Zhulan sat down and replied, “Last year, I had a serious illness. After recovering, my heart broadened. With a broadened heart, I started taking better care of myself, spending more time on self-care. It’s the effort I put into nurturing myself that has led to the current results. Sǎozi1, do you mind if I share more details with you?”
Girls from rural families like them don’t have the background of well-established families for health and beauty care. What Zhulan was saying might be commonplace in modern times, but for those without such a background, it could still be useful.
Lin Shi raised her eyebrows. Yang Shi was also a good chatterer. She called her dìmèi2, and Yang Shi called her sǎozi. It seemed that they had become closer to each other. “Okay, sǎozi will then thank her dìmèi.”
Then, she looked at the well-behaved little girl standing there and smiled, “This must be your little daughter. I remember her name is Xuehan. What a lovely name, and she looks beautiful too. Come to shěnshěn’s3 side.”
Xue Han was not new to the world. Holding steady, she walked forward with a smile, “Xuehan has met shěnshěn.”
Lin Shi took out the box that she had prepared a long time ago, “This is a little bit of shěnshěn’s wishes, take it quickly.”
Zhu Lan didn’t embarrass herself by pretending to be rich and giving gifts to Dong Chuchu. She was just a xiucai’s wife, and even if she followed the social hierarchy and called Lin sǎozi, she didn’t dare to invite an official’s daughter over. Seeing her daughter taking the box, Zhu Lan said, “Quickly, thank shěnshěn for the gift.”
Xuehan bowed and said, “Xuehan thanks shěnshěn for the favor.”
Feeling a little fond of her, she pulled her girl over and said, “This is your Chu Chu jiějiě4. She is twelve years old this year. Let your Chu Chu jiějiě take you out for a walk. The two sisters can be friends with each other.”
Xuehan put the box beside her mother and got up to greet her, “Hello, Chu Chu jiějiě.”
Dong Chuchu was a girl who grew up in the county. Her father had been a civil servant since she was born. Later, her father became the county magistrate and she met many young ladies in the county, from businessmen to government officials. She had some friends, but unfortunately, none of them were close. She didn’t like the flattery of business girls, and she didn’t like the comparisons of official girls. This mèimèi5 looked good, with a smile in her eyes, “Hello, Xuehan mèimèi, your jiějiě will take you out for a walk.” .”
Xuehan could feel Dong Chuchu’s kindness and felt relieved. She was afraid that the daughter of the county magistrate’s family would not be easy to get along with. When she came, she was prepared to be wronged. She didn’t expect that the young lady would be wronged. “Yes.”
Lin Shi looked surprised. She knew her own daughter well. Because she was the youngest, both she and her husband tended to spoil her. This girl inherited her grandmother’s temperament, straightforward and sometimes explosive. She disliked beating around the bush, had few friends, and was quite skilled in argument. Unexpectedly, after meeting with the Zhou family girl, her daughter seemed to get along well with her. After thinking about her husband’s words, she felt closer to Yang Shi. “These two girls seem to have formed a good connection.”
Zhulan nodded with a smile. She had analyzed the possible situations and grievances with her daughter yesterday, and it seemed that she was worried about it for nothing. “This is fate.”
Thinking again, it seemed that the Dong family had thoroughly investigated their family. They knew the names of everyone in the family. However, it was for the best; knowing everything was reassuring.
Zhulan turned the conversation to how she takes care of herself. This was the best topic for women to talk about. It was lively and cordial without being cold, and it was easy to get closer to each other. Zhulan said all the tips. Lin Shi also knew about the beauty benefits of honey. The only thing she didn’t know about was the milk.
Lin Shi was surprised, “Is milk really so effective?”
Zhulan nodded, “I happened to know about it too. It works well for me, but some people may develop a reaction. It depends on individual constitution, so it’s best to try it out.”
What Zhulan wanted to say was allergies, but unfortunately in ancient times, she could only say it in another way.
Lin Shi listened carefully and then told Zhulan about her own care experience. Zhulan carefully noted that ancient people were also very good at caring for flowers, especially the use of flowers.
Zhulan and Lin Shi had a very interesting chat, from caring for their children to talking about their children. Lin Shi was also a peasant girl, and her husband became rich later. Not all sons were suitable for studying, and some sons had become xiāng shēn6. They talked a lot, and Zhulan also got a lot of useful information.
For example, the fact that Dong xiàn tàiyé could become the Xiàn tàiyé of this county was all thanks to the help of his son-in-law. The son-in-law of the Dong xiàn tàiyé was the Tongzhi 7of Pingzhou, a fifth-rank official in charge of grain, farming, water conservancy, etc., and had the same rights as a Tōngpàn8!
