On Sunday, Mingxi and Xie Yanan came with a lot of Yuanxiao and other things. Old Lady Li welcomed them in with a smile: "It's enough for you to come back. You don't need to bring anything home. We have everything at home."
Xie Yanan tucked her neat short hair behind her ears and took out seven or eight pieces of clothing from a bag: "I didn't go to work yesterday afternoon. I went shopping in a few malls and bought some clothes for you, my father, and my mother Zhenzhen."
All women, young and old, would be hesitant to move when they heard about new clothes. Old Mrs. Li said, "Why buy new clothes? We have enough to wear." But her eyes began to scan the pile of clothes to see which one looked like hers.
Xie Yanan smiled and took out two sets of clothes to show to Mrs. Li: "I think the colors are beautiful and the material is comfortable to touch. I think it's just right for you to wear in summer." She looked at the obviously frayed clothes on Mrs. Li and quickly handed her the new clothes to change: "I haven't been to the mall for a while. I went there yesterday and saw that there are many styles and beautiful colors. It's not like a few years ago, when there were only green, blue and gray all day long, and no bright colors were seen on the streets."
"But this is too bright, isn't it?" Old Lady Li was holding the maroon dress in her hand, feeling a little embarrassed: "I'm almost eighty years old, can I still wear this?"
"Why can't I wear it?" Xie Yanan smiled and pushed her to the bunk bed: "Granny, try it, it will definitely look good."
Old Mrs. Li looked at Zhenzhen hesitantly, and Zhenzhen smiled and nodded: "I think my sister-in-law has good taste. You will definitely look ten years younger in this dress."
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Li was delighted. She put down the curtain on one side and went inside to change into a maroon dress and navy blue cropped trousers. She looked down at them and walked out: "Does it look good?"
Zhenzhen and Xie Yanan nodded immediately: "Very energetic.
Old Mrs. Li looked at herself in the mirror on the cabinet again and again with a smile on her face. She couldn't hide the joy on her face. "You know what, it's a good idea for Yanan to buy this dress. You said I could still wear red clothes when I'm old, but I never thought." Old Mrs. Li looked at herself for a long time, then picked up the comb and combed her hair in front of the mirror. She walked around the room, wanting to show off. "Dongzi's mother, have you changed? Come and see if my dress is good?"
Wang Sufen pulled at her new clothes, looking a little embarrassed: "Mom, look, there are big lotus flowers on my clothes."
Old Lady Li looked at the big flowers on Wang Sufen's body with envy. She pursed her lips and looked at her own in the mirror: "I still think mine is better with the dark flowers. It looks rich and festive."
"That's right." Wang Sufen also thinks like an older person, she thinks no color is as beautiful as red. Although what Old Lady Li is wearing is not bright red, that color is more suitable for the elderly than red, and it makes people look more energetic. "
Both the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law were very satisfied with their appearance. Old Lady Li urged Zhenzhen, who was watching the fun nearby: "Didn't your sister-in-law buy you clothes? Why don't you go and try them on?"
Zhenzhen smiled and said, "I'm going to the vegetable garden to pick vegetables right now. My new dress will get dirty soon. I'll wear it when I go to the bookstore to buy books this afternoon." Old Mrs. Li quickly took out the clothes hanger and hung Zhenzhen's dress in the closet: "Then wear this light yellow one when you go out. It will make your skin look fair and fresh."
The women in the house opened the doors and windows after they changed their clothes. Because Zhenzhen was there, there were no flies or mosquitoes coming into Old Li's courtyard, so they slept with all the windows open at night.
Yuanxiao, Shaobing and Jiaozi were chasing each other around the corridor, their excited laughter and shouts echoing in the yard. Old Lady Li took the opportunity to discuss with Xie Yanan: "Look, it's more lively with one more child. I heard from your uncle that there are too many people in our country now, and he said that maybe in a year or two, no more births will be allowed. Your Yuanxiao is not a child anymore, have you thought about when to have another child?"
