Spring plowing is done, busy harvesting wheat, after the wheat harvest is the Dragon Boat Festival. This year's harvest is good, and the wheat has been abundant. Out of the four acres of wheat, except for one stone given to the old house, we still have five stones left at home. Zi Qing thinks it might be because of planting soybeans to nourish the land. After planting a crop of soybeans, the wheat yield increased to 260 pounds per acre, nearly 30% more! It seems that this year's new courtyard's ten acres of wasteland for watermelon should also have a good harvest. Planting a crop of soybeans and then another crop of rape to fertilize the land.

  Last year, at the end of the year, I was busy making lanterns and didn't have the energy to take care of the vegetable garden. As a result, all the land in the garden was sown with rape seeds, and before and after the Spring Festival, the fifteen mu of land sold rape shoots for nearly fifty taels of silver. Zhou Zhanggui said that they had sent a lot to the provincial city, especially in the few days after the New Year, which were very popular among urban residents. Zi Qing thought that this was more suitable than just growing rape and collecting seeds, as it earned more money, fertilized the land, and was less trouble, achieving three benefits at once.

  Ziying was full of expectation, because the family's silver money had basically all been spent on buying shops and paddy fields, and the family's assets were empty. With an empty family, her heart felt empty too, without a sense of security. No wonder modern women looking for a partner want to have a house, a car, and savings, Ziying's family was still far from that.

  A few days after the Dragon Boat Festival, Xia Yu returned to her mother's home again. When Shen Shi brought Zi Qing over, Xia Yu was crying and wiping away tears. It turned out that Xia Yu had been married for over a year and still hadn't given birth, so her mother-in-law would occasionally scold and nag her, but there was no use in rushing this matter as Xia Yu's body wasn't well and she had been taking medicine to nourish herself all along.

  This time, because of Zhou Tianqing's younger brother and his new wife, the two daughters born to his ex-wife were not tolerated. The younger daughter was less than two years old and had a poor body. She died of pneumonia without timely medical treatment. The older daughter was four years old, and her paternal grandmother worried that she would not be taken care of. She often went hungry and cold, and was beaten and scolded. Fearing that she would not grow up like the second granddaughter, she wanted to let her eldest daughter-in-law adopt her. At that time, the eldest daughter-in-law had not yet given birth, and local people believed in superstition, saying that adopting a child could bring good luck, which would bring children's fortune to oneself.

  Xia Yu didn't want to adopt, but Zhou Tianqing saw that his own niece was really pitiful. He couldn't interfere with his brother's family affairs, so he could only secretly give her some food. If he could adopt her, he would be able to take care of her openly and honestly.

  This matter is not easy for the Shen family to intervene, Tian shouted in disagreement with adoption, if adopted, adopt a boy, but it's a rural area. Unless the family really can't afford to open a pot, no one would sell their son, and even if they did, they would sell their daughter. Moreover, the ancient people had such a strong clan concept, how could they easily adopt children from outside, even the patriarch would not agree easily.

  "What nonsense are you talking about? You're just an old wife, what do you know? Shut your stinky mouth and listen to what the child has to say!" The old man shouted.

  Xia Yu and her husband had quarreled several times over this matter, and she had also argued with her mother-in-law a few times. This time, the two of them had another big fight, Xia Yu was so angry that she secretly ran back to her parents' home, firstly to calm down, secondly to ask for her parents' opinion.

  "Second sister, it's not that your sister-in-law is saying you're wrong, but if you wanted to come, you should have told your brother-in-law and had him send you over. You just quietly left on your own, and something could happen to you on the road, what would you do? How would you let your parents know? Moreover, you disappeared, and your brother-in-law's side must be searching for you frantically, you're being a bit too impulsive this time. Whether or not to adopt is not something that can be decided in one or two days, given your brother-in-law's temperament, he wouldn't make such a big decision without listening to your thoughts, everything can be discussed slowly."

  Tian's family didn't like to hear that, pulling a long face said: "Zi Fu Niang, Xia Yu herself suffered so much grievances, you as the elder sister not only did not persuade her, but instead came up with these groundless talks, she was even more displeased. Who is right or wrong, and there are still her father and mother here. Can't we old people manage our children?"

  Xia Yu listened and felt a bit uneasy, saying: "Mother, I know my sister-in-law is doing this for my own good. Besides, after I left, I did have some regrets and knew that what I did was wrong, it's just that I didn't have the face to go back."

  The old man also glared at Tian Shi, just about to speak, when Zhou Tianqing entered the door, with a head full of sweat. Xia Yu looked and felt heartache again. When Zhou Tianqing saw that his wife was fine, he relaxed his tense mood and only then thought of scolding his wife a few words.

  "What's wrong that can't be discussed, you got angry and left, I searched the village front and back, later found out that two of your clothes were missing, then thought of going back to your mother's home. You say you walked such a long way alone, with a weak body, how can I be at ease? Originally your body wasn't good, don't get angry, taking a step back, even if you didn't want to adopt Zi'er, could I not consider your thoughts and decide to adopt?"

  Xia Yu listened to her husband's words, and the tears she had just wiped away came again. The old man sighed and didn't say anything else, letting Tian Shi hurry up with dinner preparations. Shen Shi took Zi Qing out the door and headed home.

  Xia Yu temporarily stayed, her husband stayed for two days and went home, saying that there was still a lot of work to be done at home, potatoes to harvest, peanuts to plant, pigs to feed, and those chickens and ducks to take care of. Xia Yu originally wanted to go together, but Tian Shi's intention was good, it was not easy to come back, so she stayed for a few more days, waiting for her eldest son to return before making plans.

  It just so happened that the second son of the Xiao family in the backyard was getting married on May 20. On May 19, Zeng Ruiqing and his family returned to prepare for the wedding banquet, but Zhou Shi said she wouldn't go into town anymore and would rather stay in the countryside to wait for her delivery, as there were people like Tian Shi who could take care of her a bit at home, and there was no one to serve her during her confinement in town.

  The next day, Zi Qing and Shen Shi went there when Tian Shi was talking about Xia Yu with Zhou Shi. Zhou Shi said that this matter can only be decided by herself, others should not give opinions, otherwise, they will have to bear the blame in the future. Besides, she is a person who has experienced it herself, knowing the bitterness of having no son.

  "Even if we adopt a girl, even if we have our own children in the future, it's just a matter of giving her away with a few taels of silver as dowry, which won't affect our own children at all. Moreover, after two or three years, when the girl grows up, she can help with household chores and take care of the kids." Tian Shi and Xia Yu both remained silent after hearing this.

  Zi Qing knew that Zhou's words had moved them, and not only that, if this matter was done well, it would also give Xia Yu Bo a good reputation, and at the same time, she would win the respect of her husband and mother-in-law, so the wise choice was to adopt the child.

  Zi Qing knew that Shen Shi had always disliked listening to adults talk about family matters, so she came to find Xiu Shui. She had heard earlier that her second brother's new wife this time was from a relatively wealthy family, so after getting married, her second brother would move to the county town. Originally, her second brother had been wandering outside and didn't want to return home, but this time he got his wish.

  Xiū Yīng has also become engaged, the groom's family is in a neighboring town, and next year she should get married too. Zi Qing thinks that Xiū Shuǐ is 13 years old this year, about the same age as Zi Píng, and soon will be getting engaged too. She can't help but feel a little reluctant, thinking that ancient women's youth was too short-lived.