Do you know? Do you know? It should be Green Fat Red Thin Episode 39

  Minglan spat out the last mouthful of yellow water on the edge of the car, then flipped over and fell onto the soft cushion. Old Mrs. Sheng fondly stroked her small face. In just a few days, Minglan's baby fat, which had been present for years, rapidly dissipated. As for her white and chubby little granddaughter becoming slender, Old Mrs. Sheng had never doubted it. Unfortunately, she guessed the outcome but not the process.

  Xiao Minglan was dizzy and saw double, calling the house mother "grandmother" and driver Old Zhang "Cui Mama, why did you grow a beard?" The old lady was very heartbroken and held Minglan in her arms all the way, letting her sleep on her lap.

  That day, after the big commotion at my house, Minglan was confined to her room as soon as she returned home. In addition to being grounded and copying Buddhist scriptures, Old Madame Sheng asked her if she knew what was wrong with her behavior. Minglan nodded very honestly: I know, it was too showy.

  This copy was copied until the trip, Minglan never had a chance to see Yanran again. The Yu Fu was guarded tightly and no news came out. Outside, people only knew that Yanran had fallen ill and the marriage with Gu Fu was temporarily postponed.

  Grandma's face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and Minglan didn't dare to explain herself until they were on the road. When she saw that the old lady was worried about her getting carsick, her attitude softened a lot, and while vomiting, she stuttered to defend herself: "...Grandma, think about it, would your granddaughter be so stupid?"

  At that time, she concluded a very mysterious conclusion based on her years of experience as a judge: some things look safe but are actually dangerous, and some things look dangerous but are actually safe.

  First, she did good deeds without leaving a name. As long as the Yu family servants didn't go out and shout, Manniang was scolded for half a day without knowing who was scolding her. Moreover, this matter is not glorious for the Yu household, they will inevitably cover it up tightly, let alone mention Minglan's performance, even if Manniang performed well, she wouldn't let the servants leak it out; besides, the Sheng family had to move away immediately, while the Yu family was going to stay in Dengzhou to retire. When they arrived in Beijing or followed Sheng Hong to be transferred elsewhere, it would be even more irrelevant.

  The old lady's expression didn't change as she said: "Why must you stick your head out? In the end, it's still a matter of the Yu family themselves!"

  The words hit the mark, and Minglan's delicate face suddenly fell silent. After a moment, she let out a soft sigh: "As a daughter, I have to be careful with every word and deed my whole life, can't afford to make any mistakes... but is this really living? Every step I take has to follow rules, every word I say has to follow rules; from the moment I wake up to the moment I fall asleep, I always have to think about relationships. I don't like living like this, it's just going through the motions like a wooden puppet... I want to be able to do what I want, say what I want, just once in a while... Grandmother, Minglan knows she was wrong."

  Minglan was nestled in her grandmother's arms, feeling extremely downhearted. It would be more accurate to say that she was not speaking out of a desire for temporary satisfaction, but rather because she felt a sense of solidarity with others who had been similarly hurt. Just like Yanran, whose grandfather was still alive, her father would sacrifice his daughter's happiness for the sake of wealth and glory. What about herself? If one day her own father needed to sacrifice her marriage for personal gain, could Old Lady Sheng stand up for her? In this world, a girl's fate was as fragile as a floating water lily. However, in order to live a life of comfort and luxury, did she have to sacrifice all her personality and principles, enduring humiliation and flattery, even resorting to hypocrisy and ruthlessness?

  The old lady also fell silent, stroking Minglan's soft hair that was as loose as a crow's feathers. In fact, Old Lady Yu later came to the mansion in person to thank them and praised Minglan for being considerate of others, having a noble character, and possessing a heroic spirit. She said that Yanran was fortunate to have such a sister in this lifetime. She also knew that this matter was not serious, but she just wanted to temper Minglan's temperament so that she wouldn't be too sharp and hurt herself in the future.

  Since Minglan had confessed and been punished, and her attitude towards reform was good, Old Lady Sheng lifted the news blockade policy:

  Yanran's marriage was a thousand twists and turns. My husband had always had a cough, but that day after the big commotion he spat out a mouthful of thick phlegm and blood, which unexpectedly opened up his airways and brought him good fortune. After recovering, my husband quickly threw himself into work and with lightning speed arranged a new marriage for Yanran, with an old friend's family from last year, saying it was better than marrying Hualan, but not as bad as marrying Gu Er.

