Chapter 101: Running Into the Xie Family Again

The trio from another time left Big Head at the Clinic of Universal Aid and began their round of wandering the shops.

Wen Yao, in particular, was fascinated by the little trinkets lining both sides of the street.

It had to be said that with the New Year approaching, the streets were far busier, and the variety of goods for sale had grown as well.

Wen Yao bought Wen Ying and Wen Di, the two sisters, lovely floral hair ornaments, then picked out two small gifts for Big Head and Jin Xiu-yi. She also bought hairpins for Li and Cai, one each. Though silver-plated, they were beautifully made.

Originally, she had wanted to buy Aunt Luo a pair of small gold earrings, but after strolling through the jewelry shops, she never found anything she liked.

She remembered that once before, she had bought herself a pair of gold studs: tiny golden beads, simple and unobtrusive, perfect for Aunt Luo.

She secretly glanced at the price in her spatial store. Not bad. Affordable.

At once, Wen Yao placed an order for a pair of little gold earrings and added them to the gifts she had prepared for her family.

Wen Xiu-yi and Wen Jun saw that she had bought presents for everyone else in the family, but nothing for herself, and could not help asking, "Yao Yao, why aren't you getting anything for yourself?" A young girl ought to dress up a little; that was when she looked her best.

What could Wen Yao say? Was she supposed to tell them that these floral hair ornaments all looked far too matronly to her? Those glaring reds and greens were not to her taste. The aesthetic sense of people in olden times and theirs was still rather different.

She shrugged indifferently. "I don't need anything. I'll pick something later on the other side—nine ninety-nine, and free shipping." Such a bargain.

Wen Jun and Wen Xiu-yi knew she could buy anything she wanted over there, so they said no more. After all, this girl was never the sort to shortchange herself.

The three of them then went to the bookshop and bought Big Head some writing materials and paper, then bought each of the boys in the Wen family a set of the cheapest stationery they could find. With that, everything was taken care of.

"Where's Grandfather? What should we buy him?" Wen Yao asked.

Wen Xiu-yi said, "I saw some tobacco being sold just now. Buy your grandfather two catties of tobacco, and he'll be happier than anyone."

Wen Jun frowned slightly. "Smoking is harmful to health."

Wen Xiu-yi: "..."

"Ah, right, sorry, I forgot. Then let's buy him some snacks instead. Whenever he feels like taking a puff, he can munch on those."

Dr. Wen nodded in agreement.

So the three of them made another trip to the general store, bought the candy Big Head wanted, and then picked out a pile of snacks for Old Man Wen before carrying their bundles home.

On the way, a carriage passed them from behind. The three of them quickly stepped aside to avoid being hit.

Once it had gone by, they moved back onto the road, chatting and laughing together.

Who would have thought that the carriage they had just passed would turn around and come back?

They had no choice but to step aside again.

Wen Yao could not help but mutter, "Not having separate lanes for people and vehicles is such a pain. What if a horse runs too fast and hits someone?"

The words had barely left her mouth when the carriage actually stopped right in front of them.

Wen Yao: "..."

Was this for real? Had the person heard her muttering? The carriage looked expensive; could the owner be about to pick a fight with them?

Wen Xiu-yi and Wen Jun thought of the same thing. Both instinctively drew Wen Yao back a little and looked toward the carriage parked before them.

The curtain was lifted, and an old woman stepped down.

Wen Yao somehow felt she looked familiar, but could not recall where she had seen her before. The old woman studied the three of them for a moment, and after seeming to confirm something, walked toward them.

"Miss Wen," the old woman said with a slight curtsy.

Wen Yao blinked and exchanged a glance with the others. She knew them?

She looked at the old woman and asked, "And you are?"

The old woman straightened. "This old servant belongs to the Xie family and serves beside my mistress. I had the honor of meeting you once before, when the three of you visited the Xie residence."

Wen Yao understood at once. So she was from the Xie family. No wonder she had seemed familiar but impossible to place. After all, she had only caught a passing glimpse of many people in the Xie household that day.

Still, had the Xie family not been eager to distance themselves from them before? Why were they now coming down from a carriage to greet them on the roadside? If she remembered correctly, this carriage had turned back after passing them.

She did not think she had such standing in the eyes of the Xie family.

"May I ask what brings you here, madam?" Wen Yao asked bluntly. As the saying went, one did not visit without a reason. If there was nothing, why had she made such a deliberate turnabout?

The old woman did not beat around the bush either. After all, she had come to invite someone. Only when she arrived at the village had she been told that the whole family had gone into town to shop. The town was so large that she had already given up hope, never imagining she would run into them in the middle of the street.

Thinking of this, the old woman said directly, "I won't hide it from you, Miss, it was my mistress who sent me to invite you. I had just returned from Ancient Tung Village and was told you were not at home. I was about to go back and report to my mistress, never expecting to encounter you here, Miss Wen.

"Miss Wen, my mistress has a matter she hopes you might help with. Would you be willing to come with this old servant?"

Her tone was very courteous, unlike the haughty old woman they had met when they rescued Xie An-yi.

But the Xie mistress wanted her? For what? Did this financial benefactor think one thank-you was not enough and wanted to thank her many times over?

Well then... that was rather hard to refuse.

"Is something the matter with Young Master Xie?" Wen Yao could only think of Xie An-yi as the one connection between them.

But the old woman shook her head. "Not the young master this time. It is the old madam. Miss, come with this old servant to see my mistress, and you will understand."

That lofty old matriarch of the Xie family?

Tch. She did not much feel like going.

But the old woman had already said it was the Xie mistress who had invited her. Wen Yao rather liked that wealthy lady; anyone who could throw caution to the wind for the sake of her child could not be all that bad.

"Father, Eldest Brother, you go find Big Head first. I'll go see what's going on," Wen Yao said.

Wen Jun and Wen Xiu-yi were worried. "Yao Yao, why don't we go with you?"

Wen Yao glanced at the old woman and saw that she stood calmly to one side, waiting. Wen Yao nodded slightly and said to them, "I don't think this Madam Xie is the sort who likes to make things difficult for others. She probably really does have something to ask. I'll go have a look and come right back. Don't worry, nothing will happen to me."

Wen Yao lifted a hand and tapped her chest, telling them that even if there were danger, she had her own way of getting away.

Wen Xiu-yi glanced at the old woman and suddenly said loudly, "All right then. Your brother and I will wait for you at the Clinic of Universal Aid. Divine Doctor Jin and Shopkeeper Qiu are still waiting for us to return."

He was saying it to Wen Yao, but also to the Xie family's old servant: do not bully his Yao Yao.

Even if others did not know Divine Doctor Jin's background or status, the Xie family, as one of the prominent clans of the town, surely would. Even if only out of regard for Divine Doctor Jin, the Xie family should not make things difficult for Wen Yao.

Wen Yao reassured the two of them, then got into the carriage with the old woman.

Along the way, Wen Yao could not help asking the old woman what Madam Xie wanted with her. She had expected to be brushed off, but the old woman actually answered.

"Recently, the old madam has not been herself. She has no appetite for anything she eats. The kitchen has tried all sorts of dishes, but she only takes a bite or two. The mistress has even hired many excellent cooks, but nothing has helped.

"Later, one of the servants returned home to visit their family and happened to taste a banquet dish made by Miss Wen. They praised your cooking endlessly.

"Those words reached the mistress's ears, so she sent this old servant to Ancient Tung Village to invite you here and see whether you might be able to improve the old madam's sudden loss of appetite."

"Uh..."