After staying at the village chief's house for a while, having two cups of tea and briefly chatting about their plans for the next few years, Zhuang Keqing's family left and did not stay there for dinner.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Qin Manzhi was left at home. Zhuang Keqing and Shen Ling packed up the heavy gifts and went to Zhao Xiucai's house.
There will be an exam in February next year, and it won't be long. I took advantage of today to take a trip and ask some questions I want to ask. After that, I have to leave time to study at home, so I don't want to run around all day.
It got cold early this year, and Zhao Xiucai is old. Zhuang Keqing specially invited Liu Da's construction team to come and set up a kang. Now Shen Ling is answering questions inside, and he doesn't feel cold at all.
Mrs. Zhao Xiucai was also very happy when she saw the young couple. She affectionately took Zhuang Keqing to the main room, where she, her son, his wife, and his eldest grandson Hutou ate snacks and chatted about home affairs.
No matter how her husband-in-law liked Shen Xiaolang, as far as she was concerned, she liked this girl Zhuang the most.
After she mentioned the tofu thing last time, the little girl obviously took it seriously. Every time the salesman came to the village, he would be the first to come to her house, saying that it was Miss Zhuang who told her not to neglect it.
Being pulled into a small talk by Mrs. Zhao Xiucai, Zhuang Keqing happened to ask about the exam. When she learned that the mutual relationship had been settled, she immediately took out her purse and wanted to give the money to the other party.
"Hey? What does this mean?"
Of course Mrs. Zhao Xiucai refused to accept it.
My husband-in-law was very fond of Shen Xiaolang's talent, learning and character, and he was very concerned about the relationship. He visited several houses and chose his most honest and reliable students.
Although these are all favors, it is not easy to get money, and it will appear unfamiliar and philistine.
"Just some thoughts."
When Zhuang Keqing saw that the other party was refusing to accept it, he didn't care. He just stuffed the money back into his pocket and said, "I'm sorry to bother you, Master Zhao, but you still work for Aling when you're old. This favor is with you, and there will always be time to pay it back in the future."
But Mrs. Zhao Xiucai was very tight-lipped and refused to give in. Zhuang Keqing stopped trying to persuade her and only said that she would come to thank Shen Ling again after she finished the exam.
In the back room, Master Zhao gently twirled his beard and kept testing what Shen Ling had learned these days, nodding in his mind.
He is really a talent that can be developed. In just one or two months, he has already mastered the points he mentioned before. If he were to enter the examination room again now, Tong Sheng would be able to do it easily.
"very good."
Master Zhao was extremely satisfied.
Although this child is not completely his student, after the child's examination, he will inevitably be accepted into his sect.
"It would be better to be calm during the exam."
Master Zhao didn't say any more words of encouragement. He just stood up, patted Shen Ling's shoulder lightly, and let him go out.
When the young couple were on their way back to the village, Mrs. Zhao's daughter-in-law cleaned the main room where they had just entertained guests and found a purse on the stool where Zhuang Keqing had been sitting.
"Ah, mother, come and see, is this Miss Zhuang's?"
The old woman took a closer look, wasn't it exactly what the little girl was planning to give to her?
"This kid!"
She knew it in her heart.
This purse was left behind by accident, it was clearly left behind on purpose!
"Aling, Madam just told me that this mutual relationship has been settled. You don't need to worry about this. You just need to take the exam well."
On the way back to the village, Zhuang Keqing talked about this matter with Shen Ling.
As she spoke, she counted on her fingers. It was now the first month of the year, and by the time of the February exam, it would only take two months. In addition, excluding the days of traveling and accommodation, it would not be long in total.
"Um."
Shen Ling responded calmly.
The children's test mostly involves memorization of questions, and there are no tricky answer questions. It mainly tests the candidates' basic skills.
And he was the least afraid of the content of dictating and reciting.
"Aling, don't worry, I will go with you then."
Zhuang Keqing planned happily.
After the exam is over, I can take a look around the county town with A Ling to see what new things she has never seen before in this prosperous day.
Shen Ling had a smile on her lips, tilted her head slightly, and stared at the girl enveloped in the warm golden light of winter, feeling very soft in her heart.
This is his sweetheart, his wife, his Qingqing.
As the two of them walked along, Zhuang San was also celebrating the New Year's gift, and rushed to Zhuang Er's house in a distracted manner.
Ah Qing was making a fuss this morning, and his daughter-in-law Wu still kept crying after trying to coax him. As a father, he had no choice but to wait at home. When the little one finally stopped making trouble, it was already almost noon.
"Let's go quickly, my mother will be angry again later."
