Chapter 53.2: About to Produce

The relationship between the two became much closer after Yang Huilan took the initiative to greet her. Shen Jingshu and Yang Huilan learned embroidery and calligraphy together which resulted in them spending a lot of time with each other. Furthermore, their personalities were very complimentary and they soon became good friends. After Shen Jingshu got to know more about Yang Huilan, she found that Yang Huilan was a very sincere person and a real straight shooter. There was no need to worry when dealing with this kind of person, and one did not have to scheme too much. Instead, it was easy to get along, Shen Jingshu was very happy.

Yang Huilan was Shen Jingshu’s first true friend, Shen Jingshu cherished it very much. However, Shen Jingshu did not anticipate that she would meet another nice person in medicine class.

On this day, Shen Jingshu was seriously listening to Master Hui’s lecture, as usual, today’s lesson was still on basic knowledge. Although Master Hui set up the medicine class, she did not teach too much. This made Shen Jingshu very satisfied because she did not want others to know too much about her hidden strengths.

“Jingshu, what’s the characteristics and efficacy of licorice?”

“Licorice, nickname: sweet grass, sweet root. The outer layer varies in thickness and its rind is umber or beige. The rhizome is cylindrical and has bud marks on the surface. There is marrow in the middle of the section. It has a slight scent which is sweet and special. The basic functions are fever-reducing, detoxicating, expel phlegm, cough-relieving, and for abdominal stomach …… ” Shen Jingshu answered without hesitation, many people were somewhat surprised and admired Shen Jingshu’s knowledge.

“En, you answered very well. Next, we will look at wolfberry…” Master Hui’s lecture was not fast and she liked to show examples. However, the course was very interesting and Shen Jingshu listened carefully, but she did not think that she had already attracted someone’s attention.

Since rebirth she was very sensitive, these several days she had always felt that someone was watching her secretly. From the corner of her eyes, she saw a thin and weak girl. The girl had a very slim body and a soft face, she seemed older than Shen Jingshu. Every time Shen Jingshu saw this girl, she couldn’t help thinking about an idiom: thin as a willow branch. Everyone who saw her would think that she was too thin.

This girl always seemed to peek at her frequently these days, but when Shen Jingshu looked at her, she avoided the eye contact and her face was somewhat flushed. It seemed that she was a somewhat reserved and shy girl. When Shen Jingshu saw the other person’s appearance, she did not say much. Today’s class was over and Sheng Jingshu was preparing to leave, but she didn’t expect that at this time, the girl opened her mouth. “Shen xiaojie, I didn’t understand today’s lesson. Er…you… Can you teach me?” This girl was one of her few medicine classmates and she looked delicate and small, it really made people take pity on her,”What confused you?” Smiling, Shen Jingshu answered, she quite liked this girl. From her face, she saw sincerity, which was much better than Qi Xueyan’s hypocritical expression.

“Just some of the herb properties Master Hui just taught, I, I don’t remember. Can, can you repeat it? ” The little girl was quite shy and not very brave. Shen Jingshu looked at her and smiled. “Haha, of course!”

“If that’s the case, I will have to trouble you…” The girl carefully asked a few questions and Shen Jingshu patiently answered. She immediately smiles and seemed a bit less embarrassed, “Shen xiaojie, I really must thank you. Can I come to you if I have some questions in the future? ” Although she looked older than Shen Jingshu, looking at her careful expression, it really made people feel that she was younger.

“Certainly.”

“Shen xiaojie, you are very nice!” Shyly smiling, she was really an innocent child.

“It’s okay. We will be studying together in the future, we should help each other. By the way, are you Kong xiaojie? “

“Shen xiaojie knows who I am?” Not expecting Shen Jingshu to recognize her, Kong Xinhe was somewhat surprised. She was not the daughter of some official family, on the contrary, she was only the daughter of a wealthy businessman. Although her family was wealthy, Kong Xinhe knew that her status was much lower than those from official families. Although she can here to study, but deep in her mind, she still felt inferior. From the beginning, she admired Shen Jingshu’s confidence and wanted to get close to her, but was embarrassed and did not dare to. She was afraid of being looked down upon and did not dare to speak to Shen Jingshu. She was glad that she finally had the confidence to speak to Shen xiaojie. It seems pretty good because Shen xiaojie was a very nice person!

“Of course I know you, how could I not know you after we have studied together for so long?” Shen Jingshu answered with a smile. Seeing the other person’s careful expression, she could not help but think of her former self. When she lost her parents and stayed with the Shen family in the capital, wasn’t she just like this? At that time she was still young and did not understand anything, she had no choice but to endure being bullied by people. Looking at Kong Xinhe now, Shen Jingshu sympathized with her from the bottom of her heart. She would not reject her.

