The Daily Life of a Down-on-Hard-Life Medicine Girl Supporting Her Family

Chapter 60 Repaying a Kindness

"Of course I've come to repay a debt of gratitude."

Granny Ma was grateful for the Second Young Mistress's... no, Miss Xiao's, help: "How is your young lady? Would it be convenient for me to meet her?"

"Granny Ma, you want to..."

"Don't worry, Second Young Mistress... no, Eldest Miss has been kind to my whole family. I'm not the kind of person who repays kindness with enmity. I have something important to discuss with her."

"Alright, come with me."

Granny Zhou was furious when she saw Mo Lan bring the beggar woman into the inner courtyard: How could this girl be so irresponsible? She's becoming more and more ignorant.
"Granny Zhou, elder sister, it's me."

She then lifted her hair to reveal her true face.

"Oh, it's Granny Ma!" Granny Zhou was also pleasantly surprised. "What brings you here?"

“I’ve wanted to come for a long time, but I didn’t dare to do it openly. I racked my brains to come up with this idea.” Granny Ma said, “My outfit is very durable. I’ve worn it for ten or fifteen days without washing it. Doesn’t it smell terrible?” Granny Zhou… It wasn’t just smelly; it was simply unbearable to look at.

"Are you going to see the young lady? Or, shall I take you to change and wear mine?"

"no need."

Xiao Chunyu had already come out: "Granny Ma, how have you been?"

"Second Young Master... Eldest Miss, thanks to you, our family of thirteen is doing well."

Granny Ma quickly greeted Xiao Chunyu.

Mo Lan was completely confused.

What does it mean to be blessed by Miss?
"It was you who gave this old servant the money, and this old servant redeemed my whole family and settled them back in our hometown. Not long after, I heard about the Wu family being imprisoned."

If it weren't for Xiao Chunyu's advice, her whole family would have gone to prison with their master.

"Wasn't it my doing that the Wu family was thrown into jail?" Xiao Chunyu smiled slightly. "You were able to avoid this disaster because you are truly good to me."

On the day of the delivery, Xiao Chunyu remembered clearly what Granny Ma said to Wu Fangfang. Later, when Mo Lan and the others went to the kitchen to get food for Xiao Chunyu, those hateful cooks were very stingy. Granny Ma stood up and brought the matter to Madam Wu's attention, offending a group of people. When Xiao Chunyu found out, she sent Granny Zhou to secretly give her money so that she could redeem her family and leave the mansion to return to her hometown to live a normal life.

"I know exactly what kind of person the young lady is," said Granny Ma. "It's not that I've forgotten my roots or am speaking ill of my master, it's just that the entire Wu family is utterly disgraceful!"

“Granny Ma, you are no longer anyone’s servant,” Xiao Chunyu said. “You are now of good status, and your descendants can all study and take the imperial examinations.”

In Xiao Chunyu's current view, Granny Ma's grandson has a better chance than the Xiao family's descendants.

"Thank you, Miss." When talking about her grandchildren, Granny Ma was very happy: "This old servant sent both of my grandsons to the school in town. The teacher said they are very smart and have a bright future if they work hard."

The servants who had worked in wealthy households were perceptive and understood the importance of reading and writing. Their two grandsons, one eight years old and the other seven, were of school age and had received praise from their teacher. The Ma family worked even harder, hoping that if the children could achieve academic success, it would bring honor to their ancestors and ensure a bright future.

"That's good. Do your best." Xiao Chunyu nodded. "Granny, why did you come here this time..."

"Look at my memory, I almost forgot the important matter." She slapped her forehead. "Miss, it's like this, I came on the instructions of Granny Yun."

Granny Yun?
"Ever since Miss's accident, there have been people lingering in Granny Yun's shop from time to time. Granny Yun has a keen eye, and she discovered that many of these people are servants from those families..." It turns out that it wasn't that Granny Yun had no news, but that news simply couldn't get in.

"This old servant also..." Sigh, I really can't shake this habit of calling myself an old servant. Oh well, the young lady is so kind, it's a blessing to be her servant: "This old servant heard that something happened to you, young lady, so I rushed to the capital to inquire. I can't get the details from the news on the streets and alleys. I happened to see Granny Yun. We are old friends and can chat together. She asked this old servant to pass on a message to you."

What Xiao Chunyu didn't expect was that Granny Yun sold all the money she had given her and all her family's belongings, bought a shop at the foot of the most prosperous Zhengyang Tower, and was just waiting for her instructions to open the shop.

Moreover, it seems that this shop can no longer be run by Granny Yun's family.

“Miss, if you trust this old servant, my whole family is willing to serve you, even if it means being your slave.” The fact that Granny Ma, who had just regained her freedom, was willing to serve Xiao Chunyu again made Granny Zhou look at her with new respect.

"Thank you, Granny Ma." Xiao Chunyu was very gratified. When she asked Granny Ma to redeem her, she never thought that she would end up sending the entire Wu family to jail. She just thought that such a good person like Granny Ma shouldn't be targeted because of her. She never expected that, after all the twists and turns, good fortune would return to her.

“Granny, this shop is the business I’m planning to run…” Xiao Chunyu told her her plan without reservation: “I’m leaving this shop to you and Granny Yun.”

"Very well, this old servant will definitely work with Granny Yun to get things done!"

The woman who entered the courtyard was a beggar woman, and the one who left was also her, stinking and cursing as she walked.

“There are all kinds of people these days. How much more can an old woman like me eat? They won’t even feed me. It’s so cruel. The rich are heartless…”

Granny Tian and Granny Wan were furious, saying that Miss Molan was too weak, and that she was no good at all.

"It's alright. Everyone has their down times. She's getting on in years. I'll do what I can, and leave the rest to myself." Mo Lan was extremely grateful to Granny Ma for going to great lengths to see her mistress. "If you run into her again, don't scold her. Give her some food and drink; she won't go broke. If you're worried about her getting dirty, just call me."

"Miss Mo Lan is kind-hearted."

Mo Lan smiled and watched Granny Ma's departing figure, hoping in her heart that she and Granny Yun could successfully open the shop.

“Miss, you gave her three hundred taels of silver without even having Granny Ma sign a contract of indenture…” Granny Zhou was very worried.

"Granny, trust those you employ, and don't employ those you don't trust," Xiao Chunyu said. "I trust my own eyes."

Granny Zhou...it was you who took a liking to Wu Yunping back then, but your eyesight isn't very good.

Of course, she didn't dare say these words aloud; she only complained in her heart.

"Miss." Mo Lan returned to the courtyard.

"Sent away?"

"Yes, it's been sent out," Mo Lan said. "Granny Ma is quite clever."

“Yes, I think her two sons are shrewd too,” Xiao Chunyu said. “I hope I haven’t misjudged them this time.”

Whether it's good or bad, this is the gamble we're taking!

"Miss, what should we do now?"

"We don't need to do anything." Of course, it's also because there's nothing we can do: "With the Empress Dowager and the Empress's rewards, we'll be fine as long as we don't starve. By the way, remember to ask Miss Qiu next time if there's any news from Shu."

(End of this chapter)