Mrs. Sang, the County Magistrate's Wife's best friend, is a typical example of saving face while suffering.
On the surface, she appears to be very courteous, but she is not generous.
The Sang family's money is not much, incomparable to the Zhao family. The Sang family is just a bit better off than the poor County Magistrate Li Lixing's father.
Li Yuzhu smiled and said, "Mrs. Zhao, you misunderstand. It's not that I think the consultation fee is too little, but rather, I cannot replace the people close to Old Mrs. Zhao. To her, I am just a stranger. Even if she chats with me, it's about trivial matters and she wouldn't open her heart to me."
"..."
"And such an illness requires family companionship to help her relieve her worries. As an outsider, how would I know what's on Old Mrs. Zhao's mind?"
"..."
"If she has any unpleasant matters or secrets in her heart, like where she hides her money, she certainly won't tell me when she's clear-headed."
