Chapter 565: Secret Medicine
Chapter 565: Chapter 544: Secret Medicine
At the mention of Wei Hong, Cao Qiu couldn’t help but sigh. Her older daughter-in-law was a much better person than before, but she still couldn’t get pregnant. She had been taking medicine for two months, but at her follow-up, the doctor said the results weren’t ideal. They suggested she either keep taking it or see a traditional Chinese medicine doctor to see if they could regulate her system. Her daughter-in-law had practically become a walking pharmacy, and even then, who knew if it would be effective.
“By the way, Mom, don’t you know Doctor Cui? Why didn’t you ask him for some medicine?”
Gu’er asked, puzzled. After all, it was Doctor Cui who had helped her through her own difficult labor, and he’d also delivered her sister-in-law’s baby. ‘Why is Mom seeking a distant solution when help is so close at hand?’
“Brother Cui doesn’t have any medicine. He’s just really skilled at delivering babies.”
Cao Qiu had no idea why Gu’er was bringing up Doctor Cui.
Gu’er wanted to roll her eyes at her mother-in-law. ‘She claims she’s known Doctor Cui for years, but she has no idea he can treat infertility? And that he’s supposedly miraculous at it?’
“Remember when I went to see Doctor Cui about my sister-in-law? While I was there, a man came to thank him. He said his wife’s younger sister and her husband had been married for six years and couldn’t have children, no matter what they tried. He got three small packets of medicine from the doctor, she took them, and she was pregnant the very next month. They ended up having two kids in three years. The man insisted on treating Doctor Cui to a drink, but the doctor refused. I asked about it, and it seems his medicine for infertility is incredibly effective. But he doesn’t give it to just anyone—you have to have a really good connection with him to get it. He hasn’t even passed this skill on to his daughter. And his son apparently has no interest in taking over the practice.”
“Why didn’t you say so sooner? If I had known, your sister-in-law might have given birth by now! Honestly, child…”
Cao Qiu was practically beside herself with urgency. She truly hadn’t known; she’d always assumed Doctor Cui was just exceptionally skilled at delivering babies and had no idea he also had medicine for infertility.
After saying her piece to Gu’er, Cao Qiu couldn’t be bothered to play with her grandson Jiji any longer. She shot up and went to the door to put on her shoes. Seeing Sun Zhuzi still sitting on the sofa, she yelled, “What are you gawking at? Are you made of wood? Let’s go, now!”
Sun Zhuzi was stunned. Normally, Cao Qiu was reluctant to leave before dark, sometimes even wanting to stay the night. ‘Why is she in such a rush today?’ he wondered.
But confused or not, he hurriedly got to his feet and followed Cao Qiu. He’d been obeying her his whole life; it was second nature.
“Where is she off to? Why the big rush?”
Grandma Sun had heard the commotion outside and asked Gu’er as she came back into the room.
Gu’er explained the situation.
“Let’s hope it works. It would save you from having her hover over you all the time.”
Grandma Sun sighed. She also hoped her other granddaughter-in-law would have another child; otherwise, Cao Qiu would never stop stirring up trouble.
Gu’er smiled. She knew Grandma Sun understood her true motives. She did want to keep Cao Qiu busy and focused elsewhere, but her intentions were also good. If Doctor Cui’s medicine really worked, then Wei Hong wouldn’t have to spend her days drinking bitter remedies.
Sure enough, Cao Qiu went to ask Doctor Cui for the medicine, and believe it or not, she actually got it. For one, she and Doctor Cui were already acquainted. For another, Doctor Cui wanted to foster a good relationship with her family, so he obliged.
After getting the medicine, Cao Qiu did indeed shift all her focus to Wei Hong. Other than visiting Jiji, she spent her time watching over Wei Hong, and as a result, she stopped pestering Gu’er.
And believe it or not, Doctor Cui’s medicine was truly miraculous. Two months later, Wei Hong was indeed pregnant. When Cao Qiu went to thank him, she was so grateful she practically treated him like a deity.
But that is a story for another time.
「In mid-September.」
Lin Shan was transferred to Chang City. Before leaving, he had a long talk with Gu’er. He agreed with her plan to have Chen Fengjiao move in, afraid that if her mother stayed home alone, she would overthink things and worry herself sick. He asked Gu’er to keep a close eye on the family.
Lin Shan also offered plenty of advice and ideas to Gu’er, Sun Jiaming, and Li Zhi, which was a great help. Most importantly, he spoke with his contacts in the city government, asking them to give favorable treatment to the mall.
After all, when you’re in business, it’s impossible to succeed without some connections or backing. Otherwise, one department or another will always find an excuse to cause trouble for you.
The mall’s success wasn’t just due to its contributions to the city; it was also thanks to their relationships with Lin Shan and Li Quan. Without them, the business could never have run so smoothly and prosperously.
Even though Lin Shan was leaving, he hadn’t lost his influence. Out of respect for him, the city officials wouldn’t trouble the mall. Besides, Li Quan was still there. Lin Shan wasn’t worried, but he still advised them on what to do and what to avoid, hoping they could not only grow the business but also ensure its stability.
Gu’er and the others promised to remember his advice, and then they saw Lin Shan off.
Chen Fengjiao cried at home for two solid days, so much so that Lin Zheng grew afraid to come home. Yet, he didn’t feel right leaving her all alone. So, on the third day, Gu’er, Sun Jiaming, and Li Zhi went over and dragged her to their place. If they hadn’t, she would have insisted on moping at home for several more days.
Once she moved over, the house was always lively with all the children—Jiji, Dian Dian, Zheng Zhonghe, Didi, and Jiguo. Chen Fengjiao no longer had time to get lost in her thoughts, and she stopped crying. She spent her days chatting with everyone and doting on the kids, which turned out to be quite pleasant.
During that time, Gu’er and Sun Jiaming took a trip to Russia to check on their storefront. Business was good, and revenue was stable. They also paid a visit to Marina’s father, who had remarried. With both his daughters married and gone, he had been left all alone, so he’d found a new wife in her twenties. By the time Gu’er saw them, the woman was already two months pregnant.
When Gu’er told Marina, she was delighted. She had been worried about her father being lonely, and now that he had a partner and another child on the way, she could finally be at ease.
‘What a different mindset people have overseas,’ Gu’er marveled. ‘A father remarries a woman a daughter’s age, and the daughter is nothing but happy and supportive. Back home, all hell would have broken loose. People would call him a good-for-nothing cradle robber. They’d say he was shameless, ruining a young girl’s life at his age. They’d curse him to death behind his back.’
Seeing Marina so happy put Gu’er’s mind at ease. At the same time, she took a good look at her friend. Marina was losing the baby weight from Didi very slowly. She was much rounder than before—in other words, a fair bit chubbier. Her waist had thickened. ‘If she keeps going like this, she’s only going to get bigger,’ Gu’er thought. ‘Is it true what they say about foreign women? That once you have a baby, your figure is ruined for good? That you just get big and burly and can never slim down again?’
“Marina,” Gu’er suggested, “how about we start going for a run every day?”
Gu’er wanted to get Marina to exercise, hoping it would keep her from gaining more weight. Gu’er knew that in the future, being overweight would be highly undesirable; people would be constantly clamoring to go on diets. If Marina didn’t pay attention to it now, the longer she was overweight, the harder it would be to shed the pounds later.