Xia Zhi finally chose the silver lock under the advice of Li Xia and Xiao Hei Yu. She planned to go back and weave a rope herself, then hang the lock on her chest. This was the safest method she could think of.

  The contract can be left with Li Xia, but carrying one's own property close to the body will give Xia Zhi a greater sense of security and accomplishment. Moreover, if it is needed at that time, it will also be more convenient to take out.

  Apart from the contract, Xia Zhi also plans to hide a small-denomination silver note in the lock, as Li Xia said, for emergency use.

  The young man was good at doing business. He saw that Xia Zhi had chosen a lock pendant, and said that the store had a matching silver necklace. If you want to wear a necklace, it's a bit eye-catching. Xia Zhi didn't plan to buy a necklace himself, but suddenly thought of Xiao Hei Yu. Xiao Hei Yu had a long-life lock pendant, which would go well with a silver necklace.

  Summer arrived and let Xiao Hua go get the silver necklace. She held the silver necklace to try it on Xiaohui, and finally chose one.

  "Sixteen, and you still want me to buy it?" Little Black asked Xia Zhi, "Let's not buy this anymore. Sixteen, you don't even have a ring."

  Summer solstice actually wanted to buy one or two pieces of jewelry, but she was worried about the Tian family. However, after being persuaded by Xiao Hei Yu, she also moved her heart and finally chose a thin silver bangle that weighed less than two coins and had no other special patterns, but the silver quality was good, and it looked very elegant and beautiful on her wrist.

  Li Xia was quietly about to pay on the side, but was caught by Xia Zhi at a glance. Xia Zhi glared at Li Xia.

  "At sixteen, you and Uncle gave me gifts, I didn't say anything and just accepted them." Li Xia meant that since he had given Shu Zhi one or two things, Shu Zhi shouldn't have refused.

  "I've taken your money." Xia Zhi said to Li Xia, "I had already picked these things out and was planning to buy them myself. If you pay for them, you'll be taking away the fun of me buying things."

  She said so, Li Xia showed an exaggerated look of horror and obediently took the money back. Xia Zhi paid happily, a lock piece, a fine silver bangle plus a silver necklace, which added up to only a little more than three taels of silver.

  Three people came out of the Silver Building and took a car back to Xishi Street. Xia Zhi didn't lie, compared to accepting others' gifts, she preferred to earn more money herself and then splurged on buying things for herself and her loved ones.

  Back in Xishi Street, Xia Dagu greeted them and invited them into the house to talk. Because Li Xia came along, Xia Dagu was very polite, busy making tea and serving snacks.

  Li Xia told Aunt Xia not to bother, and said that if Aunt Xia always treated him like an outsider, he wouldn't dare come next time. After hearing this, Aunt Xia naturally became more polite, still busy with tea and snacks, but her attitude was much more familiar, and she didn't say any extra polite words to Li Xia.

  Xia Zhi showed Xia Dagu the things she had bought, and Xia Dagu kept praising them as beautiful. When she saw the silver necklace Xia Zhi had bought for Xiao Heiyu, Xia Dagu felt even more moved in her heart, thinking that Xia Zhi was too lovely.

  Xia Zhi chatted with Xia Da Gu for a while, then led Li Xia to the back. The small workshop wasn't tidied up yet, but Xia Zhi wanted to bring Li Xia over to take a look. Although Li Xia had helped her a lot with the Dragon Boat Festival zongzi, she still hadn't seen his small workshop in person.

  Li Xia was indeed very interested, and followed Xia Zhi to turn the small workshop around. She also thought that Xia Zhi was very capable. The little girl was only twelve years old, but she could handle such a big thing, and managed the small workshop in an orderly manner.

  After visiting the small workshop, Xia Zhi invited Li Xia into the house and they all sat down to drink sour plum soup while chatting.

  "Sixteen, in terms of ability to get things done, I'm afraid I'm not as good as you." Li Xia suddenly said.

  "How come you suddenly say that?" Xia Zhi glanced at Li Xia and smiled, "There's a sequence to learning, and different skills have their own specialties. When it comes to reading books, I'm not as good as you."

  Li Xia burst out laughing, but didn't say anything. He actually wasn't trying to praise Xia Zhi for being capable, but rather felt a little heartache for her. A twelve-year-old girl, if it weren't for the family situation forcing her, who would bear such burdens and worries? Thinking this in his heart, Li Xia dared not speak out loud, because he knew Xia Zhi didn't like hearing such words.

  Three people were chatting and laughing in the backyard, then played with Daqing for a while, and soon it was late afternoon. Xia Dagu sent Zhang Sheng over to invite them to go to the front to eat dinner.

  "Uncle said he'd treat me to barbecue," Li Xia said.

  "Right." Xiao Hei Yu immediately nodded in response. At this time, many small stalls had already set up shop at the night market. In addition to roasted meat, there were many other delicious snacks available at the night market.

