Chapter 27: Search
Chapter 27: Search
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S T E L L A R C L O U D
[Celeste S.] [Azurixa] [Robert K.]
O R A N G E S T A R
[Talia R.] [K.Rom]
Y E L L O W S T A R
[Camille] [Linds] [Esther D.]
G O L D S T A R
[Nem]
Gu Jiao closed the door of the room and then said, “Tell me everything that happened today.”
Gu Xiaoshun honestly explained his experience of looking after the elderly woman.
It turned out that the elderly woman really didn’t remember anything. That day when she regained consciousness, she was in Gu Jiao and Xiao Liulang’s home, so she thought she was a member of the family. Grabbing some melon seeds, she asked Gu Xiaoshun, “Which of the two unfilial kids is my grandchild?”
Gu Xiaoshun remembered his sister’s instructions and didn’t dare to tell the elderly woman that she had leprosy.
But he couldn’t really say that his sister or brother-in-law were her own grandchildren. In desperation, he blurted out that she was his brother-in-law’s grandaunt and that she came all the way to visit him.
Gu Jiao did not realize that the elderly woman didn’t have Alzheimer’s disease, therefore she didn’t give Gu Xiaoshun a set of rhetoric to deal with her.
Gu Xiaoshun continued, “Then she asked me, ‘Why does it seem like your sister is the one in charge of this family?’ I said, ’That’s normal. My brother-in-law is the one who married into our family!’ She asked again, ‘Why didn’t I see anyone else?’ Then I told her about the family division.”
Upon hearing this, Gu Jiao held her forehead directly. Which part did it look like she was in charge of this family? She and Xiao Liulang had always been on their own, and would only have a meal together once in a while.
Xiaoshun, this dunce ah! He was tricked by the elderly woman.
No wonder the elderly woman was able to criticize the Gu Family without a pause. She actually got a thorough understanding of the enemy’s situation through Gu Xiaoshun.
“Then why did she always ignore me when I questioned her before?” It made her think her reactions were dull.
Gu Xiaoshun replied, “She said you were unfilial so she didn’t want to talk to you!”
Gu Jiao, “…”
Wasn’t it just giving her a few less candied fruits?
Gu Jiao came back to the main room. Obviously, Xiao Liulang had already talked with the elderly woman. She didn’t know what Xiao Liulang said to her but the elderly woman no longer had the same arrogance of someone superior she had just now. On the contrary, she looked somewhat listless as she walked.
“I’m damned sleepy after an argument. I’ll go to bed first. Call me when the meal is ready!” The elderly woman snorted, turned her jolting buttocks on several people, and went back to her own room to sleep.
Gu Jiao looked at Xiao Liulang.
Xiao Liulang said after a brief silence, “At that time, the physician said that the medicine based on the prescription should be taken for one year, but if the symptoms recover quickly, the disease will lose its infectivity in one month.”
He didn’t strongly persuade Gu Jiao to let the elderly woman stay in the house, and only told Gu Jiao that her disease would likely not be passed on to others anymore soon, hoping that Gu Jiao would agree to continue to take her in.
Gu Jiao didn’t know that this black sesame glutinous rice ball[1] also showed pity to strangers sometimes.
Perhaps the elderly woman reminded him of his brother who died young.
“Alright, we’ll let grandaunt stay here for the time being.” Gu Jiao said with a sigh.
Actually, she really didn’t intend to drive the elderly woman away. But if she could sell Xiao Liulang a favor, that would be nice.
For now, they recognized the elderly woman as their grandaunt, which was currently the safest way.
Facts proved that their decision was correct, because that very night, a group of officers and soldiers broke into Qingquan Village and went from house to house in search of the patient who had escaped from Leprosy Mountain.
The only outsider in the village was the elderly woman. When they learned that she had just arrived in the village recently, the officers and soldiers rushed into Gu Jiao and Xiao Liulang’s house without another word.
When the officers and soldiers came to their door, the elderly woman had already finished eating dinner and went to her room to warm herself. But the couple was still sitting at the table, having their dinner.
Their dinner was quite sumptuous, a bowl of pork and cabbage stir fry, a plate of scallion egg pancakes, a pot of wild mushroom pottage, a bowl of wood ear mushroom salad and a plate of shelled peanuts that went well with liquor.
Of course, there was no liquor.
The aroma of the braised pork and scallion egg pancake assailed people’s nostrils, which instantly made the officers and soldiers feel hungry.
