Chapter 51: The Zhu Family's Reputation

Dai Qing met Zhu Shian through Jian Yi.

When Dai Qing first went down to the countryside, he wasn't close to Zhu Shian. Later, when he started dating Jian Yi, and because Jian Yi was close to Zhu Shian, Dai Qing loved her so much he naturally followed Jian Yi's lead and treated Zhu Shian like a younger sister.

Dai Qing couldn't get through a few sentences with Zhu Shian without sighing at how she looked now. Zhu Shian didn't want to hear him sigh, so she asked, "How are you and Jian Yi? Did you break up, or are you still together?"

At the mention of Jian Yi, he wanted to sigh even more.

That woman Jian Yi—back when she was sweet-talking him into dating her, she said every nice thing possible. But after she got into college and was returning to the city, she coolly told him they were breaking up, gave him no time to consider, and just walked away.

Dai Qing's voice couldn't hide his loss: "She's having a great time now. It's not enough that she has a crowd of senior and junior fellow disciples surrounding her—she keeps going to the film academy every few days, saying the male students there are even more handsome."

Dai Qing's three classmates clearly knew about the situation between him and Jian Yi, and all three couldn't help laughing.

Zhu Shian blinked: "What's so funny that I don't know?"

The only female classmate, Wang Rong, laughed and said: "Though there are many handsome guys around Jian Yi, none of them have as much presence as Dai Qing. Seven days a week, Dai Qing almost runs to find Jian Yi every day. Now everyone knows they're exes who haven't quite broken up."

A male classmate named Zhang Baoqing laughed and said: "Dai Qing runs over so often—it's exactly the effect he wants, right?"

The other male classmate, Liu Yong, summed it up in two words: "Scheming."

Wang Rong and Zhang Baoqing couldn't help bursting out laughing.

"Oh, thank goodness our Tsinghua is right next to Peking University, otherwise how would Dai Qing find time to run between both places?"

Zhu Shian asked curiously: "Jian Yi said you went to her house to propose? She said after you went to her house, all her relatives advised her not to play with your feelings."

Liu Yong, Wang Rong, and Zhang Baoqing all instantly showed expressions of someone eating melon—oh, there's this story?

After dating Jian Yi, Dai Qing's face had grown thicker. He laughed and said: "We dated for several years after going to the countryside. We're not that young anymore either. After we settled back in Beijing, it was only normal for me to take my parents to Jian Yi's house to propose, right?"

Zhu Shian gave him a thumbs up: Still you, impressive.

Zhu Fengqin laughed and said: "Dai Qing, you and Jian Yi are just the right match for each other. I'll say, you'll become one family sooner or later."

Dai Qing thanked her with a smile: "When Jian Yi and I get married, I'll definitely have you and An'an sit at the main table."

Zhu Fengqin really liked these two juniors, Dai Qing and Jian Yi. She helped ask: "An'an, are those two okay?"

Zhu Shian had no idea. She said: "I couldn't see their predestined affinity clearly before, and I haven't seen Jian Yi in a long time. Now I really don't know."

Dai Qing hadn't changed. His heart had always been tied to Jian Yi. That woman's natural bad luck with relationships—where her marriage would finally end up was really hard to say.

Wang Rong exclaimed: "You can also do fortune-telling and read predestined affinity?"

Zhu Shian shook her head: "I can't read it, I was just talking nonsense. Believing in predestined affinity or fate—I think it's better to believe in yourself."

Wang Rong nodded: "Makes sense."

Dai Qing saw Zhu Shian speaking nonsense with a straight face and barely held back his laughter as he nodded: "An'an is right."

Zhu Shian glared at him，暗暗瞪他一眼—are you going to keep being sarcastic?

Zhu Fengqin glanced at the clock on the wall and quickly said: "Oh, it's ten o'clock. Changkun will be here soon. An'an, stand up and move around, get ready to eat."

Zhu Fengqin hurried to the back kitchen to get the teapot.

Dai Qing frowned, looking at Zhu Shian: "You haven't had breakfast yet at this hour?"

"I was woken up to eat breakfast before eight o'clock. Now I'm eating the second meal." Zhu Shian stood up with a look of having no more will to live, massaging her stomach as she walked around the courtyard.

"How many meals do you eat a day?"

Zhu Shian counted on her fingers: "Breakfast, brunch, lunch, a snack in the late afternoon, then dinner, and sometimes something before bed. How many meals is that altogether?"

"Five to six meals?" Wang Rong was startled by the number of meals Zhu Shian ate every day.

Zhu Fengqin sighed: "My task now is just eating, sleeping, and walking."

Dai Qing said: "When we were in the countryside, Fengniang cared about your three meals a day, but it wasn't to this extent. What's wrong with you?"

Zhu Shian didn't want to talk about her health situation, so she could only sigh: "That's because you came late. When you and Jian Yi came, I was already over ten years old. I also ate like this when I was little."

"An'an, don't change the subject. Answer me seriously."

