Gu Qingcheng knew that the other person was the wet nurse chosen by her father. She sized her up and saw that the woman was sturdy, clearly someone who had done manual labor for years, but her face looked gentle, suggesting a good temperament.
"Madam Qian, you can go back tomorrow," Gu Chaobei said, examining her injuries.
Upon hearing this, Madam Qian’s tears welled up.
"Doctor Gu, you are truly a miracle doctor, healing all my wounds. But I am already homeless. My family all froze to death. Alas, what is the meaning of living alone?"
Gu Chaobei pondered for a moment and said,
"Is that so? Actually, I have a job, and I wonder if you would be willing to take it? We've taken in an infant and are looking for someone to care for him. The infant's mother also froze to death, but my family members are not very skilled at raising children. If you're willing, you can come to our home to help care for the child, and we'll pay you five taels of silver a month."
Gu Chaobei explained slowly.
Madam Qian hadn't expected Gu Chaobei to offer her a job. She stopped crying and said with pleasant surprise,
"Of course, I'm willing! Thank you so much. As long as you provide food and lodging, I don't need any wages."
Gu Qingcheng immediately added, "If you're willing, you can come up the mountain with me now. We will certainly pay you, and food and lodging will be provided."
Gu Qingcheng was so agreeable because she had spent one ‘refreshment point’ to conduct a loyalty test on Madam Qian and found no issues.
Madam Qian’s test results were: Excellent, loyal and trustworthy.
Madam Qian’s loyalty was so high because Gu Chaobei had saved her. She was already extremely grateful, and now that she had a place to stay, how could she not be loyal?
Upon hearing Gu Qingcheng’s words, Madam Qian immediately said,
"I'm willing. My injuries have healed anyway, and it's good to find something to do."
Madam Qian was overwhelmed with gratitude and immediately expressed her willingness to return home with Gu Qingcheng.
Gu Qingcheng glanced at her father. Gu Chaobei nodded and said, "Aunt Qian's physical condition is suitable for discharge."
Gu Qingcheng knew her father wouldn't speak falsely for the sake of family matters, so she said, "Aunt Qian, if you don't want to stay here, you can come back with me now."
Gu Qingcheng asked Madam Qian to pack her belongings and go with her.
But Madam Qian had no belongings to pack. She had been carried to the clinic by Prince Xia's subordinates when she was unconscious, with empty hands and no luggage.
Seeing Gu Qingcheng ask her to pack, she said with a bitter smile,
"I'm alone and have nothing. I'll have to trouble the master to give me a couple of changes of clothes later."
Gu Qingcheng quickly waved her hand and said, "Aunt Qian, don't worry about clothes and other daily necessities; we have them at home. You're about the same size as my mother, so she can lend you some new clothes. Also, you're just helping us out, so you don't need to treat us as masters; just call us by our names."
"How can I do that? Miss Gu's consideration for me is an honor."
Madam Qian spoke earnestly and was very particular about etiquette.
Gu Qingcheng did not dwell on the details of language and asked Gu Chaobei to call for a carriage to take them back.
On the way, Gu Qingcheng asked about Madam Qian's background and learned that she and her husband had made a living by selling handmade bamboo items, mainly hats and baskets. However, this small business was time-consuming and labor-intensive, with meager profits, barely enough to sustain them. Most ordinary people in Jinsha City, like them, had frozen to death.
Speaking of the disaster, Madam Qian's expression was numb. Her grief seemed to have been "flash-frozen" by the weather. The disaster had been widespread, affecting not only her family but also neighbors, friends, and even some respected and influential figures. Madam Qian's heart seemed to be frozen, and when she spoke of the natural disaster, Gu Qingcheng couldn't detect much emotional fluctuation.
However, Gu Qingcheng knew that the pain that is not expressed would be all the more corrosive in the years to come. It was like how some people, upon suddenly losing loved ones, cannot cry and instead laugh in extreme anger. But afterward, the grief of losing them would haunt them for life, never allowing them peace when they thought of it.
As they spoke, they arrived at the foot of Cliff Mountain. Gu Qingcheng gave the carriage driver twenty copper coins and then led Madam Qian up the mountain via the sheep leg ladder.
Madam Qian never imagined that the path up the mountain was made of sheep legs. She thought to herself, "How can such a wealthy family exist? They must have at least twenty or thirty sheep to build a ladder like this." Madam Qian marveled inwardly.
Little did she know that the Gu family was quite helpless about this sheep leg ladder. It was the doing of Steward Zheng, who still occasionally sent people up with supplies for them. Therefore, if they destroyed the sheep leg ladder, the Gu family would have difficulty explaining it to Steward Zheng and could only let it remain.
As Gu Qingcheng brought Madam Qian through the courtyard gate, Wangcai, the dog, "whooshed" out of the house and affectionately rushed towards her. This was always its move, but Gu Qingcheng had developed a way to deal with it. She dodged nimbly, avoiding Wangcai's pounce. Wangcai, not having reached its owner, seemed surprised and a little disappointed. It turned around and looked at Gu Qingcheng with a dejected expression, making her both exasperated and amused. Gu Qingcheng petted the dog's head and said, "Don't look like that. Don't jump on me anymore; you almost make me fall every time."
Madam Qian curiously observed the house. It wasn't large, but it exuded a sense of warmth that existed before the disaster. A home filled with people felt alive and exceptionally cozy.
Hu Lanfang came out and, seeing Madam Qian, greeted her warmly and asked her daughter, "Is this the wet nurse hired for Xuesheng?"
"Yes, this is Aunt Qian. Aunt Qian, this is my mother." Gu Qingcheng introduced them to each other.
Madam Qian, hearing that she was the mistress of the house, quickly bowed to Hu Lanfang. Hu Lanfang saw that Madam Qian looked neat and had a kind face, so she handed the baby in her arms to Madam Qian. Madam Qian skillfully took the child, holding him close to her chest, cradling him with her arm. This position made Xuesheng very comfortable. He had been whimpering in Hu Lanfang's arms, but now he quieted down, looking content. Hu Lanfang was very pleased and smiled, saying, "It seems you and Xuesheng are destined. You should stay."
Madam Qian, having heard from Qingcheng that Xuesheng was rescued by chance and that they had specifically hired someone to care for him, felt even more that the Gu family was kind. In this chaotic, frigid era, she was homeless and couldn't help but see this place as her refuge and a place to build a new life.
Mi Guo also breathed a sigh of relief. He liked to play with Xuesheng, but Xuesheng was too young and would cry incessantly from time to time, leaving him flustered. Now, it seemed Aunt Qian would be able to handle Xuesheng. Madam Qian, having lost her home, had thought she wouldn't be able to survive alone. Unexpectedly, she found new value for herself in the Gu family.
After caring for the child for a few days, Aunt Qian transformed her grief over losing her loved ones into affection for Xuesheng, taking meticulous care of him.