My Daughter Is The Family Head Chapter 34 (End)

"Ying Mei!"

In the Ying Mansion, a loud shout shattered the peace in the afternoon.  Even the birds on the trees were startled and flew away.   A little child, with two little knotted buns on her head and a cute little jade white face, was running furiously along a cobblestone path that led through the center of the residence, ignoring the loud shout behind her. 

"Ying Mei!  Stand still!"  Ying Xue Wen took a step forward.

"If I stand still, I won't be able to go and see Auntie!"  Ying Mei's short legs continued to run through a crescent moon gate*  as she panted breathlessly. 

(Crescent moon gate is a circular opening in the wall that separates courtyards.)

"I am your Father!  You did not even come to pay respects to me first when you return from your grandmother's summer resort!"

"Oh!  Greetings to Father!"  She said without even turning back her head.  "I am going to look for Auntie!"

"I will peel off your skin!......"

Before Ying Xue Wen could finish speaking, Ying Mei had vanished in a wisp of smoke.

Panting breathlessly, Ying Xue Wen stopped and sat down on the bench at the side.

Currently, he has two sons and a daughter and Ying Mei is the eldest.  She has the temperament of a wild horse and once at the age of five, she caused a major upheaval when she disappeared.  Later, this little thing was found in one of the Ying Medical Halls.  She was carrying a cloth bag with her and said she was conducting checks on the medical halls.

In future, he does not know how much brainpower he has to invest in this mischievous daughter of his...........

"Father!"

"Father!"

Dong!  Dong!

Before Ying Xue Wen had time to gather his thoughts, two small radish heads had already crashed into his arms knocking him back.

"Father, you promised to accompany me to go horse riding!........"

"Father, skim water........skim pebble on water!........."

"Alright, alright!  But Father has to see your Mother first........"   He disentangled his two sons from his body and holding their hands, he led the children towards the main door.

"I've been away from home for so many days but you didn't come to receive me first.  On the contrary, you are bothered that your daughter didn't look for you first?!"  Qian Ying Ying pretended to be angry and folded her arms across her chest.

When Ying Xue Wen saw his wife, his eyes immediately lit up and he quickened his footsteps towards her.

"This is an injustice!   I just wanted to teach her proper etiquette to save you from worrying about her in future!"  

At this moment, Ying Mei who had pa.s.sed through the crescent moon gate into another courtyard was running furiously towards the section where Hua Ming Zi was residing.  When Ying Mei could not find anyone around, immediately she knew that her Uncle and Auntie were alone in the study and did not want to be disturbed.  So, she hurriedly turned around and ran towards the study.

Without knocking on the door, she burst into the study and dragged out her words in a sweet voice.

"Auntie, your favorite Xiao Mei* has returned.........."

(Ying Mei is the child's name and when she calls herself as 'Xiao Mei' the word 'Xiao' is an affectionate term for the person.  The meaning of 'Xiao Mei' is 'Little Mei'.)

Ying Mei's words stopped abruptly when she saw her Uncle lying on her Auntie's lap while her Auntie was slowly waving a small fan over him to keep him cool.

Ying Yan Long wrinkled his eyebrows and then opened his eyes.

"How can Uncle take my spot?!"  Ying Mei widened her eyes and flew over pouncing directly on the couch.  Her pet.i.te body tried in vain to push Ying Yan Long away.

"Ying Mei!"  Ying Yan Long gave a low shout and got up slowly.

Ying Mei looked intently at Hua Ming Zi and held up both her arms waiting for Hua Ming Zi to gather her into a hug.

"Your Uncle is talking to you."  Hua Ming Zi frowned.

"Oh, I heard him."   Ying Mei went up to Hua Ming Zi and squeezed herself between Ying Yan Long and Hua Ming Zi. 

"Stand up!"  Hua Ming Zi tightened her lips, pointed to the door and said sternly.  "Go back to the door and knock.  Report the news of your return and wait for us to give you permission to enter before you can come in."

"So troublesome......."  Ying Mei blinked and wrinkled her little nose.  "Can I skip that?"

"Then in future, you are not allowed to come in."  Hua Ming Zi said without any expression.

