Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside Chapter 1282: I Won

However, Ouyang Yu dared not voice these thoughts, for Ouyang Ming had explicitly warned her against showing any disrespect to the late Second Uncle and Second Aunt, lest she face punishment.

Ignoring her completely, Ouyang Ming strode directly towards his chambers.

Furious, Ouyang Yu leaped up and pursued him, grabbing his arm. "Don't think your grandfather's favor allows you to associate so closely with those country folk! Let me tell you, if any gossip about them jeopardizes my marriage prospects, I won't forgive you!"

Ouyang Ming paused, stunned. It was true; her marriage prospects would indeed impact the family's daughters. If she, the legitimate granddaughter of the Ouyang Family, were to marry someone of low status, it would consequently lower her sisters' marriage standing.

Ouyang Ming’s dazed stare at Ouyang Yu only fueled her anger further. "What are you looking at?" she bellowed. "I'm discussing serious matters; don't pretend you can't hear me!"

"I hear you, Fifth Sister. Rest assured, I remember the Ouyang Family's rules and will not do anything that brings harm to any of you," Ouyang Ming replied. He then bowed respectfully to Ouyang Yu before finally turning and entering his room.

Ouyang Yu stood dumbfounded, pointing a trembling finger at Ouyang Ming's retreating back. It took her a moment to recover before she turned to her head maid, asking, "Third Sister, is, is she alright?"

Not arguing was one thing, but bowing to her? Was she losing her mind?

Then, her eyes lit up with excitement. "Did I win?"

Had she finally made Ouyang Ming concede?!

Her head maid nodded. "Replying to Miss Wu, yes, you most certainly won."

Ouyang Yu clapped a hand over her mouth, stifling a giggle. She glanced at Ouyang Ming's door, scoffing, "Hmph, since Third Sister knows what's best, I won't say more. I don't want you to think I'm deliberately targeting you, because I'm not."

With that, she joyfully departed the courtyard, happily leading her maids to gather osmanthus flowers.

Meanwhile, Ouyang Ming remained inside the entire day, diligently penning the Ouyang Family's rules, never leaving his room.

...

Brother Cheng awoke in the afternoon. As his eyes fluttered open, he saw his elder brother's face, a mixture of weariness and joy. "Brother Cheng, you're awake!"

His voice boomed, startling Brother Cheng, who flinched back instinctively.

Gu Jin’an's heart ached. Brother Cheng had been so traumatized by the beating that he now seemed afraid even of him.

He quickly forced a smile and lowered his voice. "You must be hungry after sleeping so long. Wait here, I'll fetch some pastries for you."

Saying this, he promptly got up. He went to the stove just outside the hallway, retrieved two plates of pastries kept warm within, and presented them to Brother Cheng. "These pastries were made by Third Miss. You haven't tried them before. The red ones are double-layered cakes filled with red bean paste, and the golden ones are 'tiger head' cakes. They look and taste wonderful, do try them."

Brother Cheng stared blankly at the two plates of pastries and his elder brother's beaming face. "Did Third Sister send them? Is she not angry anymore?" he asked, his voice hoarse from the prolonged fever and dry throat.

"Indeed, Third Miss personally made these pastries, but it was Master who instructed the servant to deliver them," Gu Jin’an replied, setting down the pastries and pouring a bowl of warm water. "Drink some water first to moisten your throat."

Master Ouyang, upon hearing Ouyang Ming had finished making the pastries, had directed a servant to collect them from the kitchen and ensure Gu Jin’an kept them warm by the stove, so Brother Cheng could have them immediately upon waking.

This thoughtful gesture eased much of Gu Jin’an's disquiet from the previous night.

"Why are you still dazed? Drink your water quickly," Gu Jin’an urged, seeing Brother Cheng motionless. Deciding to assist, he began feeding him.

Brother Cheng took several sips, finishing more than half the bowl of warm water before fully rousing. His eyes were still red as he urgently inquired, "Brother, have Third Sister and Master stopped being angry with me? And my brother and..."

