It was almost dusk, and under the tree it was very cool, with a gentle breeze blowing over from time to time. Several children were happily chatting away, and the time passed extremely quickly.

  Xia Zhi was just talking about the interesting things in the prefecture city, when Xia Qiao pushed open the bamboo door and walked out. Sun Lan'er saw Xia Qiao and hurriedly called out "Big Bridge Brother". Xia Qiao nodded politely to Sun Lan'er and said: "Lan Zi you're also here."

  "Hmm, I heard that Sixteen is back." Sun Lan'er smiled and said.

  Xia Qiao also smiled, and his gaze turned to his younger brother and sister. Sun Lan'er, although excited with Xia Zhi, was not a person without eyesight. She noticed that Xia Qiao seemed to have something to say to Xia Zhi and Xiao Shu'er, but was afraid he wouldn't speak up.

  The Sun family and the Xia family lived next door, Tian's wife was crying and shouting in the house, Sun Lan'er heard a little movement from next door and knew that Tian's old illness had relapsed.

  This so-called old problem is naturally Tian's forcing Xia Xiuren to raise money for her maternal family.

  So Sun Lan'er immediately stood up: "Dabridge, I still have something to do, I'll go first." Then she said to Xia Zhi, "Sixteen, when I get back, I'll tell my mother to keep you company tonight."

  Xia Zhi didn't even get up and just grunted a response towards Sun Lan'er.

  Sun Lan'er walked quickly away.

  Xiaqiao seemed a bit embarrassed, but didn't stop Sun Lan'er. It wasn't until Sun Lan'er entered her own courtyard that Xiaqiao spoke to Xia Zhi and Xiao Shu'er.

  "I and Father have just comforted Mother a bit. Sixteen, Xiaoshu, you two quickly go back to the house and say a few good words to Mother." Xiaqiao let Xia Zhi and Xiao Heiyu go to apologize to Tian Shi, but he didn't scold his younger brother and sister.

  Xiaqiao's temper is gentle, even if his younger brothers and sisters made a mistake, he would not say anything when he could remain silent.

  "I don't think it's necessary." Xiao Hei Yu glanced at Xia Qiao, "What good words can be said? If good words were spoken, she would have been nice to Shi Liu. Da Qiao, you also heard what your mother said to Shi Liu, I'm embarrassed for her."

  Xiaqiao's face turned red, this was to replace Tian Shi's shame. Xiao Heiyu can be poisonous tongue, directly pointing out Tian Shi's mistakes, but he couldn't say that Tian Shi was bad.

  "A family lives together, sometimes can't be separated so clearly." Xia Qiao said, this is to say that a family cannot always distinguish between right and wrong. "Old uncle, don't get angry. My mother was probably also in a fit of anger when she spoke to Sixteen like that."

  He looked at Xia Zhi with some disapproval. Xia Qiao had long seen that Xia Zhi was becoming increasingly distant and cold towards Tian Shi, which was not right. Although Tian Shi owed Xia Zhi an apology, as a daughter, Xia Zhi should not be so distant and cold to her mother.

  This younger sister of mine is growing up day by day, and the whole person has slowly changed. This is Xiaqiao's heartfelt feeling, but he didn't say it out loud in front of everyone.

  "Hey." Xiao Hei Yu Er sneered again, he was very dissatisfied with Xia Qiao's words. "As a mother, even if you're angry, there's no need to speak like that."

  Xiao Hei Yu thought Xia Qiao was making a fuss, and Xia Zhi and Xiao Shu Er didn't need to go apologize to the Tian family. "If she's not happy, then let Liu Shi and Xiao Shu Er come to the backyard with me from now on."

  While talking, they had already taken the little tree away.

  No matter if this thing can be done, Xiao Shu has already laughed with tears in his eyes. Lao Shu accepted him. It turned out that Xiao Shu knew that Hei Yu had been unwilling to see him from the very beginning.

  "It can't be done that way." Xia Qiao smiled in a good temper, "Old uncle, I know you care about Shi Liu and Xiao Shu. However, they are younger generations, and it's not like they're accompanying their biological mother. What's the big deal? It's all for the harmony of the family."