  Xia Zhi had already told Xia Dagu that they wouldn't be having dinner at home tonight before heading to the backyard. However, Xia Dagu felt obligated to invite them over out of both affection and reason.

  Xia Zhi then told Chang Sheng, and together with Li Xia and Xiao Hei Yu Er, they came to the front to see Xia Da Gu. With Xia Da Gu, they explained again. In fact, Li Xia Gong Zi was still a child, Xia Da Gu thought so in her heart, and could only nod in agreement.

  Xie bid farewell to Xia Dagu and arrived on Xishi Street, where Xiao Hei Yu had already started his fun. He led Xia Zhi and Li Xia in front, and whenever he saw something delicious, he would go buy two portions for them to try.

  "This meal is all paid by me, you are not allowed to fight with me. Not allowed to rob the fun I paid for." This last sentence was learned from Xia Zhi, and now it's being used immediately.

  Xia Zhi and Li Xia couldn't help but laugh, and they both decided not to disappoint the little black fish's kind intentions and good mood.

  Xiao Hei walked ahead, while Li Xia and Xia Zhi followed side by side. Li Xia asked Xia Zhi in a low voice, "Sixteen, how much salary did you give to Uncle? Will it be enough for him to spend?"

  "It's enough." Xia Zhi said in a low voice, while telling Li Xia how much money Xiao Hei had in his hand.

  "Hmm, then I'll just eat a lot later." Li Xia said matter-of-factly.

  The night market tonight wasn't as lively as the Dragon Boat Festival, but as the night fell, there were more and more people on the street. Xia Zhi really liked this kind of bustling scene, the crowd was noisy, but her heart was quiet, serene and happy.

  They finally arrived at the barbecue stall. The owner had already recognized Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu. Since Xiao Hei Yu was treating, he first asked for Xia Zhi's and Li Xia's opinions, then walked up to the owner and ordered a large quantity of lamb skewers, grilled scallops, and several strings of lamb eyeballs.

  This little guy loves to eat roasted sheep's eyes.

  He ordered a few kebabs, and Xiao Hei ran to the neighboring tea stall, bought three bowls of iced tea, and placed them in front of Xia Zhi and Li Xia. Then, he asked Li Xia and Xia Zhi: "What else do you want?" with an air of proud hospitality.

  "Don't bother, we have everything here." Li Xia hurriedly said, and raised her sleeve to fan the little black fish, "Uncle, hurry up and sit down to rest for a while, look at you, all sweaty from busy work."

  "It's okay, hehe." Xiao Hei Yu then sat down with a smile, and didn't forget to shout at the barbecue stall owner to hurry up and bring over the roasted meat, with an air of being a regular customer. Even the street kids who grew up on this street didn't have as much swagger as Xiao Hei Yu.

  "Afterwards, Lao Shu grew up and was unstoppable." Li Xia said with a smile, sizing up the little black fish.

  "That's it!" Little Black Fish nodded in agreement, not being modest or polite at all, but instead thinking that Li Xia was very discerning. Soon, the stall owner brought over the roasted meat skewers and scallops one after another. Xia Zhi and Little Black Fish were indeed regular customers here.

  Xiao Hei Yu said to Li Xia: "Li Xia, don't be polite, just eat. After you're done, we'll get more." Then he handed a string of the fattest mutton skewers to Li Xia.

  Li Xia smiled and took it over, but didn't eat. He waited until Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu also picked up a string of roasted meat before he started eating too.

  "Li Xia, is this your first time eating on the street?" Xia Zhi glanced at Li Xia and saw something, she asked softly.

  Li Xia laughed twice and didn't hide it, answering Xia Zhi that he did. He had eaten barbecue before, but this was indeed the first time eating at a small street stall. As for scallops, "I've never had roasted ones before, they're actually quite delicious."

  Xia Zhi smiled and said, "Don't worry, eat up. I've been observing this family for a long time. The mutton is fresh, and they handle it quite cleanly. Otherwise, even if Uncle loves to eat, I wouldn't let him eat."

  "Whatever you choose, I'm fine with it." Li Xia smiled too.

  He didn't know Xia Zhi for a long time, but he had already figured it out. Xia Zhi was always lukewarm and unobtrusive, arranging everything without leaving any traces. She was very good at taking care of people, although she never showed off this aspect of herself.

  Look at Li Xia eating so fragrantly, and then Xia Zhi said to him: "Li Xia, do you want to change seats? You're facing the street, what if someone passing by recognizes you?" The young master of East City Li, the son of the headmaster of Wenshan Academy, this year's county exam and prefectural exam top scorer, sitting at a small stall on West Market Street eating roasted meat skewers with vendors and laborers!

  "Recognize it if you recognize it, who says I'm not allowed to eat barbecue here?" Li Xia had a nonchalant look on his face, he also knew that Xia Zhi was joking with him.