“Officers, is something the matter?” Xiao Liulang asked.
The officers and soldiers returned to their senses and one of them said, “I heard there is an old woman in your home. Where is she?”
Xiao Liulang took people to the elderly woman’s place, “She’s my grandaunt who just came from Su County a few days ago.”
As he spoke, he stepped forward and took the plate that the elderly woman failed to hide in time. He said, “You stole candied fruits again. Didn’t we say that you are too old to eat too many sweets?”
“Humph.” Having been caught, the elderly woman turned her face away with bitterness.
The officers and soldiers did not have a portrait of the leper, but they were told of the leper’s characteristics. They knew that she had white patches and red spots on her face and the back of her hands which were the symptoms of leprosy. Aside from that, she supposedly had a sallow complexion and fatigued appearance.
The elderly woman before their eyes was different in everything except her age.
She had no white patches and red spots, her complexion was ruddy and she looked unreasonably lively.
Leprosy couldn’t be cured. Some prescriptions could delay its development, but it was simply impossible for the patient to recover so well in just ten days.
Most of the suspicions of the officers had disappeared, and after seeing that Xiao Liulang did not have the slightest avoidance and dislike for the elderly woman, they thought it was even more unlikely that she was the leper.
Nevertheless, the leader of the group dared not lower his guard. He went to the kitchen again and pointed to the medicine pot on the stove, “Whose medicine is this?”
Xiao Liulang said, “It’s mine. I have a leg injury. That is the medicine prescribed to me when I went to the medical hall in town.”
“Show me the package of medicinal herbs.” The other party said.
Gu Jiao went to get the package of medicinal herbs accordingly.
The man opened the package and found pseudo-ginseng inside.
Pseudo-ginseng was a very common medicinal herb for improving blood circulation and reducing blood stasis. People who practiced martial arts were no strangers to it. Apart from that, there was also safflower which was also a common medicinal herb for treating wounds.
With these two kinds of medicinal herbs, one could basically be certain that the medicine was not for treating leprosy.
“What’s your name?” The man asked.
“Xiao Liulang.” Xiao Liulang said seriously, “If several officers have doubts about my identity, they can go to Tianxiang Academy and find the Dean to check my household registration record.”
The man frowned, “The Dean of Tianxiang Academy? Is his surname Li?”
“That’s right.” Xiao Liulang replied.
Several officers exchanged meaningful glances and became a bit more polite to Xiao Liulang.
Generally speaking, they didn’t have to go to the Dean if they had to check a person’s household registration record. Xiao Liulang specially mentioned the Dean just to tell them that he was someone under Dean Li’s protection.
Xiao Liulang didn’t want to be the Dean’s disciple, but it didn’t prevent him from being a fox exploiting the tiger’s might[2].
His skin was thick and he didn’t feel any pressure at all.
The name “Dean Li” was rather very useful. The officers asked a few more routine questions and then withdrew with the soldiers.
However, the officers and soldiers had not gone far yet when they sent one person to go back quietly, who then entered Xue Ningxiang’s house.
“Is the elderly woman next door really that young man’s grandaunt?”
“Yes.”
“When did she arrive here?”
“Just a few days ago.” Xue Ningxiang said.
“How come I heard it was ten days ago?” The officer stared into Xue Ningxiang’s eyes and asked.
Xue Ningxiang said firmly, “Who said that? I live next door, how could I be wrong?”
The officer looked at Xue Ningxiang’s one-year-old son in her arms, and a cold glint flashed through his eyes before he finally left.
Xue Ningxiang’s back was drenched with cold sweat.
*****
T/N: I’m not hungry! You are!
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Also, please also have a look at our other translations!
Everyone But Me Is Reborn
Her father is a coward and senselessly filial. Her mother is weak and gullible. Her elder brother is a wastrel.
When she married into the Wangfu, she suffered and was coldly treated. And by the time she was in labour, she was fated to die with the unborn child in her belly.
This was supposed to be Ning Nuan’s life.
However this time, everyone but her is reborn.
Ning Nuan is at a loss. She felt that her dad has suddenly become the pillar of the family, her mother’s temper became fierce, and even her elder brother, who would only walk the dogs and play with birds all day, has begun picking up books and reading them carefully.
There is also that juvenile that shows up at the wall of her courtyard everyday, calling her “Ah Nuan, Ah Nuan” with an honest face.