After Zhao Changyu's excitement subsided, his complexion turned a sickly red. He clutched his chest, slowly sat down at the table, and said to her, "You should go back first. Grandfather needs to carefully think about the path your futures should take."
He said, "Do not tell anyone about today's events, including your mother."
Zhao Hanzhang agreed.
Zhao Changyu paused for a moment and said, "Since you say you've lost your memory, then so be it."
Zhao Changyu didn't believe that his granddaughter had lost her memory; he thought she was using it as an excuse to suppress the Second House. Previously, he didn't quite agree with this move, but now...
Forget it, if the child wants to do this, then let it be.
Zhao Hanzhang returned to her courtyard, lay back down in bed, and settled in.
The soul within this body seemed to have truly scattered. She wasn't sure if she and Professor Fu could return to the modern world, but it was clear that the original owner could not.
Therefore, while residing in this body, she wanted to do something for her, for the people she cared about.
Consider it the rent for borrowing her body.
Moreover, she wanted to live more comfortably and better herself.
The Zhao Family's Second House was clearly unreliable. Instead of pinning hope on them, it was better to follow the little girl's innermost thoughts. Their First House needed to stand independently and at least possess the power of self-preservation.
Zhao Hanzhang went over her recent responses in her mind again, ensured there were no issues, and then exhaled a sigh, saying, "I'm hungry..."
Using her brain quickly made her hungry.
Zhao Hanzhang called out, "Ting He."
Ting He hurried in, "What does Third Lady need?"
"Food, go to the kitchen and get some snacks, I'm hungry."
Ting He smiled and agreed, then turned to leave.
Since Third Lady got injured, although she still worried a lot, her appetite had improved significantly.
The snacks from the Zhao Family's kitchen were naturally delicious, and the ones Ting He brought were very much to her taste, indicating she and the little girl had similar palates.
While she was eating, a maid entered in small steps, "Third Lady, Doctor Chen is here."
Zhao Hanzhang paused in mid-bite, put the snack down for Ting He to clear away, and asked, "Who invited the Imperial Physician?"
As she contemplated how to proceed, the little maid said, "It was Uncle Cheng who brought him; he said the master sent someone to invite him."
Zhao Hanzhang called back Ting He, took back the snack, and continued eating, "Let him in."
Doctor Chen came in carrying a medicine box and saw a little lady sitting on the couch eating snacks. Upon seeing him, she waved, "Doctor Chen, would you like to have some snacks first?"
Doctor Chen: ...
He suspiciously looked at Uncle Cheng, "Is this the mansion's Third Lady?"
"Yes," Uncle Cheng, though surprised, quickly composed himself and bowed, "Please, Doctor, examine our Third Lady."
Doctor Chen could only step forward. Zhao Hanzhang was cooperative; she put down the snack and extended her hand, answering whatever was asked.
"Third Lady still can't remember anything?"
"Not really, I can vaguely remember some things," Zhao Hanzhang replied, "I often have flashes of someone rushing to report Second Son leaving the city, but what follows is chaos, and when I try to think more, my head feels like it's splitting, and my heart races."
Doctor Chen felt her pulse, focused on her, and asked, "What about people? Can you recognize anyone?"
Zhao Hanzhang sighed, "Besides Second Son, I vaguely remember the girl who reported the news back then, but I only remember her appearance, not her name."
"You don't remember your parents and siblings either?"
Zhao Hanzhang sighed, affirming with a nod, concernedly asking, "When will I be able to remember? Mother cries uncontrollably every day when she visits me; today, it took a long time to coax her to rest."
Doctor Chen looked at her silently for a while, withdrew his hand, and said, "Third Lady, rest well. Since you can't remember, don't force it, lest your condition worsens."
He said, "First, recover your health; when the time is right, you'll naturally remember."
Zhao Hanzhang nodded obediently and agreed, "Yes."
Doctor Chen left a prescription before departing. Uncle Cheng bowed to Zhao Hanzhang and followed out to see Doctor Chen off.
No sooner had Doctor Chen left than the girl's mother, Mrs. Wang, hurried over. Her eyes were still red and swollen, clearly having cried again after Zhao Hanzhang persuaded her to leave.
Upon entering, she fixed her gaze on Zhao Hanzhang and rushed forward, "Third Lady, what did Doctor Chen say?"
Zhao Hanzhang leaned against the bed, pretending to be weak, "The Imperial Physician said there is no major issue, just still not remembering things."
Mrs. Wang's eyes turned red again. She held Zhao Hanzhang's hand and wept, "My poor child..."
Zhao Hanzhang allowed herself to be held but couldn't bring herself to call her "mother" in front of her. This sister was about the same age as her, and in reality, she was.
Despite having a daughter who was already fourteen years old, she herself was in blooming youth, only two years older than she used to be.
Zhao Hanzhang couldn't bring herself to say "mother," but she couldn't bear to see a girl cry, so she hurriedly held her hand back and changed the subject, "How is Second Son?"
Mrs. Wang's tears subsided a bit, and she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, saying, "He's still kneeling in the ancestral hall. This time, your grandfather was very angry and punished him personally."
She paused, lowered her voice, and said, "Not just Second Son, but also the Eldest Lady of the Second House is kneeling in the ancestral hall. While your grandfather doesn't stop us from sending food and drink, he forbids them from leaving the hall. Every day, they must kneel and recite the family instructions and genealogies. You know, Second Son is rather simple-minded; he can manage some genealogies, but the instructions are..."
Zhao Hanzhang thought deeply, Second Son, her actual younger brother, Zhao Yong, was only twelve years old.
She considered for a moment and looked at Ting He, "Go find Uncle Cheng and tell him that after taking the medicine, I fell asleep but accidentally had a nightmare and am now sweating all over, calling for Second Son. Please let him come see me."
Ting He looked at the lady whose complexion was still quite rosy, hesitated a moment, but eventually curtsied and agreed.
Qing Gu, who came with Mrs. Wang, immediately said, "I will go with you."
Mrs. Wang was filled with anxiety, asking Zhao Hanzhang, "Isn't this deceiving your grandfather? If he finds out..."
Zhao Hanzhang reassured her, "Don't worry; what in this courtyard can be hidden from Grandfather? If he disagrees, Uncle Cheng will naturally refuse."
Uncle Cheng did not refuse, so Zhao Erlang, pale and unable to stand straight after kneeling, was supported and taken to Zhao Hanzhang's Qingyi Pavilion, leaving only Eldest Sister Zhao, Zhao Hewan, in the ancestral hall.
Supported as he was brought in, it was Zhao Hanzhang's first time seeing her 'cheap' younger brother in reality apart from in memory.
Though only a twelve-year-old boy, he was tall and sturdy, with chubby, cherubic cheeks. As soon as he entered and his eyes caught sight of his sister on the bed, unexpectedly, he opened his mouth and started to bawl, "Sister, Sister, waah—"
Zhao Hanzhang was startled, and Mrs. Wang began to cry too, running forward to embrace her son, "Second Son..."
Zhao Erlang cried loudly, his tears like floodwaters streaming down his face. His eyes tightly shut, he was supported by attendants as he approached the bed. Only when he reached Zhao Hanzhang did his cries quiet down a little, but he continued to sob sorrowfully.
He cried while barely opening his eyes to look at Zhao Hanzhang; seeing her, he cried even louder.
Zhao Hanzhang: ...