Qian Yue came to temporarily stop the carriage, Xia Qiao took Xiao Hei Yu'er onto the carriage and sat with Xia Zhi and Xiao Shu'er. The horse continued to move forward, barking loudly as it followed the carriage.

  Xiao Hei Yu'er immediately grabbed Xia Zhi and asked him a series of questions, the most important one being how they came back ahead of schedule, and also about Qian Yue Lai. "Where are Big Brother and Sister-in-law?"

  Because Qian Yue Lai was present, Xia Zhi didn't dare to say too much, only saying that they couldn't stay at Tian Lao Tou's house and wanted to return ahead of time. Coincidentally, they bumped into Qian Yue Lai, who specially sent them back.

  As for Xia Xiuren and Tian Shi, they should still be following the original plan, and are expected to return by dusk.

  Xiao Hei didn't ask much either. Xia Zhi was particularly happy to return ahead of schedule. "If you can't stay, then come back, that's the right thing to do. I don't even want you to spend a night at their house."

  After finishing this sentence, Xia Hei asked Xia Zhi: "Sixteen, when you were at their house, who bullied you and made you feel wronged?"

  "Old uncle, I'll mention you when I get there. They'd like to give me a hard time, but they don't dare." Xia Zhi said with intention.

  The little black fish was delighted to hear Xia Zhi's words and didn't think it was Xia Zhi intentionally teasing him. He even proudly puffed out his small chest. "This is just right. They're sensible."

  Everyone laughed happily then.

  The horse carriage stopped in front of the gate of Xia's backyard, and Old Master Xia, Old Madam Xia, Third Uncle Xia, Third Aunt Xia, as well as Lamei and Xialin, all members of the Xia family were already waiting outside the gate.

  Qian Yue was the first to jump off the car, and respectfully greeted Xia Lao Ye and Xia Lao Tai with a bow. He called them "Gan Yeye" and "Gan Nai", then he also met with Xia San Shu and Xia San Shu's wife.

  Lan Yue and Xia Lin also called out "Ge Ge" (older brother) to Yue.

  Xia Qiao also got down from the car with Xiao Hei, then Xia Zhi and Xiao Shu'er jumped down one after another. Everyone crowded into the yard and went straight to the east room upstairs to sit and talk.

  Xia Zhi roughly repeated what she had said to Xiao Hei in the car, explaining why they came back early and about running into Qian Yue. When saying these words, Xia Zhi only briefly mentioned their time at the Tian's house, focusing mainly on Qian Yue.

  It's such a long way, and it's not even on the way, but after they finished their business and were heading home, they voluntarily sent the three of them back, which is no small kindness.

  "Yuelai Ge said he misses us, mainly still missing his grandfather." Finally, Xia Zhi also smiled and said a sentence.

  Everyone in the house smiled kindly and became even more affectionate towards Qian Yue. Qian Yue, on the other hand, felt a bit embarrassed, so he handed over the two packages of mooncakes he had bought and told Old Master Xia that he had long wanted to come visit, but had been delayed due to his busy business recently.

  "You kids these days, you come and then you buy things too. You're being too polite to your old grandfather." Old Man Xia said with a smile.

  "It's just a small token of respect from me as your junior, Uncle Qian, don't think it's too shabby." Qian Yue came over and said with a smile.

  "You're just like your grandfather, stubborn as can be. This time you bought it, but next time don't even think about it." Then Old Man Xia had Old Lady Xia put away the two packages of zongzi cakes and told her to hurry up with the meal preparations. "Coming all this way, they must be starving."

  "Mum, I've bought some vegetables back." Xia Zhi hastily handed over the wine, meat, roasted duck and goose that he had bought from Linshui Town to Old Lady Xia.

  Mr. and Mrs. Xia were delighted, Qian Yue came suddenly, they didn't have much preparation, at this time they had to go to Linshui Town to buy vegetables, it would take a lot of time to come and go. Xia Zhi bought these things back, not only saved time, but also used to entertain guests quite richly and dignifiedly.

  Old Lady Xia took the things and brought Xia San Shu and Lao Yue to the main house to prepare food.

  Although Old Man Xia knew that the summer solstice and others had returned ahead of time, something must have happened. However, all the children were calm and seemed to be in a good mood, so Old Man Xia didn't ask them urgently. He first asked Summer Third Uncle to help Qian Yue come down from the carriage and feed the livestock, then let Qian Yue sit on the kang and asked about the Qian family's affairs.

  The two of us chatted, chatting was very happy, Xiaqiao didn't leave either, and followed to chat together.

  Xia Zhi stayed in the house for a while before coming out to help Old Lady Xia with cooking.

  "Sixteen, don't bother you, just rest on the side. This little bit of work can be done by me, your third aunt and Jiaoyue." Old Lady Xia said.

