Summer arrived at the door of the east house and looked inside again, only to see that the broom, stool, and needlework basket were scattered all over the floor, with threads and fabrics spilling out of the basket, and next to it was a half-finished shoe sole.

  It seems that Tian had an explosion with Xia Xiuzai earlier. Now she can still sit on the edge of the bed and talk, it should be over at its most intense moment.

  That's good. Xia Zhi thought, still refusing to enter the house, hiding her figure at the door, meaning she didn't want Tian Shi to see her. Tian Shi now probably doesn't like seeing anyone, if she saw Xia Zhi, she might take it out on her. Not to mention anything else, just Xia Zhi's outfit alone could provoke Tian Shi's anger.

  Let Xia Xiuzai and Xia Qiao continue to face the storm of Tian's family. As the saying goes, "Die for a friend, not die for poverty", this is the truth. Xia Zhi hid himself and gave a wink to Xiao Heiyu and Xiao Shu'er. Xiao Shu'er immediately hid too. Xiao Heiyu didn't want to hide at first, but considering Xia Zhi, he could only pout and stood by Xia Zhi's side.

  Even if Tian saw him, he didn't dare to do anything to him. If Tian had come to provoke him first, it would have been even better, but seeing Tian's arrogant and abusive attitude made him angry.

  In the east house, Tian's family was still scolding Xia Xiuzai, saying that there was no way to hand over the money to her mother's family. Then she also scolded Xia Xiuzai for living in the city for a long time, so he changed his mind and didn't take her seriously anymore. Then, she questioned Xia Xiuzai sentence by sentence, forcing Xia Xiuzai to think of a way to get the money again.

  "The whole family is waiting for your return, so that the eldest treasure can take care of his wife. How could your heart be so cruel? Don't you have any regard for me?"

  Xia Xiuren explained softly and gently to Tian Shi, saying that he really couldn't raise the money. These thirty taels were already his limit.

  In the end, Xia Xiuzai seemed extremely painful and covered her face in front of Tian Shi, it was unknown whether she cried or what.

  Xia Qiao seemed to be seeing Xia Xiuzai for the first time, and he called out "Father". Xia Xiuzai didn't respond. Xia Qiao turned his head to look at Tian Shi, his eyes full of pleading.

  "Girl, look at your father. He's really got no other choice. The number of wealthy people he knows is limited, and over the years, we've borrowed too much money."

  Xia Qiao was speaking with Tian Shi in a pleading manner.

  Tian immediately got annoyed: "Daqiao, what are you talking about? You also look down on me? Fine, even my own son looks down on me. Then what's the point of me living?"

  Tian said as she stood up, she first went to the needle and thread basket on the ground to find scissors. After getting the scissors, she grasped them with both hands and stabbed her own throat.

  Xia Qiao couldn't just watch Tian Shi kill himself. He was frightened and quickly went forward to grab the scissors from Tian Shi's hand. Xia Xiu also heard the commotion and lifted his head, and he too was shocked by Tian Shi's actions. When he came to his senses, he also rushed forward to rescue Tian Shi.

  If it's about physical strength, Tian Shi can't compare to Xia Qiao, a young man who has been working in the fields all year round. Xia Qiao grabbed the scissors. Tian Shi still refused to give up and was going to crash into the corner of the cabinet. Xia Qiao hastily threw away the scissors and together with Xia Xiucai, restrained Tian Shi.

  Tian's family cried out to heaven and earth, and also said they wanted to find a rope to hang themselves.

  "Don't stop me, let me die cleanly, and then no one will trouble you again. I know, all of you can't wait for me to die early." Tian said, still crying, and cried very sadly, as if deeply believing in her own words.

  Xia Zhi knew it. Without mentioning how deep Xia Xiuren's feelings for the Tian family were, and how much he spoiled and indulged them. Even Xia Qiao, this son of his, was extremely filial to the Tian family. The Tian family had done many things that harmed the interests of this family, and they had even ruined Xia Qiao's future prospects. However, Xia Qiao not only didn't resent her but would also speak up for her, saying she had her own difficulties.

  Xia Zhi didn't think much of it. However, Xia Xiuren and Xia Qiao couldn't take it anymore.

  Tian's family just wanted this effect. She cried and said, "You're blocking me now, you can't always watch me. If I don't get enough money, I'll go die. You can't take care of me, no matter how I die, then you'll be happy."

  "Mother, why do you have to say such things!" Xia Qiao cried. "You said studying costs money and that I should save for my maternal grandparents' household, so I won't study anymore. You said the grain produced in our land has to be used to support my maternal grandparents' household, so I'll work hard on farming and produce more grain for them. Mother, whatever you say, I'll do it. Why are you still saying these things?"

