to invite you in; she has something she wants to tell you," Lin Xiaoxiang said.

Unsure of what Zhao Yunxiang intended, Lin Yue and Lin Genfa exchanged glances, and Lin Yue followed Xiaofang inside.

When Zhao Yunxiang saw Lin Yue enter, there was no sign of her previous dislike or displeasure. Perhaps facing death softened her heart, or maybe it was the realization of her past wrongdoings, Zhao Yunxiang looked at Lin Yue and unexpectedly started to cry.

"Sister-in-law, I know I’ve wronged you, and I’m grateful that you can - visit me at this time. I’m - in such a state, neither human nor ghost," she coughed, "it must - be embarrassing for you," she coughed again and again. Zhao Yunxiang was already weak, and her voice was soft and lacked strength. As she became emotional, she stuttered more and coughed terribly, unable to speak properly.

"Sister, how are you feeling, any better? Don’t get agitated, just take care of yourself, and take your time saying whatever you want to say," Lin Yue said gently, patting Zhao Yunxiang’s chest.