Xie Yanan nodded. "That's what I was thinking too. Mingxi and I just finished our project, so we submitted a report to our company and applied for a break. Grandma, you know that Mingxi and I are in scientific research. In recent years, let alone having children, we haven't even had a week off. When Yuanxiao was born, it was the busiest time. I returned to the laboratory three months after giving birth. Yuanxiao grew up drinking milk powder in the nursery. Now I think I really owe this child."
Xie Yanan choked up as she watched Yuanxiao running. "I've been thinking for the past few years that I can't have another child the same way as Yuanxiao did. I'll have another one when I can rest at home for a while."
Old Mrs. Li agreed with this view: "You are right. Otherwise, not only will the child not be well taken care of, but you will also not be able to take care of it."
Wang Sufen looked at Xie Yanan's body shape, which had never been fat, and couldn't help asking: "Did you hurt yourself when you gave birth to Yuanxiao? Why do I see that you haven't gained much weight in these years?"
Xie Yanan sighed: "I think it was because I went to work too early back then, and I was a little tired. I haven't made up for it in these years. I was thinking of taking advantage of this period of vacation to find a good doctor to prescribe some medicine for me to take good care of myself."
This idea coincided with that of Old Lady Li and Wang Sufen. Old Lady Li immediately said, "You don't have to go out to find a doctor. An old Chinese doctor named Zhang Renze will come to our house soon. Let him take your pulse."
"Zhang Renze?" Xie Yanan looked at Old Lady Li in surprise. "He's a famous Chinese medicine expert. Most people can't invite him. How do you know him?"
"Zhenzhen invited them back." Old Mrs. Li said with a smile, "Last time she invited many teachers back for dinner, including painters, old Chinese medicine practitioners, and Peking opera singers. They all like our yard, and Zhenzhen invites them to come and sit whenever she is free." Wang Sufen nodded and pointed outside and said, "Doctor Zhang's home is very close to ours, just outside Houyang. It's hot now, and sometimes he doesn't have much appetite, so he comes to our yard to pick some vegetables to eat. He has a very good relationship with our family."
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard someone in the yard shouting, "Is Zhenzhen home?"
Mrs. Li was immediately delighted: "Speak of the devil, and he'll show up. What a coincidence." She walked to the window and shouted at the top of her voice: "Brother Zhang is here? Come in and sit down."
Zhang Renze walked into the room, fanning himself and carrying a small medicine box. Wang Sufen called out to Shaobing, "Go tell your aunt that Doctor Zhang is here, and ask your mother to wash some cucumbers and persimmons and bring them over."
Old Lady Li took out the tea that Li Muwen had sent. Zhenzhen came in with a thermos, took out the tea leaves and made a pot of tea. She poured a cup for Zhang Renze: "Sir, have some tea."
Zhang Renze took the tea and looked at Zhenzhen with a smile: "Are you comfortable staying at home during the holidays?"
"Of course it's comfortable." Zhen Zhen stretched out her body. "It's so relaxing to read and paint every day. Mr. Zhang, you said that I am now sleeping in the bed that the princess of the prince's family has lived in, and my life is so lazy. Am I no different from the ladies of ancient times?"
Zhang Renze looked at Zhenzhen and laughed: "Any lady from a wealthy family who is as wild as you would be worried to death."
Old Lady Li laughed out loud when she heard this: "You're right. My granddaughter never comes home after she starts to walk. When she was little, she followed her brother to play and didn't run around by herself. But when she got older, she would go up the mountain or down the river all day long. She would even not come back for meals. She's really wild."
Zhang Renze thought of Zhenzhen's clever appearance when she was a child, and couldn't help but praise her: "This child is very smart, otherwise he could have been admitted to Didu University?"
"That's true." Old Mrs. Li agreed with this statement from the bottom of her heart, and her face was almost smiling.
Zhenzhen covered her face with her hands and acted shy: "I feel embarrassed listening to this, but why am I so happy?" She winked at Old Lady Li and Zhang Renze playfully: "How about you praise me more? I'll pretend to be modest."