Zhuang Sanliang had a full hand and stood at the door, urging.
Mrs. Wu rolled her eyes at him and clicked her tongue.
"Just be angry. Let her go. When will she stop being angry?"
Zhuang San also knew that his daughter-in-law was not getting along with his mother, but at this point, he could go there earlier and receive less punishment, so he could only beg in a lowly manner.
"My dear daughter-in-law, please hurry up. You should leave early and come back early, right?"
Wu rolled her eyes and felt that it made sense, so she took the child and went out together.
If Ah Qing hadn't been able to collect some lucky money during the Chinese New Year, who would have dared to quarrel with that old guy?
Mrs. Qian, the old lady of Zhuang here, has improved her legs and feet after sitting on the bed at home. She can occasionally get out of bed to have meals with her family, and her temper has also become much calmer.
But today was the day agreed upon for the third son to come to visit her for New Year greetings. The old lady waited and waited but did not see her son coming. She sent her eldest daughter-in-law out several times to greet her, but no one showed up, and she began to feel unhappy.
"That Wu family must be causing trouble again!"
The old lady sat in the room, holding back a breath of air in her stomach, but because it was the Chinese New Year, she could only endure it without saying anything unpleasant.
"Dad! Mom! My son is back!"
Zhuang San's voice came from outside the hospital.
Mrs. Qian was leaning on the kang. When she heard the noise, she immediately sat up, put on her shoes and ran out.
As a result, she stopped again halfway through and thought to herself.
San'er is his son and she is my mother, so why does she have to go out to greet him?
That makes no sense!
And it’s so cheap to get rid of the cunning third daughter-in-law!
With this thought in mind, she sat down on the kang again and waited for her son to come in and pay his respects without saying a word.
After Zhuang San said hello to his father and second brother, he couldn't help but feel trembling when he didn't see his mother.
No, this old lady is unhappy again.
He hurriedly pushed his reluctant daughter-in-law into the main house and persuaded her to pay New Year's greetings to the old man first, and then go there if she could get along with her face.
Sure enough, when I entered, I saw my mother leaning on the kang, with a long face, the corners of her mouth tightened, and she looked depressed.
"Mom, my son and daughter-in-law are here to wish you a happy New Year."
Then, he took the child in his wife's arms and moved closer to the old lady, "Look, even Ah Qing misses Grandma."
Mrs. Qian glanced at the child who was wrapped tightly in swaddling clothes.
She has sparse yellow hair and a pointed chin. She is not as round and full as a baby should be, but looks frail.
She originally thought that Wu's baby was a granddaughter, but now she saw the child's frail appearance. She was even more unhappy in her heart. She also had a look of disgust on her face. She only glanced at it but never looked at it again.
Mrs. Wu hadn't even seen her mother-in-law's expression, so she immediately snatched the child from the man's hand, held her in her arms, and walked out of the house. The door was kicked hard.
"Look at your wife!"
Mrs. Qian now regrets it terribly. She should not have taken advantage of the Wu family's gift and married this naughty bitch. Now her son has divorced her.
Zhuang San knew that his wife was unhappy, so how could he himself?
Ah Qing was his flesh and blood, and his mother, although she said she loved him very much, didn't even take a serious look at him. If it hadn't been for the Chinese New Year today, she would have scolded him for being sick.
But he still endured it, smiled and invited his mother to get off the kang, and went to the main room to have dinner with him.
"Second sister-in-law has laid out lunch. I saw it as soon as I came in. It's such a big table and it's so rich. My mother loves me the most."
Zhuang San still had to coax people, but with a few words, Mrs. Qian calmed down and sat down to the table safely.
The family's New Year's dishes include bacon, roast chicken, salted fish and vegetables. It's really rich.
At the dinner table, Mrs. Qian only kept putting fish meat into her third son's bowl. Others did not have this honor.
After almost eating, old man Zhuang felt sleepy and went back to his house to sleep. Mrs. Li put away the dishes and the two brothers Zhuang Er and Zhuang San, who had not seen each other for a long time, also started doing their homework.
"There is enough snow and water this year, but I am afraid that the weather will be too cold and the wheat will freeze."
Zhuang Er was a little worried.
When the family was divided, he divided more dry land and planted more wheat. If the cold weather damaged the wheat, he would lose a lot of income in the coming year.
"Don't worry, second brother. Even if the wheat goes bad, if we don't farm, can't we still work in the winery to earn money?"
Zhuang Er thought it was reasonable and was about to respond when, unexpectedly, Mrs. Qian burst into tears.
"What kind of wine shop does the work? You are not allowed to go there!"