  He did so, and Xia Zhi no longer teased him.

  Li Xia followed Xiao Hei Yu and tried a string of sheep's eyes, and found it very delicious. He didn't stand on ceremony with Xiao Hei Yu either, and ordered two more strings from the vendor.

  "Delicious, right, Xia Li?" Little Black Fish said with a self-satisfied smile. "There are still many delicious things that you haven't had, Xia Li. When will you come to my house? I'll take you to eat delicious food, there aren't any in the Imperial City."

  The home Xiao Hei Yu Er was talking about is naturally his home in Daxing Village.

  "Uncle, you're not teasing me, are you? What delicious food do we have?" Li Xia asked the little black fish on purpose.

  "Have you ever eaten roasted snake meat? Roasted grasshoppers, you definitely haven't had. Li Xia, I'm telling you, it's delicious! And there's also roasted pheasant, the thigh meat is especially good to eat. Roasted sparrow is particularly fragrant." Xiao Hei Yu said several dishes of field delicacies in a row, and indeed they were all things Li Xia hadn't eaten before. Among them, some made him feel quite yearning, while others made him feel a bit queasy.

  "Sixteen, have you eaten all of these?" Li Xia asked slyly to Xia Zhi.

  Xia Zhi smiled and said to Li Xia, "Some I've had before, some I haven't. Why don't you come home with us and let Uncle get them for you to try?"

  "You'll have to eat with us on the sixteenth too." Li Xia wasn't willing to lose out either.

  He smiled on the summer solstice but did not speak.

  "Li Xia, you come, I'll take you to eat all the delicious food." said Xiao Hei Yu Er with great momentum.

  "Li Xia still has exams in June," said Xia Zhi.

  "After I finish the exam, I'll talk to my dad about it. I also want to go back to the countryside and take a look." Li Xia said.

  "Li Xia, you must come then." said the little black fish to Li Xia.

  The three of them ate their fill at the barbecue stall, and then Xia Zhi went to a pharmacy to buy a packet of large hawthorn balls, which they shared among themselves. After that, the three of them strolled slowly along the street, window shopping and digesting their food.

  A bit later, Li Xia, although reluctant, still took the initiative to propose that he should go home. He sent Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei to the door, watching as the two children entered the courtyard before getting into his carriage and leaving.

  It's still early, and Xia Dagu's family hasn't gone to bed yet, they're all sitting in the east room talking.

  "What's wrong, Aunt Xia?" Xia Zhiming sensed that the atmosphere was a bit unusual, so he asked his aunt.

  "Nothing's wrong." Xia Dagu's face flashed a complex expression, then she told the matter to Xia Zhi. Guo Yuhuan and Xia Zhu are going to get engaged.

  "Ah?" Xia Zhi was shocked, this was something she never expected. Although no one had said anything, although she had only been in Fucheng for a short time, but she could also see that the Guo family had very high expectations of Guo Yuhuan.

  Guo Xi and Madame Guo, how could they be willing to let Guo Yuhuan marry Xia Zhu? However, this puzzled thought only flashed in Xia Zhi's mind for a moment, and she soon let it go.

  Xia Er Shu is no longer the Xia Er Shu from the countryside. Xia Er Shu helped Guo Xi with the wine shop, and Guo Xi has been looking out for Xia Er Shu's family's development.

  If Xia Ershu's boasting at the banquet that day could come true, this marriage would still be a high match for Guo Xi's family.

  However, Guo Yuhuan and Xia Zhu... Xia Zhi still cannot imagine it.

  "I didn't expect it either." Xia Dagou seemed to have guessed Xia Zhi's thoughts and also said so.

  It wasn't until then that Xia Zhi came back to her senses, and she asked Xia Dagu: "Has it been decided already? How did it happen so quickly?"

  "The two families have already agreed, it's just that they don't know when to finalize it yet, but I think it will be soon." As for why it's so fast, Xia Dagu understood some inside information, but it wasn't convenient for her to tell Xia Zhi in this setting.

  Xia Dagu gave a seemingly unintentional glance at Guo Gufu.

  "It's still early to talk about marriage," said Uncle Guo, "Yuhuan and Erzhu are both young. Since the two families have a good relationship and know each other well, it's better to settle this matter early on, so we can put our minds at ease."

  Uncle Guo seems to be more enthusiastic about this matter than Aunt Xia. He even thought of his own son and daughter because of this. "The matter of Yu Huan is settled. Chang Sheng is not young either, and the second pillar was only eleven years old when he was engaged. Zhen Zhu is a bit younger than Yu Huan, and our family should choose earlier, otherwise all the good families will be taken by others."

  Guo's uncle looked at Guo Yuhuan and Xia Zhu wanting to get engaged, his eyes were hot, so he discussed with Xia Dagu, also wanting to hurry up and find a daughter-in-law for Zhangsheng, and find a son-in-law for Zhenzhu.

  (。)