Zhu Changfeng came to deliver the cakes. Zhu Shian quickly said: "You're just in time today to help me share some. I can't finish all this by myself."

Zhu Changfeng didn't expect there to be guests at home. He laughed: "These are for the young lady. If we need to entertain guests, I'll bring another plate from the shop."

Before Zhu Shian could say no, Zhu Changfeng put down the cakes and left. Soon he really did bring another plate.

Dai Qing stood up to thank him.

"You're welcome. Eat first. If you like them, I'll bring more later."

Zhu Changfeng had matters at the shop, so he left.

Zhu Fengqin came with a large-bellied teapot in her left hand and a stack of bowls in her right. Dai Qing quickly stepped forward to take them.

Zhu Fengqin saw two plates of cakes on the table and laughed: "Changfeng just brought these?"

"Yes."

Zhu Fengqin quickly invited Dai Qing and his classmates: "Don't stand, sit and eat. Cakes just out of the pot taste best; when they're cold, it's a different texture."

While talking, she poured tea for them. She poured a cup for Zhu Shian first, telling Zhu Shian to eat quickly, then poured for Dai Qing and the others.

"This is the Xuwén Tea. It has dates, clove, tangerine peel, costus root, black tea, fresh ginger, and licorice—oh, all good things. Drinking this tea nourishes blood and soothes the liver, strengthens the spleen and harmonizes the stomach. It's good for the body."

Zhu Shian's appetite wasn't great. She broke off a few pieces of the various cakes, drank a cup of Xuwén Tea, and was full. After eating, she went to rest on a lounge chair nearby, as if eating had exhausted her.

Zhu Shian turned to Dai Qing and said: "Try the red date, longan, and walnut cake. It's delicious, but it's troublesome to make. Outside of your home, you definitely can't get such an authentic one."

Dai Qing said: "Why don't you eat more yourself?"

Zhu Shian waved her hand: "My body can't metabolize that much food right now. I can only eat small meals frequently."

Dai Qing ate a piece of the red date, longan, and walnut cake and asked her: "Medicinal herbs or other things to nourish your body—what else do you need? Jian Yi and I will get it for you."

"I don't need anything here. Even if I lack something, someone will naturally bring it to me. Don't worry about me."

"Don't be afraid to trouble Jian Yi and me."

"I'm not afraid to trouble you—it's just that you're too far away. If I need something and ask you to bring it, the vegetables will be cold by then."

The sky was high, the land was far, and inconvenient transportation was just like that.

When Dai Qing and Jian Yi returned to Beijing, they had tried to convince Zhu Shian to go to Beijing too, but Zhu Shian refused. Beijing was nice, but it had nothing to do with her. Someone like her was more suited to living in a place like Zhenshan County, surrounded by mountains and water.

Dai Qing and Zhu Shian were chatting idly. Listening to their conversation, Liu Yong, Wang Rong, and Zhang Baoqing all felt that this girl living in a remote small place was very mysterious.

According to Dai Qing, Zhu Shian was a younger sister he met when he was sent to the countryside, and they had a good relationship. In their eyes, there was nothing particularly special about that. During those ten years, there were many cases of privileged children being persecuted, falling into the dust, and country people having life-saving kindness toward deposed leaders—stories that had become commonplace.

But this countryside little sister of Dai Qing was different from what they imagined country people to be. She lived elegantly, ate elegantly. Here, the three outsiders felt more like bumpkins.

Wang Rong and Zhang Baoqing were fresh graduates who passed the entrance exam to Tsinghua. They hadn't been to the countryside and had no experience with rural places or people. Yesterday, after following their leader to complete the inspection task, Dai Qing said he wanted to visit a little sister in Zhenshan County. They only thought Dai Qing was kind—he still remembered someone he had connections with during his time in the countryside.

Liu Yong had been to the countryside. He knew rural people and rural life better than Wang Rong and Zhang Baoqing. Today, seeing what the Zhu family in Sanqing Lane was like, what Zhu Shian was like, he thought in his heart that Dai Qing and Jian Yi were very lucky—they were the ones getting the favor.

Only those with life experience, those who had tasted the bitterness of life, would know the happiness of traveling alone to a strange place to suffer hardship, yet being protected by friends.

After having tea and snacks, Zhu Shian was a bit sleepy. She went back to her own courtyard to rest. Before leaving, she said to Dai Qing: "In the guest rooms, except for the one Zhu Lan is staying in, the other rooms are all empty. You can stay wherever you like."

Zhu Fengqin urged her to rest: "Don't worry. I'll arrange it."

"Okay, then I'll leave it to Fengniang."

Zhu Shian walked two steps, then turned back: "The things you brought me, leave them for now. I'll look at them in the afternoon."

Dai Qing laughed: "Got it. Go ahead."

Zhu Shian waved her hand. This time she really left.

Zhu Fengqin took Dai Qing and the others to the guest courtyard. After arranging rooms for the four, Zhu Fengqin asked Dai Qing: "How many days can you stay?"