Old Lady Li raised her hand and gently slapped Zhenzhen on the arm, smiling dotingly, "This girl has been spoiled by me."
Zhenzhen smiled and poured Zhang Renze a cup of tea. Zhang Renze took a sip of tea, looked at Zhenzhen and Old Lady Li and said, "Actually, Zhenzhen is not only smart, but also calm. I was wondering when she would be more diligent and learn Chinese medicine from me so that I could have a successor, but as soon as I said that, she ran away faster than a rabbit."
"It's not that I don't like Chinese medicine, but I just can't concentrate on it. The three professional courses in school alone take up all my energy. To study medicine, you have to follow you closely and study hard every day for ten years before you can become a disciple. People like me who can only fish for three days and dry the net for two days are wasting this knowledge. If you want to pass on your medical skills, you can go to a medical university to teach."
Zhang Renze sighed in disappointment when he heard this: "You are right, but it seems that we are not destined to be master and disciple."
"Who said that?" Zhen Zhen immediately sat down next to Zhang Renze and raised the teacup for him attentively: "Sir, your medicinal food is really unique. I really want to learn how to make medicinal food from you. If you don't mind my stupidity, please teach me this."
Zhang Renze looked at Zhenzhen's expectant expression and laughed: "So you just like to eat?"
Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Renze with sparkling eyes, nodding happily: "My biggest goal in life is to eat all kinds of food in the world."
Zhang Renze's cheeks twitched, and he said helplessly: "Okay, since you like medicinal food, I will teach you. It's just right that you can come to my house every day to learn a dish from me during your summer vacation."
Zhenzhen nodded expectantly: "I'll go after dinner tomorrow."
"You can't eat after dinner, you have to arrive early." Zhang Renze's expression was quite serious: "Not only the recipe is important for medicinal food, but also the raw materials. You have to choose to learn how to buy things from me."
Zhen Zhen hesitated for a moment and silently calculated the time: "Then I'll come to see you at seven
Zhang Renze nodded: "This time is fine, you can also have breakfast at my house."
The two of them agreed on a time, and Zhang Renze's sweat subsided. He opened the medicine box, took out the pulse-diagnosing device, and put it on the table: "Old sister, let me check your pulse and see if you're safe."
"Thank you very much." Old Lady Li placed her arms on the pulse pillow in a familiar manner. Zhang Renze felt the pulse on both sides and said with a smile: "Very good, the body is much stronger than before. As long as you don't stay in the cold in the summer and drink hot water every day, there will be no problem." Old Lady Li saw that she didn't even need to take Chinese medicine, so she stood up happily: "Dongzi's mother, you should also let Doctor Zhang take a look."
Wang Sufen gave birth to five children and suffered from back pain. According to Doctor Zhang, it was kidney deficiency. Noticing that Wang Sufen's condition had improved, Doctor Zhang wrote her another prescription, still for nourishing the kidney and strengthening the spleen.
They both finished their inspection. Before Old Lady Li could speak, Zhang Renze pointed at Xie Yanan and said, "This is the second son Mingxi's daughter-in-law, right? It's the first time I've met her. I see that you look a little weak. Let me feel your pulse."
Upon hearing this, Xie Yanan couldn't wait to come over and sit down. Old Lady Li and the others only knew that Zhang Renze was an old Chinese doctor who was very good at treating illnesses, but they didn't know that even the country's top leaders asked Zhang Renze to treat their health.
Zhenzhen told Zhang Renze about Xie Yanan's condition in advance, and Zhang Renze was particularly concerned about her. It took him more than half an hour to check her pulse, and he considered for a long time before prescribing a decoction: "You have been too tired in recent years, and you didn't rest well when you gave birth to your child. Your kidney water, qi and blood are not enough. I will prescribe a prescription for you. You take it for ten days, and then I will come to check your pulse."
Xie Yanan stood up and thanked him, and quickly assured: "I happen to have two months of recuperation leave, I will definitely take the medicine on time."
