"Second Aunt, what's going on with Qinglan..."
Only then did Shen Qinghe realize that Shen Qinglan was acting a bit off.
Dong Yao smiled and said, "It's fine, she'll be better once she wakes up."
"Really?"
With a look of delight, Shen Qinghe glanced at Shen Qinglan, who was staring back at Shen Tao with a slightly bewildered expression.
Dong Yao nodded and said, "Really, I almost forgot to tell you all about it."
After saying this, Dong Lan added, "It's almost noon. I have to head back and help your second uncle with the weeding, so I won't stay any longer."
"Qinglan, stay here and watch Little Tao with your cousin, I'll head back first."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qinglan felt reluctant, but seeing the little fellow who seemed to be gleefully playing with her hair, she could only nod in resignation.
Shen Qinghe gave Shen Qinglan a look before saying to Dong Yao, "Take care, Second Aunt."
Dong Yao acknowledged with a sound and then walked out the door.
Shen Qinghe took Shen Qinglan inside to sit down and then asked, "Qinglan, is your illness all better?"
Shen Qinglan: "Yes."
She hadn't said a word since she came in, which worried Shen Qinghe. She was afraid Qinglan might have become mute. Hearing her speak now, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, Shen Qinghe beamed, "If my parents knew you were better, they'd be overjoyed."
That's the truth. Shen Qinglan had been a simpleton, and the Shen Family always made allowances for her.
Every year during the New Year, Shen He and the Jiang family would buy her new clothes, a privilege not even given to Shen Qinghe, their own daughter.
Oh, and there was also her second cousin Shen Qingning, who would always bring her some hair ribbons or flowers each time he came back from town.
The little simpleton never used them, and Shen Qingju ended up tying them for her, but they'd be lost by the next day after she'd gone out.
Dong Yao had specifically advised Shen Qingning not to waste money on these.
Yet, every time Shen Qingning came back, he would bring something for Shen Qinglan, which left Dong Yao quite helpless.
Looking at Shen Qinghe, Shen Qinglan asked, "When will my eldest cousin return?"
"Eldest brother?"
Shen Qinghe asked suspiciously, "What do you need him for?"
Shen Qinglan: "I have questions to ask."
With piqued interest, Shen Qinghe said, "What questions? Tell me, maybe I know the answers too?"
After thinking for a moment, Shen Qinglan said, "I woke up... and don't recognize the country or the Emperor."
Shen Qinghe was stunned, "You mean our country?"
Shen Qinglan: "Yes."
Shen Qinghe laughed, "That's simple. Our country is called Yunye Country, and it's currently the twenty-third year of Emperor Ming's reign. As for the Emperor's name... Eldest Brother said it's taboo to mention the Emperor's name, doing so risks beheading."
Yunye Country, the twenty-third year of Emperor Ming?
It seems she's traveled to a country that doesn't exist in history.
Well, at least now she understood where she was.
Shen Qinglan handed Shen Tao to Shen Qinghe, rose to her feet, and said in an ethereal voice, "I have to go back."
Shen Qinghe quickly stood up and asked, "Leaving already? Won't you have some tea? The tea was a gift from Lady Luo's nephew to Eldest Brother."
Shen Qinglan shook her head, "No, thank you."
Shen Qinglan didn't know who Lady Luo's nephew was, nor did she care about how precious the tea was. She only knew she wasn't thirsty.
To Shen Qinglan, tea was just like plain water, it was only for quenching thirst.
Watching Shen Qinglan get up and leave, Shen Qinghe swallowed her words of persuasion.
This cousin of hers used to smile at everyone when she was simple-minded, but now that she's recovered, why is she so aloof?
Shen Qinghe thought about it for a long time and still couldn't make any sense of it.