Before Xu’s words left her mouth, Song Wangyue’s hand was on her pulse.
Song Lin was also startled. Although Xu looked soft and frail, she rarely fell ill, let alone had a sudden headache.
He ignored the presence of Song Wangyue and Gu Yi and took her in his arms with a shaking hand.
Xu’s face turned red.
“Has Mother ever been in this situation before?”
Xu shook her head with a red face and struggled slightly to get up from Song Lin’s arms, where Song Lin would not let go, “Don’t move, let Yue’er take a good look at you.”
Song Wan Yue withdrew her hand, “Mother is fine, she should have been scared by what happened to me, she hasn’t slept well for the past two days, she will be fine once she goes home and has a good sleep.”
“Then let’s go back another day, Yi’er, have the carriage turn around and let’s go back.”
“I’m really fine.”
Xu sat up forcefully, even her neck was blushing red, and she gathered her hair covertly, “It’s true that I haven’t slept well these two days.”
“Why didn’t you tell me, if I had known, I wouldn’t have come today.”
Xu hesitated for a moment, but still patted his hand in comfort, “Don’t you worry about it, I’m really fine.”
Song Lin was still uneasy and looked towards Song Wan Yue.
“Mother is really fine, if father is unsure, when we return from the county, go and have Doctor Yao take a look.”
“Good, good, good.”
Xu wanted to say that she was really fine and didn’t need to go, but seeing how worried he was, she swallowed back the words that had come to her lips.
On the way, Song Lin looked at her with his eyes, but he was not interested in talking.
When he arrived at the county town, he saw that she did not have any more headaches, and only then did Song Lin settle down.
He asked the coachman to find a good dim sum shop, and Song Lin bought two boxes of good dim sum.
Gu Yi walked them to the entrance of the dart shop without getting off the carriage, “I’m going to the restaurant, I’ll have Xiao Si come back and wait for you guys to come out when we arrive.”
Song Lin and Xu didn’t push back and watched the carriage turn around and walk to the entrance of the dart board after they had left.
The man on duty knew Song Wangyue and led them straight in.
Mrs. Qi was sewing, and when she heard the report, she immediately put it down and quickly greeted them, “Magpies are calling at the door early in the morning, so I knew we were going to have valuable guests.
“Go, call the Grand Master and Yingzi to come back.”
The maid went quickly to call out to the people.
“Madam Qi.”
Xu saluted, the surprise in Madam Qi’s eyes flickered, she did not return the salute, but held her with both hands, “I ah, so many years following the head of the family to live in this dart board, long ago I do not know how to perform this salute, you do not take offense.”
Xu also bowed subconsciously, and when she said this, she smiled and said, “I’m rusty too.”
“Uncle Qi’s mother.”
Song Wangyue took Mrs. Qi’s reaction in her eyes and smiled without moving as she called out to someone.
The rules and manners one learned from childhood were engraved in one’s bones, and even if one lost one’s memory, one would not forget them, just like her mother did, Mrs. Qi’s failure to curtsy was clearly an attempt to conceal something.
“Yue’er ah.”
Madam Qi took her hand, “Yesterday I went over to see you with Yingzi, your uncle Qi said that you had suffered quite a shock and needed a good rest, how are you feeling now?”
“Thank you for thinking of me, I’ve been fine for a long time, I can eat and drink, I can jump and dance, I’m fine.”
Mrs Qi was amused by her.
Enviously, she said of Xu, “This daughter of yours is really good, if Yingzi is half as sweet and understanding as she is, I’ll thank the heavens.”
“Mother dislikes me in front of Yue’er again.”
Qi Ying’s voice arrived before she did, accompanied by the sound of hurried footsteps as she entered the courtyard, “People who didn’t know would have thought she wasn’t your own child, but a foundling.”
“You girl, how can you speak to your mother?”
Qi Wu also walked in with big strides, his gaze falling on Song Wan Yue first.
“Uncle Qi.”
Qi Wu responded, “It’s good that you’re alright, it’s cold, go sit inside.”
The crowd went to the flower room and sat down.
Song Lin put the dim sum he had bought and ten pieces of hotpot base on the table, “Thank you, Grand Master Qi, for helping us find Yue’er that day, this is a small token of our appreciation, please don’t mind.”
“You’re welcome, you’re welcome.”
Qi Wu did not know that the oil paper was wrapped in hot pot base, “Anyhow, Yue’er also disappeared after she left from our dart board, it is our duty to help find her, take the things back.”
“It’s a small token of appreciation, please accept it, Qi Da Dangjia.”
The Song family had been there when Song Si won the imperial examination.
The two boxes of dim sum on the table were often eaten by them, and they knew that five taels of silver per box, two boxes would be ten taels, not to mention the contents of the oil paper packet.
When Qi Wu was about to push back, Song Wan Yue smiled mischievously and asked, “Uncle Qi really doesn’t want it?”
“It’s just a gesture, if Uncle Qi took your things, he would still be poked in the back?”
“Good, then we’ll take it back, you don’t like this hot pot base anyway.
“Wait!”
Qi Wu looked at the greasy paper packet, “You said, this is hot pot base inside?”
Song Wangyue held back her laughter, “Well, two flavours, spicy and bone broth.”
“I’ll take it.”
Without waiting for her words to drop, Qi Wu eagerly changed his tune.
The last time they went to Yue Hak Lai Restaurant, they were choked by Gu Yi, so naturally they had no face to go there again, but the hotpot was also really delicious, and they couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Only after Qi Wu finished speaking did he feel a little more eager, and his dark face flushed slightly.
Mrs Qi took in his embarrassment and smiled as she relieved him, “Ever since we had it last time, your uncle Qi has been thinking about it, but there’s so much going on at the dart board that we haven’t been able to get through.
“Uncle and auntie, feel free to eat. Just have someone send a message to my stall, and I will bring it to you immediately.”
“That’s really great.”
Qi Ying was thinking about letting Song Wan Yue come over to learn martial arts, and when he saw that their conversation had ended, he immediately asked, “Yue’er, how are you thinking about coming over to learn martial arts with my father?”
Qi Wu and Madam Qi also looked at her.
Song Wan Yue smiled without a smile on her face, “My father went back and told the family, but my grandmother was worried about my suffering and said that she wouldn’t let me come over.”
Although she didn’t know why she said that, Xu followed suit, “Yes, mother-in-law treats Yue’er like a precious baby and said that she couldn’t let go of anything, the head of the family and I also persuaded her, saying that Yue’er’s martial arts training would be beneficial, but mother-in-law just wouldn’t let go, so we couldn’t go against her.”
“I’ll go and help persuade her.”
Qi Ying said with urgency.
Xu and Song Lin only thought she cared for Song Wan Yue and were even more grateful.
“Thanks to sister Qi, I myself don’t want to learn, I heard others say that practising martial arts is too hard, I’m used to being spoilt since I was young and don’t want to suffer.”
“Who told you that practising martial arts is hard, Gu Yi?”
“Yingzi!”
Mrs. Qi scolded.
