Resplendent – Chapter 532

Chapter 532 — Becoming a Young Lady

The two spent nearly half a day within the space, though only a few minutes had passed outside. 

While tidying the inner chamber, Liangchen discovered her young lady’s soiled garments and promptly ordered the kitchen to prepare brown sugar water. She had strictly forbidden any disturbances while the young lady was in the study. After consulting with Meijing, Liangchen went to inform their madam that the young miss had her first menstruation..

Thus, when Ling Juechen departed and Gu Ye emerged from the study, she found her mother waiting in her room. Surprised, she asked, “Mother, why have you come at this hour?”

Lady Jun beckoned her daughter over, gently stroking her head. “My precious girl has become a young lady. Drink this warm brown sugar water quickly, dear. Were you frightened? Feeling nervous? Don’t be… When your mother had her first period, I even cried from fright. Your grandmother teased me mercilessly about it back then!”

Gu Ye sipped the sweet syrup in small mouthfuls, smiling as she replied, “Mother, have you forgotten what I’m studying? How could a healer not know such basic physiological knowledge?”

“True.” Lady Jun felt a pang of disappointment. She hadn’t been the most attentive mother. Now that her daughter had grown, her role as a mother seemed almost unnecessary…

“Mother,” Gu Ye seemed to sense her unease. She quickly wrapped her arms around her mother’s arm, her little face flushed. “Um… could you teach me how to sew the cotton pads for menstruation?”

Lady Jun promptly ordered someone to open the warehouse, fetching absorbent, soft Songjiang fine cotton cloth. Taking up a needle, she guided her daughter step by step in sewing the cloth pads. The cotton had been boiled in water and sun-dried. Two layers of cloth sandwiched a thin layer of cotton batting.

Lady Jun’s needlework was meticulous, her stitches neat and delicate. Now look at the cotton strip in Gu Ye’s hands—the stitches were crooked and uneven, large and small, a truly pitiful sight. She handled the needle and thread as if facing a formidable enemy. After failing to sew one strip properly, a fine layer of sweat beads formed on her forehead.

Look how hard this is for the child. Lady Jun gently wiped the sweat from her daughter’s brow with a handkerchief, her voice tinged with concern. “Stop sewing. I will finish it for you. You have the assessment in two days. Don’t prick your fingers and risk affecting the medicine-making.”

Gu Ye hung her head dejectedly. “Mother, am I really so useless?”

“Everyone has their strengths. You show great talent in medicine and pharmacology, so it’s perfectly fine if needlework isn’t your forte. A person’s time is limited. Your hands are meant for greater things. Besides, don’t you have Liangchen and Meijing for needlework?” Lady Jun gently stroked her daughter’s cheek, offering constant reassurance.

Other items could be left to the maids, but this most intimate thing… Gu Ye felt unaccustomed to it. She resolved to practice needlework diligently tonight, so she could at least make some simple things herself.

Then she recalled the hideously ugly pouch hanging from Ling Juechen’s waist. She couldn’t bear to look at it herself, yet he treasured it like a precious jewel, wearing it everywhere. 

Didn’t he fear ridicule? Then again, those of lower status wouldn’t dare mock him, and those of higher status… Well, there were only a handful of them anyway. Once she got the hang of sewing and was in a good mood, she’d make him a new one!

“If you feel embarrassed using something made by others, I’ll make these cotton strips for you from now on.” As Lady Jun spoke, her needle and thread flew across the fabric, crafting another one.

“Mother, you’re so kind. A child with a mother like you is truly blessed!” What need was there for privacy between mother and child? Gu Ye’s little head rested against her mother’s shoulder as she watched her stitching with a smile. The room was filled with warm, happy contentment…

Suddenly, Gu Ye’s expression turned peculiar. She grabbed the cotton strips Lady Jun had just sewed and dashed into the bathroom. After drinking a bowl of brown sugar water, her menstrual flow seemed to increase. The sanitary pad she’d just changed was already soaked through again. Sigh… She hoped this wouldn’t last too long, or else she’d be at a loss on the day of the exam!

Fortunately, heaven heard her heartfelt prayers. By the third day, her first period was nearing its end.

The number of candidates for the Level 8 Pharmacist Assessment had dwindled significantly, leaving only a handful of dozens remaining. This time, they wouldn’t have to prepare medicines outdoors. Each participating pharmacist was assigned a small, dedicated preparation room.

For this assessment, each entrant could bring two apprentice assistants and three precious medicinal herbs. Of course, commonly used herbs could be requested from the judges.

Within Gu Yu’s white pharmacist robe, her bright, narrow-sleeved riding attire remained visible. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail adorned with a red coral hairpin, giving her a lively and charming appearance that made her instantly recognizable from afar.

“That young girl is here too? This is the Level 8 Pharmacist Examination! Once apothecaries reach the advanced ranks, the difficulty of each level increases exponentially. I wonder if she can pass safely!”

The crowd on the viewing platform had thinned considerably, yet not a single seat remained empty among the absent envoys from various nations and the dignitaries of Dongling Kingdom. Grand Pharmacists were difficult to befriend, but cultivating connections with several high-level apothecaries was better than nothing!

“Oh! You mean her! Last time she topped the Class A rankings. If she can’t pass this time, the others are even more hopeless!” The speaker was a royal family member of Dongling Kingdom, who boasted a certain smugness thanks to his own channels of information.

Beside him, a man of somewhat handsome features but with a hint of wickedness in his eyes raised an eyebrow and sneered, “Oh? So a little girl managed to snatch the top spot in the Level 7 exam… the quality of this year’s examinees isn’t exactly stellar, is it?”

The royal descendant shot him a look that screamed, “You’re so out of touch.” 

The handsome man frowned. “Am I wrong?”

“Don’t judge heroes by their age! Look at the young master from Grand Pharmacist Jiang’s family. Didn’t he take the Level 8 exam at a tender age? Rumor has it he earned top marks in the last round too! As for that girl, she’s the younger sister of Chu Mutong himself. Dare to underestimate her, and you’ll be tormented by that sly fox!” The royal descendant relished the schadenfreude.

The handsome young man’s expression froze. Chu Mutong, the third son of the Chu family, was an anomaly in his clan—cunning as a fox. Among his peers in the capital, few had escaped his schemes unscathed. Those who crossed him suffered particularly harsh retribution, often vanishing from public view for months. The handsome young man himself had once been among his victims.

“Uh… So she’s Brother Mutong’s younger sister? No wonder she’s achieved so much at such a young age!” The handsome man glanced timidly toward the Chu family’s direction, his gaze locking with Chu Mutong’s. His scalp tightened, cold sweat instantly breaking out. Did that sly fox possibly hear him badmouthing Miss Chu from this distance?

“Brother Qinghan, do you think the Chu family might produce a grand pharmacist?” another noble scion asked with a hint of wistfulness.