The next day after breakfast, Rui Xiang said he wanted to go take a look at the old house. Shen Shi still had him bring those things and carefully explain them to Zeng Rui Qing and Zhou Shi. Rui Xiang agreed and brought his two sons along.

  It wasn't long before Xia Yu and her husband arrived, saying it was too far away, and they didn't make it on the day of the milk delivery. They would come to stay for a few days around the end of the month to prepare for Qiu Yu's wedding. Zi Qing saw that they had also brought a little girl named Zi Er, who was wearing new clothes and had her hair styled in a bun by Second Aunt. She was a very clean little girl, but she was still shy when meeting people and didn't dare speak.

  Xia Yu brought a basket of eggs, four or five feet of cloth, and also caught a hen. Shen Shi in the house knew about it and said to Xia Yu: "It's hard for you to carry them all the way here. Your body isn't well either, why not keep them for yourself to nourish your health?"

  Then she asked some more about Xia Yu's daily household chores and wanted to invite He Shi to stay for dinner. Xia Yu got up to bid farewell, just as Rui Xiang and the others returned. Shen Shi saw that Zeng Rui Xiang had come back empty-handed and immediately felt relieved.

  Zeng Ruixiang took Xia Yu and others to the dining room for dinner. Shen Shi stayed behind with Zi Fu to ask about the situation on the old house side, and Zi Qing was also curious, lingering without leaving. It turned out that Zeng Ruixiang had previously told Zeng Ruqing about the course of events, and the half chicken was taken by Tian Shi, also for Zhou Shi. Shen Shi was unaware of this. Zeng Ruqing didn't believe it and said they shouldn't have the things anyway. Zeng Ruixiang couldn't do anything, so he went to find Old Master and Tian Shi.

  "Ah, what's the big deal? I think it's just right to bring back half a chicken. If you want to eat more, just kill another one! They have plenty of chickens at home, and fresh ones are better, aren't they? I didn't know there was such a fuss about this. It's not like it's the second daughter-in-law's fault, she's been in the house all along. Your dad killed the chicken, Zishuang was plucking the feathers, and I helped out because I said kids can't do it cleanly. After we finished, I thought of bringing back half a chicken, and your wife just happened to have enough for one day. We're all family, what's with these rules and formalities? If anyone's to blame, it's me. I shouldn't have pitied your wife so much. This half chicken would make a decent soup for her to drink, and I'm the one who asked for it with a humble face. You're still not happy?"

  "Daughter, you shouldn't have said that earlier. I thought your brother and sister were just trying to get rid of the beggar with half a chicken. My family isn't so poor that we can't even afford a whole chicken. Who does things like this? Since it was you who took it, let's just forget about it." Zeng Ruiqing said.

  The old man also said that this matter should not be mentioned again. For half a chicken, the brother's feelings were hurt, and it would be embarrassing to talk about it.

  Shen's wife listened and said, "Your aunt has finally understood the truth. This matter, others really can't explain it clearly." She also asked about planning a full moon banquet, because little sister is Shen's first child after separating from the family, and probably the last one too. So she was thinking of hosting a banquet for the child, inviting all relatives to make it lively, and wanted to ask Zhou's side if they planned to invite anyone, when they would invite them, and not to make it too excessive.

  Zeng Ruiqing and Zhou also had a child after more than ten years. Although it was not a boy, the joy in their hearts was self-evident. They said they would have a big celebration, so since the child on this side was two hours older, let's have the celebration first on this side, and they can do it a day later.

  Shen asked clearly about these, sighed, and the depression of many days was swept away. She even drank an extra bowl of chicken soup. Zeng Rui Xiang also looked more relaxed. The two discussed their child's name again and finally decided to call him Zi Yu. Shen said that with sunshine and rain, crops can grow well.

  Zi Qing finally cleared up the clouds and saw the sun after arriving at the Shen family, and only then did she have the mood to pull along Zi Fu and Zi Lu to ask about their well-being, mainly asking if Zi Lu could keep up with his schoolwork, whether the students in the county town were bullying him, and whether he was getting used to the food in the school cafeteria.

  "Qing'er, why were you not so concerned about me when I left all those years ago? It hurts my heart to think that in your eyes, Er Ge is the most important one. Luckily, I helped change your diapers and dress you up many times when you were little." Zi Fu intentionally put on a straight face to tease Zi Qing.

