Seeking monthly ticket, seeking to enter top ten of monthly ticket rankings

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  Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu both nodded at Li Xia, using their eyes to tell him that such things really exist. When Li Xia looked into Xia Zhi's eyes again, they seemed somewhat different.

  Xia Zhi suddenly realized and slightly raised an eyebrow: "Li Xia, what's with that look? I'm telling you this, not to get your sympathy."

  Li Xia was taken aback for a moment, and immediately understood what Xia Zhi meant. Xia Zhi, this young girl had a strong sense of pride, didn't like or need people's sympathy. He didn't want to make Xia Zhi angry or dislike him, so he immediately retracted his previous gaze, smiled and bowed towards Xia Zhi: "Sorry, Sixteen, I didn't mean it that way. I just..."

  Xia Zhi waved her hand, indicating that Li Xia didn't need to explain anymore. Just now, in her gaze, there was indeed sympathy, but more was indignation. Li Xia felt indignant for her.

  Everything was told to Li Xia, and then Xia Zhi asked him: "Li Xia, you said, if I tell these things to Shan Chang, will Shan Chang sympathize with us and agree to my request?"

  This remark seems to be somewhat contradictory. Just now she didn't want Li Xia's sympathy, but now she is worried about whether she will get Li Shanzhang's sympathy. However, Li Xia doesn't think it's contradictory. He understands that Xia Zhi didn't want his sympathy because he treated him as a friend and one of his own people.

  He hesitated for a moment before saying to Xia Zhi, "As for your father's matter, I've never heard Mountain Long mention it. There's no such rumor in the academy either. I think Mountain Long should be unaware."

  Xia Zhi nodded: "My father should not tell the truth." Xia Xiuzai raised money to buy a daughter-in-law for Tian Dabao, but there were many unreasonable things in this matter. When he advanced his salary and borrowed money, he should have come up with a more suitable excuse. However, what excuse Xia Xiuzai used, Xia Zhi couldn't say, and she couldn't guess either.

  That's right, at this point, Xia Zhi acknowledges that she has lost to Xia Xiuzai.

  Li Xia also thought it was just as Xia Zhi said. "Let's wait here for a while, until Tian Kuo comes out from Shan Chang's place, and then I'll go find Shan Chang to tell him about this matter. What I say, he should be more likely to believe. After all, Shan Chang doesn't know you two. Sixteen, Old Uncle, do you think this is okay?"

  Xia Zhi thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement. Xiao Hei Yu Er trusted Xia more, feeling that he would definitely be able to accomplish what he promised.

  Tian Kuai went upstairs and hasn't come out for a long time. Xia Zhi took the opportunity to ask Li Xia, who had many questions in her mind.

  "Li Xia, you and Li Shan are so similar... Are you from the same family?"

  Li Xia smiled, he thought of Summer asking this question, and the little girl must have guessed something. "Li Shanzhang... is my dad."

  The little black fish let out a wow and expressed his surprise, then became even more excited.

  Xia Zhi was also surprised, he had guessed that Li Xia was a descendant of the East City Li's, but he hadn't expected him to be the son of Shan Chang. But this was for the better, with Li Xia's identity, many things would be easier to handle. Then she thought of Tian Kuo again.

  "Is he your cousin?"

  Li Xia nodded: "You guessed this too. Yes. My mother is his paternal aunt."

  Dongcheng Li, Xicheng Tian, the two families have been connected for generations and are related by marriage. So Tian Kuo should be a member of the Xicheng Tian family. "Tian Kuo is your cousin," Li Xia thought to herself and casually said aloud.

  Before Li Xia could speak, Tian Kuang jumped in from outside. He seemed very happy to hear Xia Zhi's last sentence and showed a big smile towards Xia Zhi. "Sixteen, you even figured out that I'm your brother. Not bad, not bad." Then, he also looked at Li Xia with a complacent expression.

  Li Xia's face was expressionless as he explained in a flat tone, "He was only born one day earlier than me, no, ten hours earlier."

  Tian Kuai's expression became even more smug: "If it were an hour earlier, I would have been the older brother."

  Li Xia's face was still expressionless as he asked Tian Kuang: "You've been gone for half a day, what did Shan Chang say to you?"

  As soon as Li Shanzhang was mentioned, Tian Kuang's triumphant expression immediately collapsed. He picked up a chair and sat down dejectedly, refusing to say another word.

  Li Xia's mouth slightly curled up, then he looked out the window again, and stood up. "Sixteen, Old Uncle, you all sit here for a bit, I'll go see Principal Shan, I'll come call you in a moment."

  Tian Kuai immediately raised his head: "Right, you siblings... no, uncle and nephew, what brings you to my brother-in-law's place? I'll take you there."