"We can stay two days. The morning after tomorrow we need to go to Nanjiang County to meet the others and return to Beijing together."

"You can stay one more day tomorrow." Zhu Fengqin walked while looking up at the sky. She said: "Tomorrow should be good weather. If you're not afraid of tired, go to Yuntai Temple in the back to take a look. An'an took on a disciple named Zhang Jie. That child lives in Yuntai Temple."

"According to Jian Yi, that child is nine? Living on the mountain without going to school?"

Zhu Fengqin laughed: "She does study, but she reads scriptures. When the child first came, she didn't talk much and had an introverted personality. After living on the mountain for over a year, her disposition has become much more lively. By the second half of the year, An'an wants to bring her down to live in the main residence. She'll go to school during the day, and at night An'an can teach her some more."

In the past, Taoist priests didn't go to school. An'an said that times have changed now, and the old rules should change too. Letting Zhang Jie come down the mountain would also let him see more people and broaden his horizons.

These words were not appropriate to say in front of outsiders. Zhu Fengqin patted Dai Qing's arm: "In the afternoon, after An'an wakes up from her noon nap, talk with her properly."

"Okay."

The guest rooms in the main residence were occasionally used by relatives and friends, so they were regularly cleaned and very clean. Zhu Fengqin took clean bedding from the cabinet and put it on the freshly made bed, letting them rest first. She would call them when it was time for lunch.

After seeing Zhu Fengqing out, Wang Rong went to her room and lay down on the bed. Comfortable.

Zhang Baoqing stood at Wang Rong's door, laughing at her: "Like this bed that much?"

Wang Rong sat up and said: "Of course I like it. Don't you like it?"

"Each of us has a room to ourselves. The room has complete furniture—tables, chairs, benches, bed, and cabinet. Who wouldn't like such accommodation?"

They had been traveling with the inspection team for over a month. During that month, they all had to share rooms with others. Hygiene conditions and personal privacy couldn't be guaranteed. When traveling, they had no choice but to make do.

"Then that's settled. Why did you even ask me?" Wang Rong lay down on the bed again, feeling completely relaxed.

Liu Yong came over and knocked on the table, asking: "Do you know how old these antiques are?"

"How old?" Zhang Baoqing knocked on the table following Liu Yong.

"Look at the simple and plain form of this table, the woodcarved cloud patterns. Doesn't it look like a Ming dynasty antique?"

"How do you know? Just guessing, right?"

Liu Yong really wasn't guessing. The place he was sent to the countryside was at a forest farm, and outside the forest farm there was a furniture factory. He got familiar with the old masters in the furniture factory and learned a bit from them.

Liu Yong patted the table and said: "I think the wood of this table is sandalwood."

Wang Rong said: "Sandalwood is not that big a deal. Outside now, sandalwood isn't expensive either."

Liu Yong laughed and said: "It's not expensive now, but it definitely wasn't cheap before. Look at these good furniture pieces—not just one room, but the furniture in all the rooms is like this. And this residence—should also be an old building passed down from the Ming dynasty, right? What about the other residences in Sanqing Lane?"

Liu Yong turned to ask Dai Qing in the next room: "I think I heard you say that all the residences in Sanqing Lane belong to the Zhu family, right?"

"That's right."

Hearing Liu Yong say that, Zhang Baoqing also felt it was remarkable: "During those years of turmoil, the Zhu family could keep so many residences completely intact. Really capable."

In the city, all the big families were shattered. Their residences were either taken or occupied by all sorts of messy people, and they couldn't get them back.

Dai Qing didn't want to talk too much about the Zhu family's affairs with his classmates. He came out and asked with a smile: "We leave the morning after tomorrow. This afternoon and tomorrow, what are your arrangements?"

Zhang Baoqing said: "Let's just wander around the county town this afternoon. Tomorrow morning, go to Yuntai Temple with you?"

Wang Rong thought that was fine.

Seeing Zhang Baoqing and Wang Rong reach a consensus, Liu Yong also nodded.

Liu Yong said to Dai Qing: "Zhenshan County isn't big, we won't get lost. The three of us can go explore ourselves. You stay and chat with your little sister."

"Okay, that's decided."

Zhu Shian didn't have lunch with Dai Qing and the others because she slept a bit longer and missed it. But it didn't matter. Fengniang would take care of it.

Zhu Shian had lunch in the back courtyard. After resting for a while, she went to take a noon nap again. By the time she woke up, it was almost three o'clock.

Zhu Shian was thirsty and went to the kitchen to get water. When she got there, she saw Zhu Fengqin and Dai Qing drinking tea under the peach tree in the back kitchen courtyard.

Zhu Shian walked over and sat down: "Pour me a cup."

Zhu Fengqin wouldn't pour for her: "Green tea isn't suitable for you. At noon, Grandpa Shouxin sent a prescription of astragalus and cimicifuga tea for you to drink. I've brewed it and it's cooling. Wait, I'll go get it."

