Zeng Ziqing had just walked out of the thatched cottage with his newly recognized father when a young boy wearing a small cotton jacket and a square scarf came over with two old men.

  "Father" Zeng Ruixiang bowed his head and paid respects. Zeng Ziqing knew that was her grandfather, who should be around 50 years old, but due to years of hard work, he looked like he was in his sixties. Zeng Ziqing turned to her father, not bad, not bad, although not very tall, just over 1.6 meters, but the scholarly air about him was quite likable, and wearing a long shirt made him look elegant.

  "Zhou Lang, can you take a look at this for me?"

  "Zeng Xiūcái is too polite, you are indeed Master Xiūcái."

  Ziying secretly took a look at the so-called Zhoulangzhong, who looked even older than the cheap grandma, and no matter how he looked, he seemed like an old farmer. However, his clothes had no patches, a short shirt, and his eyes were very spirited.

  "Little girl, put out your hand."

  Zi Qing didnt know what to call him, afraid of being seen through, so she pretended to show a bit of shyness and stretched out her hand while leaning against her father.

  She felt his pulse again, then touched his forehead, and carefully examined Zi Qings arm and face, neck, before letting out a sigh of relief.

  "This child is lucky, nothings wrong, the rash has come out, the fever has gone down, it wont be contagious to others anymore."

  Everyones face lit up with joy upon hearing this, even Ah Gongs normally stern expression softened significantly.

  "Oh, its okay now, little sister, youre fine. Big brother didnt take good care of you, big brother owes you an apology."

  "Big brother, sister doesnt blame you. Father, Qinger is so scared." Kids are like this, if they dont get their way now, when will they? They have to make Grandpa feel a little guilty, and try to get some benefits out of it. Best case scenario, make Old Dad angry and divide the family property.

  "Alright, alright, dont stand outside, come inside." Grandpa said.

  Everyone walked into the house opposite the thatched hut, and Zi Qing found that there was no fence or yard in this house. The house is relatively old, with a wall about one meter high made of rubble, and above it is earth bricks, which are the kind of square bricks made by farmers themselves using yellow soil ramming, without being fired at high temperature, so they dont need to spend money. There is also a wall shared with neighbors, fortunately, the roof is tiled.

  As soon as we entered, it was a large hall, about twenty or thirty square meters. The first room on the left was obviously the kitchen, without doors or walls. A woman in her thirties was busy inside and came out to greet us when she saw a group of people coming in.

  The two elder brothers both called out "Big Wife", Zeng Zi Qing knew that this was Big Wife Zhou Shi, so she had no choice but to go along with the flow and call out as well, although in her heart she was very unwilling.

  "Old Master Zhou said that Little Qing has recovered and wont be given to anyone else. Shes coming home starting today. You should prepare some food for her first, I reckon this child must be starving." Old Master Zeng said.

  Zhou nodded and let Zi Qing follow him.

  "Zhou Lang, come this way. Since youre here today, take a look at my second daughter for me, shes been taking medicine for several days now. Fu Er, go call your second aunt out."

  Zeng Ziqing watched as they sat down around the large round table in the hall, and her elder brother Zifou walked into the room next to the kitchen. This house had a central hall with two symmetrical rooms on either side, an ancestral altar against the wall of the upper hall, with incense burners, vases, and a long table underneath which was a small square table. Ziqing took a glance and followed Zhou Shi into the kitchen.

  "Alright, Ive filled it up for you, use this bowl, got it?"

  "Old lady, the doctor said Im fine and wont pass it on to others."

  "I dont care, anyway you have to listen to your mother, or else I wont give you food."

  Zi Qing looked at her mother-in-law putting the bowl on the stove, so she went over and picked it up herself. It was still the leftover congee that Er Ge had brought over earlier, cold and not thick. The bowl was also chipped with a missing corner. But it was still recognizable.

  "Landlady, is there hot water? I want to take a bath."

  "Whats the point of washing? Your sister went to the mountain to pick pinecones and hasnt returned yet with a bundle of pine needles. My poor baby girl, just like her mother, has been suffering since childhood, serving this big family. When will it end?"