Instantly Ying Mei blinked and her tears as big as beans were swimming in her eyes.  With a pout on her lips, the little child left the couch and dragged her feet to the door.

Letting out a sigh, Hua Ming Zi got up to adjust her clothes and then sat down again on the edge of the couch.

"Don't you think you are too strict with her?"  Ying Yan Long moved to sit beside her and held her hand.

"She is smart but if she doesn't place importance on rules and etiquette, she will suffer and be at a disadvantage in future."

Hua Ming Zi looked outside the door and frowned.

"You really have the att.i.tude of a mother."  Ying Yan Long said with a smile.

"Managing people is my specialty........."  Hua Ming Zi looked at the figure of the child and for a moment, she forgot what she was about to say.

Although Hua Ming Zi's body still looked thin all these years after consuming the 'Phoenix' Pill, at least her spirits is good.  She could move and walk and could even help by contributing ideas for their businesses.

In the Hua and Ying Families, everyone knew that Hua Ming Zi's favorite child is Ying Mei.  However, the deeper the love, the sharper the reprimand.  The effort Hua Ming Zi invested in the child was more than anyone else.  Several times when she tutored Ying Mei in learning to count, she forgot to take a rest and as a result, she was so tired that she turned pale.  It frightened everyone, so they started to teach Ying Mei on how to take care of Hua Ming Zi.

(The deeper the love, the sharper the reprimand describes an elder or a parent's deep love for his children and the strict discipline he makes the children go through to bring them up properly.)

Knock!  Knock!  

Two knocks sounded on the door.

"Uncle...... Auntie.......I am Ying Mei.  I have returned from grandmother's summer resort."  Ying Mei's voice choked as it drifted in from outside.

"Quick, come in."   Hua Ming Zi got up from the couch and walked towards the door.

The moment Ying Mei entered Ying Yan Long saw Hua Ming Zi gathered the child into her arms.

Ying Mei buried her face in Hua Ming Zi's arms and tears streamed down her little face soaking Hua Ming Zi's clothes.  After the little girl had cried for a while, she raised her long eyelashes and looked at Hua Ming Zi. 

"Is it because Xiao Mei has been away for too long, Auntie doesn't like me anymore?"  Ying Mei's pair of big eyes were filled with tears giving her a pitiful look.

"It's because Auntie likes Ying Mei too much, so it is necessary to especially teach you all these manners."

Hua Ming Zi held the little girl's hand and led her to the couch.  While she helped the child to wipe her tears, she whispered softly to the child and taught her that she must remember to always knock before entering.   She also reminded the child to follow rules and etiquette, and so on.

The little girl listened in a serious manner, nodding her head every now and then.  However, she is just a little girl and after listening for a while, she could not help but ask. 

"Auntie, have you finished?"

Hua Ming Zi smiled and said.  "I am done."

"Then it's my turn to speak!   Grandmother's place has a new lotus pond......a very, very big lotus pond.  I sat in the boat while my little brothers picked lotus seeds from the lotus seed pod for me.  The place was like a maze........."   Both of Ying Mei's hands were gesturing and flying in the air and her little face was s.h.i.+ning brightly.

Hua Ming Zi listened with a smile and unconsciously the two people leaned closer and closer.  Finally, the little girl hugged her arm and looked as if she could not wait to nestle into her arms.

"I asked grandmother for a lot of seeds to bring back and also asked the cook there for the method to cook lotus seed soup.  Later I will discuss with Uncle whether you can eat lotus seeds."  Ying Mei looked up at Hua Ming Zi. 

Hua Ming Zi smiled and nodded as she stroked Ying Mei's hair.

Ying Yan Long looked at Ying Mei who is still a child, but sometimes when she talks, she is able to speak in a methodical manner and she also possesses a little momentum of a Dangjia.  He could not help but feel proud of her.

"If Ying Mei likes to ride a boat so much, how about learning to row one............"  Hua Ming Zi said.

"That's good!  I want to row a boat in the lotus pond!  I also want to lie down there at night to watch the stars and the moon........" 

Ying Yan Long handed her a cup of tea and Hua Ming Zi took the cup to let the little girl take a sip first.