Zhu Fengqin went inside to pour the astragalus and cimicifuga tea and asked: "Dai Qing, should I pour you a cup too?"

"Okay, thanks Fengniang."

Zhu Shian leaned lazily on her chair. She said: "If you like drinking it, I'll ask Grandpa Shouxin to prepare a few packages for you to take back and drink slowly."

Dai Qing笑着问她: "What, you've had enough?"

"If you had to drink all kinds of medicinal tea every day, you'd definitely have had enough too."

"If you were healthy, you wouldn't have to endure this suffering." Dai Qing asked her: "Can you tell me what's wrong with your body now?"

With no outsiders, Zhu Shian didn't hide from him: "When I went to handle some matters, I encountered something difficult to deal with. My cultivation wasn't enough. At that time, I could only grit my teeth and give it my all."

"Is the Xuan Sect's business that dangerous?"

"That was the only time. I don't think I'll encounter such life-threatening matters again."

"You still want there to be a next time?" Dai Qing looked at her, full of disapproval.

Zhu Shian laughed and said: "No next time. After injuring my body this time, I've learned my lesson."

Her body wasn't just her own body—there were many clan members, relatives, and friends who worried about her. She couldn't let people worry like this anymore.

Dai Qing looked at her with concern: "Do fewer dangerous things."

Zhu Shian nodded in agreement.

She nodded too smoothly. Dai Qing didn't quite believe her, but he couldn't do anything about it. He could only wait for Jian Yi to come and lecture her.

Zhu Fengqin brought out the astragalus and cimicifuga tea. Zhu Shian and Dai Qing each had a bowl.

Zhu Fengqin plopped down and asked Dai Qing: "Where were we just now? Professor Han is getting married?"

Zhu Shian exclaimed: "What, Professor Han is getting married?"

Dai Qing shook his head with a smile: "No, Fengniang, how did you only hear half? It's not that Professor Han is getting married—it's her ex-husband wants to remarry her."

Zhu Fengqin got angry: "Her ex-husband? That Jia? The one who immediately divorced her by newspaper to distance himself when she got into trouble?"

"Yes, that's Jia Yansheng. Although he divorced Professor Han, they have a son named Jia Wei, who's eighteen. He failed the College Entrance Exam twice. Jia Yansheng hopes Professor Han can tutor his son."

According to Jia Yansheng, although he was wrong, the child wasn't. He hoped she would consider more for the child's sake and not delay the child's future.

"Bah, what future or not. His son's future is a future, but Professor Han's future isn't? When Professor Han was wrongly accused and sent down, Jia Wei was already old enough, right? At that time, he abandoned his mother and followed his father in exposing his mother's mistakes—what use is such a son?"

Dai Qing's tone was cold: "Jia Yansheng is too heartless and ungracious. His reputation is bad. The female comrades he fancies don't fancy him. He hasn't remarried in ten years. Now he lives in a unit's tube building. After Professor Han was rehabilitated and returned to Beijing, she also got her property back—a proper one-entry courtyard. Jia Yansheng wants to remarry—probably because he covets Professor Han's house and salary."

Before being sent down, Professor Han was a level-four full professor's salary, plus various allowances, about two hundred yuan per month. After her rehabilitation, not only was her house returned to her, but they also paid her back wages—a huge sum of money.

Zhu Fengqin trembled with anger: "These scoundrels—if they really manage to take advantage of Professor Han, I'll take a train to Beijing to help Professor Han fight back."

"They definitely won't succeed. Professor Han sold that house."

"She sold it?"

"Yes, she sold it."

Dai Qing smilingly took a house deed and a key from his bag and handed them to Zhu Shian: "Professor Han, Grandpa Cao, Uncle Han, and Uncle Guo pooled money to buy you a four-entry quadrangle courtyard in Beijing. Jian Yi and I went to see it. That quadrangle is very well preserved, with a garden and by the water. Professor Han and the others have already furnished it with tables and chairs. If you go to Beijing anytime, you can go stay there right away."

Zhu Fengqin exclaimed: "A big courtyard in the capital—must be very expensive, right?"

"It is quite expensive. After fixing it up inside and out, they spent almost four hundred thousand."

Zhu Fengqin gasped: "Four hundred thousand?"

An ordinary worker's salary in Zhenshan County was only twenty to thirty yuan. Four hundred thousand—what a huge pile of money that was.

"Don't worry about the money, Fengniang. They can afford it, and they're very willing to spend it." Dai Qing smiled at Zhu Shian: "No matter how expensive the courtyard, can it compare to a human life? Right?"

Zhu Shian took the house deed and key and handed them to Fengniang to hold: "Keep it. If I don't accept, they won't be at ease."

Zhu Fengqin looked at the house deed again and again. Worth four hundred thousand.

