The next morning, Zeng Ruixiang took Zi Fu and Zi Lu to the old house to help. Shen Shi called in Zi Qing and asked her about last night's events in detail. After thinking for a moment, Zi Qing told the truth.

  Shen listened without comment, apparently everything was within her expectations. Zi Qing didn't know how to comfort her, so she called Grandma in to keep her company. She took her two younger brothers and a small iron shovel to the back mountain to pick up eggs.

  Dengzi Qing brought back a basket of eggs, and Shen's mood seemed to have brightened up a bit as she was drinking the chicken soup cooked by He Shi. He Shi had always thought that her daughter had given birth to so many children, and in the past, when sitting for a month, she hadn't eaten anything good, so this time she must make sure to nourish her body back to health, therefore every now and then she would kill an old hen and cook a pot of thick soup, even the kids benefited from it.

  Zi Qing looked at it this way, and didn't bother to take his two younger brothers to the old house for dinner. He smiled and said to Shen Shi: "Mother, let's just have some chicken soup at home. Although it's a formal banquet, it's chaotic, and no one will notice if we don't go. Besides, I think the food over there is not as good as ours."

  "Silly child, don't look for trouble, just go. What if your grandparents and little aunt find out you didn't go, they'll be unhappy. After all, it's your little aunt's big day. Tomorrow we still have to go send her off. Hurry up and change your clothes to go." said Shen Shi.

  Ziying had no choice but to change her clothes and bring her two younger brothers to the old house. The wine ceremony hadn't started yet, so Zishou took Zixi to pick up scattered firecrackers to play with. Zeng Ruiqing and Zeng Ruixiang were busy putting things away, while Zifu and Zilu were arranging tables, chairs, bowls, and chopsticks. Ziying also stepped forward to help.

  "Qing'er, don't move your hands anymore, find a house to sit in properly, and don't get your clothes dirty. Brothers will take care of this small matter," said Zifeng.

  Zi Qing saw that there were several young women accompanying Zhou Shi in the house, discussing children. In Tian Shi's house, her mother's sisters and younger sisters, all older women, were seated. As soon as she entered Xiao Gu's house, "Zi Qing, when your second aunt got married, you gave a pair of Beijing-style embroidered shoes. Will you give me some when I get married?" Qiu Yu asked with a smile as soon as she saw Zi Qing.

  "You're still chewing on that, aren't you? It was your fault last night. Can't you remember a lesson? We're about to get married and I don't want to see you being so unbridled at my in-laws' house!" Xia Yu scolded her as soon as she heard this.

  "Little aunt, isn't it always so coincidental? Last time someone brought a pair from Beijing to give to me, and second aunt happened to be there. Otherwise, you can wait until I go to Beijing again and buy a pair for you then. When will you get married?" Zi Qing asked with a smile.

  Qiu Yu pinched Zi Qing's face, just about to say something, Chun Yu came in with Wu Mao, and Zi Qing greeted them. They were sitting there bored when Xiao Xiangying and her sister arrived, and it was decided that Xiangying would get married next spring as well. So the two of them teased each other. Zi Qing pulled Xiu Shui over to sit down and whispered something in her ear.

  Before long, the sound of firecrackers was heard, and guests came in one after another. Perhaps due to underestimation, there were not enough tables prepared. Zi Qing and others, Da Mao and several others, as well as Zi Ping did not have a seat at the table. After all the guests left, Tian Shi found some leftover dishes from the kitchen for the children. With Da Mao and others present, Zi Qing and others could not possibly get any good food. Zi Ping was older and more capable, so she managed to grab two pieces of meat to eat. Zi Fu took his siblings to hastily eat a few mouthfuls, while Zi Qing thought that it would have been better to just drink a bowl of chicken soup at home, never mind not even getting to the dinner table.

  At night, Crying Qi also lost interest in listening and pulled Subu aside to whisper: "Brother, let's go home. Staying here will only make us do chores, and who knows, we might even have to wash dishes. Mother is still waiting for us at home."