After Ying Mei finished the whole cup of tea, she flipped her body around to get down from the couch and walked a few steps away to pour a cup of tea for Hua Ming Zi.

"Auntie, drink this."

Ying Yan Long looked at the expressions on their faces while the two of them embraced each other and conversed.  He could not help but think that if Xue Wen and the rest of the family knew how much effort Hua Ming Zi had invested in Ying Mei, they would be speechless.

Hua Ming Zi was afraid when Ying Mei grows up, no one will a.s.sist her with managing the family.  When Ying Mei was two years old, a school was set up to take in children of poor families.  The children who attended the school need not pay any fees and they were given two meals a day.  Those who were not serious in studying were requested to leave and those who performed well would be able to sign a contract to work in either the Hua or Ying Mansion.  A few years had pa.s.sed and a group of people had already been trained with the ability to read and write.

Moreover, starting from last year, Ying Xue Wen began to distribute part of the monthly profit to the workers in the Hua Ji Vegetarian Restaurants.  As a result, everyone worked even harder and no worker left for the past year, and all this was also Hua Ming Zi's idea.  Once the workers were stable, Ying Mei would be able to join the restaurant earlier to train under the stewards.

Everyone said that Ying Yan Long is very capable but a lot of things were actually the in-depth thoughts of Hua Ming Zi.   Most of the time, even if they did not regard each other as husband and wife, they still regarded each other as excellent business partners and friends.

When Ying Yan Long looked at Hua Ming Zi and saw her cough after talking too much, he picked up two honeyed ginseng candies and put them into hers and the little girl's mouth.  The little girl sucked on the candy as she talked and after a while, she began to rub her eyes.  When Hua Ming Zi saw this, she pulled a pillow over to her side and said softly.

"Auntie is tired.  Can Ying Mei keep me company and lie down with me?"

"Alright."  Immediately, Ying Mei lay down flat on the couch and then she opened her eyes wide to look at him.  "Does Uncle want to lie down for a while?"

"I still have to look over the accounts.  The both of you can take a rest."  Ying Yan Long smiled faintly.

"Alright."  Ying Mei turned sideways and leaned on Hua Ming Zi's shoulder.  She breathed in the scent of medicine and after a few breaths, she fell asleep.

"After taking two to three hours' journey, she should be tired."  Hua Ming Zi leaned sideways to reach for the quilt and covered the child.

"As long as she returns from a long trip, no matter how tired she is, she will always come to look for you first.  You don't know how much Xue Wen feels jealous over this."  Ying Yan Long said with a smile.

"Every child of Ying Ying and Xue Wen is my treasure."  She said.

"And this one is a special treasure."  Ying Yan Long replied.

Ying Mei ground her teeth as an answer.

Ying Yan Long and Hua Ming Zi exchanged looks and smiled at each other.

Ying Yan Long saw her sweet and charming posture and could not help but steal a kiss from her lips.

Actually, just now their pa.s.sions had already been ignited but fortunately, her monthly menses had not totally completed, so they had stopped.   Otherwise, with this child barging in and witnessing such a scene, it would be difficult to explain.

"Oh yes, these few days, I and Doctor Qu including some herbalists have found a medicine to counter the coldness effect of the Precipice Flower which will not destroy the medicinal value of dwarf pine mineral*.  After we find out the correct proportion, it will be added to the next Phoenix Pill that you have to take." 

 (Dwarf pine needle oil helps to clear mucus from the lungs and the oil can be added to medicine for external use to prevent skin infections. Other than this, I cannot find any other benefits.)

The Phoenix Pill is good for her but the only thing is that in the pill, there is an ingredient that is the flower that grows on the face of the cliff that causes coldness in the body.   As a result, on the first day of her monthly menses, she would suffer extreme pain, so much so that she could not even get up from the bed.

"The Precipice Flower can help to nourish blood and the meridians.  My lower abdomen was seriously injured, naturally, it would hurt for a while, but I can cope with it.  You'd better not forget to rest and sleep.  The moment you enter the medical courtyard you become engrossed day and night."  Hua Ming Zi said.

"I fear you will not be able to go to sleep alone, so I'll return to the bedchamber to sleep with you."  He smiled.

