Third watch of the night, seeking monthly votes

  ***

  Tian Kuai wore a sky-blue cloud-patterned long gown, fanning himself with a paper fan in front of the stall for a moment before recognizing Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu. Although they were fully armed, the uncle and nephew's big eyes, their voices, as well as Xiao Hei Yu's queue, and the large green snake behind them, were actually quite easy to recognize.

  Xia Zhi also recognized Tian Kuo. This peach blossom eye boy is dressed up exceptionally stylish today.

  "Does Mr. Tian want to eat zongzi too? Thanks for your help last time, I haven't had a chance to thank you yet. Let me send some zongzi for Mr. Tian to try." Xia Zhi smiled and greeted Tian Kuo. Tian Kuo was Li Xia's cousin, and it was really thanks to him that she was able to find Li Shan Zhang so smoothly last time. She handed the zongzi to Tian Kuo and asked him, "What flavor does Mr. Tian like?"

  "I don't have any preferences either. Give me a little of everything to try." Tian Kuo saw Xia Zhi recognize him, and his peach blossom eyes smiled slightly, "Sixteen, I've only heard that your family's zongzi is delicious, but I haven't had it before." He also didn't consider himself an outsider, calling Xia Zhi 'sixteen'.

  It suddenly dawned on her what Tian Kuo meant. This rice dumpling had just started selling today, and Tian Kuo must have heard it from Li Xia or that gentleman who had dinner at Li Shanchang's place the other day, with Li Xia being the most likely one.

  "One person, one taste. I don't know if our zongzi suits Tian Gongzi's taste. What kind of zongzi does Tian Gongzi like to eat? Tell me and I'll make some for him." Xia Zhi said politely, while selecting two of each type of zongzi and tying them together to give to Tian Kuo.

  Tian took the zongzi and looked at it, then handed it over to the little book boy beside him. Then he smiled and asked Xia Zhi: "Sixteen, does your previous words count? I love to eat what kind of food, you make it with your own hands and give me to eat?"

  As he spoke, his peach blossom eyes fluttered towards Xia Zhi. Then seeing Xia Zhi's dazed expression, he laughed even more happily. Without waiting for Xia Zhi to respond, he shook the folding fan again, "So I will..."

  Before he could say what he wanted, he was interrupted by a loud bang on his head.

  Li Xia didn't know when he walked over. He knocked Tian Kuai with a violent slap, and then ignored him, laughing and greeting Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu. "Come to sell zongzi today? Why didn't you tell me in advance?"

  Xia Zhi only told Li Xia about her general plan and didn't even tell him that she was coming here to sell zongzi.

  But Li Xia came and she was also very happy.

  Xiao Hei Yu Er was even more delighted: "Li Xia, I'll come find you again later. Sixteen and I will treat you to zongzi."

  "Good." Li Xia responded succinctly, then raised his head to take a closer look at the sign that read "Zhuangyuan Zongzi", "Not bad, not bad. This character was written by Sixteen, wasn't it?"

  "Uh." Xia Zhi felt a bit embarrassed. Her handwriting was only at an elementary level, but for the time being, she couldn't find anyone else to write it, so she did it herself. "It's not written very well, don't laugh at me, Li Xia."

  "You've only just started learning and you're already doing great. Of course, if I were to write it, it would be even better." Li Xia looked at Xia Zhi with a smile in her eyes.

  Xia didn't hear any meaning in Li Xia's words. She wasn't without the idea of having Li Xia write a couplet, but later she dispelled this notion.

  Li Xia has already helped her a lot. If she speaks up, Li Xia will definitely agree. But the Li family is a scholarly family for generations, and Li Xia can't do whatever he wants completely on his own. If this matter causes him to have disagreements with his family, which would have a bad influence on him, she would feel guilty.

  But now Li Xia spoke up, and Xia Zhi was unwilling. "As you wish... Hehe, it's just that I didn't have the nerve to bring this up with you, feeling that it would be a waste of your talent."

  Tian Kuo was squeezed to one side by Li Xia, but he didn't get angry. He just listened happily as Xia Zhi and Li Xia talked. At this time, he chimed in: "Sixteen, if you want to write words, come find me! My handwriting is much better-looking than Feng Huang's."

  "Go, go, I'll give you the money, just go back and study." Li Xia made a gesture to drive away Tian Kuo, then told Xia Zhi: "Sixteen, don't bother with him."

  Xia Zhi smiled, she could see it. Li Xia and Tian Kuo's feelings for each other were actually very good.

  Driven away by Li Xia, Tian Kuai didn't care at all. He still stood in front of the stall and said a few words to Xia Zhi, then teased Li Xia a few times before walking away with Xiao Shu Tong, without even paying.

  Li Xia didn't react until he was far away: "Sixteen, Uncle, did Sweet Melon not give you money for the zongzi?"

  "I said I'd treat," Xia Zhi said.

  The little black fish nodded and said, since we agreed to invite him out, of course, we can't let Tian Kuai pay the bill.

  "Tian Gongzi's homework is not bad either, I see he has also passed the provincial exam." Moreover, his ranking is quite front, looking at Tian Kuang's usual dandy appearance, it's really hard to tell that his learning is not bad either.

  "If he doesn't pass the exam, his family won't let him off easily." Li Xia muttered vaguely and immediately changed the subject, "Sixteen, I'll go back and write the words for you in a while... Let's have lunch together at noon."

  "Okay." Xia nodded, then shook her head again. "Li Xia, you have lunch by yourself. I and Old Uncle still need to sell zongzi, so we can only make do with a simple meal at noon."

  "That's not possible." Li Xia disagreed.

  "It's okay," Xia Zhi said, "It's just these two days. On the first day of setting up a stall, I have to come and take a look myself. If business is good, I'll hire someone in two days."

  "It's settled then." Li Xia finally felt at ease, but still said she would come over later to have dinner with them.

  On the summer solstice, he picked a few zongzi and handed them to Li Xia, asking him to take them back to eat. As a result, more and more people came to buy zongzi, many of whom knew Li Xia.

  Li Xia took the zongzi and saw that Xia Zhi was very busy, so she had to return to the academy first.

  At noon, the food street was bustling with people. A thin middle-aged man came out of the academy and saw the banner of Champion Rice Dumplings from afar, so he quickened his pace. However, when he arrived near Xia Zhi's rice dumpling stall, he suddenly stopped again. He stood there watching Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu'er, and heard their conversation, before slowly walking closer.

  The middle-aged man walked up to the stall and looked at Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu Er, but didn't say a word for a long time.

  Xia Zhi lifted her head, about to ask "What kind of zongzi do you want, sir?", but when she saw the middle-aged man's face, she swallowed back her words. The middle-aged man looked at Xia Zhi, then at Xiao Hei Yu Er, and only then hesitantly asked: "Sixteen, Little Dragon? Is that really you?"

  Xia Xiuzai could hardly believe his eyes. He had heard someone say that his daughter and younger brother were selling zongzi outside the academy, thinking it was a joke. But among those who said this, there were people who had seen Xia Zhi and Xiao Heiyu that day, so he was half-believing and half-doubting, and finally decided to come out and take a look.

  Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu Er were both wearing masks, only revealing their eyes, but how could he not recognize his own daughter and brother?

  (。)