Chapter 20

Li shi had probably had enough of putting up with the family's antics, as she quickly listed several instances where they had taken advantage of her family, which infuriated Fang shi.

"No wonder they are able to do such things as seducing someone else's fiancé, it seems like stealing has become a habit for them!"

"Mom..." Song Dingxiang pushed Fang shi, saying, "The Xu family is not much better, but I am glad I didn't marry into that family. Zhou Ge is really nice, can we just not mention this incident in the future?"

"I didn't say Zhou Yinuo not nice...alright, let's not mention it anymore." Fang shi didn't want to upset her son-in-law, so she quickly changed the subject.

As they were chatting, they heard voices at the door. Fang shi quickly got off the kang bed and said, "The child's father is back."

Twelveth Aunt picked up the basket and smiled, saying, "It's been quite a while since we've been talking; let's not keep you busy. We should go back too." After saying goodbye, they ushered Song Xingyi inside and went back home.

Song Xingyi was very happy, he took a sip of hot water and exclaimed, "Is there any food left? I didn't have a meal throughout this journey." The three daughters quickly went to prepare the meal, while Fang shi and Zhang shi took off their husbands' outer coats and went outside to shake them before hanging them on the coat rack.

"Dad, how did it go?" Song Zhixuan sent off his twelfth brother and came back, "Did you buy it?"

Song Xingyi laughed heartily, pulled out a paper with a red stamp from his pocket, and handed it to Song Dingxiang, saying, "I bought it, it's a pretty good shopfront. Although it's only one floor, the location is good, and there is a courtyard at the back. The best part is that there is a well in the courtyard, which is very convenient. Besides the well, there is also a large persimmon tree that seems to be quite old. I believe that with the persimmon tree, everything will go smoothly. Who knew it would turn out so well."

Song Dingxiang looked at the deed in a daze and asked, "Dad, why is it in my name?"

Song Xingyi glanced at Zhou Yinuo and said, "Why, didn't you tell your wife?"

Zhou Yinuo scratched his head, smiled at Song Dingxiang, and said, "As part of your dowry, I will be away for who knows how many years, you don't want to build a house, or buy land, so having a shop in your name is great."

Song Dingxiang was surprised that Zhou Yinuo had given her the shop, and was left speechless.

Song Xingyi patted Zhou Yinuo on the shoulder and said, "You are a good child, and our Song family will not let you down. But remember, no matter how far you go, you must remember to come back home."

Zhou Yinuo nodded vigorously.

This shop cost over one hundred and sixty-two taels inside and out, and Zhou Yinuo's original silver was not enough, so Song Xingyi dipped into his own pocket and helped to make up the shortfall. After buying the shop, they arranged for it to be rented out to a dental practice.

After finishing these matters, the three of them hurriedly made their way back home, a round trip taking several hours and leaving them quite tired.

"I asked, and this shop can be rented out for one tael of silver per month. It's only in the town that you can find such a cheap shop; if you go to the county town, you won't be able to get one for less than three to four hundred taels. It's also fortunate that our second niece is lucky." Song Xingyi felt delighted that they had acquired a shop and couldn't stop smiling.

Song Dingxiang held onto the deed and looked at Zhou Yinuo with eyes full of gratitude. Zhou Yinuo blushed under her gaze and quickly said, "I'm going to check on the cows, they must be tired, I'll go feed them some hay." With that, he ran outside.

Once he had left, Song Xingyi sighed and said to Song Dingxiang, "This child is kind and righteous, he told me in case he doesn't come back, having this shop in your name will make things easier for you. He's just worried about delaying you."

Song Dingxiang didn't expect this seventeen-year-old boy to have such a compassionate nature; her eyes couldn't help but fill with tears as she said, "Zhou Ge is a good person, good people are protected by heaven, he will definitely come back safely. When he returns, the two of us will have good days ahead."

Song Xingyi agreed, "Yes, it'll only take three or four years. Don't worry, Second Niece, Zhou Yinuo is also lucky."