"We'll talk later. Let Doctor Sheng check your pulse first to see if you're feeling unwell," Gu Jin’an interrupted, gently patting Brother Cheng's head with a smile, a subtle blink acknowledging his earlier question.

Brother Cheng's eyes lit up with relief. Understanding that matters concerning his elder brother and Third Sister were not for public discussion, he immediately fell silent. He cooperatively extended his hand towards Doctor Sheng, a smile gracing his lips. "Doctor Sheng, could you please check on me? I need to recover quickly for the Mid-Autumn Festival, otherwise, I won't get to eat the mooncakes. The ones made at our home are delicious, and you can't buy them anywhere else."Ice skin mooncakes, a delicacy from the Gu Family, utilized expensive rice and sugar, making their production costly in ancient times. Gu Jinli, not producing them in vast quantities, prepared a limited batch each Mid-Autumn Festival to share with a few families and as gifts. However, Mrs. Chen, spotting a lucrative opportunity, persistently pleaded with Gu Jinli to impart the recipe. Her intention was to manufacture and sell these mooncakes to affluent families at elevated prices, thereby recouping her expenses for rice and sugar while comfortably pocketing the profits. The technique for ice skin mooncakes wasn't an obscure secret, and Gu Jinli, weary of Mrs. Chen's incessant nagging, eventually relented and shared the recipe. Now, Mrs. Chen is diligently occupied, churning out ice skin mooncakes to exploit the wealthy. Doctor Sheng chuckled, promptly approaching to examine Brother Cheng's pulse and assess the wounds on his back. Upon the completion of Doctor Sheng's examination, Gu Jin’an anxiously inquired, "Doctor Sheng, how is Brother Cheng's condition? Will there be any lasting damage?" Doctor Sheng, shaking his head, reassured him, "No, the young man possesses a robust physique. This injury will not significantly impact him. All that is required is proper rest and recuperation." He then turned to Brother Cheng with a smile, adding, "It won't prevent the young man from returning home for the Mid-Autumn Festival." Today was the thirteenth day; with another night's sleep, he would be able to go home by the fifteenth. Hearing this, Brother Cheng's face lit up with joy, his eyes narrowing into slits. He expressed his gratitude to Doctor Sheng, "Thank you, Doctor Sheng." He then turned to Gu Jin’an, stating, "Brother, I am feeling much better now." Gu Jin’an offered a smile, thinking about how Brother Cheng had slept for nearly a full day and night, endured a high fever, convulsions, and even terrifying nightmares, yet claimed to be fine. He asked, "Does your throat still hurt?" Brother Cheng nodded, replying, "A little." In truth, his throat ached considerably, a sensation he recalled from when he was younger and injured his throat by eating chaff. However, he deliberately downplayed his discomfort to avoid causing his brother further worry. "Then have some rice porridge first, and consume a couple of pieces of the layered cake. We'll save the tiger head cake for this evening," Gu Jin’an said. He went to fetch some rice porridge for Brother Cheng, handed it to him to drink, and then engaged Doctor Sheng in a detailed discussion about Brother Cheng's recovery. Doctor Sheng, having been subjected to a barrage of questions from Gu Jin’an since the previous night, found the Gu Family's eldest brother to be overly persistent. He had been explaining the situation repeatedly, yet Gu Jin’an continued to inquire. Despite his weariness, Doctor Sheng, as a physician provided by the Ouyang Family, technically held a subservient position. Given that the Gu Family brothers were students of Master Ouyang, he felt compelled to maintain a respectful demeanor and reiterated the explanations in detail. Relief washed over Gu Jin’an upon hearing Doctor Sheng's account. Acknowledging the trouble he had caused with his persistent questioning, he bowed to the doctor, saying, "Doctor Sheng, you have worked tirelessly. You kept watch through the night. Please, go and rest now. Return this evening to check on Brother Cheng's pulse and examine his throat and back injuries." Doctor Sheng swiftly dodged Gu Jin’an's attempt at a salute, managing to make a hasty retreat, clearly exasperated by Gu Jin’an's relentless inquiries. Ah Song, who had been silently observing the entire exchange, now left the courtyard to relay the day's events to Master Ouyang.