Zhulan didn’t expect that the Dong family would have such a powerful son-in-law—a fifth-rank official, a position not easily attainable. The Dong family had hidden this well. Zhu Lan didn’t probe further, planning to inquire when she returned. She understood that the Dong family genuinely had high hopes for Zhou Shuren, which was why they revealed this information.
Later, the two of them moved on to discussing books. Zhulan had read many books since she arrived in ancient times, and Lin Shi, being an intelligent woman, could tell. Although Zhulan didn’t study diligently, she could still contribute to the conversation. This made Lin Shi increasingly admire Zhulan. In her excitement, she even fetched her own collection of paintings for Zhulan to appreciate.
Although Zhulan didn’t have Zhou Shuren’s talent for distinguishing the authenticity of paintings, she had a small level of appreciation from her upbringing and her grandfather’s love for calligraphy and painting. It allowed her to find a new source of enjoyment. Ink paintings, she could try her hand at it. In the future, with tea appreciation, appreciating paintings will be indispensable. Unlike being looked down upon and dismissed, she was determined to put in the effort to learn. It was quite surprising; in ancient times, she found herself developing a special skill.
Zhulan had another concern. In the modern world, she didn’t have the time; all her time was dedicated to studying. She wondered if she had any talent for painting.
After a year of effort, she realized that she didn’t have much talent in calligraphy. At best, her calligraphy was on par with Zhou Zheng9. To write well would require years of hard work, and to infuse one’s style would also depend on insight.
Because of Lin Shi’s kindness and advice, Zhulan knew that she would have a lot to learn in the future.
In the afternoon, they stayed for lunch. Zhou Shuren ate in the front yard, where not only was he present, but also the new xiàn chéng10. In the backyard, there were only Zhulan and her daughter as guests. After spending the morning getting to know each other, Zhulan learned that to keep a low profile, the Dong family hadn’t brought anyone else. The elderly couple only brought their unmarried daughter.
It was about three o’clock in the modern era when Zhulan’s family said goodbye and left. It was almost four o’clock when they got home.
Zhulan didn’t ask her daughter how she got along with Dong Chuchu, and she wasn’t blind. The two of them ate next to each other, and Dong Chuchu looked reluctant when they were leaving. The two of them got along very well.
Zhulan and Zhou Shuren returned to the house, and Zhulan said, “The eldest son-in-law of the Dong family is the Tóng zhī of Pingzhou. Did you know that?”
(End of Chapter)
Zhulan sat down and replied, “Last year, I had a serious illness. After recovering, my heart broadened. With a broadened heart, I started taking better care of myself, spending more time on self-care. It’s the effort I put into nurturing myself that has led to the current results. Sǎozi1, do you mind if I share more details with you?”
Girls from rural families like them don’t have the background of well-established families for health and beauty care. What Zhulan was saying might be commonplace in modern times, but for those without such a background, it could still be useful.
Lin Shi raised her eyebrows. Yang Shi was also a good chatterer. She called her dìmèi2, and Yang Shi called her sǎozi. It seemed that they had become closer to each other. “Okay, sǎozi will then thank her dìmèi.”
Then, she looked at the well-behaved little girl standing there and smiled, “This must be your little daughter. I remember her name is Xuehan. What a lovely name, and she looks beautiful too. Come to shěnshěn’s3 side.”
Xue Han was not new to the world. Holding steady, she walked forward with a smile, “Xuehan has met shěnshěn.”
Lin Shi took out the box that she had prepared a long time ago, “This is a little bit of shěnshěn’s wishes, take it quickly.”
Zhu Lan didn’t embarrass herself by pretending to be rich and giving gifts to Dong Chuchu. She was just a xiucai’s wife, and even if she followed the social hierarchy and called Lin sǎozi, she didn’t dare to invite an official’s daughter over. Seeing her daughter taking the box, Zhu Lan said, “Quickly, thank shěnshěn for the gift.”
Xuehan bowed and said, “Xuehan thanks shěnshěn for the favor.”
Feeling a little fond of her, she pulled her girl over and said, “This is your Chu Chu jiějiě4. She is twelve years old this year. Let your Chu Chu jiějiě take you out for a walk. The two sisters can be friends with each other.”
Xuehan put the box beside her mother and got up to greet her, “Hello, Chu Chu jiějiě.”
Dong Chuchu was a girl who grew up in the county. Her father had been a civil servant since she was born. Later, her father became the county magistrate and she met many young ladies in the county, from businessmen to government officials. She had some friends, but unfortunately, none of them were close. She didn’t like the flattery of business girls, and she didn’t like the comparisons of official girls. This mèimèi5 looked good, with a smile in her eyes, “Hello, Xuehan mèimèi, your jiějiě will take you out for a walk.” .”