Fang shi also sighed and couldn't help but curse Zhou Lao San's family, "A bunch of heartless people, if it weren't for them, Zhouzi wouldn't have gone to the army!"

Song Xingyi added, "It's said that fortune and misfortune depend on each other. If it weren't for this incident, Zhou Ge wouldn't have been able to cut ties with the Zhou family. If he was still with them, would you be willing to marry her to him? Those people... sigh!"

As the three men were eating, Li shi brought up the matter of the New Year's gift from Third Grandpa Song. Song Xingyi sighed again, and after a while, he said, "What goes up must come down. Maintaining a facade to keep up appearances is all we can do. It looks like our families are going to have to go through the five mourning periods together. In the future, we can't control whether the children are willing to deal with them."

Once they had finished eating, Song Zhixuan talked about the happenings at his academy, saying, "After the Spring Examinations, the Xu family's scholar will be going to Beijing to take the imperial exam. The teacher said he has been studying well, so he might actually pass."

Fang shi, still a bit grumpy, said, "Him passing the civil service exam? On what grounds?"

Song Dingxiang chuckled, "I actually hope he does pass. If he doesn't, who knows how he might badmouth the Song family, possibly causing trouble for us. If he does pass and gets an official position... it might be fun to watch."

Song Zhixuan chuckled and said, "You, little girl, seem to know quite a lot."

Song Dingxiang raised her chin and replied, "I've only heard things from others. With his character, if he really gets an official position, who knows what trouble he might cause."

Zhou Yinuo, curious and not understanding, asked, "What kind of trouble can someone cause by becoming an official? At most, we just won't interact with Third Granduncle Song's family anymore. They probably won't even look down on our family by then."

Song Zhixuan continued to smile and said, "Zhouzi, your mind really isn't as sharp as Second Niece's. After he takes the imperial exam in Beijing next year and, if he passes, he'll probably be back around May or June. By then, his wife should have just given birth, right?"

Fang shi calculated and said, "Yes, she should have given birth by then. But what does this have to do with him becoming an official?"

Song Zhixuan sneered and explained, "Sister-in-law, you don't know, although that Xu Qiang is educated, he has a narrow mindset. He's jealous and envious when he sees others wealthy, and always puts on a pretentious act. We have some money, right? Every time he talks about it, he calls our family butchers, not scholars. Especially since I'm around his age, and now he's able to take the exam for the scholar title, while I'm still a student. Can he really accept that?"

Fang shi asked, "Even if he can't accept it, what can he do? Come and trouble us?"

Song Zhixuan continued, "If he can't accept it, he not only wants money but also pretends to be high and mighty. Once he really becomes an official, can he control himself when he gets there?"

Song Dingxiang added, "Not to mention whether he can control himself or not, while Taohong marries into the Xu family with great effort, and Xu Qiang is capable of secretly having relations with her cousin while engaged, will he still value her when he becomes an official? And by then, Taohong's child be so young, can she accompany him wherever he goes? Staying at home, she'll be surrounded by mother-in-law and sisters-in-law. If Xu Qiang finds someone else outside and Taohong finds out, she'll probably be devastated."

Fang shi nodded thoughtfully and suddenly reached out to poke Song Dingxiang's forehead, angrily saying, "You, little girl, constantly thinking about what? 'Having relations' and 'finding someone else,' what's on your mind all the time?"

Song Dingxiang quickly hid behind Zhou Yinuo, pretending to be wronged, "Mother, I'm already married, why do you still say I'm a little girl?"

"Even if you're married, are you not a little girl anymore? Have you heard what your sisters-in-law are saying?" Fang si was almost driven crazy by her own daughter.

The three sisters-in-law looked at each other, Jin Qiao'er covered her mouth and chuckled, saying, "Auntie, don't mention Second Niece. She's always thinking ahead, while we're a bit clumsy and can't think that far. But what Second Niece said, I actually think Xu Qiang is capable of doing such things."

Song Zhixuan nodded and said, "But if that's true, it will only make the local people suffer. Let's hope he doesn't go too far."

