Chapter 23
When ordinary people live in the same circumstances for a long time, they can't tell whether their current life is good or bad.
But they fear comparison most of all.
Who lives better than whom, who lives worse than whom, this often affects one's mood greatly.
Now, it was comparison that caused the trouble.
Second Sister-in-law Ye was distraught, but Ye Bao couldn't see her distress.
Ye Bao was young, a half-grown child who understood nothing. Though he usually fought over words and food, most of it was due to Second Sister-in-law Ye spoiling him. He didn't really have much malice in him.
He didn't like seeing Ye Jiao come to his house to compete with him for egg custard, but now seeing Ye Jiao on the street, even a small child like Ye Bao knew she was someone he had lived with day and night. Seeing Ye Jiao dressed so beautifully, Ye Bao also smiled and clapped his hands: "Aunt looks so beautiful, beautiful like a fairy."
This wasn't nonsense. Today's Ye Jiao was indeed very different from before.
Even though her makeup was only light, she was naturally well-proportioned. Plus, eating well and sleeping well at the Qi family, her complexion no longer showed the sallow thinness from going hungry every day at the Ye family. Her clothes were also newly made, with bright fabric and well-fitted tailoring. Just that robe alone wasn't something ordinary families could afford.
The hand warmer in her hands was carved with flowers, the hairpin in her hair was inlaid with jade. Though it couldn't be called overwhelmingly wealthy, anyone could tell at a glance she was a wealthy family's wife.
But this truthful statement somehow hit Second Sister-in-law Ye's sore spot, making her angrily pinch Ye Bao's buttock flesh hard.
Ye Bao cried out in pain immediately. Not knowing what he had said wrong, he felt especially wronged and cried particularly loudly.
Second Sister-in-law Ye felt embarrassed, covered his mouth and walked away, but Ye Bao wouldn't cooperate, causing Second Sister-in-law Ye to trip and fall.
Though she wasn't injured, her good clothes were covered in dust and her elbow had a hole torn in it. This made Second Sister-in-law Ye's ears ring with anger.
Turning to look again at Ye Jiao who looked like a fairy, Second Sister-in-law Ye felt as if her whole body was soaked in vinegar, unspeakably uncomfortable.
Ye Bao was still crying, but Second Sister-in-law Ye had no mind to scold him. She just wanted to leave quickly, get far away, as if staying even a moment longer would be humiliating.
Ye Jiao didn't know someone had come and gone. She just sat in the ox cart and went to Lady Dong's medicine shop.
Lady Dong's husband was named Yan Li, the medicine shop's manager. Today he happened to be going to his medicine garden to get supplies and wasn't at the shop. Only a physician on duty was watching the place.
Coincidentally, this physician on duty was Doctor Li, who usually treated Qi Yun. Ye Jiao greeted Doctor Li, then went to the back with Lady Dong's company to look at the medicinal materials.
Since it was a medicine shop, various medicinal materials were well-organized by category. A large shelf held many drawers of different sizes, each drawer labeled with the medicine name. Pulling one out would reveal the corresponding medicinal material.
Ye Jiao looked very carefully, unlike her casual manner at the wine shop earlier. Now Ye Jiao was exceptionally serious.
Looking at medicines, asking about their properties, and asking about each one in great detail. Some things even Lady Dong couldn't answer, fortunately Doctor Li was there to help, finally satisfying the master's wife.
When Ye Jiao sat contentedly at the table, Lady Dong breathed a sigh of relief. While pouring tea for Ye Jiao, she said: "Jiao Niang, you really do love medicinal materials. That's good. When you have nothing to do, you can come look around. If there are any rare medicines, we can look at them together."
Ye Jiao agreed. This suited her perfectly, and her face showed an especially bright smile.
At this moment, someone brought up a bowl of medicine for Lady Dong. Lady Dong took it, tested the temperature, frowned and poured it down her throat.
Ye Jiao watched and asked: "Spring Orchid, are you ill?"
Lady Dong gave the bowl to the assistant. After he went downstairs, Lady Dong said softly: "I wouldn't really call it an illness. Two years ago I was pregnant, but I fell and lost the baby. I haven't gotten pregnant since, so I've been taking medicine every day. But I've drunk quite a lot of medicine, yet still have no fortune with children."
These words were said simply, but whenever Lady Dong mentioned it she felt sad. Even now she couldn't hide her loneliness.
Ye Jiao reached out and gently grasped Lady Dong's wrist, closing her eyes slightly. She felt that Lady Dong had indeed injured her foundation, but recovering this foundation wasn't something that could be done overnight. Even after drinking medicine for two years, Lady Dong hadn't fully recovered.