  Its over, shes reached the muzzle. Zi Qing carefully examined her mother-in-law. A very ordinary rural woman, with no outstanding features, her hair was styled in a simple bun, with a blackened silver pin inserted, which Zi Qing recognized, slightly chubby, without any signs of malnutrition. Her clothes were relatively old, without patches, made of blue coarse cotton, and she wore black pants, looking neat and tidy, but somehow difficult to get along with. For some reason, she only had one child until now.

  "Big sister, whats wrong with my second aunt?" Lets change the subject anyway.

  "Hmph, whats the use? Still the same old problem. This money, spent like flowing water, taking medicine every day, how long can we keep this up? Poor me and your father, working to death just to fill so many mouths."

  This topic is still not good, if it wasnt for getting some useful information, Zeng Ziying would have left early. Where does this whole family live? Looking at this house, apart from the kitchen, there are three rooms. The eldest brother just called Er Gu to go to the room next to the kitchen, I guess its Er Gu and Xiao Gu. There are two rooms left, Grandpa and Grandma must be in one room, and Dad and Mom should have one room too. Ping Jie is not young anymore, if Dad is at home, she cant live with her parents either. The most important thing is, where does Ziyings family live? There should be another house. Its strange to say, although Ziying doesnt have the memory of her original body, she can speak her language naturally.

  "Where is my mother?"

  "Your mother gave birth to another boy last night, look at their good fortune. Having many children and still dont have to work. Cant be compared."

  "Dont worry, madam, you will be fine too."

  "The smelly little girl is better now and has become sweeter than before. Go, go, go, what does a little kid like you know? Go find your mother."

  "Where is the landlady, the old lady and the young girl?"

  "Your aunt has gone to the vegetable garden, and your younger aunt is either embroidering flowers with your second aunt in the house or playing with Xiu Ying at the back. Why do you have so many questions today? Go away, I still need to prepare dinner for everyone, where do I have time to chat with you? Call your second brother over to help me cook later."

  Its likely that there is another house in the back, with such a big family, yet no one remembers that Ziqings mother just gave birth to a child and needs someone to take care of her. The life of ancient rural women was indeed too bitter. Ziqing couldnt help but sigh for her poor mother.

  Its estimated that if they stayed any longer, it would have aroused suspicion. Zi Qing came out, and the people in the hall had not yet dispersed. Lang Zhong had not left either, and was chatting with her grandfather about the weather and harvest. Next to them sat a 14 or 15-year-old girl who looked frail and sickly from birth. She wore a pink thin cotton-padded jacket, and her hair was styled in a way that Zi Qing couldnt describe - it was coiled on top of her head and then hung down with a red ribbon tied around it. This must be the hairstyle of a young maiden.

  "Zi Qing, I heard youre better now, come on, lets go see Second Aunt."

  "Second Aunt, have you recovered?"

  "Second aunt is much better now, and Qingqing is really sensible. Come on, second aunt will help you comb your hair."

  "No need, Second Aunt, I and Big Brother will go find Mother first." Mainly because we want to find some hot water to wash up first, or else its really unbearable.

  "Come on, little sister, Ill take you. Zhou Langzhong, Im taking my sister away first, thank you for coming to see my sister." Those who have been educated are just different.

  Zi Fu held Zi Qings small hand, and Zi Lu followed. They said goodbye to Zhou Lang in the middle of the road and left through the back door. As expected, there was another house behind it. The layout inside was similar to the one in front, and the size was about the same. When Zi Qing looked up at the wall, she let out a big scream - several animal hides were nailed to the wall. Zi Fu didnt enter any of the four rooms, but instead walked directly to the back door. It turned out that there was a small back hall, with a wooden board separating one room from another, and a small empty space in between, which seemed more like a corridor. Apparently, all the houses were separated by wooden boards, which was cost-effective.

  Behind the back hall, going up a step is a wooden house, which doesnt feel small. Zifeng took her to push open the door on the right side and enter, the room inside is relatively dim, there are no windows, and there is a strange smell. Ziqing frowned, really not liking it. Especially when she saw the excrement in the wooden bucket behind the door, she had no enthusiasm or longing for her future life.

  Damn it, why? Just said a word about wanting to live a pastoral life, no need to send it to this place where even ghosts dont like to come to hone their skills. This time, I wont be able to forget the rivers and lakes either.

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