Chen Lan nodded in strong agreement, saying, "Mom, you're absolutely right. I've been thinking about the matter of the younger brothers going to school for a long time.
Before Teacher Zhou returned to the capital, I entrusted him with finding us some learned teachers for the valley.
And a few doctors with high medical skills. If we can't find doctors, even an old country doctor would do, as long as their character is good and their medical skills are superb, we'd be willing to support their entire family for life in our valley."
The elder mother visibly relaxed after hearing Chen Lan's words, saying, "That's good! That's good! It's good that you have a plan!"
The mother-in-law also praised Chen Lan enthusiastically, "Xiao Lan, you've handled this matter very well, truly excellent! You've thought of everything. Our valley certainly needs a good doctor. We live in this remote corner, surrounded by nothing but mountains and trees.
If anyone falls ill, without a doctor, wouldn't they just have to suffer and wait to die? Xiao Lan, you've done a truly great job with this."
The elder mother also nodded repeatedly, saying, "Mother-in-law, what you say makes sense. The valley does need a good physician, and we must hire one regardless of the cost."
The mother-in-law, Mother Cui, and Mother Liu also nodded in agreement.
Mother Cui chimed in, "Yes, yes, that's right, that's right!
Besides, Xuan's comrades are all injured, they especially need a good doctor to recuperate. This will help them suffer less in their lives here in the valley.
Er Hu's injured leg used to ache terribly and make it difficult for him to get out of bed whenever the weather changed. After using the ointment Xiao Lan gave him and drinking the herbal medicine prescribed by the old doctor from the capital, he's much better now.
The valley indeed needs a good doctor to properly treat them." Su Dan Novels
Mother Liu also nodded in agreement, "Yes, yes, that's exactly it. Xiang Dong was also treated by that old doctor, and his medical skills are truly remarkable. What a shame! It would be wonderful if we could invite him to our valley!"
The mother-in-law chuckled, "Hongxiu, wake up! How is that possible?"
The elder mother interjected, "Mother-in-law, don't say that. Perhaps there's a real possibility. That old doctor's wife passed away many years ago, and he only has one daughter.
After I gave birth to Wen Kai and Wen Qi, my health was never good. I was introduced to this old doctor by others and consulted him several times. It's true that after taking the herbal medicine he prescribed for nearly a year, I felt much better.
Later, he stopped prescribing medicine, saying that medicine has three parts poison, and I should focus on resting at home.
Then I heard that his daughter wasn't living well with her husband's family. Her daughter had a difficult first labor and was barely saved by her father. Unfortunately, she couldn't have any more children.
Her mother-in-law abused her and their daughter, often withholding food and resorting to beatings and scolding.
That old doctor went to his daughter's in-laws' home several times to speak with their family, but they were unreasonable. They said his daughter had broken their family line and threatened to send her back to her parents' home."
Upon hearing this, the mother-in-law slammed her hand on the table in anger, "What kind of family is this! That old doctor is also a stubborn old fool. What kind of life can they have? If it were me, I would have long ago told my daughter to divorce him.
Then I'd find someone to tie up that scoundrel of a son-in-law in a sack and give him a good beating."
Chen Lan hadn't expected her mother-in-law to have such violent tendencies, but somehow, her words felt so agreeable. She gave her mother-in-law a thumbs-up in approval.
Mother Liu and Mother Cui also nodded repeatedly, "Yes, that's how it should be."
Chen Lan, who had never heard her elder mother curse, heard her say with great indignation, "Yes, mother-in-law is right. That's exactly what should be done. Give that bastard a severe lesson, beat him until he remembers, so that he and his family understand that women are not to be treated as people."
Chen Lan was stunned. Was this her gentle and demure mother? When did her mother become so violent? She probably spent too much time with her mother-in-law and had been assimilated by her influence!
The elder mother calmed herself and then asked, "Lan'er, since we are establishing a sewing society in the valley, it's like opening a shop, right? Don't we need someone in charge, like a shopkeeper?"
The mother-in-law immediately seconded, "Yes! Xiao Lan, who are you planning to appoint as the manager of this sewing society?"
Chen Lan decided to tease her mother-in-law a bit to lighten the mood and said with a smile, "Mother-in-law, how about you take on the role of manager for the sewing society?"
The mother-in-law frantically waved her hands, "No, no, please spare me! I can't do that. I don't have the patience, and I can't handle such tedious work. I'd rather just manage the large kitchen!
Or, mother-in-law, how about you become the manager of the sewing society? You have a good temperament! I'm too impatient. I can't do it."
The elder mother also waved her hands, "I can't do this. Ever since I gave birth to Wen Kai and Wen Qi, my back has been like it's not my own. I can neither stand nor sit properly.
If I sit or stand for too long, it feels like it will break, causing a piercing pain. I'm afraid of it.
Now that Jiā Huì and Jiā Yào are also growing up and are more mischievous, they're not as easy to manage as they were when they were younger. They want this one thing and then that, and I can barely take care of them both."
Hearing her mother say this, Chen Lan quickly asked, "Mom, has your back pain relapsed? I'll ask Father-in-law to buy some medicine for back pain from them." Saying this, she prepared to go upstairs.
The elder mother quickly reached out and pulled Chen Lan, "Lan'er, don't worry, sit down. I'm fine. My old back pain hasn't flared up. It only hurts when I stand or sit for too long. It's alright, it's alright!"
Seeing that her mother was truly fine, Chen Lan finally felt relieved.
She then cleared her throat and said in a serious tone, "Mother-in-law, Mom, Mother Liu, Mother Cui, what do you think about appointing Aunt Xiaoshan as the manager of the sewing society?"
The mother-in-law slapped her thigh and exclaimed loudly, "That's right! How could I forget about Aunt Xiaoshan? Yes, Aunt Xiaoshan is the most suitable candidate to manage the sewing society. She was originally an embroiderer and raised Xiaoshan with her skills, which is why her eyesight deteriorated. She knows both tailoring and cutting.
However, Xiao Lan, is her eyesight okay?"
Chen Lan quickly replied, "Mother-in-law, there's no problem. As long as we don't let Aunt Xiaoshan embroider or do any work that strains her eyes, it will be fine. Aunt Xiaoshan's eyesight is perfectly fine for seeing things during the day."
After deliberation, everyone finally decided that Aunt Xiaoshan would be the manager of the valley's first cooperative sewing society. The sewing society would temporarily be set up in the third house, at Aunt Xiaoshan's home.
The mother-in-law immediately arranged for Xiang Xi to inform Aunt Xiaoshan to come and take up her post.