Over 460+, asking for a ranking, updated 12,000 words in two days, exhausted

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  Uncle Guo chuckled: "It's not easy for a 16-year-old to make money from doing small business. Let Changsheng run errands for you, that's what he should do. How can he share the profits with you? The little money earned from this small business is just enough for your and your uncle's pocket money. If it's not enough, just tell me, I'll take care of it."

  He was very kind in attitude, but what he said was watertight. On the surface, it was not allowed for Changsheng to take advantage of it, but the meaning that came out between the lines was clearly afraid that Xia Zhi would let Changsheng add capital.

  As soon as he opened his mouth, Xia Zhi understood what he meant. Among family members and relatives, everyone knows each other's temperaments and personalities. Guo Shu has no other shortcomings, but he is more stingy, especially worried about having any financial dealings with the Xia family. After these days of getting along, Xia Zhi had a clearer view of Guo Shu's temperament.

  So as not to misunderstand Xia Dagu, and also to make him feel at ease, this small business of hers would absolutely not require his family to add any silver money. Xia Zhi then smiled and told Guo Shu: "The capital was borrowed from Li Xia."

  Xia Zhi decided to temporarily conceal the fact that she made money by selling the prescription. So, the origin of this capital was only attributed to Li Xia borrowing it. She told Li Xia about this when she went to exchange the silver, and even if someone asked Li Xia about it, there wouldn't be a problem.

  "......It was money borrowed from Mr. Li Xia."

  "Yes." Xia Zhi smiled and didn't plan on saying more about this matter.

  "Li Shan Chang and his family are really good to you." Guo's uncle said with emotion, and his small eyes rolled around, not knowing what he was thinking.

  "Doing anything is not easy. Others may not understand, but our family should."

  Guo's uncle and Changsheng both nodded, and Xia Dagu's words resonated deeply with them. Their grocery store had been passed down through generations, and everything was already in place when it came to their hands. Even so, maintaining the store required a lot of work every day, and sometimes they encountered difficulties that were truly exhausting.

  The summer solstice is approaching and zongzi must be sold, although it's a small business, the degree of hard work and effort is not much different.

  Xia Dagu saw the father and son nodding, then continued: "We all know what's going on in the 16th house. The money earned by the 16th, I said let her keep it for herself. The little girl's family has a shortage, we can't help even if we're far away. If she has some money in her hands, she won't be in trouble. What do you think?"

  Guo's uncle and Changsheng both nodded in agreement. Talking about Xia Zhi's family situation, even Guo's uncle couldn't help but sigh. This young girl was diligent and capable, and indeed very pitiful.

  "This matter, we just need to know about it, no one is allowed to talk about it outside. No matter who asks, even if her parents ask, we must keep it from them." Xia Dagou finally spoke clearly.

  Uncle Guo nodded: "This is okay, I definitely won't let it slip."

  Chang Sheng didn't need Xia Dagu to remind him, he guaranteed that he would definitely keep Xia Zhi's secret. If anyone asked, he could help Xia Zhi cover it up.

  Xia Zhi was delighted in her heart and secretly grateful for Xia Dagu's maintenance of herself, while also deeply feeling that Xia Dagu was indeed very good at handling relationships. At this time, Pearl happened to walk over, and Xia Dagu told her about the matter as well.

  Zhenzhu nodded in agreement when Xia Zhi asked her. She wasn't one who liked to talk much anyway.

  Xia Dagu's son and daughter did not inherit her cleverness and efficiency. However, they were kind and gentle, handled matters steadily, and their virtues made up for their lack of quick wit. Zhenzhu was delicate and pretty in appearance, but she did not inherit Xia Dagu's good qualities in terms of personality and conduct.

  But anyway, this family is not a bad person. Even if there are private hearts, their own plans, and some minor flaws, as long as they don't intentionally harm people, they are all good people.

  It was just in time, Xia Er Shu and his wife had arrived with their family.

  Xia Zhi followed Xia Dagu out to greet them. The whole family of Xia Ershu was no longer dressed as a villager, and their spirit and appearance were greatly different. They raised their heads and chests, first pointing at the mountains and rivers in the courtyard, before entering the house and sitting down.

  The whole family was dressed in new clothes. Xia Er Auntie also wore a long, dark purple-red changshan with a hair bun on her head and a yellow hairpin inserted into it. Looking at her, she didn't seem to feel heavy; those yellow things should all be gilded.

  In May and July, one wore a silver-red jacket with a light green long skirt, and the other wore a bean-green jacket with a soft yellow long skirt. Both girls had ornaments on their heads and hands, and they also painted their eyebrows and applied lipstick.

  The two pillars also wore silk robes, which were slightly too big and didn't fit well.

  Xia Er Aunt's clothes weren't quite fitting either, but the dresses for May and July were all well-fitting. Perhaps it was because Xia Er Uncle had already vented his anger, or perhaps it was because Xia Da Auntie personally came to their doorstep and said enough good things, Xia Er Aunt entered without yesterday's haughty coldness from Xia Er Uncle.

  She wasn't born to be reserved and cold, and she started pointing at the decorations in Xia's house. "It's still those old trunks you used when you were a daughter-in-law, these years you haven't even changed them, adding some new ones would make them look too old. Younger sister, you're not poor, this is just too excessive."