  The family of the bridegroom is in Dali, Yunnan Province. The local prominent family, the Duans, have many sons, and he is one of them, much older than Biyan. It's said that his character is very good, but until now, they haven't been able to settle on a suitable marriage because he has leg problems (he broke his leg when he was young), so he can't take the imperial examination.

  This time, Old Master Yu was determined, and his actions were swift and decisive. He directly ordered his son to bring over the silver to prepare the dowry, and if he dared to utter another word of complaint, he would disown him on the spot. On the day Minglan set off, the Yu family had just finalized the engagement with the Duan family.

  “…it's fine.” Minglan made an effort to think positively, “Even if I can't take office, I can still practice medicine, do business, and buy property. There are many things I can do! What's most important is being good to my sister Yanran.” Thinking that Yanran had finally escaped the trap, Minglan became happy again and clapped her hands, saying: “Now Ningyuan Marquis will have to search everywhere for relatives again. The matchmakers in the capital are going to be busy!”

  "There's no need to look anymore." Old Lady Sheng said heavily, "Young Master Yu has promised to marry Yanran, they will get married after she comes of age."

  Minglan was stunned, feeling extremely indignant, and wished she could clench her fists and run a few laps outside, or curse the heavens fiercely. After half a moment, she felt dizzy and nauseous, so she turned her head, hugged an empty basin and continued vomiting.

  All the way south, the car wheels rumbling, at the end of August, the northern air was cool and refreshing, with a vast blue sky. Minglan's stubbornness accompanied her all along, perhaps to alleviate her boredom or maybe because everyone's mood relaxed after leaving the house, Housekeeper Fang began telling stories to Minglan: "Young lady, don't blame Old Madam for punishing you, she did it for your own good. A woman must live a good life, and the threshold can be high."

  While the old lady was resting in another carriage, Fang's mother sat in the carriage to take care of Minglan, smoothing out her quilt and patting her pillow softly while chatting with her.

  House mom's theoretical ability is not good, but she has an advantage in that she has heard and seen many real cases over the decades. According to her experience, a woman's life is either good or bad, and it all depends on three things: fate, luck, and personal abilities. As long as two of these three factors are favorable, one can have a smooth life.

  Take Mrs. Yu as an example, she was born in a family of great Confucian scholars in Shandong Province in her early years, her parents were warm and kind, the family rules were strict, this fate is very good; later, her husband Mr. Yu was one of his father's most favored disciples, Mr. Yu was recognized by his teacher during his poor days and gave him his daughter in marriage, so he was very grateful, and he and Mrs. Yu loved each other all their lives, even after he became successful in his official career and rose to high positions, he did not change his affection for his wife, and they lived together in harmony until old age, Mrs. Yu's fate is also extremely good.

  So, Mrs. Yu doesn't need to have any fighting skills; it can be said that Mrs. Yu has never experienced any major setbacks in her life and doesn't need to use her wits or cunning, a lucky person like a greenhouse flower. Hmm, it's precisely because of this that she can't suppress her daughter-in-law Yan Ran, and sometimes even needs Mr. Yu himself to come out and teach his daughter-in-law a lesson.

  "What's wrong with that? Can't bear that others are born well and married even better!" House mom sighed.

  Minglan was completely absorbed in listening, this was even more enjoyable than storytelling.

  "It seems that giving birth is very important! If the parents are good, then things have been settled for the most part!" Minglan sighed with emotion, and Old Lady Yu's choice of son-in-law was indeed not bad. But who knew that Housekeeper Fang did not quite agree: "That's not necessarily true, Yanyan had lost her mother soon after she was born, and her father is a heartless man, but she has been protected by Old Master Yu and the old lady, as long as she has some ability herself, in the future she can also establish her own family business, it's just that...she followed Old Lady Yu!"

  "Is it?" Minglan refused pale and weak theories, asking for factual explanations.

  The house mom was very pleased with herself and couldn't help but boast about it.

  She was born into a poor and struggling farming family, her father was seriously ill, she had not eaten a full meal before the age of seven, her mother reluctantly sold her to a child trafficker, who later sold her to the Yongyi Marquis's mansion, her life was really miserable.

