Ziying stood by, looking at Zifu with joy and emotion. It's only been a few years since that young boy, who was humble on the outside but strong-willed inside, had grown into a tall tree, one that could provide shelter for others.

  "What's wrong? Qing'er, why aren't you happy that your big brother is back? Are you already married and don't care about your big brother anymore? Big brother will be very heartbroken." Zi Fu rubbed Zi Qing's hair, and Zi Qing felt like the good old days were back.

  "Sister, you see, big brother just knows how to bully me, what is he saying? I didn't mind him having a wife and forgetting about his little sister, but he's actually turning the tables on me?" Zi Qing touched her own hair and glared at Zi Fu.

  Zifu was about to pinch Ziqing's face, but Ziqing dodged quickly. Shen Shi hastily said: "Fu'er, don't tease your sister, she's not alone now."

  Zi Fu was taken aback, suddenly stepped forward and hugged Zi Qing, saying: "It's only been a few years, that little girl who used to follow me around every day during holidays is now going to be a mother. My family's Qing Er has really grown up, thank you big brother, thank you for everything you've done for our family. Big brother knows in his heart, if it wasn't for you, our family wouldn't be where we are today. Big brother's journey also wouldn't have been so smooth."

  Everyone's heart felt a pang of sadness when they heard this, Liu and Chen didn't know much about the family situation in the past, so their feelings weren't too deep, but they did realize that their husbands truly loved and cared for this younger sister.

  "Big brother, what I said doesn't count, it was just a coincidence. The main thing is big brother, who has truly become someone great. You're not asking me what I was thinking about earlier? I was thinking that big brother has really grown into a large tree. A tree that our family can rely on."

  Zi Qing's words made everyone even more sour, Zi Qing leaned her head on Zi Fu's shoulder, Shen Shi wiped away tears and said: "Good days, you two brothers must say these things here, intentionally not letting people be happy."

  "Alright, let's talk about this later. First, go visit the old house. Your grandparents are still waiting." This finally interrupted everyone.

  The whole family went out, and Zi Qing followed. Xiao Qing was inseparable from Zi Qing. They arrived at the old house. The old master and Tian Shi saw Zi Fu and had a lot of thoughts and nostalgia. Zhou Shi brought Zi Quan to one side, also with envy on her face.

  Mrs. Zhou said with a sour tone: "It's been said that younger siblings have good fortune and luck. Look, the kids are all doing well, and Ziqing married so well. It's really true that people have different fates. Ziquan, this is your older brother, from now on, you should be closer to your older brother, as he will become a high-ranking official in the future and will be able to help you more."

  "What is Big Sister saying? Who isn't struggling to make a living? Zi Quan is still young, just teach him slowly." Shen Shi said calmly.

  "How can it be the same? Before we separated, my younger siblings were born one after another. We worked hard all year round to raise other people's children, and it was easy to struggle until we separated from the family, thinking that we could live a few years of peaceful life. Who knew that God didn't open his eyes, first it was Zi Ping, then it was Zi He, one thing after another, pressing us to breathe hardly, where do your younger siblings have such a smooth and easy life? They've earned money and their children are successful too. I'm just the kind of person who suffers and endures hardship. It's really unfair, comparing people will make you angry to death." Zhou Shi sighed and said.

  Shen's family listened and smiled, then turned to look at Zeng Rui-xiang's side. The old man and Zeng Rui-xiang were discussing the arrangements for the ancestral worship ceremony on April 12th. Zi-qing heard from Zeng Rui-xiang that officials from the local government and county government would likely attend, and relatives and friends of the family should be notified in advance.

  Just as they were talking, Tian asked Zi Qing: "Zi Qing, is Lin's son-in-law at home? Why haven't I seen him accompanying you? Tell him to go pick up your second aunt. After several months of rain, your second aunt's body must be uncomfortable again, and this year's crops are hopeless. It just so happens that taking advantage of Zi Fu's wedding banquet, we can have her come stay for a few days to recuperate. However, I'm now struggling to support one more person, everything has to be carefully calculated, and there's no extra money left."

  "Ah Po, Kang Ping has left, just let Lin An go and he'll be fine, he knows the way, he's sent Er Guo several times already." Zi Qing said to Xia Yu. Zi Qing still had some sympathy for her, similar to Zeng Rui Xiang's personality. It was said that during the old master's birthday celebration last year, she stayed a few more days and even helped out with some expenses for the Tian family. Later on, probably also knowing that life at home was difficult, she didn't come back often either, but would occasionally send some local products back to her mother's house, sometimes even bringing a duck or two for the Shen family.

  "Why don't we pick up Little Feng from Anzhou on our way? It'll save her a few children too." Madam Zhou hastily said.

  "Eldest sister, nowadays you don't have to go through Anzhou anymore, there's a shortcut that goes straight past it, it's very convenient for you to come. Taking the donkey cart won't even cost three cents. I still have some small hair accessories from the capital that I'll give her when she comes back, I haven't seen her since then. I heard she's also been pregnant for several months now." Zi Qing said.

  "It's not easy, days are getting harder. Fortunately, your good-for-nothing husband is still a bit afraid, he knows to go out and find work to do, but in a day, he can't even earn a few coins. Our life here is also difficult, we have to support your grandparents, otherwise, we could squeeze out one or two silver coins to help her out. Alas, it's all because the earnings are too little, taking care of this side means neglecting that side. Unlike you, when you go out, you still bring a servant girl to attend to you."