When Professor Han—Han Meihua—was sent down, she was pregnant. The child miscarried on the way. When she came, it was still winter. After all the折腾, she barely had half her life left. If Zhu Furu hadn't had the heart to give her medical treatment and prescribe medicine, given Professor Han's physical condition at that time, whether she could wait until rehabilitation was uncertain, let alone return to her job healthily ten years later.

The Grandpa Cao that Dai Qing mentioned, Cao Zhonglin, was sixty-seven when he was rehabilitated. Because he was healthy, after returning he joined the legislation committee and was healthy enough to stay up all night revising laws with young people. He survived being sent down and reached his current position, all thanks to Zhu Furu's medical treatment and health conditioning.

Meng Qingping was slightly younger than Cao Zhonglin. Now he works at the National Film Bureau. Guo Changhong works at the Planning Committee. Besides these few who were close to Zhu Furu and the grandfather-granddaughter pair, there were quite a few other people the two had helped.

A doctor's heart is like a parent's—simple words. Usually, you can't feel the weight of these words. But when you reach a dead end, these words can not only cure illness but also save lives.

Save that part of themselves that was being killed.

"Professor Han and the others don't work in the Health Department. They're busy with work and didn't pay attention to this kind of news. The last time we knew about your family's registration for the exam, it was already too late. Professor Han asked me to apologize to you on their behalf."

Zhu Shian laughed: "What is there to apologize for?"

Dai Qing said: "Professor Han knows I'm coming here. They really want to come see you too. But they hold important positions and are too busy with work to get away. Now they all hope you can find time to go to Beijing so everyone can get together."

"I won't go to Beijing for now. When I have a chance to go to Beijing later, I'll definitely go see them." Zhu Shian smiled: "Although I'm not going in person, I'll entrust you to bring back gifts for them."

"No problem, as long as you don't forget our gifts."

Zhu Shian snorted: "Didn't Jian Yi share with you the packages I sent her before?"

"She did share, but I only got the name without the goods. Like the dried goods and good medicinal herbs you sent her before the New Year—ginseng, astragalus, and other good things—she only shared with me a handful of walnuts and a bag of wood ear mushrooms."

Zhu Fengqin burst out laughing at this. After laughing, she said: "This time, learn from her and be stingy. Don't share with her."

"That definitely won't work. She would come to my house and骂me."

Zhu Fengqin slapped her knee and laughed: "Dai Qing, I think in this lifetime, you're really under Jian Yi's thumb."

Under her thumb就under her thumb. After being with Jian Yi, he never thought he would like any woman other than Jian Yi.

Just then, Zhu Changfang came to deliver a message: "Young lady, someone from your unit is here."

"What do you mean someone from my unit? National Security Action Group?"

Zhu Changfang excitedly nodded quickly: "That Wen Mingrui, he brought people to install a phone for you and also brought this month's salary for you."

"Then please invite them in."

"I've already invited them to the front hall. Hurry and take a look."

Zhu Shian stood up. She said: "Have them install the phone in the front hall. I'm afraid it'll be noisy if it's installed in the back courtyard. What do you think?"

Zhu Fengqin and Zhu Changfang both thought installing it in the front hall was fine and nodded repeatedly.

Dai Qing was first surprised, then thought he misheard: "You just said National Security? National Security Bureau?"

"Didn't I mention it to you and Jian Yi?" Zhu Shian thought about it: "I don't think I did mention it, but it doesn't matter. It's not too late to tell you now."

"When did you join National Security? They're even running phone lines to your house?"

"About two months, less than three months ago. I accepted their invitation at that time, then I declined later. But they said the treatment they promised wouldn't change. Running the phone line is part of the treatment. Fengniang, I'm not wrong, right?"

Zhu Fengqin nodded with a smile: "That's right, that's right. Zhu Lan said the same thing."

Dai Qing didn't want to speak anymore.

He and Jian Yi thought she was living a carefree life in her hometown. He never expected she had joined such a top-level unit as National Security. She didn't go to work, but they didn't fire her—they still gave her the treatment. Really unheard of.

Actually, installing the phone didn't require Wen Mingrui to specially travel to Zhenshan County. The salary could be mailed. He came this time specifically to check on behalf of his leaders—to see how Master Zhu's recovery was going.

When he saw Zhu Shian come out, Wen Mingrui quickly stepped forward to greet her: "Master Zhu, how have you been?"

"Pretty good. How about your side? Busy?"

Wen Mingrui smiled and said: "The Action Team has been okay too. Although there are constant minor issues everywhere, they're all solvable."

"That's good."

Zhu Shian had just talked with Dai Qing for a while. Now talking with Wen Mingrui for a few sentences, she already felt lacking in energy. She forced herself to ask him a few questions about Port City.

After Wen Mingrui answered a few, seeing her condition, he quickly said: "Master Zhu, you should go rest. The phone will be installed soon."

Zhu Fengqin also said: "Go rest quickly. We'll be here."

Zhu Shian smiled at Wen Mingrui: "You've worked hard. Then I'll go rest first."

