Chapter 648: Chapter 648: Just Give Money Directly
Gu Dashan nodded: "San Lang is indeed skilled at making lamb. If you like it, I will buy the lamb first, and wait for him to cook it for us when he returns for Dongzhi."
It has become routine for San Lang to have meals with both families whenever he visits, and Gu Dashan has long been accustomed to it.
Moreover, San Lang is also the son-in-law he favors, so it’s good for him to come over and dine frequently.
Speaking of sons-in-law, Gu Dashan thought of Gu Jinxiu and Luo Wu, which made him too worried to eat.
Previously, Brother Luo Er and Ms. Chu were afraid Luo Wu couldn’t protect Sister Xiu well enough and did not agree to his marriage proposal. But since this year, Brother Luo Er and Ms. Chu had relented, yet Luo Wu said there was no rush.
What is there, not to rush about? His daughter Jinxiu is almost nineteen, an old maid, what will they do if she doesn’t marry soon?
Mrs. Cui cried several times over this matter, but it’s not proper for their family to propose marriage to the Luo Family. If they did propose, others might think there is something wrong with their daughter.
Gu Dashan sighed, thinking of asking Luo Wu directly when he returns for Dongzhi about his intentions. If he doesn’t favor Jinxiu, they should start looking for another match quickly.
"Dad, are you going to deliver tofu to the county today?" Gu Jinli asked.
Gu Dashan nodded: "Yes, Uncle Dalin mentioned that the dried tofu is selling well. Many people are coming to the county to pick it up. We need to send over more than a dozen carts. The mule carts are already rented, and will arrive at the workshop by mid-morning, then I’ll follow along with the delivery."
In the past three years, Gu Jinli had made a type of dried tofu by dehydrating it until it became shriveled hard blocks.
This dried tofu can be preserved for a year, thoroughly solving the problem of tofu not being sellable far away.
Now the dried tofu can be sold to distant places; customers just need to soak it in water for half an hour before it can be used for cooking.
Their family has a shop in the county selling dried tofu, managed by Dalin. He stays there with a few workers, selling dried tofu and inquiring about the whereabouts of Ms. Xie and her daughter from the customers who travel from north to south.
Unfortunately, no news has been heard in three years, but he hasn’t given up nor remarried.
Old Mrs. Yan had quarreled with him for three years and fell ill at the beginning of this year, nearly passing away. Afterwards, she came to terms with it, thinking she might leave this world anytime, so she let her son live as he wished.
Gu Jinli then said: "Will you go with Ah Jiang? Or should I ask Ah Duo and Danian to help?"
Ah Jiang is straightforward and very loyal to her, and she gave Ah Jiang to Gu Dashan to help with work, specifically instructing him to fend off scheming widows or any ’white lotus’ trying to get close to her father.
She worked hard to earn money; it wasn’t intended to benefit a stepmother.
Ah Jiang was utterly loyal, reporting everything Gu Dashan did in clear detail.
Mrs. Cui felt it wasn’t right and told Gu Jinli: "What kind of daughter assigns someone to watch her own father? Your father isn’t that kind of man; he wouldn’t do that."
Mrs. Cui had spent twenty years as his wife; this man was honest and wouldn’t do something like abandoning his longtime spouse.
Gu Jinli replied: "Mom, it’s not that I don’t trust dad, I just don’t trust those ’white lotuses’ who see our wealth and want to worm their way into our family. Dad is naive, what if he gets schemed against by someone? Do you want him to be tricked into marrying some woman?"
Naturally, Mrs. Cui was unhappy, wanting only to spend her life with Gu Dashan.
Gu Dashan also knew his daughter had set Ah Jiang to watch him, but he didn’t see it as disobedience, instead comforting Mrs. Cui with a smile: "Daughter is right; I am naive, and sometimes too kind-hearted. Having Ah Jiang keep an eye on me is good, lest I get schemed against and don’t even realize it."
Mrs. Cui, hearing Gu Dashan’s words, let it go.
