It had been only a few days since they returned from Qiao Village. On this day, everyone was in the house roasting by the fire and chatting, when Zi Ping came running in tears to find Zeng Rui Xiang, saying that Zhou Shi was going into premature labor. She had two requests: one was to send a message to Zeng Rui Qing, and the other was to find the same midwife as last time.

  Zeng Ruixiang listened and didn't dare to delay, pulled his legs and ran towards the town, hired a car and went to find someone. Who knew that Wang Pozi was not at home in the neighboring village? Zeng Ruixiang urged the driver to go to the neighboring village again, fortunately, when he arrived at the village entrance, he met Wang Pozi coming out. Hurriedly bringing the midwife back, Zhou Shi was in the room screaming and shouting in pain. Zeng Ruixiang didn't stay for long either, and went to find the car from earlier to go to Anzhou to pick up Zeng Ruqing.

  Shen's family at home also felt uneasy and puzzled, the other day they were still fine, how did they suddenly give birth prematurely, could it be that Zi Ping had a problem. After thinking about it, they decided to go to the old house first and see what happened, even if there was a great grudge, it would have to be put aside.

  The child of the Zhou family was born after a full three hours, and Wang's wife was exhausted with sweat all over her head. Zeng Ruiqing also rushed back, fortunately, the mother and son were safe and sound. Tian heard that it was a boy and was so happy that he hurriedly recited Buddha and burned incense. Shen naturally had tears in his eyes too. The good fortune of having a child can finally be avoided by adoption. However, based on the experience of the midwife, Zhou's body was severely damaged this time, and it is estimated that she will not have children again in the future.

  Zi Ping listened to one side, crying so much that she fainted, shouting things like "It's my fault for harming my mother, it's all my mistake, I'm the one who's not good, I should die..." Shen Shi heard and quickly helped her into the house. This was not the time for talking, Shen Shi helped cook some eggs and fed Zhou Shi to eat, then bid farewell and returned home.

  In just a couple of days, Zifou returned home. When Shen saw her eldest son, she touched Zifou's hand with tears in her eyes and said: "You've lost weight and grown taller."

  Zifujie also met with all the younger brothers and sisters. Zixi was a bit better, and he also went forward to let his older brother hug him. Ziyu didn't recognize him anymore. He kept hiding from him and wouldn't let him hug him. Zifu then turned to Ziqing and said: "Qinger, your sister is still good, she won't forget her older brother. Come, let big brother hug you."

  Zi Qing heard the words and really walked over, Zi Fu hugged a handful, laughing: "Sister has also grown taller and heavier, just in time for New Year's sale." Angry Zi Qing chased him all over the house to fight. Zeng Rui Xiang and Shen Shi looked at the children's laughter throughout the house and forgot about the unhappiness of the old house.

  Zi Fu still planned to take Zi Lu to sell couplets for a day, saying they would earn some pocket money. After being busy at home for several days, it wasn't until the 26th that the two of them had written around 500 couplets. Zeng Rui Xiang and Shen Shi wanted to go together to buy New Year's goods.

  Ziying asked Shen to sell her embroidery and repeatedly said it was her own private money. Although Shen had some doubts, she also remembered the conversation with Zeng Ruixiang that day, and didn't think much of it, because many unmarried girls' embroidery work was saved for their own dowry. Moreover, Ziying had always loved to buy some rare things, so she agreed to give her the silver as soon as she got home.

  Zi Qing took out the eight taels of silver she had earned with great difficulty over several months. Suddenly thinking of a question, she asked Shen Shi: "Mother, why didn't you do embroidery before getting married? Didn't you have your own private savings? I see that my aunts all sell their own embroidered things and keep the silver for themselves."

  "How come you don't know how to embroider? Your paternal grandmother's skills were passed down from my maternal grandmother. Not many people in the countryside know how to do this, especially double-sided embroidery. There are only a few households in the entire Anzhou that can do it. My maternal grandmother used to be an embroiderer for a wealthy family in Hangzhou when she was young. Later on, as she grew older and her eyesight worsened, she returned to her hometown and became a daughter-in-law of a farming household, gave birth to my mother, and passed down this skill to my mother. When my mother got married, she relied on this skill to buy several mu of land and support the whole family. Later on, her eyesight also deteriorated. I learned how to embroider when I was 13 years old, a bit older than you are now. Your paternal grandmother wouldn't let me embroider for long periods of time, fearing that I would ruin my eyes. When I got married, I had some silver coins in my hands, but later on your paternal grandfather fell ill and the family's silver coins were spent. I then took out my own savings, but unfortunately your paternal grandfather still passed away. Your paternal grandmother then returned the remaining silver coins to me, and I used that little bit of money to raise you all." Shen said with a long sigh.

  "Mother, I know. From now on, I'll make at most one embroidery piece a year. I must take good care of my eyes. But grandma and the others are too biased, Aunt's earnings can be kept by herself, but daughter-in-law's can't." Zi Qing said.

  "There are many daughters-in-law who aren't like that, it's just that your grandparents' bias isn't as obvious. I've said it before, women can only have a good life for a few years in their natal home. It's better this way, otherwise, who knows if mother's eyes will be okay, and that room is also too dark."

  Ziying listened silently, this remark touched her heart, and she didn't know what kind of family she would find in the future. Although her mother had suffered a lot, her father still truly loved her. Although her father's personality was a bit weak, he was slowly changing, and at least he wasn't a bookworm, there was still room for improvement.

