The news of the Jin Shanyao's return spread throughout the neighborhood that very day.
Madam Jiang was the first to rush over, grabbing her hand and looking her up and down. "I heard the Cloud Brocade Workshop incident has quite a lot to do? I was just thinking about sending my daughter to learn a trade a while ago, but now that I think about it, it sends chills down my spine."
Jin Shanyao patted her hand, "You are a lucky person."
"What good fortune! It's all thanks to your guidance," Madam Jiang sighed. "You know, this person seems quite refined, how could he do such a despicable thing?"
"The most wicked and evil people often appear approachable on the surface; they are wolves in sheep's clothing."
Madam Jiang glanced at her own shop and replied, "Isn't that right? You can know a person's face but not their heart..." As the two were talking, a grandmother and grandson entered through the door.
Madam Jiang said a few words in a hurry and then left Anzhi Hall.
Old Kong was a regular at the Anzhi Hall. He suffered from age-related illnesses, and his mind was sometimes clear and sometimes confused. He relied entirely on his six-year-old grandson for care. As soon as he entered the room, he would look around aimlessly.
Where is Little Doctor Meng?
Jin Shanyao and said, "Please wait a moment... I'll go and call her right away."
She gestured for Zhou Xiaosi to go and call someone, but a moment later Meng Anzhi walked in from the backyard, wiping her hands, and said with a smile, " Grandpa Kong, you've come?"
Old Kong saw Meng Anzhi, his face crinkled with laughter. "You little rascal, I haven't seen you for so many days!"
Meng Anzhi sat down at the desk, took out the pulse pillow and set it out. "I had to go on a long trip because of some family matters. Come and sit down, I'll take your pulse to check if you're feeling well."
Old Kong chuckled and stepped forward, placing his wrist on the pulse pillow. "You've been gone for the past two days, and I was so worried about you! Granddaughter-in-law, why didn't you come home? I even boiled some eggs for you..."
Ugh... she's having another episode.
While taking his pulse, Meng Anzhi asked, " Grandpa Kong... have you been experiencing acid reflux at night lately?"
Old Kong looked at his grandson with a puzzled expression, "What is sour water...?"
Kong Xiaobao took his hand and said to Meng Anzhi, "My grandfather always has brownish saliva on his pillow when he wakes up in the morning. My father was terrified, thinking he was vomiting blood. He brought him to the Anzhi Hall several times, but you weren't there. Later, they went elsewhere and found out it was just acid reflux. Now they don't dare give him any food at night."
Meng Anzhi picked up her pen and wrote a prescription. "How can you not eat? Your stomach is ruined from hunger..." She looked up and called Zhou Xiaosi over, asking him to come and take Old Kong's pulse.
After a moment, Meng Anzhi asked, "Did you figure it out?"
Zhou Xiaosi thought for a while, "The pulse is deep, hesitant, and slow, unlike either wind-cold or ordinary food stagnation. Instead, it carries a hint of dryness due to liver and stomach disharmony, which is a typical symptom of 'acid reflux'."
Meng Anzhi nodded, "The diagnosis is correct. Get the medicine according to this prescription, make a copy, memorize it tonight, and have it checked tomorrow morning."
Zhou Xiaosi responded, took the prescription to the free section, grabbed the medicine, packed it up, and handed it to Old Kong. Old Kong, holding the medicine bag, smiled kindly, "Granddaughter-in-law... aren't you coming home with me? I've already scolded your mother-in-law; she won't dare bully you anymore."
Meng Anzhi smiled and said, " Grandpa Kong, you go back first. I'll go home as soon as I'm done with my work."
Old Kong covered his toothless mouth and chuckled, "Alright, alright... I'll be going now."
Zhou Xiaosi only spoke after Old Kong left, "Why do I feel like he's become confused again?"
Meng Anzhi nodded, "It's definitely more serious than before..." She'll be thirteen next year, and she doesn't look like his six-year-old grandson at all.
