250+ votes (although it seems like there aren't enough yet), tomorrow's monthly vote will be doubled, seeking support.

  ***

  Changsheng took a bunch of keys from his waist and asked with a smile if Xia Zhi wanted to go take a look at the house in the back.

  "Is that okay?" Xia Zhi asked. Since the house had already been rented out, it wouldn't be good for even the owner to enter and take a look around casually. Although Chang Sheng was kind-hearted, she didn't want him to do such a thing for her sake.

  Changsheng smiled and said, "Of course. There's no one living in the back now." He told Xia Zhiyuan that the family who had previously rented the house had moved out after their lease ended, and the new tenant wouldn't be moving in until after the Dragon Boat Festival, so the backyard was empty for the time being.

  When he said that, Xia Zhi smiled and nodded, thinking to herself that the back of the house was close to Xishi Street, which made it a quiet and peaceful place amidst the bustle, so it was no wonder that there were always tenants.

  Changsheng took the key and opened the door, leading Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei into the backyard. The yard was quite spacious, with a main house, wing rooms, and outhouses, totaling over ten rooms. Behind the main house was a small garden, but it was bare and nothing had been planted. Further back was a small side gate.

  Changsheng told Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu that the alley outside the Angle Gate can lead directly to Xida Street. He saw Xia Zhi glance at the garden, and then explained to Xia Zhi that there were also some flowers and grasses planted in the garden before. However, the tenants neglected to take care of them, and gradually abandoned them. Moreover, some tenants even used this garden as an empty space to place things, and later simply didn't plant anything.

  Changsheng opened the corner door and took the two children outside for a look before turning back to show them around the house. The main room and wing rooms were all furnished with simple furniture, which looked like it was swept regularly and didn't have much dust. The east and west ear rooms were both kitchens, and all the cooking utensils were complete.

  "How come there are two kitchens?" Xia Zhi asked casually.

  "There are many houses in this courtyard, sometimes one family can't live in so many rooms, so they rent out to two families." That's why there are two kitchens, also for the convenience of tenants. Changsheng explained.

  Xia Zhi nodded slightly, and at this time, they already had a co-renter. Then she sighed again, Guo's uncle was really good at making money, calculating everything so finely everywhere.

  "Changsheng, if you get married in the future, will this house behind not be rented out?" Xia Zhi asked Changsheng with a smile. The cross-shaped courtyard where Changsheng currently lives is still spacious for one person, but it would be cramped if more people were added.

  Her words were tinged with some kind intentions and inspiration, still coming from Zhang Shengfang's previous words. After his birth, Xia Dagu's living conditions improved.

  Changsheng's face turned red in an instant, and he muttered unclearly, unable to utter a single clear sentence.

  Xia Zhi couldn't help but laugh. Chang Sheng was indeed a particularly shy big boy, and he was actually embarrassed by his younger cousin's words. Xiao Hei Yu Er looked at Chang Sheng's red face, and he even added fuel to the fire, very seriously asking Chang Sheng when he would get married, thinking that he could eat glutinous rice balls early.

  Chángshēng's face turned even redder.

  Little Black Fish let out a sigh like a grown-up: "Your grandma and grandpa said you're just like a big girl, how come your face is so thin?"

  Changsheng was really helpless, he made a gesture to lift his hand and cover his face with his sleeve, and begged Xiao Heiyu and Xia Zhong: "Uncle, Sixteen, you two don't bully me anymore!"

  "Haha, who bullied you?" Xia Zhi thought it was funny and burst out laughing. Xiao Hei Yu also chuckled, and finally Chang Sheng couldn't help but laugh too.

  Three people played in this yard for a while before walking back, Changsheng locked the gate of the alley again, and the three people came to Xia Dagu's yard.

  As they walked, Zhang Sheng also told them that he had been to the Wenshan Academy and met Xia Xiuren. Xia Xiuren knew that Xia Zhi and Xiao Heiyu had come to Fucheng and instructed them to stay well at Xia Dagou's house.

  "Old Uncle said, after these two days when the Imperial Academy posts its list, he will come visit you."

  "When will the Imperial Academy post the list?" Xia Zhi asked Chang Sheng.

  Because there was no familiar person participating in this year's college entrance examination, Changsheng didn't pay much attention to it. He thought for a moment and said uncertainly that the results might be announced today.

  "Li Xia must have taken the exam." said Xiao Hei Yu, with a hint of regret. "If we had known that the results would be announced today, we should go take a look. Sixteen, do you think Li Xia will get in?"

  "It's definitely no problem." Changsheng said with certainty, "You don't know yet. Young Master Li participated in the county exam in February and got first place in the case study. He is a well-known young talent in our prefecture city, and this prefectural exam should be easy for him. I heard many people are betting that he will get first place again this time."

  The last time she met Li Xia, she had asked him about his college entrance exam. But Li Xia didn't reveal that he had already been admitted to a top university. This guy was really humble and low-key.

  Xia Zhi felt a pang in her heart, and suddenly realized that Chang Sheng had just said a bunch of things about the college entrance exam and case headings, but it seemed like there was something else discordant mixed in. "Gambling?" Xia Zhi slightly raised an eyebrow, it wasn't what she had thought.

  "Yes, it's a bet." Changsheng explained to Xia Zhi again. It turned out that several casinos in the city had opened betting pools for this year's imperial examination, and the most popular pool was Li Xia. Otherwise, how would Changsheng, an illiterate businessman, know so much about this matter?