"Take care, Master Zhu. Don't worry. I'll leave the phone directories from each unit. If you want to reach the leaders in the future, just call their office."

"Thank you."

Wen Mingrui had seen Zhu Shian. His task for this trip was complete. He waited for the phone to be installed, left the phone directory, and took his leave.

Dai Qing opened the phone directory. Were the phone numbers of several major leaders on the first page—was this something he could look at?

Dai Qing quickly handed the directory to Fengniang: "You must keep this safe. Losing it or accidentally leaking the numbers would be trouble."

Zhu Fengqin opened the directory, saw it, and quickly closed it. She took the directory to the back courtyard—this thing should be kept in An'an's room to be safe.

When the Zhu family members heard a phone was being installed at the residence, many people came to watch after getting off work. They chattered about wanting to tell relatives their home phone number so they could contact each other in emergencies.

Liu Yong, Wang Rong, and Zhang Baoqing returned in the evening and saw the telephone set on the cabinet in the front hall. They couldn't believe their eyes.

Although there were families that had phones installed now, those were extremely rare high-ranking cadre families or foreign households. Ordinary people—who could install a phone?

Not to mention that installing a phone required applying for a quota, waiting for approval from above, queuing, and pulling strings. Also, installing a phone cost five thousand yuan—a price that made ordinary people give up directly.

The three exchanged glances. The Zhu family was extraordinary—truly extraordinary.

The next morning, Dai Qing went with his three classmates to climb Yuntai Mountain. On the way, Wang Rong asked Dai Qing about the Zhu family.

"I have no other meaning. I'm just curious. What exactly is the Zhu family's status?"

Dai Qing smiled and said: "Just an ordinary family with some money."

"Dai Qing, you're fooling me. Can an ordinary family install a phone?"

"Why can't they? Pass the approval, pay the money, and you can install it."

"Approval is easy to say—is it that easy to get approved?"

While climbing, Dai Qing smiled and said: "The Zhu family has a large estate. Surely they have a few capable relatives, right?"

Wang Rong gave Dai Qing a look—what he said made sense. Wasn't Dai Qing one of the Zhu family's connections?

Dai Qing's family and Jian Yi's family—both had elders who walked through the grass with guns, old revolutionaries. Their descendants were also successful. If these two families were willing to help, would it be difficult to get a phone line for the Zhu family?

The four slowly climbed to Yuntai Temple. Outside Yuntai Temple was a stone tablet that recorded when Yuntai Temple was built, specifically mentioning that Yuntai Temple belonged to the Zhu family.

Zhang Baoqing read the inscription and sighed: "The Zhu family had a private temple a thousand years ago. This family is impressive."

A few worshippers who had just burned incense came out from the main hall. Hearing Zhang Baoqing's sigh, they couldn't help smiling. The Zhu family was their Zhu family in Zhenshan County.

Their Zhenshan County, small as it was, still had some depth.

"The Zhu family ancestors were rich. Otherwise, they couldn't have built such good residences in Sanqing Lane or built such a large temple." Wang Rong also sighed.

Dai Qing looked at the plaque of Yuntai Temple and smiled. The cause and effect were reversed. It was because the Zhu family's ancestors had the ability to establish Yuntai Temple that the Zhu family could pass down for a thousand years, benefiting countless descendants.

Since they were there, they definitely had to go in and burn incense.

In the main hall, Dai Qing saw Zhu Shian's disciple that Fengniang had mentioned. The way he sat there reciting scriptures looked like an immortal's attendant—not at all like those mischievous children down the mountain.

Dai Qing took out a red envelope he had prepared from his bag and gave it to Zhang Jie. He smiled and said: "I'm your master's friend. This is a gift for meeting you."

Zhang Jie looked at Dai Qing's face for a moment, then nodded: "Thank you."

Dai Qing smiled and patted his head: "Good child."

After Liu Yong, Wang Rong, and Zhang Baoqing finished touring Yuntai Temple, they went to the back mountain to wander. Dai Qing didn't go. He waited in the front hall for half an hour. After they came back, they prepared to go down the mountain.

Zhang Jie ran over and stuffed a Peace Talisman into Dai Qing's hand: "Safe travels."

"Your master gave me a Peace Talisman before."

"This is from me."

Dai Qing put away the Peace Talisman and smiled: "Thank you, little Taoist."

Zhang Jie liked hearing that and happily went back.

Wang Rong was curious: "Peace Talisman? Did you ask for it?"

"Well, let's say I asked."

Wang Rong smiled and said: "I didn't expect you to actually believe in this."

Liu Yong插入一句: "Believe or not believe—what's the point? The child's kindness—you can't just throw it away."

Wang Rong caught Liu Yong's言外之意 and quickly said: "Brother Dai, I was just speaking casually. I have no other meaning."

Zhang Baoqing patted Wang Rong's shoulder: "We know you have no other meaning. But when you explain, it becomes a little meaningful."