At that time she was helpless and lonely,  how could she reject a person who was in the same predicament now?

” Shen xiaojie, you are so nice. Then…can we be friends?” Although the status of a businessman in Chu was not low, it was still one step lower than an official family. Furthermore, because of Kong Xinhe’s introverted personality, she did not have many friends. It was hard not to feel ashamed.  

“Of course. Aren’t we friends now?” Smiling, Shen Jingshu watched Kong Xinhe act this way and knew that Kong Xinhe was sensitive and introverted. Although she was older than Shen Jingshu, she seemed to be more timid.

“Of course we are friends. Shen xiaojie. I am very happy!”

“Since we are friends, call me by my name. My name is Shen Jingshu. How about you?”

“My, my name is Kong Xinhe.”

“Xinhe, it’s a very nice name!”

“My mother said that when I was born the lotus in the pond blossomed, so, she gave me this name.” Kong Xinhe was very happy to be praised.  

“Xinhe, nice to meet you!”

“Jing, Jingshu. Nice to meet you too!” After all, this was the first time that she had spoken to Shen Jingshu, Kong Xinhe was very nervous.

“Come on, I’ll introduce a friend to you later.”Shen Jingshu left the classroom holding Kong Xinhe’s hand. This girl was very simple and somewhat similar to Shen Jingshu in the past life, Shen Jingshu liked her very much.

“Ok!” Shyly smiling, Kong Xinghe was truly introverted. In addition, because of her health, she was always afraid of others looking down on her so she didn’t contact many people in school. It was the first time she had spoken to Shen Jingshu today, she did not expect to become friends with Shen Jingshu do easily, she was really happy!

…

Yang Huilan was waiting for Shen Jingshu and did not expect Shen Jingshu to bring another person when she came out,”Jingshu!”

“Did you wait a long time? Just now I was a little busy and got held up. “

“No, I just came here. This is… ” Kong Xinhe didn’t talk much, so it was normal for Yang Huilan not to know her.

“This is Kong Xinhe, we study medicine together.”

“Oh, so it is Kong xiaojie. Hello, I am Yang Huilan.” Yang Huilan was generous, seeing Shen Jingshu lead Kong Xinhe over, she understood Shen Jingshu’s intention.

“Hello, Yang xiaojie.”

“Just call me Huilan, Jingshu calls me that too. From now on, we are all friends!” Compared with Kong Xinhe’s prudence, Yang Huilan was much calmer. Kong Xinhe smiled and greeted Yang Huilan, the three girls then chatted with each other.

Although Shen Jingshu knew that Kong Xinhe was a merchant’s daughter, she did not disdain her. Instead, she talked generously and smiled a lot. She also promised to visit her at her home a few days later. Kong Xinhe was still worried that she would be despised, but now she was completely relieved.

Haha! She did not expect that she would make two good friends, furthermore, they did not despise her. This was really good!

Kong Xinhe had little contact with others because of her status and health,  she was relieved now.

…

The three girls had a lot of interests and hobbies in common so they became good friends really fast. Shen Jingshu was very happy, but when Qi Xueyan saw, she was not happy. “Jingshu, have you and that Yang xiaojie and Kong xiaojie gotten very close recently?”

“Yeah, Huilan and Xinhe are nice. What’s wrong?”

“I heard that Yang xiaojie always offends people with her words, you should be careful. This kind of person is not a sincere friend.”

“Really?”

Haha, Qi Xueyan, are you trying to play that trick again? In the past, you were like this, you disparaged me in front of others. Now, you also disparage me in front of others. Did she want her not to have any friends? You want me to foolishly believe you so that I will push others away, and end up utterly isolated. Is it possible that I would be as stupid as I was in the last life?  

“Of course it is true. Didn’t you see that she has no friends and has always been alone? Jingshu, I will not hurt you, you should pay more attention from now on. Don’t be ignorant of others betraying you!” Based on your expression, I’m supposed to take you as a good person? Qi Xueyan’s words resembled those of someone who was reporting back to their master. Shen Jingshu scorned her in her mind, but replied: “En, I know, but Huilan is not that kind of person.”

“You are easily fooled.” Seeing that Shen Jingshu did not listen to her words, Qi Xueyan was unhappy, ” You should still pay more attention from now on, Ok? And don’t tell her anything, do you understand? If she betrays you, don’t complain and cry! “

“I know. Don’t worry, I know what I am doing!” Ha ha, wasn’t the person who betrayed me you? Qi Xueyan, Qi Xueyan, you really can’t endure my life getting better, right?