  "What are you thinking about? Qing Er, I've called you several times and you didn't respond." Zi Fu asked, rubbing Zi Qing's hair.

  "Big brother, I've been thinking, after working hard for half a year, I only earned eight taels of silver, which is not as good as how quickly you guys sell couplets. If I had known this earlier, I might as well have practiced writing too."

  "What nonsense are you talking about? Your second brother and I have been studying for many years, practicing calligraphy for many years. During this holiday, we only earned two taels of silver. Do you think it's easy? However, good sister, tell your brother, why do you insist on keeping a private stash? Is the family's money not enough to spend? Or are you hiding something from us?"

  Zi Qing looked at Zi Fu with a warning expression and asked, "Big brother, Mother doesn't care what I do, why are you more nagging than Mother? You also know that I spend money lavishly, but it's my own money, so it feels great to spend it. It saves Mother from worrying."

  Zi Fu expressed skepticism, but Zi Qing pushed him out and went together to find Zi Lu to pick up eggs and bury fertilizer in the back mountain.

  Because Madame Zhou gave birth prematurely and was sitting in confinement, Old Master and Madame Tian spent New Year's Eve at the old house with their eldest son. After the New Year, when Madame Zhou finished her confinement, Madame Shen finally learned about what had happened. It turned out that Madame Zhou had listened to Madame Shen's words and discussed the matter of marrying off Zi Ping with her, but Zi Ping refused to agree no matter what. When pressed for an answer, it was revealed that she was no longer a virgin. In a fit of anger, Madame Zhou gave birth prematurely. Now that a month has passed, Madame Zhou says that after thinking about it for a month, they should find a reliable man and marry off Zi Ping, and then figure out a way to cover up the wedding night.

  Shen's family didn't quite agree, but they couldn't intervene in this matter. The good girl Huang had been ruined, and the reputation of the Zeng family was gone. If things went wrong, it might even affect Zi Qing's marriage. So although Shen's family didn't approve of deceiving others, they didn't raise any objections, nor did they plan to intervene in this matter. They just hoped that this would pass quickly and nothing else would go wrong.

  Who would have thought that on the Lantern Festival afternoon, Tian ran over, rushed in and cried, panting and shouting: "Xiang Er, hurry up and save Zi Ping, Zi Ping is about to be beaten to death by her father, hurry up."

  Zeng Ruixiang didn't even have time to ask any questions and called Shang Zifu to run, Shen asked Tian to drink some water and then asked what had happened.

  Today is a holiday, and it wasn't until breakfast that they discovered something was wrong with Zǐ Píng. She had been feeling nauseous and wanted to vomit. Zhōu Shì thought the child had eaten something bad and wanted to find a doctor, but Zǐ Píng refused to let them. After being questioned for a long time, it was finally revealed that her period was late, and she was afraid of being pregnant. As soon as Zēn Ruì Qìng heard this, he picked up things and started throwing them at Zǐ Píng. Zhōu Shì saw that the beating was getting intense and was worried that it would affect the child, so she tried to stop him, but Zēn Ruì Qìng was too angry and wouldn't listen to anyone.

  Originally, this year because of the Zhou family's confinement, Tian Shi was too busy to cope, and Zeng Ruiqing had always looked down on Chunyu's family, thinking that their home was too chaotic. So after the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, Tian Shi drove away her eldest daughter and her family. Now that there was no one else at home, Tian Shi came to find her youngest son to persuade him.

  Shen's family listened and had to follow Tian's family to the old house. This matter cannot be spread out yet, otherwise Zi Ping might have to sink into the well. So they can only discuss it within the family by closing the door. When Shen's family arrived, Zeng Ruiqing was still fuming on the side, while Zeng Ruixiang and Zi Fu sat beside him.

  Shen and Zhou brought Zi Ping into the house, Shen said to Zi Ping: "Child, how did you end up like this? Auntie is heartbroken too. Now that things have come to this, tell us everything from start to finish, then your mother and I can think of a solution. Otherwise, if outsiders find out, it'll be disastrous, two lives will be lost! Child, think carefully."

  Zi Ping initially only cried, but when she heard the sound of footsteps, she felt scared and stuttered out what had happened. It turned out that before they moved away from the house, Zi Ping was already... "He was always very good to me, very kind, and bought me things to eat and fabric to make clothes. When I turned 15, he made a delicious meal for me and said his wife had gone back to her parents' home. He also said that he had finally waited for me to grow up. Later, I don't know what happened, but when I came to my senses, I found myself lying naked in bed. I was scared and cried loudly. He comforted me until I stopped crying and then let me go back home. After that, whenever his wife was not at home, he would coax me into going upstairs with him again. Until the day his wife suddenly returned and discovered us together, causing a scene. When I went back to the countryside, he came looking for me and said his wife had divorced him. He wanted to invite a matchmaker to come to his house and propose marriage. On the eve of my mother's childbirth, he still came looking for me. Later, when my mother was in confinement, he wanted to come and propose, but I told him to wait until after the Lunar New Year. Who knew that by then, I would have a child? I didn't understand anything, and he didn't know about the child either. I thought of marrying him, but he said I had to marry him. If I were to get engaged to someone else, he would definitely go and tell them what happened, and I wouldn't be able to get married. What could I do? What could I possibly do?" After finishing speaking, Zi Ping burst into loud sobs.

  Shen's family listened and felt both heartache and anger, just as they were about to speak, Zeng Ruqing rushed in.