Little ginseng didn't have many friends. Lady Dong suited her temperament and, like her, loved medicinal materials, so naturally she felt more fondness for her.
This made little ginseng willing to think more for her sake. Several prescriptions flashed through her mind, but they all contained some medicinal materials she had seen before becoming human but hadn't seen since.
At this moment, Lady Dong seemed to remember something. She stood up and brought back a basket from outside.
Setting it on the table and lifting the cloth on top, one could see it was filled with flower petals.
These petals didn't look like they were from the same type of flower, but from many different kinds. Some were from medicinal flowers, others were from ordinary ornamental flowers.
Lady Dong studied medicine, so naturally she knew these couldn't be mixed together. She had put cross-shaped dividers in the basket to separate the different petals, smiling at Ye Jiao: "Jiao Niang, take these home with you."
Ye Jiao peered in, her bright eyes showing some confusion: "Can flower petals be eaten too?"
"They're not for eating, they're for putting in the bath tub when bathing." Lady Dong smiled and pointed for her: "All the flowers here have fragrance. Putting some in when bathing can make your body smell sweet. Try it and see."
This was actually a gift Lady Dong had specially prepared for Ye Jiao, but her family's medicine shop didn't have as much income as the wine shop. What she could offer besides medicinal materials was still medicinal materials.
If she gave medicinal materials directly, Lady Dong felt it wasn't appropriate. After all, this shop was managed by Qi Yun. If she gave medicinal materials, wouldn't that be giving the master something with the master's own things?
After thinking it over, Lady Dong remembered how Ye Jiao had liked the medicinal flowers she gave last time. This time Lady Dong simply decided to give flower petals, beautiful and fragrant. It couldn't go wrong.
Ye Jiao smiled and thanked her, pulling the basket to herself and playing with the petals inside while thinking that there were so many ways to bathe. Being human was indeed a profound science.
Just then, her fingertips stopped, and she picked up a bright red flower.
This petal had a somewhat unusual shape, pointed on both sides and slightly thick in the middle, soft to the touch and pleasant to handle.
Ye Jiao had seen this unique type of petal before. It was called Wind Source Flower, mostly growing in places with abundant water plants. It needed to be soaked in water to survive, and was specifically for... situations like Lady Dong's, it seemed.
This was still something the little fox had tried. To have a scholar's offspring, the fox had secretly used many methods, and this flower was surprisingly effective.
Was this getting what she wished for?
Little ginseng suddenly felt vaguely that her luck had been particularly good since becoming human.
Ye Jiao held the petal and looked at it again, confirming it was indeed the right one, then said to Lady Dong: "Spring Orchid, can you give me some of this flower? I'll return it to you after I grow it successfully."
Ye Jiao had never mentioned returning any of the previous medicinal flowers, but this time she was determined to send them back to Lady Dong's side.
Moreover, this flower had very good nourishing effects for women. If she could keep it alive and plant it in the courtyard, it would be very beneficial.
Lady Dong was slightly startled and leaned over to identify it: "This is an Auspicious Flower petal. It's very hard to grow. If you want it, I have several more pots. I'll have them all brought back for you."
Ye Jiao nodded with a smile.
The name was well chosen, it was indeed auspicious.
Seeing it was getting late, Ye Jiao carried the basket while Nanny Liu held two flower pots. After saying goodbye to Lady Dong, they left the medicine shop.
Sitting in the ox cart, Ye Jiao played with the Auspicious Flowers, feeling they looked wilted and lifeless.
Ye Jiao stopped touching them, afraid of making the petals fall off, planning to get a jar to raise them in when she returned.
Turning to look at the flower basket again, Ye Jiao took out a few petals and smelled them, finding they all had pleasant fragrances.
At least they smelled better than the rouge she had used before.
Little ginseng put the petals back, thinking that when she returned home, she could take a bath and try to see if they could really make her fragrant.
Leaning against the cushion, Ye Jiao lifted the curtain to look outside.
The town was indeed livelier than the village countryside. There were more pedestrians on the road, and the vendors on both sides sold all kinds of things.
However, Ye Jiao's gaze focused more on the shop signs on both sides.
Like every person who had just learned to read, Ye Jiao was now particularly interested in reading characters.
This one was "East Monkey Lane Steamed Cakes," that one was "Granny Wang's Tofu Shop," and there was a clothing shop...
Ye Jiao suddenly seemed to remember something and called to the cart driver ahead: "Stop for a moment."