  Tian's crying paused, she glanced at Xia Qiao. As a mother, she knew that Xia Qiu was a straightforward child and had a relatively tough personality, generally wouldn't cry easily.

  Xiaqiao is really heartbreaking.

  Perhaps it was the last bit of maternal conscience that remained, Tian's crying became less loud. But she didn't go to persuade Xia Qiao either. At this time, she couldn't back down, because if she did, she wouldn't be able to get any money out of Xia Xiuzai's hands.

  Xia Xiuzai was also heartbroken, and he told Tian Shi again: "Shan Zhang said that there is a bit of a problem with the turnover this year, so I couldn't pay my salary in advance. But I can see it clearly, no matter if it's this year or next year, or even later, Shan Zhang will never pay me in advance again. I don't know why, but his gaze has changed from before."

  Xia Xiuzai told Tian Shi that his benefactor and mentor, Li Shanzhang, had turned against him. This realization, combined with being unable to raise funds, left Xia Xiuzai extremely disheartened.

  Or it can be said that the former had the greatest impact on Xia Xiuren.

  Tian's crying gradually subsided. Li Shanzhang's disgust towards Xia Xiucan meant something, and she was well aware of it. With Xia Xiucan's qualifications, it would be difficult to find a good job like the one at Wenshan Academy. If he couldn't continue teaching at Wenshan Academy, Xia Xiucan would lose his fixed source of income.

  Of course, Xia Xiuzai can work as a courtesan. However, such income is unstable and far inferior to the steady and noble job at Wenshan Academy.

  "Also, colleagues and students who I planned to borrow money from distanced themselves from me."

  Tian's crying had become intermittent and very weak. Even his good colleagues and students also shunned Xia Xiuzai, which meant that Xia Xiuzai's relationships with people in Wenshan Academy had also deteriorated.

  These aren't good omens at all.

  Tian's family was somewhat afraid after all. A hint of suspicion flashed in her eyes, but when she carefully measured Xia Xiuzai, she didn't think Xia Xiuzai was telling a lie either.

  After all these years, Tian's wife still had a good grasp of this. Xia Xiuzai was very loyal to her and wouldn't lie to her. In fact, Xia Xiuzai wasn't the kind of person who would lie.

  Xiatu, who was hiding outside the door, suddenly had an idea and didn't think that what she had asked Li Xia to do would cause Xiucai to react so strongly. Xiucai is also a person who can endure, usually not revealing his emotions. If he hadn't been forced by Tian today, Xiatu believed that Xiucai still wouldn't have said anything.

  But fortunately, this was exactly what Tian's family needed. Xia Zhi felt lucky again for her plan to kill two birds with one stone, and the effect was even better than she had expected.

  Tian's heart had already believed it, but her mouth was reluctant to admit it. She stiffened her face and said to Xia Xiuzai: "I don't believe you, this is all just to coax me!"

  Xia Xiuzai looked at Tian Shi again, then lowered his head: "You don't believe me, and I have no way. I owe you, you married me all these years, didn't spend any good days with me."

  He no longer mentioned the thirty taels of silver.

  Tian's family fell silent for a moment, then he wiped away his tears and asked Xia Xiuzai: "My whole family relies on you, this little money is not enough for Dabao to marry a wife. We can't just watch his maternal family cut off their roots!"

  This tone has already been much more gentle, although Xia Xiuzai still needs to raise money.

  Xia Xiuzai remained silent. He had thought of all possible ways, otherwise he wouldn't have opened his mouth to borrow money from Xia Zhi. How old was Xia Zhi and how hard did she work? He didn't need to see it, just thinking about it would make him guess.

  For Tian's sake, in order to satisfy Tian, he would put his own face and dignity under his feet. As long as there was still a little way, he would raise more money to come back.

  Tian's family was dissatisfied and anxiously stared at Xia Xiuzai: "Then I won't be able to live." Then he wanted to seek death again.

  Xiaqiao, though heartbroken, still managed to stop Tian in time. Tian looked up at Xiaqiao with a rare hint of guilt and sat back down on the kang.

  "Is there really no other way?"

  "I've asked around," Xia Xiuzai didn't say it was Old Master Xia who said it, only that it was the result of asking others. "Thirty taels of silver may not be a lot, but if they're used sparingly, it should be enough for Dabao to marry a wife."

  "Thirty taels is too little, his grandfather said it's absolutely not enough." Tian Shi frowned, "Adding this year's harvest from our land and selling those two pigs at the end of the year, we can barely make forty taels, which isn't even half of what we need."

  "That should be enough." Xia Xiuzai said, taking advantage of the situation.