  Then she also said to Uncle Guo, "We all know that your store makes money, don't be stingy with spending it. Our eldest sister is the top person in the village, whoever marries her will have to support her well, you can't just let our brother and sister-in-law live far away, you can't treat her poorly."

  Uncle Guo's smile was somewhat awkward.

  Xia Dagu saw that Xia Ershen's words were becoming more and more unpleasant, so she hastily changed the subject. She asked Xia Ershen about her clothes and adornments, and also inquired about Xia Ershen's daily life at Tian Qiansheng's home.

  This hit exactly on Xia Er Shu's sore spot. She couldn't care about the furnishings of Xia Da Gu's house anymore.

  May and July sat in the house for a while before suggesting they go take a look at Xia Zhi's place.

  Xia Dagu heard this and instructed Zhenzhu: "Take your sisters to your room and entertain them well." Even if it wasn't May or July, she would still have the little girls go to the west wing. After a while, she and Xia Erniang would inevitably talk about Zhang Qiao'er, and those women's conversations were not suitable for young girls to hear.

  Zhenzhu responded with a sound, and then led the way in front. Everyone arrived at the west room. Without adults around, Wu Yue and Qi Yue were no longer as reserved as before. The two of them didn't go up to sit on the kang, but instead seemed to be sizing things up from the floor. Whenever they saw something novel and interesting, they would reach out to touch it.

  Zhenzhu's face didn't look good. Xia Zhi came to her place, but had never touched her things before. Not to mention reaching out to touch or take them, she hadn't even looked at them more than once.

  May and July seemed to have not noticed Pearl's complexion, they also compared the things in Pearl's house with those in Zhang Qiao'er's place. To take care of Zhang Qiao'er, Zhang Cai's family had long moved to Yao Wang Miao Hutong. So when Xia Ershu's family entered the city, they didn't go to Zhang Cai's house at all, but directly also lived in Zhang Qiao'er's place.

  That was the house specially arranged by Tian Jiansheng for Zhang Qiaoe. Zhang Qiaoer became pregnant again, and all the furniture and clothing were of high quality. In May and July, when they first arrived, many things were unfamiliar, and there were quite a few jokes about it.

  The two sisters have gained a lot of experience in the past two days, and when they arrived at Pearl's place, they would hide all their ignorance and awkwardness in the Medicine King Temple Alley, and instead put on an air as if they had seen everything and understood it all, following Pearl and Xia Zhi to show off.

  Pearl was stunned, but still very much minded May and July fiddling with her things. When July picked up a small crystal bottle, Pearl couldn't bear it anymore. She walked forward, snatched the crystal bottle away, and heavily put it back on the dresser.

  That was a small bottle of rose dew, which was the best goods that had just arrived at the grocery store. It was only after she begged her uncle Guo that she got this one bottle, so it was very precious.

  "This is crystal, so be careful." Pearl said stiffly. She could have such an attitude, still because of Xia Dagu's repeated reminders before. Otherwise, she might have turned against May and July from the very beginning.

  In July, she was robbed by Pearl and had things snatched from her hands, and her face immediately turned red. "What's so great about this broken thing? There are plenty of them at Monitor Grandma's place, and she gave me and my sister several bottles each."

  "Then go back and play with your own!" Pearl said, her face puffed up in anger, but her voice was not loud.

  Two girls were about to get into a fight, their true energy stirring. Wu Yue remained unmoved, her eyes darting back and forth between the two dressing boxes on the dresser.

  Xia Zhi can't watch Pearl and Qi Yue quarrel, at least not on an occasion like today. Besides, Xia's elder sister had previously hinted to her in private that she should help take care of things.

  Xia Zhi walked over to the two of them, separating them. She gave Pearl a look, letting her have some sense of being the host and composure. Then, she pulled July over to the side of the bed and had him sit down on it.

  "You already have several bottles, what's so rare about it. Pearl only got one bottle, that's when it's rare." Xia Zhi said in a low voice to Qi Yue.

  July was indeed relieved and felt that she had won over Pearl by a great deal, so there was no need to be on the same level as Pearl anymore. "She's just petty. Who cares about her stuff!"

  "Besides," Xia Zhi raised an eyebrow, "you'd better say a couple of words less."

  In July, she was actually a little afraid of Xia Zhi. When Xia Zhi raised an eyebrow, her eyes sparkled with a smile, but the smile also carried some coldness and menace. She suddenly felt a bit short of breath, muttered something under her breath, and then shut up.

  "This is right." Xia Zhi turned his head and beckoned to Pearl, "Bring out those lambs, let them play with your fifth sister."

  "I'm not happy playing with her." Pearl muttered under her breath, but still took out a box of lamb's tail cookies, her eyes darting towards May.

  May had already picked up the pearl-inlaid dressing case and was examining it carefully, next she would open the drawer to check what's inside.

  Xia Zhi walked over, took the dressing box from Wu Yue's hand and put it back on the dresser. Then she also pulled Wu Yue to the edge of the bed: "What's so good about it? Sister Wu Yue, haven't you seen it before? Let's play with the children instead."

  "This is said loudly. The low voice is another sentence: 'Take someone else's things at will, what about our family rules?'"

  (。)