"What does 'a little meaningful' mean? Zhang Baoqing, you explain clearly to me."

Wang Rong was going to pull his ear. Zhang Baoqing ran away, and after running a distance, turned back to make a face at Wang Rong: "I won't say, I won't say. You can't control me."

Wang Rong was so angry and quickly ran to chase him.

Liu Yong and Dai Qing sighed with laughter. These two were already twenty and had become student representatives—how could they still be so childish?

Wang Rong and Zhang Baoqing were chasing each other in front. Liu Yong and Dai Qing walked slowly behind. When they reached the foot of the mountain, Liu Yong saw that they weren't looking at each other and both had red faces, so he guessed they must have confessed.

Dai Qing淡淡 smiled. He also noticed the change in the atmosphere between them.

He thought of Jian Yi. When Jian Yi confessed that she liked him for the first time, she didn't even blush—not a hint of shyness. It was as if she was certain he would agree. She just stood in front of him waiting for his answer.

At that time, he thought she was straightforward and cute. Thinking more carefully about Zhu Shian who was watching the fun on the side at that time, Dai Qing wanted to sigh.

Jian Yi was too honest. She said she was attracted to his looks at first sight—one word wasn't wrong. But he thought at that time that she was madly in love with him.

Thinking of Jian Yi, Dai Qing couldn't wait to return to Beijing.

When Dai Qing came to Zhenshan County, he carried a big bag on his back and also had his three classmates each carry a big bag of gifts. When Dai Qing returned, Zhu Shian only prepared one backpack of things for him, and this one backpack's things had to be divided among several people.

Zhu Shian put notes inside. They could give them out according to the notes.

As for Liu Yong, Wang Rong, and Zhang Baoqing who had helped Dai Qing, Zhu Shian prepared a lot of cakes for them. They couldn't finish eating them all in a day or two and could also share them with friends.

When they left, Zhu Shian didn't go to the dock to see them off. She only saw them to the door and smiled: "Have a safe trip!"

Wang Rong smiled and waved at Zhu Shian: "We're leaving. Thanks for the hospitality."

Dai Qing said: "You'd better get well before Jian Yi comes in summer."

What could Zhu Shian say? This was an impossible task. She could only hope: "Jian Yi is busy with studies, right? She wrote to me last month saying she was going south in summer to take a look. She probably won't have time to come to Zhenshan County, right?"

"Then you stay home and wait. Let's see if she comes."

Dai Qing smiled and said to Fengniang: "Take care of your health. I'll come see you again."

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

Watching Dai Qing leave, Zhu Fengqin felt very reluctant. They were all grown-ups now, all had their own things to do. They probably wouldn't see each other many more times.

Two days after Dai Qing left, Song Weiguo sailed his merchant ship past Zhenshan County. Zhu Changfeng and Zhu Changfang took money from the account and urgently took Song Weiguo's ship to Yibin to buy wine.

Zhu Shian remembered that last year, Grandpa Fujiang had promised Song Weiguo that they would definitely use the Song family's ship for shipping goods. She walked to the Medical Hall to ask Zhu Shouxin about the medicinal herb business.

"Now the medicinal herbs we collect are only enough for our Medical Hall's own use. The remaining medicinal herbs with low usage that are made into finished medicines can still be sold. Most of the raw medicine warehouse is empty—there really isn't any excess stock to sell."

Compared to the raw medicine shop's business not being able to start, Zhu Shouxin was more worried about not being able to buy enough good medicinal herbs in the future. He said: "Those families in the clan who can grow medicinal herbs started planting them in their private plots last year. The Zhu family also enclosed a piece of land in the mountain behind to plant medicinal herbs. The small-scale planting isn't much—it won't help much when medicinal herbs are really needed."

Zhu Shian said: "Don't worry. Didn't Zhu Liang say he's coming to Zhenshan County for summer vacation this year? When he returns to Shanghai, ask him to go to Shanghai Traditional Chinese Medicine College to ask He Zhonghou if there are any new policies on planting medicinal herbs."

"Well, we can only wait and see."

Sigh, who knows when the land policy will change.

Good medicinal herbs need time to grow. The earlier you plant medicinal herbs, the better.

Zhu Shouxin felt her pulse: "Your body is improving?"

"The body has been improving all along."

Her body suddenly became worse because she had almost exhausted her cultivation to activate the Magic Array, thereby damaging her body's foundation.

For a foundation that was difficult to repair, internal damage to the body was relatively easier to nurse back to health.

"When can you use your Golden Needle to treat people?"

"Let's see at the end of the year. I can't say now."

"Well, let's wait until the end of the year."

Zhu Shian asked: "Is someone looking for me to treat them?"

"There is, but I turned them down. Don't ask around. It has nothing to do with you. Go back and rest."

Zhu Shouxin was about to chase Zhu Shian away again after just a few words. Zhu Shian didn't argue with him. She slowly walked home through the back garden.

