Chapter 27: Lu Jiao'er's Plan

When Lu Jiaer said she would stop making medicine, she meant it. She spent her days at home reading and reviewing, occasionally finding time to visit the Xinhua Bookstore to purchase books, ink, brushes, and paper.

Beyond that, she frequented small, private eateries every few days to buy roast duck, roast chicken, braised pork trotters, or various dumplings and wontons. With money, leisure, and no worries about food or drink, Lu Jiaer’s life in Beijing was exceptionally comfortable.

Back in Guangxi Province, the Lu family was quite surprised to receive a package, immediately guessing it must have been sent from Beijing. Sure enough, after fetching it from the post office and opening it at home, they confirmed it was indeed from Lu Jiaer.

The package weighed a full thirty pounds. Fortunately, it was Lu Jianping who had gone to collect it; anyone else would have struggled to carry it back. Besides medicine, Lu Jiaer had included "Beijing Eight" pastries, soy-marinated duck, various candies and cakes unavailable in the south, Beijing-style cured meats and sausages, and a complete set of cotton-padded jackets, trousers, and shoes for the entire family. She had paid for the fabric and cotton herself, hiring others to sew them.

These clothes alone cost her over eighty yuan. Adult clothing was significantly more expensive than children's, but she felt these thick, winter-resistant cotton garments were superior to anything in Guangxi—one piece was worth five or six of those found back home. In winter, wearing one of these over a base layer would be enough to survive the cold comfortably. Furthermore, such items usually lasted over a decade, making them a sound, non-wasteful investment.

"Mom, big sister sent us new clothes! Wow, they’re so thick!"
"Big sister also sent us so many treats I’ve never even seen before!"
"Little brother, of course you haven't—these are from Beijing!"
"Brother, second sister, big sister is so wonderful! I love her the most!"
"You don't even have to say it! Our big sister is the best. Even after moving to Beijing, she’s still thinking of us."

The family gathered around the massive parcel. The items inside left Lu Jiuzhou, Lu Zhuer, and Lu Jiuqing wide-eyed, their mouths watering as they bubbled over with excitement, declaring their big sister the best in the world.

"Yulan, how could Jiaer be so spendthrift? She’s all alone in Beijing—what will she do if she runs out of money?"

Lu Jianping was stunned by the sheer size of the package. Once he regained his composure, his heart was filled with concern for his eldest daughter. Su Yulan shared his worry; Beijing was not like the countryside, where one could get by with little. Her daughter had no job and no source of income, and she feared she would soon exhaust her savings. Moreover, living with her in-laws meant she couldn't just contribute nothing—there were social obligations and personal expenses to consider. She couldn't just live off her in-laws for free, and they had no idea how much money she had left.

After comforting her husband, Su Yulan quickly grabbed the letter from inside the package and began to read.

"Jianping, Jiaer wrote that she has been studying Traditional Chinese Medicine on her own. She bought several medical texts and intends to learn how to make medicine. She says these medicines were purchased from someone else, that they are cheap and effective, and she specifically sent them back for us to use and to sell some for extra income."

Lu Jiaer had framed her future medicine-making as an interest in TCM to put her parents' minds at ease. She knew that if she later produced high-quality items and earned a lot of money, her family would naturally grow suspicious given their knowledge of her background. Fortunately, now that she was far from home, she didn't have to worry about being exposed.

"Jiaer also mentioned that she plans to take the college entrance exam next year in Beijing. She’s already begun reviewing, with the goal of getting into a TCM school."

Half of Su Yulan’s anxiety vanished. She had never expected that in such a short time, her daughter would have such a clear and ambitious plan for her future. Having a plan was a good thing; Su Yulan had been terrified that her daughter would feel inferior, timid, or bullied in the city. She knew all too well that city folk were different from country folk—they often looked down on rural people, especially those in the capital.

"Even if she just gets into a vocational school, graduation guarantees a state-assigned job. That would make her a state employee, and she’ll have a much easier time at her in-laws' house."

Upon hearing his daughter’s plan, Lu Jianping was in full agreement. As long as she was willing to strive for success, she would have a foundation of her own.

"Exactly. By the way, haven't you been complaining about back pain lately? Jiaer said this ointment for rheumatism and leg pain is excellent. Shall I apply some for you?"

With her attention now fixed on her daughter's medical aspirations—and the emphasis Jiaer had placed on these remedies in her letter—Su Yulan immediately thought of her husband’s persistent back pain, which local medicinal wines had failed to treat effectively.

Lu Jianping didn't hesitate. He quickly divided the Beijing pastries among the three children and put the rest away. The cotton clothes and shoes would be saved for the Lunar New Year; they wouldn't be given to the children until New Year's Eve.

Lu Jiuqing, Lu Zhuer, and Lu Jiuzhou happily snacked on their treats, careful not to show them off to outsiders. After all, such delicacies were rare, and they weren't about to share them and have less for themselves.

"Yulan, this ointment is actually heating up after I rubbed it on. It feels quite comfortable."

Lu Jianping lay on the bed as his wife applied the salve. Within minutes, he felt a warmth spreading through the area, and the pain became significantly less noticeable.

"That’s a good sign—it means it’s working." Su Yulan massaged it in firmly, feeling delighted.

"Beijing medicine really is better than what we have here. The effect is incredible." Lu Jianping felt that everything from Beijing was superior, and he prayed his daughter would be fortunate and find happiness in her new life.

Ten minutes later.

"It doesn't hurt. My back really doesn't hurt at all! This ointment is miraculous." After the application, Lu Jianping felt no discomfort at all, as if the pain had never existed.

Although Su Yulan trusted the quality of Beijing goods, she was still skeptical that a single application could eliminate the pain entirely.

"Don't believe me? Doesn't your back often ache too? Why don't you try it next? Since Jiaer wanted us to sell these, if we use them ourselves and prove they work, it’ll be much easier to convince others!"

That was certainly true. No matter how much they boasted, nothing beat personal experience.