  However, after entering the Hou Mansion, she was diligent and honest, and soon became a maid by the side of Miss Hou. With her eagerness to learn, she mastered various skills such as writing, accounting, embroidery, and household management. She served her master with all her heart and no second thoughts, eventually becoming the top maid for Miss Xu. Later, after following Miss Xu into the Sheng Mansion, she was married off by the old lady to a steward, and together they left to make a living on their own. They had many children and grandchildren, and their family business prospered. One son became a scholar and opened a private school, another son opened several shops, and yet another bought land and became a small landlord.

  "Mom's luck is pretty good! It's true that good people will be rewarded." Minglan felt more and more spirited as she listened.

  The housekeeper smiled and waved her hand: "Being a good person is not enough. When I knew I was going to be sold, I worked hard day and night, saved some money, and begged the matchmaker to sell me to a good family. Luckily, I met a kind-hearted master and mistress, which led me to meet the old lady; it was because I was willing to suffer losses and work hard in the Hou Mansion that I entered the eyes of Old Master Hou's wife; and finally, it was because I urged my husband to go out and make a fortune that we had a good life. Now, serving the old lady is also a day-to-day thing, accompanying her to chat and relieve boredom. When the time comes when the old woman can't move anymore, I'll return to the countryside to hold my grandson!"

  After her middle age lost her husband, she saw that her children had all married and couldn't bear to leave Mrs. Sheng alone, so she entered the Sheng household as a servant again, saying that she wanted to fulfill the master-servant relationship. Her sons and grandsons were quite filial, and every year during festivals they would come to ask her to return home to enjoy her old age, but Housekeeper Fang refused.

  Minglan's tongue is not yet done, it's really a living example of successful struggle! Looking at Fang's mother's gaze, I couldn't help but add a few points of admiration. Although she was born unlucky, her luck + skills = successful life, too.

  Mrs. Fang is actually not a talkative person, she usually speaks with great restraint, this time she has been talking for several days in a row, Minglan knows that she is saying it to herself, she was born with bad luck, her father didn't love her birth mother who died early, and she is still an illegitimate daughter, but she has good fortune, she received grandmother's love, but this is not enough, she needs to make an effort for herself.

  The audience gave warm applause to House Mother, who was greatly encouraged. She told some stories every day, telling Minglan about old events and anecdotes as if they were serialized stories. When she told stories, the door outside was closed by Teacher Danju, and idle people were not allowed in. Some places were told in detail, occasionally expressing opinions, while others were obscure, relying on Minglan to understand them herself.

  Under Minglan's repeated questioning, Housekeeper Fang finally sighed and said: "...They all say that we old ladies are fierce, forbidding our husbands from taking concubines, and making a ruckus every day. But...Alas, isn't Master Xiang a good person? The old lady suffered a loss here, and was wrongly given a reputation for being fierce. In reality, she had a kind heart, but only knew how to quarrel with the old master, and didn't guard against the underhanded schemes of petty people and lowly maidservants, which ultimately led to her son's downfall...This is what truly broke her heart."

  Speaking of the past, Mrs. Fang sighed and tears came out, and she pulled Minglan along: "The old lady was angry with you for taking charge at the Yu's house, but it was all bitter heart, you know, a woman's family is fierce in her heart, fierce on her face is going to suffer, not only being slandered by others, but also can't get things done! The more fierce, the less it shows on her face!"

  "I really know I was wrong." Minglan said in a low voice, this time she truly acknowledged her mistake.

  Seeing Minglan's understanding, Housekeeper Fang became happy again and enthusiastically told Minglan a model story: "That young lady, uh... now she's also an old lady, her family background and appearance are not outstanding, and her marriage is not as good as your grandfather's. If you say so, she was also a bit of a romantic, but after all these years, she managed to keep her husband from getting old, without even having a single illegitimate child! I heard that now her husband is advanced in age, several concubines have long since disappeared, and the old couple are still very affectionate."

  Minglan was very eager. Also, it's not clear if it's because of the gossip behind her back, but in just a few days, Minglan saw this exemplary person who was enthusiastically pursued by Fang Mama.

