A life of two souls traveling through time

Chapter 262 Chen Lin

On the third day after taking in the youngest child, the child gradually got better under Si Yao's treatment, but he was weak, and the disease was passed on to him because his mother caught a cold when she was pregnant with him. Therefore, if he wanted to cure it, he had to strengthen his body, which would not be achieved overnight. Fortunately, he was now staying in Sanxiu Pharmacy, so Si Yao didn't have to worry too much.

When the youngest son woke up, he found himself in a strange place without his family around, so he was inevitably panicked and scared. Guo Ying, who did not understand the youngest son's mother yet, told him the truth despite Xiaolu's obstruction.

Upon learning that he was sent here by his mother because of his illness, the youngest child was sad but he did not cry or make a fuss. Instead, he acted obediently in front of others. Only when it was night and there was no one around did he look at the moonlight outside the window and wipe away his tears in grievance.

With a creaky sound, the door suddenly opened. When the youngest child saw someone coming in, he quickly hid in the quilt and pretended to be asleep.

Si Yao walked in with a dim lantern. Although the child did not cry after learning that he was abandoned by his mother, she saw the sadness and despair in his eyes. She also knew that a child who was too sensible would be afraid of causing trouble to others, and would only vent his grievances silently in a place where no one was around. Si Yao was worried that the youngest child was too sad and had a bad health, so she came to check on him.

Although the youngest child was only three or four years old, children from poor families were sensible early on. He had also been weak and sickly since childhood, and the suffering and contempt he had endured must have been greater than that of ordinary children. That was why he knew how to humble himself at such a young age.

Since entering Sanxiu Pharmacy, Si Yao has seen too many sufferings in the world. His originally indifferent heart has softened as his medical skills have improved and he has saved more and more people.

When she walked into the room, she saw the youngest child lying in bed, with the window wide open. Although it was not yet summer, there were intermittent frog calls outside the window. When Si Yao closed the window, the room instantly became quiet, and she did not hear the deep breathing. She knew that the child was pretending to sleep in bed.

"Cry if you want to, but only tonight. Starting tomorrow, you have to take good care of your health and don't be sad alone anymore." Si Yao walked to the edge of the bed and sat down, looking at the person hiding in the quilt, and said softly.

“Miss Yao…” Seeing that he was discovered while pretending to sleep, the youngest child lifted the quilt and sat up carefully.

The only light in the room was the faint candlelight from the lantern on the table, but Si Yao could clearly see the child's swollen eyes. She said nothing more, but took out a handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped away the tears that were still on her child's face.

But after she showed such concern, the tears in Xiaoer's eyes could not help but flow down again, and his breath became slightly gasping due to crying. Si Yao still did not speak, but just patted his back silently and stayed by his side.

"Thank you, Miss Yao." After crying for a while, the youngest felt much better. He wiped away his tears, looked at Si Yao in front of him with gratitude, and said in a baby voice.

"From now on, just stay in the pharmacy and take good care of your health. Don't think too much." Si Yao then gave the youngest child a faint smile and comforted him.

"Well, I won't cry anymore from now on. I also know that without my father, the family depends on my mother alone. My frail body will only burden her more. Now that my mother can send me to the medicine store and Miss Yao is willing to take me in, I am very grateful."

"Your mother did not abandon you in the mountains to fend for yourself, but sent you here from afar. This shows that she loves you. She did not abandon you, but was forced to find another way for you to make a living." Seeing this little child in front of her who was so sensible, Si Yao couldn't help but tears in her eyes and choked up as she comforted him.

"Yes, I understand." The youngest child still nodded with tears in his eyes and responded.

One day later, Sanxiu and Xiuming finally came back from the teahouse. However, as soon as they arrived at the medicine shop, they heard that their apprentice Si Yao had taken in a child who was sent to the medicine shop without permission. Sanxiu was immediately unhappy, but then he learned that the child was sickly and was born in a poor family, so his mother had to send him to the medicine shop. So he just sighed helplessly and said nothing more.

"Don't be afraid, my master and senior brothers are all very good people." On the corridor, Si Yao led the youngest child towards the tea room. Noticing the nervousness on the youngest child's face, she whispered to comfort him.

After several days of treatment, the youngest's complexion looked much better than before, and his tattered linen clothes were replaced with new cloth clothes, which Si Yao had asked Xiaolu and Guoying to buy in the city two days ago.

"Miss Yao, I'm not afraid. I'm just worried that I'm not good at talking and won't be liked by the owner and the master." The little girl shook her head and replied. Although her voice was as soft as a mosquito, Si Yao could hear it clearly in the quiet corridor.

"I didn't ask you to please them." Si Yao felt helpless and sad as he learned to read people's faces and curry favor with them at such a young age.