Fang shi snorted, "Then it's not our problem anymore. If something happens, it's the Xu family's problem. They didn't raise their son properly, what a mess!"

Song Dingxiang tried to please her, leaning over and shaking Fang's arm, "Okay okay, Mother, I'm sorry, I won't talk nonsense anymore. Mother, please help me keep this land contract."

Fang shi gave her a side glance and said, "No, you keep your own things."

"Grandma, look at my mother," Song Dingxiang made a displeased sound and then moved closer to Li shi, saying, "Grandma, since Mother won't keep it for me, can you help me keep it? I don't know where to safely store such an important document, and it would be troublesome if I lost it."

Li shi glanced at Fang shi and stifled a laugh, "You must coax your mother well, she's like a child as she gets older, unlike others who become more mature with age."

Song Dingxiang laughed and said, "Isn't it all because Grandma spoils me? If it were someone else's mother-in-law, she would have made her work inside and out, listen to instructions, how could she let her throw a tantrum here?"

"You naughty, Song Dingxiang!" Mrs Fang angrily climbed onto the kang bed, grabbed a broomstick and was about to hit her.

Song Dingxiang burst into laughter and quickly hid behind Li shi, shouting, "Grandma, save me, Grandpa, save me, my mother is going to hit me!"

Everyone in the room, young and old, burst into laughter. Song Zhiyuan, with a headache, grabbed Fang shi, took the broomstick from her hand, and said, "Look at you, you're all grown up, and you...oh."

Fang shi snorted, sat on the edge of the kang bed, and was about to say something when suddenly her face turned pale and she couldn't help but retch a few times.

Song Dingxiang froze, panic surging through her as she rushed forward to steady Fang Shi. "Mom, what’s wrong with you?! Don’t scare me like this!" Her voice cracked with worry as she tightened her grip on her mother’s arm.

Li Shi, never one to sit still in moments of crisis, chimed in sharply, “Someone go get the doctor! What’s happening all of a sudden? She’s probably caught a chill from all this running about. I told you not to mess around!”

Fang Shi, however, had no strength to argue. She retched uncontrollably, her body doubling over in misery, before stumbling outside to continue heaving. It was a heartbreaking sight—her trembling figure barely able to hold itself upright. Song Dingxiang trailed her anxiously, her hands fluttering uselessly as she tried to comfort the older woman. It was only after an agonizing while that she managed to guide Fang Shi back inside, though her complexion had turned ashen.

"Mom..." Song Dingxiang’s voice was barely above a whisper. She carefully supported her and rubbed her back before offering a cup of warm water. “Take a sip, please,” she urged, her tone desperate yet tender.

Fang Shi swallowed a few sips, the nausea in her stomach gradually subsiding. Rubbing her temples with a faintly exasperated smile, she murmured, “It’s nothing, really. Just a little chill, that’s all. You’re too much, letting me run around like this with you. You’re married now—why are you still so reckless?” Her words were meant to sound scolding, but they lacked the bite, softened by her exhaustion.

Song Dingxiang clung to her mother-in-law’s arm, tears brimming in her eyes. Fear gripped her heart like a vice. She couldn’t lose this family she’d worked so hard to be part of. The thought was unbearable.

In the chaos, Song Zhiyuan had dashed off to fetch the village doctor. When he returned, a lean man in his thirties or forties followed closely behind, his bag in tow. The doctor wasted no time examining Fang Shi, his fingers deftly checking her pulse. After a moment of concentrated silence, a broad smile broke across his face.

“Well, well, congratulations are in order!” His voice carried a cheerful ring. “You’ve all been so worried for nothing. Your daughter-in-law’s fine—this is a happy pulse!”

The room went utterly silent. Then, as the realization hit, every pair of eyes widened in shock.

——— Author's Note: On National Day, the most famous landmarks in Beijing are: a sea of people, bustling with activity!

It's not a real man until you have climbed the Great Wall, but once you get there, you can't even see it. After half a day, moving just one meter further, sweating and tired, turning into a dry person.

My mother actually wants to climb Fragrant Hills! This old lady really has some ideas.