  Xia San's aunt and Jia Yue also didn't let Xia Zhi touch her, saying that she had come back from far away and must be tired, letting her rest for a while.

  Although that was the case, Xia Zhi still washed her hands and helped Xia Lao Tai Tai and Xia San Shu pick vegetables and chop them. She worked efficiently, and with her help, Xia Lao Tai Tai and Xia San Shu suddenly felt much more relaxed.

  "Sixteen is capable." Xia San Shu said sincerely, then also said to Dongyue, "Dongyue, you should learn more from your fourth sister."

  "Definitely." Lao Yue smiled and then asked Xia Zhi, "Fourth sister, why did you guys come back first?"

  Old Lady Xia and Aunt San Xia also looked at Xia Zhi.

  "Can't wait any longer." Xia Zhi looked towards the east house and saw that she could see and hear Old Man Xia talking inside through the door curtain, but if her voice was a bit softer, she estimated that the people inside wouldn't be able to hear.

  Xia Zhi didn't intend to hide it either, so she roughly told him what had happened.

  Old Lady Xia and Auntie Xia San were also stunned in December.

  "Lao Tian's family......, something like this actually happened." After a while, Old Lady Xia slowly came back to her senses and said in a low voice.

  "I've heard of such things, but I never thought...". Xia San's mother's family was also in the mountains, but their life was much better than that of the mountain village.

  In Beizhengfu, there really isn't a custom of killing newborn girls. They've only heard of such things, and it seems like an urban legend to them; they've never seen anything like that around them.

  There are some places here where some families have children who don't care much about their daughters, but no one would intentionally harm their own flesh and blood.

  "We didn't know anything at all back then." Old Lady Xia sighed and said, "We also don't have any relatives or friends on our side, nor did anyone tell us these things, alas."

  Old Lady Xia sighed. However, Xia Zhi was thinking that if the Xia family had known about Old Man Tian and Madame Tian's actions in the past, would they have still allowed Xia Xiuren to marry into the Tian family?

  "Nai, did the matchmaker who arranged for Father and Mother to get married know about it or was she intentionally hiding it?" Xia Zhi asked.

  Old Lady Xia glanced at Xia Zhi and said, "Your father and mother were not matched by a matchmaker."

  "Isn't it Baoyu's matchmaker? What's going on?" Xia asked in surprise.

  Old Lady Xia hesitated and refused to say any more. "Sixteen, you'll understand this matter later on."

  Xia Zhi knew that Old Lady Xia was just making excuses and didn't want to tell her. Xia Zhi also didn't force Old Lady Xia to say anything.

  Old Lady Xia let out another sigh, seemingly talking to herself: "I think I understand now why Eldest Brother's wife doesn't care about her daughter! She grew up in a family like that, it's no wonder."

  As for this sentence, Xia Zhi deeply agrees. In the environment of Tianjia's family, Tian must feel that giving birth to a daughter and raising her up is already a great kindness to the daughter. In her heart, she probably doesn't treat her daughter as her own child, but rather as some kind of object, raised big enough to be exchanged for money, estimated to be about the same as the chickens, ducks, geese, and pigs at home.

  But Tian's reason for not giving birth to a daughter and throwing her away was not that she had higher awareness than Lao Tian and Wang Shi, but because the Xia family did not have this tradition, and the Xia family lived well, so they didn't need to do so.

  Summer Solstice also thought of Da Yu'e.

  According to Tian's thinking, which was inherited from the Tian family, the first child is a daughter, not a son. She must be very disappointed. As for Da Yue'er, did she ever have true mother-daughter feelings? When selling Da Yue'er, did she hesitate and feel reluctant?

  Xia Zhi couldn't guess these things, probably only Heaven and Earth know, as well as Tian Shi himself.

  "Mother, do you know where my sister Da Yuemei was sold to?" Xia Zhi thought for a moment and then asked Old Lady Xia in a lower voice.

  At this time, Xia Qiao happened to come out of the east house. He heard Xia Zhi's question and looked at Old Lady Xia with a pair of very expectant eyes.

  "Ah……" Old Lady Xia felt uncomfortable being stared at by Xia Qiao and Xia Zhi, "No one knows about this matter, your mother did it behind our backs. By the time I and your father found out, it was already too late. As for where Da Yue is now, probably only your mother herself knows."

  This was within the expectation of Xia Zhi. However, Xia Qiao still had hope, so when he heard Old Lady Xia's words, the disappointed expression on his face couldn't be concealed.

  Xia Qiao lowered his head and slowly walked out.

  "Is Daqiao okay?" Lanyue asked with concern, glancing at Xiaqiao's back.

  "He'll be fine." Xia Zhi said, and didn't go out to look for Xia Qiao.

  Xiaqiao's personality will benefit from experiencing more things.