  "Big brother, later you started studying, was it not me who accompanied sister? When sister fell ill, it was also me who secretly went to deliver food and water every day." Zi Lu defended.

  "Big brother, you've been enlightened for many years now. Of course, Qing'er knows that big brother is very powerful and definitely stronger than them." Zi Qing said hastily.

  He didn't realize that Zifeng was laughing loudly, rubbing Zi Qing's hair vigorously and saying: "Brother is teasing you, you silly girl actually believed it."

  Zeng Ruixiang spent the first few days at home, never leaving his wife's side. Although the autumn harvest had already begun in earnest, there were still over ten mu of sweet potatoes left to be dug up on their own land, and Zeng Ruixiang planned to hire someone to do it, so he wasn't in a hurry. Only when Shen Shi's emotions had stabilized did he take his two sons to work in the courtyard every day for several hours, digging up sweet potatoes.

  On the sixth day of the New Year, Zeng Rui Xiang took Zi Fu and Zi Lu out to deliver eggs to Anzhou Prefecture, saying he would take the two children to a bookstore for a good stroll. Only then did Shen Shi remember that it was almost the eighth day of the New Year, and she still hadn't sent over the dowry silver for Qiu Yu, so she instructed Zi Qing to go to the old house and invite Qiu Yu over.

  When Ziqing left, she coincided with the arrival of Mrs. Zhou's mother and three sisters to visit her. The room was filled with sobbing sounds and low comforting voices. Ziqing didn't have time to say goodbye, and directly bid farewell to Old Master and Tian Shi before leaving without a word.

  "Zi Qing, you've come just in time. Your younger aunt is leaving the day after tomorrow, but your mother still hasn't sent over the silver for the dowry. Has she forgotten or changed her mind? Go back and tell your father, I don't know what he's busy with at home. He knows there's a lot going on at our house these few days, but he doesn't even show his face." Tian Shi started complaining as soon as she saw Zi Qing.

  "Grandma, my mother asked me to invite Little Aunt over for a visit. My mother can't come out, and my father is at home digging sweet potatoes every day." Zi Qing looked up at Tian Shi and replied.

  "Look, you're getting anxious again, aren't you? Before the child even speaks, you've already gone on a tangent. I've told you countless times, but you never remember." The old man sighed.

  Mr. Tian glanced at the old man and said to Zi Qing, "Your younger aunt is out with your second aunt for a walk, wait until she comes back and then let her go to your house again. Go back and tell your mother that in two days there will be many guests at home, so your eldest aunt's family will stay at your place for a few days."

  Zi Qing thought, it's really "what you fear comes to you". She said: "Auntie, my mother has just given birth and needs rest. There are many things to do at home and it's all in a mess. My grandmother is busy cooking, cleaning the house and taking care of my mother, she can't take care of so many children either. Why don't we let Er Gu's family move over? It's the same anyway."

  Tian Shi listened with displeasure, just about to speak, when the old master spoke up and said: "Why do you let them run over there? The second family's current situation is that they can't even leave their house, relying on Auntie's support. You can't help, so it's fine if you don't get involved, but why must you stir up trouble? How can our home be too crowded? Isn't Xiao Fu's old room still empty? The third son (Xiao San) lives alone in that big house, where can't two people fit? In my opinion, the second daughter shouldn't go over there either."

  "Thank you, Uncle. I'll go back and tell my mother now. Don't forget to tell Little Aunt too." Zi Qing hastily replied.

  Tian still wanted to say something, when the guest from Zhou's house came out. Zi Qing heard a voice saying: "Don't worry, the master of Qingyuan Temple is the most effective, I'll definitely help you calculate it, and we can solve it accurately. If we can find Master Hui Guang, there will be no problem at all. You should take care of yourself and cheer up for the sake of the child."

  Ziying felt a bit curious, recalling what her grandmother had said. Could it be related to her own little sister? She thought about it again and wondered if such coincidences really existed. She had already suspected herself. After entering the house and greeting Zhou Shi, Zhou Shi's attitude was lukewarm, and Ziying quickly took her leave. When she returned home, she didn't say anything to Shen Shi.