After the family finished breakfast, they all got busy with their tasks.
Gu Jinli went to the pharmaceutical workshop to process the Mingya Grass collected the day before, and she would continue collecting more in the afternoon, keeping her busy all day.
Brother Cheng took Da Tuan and Xiao Tuan to the Xia Family for school, but today’s class didn’t happen because Master Xia and Zhan Family’s three uncles and nephews were all sick.
Brother Cheng frowned slightly, letting you strip and sing and dance in the cold weather, getting sick, it would be unreasonable not to.
Brother Cheng suppressed the slight joy in his heart and said with a pained expression: "The master and Master Zhan are sick? Have you had a doctor check them? What did the doctor say? Is it serious?"
Housekeeper Xia said: "Elder Doctor Wu came to see and said it was due to catching a cold and fever, and eating too much deer meat caused excessive nourishment, which conflicted with dryness, it won’t get better before five days at least."
This was the best result. Elder Doctor Wu also mentioned that if the condition worsens, the Old Master and the Zhan family’s uncles and nephews might be passing away at any moment.
Brother Cheng said: "I’ll go see the master. No studying today; I’ll attend to the master."
Though he wanted to take delight in disaster, after all, Master Xia was his teacher, and attending to the sick was necessary.
Housekeeper Xia was very pleased to hear this: "With young master by the bed, the old master will surely recover faster."
Housekeeper Xia took Brother Cheng to Master Xia’s room.
Lady Xia was also there, and seeing Brother Cheng arrive, the couple was very happy, and even more touched when they heard he was there to attend to the sick.
Lady Xia said: "Brother Cheng, it’s the thought that counts, no need to stay and attend to the sick, what if you catch the illness, that would be bad."
Brother Cheng cannot afford any mishaps.
Brother Cheng said: "Don’t worry, madam, my second sister often gives me medicinal meals, and Grandpa Qin also taught me martial arts. My body is in excellent condition, attending to the sick for a day or two won’t make me catch the illness."
Lady Xia also wanted to take the opportunity to get closer to Brother Cheng, hearing this she said: "Well then, you stay and take care of your teacher for a couple of days."
Lady Xia didn’t dare to ask for more, considering everyone’s different statuses.
Brother Cheng nodded obediently, busying himself in the room, brewing medicine for Master Xia, feeding him medicine, and food, working very efficiently.
Seeing this, Lady Xia couldn’t help but cry, what a good kid, if only she could get closer to him.
Brother Cheng was busy in the Xia Family for a day and did not leave until the early hours of the afternoon.
But before leaving, he went to see Zhan Er, to see if he was gravely ill and on the brink of death.
Who knew, Zhan Er had a strong constitution, while Master Xia was still bedridden, he was able to get out of bed.
Seeing Brother Cheng come in, he was very happy: "Young Master Gu, you came, I was just looking for you."
Brother Cheng regretted coming to see Zhan Er and felt a pang in his heart: "What does Zhan Family’s second brother need from me?"
Zhan Er said: "There’s someone in your village called He Dayuan, right? I owe him a lot. If he hadn’t driven me to Xuanhu Fang, I might have died."
So what?
Brother Cheng tilted his head looking at him.
Zhan Er said: "I’ve already instructed the servant to prepare a generous gift and plan to visit He Dayuan’s family tomorrow to express thanks, and then I’ll visit your home to see your parents... I was really rude yesterday, reaching the village but not visiting your parents, I hope they won’t be upset."
Brother Cheng said: "They won’t be upset, and they are very busy, they need to gather Mingya Grass, they don’t have time for guests, Zhan Family’s second brother need not visit them."
Zhan Er, being strangely thinking, upon hearing this, hastily said: "They are gathering Mingya Grass? Then I should definitely go, I’d like to see what the dried Mingya Grass looks like."
Brother Cheng wanted to curse, he directly ignored Zhan Er’s last remark and said: "Zhan Family’s second brother, you don’t need to visit He Dayuan’s family to express thanks, just give them a hundred tael of silver as a thank you gift."