This feeling wasn't exclusive to Su Xiaoqi; even Madam Yu experienced it.
Du Yiyi, watching from the side, happily offered a suggestion:
"Auntie, you only have three nephews, and you’re so fond of Sister Xiaoqi now. Sister Xiaoqi’s parents are no longer with us.
In my opinion, why don't you simply acknowledge her as your daughter? This way, Auntie will have a daughter, and Sister Xiaoqi will have parents. Wouldn't that be perfect for both of you?"
These words struck a chord with Madam Yu.
Why else would she be so fond of Du Yiyi?
Du Yiyi was also intelligent and capable, skilled at reading people's expressions. Although she hadn't said anything explicitly, she had instantly grasped what was in Madam Yu's heart.
Madam Yu felt a surge of emotion, but unfortunately, her excitement was too much, and her old ailment recurred. Her body swayed, and she nearly collapsed.
Su Xiaoqi sensed something was wrong and quickly stepped back to support her.
"Shiniang, what's wrong?" Su Xiaoqi carefully examined Madam Yu's complexion.
Madam Yu was covered in sweat, her face pale. She clutched her heart with her right hand, gasping for breath.
"Auntie's chest pain has flared up! Quickly, quickly, Qí Wén, fetch the medicine!" Du Yiyi, beside herself with worry, frantically called out to Madam Yu's head maid.
Qí Wén was accustomed to such situations. Hearing the commotion, she hurried over, retrieved a small brown porcelain bottle, poured out a pill, and fed it to Madam Yu.
Su Xiaoqi, standing beside them, proactively helped Madam Yu to sit on the chaise lounge, fetched tea, and poured water, showing great attentiveness.
At the same time, she seized the opportunity to check Madam Yu's pulse.
After taking the medicine, Madam Yu's symptoms quickly subsided.
Seeing her actions, Madam Yu, leaning back against a soft cushion with her arm resting on the armrest, looked at her gently and asked in a hoarse voice, "Xiaoqi, you know how to treat illnesses?"
Su Xiaoqi was taken aback. It was a habit she had; seeing someone unwell, her hands itched to take their pulse.
However, since it was in front of Madam Yu, it wasn't an issue for her to know.
She nodded softly, "Yes, I met a wandering physician in the past who taught me a few tricks, but I'm not very skilled."
Madam Yu recovered slightly and, still gasping for breath, said, "Then, from your examination, what do you think is wrong with me?"
Su Xiaoqi, having only taken her pulse once, was unsure. She reached out to take it again.
This time, she took her pulse for nearly fifteen minutes.
"Shiniang's pulse is slow and weak, with significant blockage. It appears to be a heart condition, no, it seems like chest pain, but also not quite," Su Xiaoqi said hesitantly, choosing her words carefully.
Su Xiaoqi had a certain understanding of heart disease.
The symptoms that occurred during an attack depended on the extent of the damage to its function and the stage of the illness.
However, common symptoms included palpitations, rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, and chest pain.
Some might also experience swelling in the hands and feet, or fainting.
Judging by the pulse, it would be weak and rapid.
But Madam Yu's pulse was very slow.
Su Xiaoqi even calculated it; it was about fifty to sixty beats per minute.
This did not align with the symptoms of a heart attack.
"It's not chest pain, so why does the imperial physician's prescription for chest pain work?
Every time Madam falls ill, she gets better after taking it, just like now," Qí Wén said.
She had been responsible for Madam Yu's care and was very clear about her physical condition.
Su Xiaoqi observed Madam Yu. Her well-maintained face had a slight flush, her breathing was still rapid, and her chest heaved visibly.
It was clear that her symptoms had not been completely cured by the medicine; they had merely been suppressed.
Just as Su Xiaoqi was about to say something, Madam Yu let out a low groan and suddenly fainted.
"Shiniang…"
"Auntie."
"Madam…"
All three cried out in alarm.