"The child is still here.  Don't talk nonsense."  She blushed and pushed him several times.

"Alright, I won't talk.  My wife must take a good rest first and husband will return tonight." He said softly into her ear.

"I want to have a rest."  She smiled and turned her back to face him.

"My wife is smart.  Take a good rest so that tomorrow you will have the strength to meet the needs of your husband at night."

She quickly glanced at the child and then blus.h.i.+ng, she looked back at him.  "If I knew you would say such annoying words........"

".........then you would have married me as my wife even earlier."  He continued for her with a serious expression.

She laughed out loud and slapped him on his arm.  This man who originally had a serious face is now like Xue Wen who always jokes and laughs.

"Rest."  Ying Yan Long pushed her to lie back on the pillow.

Hua Ming Zi wrinkled her nose at him then he covered her eyes with his big hand and urged her to sleep.

She pulled his hand away and laid it on her cheek to warm her.

Ying Yan Long looked at her and watched as her shallow breathing turned steady and she finally fell asleep with her lips slightly curved like a child.

In the past, if someone had told him that one day he would watch his wife go to sleep and consider it as one of the happiest times in his life, he would certainly have sneered and regarded that person as crazy.

But now there is nothing better than waking up each day to see her beside him, knowing that they have earned another day to accompany each other which makes him very happy.

Of course, he could not put aside the business of the Ying Medical Halls.  Her illness needed wealth to support and needed money to upkeep.  However, fortunately, she had the Emperor who was also taking care of her.  Many rare treasures of herbs that were collected by the royal family from foreign lands were bestowed to her by the Emperor.

Both of them knew the reason the Emperor protected her life was that she was the only person who could talk to the Emperor about Mei Yi Wen.   Therefore, every month when he entered the palace, she would always follow him to the palace.  To everyone's knowledge, she was in the palace to introduce some commoner's food for the Emperor to taste and enjoy.  In actual fact, it was to allow her to lead the imperial chefs to prepare some of Mei Yi Wen's specialty dishes.  The important point was while the Emperor was eating, they could talk about Mei Yi Wen.

Even for the next production of 'Ruyi Baojiu', the Emperor had already instructed Ying Yan Long not to hand over the pill to him.  Later, the Emperor would take some fake medicine and throw it into the lake, lest this matter gave Ying Yan Long problems.

He understood the reason why the Emperor does not want to live alone in the world where there is no Mei Yi Wen because if Hua Ming Zi is to leave.........

A stab of pain flashed in his heart and he clenched his fists.  He could not help but reach out his hand under her nose to feel for her breathing.

"Oo.......tanghulu* is delicious......lotus seeds........Auntie eat........"  Ying Mei squirmed and muttered in her dream, then snuggled deeper into Hua Ming Zi's arms.

(Tanghulu is a sugar-coated Chinese hawthorn fruit on a stick which is a popular street food loved by children.)

Hua Ming Zi was awakened by Ying Mei's movements and after reaching out to appease the child, she opened her eyes to find him looking foolishly at her.

She stretched out her hand to hold him and whispered.  "I'm still here."

Ying Yan Long laid down beside her and hugged her in his arms.

"I know you are still here, it's just........"  He took a deep breath and did not speak anymore.

"Everyone has to die........."  She felt his body trembling and she caressed his face.

"I know, so I cherish the present very much."  He tightened his embrace.

"When my Mother was about to leave, she told me that although our fate is shallow in this life, she will attach ties with me in the next life."

She pulled his hand up and placed a kiss on it.

"In our next life, we will definitely attach ties with each other."  He said and clasped her hand tightly.

"I think so too, so don't worry."  She said.

Ying Yan Long closed his eyes and buried his face in her hair.  He breathed in the scent of medicine that was always on her body and after a while, he said.  "Alright, I will not be worried."

She cupped his face with her hands and said.  "In the next life, let me protect you."

Ying Yan Long looked at her for a moment and then slowly nodded.  Once again he pulled her into his arms.

As she rested on his chest, Hua Ming Zi listened to his heartbeat and slowly closed her eyes.

In that dream, in that life..........she has him to accompany her throughout her life.

A dream is like life, life is like a dream..........she has no regrets.

15012019