  The carriage had just arrived at the ferry terminal, and they were about to get off and change boats to continue south. They coincidentally met with the He family members who also took the same boat to cross the river to Jinling. Old Lady He lifted the curtain and looked outside, seeing the emblem of the Sheng family's carriage, so she sent someone to verify their identity. The two families were reunited without needing a blood test, and the two elderly women who hadn't seen each other for half a lifetime hugged each other and tearfully chatted.

  Only saw that old lady He had black hair, a plump body, rosy complexion, and wrinkles on her face, but most of them were smile lines. She smiled whenever she saw someone, with an open and enthusiastic personality. When she saw Minglan's delicate and lovely appearance, she hugged her tightly and kissed her several times. Afterwards, she gave her a heavy purse as a gift, inside which was a large handful of gold coins and a pair of white jade "peaceful" buttons.

  Minglan was stunned at that moment, she thought this old lady should be like Yuanyang's mother, but unexpectedly, she turned out to be a cheerful and optimistic rural old woman. It is said that she is only two years younger than Sheng Laotaitai, but now it seems like she looks ten years younger.

  "Mom, you're not mistaken, are you? She doesn't seem like that." Minglan clutched her purse and immediately wavered in her stance, taking advantage of the opportunity to whisper to Housekeeper Fang; Housekeeper Fang smiled all over her face and also replied in a low voice: "If she only puts on a good appearance but is actually cruel and despicable at heart, not only will she harm herself, but she'll also be anxious for the rest of her life. Take a good look at this old lady, she's the real deal! She lives a carefree life, never getting angry to the point of harming herself, no one can outlast her!"

  He Lao Tai Tai was a witty conversationalist. After Sheng Lao Tai Tai met her, she couldn't stop laughing and decided that the two families should travel together on one boat.

  "Ah, elder sister, I've been waiting for you to say that! This time I set off in a hurry and didn't book a boat in advance." Old Lady He patted her chest, looking relieved, then turned around and instructed, "Quickly, go call Young Master Hong back, we have a boat now! Tell him it's all thanks to his grandmother's abilities, she managed to find an elder sister with a boat right away!"

  Everyone in the house burst out laughing, and Old Lady Sheng slapped her twice, scolding with a smile: "You're already a grandmother, how can you still be so mischievous! Don't let my little granddaughter learn your naughty ways!"

  Minglan had just finished vomiting the last time and was gradually getting some energy back. She obediently leaned against her grandmother's side, listening to her, seeing that her grandmother was rarely this happy, and chimed in: "Grandmother is usually one against two."

  Old Lady He laughed so hard she almost fell over, and after hugging Minglan again and giving her two more kisses, she scolded Old Lady Sheng: "You're such a good child, you're just like my own granddaughter! On the other hand, that deadbeat son of mine is exactly like your fake, proper self!"

  Just as they were talking, a maid from the He family came in and reported respectfully: "The seventh young master has returned." Old Mrs. He hurriedly said: "Quickly call him to come in and pay his respects!" Only to see the curtain lifted, a slender and elegant youth slowly walked in, saw people and bowed his head, Old Mrs. Shen hastily called someone to help him up, when he raised his head, Minglan finally got a clear look at his appearance.

  A fourteen or fifteen year old young man, with a clean face, trimmed eyebrows and handsome eyes, not as beautiful as Qi Heng, but with a strong scholarly air. His movements were steady and dignified, with the aura of wealth and nobility of the He family, yet he wore only a simple white silk robe, except for a jade pendant tied to his waist with a blue ribbon, there was no other ornament on him. After the two sides had exchanged greetings between old and young, they all sat down.

  "This is your Sheng family's younger sister, Xiao Ming. " Old Lady He introduced enthusiastically, using the usual way that Minglan's grandmother would call her, "This is my grandson Honger, three years older than you."

  He Hongwen saw a delicate and pretty little girl sitting next to Old Lady Sheng, with curved eyebrows and smiling eyes, looking silly but also rather weak and sickly. He blurted out: "Little Ming sister, don't eat too many of those plums, they're very bad for your spleen and stomach."

  Minglan was suddenly called over, and she stared blankly for a moment, looking at the box of plums in her hand. She turned to look at her grandmother, then at the young man, and suddenly caught a whiff of a refreshing herbal scent that seemed to appear out of nowhere. She said dully: "This is for you to eat, to relieve fatigue;... uh, since that's the case, then don't eat it."