Just then, Lin Mo walked in from outside, holding an account book in his hands.
Meng Anzhi was taken aback when she saw him. "What brings you here?"
Lin Mo: "The people on the estate are worried, so they sent me over to check on things and bring you the account books along the way."
Meng Anzhi took the ledger, flipped through a couple of pages, and then led Lin Mo back to the study.
evening.
As Jin Shanyao sat in the shop, pondering what wedding gift to give Wu Shaoyang, Meng Anci walked in with Shiyan and Zhao Zhiyuan.
The two bowed respectfully to Jin Shanyao, exchanged greetings, and then followed Meng Anci to the study in the backyard.
Inside the study, Meng Anzhi was checking the accounts with Lin Mo. Seeing Meng Anci return with her classmate, she closed the accounts and said to Lin Mo, "That's enough for today." She glanced outside, "It's getting late, why don't we stay at the shop?"
Upon hearing Zhao Zhiyuan glanced at Lin Mo discreetly, said nothing, and then looked past Meng Anzhi before his gaze fell on the bookshelves covering the wall.
Lin Mo smiled and said, "The people at the estate are still waiting for my news. I'm fast on foot and can get back before dark, so they won't worry about you."
Meng Anzhi gave a soft "hmm," and said, "When I have time, I'll have Wu Yong buy two horses and have Fan Er teach you how to ride. That way, we can save a lot of time traveling back and forth."
Lin Mo smiled and agreed. After seeing Lin Mo off, Shiyan came over and asked, "Sister Anzhi, you weren't injured in Jing'an Prefecture, were you?"
"No... everything is fine, what brings you here?"
"I was thinking..." Before you could finish your sentence, Zhao Zhiyuan interrupted you, "We came to borrow two books. Were you checking your accounts? Have I disturbed you?"
He smiled, his eyes crinkling, and gazed at Meng Anzhi with bright, sparkling eyes.
Meng Anzhi smiled and said, "It's alright... It's all done. You can take your time choosing. I'll go out for a bit."
As he spoke, he walked out of the study. Shiyan was about to follow him when Zhao Zhiyuan stopped him, saying, "Sister Anzhi just finished checking the accounts, and her head is still spinning. Don't disturb her."
Shiyan thought to himself, "That makes sense. Arithmetic is the most mentally taxing subject; it's definitely not suitable for talking." So he turned to Meng Anci and asked, "Can I borrow today's policy essay?"
Master Li said that Meng Anci's article was very insightful, and he wanted to offer his opinion.
Meng Anci through her bag and pulled out a test paper, handing it to him. Then she walked to Zhao Zhiyuan's side and asked, "Is this the book you're looking for?"
Zhao Zhiyuan lowered his eyes and smiled, "I've found it." He casually picked up a book, glanced around at the three tables, found a chair, and sat down to read quietly.
Shiyan looked up and saw that he had sat down at Meng Anzhi's table, so he moved his chair aside and said, " Zhao Zhiyuan... you can sit here with me."
"It's alright... I can sit anywhere..." Before he could finish speaking, Meng Anci grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to Shiyan's Shiyan, saying, "Hurry up and copy..."
"Okay... I'm already copying it."
Zhao Zhiyuan was not angered by Meng Anci's behavior. He simply sat quietly to the side, waiting for Shiyan to finish copying before returning with him.
Shiyan, holding the brush, hesitated, "Brother Zhao... why don't you go first? I want to say a few words to Sister Anzhi after I finish writing."
Zhao Zhiyuan turned the pages of the book, his voice gentle, "It's alright... you can go ahead and say so."
Seeing him like this, Shiyan didn't know what to say. He thought to himself that he was an acquaintance of the Anzhi Hall, but not of Zhao Zhiyuan. It was pitiful for him to be reading alone in the study.
He thought about it and decided to let it go. There would be plenty of time in the future, and he would eventually be able to strike up a conversation with Anzhi.