After hearing this, Mrs. Li said quickly, "Since you are not working anymore, why don't you live here? Zhenzhen has specially prepared a room for you. Mingnan and the others will also live here for the next month."
Xie Yanan smiled and said, "If Zhenzhen doesn't mind us making such a fuss, we'll move in and stay for a month."
Zhenzhen immediately said, "This house is warm only when someone lives here. I wish you guys would stay here forever so that our house will be lively."
Xie Yanan smiled and took out her bag, pulling out a stack of money and bills from it: "I just got paid and haven't put it down yet, I'll pay for the meal first."
Old Mrs. Li smiled and pulled out two big unity tickets and took a few tickets: "I still want to go over those, I don't want the extra ones."
Xie Yanan simply stuffed the rest into Wang Sufen's hands: "Mingnan and the others are still in school, it doesn't matter whether you give it or not. Mingxi and I have been working for many years, and we have saved a lot at home. We will stay here for one day, so we must pay for one day, otherwise we won't stay."
Wang Sufen looked at Mrs. Li helplessly, and Mrs. Li nodded slowly: "Since it is a gift from the child, you can take it."
Seeing their family getting along harmoniously, Zhang Renze stood up with envy: "Okay, it's rare that your family is on vacation, have some fun, I have to go back first."
Old Mrs. Li stood up quickly and said, "Why are you in such a hurry? Why don't you have lunch first?"
Zhang Renze waved his hand and said, "I have a friend over today. I'll come over another day."
Old Lady Li knew that Zhang Renze was an honest man who never said those empty words, so she could only regretfully remind him: "Then next time you come, don't invite anyone else. You must eat at home."
"Sure, elder sister." Zhang Renze smiled and said, "When I come back next time, Zhenzhen will have learned a few dishes. Then I'll ask her to show me her skills."
Zhenzhen is quite confident in her cooking skills. Not to mention other things, no one can cook grilled fish, grilled rabbit, grilled pheasant and other dishes better than her over the years.
Zhang Renze picked up his medicine box, and Zhenzhen said quickly, "Sir, I have already framed and hung up the calligraphy that Mr. Su gave me last time. Can you help me figure out where to hang it?"
"Okay, I'll go with you." Zhang Renze smiled naturally and followed Zhenzhen to the west wing. Zhang Renze took out two thick envelopes from the medicine box and handed them to Zhenzhen, saying in a low voice, "Two old leaders needed wild ginseng for medicine, and your ginseng caught their eye, so they kept both of them."
Zhenzhen opened the envelope and looked at the big unity notes inside. Her hands were shaking with excitement. "Why are there so many? This wild ginseng is too valuable."
"Your ginseng is old, fresh, and in good condition, so people pay more for it." Zhang Renze looked at Zhenzhen's money-grubbing look and asked her curiously, "You said you own a big house at a young age, and you also have a lot of antiques and paintings at home. You don't have to spend money on your daily life. What do you use the money from selling ginseng for?"
Zhen Zhen hesitated for a moment before saying, "Houses in our country have always been allocated by work units. As the population grows, not many houses have been built. Take the imperial capital for example. A courtyard house can accommodate dozens of families. Some families, including three generations, are squeezed into a small house of 20 to 30 square meters and can't even move around."
Zhang Renze was deeply touched when he heard this. There was an alley not far from his home that was full of such shanty towns. As soon as the boys in his family grew up a little, they started to worry about how they were going to find wives for their children because they didn't even have a separate room.
Zhenzhen glanced at the expression on Zhang Renze's face and said seriously, "The country doesn't have that much money to solve the housing problem for so many people. Sooner or later, houses will become commodities. I plan to buy some properties when houses can be bought and sold publicly."
Although Zhang Renze understood what Zhenzhen said, he still didn't quite understand why Zhenzhen wanted to hoard so many properties. Zhenzhen smiled and said, "It's not for the house, but for the land on which the house is built."
Zhang Renze smiled and shook his head: "Although I don't quite understand, but from what you said I know you have long-term plans." He looked at Zhenzhen with admiration in his eyes: "I admire your courage and drive. If you need to sell anything in the future, just come to me."