  "I didn't bet." Changsheng saw that Xia Zhi's gaze was somewhat unusual, and he hurriedly waved his hand to explain. It was precisely because he hadn't made a wager that he wasn't certain about the specific date of the announcement. "If I had bet, I would have been waiting outside the Imperial Academy long ago for the announcement."

  He himself laughed after saying this sentence.

  "Brother Changsheng," Xia Zhi asked Changsheng, "can you help me find out if the list has been posted today and whether Li Xia was admitted or not?"

  "You're quite concerned about Li Xia." Changsheng said with a nod of approval, "I'll go out and ask around for you right away."

  "Then bother you, Brother Changsheng." Xia Zhi said with a sweet smile to Changsheng.

  "What's the big deal?" Changsheng said with a smile, "I'll just go out for a bit and ask around." He didn't accompany Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu to the upper house, but instead headed straight outside.

  Summer solstice sent Long Sheng around the shadow wall, only then did she turn her head back, and found that Zhen Zhu and Guo Yu Huan were standing in the sky well at some point. The two little girls stood there motionless, not making a sound, both pairs of eyes staring at her.

  "Jade ring, Pearl, are you leaving?" Xia Zhi called out to the two.

  Zhenzhu didn't say a word. Guo Yuhuan's eyes rolled around and she smiled as she spoke to Xia Zhi: "Yes, Fourth Sister, I'll leave now." But she didn't dare take a step forward, because she saw Xiao Heiyu following closely behind Xia Zhi with Da Qing.

  The pearl hummed softly and turned back into the house.

  "Fourth sister, can you... help me keep an eye on the dog? It's really scary." Guo Yuhuan glanced at Pearl and then turned back to glance at Xia Zhi, finally discussing with Xia Zhi in a timid manner.

  "This dog doesn't bite people. He's a watchdog. Only when he sees someone sneaking around will he bite." Xia Zhi smiled, "Yuhuan, don't be afraid in your heart, just walk past him with your head held high and he won't bite you."

  Guo Yuhuan always felt that Xia Zhi's words were piercing her heart, but she couldn't pick out what was wrong. Looking at Xia Zhi standing in front of Da Qing, she carefully took a step forward, walked around Xia Zhi, and stepped past him one by one. When she reached the shadow wall, she could no longer hold back and ran out with open legs.

  Dà qīng had a good hunting instinct, and as soon as he saw Guō Yùhuán's back, he let out a loud cry. Xiao Hei Yuér pursed his lips and intentionally loosened Dà Qīng's rope. Dà Qīng suddenly pounced forward, and Guō Yùhuán's shrill cries grew fainter and fainter.

  The little black fish didn't really let the big green bite Guo Yuhuan. But listening to Guo Yuhuan's screams, he still felt quite pleased. "Let her dare to speak ill of us again. I'll make sure she doesn't dare come again!" As for Guo Yuhuan coming to visit again today, Little Black Fish expressed extreme displeasure.

  "Alright." Xia Zhi could only softly persuade Xiao Hei, "Uncle's family doesn't have many people, this is the closest relative, and they live close by, can't just cut ties like that."

  These words were spoken by Xia Zhi, guessing what Xia Dagu meant.

  The little black fish shook its head: "People with bad intentions are not worth dealing with, annoying and nothing good will come of it."

  Guo Yuhuan was just a small episode, and the unhappy mood of Xiao Heiyu did not last long. Soon he was happy again. The two children walked into the upper house, where Guo's uncle and Xia Dagu were.

  "Where are you going?" Xia Dagu asked with a smile as she invited the two to sit on the kang.

  "Just went to Changsheng's house to play." said Xiao Hei Yu Er.

  Xia Dagu hummed in response and didn't take it to heart. Guo Shu looked at the two children and smiled, asking if they had gone strolling on Xishi Street again today.

  Xiao Hei nodded. He and Xia Zhi had almost strolled through the entire West City Street, and next they planned to stroll around a bit further away. The city was really big and fun, he didn't know how long it would take him and Xia Zhi to stroll through all the interesting and lively places.

  "You'll have to let Changsheng take you to distant places." Xia Dagou smiled, not forgetting to remind them of this.

  "Sixteen, Little Dragon, did you see anyone today?" asked Uncle Guo again.

  "Who did you see? Didn't see anyone?" Little Black Fish shook his head.

  Guo's uncle looked thoughtful. Xia Dagu glanced at him: "What's wrong? Why ask like that?"

  "It's nothing." Guo Shu immediately replied, but then hesitated, "I seem to have seen his second uncle in a flash."

  "His second uncle? That's impossible," said Xia Dagu. Xia Ershu didn't have any business, why would he come to the prefectural city. Even if he did come, he should be heading for this place.

  Uncle Guo also thought it was unlikely and said he probably just saw things.

  "It must be seeing things, or else people really do look alike." Xia Dagu didn't mind.

  Outside, however, there was a sudden sound of footsteps, and then the voice of Changsheng was heard loudly calling out: "Father, mother, my second uncle has arrived."

  Xia Er Shu really came to the prefectural city. Xia Zhi suddenly remembered the back view of a person she saw at the entrance of Gui Fang's house, was that person Xia Er Shu?

  I feel like something is going to happen!

  (。)