Qi Yun's body is currently weak, and the excess heat in his body has not completely dissipated, so he doesn't casually leave the room. He also takes this time to clean up the accounts.

Usually, a doctor comes to check his pulse every three days, and Ye Jiao also stays with him every day, but she doesn't dare to hold him while sleeping anymore.

This has caused Qi Yun to not take the initiative to see Madam Liu for a long time. Ye Jiao, on the other hand, goes to Madam Liu's courtyard for a stroll every day after having breakfast.

Although Ye Jiao doesn't quite understand what's the use of meeting and chatting every day, but since Madam Fang goes every day, she feels that this is part of her duty as a daughter-in-law, so she goes as well.

However, what Ye Jiao doesn't know is that Madam Fang didn't originally come every day either.

Usually, Madam Fang has to take care of the matters in her own courtyard. The eldest son Qi Zhao is now managing the affairs of the manor and often leaves early and returns late. Madam Fang takes care of her son and also takes care of Qi Zhao, so she is very busy as well.

It's just that winter is approaching recently, and Madam Fang wants to come to Madam Liu's place to see if she can get some benefits from her mother-in-law. Moreover, the clothes Madam Liu made for her son Shitou are already on his body. In order to please Madam Liu, Madam Fang has been coming more diligently.

However, just when she thought she didn't need to come every day, she discovered that the second son's wife always goes to Madam Liu's courtyard.

This gives Madam Fang a sense of crisis.

Although the sons of the Qi family are all grown up now, the elders are still alive, so they are still one family. Whoever mentions dividing the family will be scolded to death. In this family, besides the men, the one who has the most say is Madam Liu.

Usually, Madam Liu doesn't manage things much, but when it comes to the food, clothing and daily necessities of the family, everyone has to listen to what Madam Liu says.

In theory, Madam Fang is the eldest daughter-in-law of the Qi family and has given birth to Shitou, so Madam Liu is also close to her. There's no need to worry about her status in the family at all. However, Madam Fang is well-read, has a narrow mind, and although not very smart, she always likes to think about things in a roundabout way.

Seeing that Qi Yun's health is better than before, the newly married young lady who came for the auspicious occasion has obviously gained the favor of her mother-in-law Madam Liu. Moreover, this second sister-in-law has a good appearance and even her voice sounds better than her own.

Before, she could get some benefits in front of Madam Liu, but in the future, with Ye Jiao as a comparison, will Madam Liu become critical of her?

If the eldest son Qi Zhao knew about this thought, he would definitely say that his wife is foolish.

His family doesn't have that many rules. Madam Liu is an easygoing person. Ordinary families are not like the palace or official residences with the rules of morning and evening greetings. Usually, the three sons' families live their own lives. In addition, they eat together every night, so they can always see each other when going in and out. Madam Liu has never criticized anything.

She is the eldest sister-in-law and has a son. In this family, she can walk around boldly without anyone managing her. What is she thinking about?

If Madam Liu really disliked her for being petty-minded, she would have acted on it long ago. How could she tolerate her until now?

However, Madam Fang has gotten herself entangled in her own thoughts. She actually follows Ye Jiao and goes to Madam Liu's place to talk at a fixed time every day, which makes Madam Liu feel puzzled for a while.

But Madam Liu doesn't refuse. Of course, she is happy to see her grandson every day.

So the two daughters-in-law actually supervised each other and persisted for nearly ten days. Madam Liu always tells people that she has found two filial daughters-in-law.

And her way of expressing closeness is to prepare some food when the two come over, which makes Ye Jiao love to go even more. Little Shitou also calls out every day that he wants to go to grandma's place to eat sweet cakes, so Madam Fang can't go later even if she wants to.

On this day, when Madam Fang came carrying Shitou, she saw that Ye Jiao was already in the room.

Because winter has arrived, Madam Liu's leg, which was injured when she was young, has some problems. When it gets cold, it hurts, so the charcoal fire in Madam Liu's room is always lit the earliest.

When she lifted the door curtain and entered, she felt the heat on her face, warm and cozy.

Ye Jiao was holding a bowl in her hand and was about to take a spoonful to eat. Seeing Madam Fang come in, she stood up and smiled, "Elder Sister-in-law, it's cold outside. Why didn't you wear more, Elder Sister-in-law?"

Madam Fang felt that this sentence sounded quite familiar. Suddenly, she remembered that wasn't this what she had said to her before?

At that time, she was just being polite, but Ye Jiao actually remembered it and put it into practice.

Madam Fang also said kindly, "Sister-in-law is thoughtful. I will remember next time." Saying that, she held Shitou and greeted Madam Liu, "Shitou, come and greet Grandma and Second Aunt."

