After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 886 Visit
After lunch, Haitang followed her grandmother Ma out to visit her cousin Fang and cousin Hai Baozhu nearby.

Since the two houses were not far apart, and the people traveling back and forth passed through the alleys in the residential area, the environment was relatively simple, so Ma did not plan to harness the carriage and could just walk there.

The people accompanying them included Aunt Cui, who had been there yesterday, and Aunt Li. Two maids were carrying baskets with food and snacks for the patient and clothes and spices for Fang. Haitang wore decent home clothes, a cloak, and a veiled hat with gauze curtains, which was said to be popular in the capital. She supported her grandmother Ma and walked out of the door of her house and headed towards the alley to the west.

Ma had just finished a long journey and was still a little tired, so she didn't walk fast. When Haitang supported her, she deliberately controlled her pace. When she reached the alley outside her courtyard, she had time to turn around and take a few glances to make sure that the road was indeed very quiet and the end was indeed a dead end. She also carefully observed the terrain along the way and got to know the nearby intersections, the gates of several houses with strict gates and gatekeepers, etc. When she needed to sneak out without telling her family, she would know how to go so as not to attract the attention of outsiders.

The house that Hai Jiao and Hai Chang'an rented for Fang was indeed not far from the Hai family's new house, just behind a temple. The neighbors nearby were all small families. Judging from the couplets posted on the doors, they were all well-off, cultured, and well-behaved. The alley was quite quiet, and there were a few big trees not far away, which looked nice.

Aunt Cui went forward and knocked on the door. Soon an old woman in simple clothes came out and opened the door, welcoming Ma, Haitang and their group in.

This is a small house with flowers and trees planted in the yard. The surrounding houses are clean and tidy. There is a row of potted chrysanthemums in full bloom under the eaves and steps.

When Haitang helped her grandmother into the yard, a woman in plain clothes with a dignified and bright appearance stood in the middle of the yard. She bowed to Ma and called her "Aunt".

Ma went forward and helped her up. She looked at her carefully for a few times, and her eyes turned red. "Child, you have suffered so much, why don't you write to us? Even if your father-in-law and husband hated your second uncle and refused to communicate with us, you are still our niece and have no grudge against us! If you don't know the address, you can ask the old people in Shanhaiwei. Our master was famous in the northwest. No matter how bad your letter is, it will be delivered to us after a few years. No matter how incompetent our family is, we can still support you and the two children. It will not be difficult to take you out. That way you can suffer less for a few years, and you don't have to worry about those fools in the clan!"

Fang heard this and burst into tears. She choked up and said, "My niece also thought about leaving at that time, but when I thought about how I lost my parents at a young age, thanks to my uncle and aunt who took me in to raise me, I was able to live a good life without worries about food and clothing. Even if it is to repay the kindness of my uncle and aunt, I can't let their ancestral property fall into the hands of outsiders. Besides, Baozhu is the only surviving male in the eldest house of the Hai family. Thinking about how good my cousin was to me in the past, how can I watch the child die? Although I have suffered some hardships over the years, thanks to my second uncle and aunt, I was able to get out safely with Baozhu and was not implicated by the Jiang family. If my second uncle and aunt are willing to have mercy on me and allow me to serve you to repay your life-saving grace, I will have no regrets in this life!"

"Silly child!" Ma's eyes welled up with tears. "What are you talking about repaying a favor? We are family, what's there to say? We should love each other and help each other, so don't go against our will."

After hearing this, Fang's tears came to her eyes again.

Haitang stepped forward to persuade her: "Don't cry, cousin. The days of suffering are over, and there will be plenty of good days waiting for you in the future. Forget about those unhappy things, let's think about the future, and we should be happier!"

Fang nodded with tears in her eyes, wiped her tears with a handkerchief, looked up at Haitang, and smiled again: "This is Haitang, right? She has grown up so much, taller than our Baozhu, and so pretty!" Haitang hurriedly greeted her, not mentioning the title of "cousin" at all, but just called her "cousin aunt".

Fang hurriedly helped her up, looked at her for a few seconds, praised her several times, then held Ma's other arm and helped her into the house.

Everyone went into the house and sat down. Tea was served and Ma asked about Hai Baozhu's condition again.

Fang said, "She has improved a lot. She took medicine after lunch and has gone to bed. It is not convenient for her to come to greet my second aunt at this time. Please forgive me."

Ma waved her hands: "What's so strange about this? The child is sick, so we should take good care of him. Why ask her to come out? Don't disturb her peace. As long as she gets better soon, are you still worried that we won't have the chance to meet in the future?"

Even so, Ma still asked Haitang to help take a look. Haitang, led by Fang, walked to the door of the inner bedroom, lifted the door curtain a little, and looked inside. She saw a pale, thin girl sleeping on the bed. She was quite pretty, but she looked sick. Now the girl was in a deep sleep, so Haitang moved lightly to avoid waking the patient.

She quickly followed Fang back to the living room outside and told her grandmother Ma: "Sister Baozhu was sleeping soundly, I didn't dare to disturb her. But I saw that she was very thin and her face was not very good. It seems that her illness is really serious this time."

Ma heard this and hurriedly said to Fang: "What happened to Baozhu? If there is anything wrong, you must not hide it. Although our family is small and we are new here, we know several powerful officials and we can definitely find a good doctor for you. The child's condition is serious, so don't be polite to us."

Fang's eyes were red again, and she replied with a touching look on her face: "Don't worry, second aunt, Baozhu's condition has really improved. The doctor who is treating her now is also a famous doctor in the city. Uncle Chang'an and Jiao Ge'er took great pains to invite him. Baozhu is taking the prescription well, and she just needs to rest for a few more days. Baozhu's thinness is not caused by this illness. She has been frightened a lot in the Jiang family in the past few years. She has been sick and weak. She can only sleep well after leaving. After recuperating for a few months, she has gotten much better. It's just that her foundation is too weak and she can't compare with other girls. That's why Tang Jie'er thinks she is too thin. The doctor said that in her condition, she needs to rest for a few years before she can really recover her vitality!"

Ma finally understood and sighed, "The Jiang family is really inhuman! Baozhu is not a boy, why are they bullying her?!" She also scolded the other members of the Hai family, "They don't have any capable people, and they have to rely on you, a woman, to support the overall situation. They have lived a comfortable life, and now they have the nerve to find fault with you. If it were you, you would have given up long ago! Just live your own quiet life, who would care about their life or death? When they have a taste of being forced by the Jiang family, they will know what is good for them!"

Fang no longer wanted to say anything about the Hai family. She had long since given up hope in them and only hoped that her children would live well.

She hesitated for a moment before whispering to Ma, "Second aunt, you said in your letter earlier that you could find a good marriage for Baozhu. I wonder...what are your plans?"