Xuehan could feel Dong Chuchu’s kindness and felt relieved. She was afraid that the daughter of the county magistrate’s family would not be easy to get along with. When she came, she was prepared to be wronged. She didn’t expect that the young lady would be wronged. “Yes.”
Lin Shi looked surprised. She knew her own daughter well. Because she was the youngest, both she and her husband tended to spoil her. This girl inherited her grandmother’s temperament, straightforward and sometimes explosive. She disliked beating around the bush, had few friends, and was quite skilled in argument. Unexpectedly, after meeting with the Zhou family girl, her daughter seemed to get along well with her. After thinking about her husband’s words, she felt closer to Yang Shi. “These two girls seem to have formed a good connection.”
Zhulan nodded with a smile. She had analyzed the possible situations and grievances with her daughter yesterday, and it seemed that she was worried about it for nothing. “This is fate.”
Thinking again, it seemed that the Dong family had thoroughly investigated their family. They knew the names of everyone in the family. However, it was for the best; knowing everything was reassuring.
Zhulan turned the conversation to how she takes care of herself. This was the best topic for women to talk about. It was lively and cordial without being cold, and it was easy to get closer to each other. Zhulan said all the tips. Lin Shi also knew about the beauty benefits of honey. The only thing she didn’t know about was the milk.
Lin Shi was surprised, “Is milk really so effective?”
Zhulan nodded, “I happened to know about it too. It works well for me, but some people may develop a reaction. It depends on individual constitution, so it’s best to try it out.”
What Zhulan wanted to say was allergies, but unfortunately in ancient times, she could only say it in another way.
Lin Shi listened carefully and then told Zhulan about her own care experience. Zhulan carefully noted that ancient people were also very good at caring for flowers, especially the use of flowers.
Zhulan and Lin Shi had a very interesting chat, from caring for their children to talking about their children. Lin Shi was also a peasant girl, and her husband became rich later. Not all sons were suitable for studying, and some sons had become xiāng shēn6. They talked a lot, and Zhulan also got a lot of useful information.
For example, the fact that Dong xiàn tàiyé could become the Xiàn tàiyé of this county was all thanks to the help of his son-in-law. The son-in-law of the Dong xiàn tàiyé was the Tongzhi 7of Pingzhou, a fifth-rank official in charge of grain, farming, water conservancy, etc., and had the same rights as a Tōngpàn8!
Zhulan didn’t expect that the Dong family would have such a powerful son-in-law—a fifth-rank official, a position not easily attainable. The Dong family had hidden this well. Zhu Lan didn’t probe further, planning to inquire when she returned. She understood that the Dong family genuinely had high hopes for Zhou Shuren, which was why they revealed this information.
Later, the two of them moved on to discussing books. Zhulan had read many books since she arrived in ancient times, and Lin Shi, being an intelligent woman, could tell. Although Zhulan didn’t study diligently, she could still contribute to the conversation. This made Lin Shi increasingly admire Zhulan. In her excitement, she even fetched her own collection of paintings for Zhulan to appreciate.
Although Zhulan didn’t have Zhou Shuren’s talent for distinguishing the authenticity of paintings, she had a small level of appreciation from her upbringing and her grandfather’s love for calligraphy and painting. It allowed her to find a new source of enjoyment. Ink paintings, she could try her hand at it. In the future, with tea appreciation, appreciating paintings will be indispensable. Unlike being looked down upon and dismissed, she was determined to put in the effort to learn. It was quite surprising; in ancient times, she found herself developing a special skill.
Zhulan had another concern. In the modern world, she didn’t have the time; all her time was dedicated to studying. She wondered if she had any talent for painting.
After a year of effort, she realized that she didn’t have much talent in calligraphy. At best, her calligraphy was on par with Zhou Zheng9. To write well would require years of hard work, and to infuse one’s style would also depend on insight.
Because of Lin Shi’s kindness and advice, Zhulan knew that she would have a lot to learn in the future.
In the afternoon, they stayed for lunch. Zhou Shuren ate in the front yard, where not only was he present, but also the new xiàn chéng10. In the backyard, there were only Zhulan and her daughter as guests. After spending the morning getting to know each other, Zhulan learned that to keep a low profile, the Dong family hadn’t brought anyone else. The elderly couple only brought their unmarried daughter.
It was about three o’clock in the modern era when Zhulan’s family said goodbye and left. It was almost four o’clock when they got home.
Zhulan didn’t ask her daughter how she got along with Dong Chuchu, and she wasn’t blind. The two of them ate next to each other, and Dong Chuchu looked reluctant when they were leaving. The two of them got along very well.
Zhulan and Zhou Shuren returned to the house, and Zhulan said, “The eldest son-in-law of the Dong family is the Tóng zhī of Pingzhou. Did you know that?”
(End of Chapter)