"Grandma, Second Aunt." Shitou is young and has just learned to speak. His voice is a bit muffled, and he looks tiger-headed and tiger-brained, just at the age for fun.

Ye Jiao also looks at him fondly and picks up a sweet cake from the table and hands it to him.

Shitou blinks his big eyes at Ye Jiao. Seeing Madam Fang nod at him, he smiles, revealing his little baby teeth. His little hand grabs the sweet cake, and his soft mouth says, "Thank you, Second Aunt!"

Shitou says this sentence particularly smoothly. Recently, he has been following Madam Fang to Madam Liu's courtyard, and it is this good-looking aunt who gives him sweet cakes to eat.

Second Aunt always smells like osmanthus, just like osmanthus candy. Shitou likes it very much.

Seeing him being obedient, Madam Liu also smiles and says to Madam Fang, "Sit down. The almond milk has just been stewed. Try it."

Madam Fang sits down as told, puts Shitou aside, picks up the bowl and smells it.

Almond milk is a snack that has been passed down from the palace to the common people.

First, the almonds are pounded into a paste, the residue is filtered out, rice flour is added and stirred, and then sugar is slowly added and simmered. Compared with ordinary tea, it is much thicker. It looks like a beautiful milky white color and smells very sweet and fragrant.

However, it is not easy to cook the almond milk well. Madam Fang's maiden family is not bad, but the almond milk bought outside looks far worse than this bowl. After tasting a mouthful, Madam Fang is even more surprised.

It's not too sweet, but very mellow and delicious.

Madam Fang has been married into the Qi family for more than five years, but she has never eaten this before. Now, seeing that Madam Liu eats it often, she can't help but ask, "Mother, where did you buy this?"

Madam Liu's expression is calm, and she turns the prayer beads on her hand: "It was made by Aunt Liu. Aunt Liu's cooking skills have always been good."

At this time, Aunt Liu is standing beside Madam Liu. Hearing this, she smiles and doesn't say much.

Madam Fang can't help but look at Aunt Liu, who has always been by Madam Liu's side. Suddenly, she feels that it's quite good to come to Madam Liu's place at a fixed time every day, just for this bowl of almond milk, it's worth it.

Ye Jiao, on the other hand, doesn't think too much. She happily holds the bowl and eats it with relish.

After finishing a bowl, she says to Madam Liu, "Mother, can I take a bowl back for my husband?"

This immediately softens Madam Liu's eyes, and she says to Ye Jiao in a gentle voice, "Only these three bowls were stewed today. Next time, I'll bring some for Second Son."

Ye Jiao looks a bit disappointed on her face, always feeling that it's a pity that her husband can't eat something so delicious.

Madam Fang, on the other hand, looks at Ye Jiao in surprise, seemingly not expecting that Ye Jiao would be so attentive to Qi Yun.

Madam Liu then takes Shitou into her arms, pats the little guy's head, and says, "Third Son will return from the academy in a few days. You go back and tell Eldest Son and Second Son to have a meal together when Third Son returns, don't delay it."

Madam Fang naturally agrees. Although Qi Yun is busy on the manor, the only one in this family who studies and takes the imperial examinations is the third son Qi Ming. In Madam Fang's mind, studying to become a scholar and pass the imperial examinations is the top priority. Even if the matters of the manor are put aside, Qi Ming's affairs should be taken care of first.

Ye Jiao, however, purses her lips. Although she remembers that Qi Yun said to go along with Madam Liu, her concern for Qi Yun still prevails. She says softly, "Mother, my husband's health hasn't fully recovered yet."

When Madam Liu thinks of her sickly second son, her face shows a trace of distress. She turns the prayer beads again and says, "Take care of his health first, let him rest well. You can come then."

Ye Jiao responds and smilingly reaches for the sweet cake again.

Madam Liu doesn't stop her and just looks at her with a smile.

Previously, when Madam Liu went to see Qi Yun, she heard her second son say that his wife is good in every way, just a bit gluttonous. In addition to three meals a day, she always adds some extra food for herself.

Qi Yun told Madam Liu this because he thought that Ye Jiao had been moving around in front of Madam Liu recently, and this little habit couldn't be hidden anyway, so he might as well make it clear and let Madam Liu not mind it.

Qi Yun is willing to dote on and indulge his young wife's love for eating and drinking, but he is afraid that Madam Liu will dislike his daughter-in-law for being gluttonous.

Little did he know that not only does Madam Liu not dislike it, she even likes it a bit.

Because Madam Fang is a bit plump, she eats very little usually. Even when the whole family eats together, she only takes a few bites and puts down her chopsticks, afraid that eating one more mouthful will make the meat grow on her face.

Ye Jiao, however, is different. She eats and drinks without caring, and every time she eats with great relish, which makes Madam Liu feel comfortable watching her.