  Li Xia quietly stopped Tian Kuo: "You haven't gone to review your book properly, and you dare to go to Shan Chang's place. Go and review your book quickly."

  Tian Kuai let out a snort and sat there, refusing to leave. Li Xia ignored him too, he instructed Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu two more sentences before heading upstairs.

  "Sixteen, Old Uncle, you've known Phoenix for a long time?" Li Xia walked away, and Tian Kuang immediately perked up, smiling as he asked Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu.

  "Yes." Xia nodded and asked Tian Kuo, "Why did you call Li Xia Fenghuang?"

  "Haha." Tian Kuai burst out laughing, "Feng Huang is Li Xia's nickname. Actually, we usually prefer to call him Feng Huang Dan (phoenix egg). He is treasured at home, the whole family treats him like a phoenix egg, haha." As he said this, it's unknown what funny thing he thought of, but he laughed to himself for a while.

  Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu Er exchanged a glance, she was somewhat speechless towards Tian Kuo. This person, Tian Kuo, had a big difference from the first time she saw him.

  Just confirmed that Tian Kuo and Li Xia are maternal cousins, and suddenly Li Xia remembered where she had seen Tian Kuo before. It was at the temple fair in Linshui Town's Dafo Temple, where Tian Kuo and a girl named Bing'er had bought flowers and cherries from her. Tian Kuo is that peach blossom eye boy.

  Li Xia and Tian Kuo are very close cousins, and they seem to have a good relationship. Bing Er calls them both "cousin brothers", but it's unclear what their exact relationship is.

  Xia Zhi was polishing, but Xiao Hei Yu Er stared at Tian Kuo.

  Tian Kuai felt somewhat strange: "Old uncle, why are you looking at me like that?"

  "Hmm, I suddenly realized... you look a bit familiar." Xiao Hei Yu was still sizing up Tian Kuo.

  "Really?" Tian Kuai turned his peach blossom eyes, and both Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu'er's eyes widened. But he really couldn't recall where he had seen these two kids before. Yet he smiled and said, "Perhaps, or else why would I feel so connected to you guys as soon as I see you?"

  "Ah!" Little Black Fish suddenly pointed at Tian Kuo, "I remember now!"

  Xia Zhi glanced at Xiao Hei Yu. Xiao Hei Yu was straightforward, but he was clever and had a tacit understanding with Xia Zhi after being together for a long time. As soon as Xia Zhi gave him that look, Xiao Hei Yu swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue. Then, he leaned in close to Xia Zhi and started nibbling on his ear.

  The little black fish also recognized Tian Kuang, but he wasn't very sure.

  Xia Zhi thought for a moment and then asked Tian Kuo in a probing tone: "Did you go to the temple fair at Dashui Town's Dafo Temple the other day?"

  Tian Kuang was waiting to hear the next part of Xiao Hei Yu's story, when Xia Zhi suddenly asked him a question. He didn't answer immediately, and instead looked back and forth between Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu, finally fixing his gaze on Xia Zhi's face.

  "Ah, I remember now." Tian Kuai laughed, "It was you guys, wasn't it? I saw you outside the gate of the Great Buddha Temple. You were selling flowers at that time, and also cherries."

  He actually remembered too!

  Tian Kuai looked at Xia Zhi's face again, and became even more certain. "Did you recognize me too?" he asked, his eyes filled with unhidden anticipation.

  What else could Xia Zhi say? She and Xiao Hei Yu nodded in unison.

  "This is fate." Tian Kuang seemed to have completely forgotten his troubles with the warm book at this time, and he patted his hands. "Just now I saw you from afar and felt particularly familiar."

  "We also have to thank you, otherwise we wouldn't have found Li Shan Zhang so quickly." Xia Zhi sincerely thanked Tian Kuo.

  "By the way, since you know Feng Huang and want to find Li Shan Chang, why didn't you let him bring you here?" Tian Kuo asked Xia Zhi.

  "We knew Li Xia, but we just found out he is the son of Li Shan Chang."

  "Ah," Tian Kuai seemed not to find it strange at all, and instead nodded understandingly. "That's just how Feng Huang is. By the way, what did you want to see Li Shanzhang for? Let me take care of it instead of having Feng Huang do it. I have more influence in front of my uncle than Feng Huang does."

  "It's nothing." Xia Zhi smiled and still wanted to minimize the impact of Xia Xiuzai's affair. Some people are for others, some people are for themselves.

  Tian Kuai guessed it and knew that Xia Zhi was unwilling to tell him. It's obvious that Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu Er are closer to Li Xia.

  "Sixteen, Old Uncle, when did you get to know Feng Huang and how did you meet?" Tian Kuo changed the subject and started inquiring about the relationship between the two children and Li Xia.

