Seeing this, Nangong Yehen's gaze darkened. Chu Lingzi swallowed her tears and forced a bright smile. She finished the amaranth that Grandpa Hu had picked for her, then picked up the dish and poured the vegetable juice into her rice. Smiling cheerfully at Grandpa Hu, she said, "I love mixing rice with amaranth juice—it turns red and looks so pretty."
Grandpa Hu smiled kindly. "My granddaughter used to love mixing rice like that too." Chu Lingzi felt her throat grow increasingly tight as she shoveled rice into her mouth. Only by continuously swallowing could she ease the ache in her heart. Watching her, Nangong Yehen felt even more pained for her.
Suddenly, Grandpa Hu coughed, as if something was stuck in his throat. When coughing at the table, he turned his body away. As he turned, he secretly wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. He thought they hadn't noticed, but they had. This meal had little food, yet it lasted a long time. After eating, Nangong Yehen voluntarily cleared the dishes. His actions nearly startled Chu Lingzi. If not for her heavy and sorrowful mood, she would have teased him. The dignified city lord, the noble Master Nangong, a man who never touched water for washing vegetables or dishes—was he actually doing this? His change was so drastic, but Chu Lingzi had no spare energy to ponder it.
Coincidentally, Grandpa Hu had rice wine and white vinegar at home. After washing the crayfish, Chu Lingzi placed them in a glass jar and filled it with the liquor. "Grandpa Hu, these are crayfish I caught in the river," she said, carrying the jar to him, trying to act like a cheerful child. "After soaking for seven days, start drinking it three times a day, half a cup each time. Once you finish this jar, your back pain will be cured."
Grandpa Hu knew about using crayfish-soaked liquor to treat spinal bone spurs but had never done it. Now that Chu Lingzi had prepared it for him, he gladly accepted. Nodding, he said, "I'll drink it on time every day." After setting the crayfish liquor aside, Chu Lingzi had Grandpa Hu lie down on the bed. She examined his legs and confirmed that, besides an old injury causing his limp, he also suffered from hip joint damage. This condition flared up in rainy or damp weather, much like rheumatism. Many were misdiagnosed with rheumatism and treated only for that, overlooking the hip joint damage, which is why some never recovered.
Using the simplest, most primitive method, Chu Lingzi treated Grandpa Hu by rubbing his joints with vinegar. Looking up at him, she said, "Grandpa Hu, come to T City with me. I'll massage your legs every day." Nangong Manor was vast, like a palace—he would surely love it there. Once there, he wouldn't have to do anything; he could eat well and live comfortably, and his health would quickly improve.
Grandpa Hu gazed at Chu Lingzi with eyes full of hardship. "Good child, I appreciate your kindness, but I can't accept it." Nangong Yehen, having finished washing the dishes, came over and crouched directly by the bed, looking at Grandpa Hu with eyes full of filial respect. "Grandpa Hu, don't worry that you'll cause us trouble. My estate is three times the size of Lizhu Village. It includes a horse ranch, a shooting range, a small hill, a lakeside, and all kinds of flowers and trees... The estate is heavily guarded with countless bodyguards. Without my permission, no outsider can set foot inside. In T City, Lingzi will take care of you, and I will protect you."