"Second Miss has been out for a while, and the Old Madam hasn't been eating well or sleeping soundly. She's been constantly telling me, your old servant, fearing any slightest accident might befall you. If it weren't for the Old Madam's advanced age, she might have gone to find Second Miss herself. It's truly a relief to have you back!" Granny Fang said, her eyes moist and choked with emotion.
She had been by the Old Madam's side since childhood and had never seen her miss someone so dearly. Initially, the Old Madam merely found her granddaughter somewhat intelligent and, pitying her past experiences, paid her a little attention. Now, it seemed her entire heart was set on Second Miss.
"I've missed Grandmother too," Qi Zhenzhen couldn't help but feel her eyes redden.
At the entrance of Chaohui Hall, the Old Madam waited with eager anticipation. Seeing her anxious demeanor, Qi Zhenzhen lifted her skirt and ran forward.
"You girl, you're about to be married, yet you're still so ungraceful? Look at you, lifting your skirt and showing your embroidered shoes! Where have all your manners gone after this trip out?" the Old Madam chided.
Qi Zhenzhen took her hand and said, "Grandmother, your granddaughter missed you."
The words brought tears to the Old Madam's eyes. "You ungrateful child, you still think of this old woman? I told you not to go out, but you insisted, threatening to die if you couldn't. Look at you, you've become so thin. Not only have you lost the little weight you gained before, but you've also lost a lot more. You look so gaunt now, not like a young lady from a noble family at all! It's a good thing the wedding date has been postponed. Otherwise, if you were to marry looking like this, wouldn't people think the Marquis's mansion has been mistreating you?"
"Thin?" Qi Zhenzhen turned in a circle. "Your granddaughter doesn't feel thin! Look, my old dresses don't seem much looser."
Qi Zhenzhen truly didn't feel any thinner, but the Old Madam insisted she had lost weight. Unable to argue with the elder, Qi Zhenzhen finally conceded, "If you say I'm thin, then I'm thin. From now on, I'll come here and help you eat all the delicious snacks. You won't mind, will you?"
"You mischievous little thing. It's fine for you to eat, just make as much as you eat. You've been gone for so long, this old woman misses your cooking!" The Old Madam tapped Qi Zhenzhen's nose tip and said with a smile.
"So Grandmother doesn't miss your granddaughter, she just misses the food your granddaughter makes. Your granddaughter is so heartbroken!" Qi Zhenzhen clutched her chest, putting on a pitiful act.
"Granny Fang, look, this girl has become even more cheeky after this trip. Now she's even making fun of me," the Old Madam said, torn between laughter and tears.
"It's good to be a bit cheeky. Cheekiness can make you laugh. If she were as serious as a little old lady, would you still dote on Second Miss so much?" Granny Fang said with a smile.
Qi Zhenzhen helped the Old Madam sit on the chaise lounge, then placed a bolster behind her before sitting down beside her.
"Old Madam, this honey pill is for you. It calms the nerves and aids sleep. Granny Fang, this one is for you." Qi Zhenzhen took out the good things she had obtained from Luo Wanqing.
"Old Madam, didn't your old servant speak the truth? You missed Second Miss, and Second Miss missed you too. Even when she was away, she was thinking of your poor sleep and specifically sought out honey pills. You detest bitter medicine the most, but these honey pills, taken with water, don't taste bitter at all," Granny Fang said, her face beaming. "Look, thanks to you, your old servant also received a share."
"This one helps with digestion. You chew it, and it's not bitter at all, just sour and sweet. After eating meat, chew a couple of these, and it's much more effective than digestive tea," Qi Zhenzhen took out another item. "And this one is for dizziness and vertigo. This one is for angina. When you feel pain, take one and place it under your tongue; it works very quickly."