  Just as Xia Zhi was about to speak, she heard the soft footsteps outside. Two girls had somehow appeared outside the window. One of them, who looked younger, was dressed like a maid, while the other, who was around 14 or 15 years old, wore a short shirt and skirt, looking like a young lady from a wealthy family.

  Tian Kuang's whole temperament suddenly changed, he stood up and tidied his long gown and the Wen Sheng Jin on his head, then walked out.

  Xia Zhi sat on the couch, watching Tian Kuo go out to greet the master and servant. He didn't know what they said, but Xia Zhi saw that the master and servant's faces seemed to be a little red, then they were led by Tian Kuo to another courtyard.

  After a while, Xia Zhi finally turned his head back. The Tian Kuo just now was actually the elegant and refined peach blossom eye youth they saw that day. One person could change beyond recognition in an instant, this was also a remarkable skill.

  The little black fish saw Tian Kuai leave so suddenly, and his small mouth also opened slightly. However, he didn't say anything. He was still too young and naturally didn't understand a youth like Tian Kuai's.

  Tian Kuai had just left for a short while when Li Xia came back. "Sixteen, Old Uncle, Shan Zhang wants to meet you."

  Xia Zhi brought Xiao Hei Yu Er to the upper house. Along the way, she asked Li Xia in a low voice, "Will Shan Chang agree?"

  Li Xia nodded slightly and told Xia Zhi that he had already persuaded Li Shan Chang. Li Shan Chang called them over, just wanting to see the two of them. "Whatever he asks you, just tell him the truth."

  Xia Zhi nodded, this was better than she had expected.

  Li Shan Chang was a slender man whose age was hard to guess, with an air of bookishness about him, very refined and elegant, his face bearing a 70-80% resemblance to Li Xia. He kindly asked the two children to sit down.

  "Are you coming from Daxingzhuang? Just the two of you, uncle and nephew, without any elders accompanying you?" Li Shan's voice was very gentle, making Xia Zhi feel even more fond of him.

  "...followed her aunt into the city as a guest. Today, she came to the academy specifically to see Principal Shan. Her aunt lives on West Market Street and it was her cousin who brought them here." Xia Zhi simply answered Li Shan's question with a few words.

  Li Shan nodded slightly, and a hint of approval flashed in his eyes. The little girl was young, but her attitude was generous and not arrogant, which was rare. Moreover, she spoke clearly and logically, and with just a few words, she not only fully answered his questions but also dispelled the doubts he had not expressed, something that even adults might not be able to do.

  Because of this, his attitude towards the summer solstice is not only warm but also solemn.

  "What you're talking about, I just heard from Fenghuang. ... Your father is my student." Li Shanzhang told Xia Zhi that Xia Xiucan was his student. Xia Xiucan had been studying at Wenshan Academy before and after passing the Xiucan exam, he was able to teach in the academy thanks to Li Shanzhang's arrangement.

  This is the teacher's care for his students.

  Li Shan-chang's intention was that Liu Xia-xiucai would teach and learn together with the students in the academy, on the one hand earning some household expenses, and on the other hand continuing to prepare for the imperial examination.

  He knew Xia Xiuzai's family was not well-off and that getting married and having children would mean taking care of the household.

  Li Shan Chang is Xia Xiū Cái's mentor and also Xia Xiū Cái's benefactor.

  "Your maternal grandparents' situation, your father also told me about it." Li Shan Chang slightly furrowed his brow, "Your father told me that your paternal grandmother is poor and ill, relying only on your mother. Your mother is a filial daughter. When he married your mother, he promised her that he would take care of her family."

  "Is this thing true?" Li Shan Chang asked Xia Zhi while looking at him.

  Xia Zhi's heart moved slightly. Li Shan Chang's attitude seemed impartial, but after listening to Xia's account, he still asked this question, which actually expressed a certain inclination.

  Li Shanzhang's perspective on this matter is different from Xia Xiuzai's.

  "If I had a mountain of gold, I wouldn't know how to answer... If my father borrowed money for medical treatment or to save someone's life, even if the other person was a complete stranger, I wouldn't stop him."

  Li Shan's eyes twitched twice as he looked at Xia Zhi, seemingly moved. "You little girl, you're quite insightful."

  Xia Zhi's gaze was clear: "The benevolent see benevolence, the wise see wisdom. The same thing, a thousand people have a thousand interpretations. My requirements for Shan Zhang are not only for me and my brothers, but also for my father and mother, and even for my maternal grandparents, there is only benefit. Borrowing money can save people, but it can also harm people."

  Li Shan Chang suddenly laughed: "You little girl are really capable, are you trying to tell me that if I agree with your father's money, it would be a disaster for you?"

  "Father!" Li Xia raised an eyebrow and looked at Li Shanzhang with some dissatisfaction.

  (。)