"My grandmother taught me that I need to be good with words to please others. If I can please others, I won't be bullied. But I have always been bad at talking..."

"In this pharmacy, you don't have to please anyone. You are still young and just need to grow up well. No one will bully you here anymore." Before the youngest child could finish speaking, Si Yao squatted down, pulled his weak shoulders to face her, and solemnly warned him.

The youngest boy was confused, but seeing Si Yao's serious expression he didn't dare to say anything more and just nodded obediently.

Si Yao brought the youngest child into the tea room. Sanxiu and Xiuming, who had been waiting inside, couldn't help but feel distressed when they saw the skinny and sickly child in front of them.

"The youngest boy greets the owner of the manor and the great master." Without waiting for the three adults in the tea room to speak, the youngest boy timidly stepped forward and knelt down to Sanxiu and Xiuming.

Seeing the young child bowing so skillfully, Sanxiu and Xiuming were both amazed. This didn't seem like the etiquette that a farm child should know.

"This was all taught by Guo Ying just now. But he is very smart and can learn it quickly." Seeing his master and senior brothers looking at him with puzzled eyes, Si Yao also walked forward and replied helplessly.

Sanxiu's mouth twitched slightly, and she almost rolled her eyes: This Guoying doesn't seem to know much etiquette on weekdays, and she has the nerve to act as a teacher and teach others the rules today? Besides, such a young child is innocent and naive, what rules do we need to teach?

"Come, come, sit next to me." Sanxiu couldn't help but smile lovingly at the child in front of him.

Just now he was still worried about whether he would have a good impression of this child, but now he was finally able to put down the worry in his heart. Although this child looked weak and a little timid, the kindness and intelligence revealed in his eyes made Sanxiu very happy.

The youngest also showed an innocent and lovely smile, but he still looked up at Si Yao beside him first. Seeing her nod, he sat down carefully next to Sanxiu.

"If you want to sit down, just sit down and see what she does." Sanxiu still held the youngest's hand with a kind look on his face, and smiled at his apprentice Si Yao.

Sanxiu liked the little boy more and more because of his good behavior. She thought that if Xiuming had worked hard and got married early, she would have had a grandson this big. Now seeing that this wooden lump was so stupid, she was afraid that she could not count on him in this life. It was a pity that the child was not an orphan, otherwise Xiuming could have adopted him.

Sanxiu's words made Yao'er at a loss for words, so he just laughed at him innocently. With the presence of Miss Yao, whom he trusted, and seeing that the owner of the manor and the great master were very approachable, Yao'er became more and more relaxed.

"How are you feeling? Have you taken any medicine today?" Sanxiu touched the youngest's still cold hand and asked with concern.

"Much better. I have taken today's medicine." The youngest child replied seriously in a baby voice.

"How old are you? Do you know where you live?" Seeing the child's gradually improving complexion, Sanxiu nodded and continued to ask.

"In another month, my youngest will be four years old. Home..." My youngest frowned and shook his head, then added: "When I was ill, my mother brought me here. I don't even know where my home is anymore."

"It's okay. You just take good care of yourself in the manor. When you grow up and are in good health, the master will take you home." Sanxiu also comforted him in a soft voice.

Xiu Ming Wen Ya, who had been silent on the side, smiled and nodded to the child who was looking at her timidly.

"The youngest child doesn't have a proper name yet. Why don't you give him one, Master?" Si Yao, who had already sat on the other side, was happy for the youngest child when she saw that the master loved him so much, so she spoke to Sanxiu.

"You're so old and still don't have a name?" Upon hearing this, Sanxiu couldn't help but criticize the youngest's parents. But then he thought that maybe his parents were both commoners, and seeing that he was sick and weak, they didn't dare to give him a big name easily.

"The youngest son's parents did not dare to give him a big name, fearing that he was too weak to be controlled." Si Yao also relayed the youngest son's mother's explanation from yesterday to the master.

As expected, Sanxiu did not say anything else. He just looked down at the youngest child in front of him and thought for a moment. Then he said, "Chenlin, I will call you Chenlin. Gold gives birth to water, and water is prosperous. I wish you will rise like the sun in the east and be blessed with good fortune in the future."

"Chenlin, that's a good name." After hearing this, Xiuming took out the pen and ink beside him, wrote down the two words that the master said, and smiled at his youngest son.

"So it's these two words." Si Yao was still guessing which two words they were, but when she saw what her senior brother wrote, she suddenly realized.

"The youngest one now has a name, thank you, Master!" Although the youngest one was illiterate, he was instantly happy when he saw the smile on Si Yao's face. He was about to kowtow to Sanxiu to express his gratitude, but was stopped by Sanxiu with a smile.

In the tea room, Sanxiu couldn't help feeling dazed as the addition of a child brought about a sense of family happiness. Xiuming and Siyao were also delighted to see their master so happy.