“By the way, as for that Kong Xinhe, I heard that her health is very bad and that she is the daughter of a merchant. She is timid and weak, why did you walk together with her? Isn’t that lowering your status? ” Qi Xueyan was very conceited, of course she looked down on a merchant’s daughter like Kong Xinhe. But when Shen Jingshu heard this, she immediately became displeased, “Xinhe is very a nice person, don’t talk nonsense!” The expression on her face immediately changed. Qi Xueyan did not realize that these two people had such a position in Shen Jingshu’s heart. Qi Xueyan was very uncomfortable at the moment,”Jingshu, are you angry with me? Or do you think I shouldn’t have said that? But I’m saying it for your own good, I’m afraid you are being deceived! Is it possible, is it possible you only care about them and don’t care about me, your friend? Or do you not regard me as your friend now? ” After saying these, she showed a hurt expression. Qi Xueyan cunningly took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, it seemed like she had been treated very unjustly.  

“Xueyan, I didn’t mean that, you shouldn’t misunderstand!” Seeing Qi Xueyan “hurt”, Shen Jingshu quickly comforted her, “I do care about you, we have been friends for so many years, how can I not care about you?”

“Then why did you not listen to what I just said?” Qi Xueyan wanted to persuade Shen Jingshu so that Shen Jingshu could not compete with her in the future.

She wanted to control the person in front of her!

“No, I remembered what you said, You can rest assured that I will not be betrayed.”

“Really?”

“Really, you can believe in me, I know what’s good and what’s bad in my heart!”

“You should pay attention from now on, they have bad intentions!” If Shen Jingshu had other friends in the future, how could Shen Jingshu obey her words?

“En, I understand. Let’s go home.”

“By the way, do you want to come to my house to play? Gege came back today!” Suddenly remembering Qi Shaodong’s instructions, Qi Xueyan did not dare to neglect them.

Because of the incident last time, Qi Shaodong felt disgraced so he had been staying with the Qi family in the capital since the New Year and hadn’t come back until now. He wanted to wait until everyone forgot about that matter so that he could avoid being mocked!

“No, mom told me to come back early today, maybe I’ll come some other day.” What did Qi Shaodong coming back have to do with her? She was not the silly girl who liked Qi Shaodong from before, why would she still kiss his ass?

“But Gege said that he brought you a gift!” Although Qi Shaodong was previously annoyed with Shen Jingshu, Qi furen properly mollified him afterward. Qi Shaodong certainly still wanted to have a good relationship with Shen Jingshu.

“But I have to go home early!” Hesitating a bit, Shen Jingshu did not care about the gift, but she did care about Qi Shaodong’s attitude. Didn’t Qi Shaodong take offense to the things that happened last time? It had not been a long time since that incident, why would he act like this again?

Was this person actually this thick-skinned? Or very scheming?

“But Gege brought you a very good gift, don’t you want to have a look?”, Qi Xueyan asked while pulling Shen Jingshu’s hand. Earlier, Qi Shaodong had told Qi Xueyan to bring Shen Jingshu to their home. Although Qi Xueyan was not willing, she still had to bring Shen Jingshu over.  

These days, Shen Jingshu, Yang Huilan, and Kong Xinhe were very close. Shen Jingshu had been somewhat cold towards Qi Xueyan, she did not want this to continue, Shen Jingshu’s good friend could only be her! How could it be someone else?

“But…” Shen Jingshu was still hesitating, but Qi Xueyan took her hand and started pulling her away without saying anything. Shen Jingshu felt that even if she refused, the other person still insist on taking her. It’s not bad if she agreed this time, in case the next time she was caught unprepared, “Wait a second Xueyan!”

“What’s wrong?”

“I have to go back and tell my mother so she will not be worried.”

“En, well, let Chun Xiao do it, you can sit in my carriage!”

“Sure!”Shen Jingshu instructed Chun Xiao to go back and inform Dan Yuerong to prevent her from worrying. Chun Xiao quickly nodded, ” Xiaojie, nubi understands. Nubi will go tell Furen and then I will come back to look for you!”

“Do not worry, take your time!” After speaking, Shen Jingshu climbed onto Qi Xueyan’s carriage and went to Qi fu. Along the way, Qi Xueyan enthusiastically talked to Shen Jingshu. During that period, she did not forget to continue slandering Yang Huilan and Kong Xinhe. Shen Jingshu merely pretended not to hear, Qi Xueyan saw Shen Jingshu’s reaction and felt very uncomfortable, but did not say anything.

Humph, wait and see. I want to know if you really can become good friends?