Qí Wén reached for the medicine again to give to Madam Yu, but Su Xiaoqi stopped her with an outstretched hand.
She looked at the dark medicine, a pill about the size of a broad bean, so black as if it had been rolled in ink, making her extremely uncomfortable.
She apologized and took a pill, then crushed it forcefully in her hand, revealing the same black substance within.
Su Xiaoqi brought it close to her nose and sniffed. She quickly identified some of the medicinal ingredients.
There was Astragalus, Kudzu root, Ginkgo leaf, Codonopsis...
These were indeed traditional medicinal herbs for treating chest pain.
However, in addition to these, Su Xiaoqi also detected a faint, fishy, foul odor.
Su Xiaoqi frowned.
The smell was very faint; if she hadn't deliberately crushed it to smell it, she wouldn't have detected it at all.
"This medicine cannot be taken anymore," she suddenly declared, stopping Qí Wén.
"What, what is it, Madam Shen?" Qí Wén was so startled that her body trembled violently.
"Don't ask, quickly help Shiniang lie down, I will administer acupuncture," Su Xiaoqi replied rapidly and urgently.
That medicine emitting a fishy, foul odor, though she didn't know what it was in the short term, her intuition told her it was nothing good.
Furthermore, she had a method to treat Madam Yu's condition.
Soon, Madam Yu was helped to lie down. Su Xiaoqi drew silver needles from her waist and inserted them into her Tanzhong, Jiquan, and Zhiyang acupoints.
"Ah, what are you doing? My Madam is most afraid of pain." Qí Wén wanted to protect her mistress, but looking at the long silver needles, she seemed hesitant.
Su Xiaoqi raised her hand and beckoned Du Yiyi, signaling her to hold back Qí Wén.
She herself focused on gently massaging Madam Yu's Neiguan acupoint.
This acupoint was very close to the heart and was an important passage for protecting it.
Therefore, frequent massage had a good health benefit for the heart.
A moment later, Madam Yu, who had been in a deep faint, coughed a few times and woke up: "Cough, cough, I, I fainted again…"
Since she had contracted this chest pain condition, she would occasionally faint from chest pain.
However, she would regain consciousness after a while, so she hadn't paid much attention to it.
But this time, she heard that her recovery was entirely due to Su Xiaoqi's acupuncture skills.
She quickly supported herself and expressed her gratitude.
Su Xiaoqi said it was nothing and asked for her medicine to study it.
Since Su Xiaoqi had just saved her life, Madam Yu naturally allowed her to do as she pleased with the medicine.
Seeing her grinding and crushing it, and constantly sniffing it, Madam Yu became somewhat curious.
Taking advantage of her improved condition, Madam Yu began to question Su Xiaoqi about her findings with the pill.
Su Xiaoqi shook her head, "It's hard to say. I recognize the individual medicinal ingredients, but there are too many combined together, and I'm not entirely sure."
She said she would take the crushed pill back to study it further.
She also advised Madam Yu that regardless of her condition, she should not get too agitated and should face things with a calm heart.
Madam Yu nodded in agreement. She then grasped Su Xiaoqi's fingers and said,
"There's no time like the present. Since you're here and you understand medicine, I might as well get agitated one more time."
Madam Yu's words were subtle, but Su Xiaoqi understood them immediately.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she looked at Madam Yu with some surprise. After a long moment, her delicate lips trembled as she said, "Godmother."
"Yes, my good daughter," Madam Yu embraced her, stroking the back of her head with a face full of affection.
At this moment, her eyes were filled with nothing but Su Xiaoqi. She finally had a daughter, even if it was an adopted one, she was overjoyed.
Su Xiaoqi's eyes also welled up slightly.
She thought that in this era, apart from the people of the Shen family, she would no longer have any familial bonds.
But now, she had a godmother.
Madam Yu's gaze towards her was genuine. She was so kind and gentle that Su Xiaoqi couldn't help but long for the warmth she offered.