  Shen and Zi Qing both didn't say a word, the first year was still okay, this is the second year, Zhou's complaints are getting more and more, actually Tian's can't be less either. Zi Qing heard Shen say that last year, Tian still had some leftover from previous years, Chun Yu's family stayed for a few days when Old Master celebrated his birthday, this year it might really not work out. On the second day of the new year, Zeng Ruiqing managed to get one day's worth of food, on the third day they went to Xia Yu's house, and on the fifth day they drove Chun Yu's family away, also didn't hear about sending anything over there.

  The crowd chatted idly, and Zeng Rui-xiang led everyone in bidding farewell. After returning home, Shen said to Liu and Chen: "It's only a few days before the 12th, let's discuss and come up with a menu together, make a list of things to buy, and I'll review it carefully."

  Liu and Chen hastily agreed and entered the study room.

  It was cloudy on the second day, and Shen brought Chen and Lin An to Anzhou to buy goods. Zi Fu and Liu were at home receiving guests. Liu had been pregnant for four or five months and changed into loose clothes, which didn't show much if you weren't careful. Zi Qing directed the four maids to clean the house and sweep the floor. In the afternoon, it suddenly cleared up and the sun came out. Zi Qing hurriedly told the maids to take out the bedding and quilts to air them in the sun.

  "Brother, you've brought back sunshine as soon as you returned. You're just like the sun!"

  Zi Fu tapped her head and said, "Qing Er, this is not something to be spoken of casually outside, it's taboo. You must remember that." Zi Qing rubbed her head and muttered a sentence.

  On the tenth day, Xia Yu's family arrived, and on the eleventh day, Shen Jianren's family all came. Zi Qing had to move back to Qingyuan, taking Zi Yu with her to keep her company. On the twelfth day, the weather was fine and sunny, and the garden was filled with tables. Most of their relatives and friends had arrived. Zi Qing changed into a red satin cheongsam dress with a jade-green velvet cape, and simply styled her hair in a bun, with her bangs cut straight across her eyebrows. She stayed indoors to keep the other women company.

  Shen's cousin, Shen Wenyu, didn't come over when Ziqing got married. After seeing Ziqing, she took a closer look and said: "It's been several years since we last met, and my younger sister is even more beautiful now. After getting married, this aura, it really has a few points similar to the young mistress of a wealthy family."

  "It wasn't, but it didn't fall short either. You haven't seen my younger sister get married, oh my, the clothes and jewelry dazzled my eyes. The clothes even had gold threads, I've never seen anything like that before. And then there's the phoenix coronet and jade pendant that your uncle specially asked your brother to buy from the capital city. Tsk tsk, it was worth it for a woman to get married just once. And also, my younger sister's home, it's so beautiful, I couldn't take my eyes off it. Oh my, anyway, I've opened my eyes and broadened my horizons." said Wang Shi, Zi Qing's older female cousin-in-law.

  "Every day I hear my mother mention, your family's garden is so big, your family's house is so good, this time it's easy to come, how can we not go and visit your family. How about it, don't you mind?" Shen Wenyu asked.

  "Of course, my sister-in-law wants to go, how dare I not follow. However, it's absolutely not as exaggerated as what my elder sister-in-law said. It was just a piece of rotten reed land, and we couldn't buy it separately, so we had to buy it together and renovated it a bit, which actually took some effort." Zi Qing smiled and said.

  Then, Zi Qing brought Shen's family members, including an elderly grandmother, three aunts, ten sisters-in-law, four female cousins, as well as younger nephews and nieces, to the Sunny Garden in a grand procession.

  As soon as they entered the garden, they saw large patches of peach-colored roses blooming all over the courtyard walls. Xiao Qing walked closely beside Zi Qing, who took them to see the peach grove. There were even some peaches growing on the trees. From the peach grove, they moved on to the bamboo forest, where many spring shoots had emerged. The interior of the bamboo pavilion was simple and unadorned, with only basic furniture. Then they stepped onto the floating bridge and reached the central small island, where many lotus leaves had grown out. Ducks and white geese were playing in the water.

  Back to the main house, the flower beds in the courtyard were not well-maintained. Lin Kangping only brought Lin An and others to dig up some rhododendrons and daisies that had been found somewhere, which were also blooming brightly at this time. Zi Qing took them to sit in the outer hall for a while, they looked around the study and bedroom, all of which were made of intricately carved red wood furniture, and discussed the layout of each room.

  Shen Wenyu said to take a look at Zi Qing's place, Zi Qing wiped away her embarrassment and refused, so she had no choice but to bring them into the inner courtyard of the second gate. The whole yard was filled with daisies and roses, as well as orchids and azaleas. The goldfish in the pool were swimming leisurely, and on the stone table there were still some leftover pastries that Zi Qing had eaten. On the rocking chair under the osmanthus tree, a thin cushion had been spread out, and the children curiously went up to sit for a while.

  Everyone was amazed and said, "Even the big households probably don't live much better than this."

  The inner courtyard had wooden flooring, and Ziqing led the way by taking off her shoes and changing into slippers. The hall was adorned with a large Persian carpet, and Ziqing's bedroom had another one, along with a bright red embroidered canopy bed. Various jade stone porcelain vases were displayed on the bookshelf, but unfortunately, the eight-panel folding screen that Ziqing had just finished embroidering was still unfolded. A tiger skin rug was also laid out on the noblewoman's couch, which Ziqing hadn't had time to put away yet.