  Zi Fu smiled and pinched Zi Qing's face, "You're so silly." After that, he said goodbye to Zeng Rui Xiang and the five of them held hands and went home, leaving Zeng Rui Xiang behind to do chores.

  The next day, Zifu took his younger brother and sister to see off the relatives. Since it was close by, even Zixi followed along. The house was quiet and peaceful, He Shi used the excuse of going to the back mountain to pick up eggs, leaving behind her daughter and son-in-law to have a private conversation.

  Zeng Ruixiang was at home discussing the matter of Zi Yu Man Yue with Shen Shi, "Yu Mei, I know you're not happy in your heart, but this is also an unavoidable thing. Eldest brother and sister-in-law easily had a child, and sister-in-law is still a stubborn person who insists on her own reasoning, saying it was said by the master of Qingyuan Temple. Father and mother also advised me to take a step back, so I can only compromise with you, let's just delay for one day."

  "I expected something like this to happen, it's nothing if it's just a day late. Let them do what they want, we'll live our own lives. My mother has advised me that people are doing things and heaven is watching. I believe the Bodhisattva will protect my daughter well, my Yu'er will definitely grow up healthy. We won't bother with this idle anger."

  "That's good, I was worried you'd be upset. Actually, I'm indifferent, it's just that my heart aches for the injustice you've suffered. You're right, let's live our own lives well. Even your father praised you in front of everyone, saying you never argue with these old wives and their gossip." Zeng Rui Xiang hadn't expected his wife to be so magnanimous.

  "He should be praising me, when we divided the family property, he said whatever and I agreed. I also expected that we wouldn't get much benefit from it. Besides, with just that little bit of family property, even if we had a falling out, it wouldn't make any sense. After the division, whatever you wanted, I basically gave in to your demands, especially at the beginning when we didn't have a single grain of rice in our hands. During Dragon Boat Festival, he asked for one stone of wheat without thinking about how my whole family would survive? Where can you find such an obedient and tolerant daughter-in-law like me? Isn't it right that he should be praising me? Actually, I've come to realize that even if we had taken advantage of the situation a bit, what's the point? Could we live off it for the rest of our lives? Our expectations are too low, even heaven can't tolerate it. You always say 'good deeds will be rewarded', look at us now, isn't our family living a good life?"

  "Yes, I know it's been tough on you all these years, so I was thinking of discussing with you, I'll resign from the academy and come home to accompany you at the end of the year. Our family doesn't lack those few taels of silver now, I can open a small school at home, Sanzi is also about to start learning, Zifu can take care of Zilu in county school, after all, Zifu has grown up and can take care of Zilu. All these years, I've been away from you due to the pressure of life, now, I want to accompany you well." Zeng Ruixiang held his wife's hand, stroking it repeatedly.

  "Are you really willing to resign? You'd better think it over carefully, I don't want you to regret it. Think about it again. Can you come back on the day of Rain's full moon?"

  "Take a look, I just finished resting for ten days. Next month your elder brother's son is getting married and we'll have to take another day off. If I don't come back, you ask your sister-in-law from your mother's side to help out, don't exhaust yourself." The couple whispered to each other for over an hour.

  After Ziqing and his family entered the house, Zeng Ruixiang reluctantly bid farewell to Shen Shi. Zifou then pulled Ziqing aside and said: "Sister, after brother leaves, you must take good care of San and Si. Mother is busy now and can't take care of things at home, so you have to pay more attention to it and help grandmother manage the household well. Brother knows that asking you to do these things is a bit difficult for you, but you're only eight years old and brother has no other choice. Mother is still in confinement after childbirth and grandmother is also getting older, so it's better if you work harder. Fortunately, brother knows you're a sensible child." After finishing speaking, Zifou tightly hugged Ziqing, while Zilong stood by with red eyes.