After finishing the tasks at hand, Qi Zhenzhen went to Yun Shi's room. Yun Shi was busy with needlework for the Lin family's parents. Her maternal grandmother, fearing her mother would be tired, had said it was enough to make two pairs of socks and two sets of clothes. As for shoes, they could take their time; the family valued the thought behind the gesture, not the formality.
"Zhenzhen, did Mother hear the Heir correctly calling your name just now?" Yun Shi asked casually, her hands not stopping their work. "When did you two become so familiar?"
This question made Qi Zhenzhen recall her two moments of失态 (shī tài - losing composure), and the roots of her ears immediately grew warm. She feigned calmness, "Little Niu always calls me Zhenzhen, so the Heir just followed Little Niu's lead."
Yun Shi hummed an "oh." Little Niu was close to the family and of a similar age to Zhenzhen, and he usually called her daughter by her name. Perhaps the Heir found it amusing? Regardless, he was not of their world and likely wouldn't stay long, so there was no need to dwell on it.
"Did you remind Yi Ge'er and Hu Zi that if they went out, they shouldn't cause trouble?"
"They are both sensible, and besides, Little Niu is looking after them. The Heir also seems to like Yi Ge'er and Hu Zi. Otherwise, why would he agree to take them out? However, I will ask Yi Ge'er about it when he returns tonight, to see what they did all day."
"That might not be appropriate. The Heir said this was official business. It's one thing for Yi Ge'er and the others to go along, but for you, a young lady, to inquire about it..." Yun Shi was a little worried. "Better not ask. It's not good."
Qi Zhenzhen now understood Yun Shi's nature quite well. She was gentle, forbearing, and most unwilling to stir up trouble. Her not wanting her to ask now was likely out of fear of displeasing Gu Sinian. Since it wasn't something she was particularly curious about, she wouldn't ask.
Qi Zhenzhen agreed with Yun Shi, "Alright, I'll do as you say, Mother."
"Zhenzhen, why don't you make some needlework for your maternal grandmother too? You can't do anything complicated, so how about making a forehead band? I heard your aunt say your maternal grandmother suffers from headaches. I'll write down a fragrant recipe, and you can go to Physician Mo to get the ingredients, grind them into a fine powder, and sew them into the forehead band?" Yun Shi spoke as if seeking her opinion.
Qi Zhenzhen was startled when she first heard it, thinking Yun Shi wanted her to do something complicated. She breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing it was a forehead band.
She was still confused about cutting and embroidery, but under Yun Shi's supervision, her basic skills had improved to a passable level. A forehead band was simple; as long as the stitches were fine and well-hidden, she could manage. However, she was curious about Yun Shi's mention of a fragrant recipe. "Mother, you know how to mix fragrances?"
Yun Shi smiled, "My maternal grandmother had this ailment before. I researched books and came up with this recipe. Although it can't cure it, it can relieve it."
The "maternal grandmother" spoken of here naturally referred to her own maternal grandmother.
Fearing that mentioning this might stir up sadness in Yun Shi, Qi Zhenzhen quickly changed the subject and quietly told Yun Shi about Zhang Er Niu.
Yun Shi hadn't thought much of it at first, but as Qi Zhenzhen finished speaking, her face gradually showed shock. "You mean your maternal grandmother has the same idea?"
"It's not just Grandma, Zhang Er Ge also has this idea. What do you think? Auntie just went through that incident, so she definitely wouldn't have this thought now. But how old is she? Is she going to live like this forever? Although she has us relatives, it's ultimately not the same as a spouse by her side. Living alone like that, how sad it must be! You know Zhang Er Ge's character. Although he looks rough, he's very thoughtful. I'm quite optimistic about him. Let them manage the noodle stall together, and let Auntie see what kind of person he is. Some things might just happen naturally without being brought out into the open!" Qi Zhenzhen said while cutting the fabric for the forehead band.
Yun Shi hadn't thought of these two together at first, but now that they were mentioned, the more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Her daughter was right; her sister shouldn't live alone forever. Why should Li Shan be enjoying himself with his new wife while her sister lived a lonely life? Although she had her biological son, Hu Zi, he needed to study and couldn't always be by her side.
"This matter cannot be rushed. You tell your Zhang Er Ge to take it slow," Yun Shi cautioned.
Qi Zhenzhen pursed her lips and smiled, "Mother, don't worry."
As dusk fell, Qi Yi and Li Hu returned, but Gu Sinian and Zhang Xiao Niu were nowhere to be seen.
"The Heir and Brother Xiao Niu left due to urgent matters. The Heir asked me to tell big sister that the meal is on hold, and he will come to eat when he has time," Qi Yi said.
Left?!
Qi Zhenzhen first felt a sense of relief, but then felt inexplicably displeased. They came and left so suddenly, without even a word. Was their home like an inn to them?
"That's not right. Aren't their horses still in the backyard? How did they leave?"
"Brother Xiao Niu tied the horses outside after feeding them this morning. When we went out, the Heir and Brother Xiao Niu each took one of us with them. It was so impressive," Qi Yi said excitedly. "The Heir said that once my riding skills are proficient, he'll give me a good horse. Our family's horses aren't good enough; they can only pull a cart."
A good horse was worth a thousand gold. Gu Sinian made promises so readily. Were they that familiar with him? Qi Zhenzhen thought furiously, wasn't this Heir perhaps too self-important?
"Yi Ge'er, tell big sister, what did you do when you went out?"
Qi Yi tilted his head and thought for a moment, "We didn't do much, just chatted with people, some from our village, some from other villages."
There was one more thing Qi Yi kept hidden; it was a secret between him and the Heir, and if he said it, it wouldn't be a secret anymore.
Chatted? What kind of official business was that? Did he think bandits were hiding in the nearby villages? Everyone in these villages had lived there for generations; they all knew each other. If there were any unfamiliar faces, people would definitely notice. Were these bandits that foolish? Qi Zhenzhen pondered for a while but couldn't figure out the key point. She shook her head. It didn't matter to her anyway, so why think so much?
It was good that they left, at least she didn't have to rack her brain to cook different dishes every day. Eating at home was much more comfortable than having such an important figure around.
During dinner, Yun Shi asked about the absence of Gu Sinian and Zhang Xiao Niu. Upon learning they had left, she also let out a sigh of relief. "Although the Heir doesn't put on airs, I still felt a bit nervous when he was here. Now I can finally have a proper meal."
Gu Sinian and Zhang Xiao Niu galloped back, accompanied by Gu Qing.
Gu Qing had come to deliver a message: the Duchess was ill.
She was quite seriously ill, and if it weren't for that, Gu Qing wouldn't have rushed to find him.
Zhui Feng seemed to sense its master's anxiety and galloped with Gu Sinian, leaving Gu Qing and Zhang Xiao Niu behind. Gu Sinian had seen his mother when he left, and everything was fine. How could she have suddenly fallen ill?