  Old Lady Xia looked at the back of Xia Qiao and shook her head with a sigh: "Da Yue has been very sensible since she was young, she is especially good to Da Qiao, this younger brother, even more careful than your mother in taking care of him... Da Qiao is a good child, he remembers kindness and doesn't forget gratitude."

  Old Lady Xia would never say anything bad about her grandsons and granddaughters, of course she was equally kind to Lao Yue and Xia Lin but sometimes she would scold them.

  Xia Zhi thought this was a normal human reaction. Old Lady Xia had a gentle temperament and was considered to be relatively good at handling relationships.

  At this time, Little Black Fish and Little Tree rushed in from outside. Just now, everyone was talking in the house, and Little Black Fish called out Little Tree, but it's unknown where the two children went to play.

  But Xia Zhi didn't think they were going to play.

  As expected, Xiao Hei swam in and immediately went to Xia Zhi's side, holding onto his hand with a particularly concerned expression.

  "Uncle, what's wrong?" Xia Zhi asked, then looked at Xiao Shu again.

  The little tree nodded to Xia Zhi, meaning that he had told everything to the little black fish. Xia Zhi's premonition came true, and it turned out that the little black fish had called the little tree out to ask about their trip to Kao Shan Tun.

  "Sixteen, you're scared to death, right?" Little Black Fish asked Xia Zhi, holding her hand. "Don't go near Shan Tun again from now on. Whoever told you to go doesn't matter, just don't go, let her come find me!"

  "Ah, Uncle, I won't go to Kao Shan village anymore." Xia Zhi replied.

  "Her old uncle is just like a sixteen-year-old!" Xia San's aunt laughed beside her.

  "This is the fate between people." Old Lady Xia also smiled.

  "Mother, Third Aunt, hurry up and cook quickly. It's already past 4 pm and they haven't eaten yet, they must be starving." Little Hei Yu urged Xia Lao Tai Tai and Xia San Shu.

  "Oh dear, sixteen, you're back so early without having breakfast?" Old Lady Xia exclaimed in surprise.

  "Yesterday's dinner at Lao Tian's house wasn't prepared either, and the 16th had to take money to buy some food. It must not have been eaten well!" Little Black Fish immediately said.

  "Oh my, what can be said about this?" Old Lady Xia didn't comment on the Tian family's hospitality, but her hands moved faster underneath.

  The dishes were almost ready, and with Xiao Hei's urging, everyone worked even faster. In a short while, all the dishes were done.

  This meal was prepared very sumptuously. The roasted duck and goose were cut into two large plates, in addition to this, Old Lady Xia also made a stir-fry, using five-flower pork to stew the beans and newly dug potatoes, and a pot of small wheat flour pancakes, which served as the staple food.

  In addition, Old Lady Xia also stir-fried dried tofu, egg, scallion, mushroom and garlic sprout. She also prepared two cold dishes and cooked a meat skin powder soup.

  This time, the guests didn't sit at separate tables, but instead two dinner tables were put together and everyone sat around them in a circle. In front of Xia Lao Ye Zi, Qian Yue Lai, Xia San Shu, Xia Qiao and Xia Zhi, there were wine cups, Xia Qiao was responsible for pouring the wine, and the wine they drank was naturally the one Xia Zhi had just bought from Lin Shui Town.

  Xia Laoye and Qian Yue came to chat for half a day, and Xia Laoye's impression of Qian Yue became better and better. The two old men got along very well. Since Xia Laoye knew that Qian Yue could drink, he let him drink as much as he wanted.

  "It's just like being at your own home when you're at Grandpa's. You don't have to rush back today, stay overnight at Grandpa's and return tomorrow at your leisure."

  Xia Zhi accompanied her in drinking a cup of wine, and then stopped. Xiao Hei Yu sat beside her, because she had been thinking about her not eating well since last night, and very considerately helped her pick dishes. Xia Lao Tai Tai looked at them with some envy, and it's worth mentioning that Xiao Hei Yu had never taken such good care of her before.

  As soon as Xia Zhi saw it, she gave a wink to Xiao Hei Yu. Xiao Hei Yu then also picked up a dish for Old Lady Xia with her chopsticks, and the warmth in Old Lady Xia's heart was beyond words.

  Xiaqiao didn't drink much and only had one cup before stopping. Compared to the others, he still seemed a bit preoccupied with his thoughts.

  After dinner, Qian Yue came and refused to stay, insisting on rushing home. Xia Lao Ye tried to persuade him to stay for a while, but in the end, he couldn't keep him, so he could only remind Qian Yue to be careful on the way and come to Daxing Zhuang next time when he comes to Linshui Town.

  The whole family saw him off at the village entrance and watched as his car drove away before slowly walking back.

  "This child is a good kid. What bad luck in May!" Old Man Xia shook his head and said.