Chapter 805 - 807: Killing Two Birds with One Stone_1
"Second sister, how are you feeling?" Meng Jinse asked as she went to support Meng Jinxia, her face showing sheer terror. Normally steadfast, now she, too, was clearly discombobulated, proving the adage that concern breeds chaos.
The others quickly gathered around, with someone exclaiming, "Miss Meng has fainted! Quickly, fetch the doctor!"
Bai Ruozhu hurried forward and pulled Meng Jinse aside, whispering, "Don’t move her just yet."
Meng Jinxia suffered from heart disease, and shaking her when she was ill was absolutely not advised. However, Bai Ruozhu remembered that the old lady of the Meng Residence had kept this a secret, so she stopped herself from disclosing it in front of everyone.
She stepped closer to check Meng Jinxia’s pulse, her brow furrowing slightly. Given that Meng Jinxia had been taking the medicine she prescribed, she shouldn’t have succumbed to an attack so easily. And yet, here she was, having collapsed suddenly—this was clearly not normal.
"How is she? What’s wrong with Xiaxia?" the old lady of the Meng Residence asked, her voice filled with worry.
As soon as Bai Ruozhu heard this, she realized what was happening and said, "The second miss is just a bit anemic and didn’t eat much this morning, which is why she fainted so suddenly. Let me perform acupuncture on her, and after about half a month of care, she’ll be fine."
"That’s good to hear, good to hear," the old lady of the Meng Residence said with a relief, patting her chest.
As Meng Jinxia’s legitimate mother, Wang Miaoshuang also showed her concern by drawing close. However, her mouth betrayed her worry, "We should still get another doctor to take a look, lest someone’s inadequate medical skills delay Xiaxia’s treatment."
Without even glancing up, Bai Ruozhu replied, "Madam Meng, allow me to attend to the second miss first—that is the most pressing matter at the moment."
Without looking back, she began inserting needles into Meng Jinxia. To the onlookers, she said it was anemia, just a bit of blood deficiency, but what Meng Jinxia was really experiencing was an episode of her heart disease. If she wasn’t treated quickly, it could be dangerous.
After a set of acupuncture, Meng Jinxia’s complexion wasn’t as deathly pale as before. After a while, she slowly opened her eyes, only to realize that she was surrounded by onlookers. Being shy by nature, her face immediately reddened.
"I apologize for causing you concern," she said, her voice faint, and her face flushed, as she bowed her head.
Bai Ruozhu patted the back of her hand and said, "You fainted due to blood deficiency; you must go back to your room and rest properly. I’ll have someone stew a blood-nourishing soup for you—you need to recuperate well."
Meng Jinxia paused momentarily before smiling gratefully at Bai Ruozhu and saying, "Thank you, Sister Ruozhu."
Bai Ruozhu joined hands with Meng Jinse to help Meng Jinxia up. Being slender, it was easy for the two to assist her.
A flicker of distress crossed the old lady’s eyes as she said, "Good child, go back to freshen up and rest. You mustn’t be naughty and skip meals again."
"I will remember grandmother’s teachings," Meng Jinxia replied obediently.
"Grandmother, may I take the second sister back?" Meng Jinse asked.
The elderly lady nodded in agreement. Wang Miaoshuang, however, with evident displeasure, said, "Have a proper doctor visit the second miss to examine her thoroughly."
"There’s no need. I trust Ruozhu’s medical skills," the old lady of the Meng Residence said coldly.
Wang Miaoshuang’s face fell. "Mother, Xiaxia is your own granddaughter. She fainted just like that, it can’t possibly be simply due to blood deficiency. Don’t let yourself be fooled. If it’s something serious, wouldn’t that delay Xiaxia’s treatment?"
Meng Jinse knew her mother’s temperament best and hurriedly said, "Mother, Sister Jinxia is usually in good health. It was my fault for visiting her too early today, hauling her off to pay respects to grandmother before she could finish her breakfast. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have fainted like this."
Wang Miaoshuang glared at her own daughter with anger, clearly her own flesh and blood, yet she was defending someone else—a despicable offspring of a concubine. Did she want to enrage her own mother to death?
Not daring to look at her mother, Meng Jinse quickly left with Meng Jinxia.
The old Lady Meng exchanged a glance with Bai Ruozhu, both noticing that the other had something to say.
"Alright, there’s no big deal, everyone please continue to enjoy your meals and have fun. I’m getting old and a bit tired, I will go rest for a while," said the Old Lady Meng.
Bai Ruozhu stepped forward, "Grandmother, let me help you."
Soon, maids came to clean up the scattered items and rearranged the setup. Bai Ruozhu and the old lady walked away, and behind them, Wang Miaoshuang, without any hesitation, cursed under her breath, "Brown-noser!"
Some onlookers who heard it showed a look of interest in the commotion but nobody dared to join in. Who didn’t know that the lady of the Meng Residence had a bad temper? Only a fool would unnecessarily court trouble.
Once they were far enough, Bai Ruozhu asked in a low voice, "Grandmother, does Xiaxia have any allergies? And who in the residence knows about her condition?"
"I haven’t heard of any allergies. Do you think her fainting today was unusual?" The old lady asked without much surprise in her expression, showing that she too had had her suspicions. Indeed, after decades immersed in the grand manor, she could still discern some matters clearly.
"Xiaxia has been taking medicine regularly, she shouldn’t have suddenly fainted like this unless she was affected by some external factor. Perhaps she ate something detrimental to her heart disease, or she consumed or inhaled something she’s allergic to," said Bai Ruozhu.
The old lady’s eyes deepened and she let out a heavy sigh, "It’s kind of a joke to talk about affairs in our residence, lately the Lord has been at odds with Princess Wang, hence he has been spending more time in the room of Xiaxia’s birth mother, Ding the concubine. I’m afraid..."
Bai Ruozhu immediately understood, "It seems that the lady of the residence already knows about Xiaxia’s heart disease, and knows that I am treating her. Her move is targeted at me and Xiaxia."
"The only ones who know about Xiaxia’s situation are you, me, Nanny Lu, Xiaxia, and Jinse," said the old lady as she was helped into Leisurely Abode by Bai Ruozhu, though she looked exceptionally weary on her face.
"Jinse and Nanny Lu can be trusted. Probably Xiaxia’s daily medication was noticed by a maid by her side. There must be someone planted by the lady of the residence," Bai Ruozhu commented with a twist of her mouth, grateful that her own family was not like the Meng Residence, or else it would be unbearably vexing.
The old lady nodded, "I will have someone look into this thoroughly."
After leaving Leisurely Abode, Bai Ruozhu walked back toward the party when she ran into Meng Jinse. At first, Meng Jinse didn’t see her—she was walking briskly, frowning deeply as if troubled by something.
"Jinse!" Bai Ruozhu called out to her. She snapped out of her thoughts and smiled at Bai Ruozhu, but the smile was very bitter.
"Sister Ruozhu, do you believe me?" Meng Jinse suddenly asked.
Bai Ruozhu walked up to her and took her hand, "I believe you. Why wouldn’t I?"
To Bai Ruozhu, Meng Jinse, who was only fifteen, was just a young girl. In modern times, she would probably have just finished middle school.
Rather than smiling at her words, Meng Jinse’s eyes reddened and she said with a choke, "It really wasn’t me. My mother is just too obstinate... I simply can’t persuade her..."