  "What's the point? Not enough. Lao Tian's family only has one child, and that child is not good enough, if they don't spend more money, how can they marry a good wife? If there isn't a good wife, when his grandparents and uncle and aunt pass away, what will happen to Da Bao? Lao Tian's family line will be cut off!"

  Xia Zhi couldn't bear it any longer outside the door. She gave Xiao Shu a signal and let him go into the house.

  The little tree has a summer solstice to support its waist, and its courage will be greater. He jumped into the house and began to howl: "Our family is struggling to make ends meet, why did my eldest brother marry a wife who wants two hundred taels? Is he the son of a rich family or what? Father, mother, can you give me and my brother one hundred taels each? We don't want one hundred, fifty taels per person will do. We ourselves are struggling to make ends meet!"

  Xiao Shu'er had just entered when Xia Xiuzai, Xia Qiao and Tian Shi were all shocked. The most shocked was naturally Tian Shi, especially after hearing Xiao Shu'er's words.

  "Little tree, what nonsense are you talking about? I didn't give you food or drink. How can we not make ends meet?" Tian scolded her youngest son with a stern face.

  "Mother, am I not your own flesh and blood!" Xiaoshu cried out, then threw himself into Tian Shi's arms. "Mother, you begrudge me even a single egg to eat. Are you going to starve your own son to death just to marry off your eldest nephew?"

  "What are you talking nonsense about?" Tian said, somewhat at a loss with Xiao Shu, "You're just craving eggs. Mother will boil some for you to eat tonight. Xiao Shu, you're a good kid. Our family's life is much better than your maternal grandparents'. We can eat and drink well, while your maternal grandparents' are struggling!"

  "My maternal grandparents' family didn't suffer." Xiaoshu disagreed with Tian's statement, "Their house is even better than ours. Last time I went to my maternal grandparents', the people on their street said that our family paid for their house to be built. My maternal grandparents' food is not bad either, the people on their street all say that my maternal grandfather often buys meat and eats with my uncle and cousin."

  Tian's face fell and she pushed Xiao Shu'er away. "Who told you such nonsense? None of it is true."

  "Mother, you know I'm telling the truth. Mother, I am your own flesh and blood, aren't I? Thirty taels of silver, my elder brother thinks it's too little, but I don't think so. Otherwise, just give me all of it." Xiaoshu'er said as he spoke, his big eyes rolled around and landed on the bundles of silver coins scattered on the kang.

  Tian's family was very concerned about their daughter-in-law, but they still doted on their youngest son. When she saw Xiao Shu's big eyes shining brightly at the pile of silver, she subconsciously reached out and pulled the silver closer to herself.

  The silver is gone, and Xiao Shu still has other grievances. "Mom, do you plan to sell both pigs and give the money to my maternal grandparents? What will we eat for Chinese New Year?"

  "You're not the only one with a good sister." Tian's anger was rising, "She said she'd provide for us. If you want to eat well, go find her." Now Tian thought of Xia Zhi.

  Xia Xiuzai returned this half-day, but she still hasn't seen Xia Zhi's figure.

  "That girl is out playing in the wild, where has she been for half a day and still hasn't come home. That heartless wolf, she doesn't have me, her mother, in her heart at all."

  Xia Zhi stood at the door with a gun, understanding that Tian Shi meant to change the subject. She secretly praised Xiao Shu for causing trouble, although she had brought the war fire to her body, but also shifted Tian Shi's attention.

  Xiao Shu'er is a godsend assistant, it seems that Xia Xiuzai can temporarily pass the test in front of Tian Shi. Thinking so, Xia Zhi didn't hide anymore and stepped inside the door.

  The little black fish naturally followed suit and entered the house. He stood in front of Xia Zhi, with a protective posture.

  "I'm back with Sixteen!" Little Black Fish said with his hands on his hips, "Sister-in-law, you're still alive!"

  "I'm not living." Tian's face immediately turned black. Xiao Hei Yu usually didn't have anything good to say to her, but today this sentence was not only unpleasant but also suspicious. She thought for a moment and guessed that Xiao Hei Yu must have arrived early and saw her actions just now.

  Tian's face turned red again. But she quickly returned to normal, her eyes moving away from the small black fish and falling on Xia Zhi.

  At this moment, Tian's heart suddenly surged.

  "Is this still my daughter? I don't even dare to recognize her." Tian Shi's first words were like this, and the gaze she looked at Xia Zhi with didn't have much warmth, but more surprise, dislike, and some subtle calculation.

  ……

  No way, outstanding people are always conspicuous, conflicts between Xia Zhi and Tian Shi are inevitable on the summer solstice (^_^)(.)