Second watch

  ***

  Zhenzhu strongly disagreed with Guo Yuhuan's words. In her opinion, Xia Zhi was much stronger than May and July. "Fourth sister never touches my things. But as soon as the two of them come, their eyes start rolling around, taking whatever they want. Their faces are so thick-skinned, and they even dare to ask me for things."

  "It is...is it?" Guo Yuhuan was slightly embarrassed. Zhenzhu's words made her feel uneasy. To mention, she would occasionally ask Zhenzhu for things. The things she asked for were not expensive. If they were valuable, Zhenzhu wouldn't give them to her.

  Zhenzhu didn't notice Guo Yuhuan's emotional changes at all. She continued to complain about May and July. "Third sister always likes to talk nonsense, can't say a few words without deceiving people. Fourth sister won't do that. July wouldn't speak like that either."

  Guo Yuhuan has already regained her composure, and she looked at Pearl up and down. Knowing that Pearl's impression of May and July was really bad, she couldn't keep saying good things about them either. But she still advised Pearl: "When you've just met someone, who knows what they're like? After more contact, you'll know if they're good or bad."

  Guo Yuhuan's point is that the pearl and May and July have had too little contact, and the impression they got may not be correct. May and July are not necessarily as annoying as the pearl thinks.

  "Anyway, we don't have anything to do, they live in Yao Wang Miao Hutong, right? That's not far from here. We can just walk there, no need to take a car." Then she started discussing with Pearl which day to go visit May and July. "The house of the Imperial Examination official, that must be really something."

  Apart from wanting to get to know May and July, Guo Yuhuan also wanted to go see the outer house of Tian Jian's birth. Although it was an outer house, it was also where the future Madame Tian, who was pregnant with a son, lived, and she wondered how luxurious and rich it would be.

  Zhenzhu was not very willing to go see Wu Yue and Qi Yue, so she didn't respond to Guo Yuhuan's first question. However, when it came to the large mansion in Yaowangmiao Hutong, Zhenzhu also had a face full of envy. "Her family is... just one look and you can tell they're very rich."

  "Hurry up and tell me." Guo Yuhuan excitedly shifted around on the kang, using her hand to push against Zhenzhu's thigh to urge her.

  "I didn't take a close look either, just walked by..."

  ……

  Xia Zhi accompanied Xia Dagu and sat for a while, and Changsheng came over from the front. The person they entrusted to deliver the letter to Daxing Village returned, saying that he had seen Old Master Xia and Old Lady Xia.

  The old couple is doing well and they wrote a letter back to them.

  "Hurry up and open it, let's see what your grandfather has written." Xia Dagu quickly put down the needle and thread in her hand and asked Changsheng to read the letter.

  Changsheng carefully opened the envelope and took out Old Master Xia's letter. The letter was not long, only two thin sheets of paper. The content was also very simple. He stated that he had already learned about the situation of Xia Ershu's family in Fucheng, but did not make too many comments on it, only saying that Xia Ershu's family had entered the city and might have lost all their land. The emotions revealed between the lines were quite helpless.

  "Children and grandchildren have their own blessings," wrote Old Man Xia. This sentence actually makes a lot of sense, but Old Man Xia never wanted to say it that way.

  He can't take care of Xia Ershu's family anymore.

  It was clear by the summer solstice that Old Man Xia did not approve of Second Uncle Xia's family moving into the city.

  With Old Man Xia's temper, he might have had conflicts with him over this matter. However, in his letter, he didn't mention a word about it and only briefly mentioned Xia Yang without saying much.

  According to what the messenger said, the old couple's physical health is good, but their mood should be pretty bad.

  The next letter from Old Master Xia roughly mentioned the situation at home, also mentioning Tian Shi, Xia Qiao and Xiao Shu Er, which should be to reassure Xia Zhi. The rest were all words of exhortation to Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu Er.

  After Changsheng finished reading the letter, Xiao Heiyu took it over to read for himself. When he came across unfamiliar characters, he asked Changsheng. Xiao Heiyu puckered his lips and read the letter from start to finish, then read it again.

  "Old uncle is homesick!" Changsheng laughed.

  "No way." Little Black Fish pouted and gave Changsheng a discontented stare.

  Changsheng didn't argue back, he just smiled and said "hehe".

  "Eldest aunt, is it okay if we receive this letter?" Xia Zhi consulted with Eldest Aunt Xia.

  Xia Dagu also saw that Xiao Hei Yu'er was missing his parents. Xiao Hei Yu'er was only seven years old, and although he had Xia Zhi as a companion, it was still good for him to live here, but after all, he was just a child who hadn't left home or his parents much. Xia Zhi's intention was also understood by Xia Dagu, which was to let Xiao Hei Yu'er hold onto the letter from Old Master Xia, so that Xiao Hei Yu'er would have something to rely on.

  Summer big aunt of course said good.

  Xia Zhi took the envelope, put the letter back, and then took it to the west room and put it in her own dressing box. When she entered the west room, Pearl was telling Guo Yuhuan about Tian Jian Sheng's extramarital affairs. Guo Yuhuan thought Pearl's account was not detailed enough, so she kept asking this and that.

  Zhenzhu was getting a bit impatient. When she saw Xia Zhi arrive, she felt relieved and quickly greeted him to change the subject.

  "Fourth sister, have you finished with your work over there?"

  "Uh-huh." Xia Zhi smiled and nodded, then glanced at Guo Yuhuan, "Yuhuan is here?"

  "Fourth sister." Guo Yuhuan smiled all over her face, warmly calling out to Xia Zhi, then inviting Xia Zhi to sit on the kang, "Fourth sister, I see you're always busy. Little sister wants to have a conversation with you but can't find the time."

  Who would have thought that behind her back, she said so many bad things about Xia Zhi in front of Pearl?

  Pearl was also annoyed by Guo Yuhuan's questioning, and was hoping that Xia Zhi would come to divert Guo Yuhuan's attention, so she let Xia Zhi sit for a while and chat.

  Xia Zhi sat down beside the kang and casually asked: "What were you guys talking about just now? You seemed so lively."

  "Right, Third Sister and Fifth Sister." Guo Yuhuan's mouth was particularly sweet. She had never seen May and July before, but followed Pearl in calling them that, and even more intimately than Pearl did. "They say a niece takes after her aunt, no wonder you four sisters are all so good-looking, with good temperaments, and diligent and capable."

  Xia Zhi slightly raised an eyebrow, seemingly smiling but not quite: "Yu Huan is indeed eloquent. We country girls can't compare to you city girls." As for who can't compare to whom..., Xia Zhi smiled.

  "I don't dare say that about other country girls. But I've seen Fourth Sister. Fourth Sister is like this, who would believe she's a country girl? The daughters of ordinary families in the capital can't compare to her elegance."

  When Xia Zhi saw Guo Yuhuan's mouth as if it had been smeared with honey, she knew that she was after something.

  As expected, Guo Yuhuan praised Xia Zhi for a while, then smiled and consulted with Xia Zhi: "Fourth sister, I and Pearl just said we want to go see third sister and fifth sister. Fourth sister, you come with us too."

  This thing found Xia Zhi, Guo Yuhuan had sufficient reason. She knew that Pearl did not like to go out, and Pearl was obviously not getting along well with the other two sisters. It was really difficult for Pearl to take her to Yaowang Temple Hutong.

  It's different from summer solstice.

  (。)