She hadn't passed through the back garden for a few days. The lotus leaves in the water tank that Little White had torn apart had grown back. Looking good.

It was indeed the season of vigorous growth—everything grew fast.

The good weather of late spring, neither cold nor hot, quickly passed. After Li Xia in May, the suddenly hot weather broke the leisurely pace, and Zhenshan County entered the busy summer season.

Adults were busy transplanting rice seedlings and had no time to take care of children. All the half-grown children in the clan were sent to Sanqing Lane, and the main residence was full of children again.

Zhu Shian didn't want to be disturbed by the phone, so she had it installed in the front hall. The phone ringing didn't bother her anymore—the children's noise was louder than the phone.

Dai Qing had returned to Beijing. Jian Yi, knowing from Dai Qing that she was now in poor health, called to骂her.

Zhu Shian listened to Jian Yi骂her with one ear about being careless, while the other ear was filled with the children's noise. Her head hurt so much she wanted to turn and run.

"Zhu Shian, are you listening to me?"

Zhu Shian heard but didn't want to respond. She waved to call Ying Ying and the others over.

"Young lady, are you calling us?"

Zhu Shian handed the phone to Ying Ying: "You all quickly say hello to Sister Jian on the other side."

Ying Ying shouted: "Sister, hello. My name is Ying Ying. What's your name?"

Xu Tang grabbed the phone: "Sister, my name is Xu Tang. What are you doing? We're playing."

Zhu Kangyang squeezed in from somewhere and shouted loudly: "And me. My name is Zhu Kangyang. I'm five years old this year."

The children in the courtyard saw it looked fun and all squeezed over to the phone, chattering and asking questions endlessly. When Zhu Shian had Ying Ying take the group of children away and took the phone back, the other side had already hung up.

Zhu Shian felt guilty. She hesitated whether to call back. Finally, she thought it was better not to. She could avoid it for a while.

Zhu Fengqin came back from buying vegetables. Seeing the courtyard so noisy, she quickly asked: "Is it disturbing you?"

Zhu Shian wanted to say no, but her tired face told the whole story.

Zhu Fengqin put down the vegetable basket and shouted: "All of you, get out."

Zhu Fengqin took the string of half-grown children out. From one end of the lane to the other, she distributed children to this house and that house. When she came back after going out, not a single child was left.

Zhu Fengqin closed the door and said to Zhu Shian: "It's quiet now. Go back to your room and rest."

Wow, Fengniang was really something.

These past few days, Zhu Shian actually felt her body was a bit better than a month ago. Her range of activity wasn't limited to just the small courtyard at home anymore. When it wasn't too hot in the late afternoon, she would also walk around the lane.

When the Zhu children saw her, they would run over and shout "Young lady hello," then run off to play.

This level, Zhu Shian could accept.

Zhu Shian walked to the cake shop and saw people queuing. She joined the queue. The person in front of her was Cui Yunhe.

It was the first time Cui Yunhe saw Zhu Shian. He didn't know her, but just now he heard the Zhu children call her young lady, and he had a guess in his heart.

He casually sized up Zhu Shian—young and thin, so thin that a gust of wind could blow her away. No wonder the old master at Zhu Medical Hall said she was recuperating and couldn't easily see patients.

While Cui Yunhe was sizing up Zhu Shian, Zhu Shian was also sizing up him—first looking at his face, then at his legs.

It was Cui Yunhe's turn. He bought a jin of Eight Treasures Cake.

"Young lady, what would you like?"

"Half a jin of yam cake."

"Coming right up."

After buying the yam cake, Zhu Shian didn't say more. She carried the yam cake and went home.

Zhang Jun said: "Uncle Cui, it's rare to meet. Why didn't you ask the young lady just now?"

Cui Yunhe shook his head: "You can't eat hot tofu. If the Zhu family's young lady is willing to treat me, she will naturally ask. If she hasn't spoken up, it's not the right time yet."

An old woman nearby smiled and praised Cui Yunhe: "You're a good young man. You have good judgment."

The old woman said to Zhang Jun: "Learn from him. When asking for help, you must have the manner of asking for help. Got it?"

Zhang Jun nodded with a smile: "You're right. I'll remember from now on."

The old woman turned to the old sister beside her: "The young lady doesn't look too good. I remember hearing you brag last month that your oldest son sent you two jin of donkey-hide gelatin from Shandong. You said it was very good. But your complexion is rosy—you don't need it. Why not give some to the young lady?"

"Look at you—Zhu Medical Hall is such a big medical hall. Can't they buy good donkey-hide gelatin? Would they even look at what I have?"

"You never know. Go ask."

"Okay, I'll go ask after buying the pastries. But you have to go with me."

"Okay, I'll go with you. Honestly, it's just a step or two. You still need me to accompany you."

After buying the pastries, the two old women walked to the opposite Medical Hall together, chatting idly.

Cui Yunhe sighed privately. The Zhu family's reputation in Zhenshan County was truly something.