Chapter 17
Jiang Zhongqing had called Xia Sheng before coming, but no one answered, so he came in person.
Fang Rong nodded, “She’s here, but she’s busy right now and doesn’t want to be disturbed. You might have to wait for about an hour.”
“That’s fine, I’m not in a hurry.” Jiang Zhongqing noticed the basket Fang Rong was carrying and asked, “Are you heading out?”
“Yes, I’m going to buy groceries.”
“Let me go with you. The Little Celestial Master is busy right now, and I don’t have anything else to do.”
“No, no, you’re a guest. Please just wait upstairs.”
Jiang Zhongqing paused for a moment and said, “Ms. Fang, you’re the Little Celestial Master’s mother. You don’t need to be so formal with me.”
Fang Rong kept addressing him politely, which made him feel uncomfortable.
Fang Rong smiled awkwardly, “I used to work in other people’s homes, so I’m used to it.”
Jiang Zhongqing replied, “I’m not your employer. Just treat me like an ordinary friend.”
Fang Rong hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
Xia Sheng had been tinkering with the Buddha Beads in her room for a long time, but eventually realized that the cracked beads were beyond repair. She decided to go to the Ancient Street tomorrow to look for new ones and carve the formation herself.
When she left her room, she immediately smelled the rich aroma of food in the air.
Looking toward the kitchen, she saw two figures busy inside.
“Mr. Jiang, I didn’t expect you to be so good at cooking.”
“When I first retired from the army, I didn’t have much money, so I often cooked for myself. If you like it, I can teach you sometime.”
“No need, I wouldn’t want to trouble you…”
Xia Sheng raised her eyebrows slightly, didn’t disturb them, and went to sit on the sofa in the living room to read.
Soon, Fang Rong came out of the kitchen carrying the finished dishes.
Seeing Xia Sheng on the sofa, she said, “Sheng’er, wash your hands and come eat.”
Xia Sheng got up to help bring the dishes to the table, and the three of them sat around the dining table.
Fang Rong picked up a bowl to serve rice for the two, but Jiang Zhongqing beat her to it, serving rice and handing the bowls to mother and daughter.
Xia Sheng took the bowl and asked, “Mr. Jiang, is there something you need from me?”
Jiang Zhongqing replied, “A friend of mine’s wife suddenly fell into a coma last month. He’s taken her everywhere seeking medical help, but no doctor can figure out the cause.
“He’s tried every scientific and unscientific method he could think of, but nothing has worked to wake her up.
“He mentioned it to me in passing, hoping I could come up with something. Little Celestial Master, you’re exceptionally skilled-could you take a look?”
Xia Sheng thought for a moment and said, “I can, but I have something to do tomorrow morning. I can go in the afternoon.”
Seeing her agree, Jiang Zhongqing looked delighted. “Great, I’ll let my friend know as soon as I get back.”
After dinner, Jiang Zhongqing helped clean up the dishes and didn’t stay long before leaving.
Xia Sheng took out Silver Needles to perform acupuncture for Fang Rong. Fang Rong chatted about how Jiang Zhongqing had accompanied her to buy groceries and helped cook, sighing, “Mr. Jiang really is a good person, and he cares about his friends.”
Xia Sheng glanced at her and smiled, “Mom, do you have a crush on him?”
Fang Rong blushed and lowered her gaze, “Of course not.”
With her situation, how could she dare think about Jiang Zhongqing?
Being able to live peacefully with her daughter was already enough for her.
Xia Sheng knew her mother was shy, so she didn’t pursue the topic. Instead, she took out a bottle of ointment and applied some to Fang Rong’s face.
Fang Rong felt a cool sensation on her face and asked, “Sheng’er, what is this?”
Xia Sheng replied, “It’s a Skin-Softening Cream I made. It can repair scars and fight aging.”
Mo Wei had several festering sores on her body and needed quite a lot of ointment, so Xia Sheng made extra and set some aside for Fang Rong.
Fang Rong said, “These are things only young girls use. I’m already forty-wouldn’t this be a waste?”
Xia Sheng didn’t agree. “It’s not just young people who can pursue beauty. Mom, you’re actually really pretty. If you tidied yourself up, you’d definitely be even prettier than the young girls.”
Fang Rong’s face grew even redder after her daughter’s compliment.
Xia Sheng brought a mirror over for her. Fang Rong looked at her reflection and was stunned for a few seconds.
She’d done hard labor for years, and compared to someone like Yu He, a wealthy lady, her skin had been much rougher. But now, her complexion was as fair and tender as a newborn’s.
“Sheng’er, what is this Skin-Softening Cream made of? It’s amazing!”
Seeing her so happy, Xia Sheng smiled and said, “It’s just a simple mix of a few Chinese medicinal herbs.”
Actually, the most important ingredient was the powder made from the Ghost Skin she had peeled off earlier today.
If she had more Ghost Skin, she would consider mass-producing this Skin-Softening Cream to benefit other girls with skin problems.
Right now, Fang Rong had only used the ointment on her face; the skin below her neck was still rough and yellowish.
Xia Sheng helped her apply the ointment to the other areas and was about to help take off her clothes to apply it further.
Fang Rong quickly grabbed her daughter’s hand, stopping her from lifting her T-shirt, her face red. “I’ll go to my room and do the rest myself later.”
Seeing her embarrassment, Xia Sheng grinned mischievously. “I’m your daughter-can’t I even see your body?”
Fang Rong realized she was being teased, so she gave Xia Sheng a light smack on the head and said playfully, “Don’t be naughty.”
Fang Rong had a good foundation, with outstanding features and bone structure.
Now that her leg was no longer lame and her skin had become fair, she was even more beautiful than the celebrities on TV.
When she got angry, her eyes held a faint mist, mature and full of charm.
Xia Sheng couldn’t help pinching her mother’s cheek.
Tsk-so soft.
Fang Rong looked helplessly at her daughter and gave her another gentle smack.
“Stop fooling around.”
Worried about disturbing the Silver Needles in her mother’s leg, Xia Sheng decided to stop and didn’t tease her anymore.
The next morning, someone from the Mo Family came to collect the medicine.
After handing the medicine to the maid, Xia Sheng went alone to Ancient Street.
On both sides of Ancient Street were all sorts of traditional shops. In front of the stores, many vendors set up stalls offering fortune-telling or selling antiques.
Xia Sheng glanced over a few stalls. As expected, hardly any of the items for sale were genuine.
Shen Yanchen’s Buddha Beads had been consecrated by a Master, so finding a replacement wouldn’t be easy.
She walked up and down Ancient Street twice, checking almost every nearby shop, before finally finding what she was looking for in an antique store.
It was a lustrous, translucent Jade Stone, simply polished into a round shape with a small hole in the center, strung on a gray cord.
The design was extremely plain, just like the jade pendants you could buy at a roadside stall for a few dozen yuan.
Yet the spiritual energy emanating from the Jade Stone marked it as anything but ordinary.
Xia Sheng asked the shopkeeper, “How much is this Jade Stone?”
The shopkeeper glanced at the unremarkable Jade Stone, a cunning glint flashing in his eyes, and greeted her with a bright, enthusiastic smile.
“Miss, you really have a good eye! This Jade Stone is the treasure of our shop, and you spotted it at first glance!
“This piece of jade, I acquired it from a wealthy businessman more than ten years ago. They say it’s a Spirit Jade passed down for a thousand years. Not only does it ward off evil and dispel misfortune, but it also calms the mind and aids sleep…”