Actually, if a person dwells on something for too long, they either become extreme or resign themselves to their fate. And Fang Dehua had somewhat resigned himself, thinking it wouldn’t be too bad to be a small County Magistrate here. At least the local doctors could manage his son’s illness. There were no worries about food and clothing, nor were there many social engagements!
Once his son truly... he planned to retire. Then he would just spend his days taking care of his wife and concubines and obeying his parents.
But just as he had accepted his lot, a turn of fate occurred. He met a young village girl, who was an apprentice of Dao Xuzi. And then... his son recovered!
To be honest, he always felt like it was all a dream.
Moreover, Dao Xuzi’s reputation was legendary, but could he really be that miraculous? Even having met him in person, he still felt uneasy inside.
Yet now, when Fang Dehua saw his son, whom so many doctors had declared incurable, standing before him full of vigor and being told that with a little more recuperation he’d be just like any healthy person, a long-taut string in his heart suddenly twitched, and tears started to fall.
Was it all predestined by the heavens? When he was first assigned out of Beijing, he had three places to choose from, two of which were in the affluent Jiangnan. People had told him to pull some strings to get to Jiangnan, but back then Shangfeng was so greedy. He didn’t want to dip into his wife’s dowry, so he accepted his fate and returned here. It turned out to be the right decision.
Yuan Mengzhu had originally intended to persuade her husband, but she, too, found her nose tingling and eventually stopped trying to console him, crying along with him. In the end, husband and wife were holding each other, weeping bitterly.
Fang Tianze also felt miserable. He knew all too well the difficulties they’d faced seeking cures over the years. In the end, he joined in the crying. Fortunately, when they got the news, other family members and relatives arrived, and after some comforting, they finally calmed down.
In the days that followed, everyone could clearly sense that Old Master Fang had changed, lively every day, spending time with his parents and inquiring into his son’s education whenever he wasn’t at the Governor’s Office.
"Zeze, are you tired?" Yuan Mengzhu asked with concern as she watched her son concentrating on his books, "why don’t you stop reading then?" Her son had only just recovered; she didn’t want to see him fall ill from overexertion again.
"Mother, I am not tired at all," Fang Tianze said, shaking his head with a smile. "Sister Xin said I should earn an Imperial Edict for you."
Yuan Mengzhu’s face twisted momentarily but then she smiled, "Don’t overdo it, though."
"Mother, these days you’ve been the one working hard, preparing for grandfather’s birthday celebration. You should rest more..." Fang Tianze nodded.
"Seeing you recovered, nothing I do feels tiring," Yuan Mengzhu replied, nodding contentedly.
"Mother, about Sister Xin’s living quarters..."
"Don’t worry, everything has been taken care of," Yuan Mengzhu reassured him, patting her son on the shoulder. "We may delay others, but not the arrangements for your Sister Xin."
"Um, thank you, Mother," Fang Tianze’s smile was brilliantly happy.
Walking out of the courtyard, Yuan Mengzhu let out a sigh.
"Madam, the young master is well, you should be happy," Autumn Granny said with a smile.
"I am happy, but..." Yuan Mengzhu sighed again, "hearing him call ’Sister Xin’ again and again... it does something to my heart."
Autumn Granny chuckled, "Madam, are you feeling jealous?"