"Okay." Zhen Zhen agreed crisply. She put the money into the box and took out a bag of Ganoderma lucidum from it: "I picked them from the mountain. I'll make wine for you, sir."
Zhang Renze didn't act pretentiously. He took it and put it in the medicine box. Thinking about the gathering with his old friend at noon, he said goodbye to Zhenzhen and left in a hurry.
Because she was going to start learning medicinal diet with Mr. Zhang tomorrow, Zhenzhen was thinking about going to the bookstore to buy books, so she said goodbye to Old Lady Li and prepared to go out.
"What time is it?" Old Mrs. Li glanced at the big pendulum on the wall, not quite understanding what Zhenzhen was busy with. "It's about an hour before dinner, why don't you go in the afternoon?"
"I'm eating outside." Zhenzhen said, "I'll stay in the bookstore in the afternoon and come back in the evening." After hearing this, Mrs. Li hurriedly opened the cabinet to get money and food coupons, but when she took them out, Zhenzhen had already run away.
Standing on the roadside, a trolleybus slowly approached. Zhenzhen got on the bus and walked to the back of the car and found a seat by the window. The trolleybus started for a while and then stopped again. A young man with outstanding clothes and appearance came up. He looked into the car and when he saw Zhenzhen reading with her head down, a hint of surprise and joy flashed in his eyes.
He walked straight to the back of the car and sat down next to Zhenzhen. Zhenzhen saw the straight trousers next to her out of the corner of her eye and subconsciously raised her head, just in time to meet Xi Junjie's eyes.
"What a coincidence." Zhenzhen smiled and pointed outward: "Do you live here too?"
"Yeah." Xi Junjie responded, and glanced at the book in Zhenzhen's hand: "It's bad for your eyes to read less in the car."
Zhenzhen naturally knew this truth, but she always felt that it was a waste of time to be in a daze in the car. Therefore, no matter where she went, she liked to carry a book with her and take it out to read when she had time.
After Zhenzhen put the books in her schoolbag, she looked at Xi Junjie with some curiosity. She saw that the expression on Xi Junjie's face was not as tense as it was at school. Instead, there was a bit of joy between his brows. She couldn't help but smile: "I thought you have always been like that."
"What kind of personality?" Xi Junjie's gaze stayed on Zhenzhen's face, his expression quite serious.
"You're just the kind of person who doesn't really talk to people." Zhen Zhen smiled and said, "I've heard many classmates say they don't dare talk to you."
"Are you sure they're not talking about you?" Xi Junjie looked at Zhenzhen, a smile flashing across his face. "You usually come to class and leave in a hurry, never paying attention to anyone or anything in the class. I dare say you don't even recognize all the classmates in the French class, right?"
Zhenzhen smiled awkwardly. Among the three majors Zhenzhen studied, the French major had the fewest courses. Usually, Zhenzhen relied on self-study for all courses except French. Therefore, she could not recognize all the classmates in the class, but at most she could only recognize their faces.
Glancing at Xi Junjie, Zhenzhen smiled a little embarrassedly. To be honest, Xi Junjie was the only person she knew in the class. The main reason was that Xi Junjie was handsome and had a strong aura, making it impossible to ignore him.
As if he could see what Zhenzhen was thinking, Xi Junjie looked at her face and said with a hint of sarcasm: "You don't know me alone, do you?"
Zhenzhen looked at Xi Junjie in surprise and said with great admiration, "You guessed all this?" She shook her pigtail playfully, "It's mainly because Teacher Meng always calls out the student ID when asking questions, and never calls out the name. I really don't know anyone in the French major except you."
Xi Junjie coughed lightly, his face slightly reddened: "Am I so special?"
The author has something to say: I have been confused recently. Mingxi has a son named Yuanxiao, so I modified yesterday's chapter and changed the failure to get pregnant to wanting Yanan to have a second child. It's enough for everyone to know this and I will read it later.