She doesn't care in her heart whether her daughter-in-law is fat or thin. Madam Fang is pretty when fat, and Ye Jiao is pretty when thin. As long as they are healthy, it's fine. But seeing the young lady eat with relish always makes her feel particularly appetizing, and it also makes Madam Liu feel comfortable.

Older people always feel that there is too little food in the bowls of the younger generation, and that's how it is.

Madam Fang, however, still doesn't eat or drink much. When she left Madam Liu's courtyard, she only ate the almond milk and didn't touch anything else.

Ye Jiao, on the other hand, returns with a full stomach. She first goes into the room to check on Qi Yun. Seeing that the man's complexion is normal, she picks up the flowerpot without disturbing Qi Yun.

Ye Jiao exits, gently closes the door, and whispers, "Husband's complexion is really good today."

Little Su, who is cleaning on the side, can't help but stretch her head over. In the instant the door closes, she looks inside through the crack of the door.

She sees a pale face with gloomy eyes flashing by.

Little Su: ...... Where is he better! Young Madam is lying!

Ye Jiao carries the flowerpot and strolls around the courtyard, specifically looking for places with sunlight.

The stonecrop in the flowerpot is no longer as thin and weak as before, and has grown a bit taller. Apart from the three blooming flowers, there are no additional ones, but the flowers have changed from half-open to fully open.

Of course, they are still very small and inconspicuous-looking.

She doesn't know if she can keep this little thing alive now, and can only do her best and leave the rest to fate. When she has nothing to do, she goes out for a walk, basks in the sun, and sees if she can raise it well.

After strolling for a while, Ye Jiao puts down the flowerpot and pulls Little Su to teach her how to play shuttlecock.

Don't be fooled by her usual gluttony, Ye Jiao is someone who can't stay idle. Having gotten a body, she naturally wants to play well. No matter how much she eats, she seems to be able to consume it all.

Ye Jiao has never played shuttlecock before, and the Ye Jiao in her memory didn't play much of these either. Now she has to start from scratch.

But what makes Ye Jiao helpless is that although her brain is quite useful, her body coordination is really not that good. After learning for several days, she can only kick it seven or eight times in a row.

Little Su teaches Ye Jiao very patiently. In fact, for Little Su, who is just over ten years old, rather than teaching Ye Jiao, it's more like playing with Ye Jiao.

Of course, the little girl is happy to have someone to play with.

It's just that every time she sees the black feathers on the shuttlecock, she feels pain in her heart.

Her little black is so pitiful...

But compared to being taken away by Second Young Master to be stewed into chicken soup, sacrificing a few feathers is still worth it.

However, Little Su is a bit curious: "Second Young Madam, why do you have to learn this?"

Ye Jiao bends down to pick up the shuttlecock, already having a thin layer of sweat on her head. Hearing this, she smiles and says, "This was given to me by my husband. Wouldn't it be a waste to just display it?"

Little Su doesn't quite understand what this has to do with who gave it, but hearing Ye Jiao say this, she also nods in a half-understanding way, ready to continue playing with her.

But what they don't know is that Qi Yun, who is getting up to go to the table to look at another account book, clearly hears Ye Jiao's words as he passes by the window.

The window is closed and looks tightly sealed, but the paper-pasted window cannot completely block the sound from outside.

Hearing Ye Jiao's words, Qi Yun lowers his eyelids, purses his lips, and eventually it turns into a smile.

His, young wife ah.

Ye Jiao doesn't always stay in the courtyard. When it's noon, she goes into the room, wipes her face, takes down her hair, and goes to the couch for a nap.

Because Qi Yun's health hasn't been good recently, Ye Jiao lets him sleep on the bed while she sleeps on the couch.

As for why they still sleep separately, Qi Yun is afraid of passing his illness to her, and Ye Jiao is afraid that he will worsen his condition again. So they go their separate ways and sleep like this, quite peacefully.

When she wakes up from her nap, it is still bright outside, and there is still a lot of time before dinner.

Ye Jiao sits up, stretches, turns her head to look at Qi Yun, but finds that Qi Yun is not on the bed, and the screen beside him is also gone.

"Splash."

The sound of water makes Ye Jiao's eyes wander over, and she sees that the screen has been moved to the outer room.

Both the inner and outer rooms have charcoal fires burning, warm and cozy. Ye Jiao only puts on an outer garment, wears shoes, and walks directly behind the screen.

So, the standing Ye Jiao and Qi Yun in the bathtub suddenly meet each other's eyes.

Qi Yun is stunned, not reacting for a moment.

Ye Jiao blinks her eyes, those bright eyes still clean and clear. She glances at Qi Yun and says, "Husband, your body is so white too."

Author has something to say: Ye Jiao: Husband, you're so white... Eh, husband, why are you turning red?

=w=