  If Tian's family makes trouble, this family will have a hard time.

  "My dad rarely comes back and can't stay for many days." Xia Qiao did this also to make Xia Xiucai feel more comfortable at home.

  "Dahqiao, you're being too overbearing." Xiaohuier let out a cold hum, very disapproving of Dahqiao's temperament.

  Xiaqiao still smiled with a good temper. He looked at Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu, as if they didn't respond, he wouldn't leave.

  Xiao Shu'er now looks up to Xia Zhi. Now, he does everything and says everything with Xia Zhi in mind. Xia Zhi thought for a moment, feeling that it's not early anymore.

  "I'll go and have a word with Mother." Xia Zhi stood up.

  Xiao Hei Yu Er immediately stood up: "Sixteen, if you don't want to go, then don't go. What's there to be afraid of? I'm here with you."

  "Uncle, it's nothing, I just went to say a couple of words." Xia Zhi said with a smile, she didn't plan on apologizing to the Tian family. Xia Xiuzai and Xia Qiao had already catered to the Tian family enough, why did she need to add another one.

  Besides, she didn't want to move to the backyard with Xiao Hei, although she knew that if she did, Old Man Xia and Old Lady Xia would be very good to her.

  But why should she leave? This is her home and she has the right to live here. Even the Tian family wouldn't dare drive her away.

  Everyone walked through the front yard and into the house.

  The house has been cleaned up, but I don't know who did it. Xia Xiuzai and Tian Shi are still sitting on the edge of the kang. Tian Shi is no longer in a rage, but his face is gloomy, and at a glance, you can tell that he's in a very bad mood.

  It's no wonder that Tian's mood is not good. Both her son and daughter "betrayed" her, Xia Xiuzai couldn't get any money either, and it would be embarrassing for her to return to her parents' home.

  The Tian family's mood was terrible.

  Seeing several children coming in, Tian said with a hum: "You still know how to come back, not going to climb high branches and eat good food!"

  When Tian said this, she didn't see the little black fish. If she had seen it, she would have endured this sentence first. The little black fish was walking behind the big bridge and was blocked by the big bridge.

  Tian couldn't see him, but he could hear Tian's words clearly. He immediately jumped out: "Tian Laiji, what are you talking about? Who is Gaizhi?"

  The Tian family immediately fell silent, secretly saying a sentence of bad luck in their hearts. Today, there was not a single good thing. And this little overlord, it seemed like he was born to bully her.

  Xiaqiao saw Tian's embarrassment and hastily interrupted, using a pleading gaze to glance at Xiao Hei Yu'er, meaning to let it go.

  The little black fish let out a hum and stood to one side, not saying anything else. But he had a very unpleasant look on his face, Tian Shi knew that he was waiting for an opportunity to pick on him, and also protecting Xia Zhi.

  Tian's gaze turned cold as he looked at Xia Zhi again.

  "Mom, I'll take good care of you. My aunt and uncle are also taking care of you. I brought back some zongzi (glutinous rice dumplings), I'll bring them over for you to try in a bit." Xia Zhi said with a smile.

  Before Mr. Tiantian finished speaking, Xiaoshu had already cheered. He saw the zongzi in the basket when he was in the backyard and smelled the fragrance of zongzi.

  "Sister, is it white rice dumplings?" Xiaoshu asked Xiazhi.

  "It's white rice dumplings, made from the best glutinous rice bought from a rice shop in the city." Xia Zhi replied.

  Xiao Shu'er smiled with a mouth that couldn't be closed, he remembered that there were still many zongzi brought back by Xia Zhi, and when it was his turn, he could eat a full meal. As the son of a scholar, Xiao Shu'er rarely got to eat white rice dumplings.

  Xia Zhi asked Xiao Shu'er a question: "Have you wrapped zongzi at home for the Dragon Boat Festival? What kind of rice did you use?"

  "My mother packed a few zongzi, but we only ate them for a couple of meals. My mother made big yellow rice zongzi." And didn't even put in any dates. Xiaoshu felt somewhat resentful about this.

  Tian's expression turned gloomy. "I even made zongzi for you, and yet you don't appreciate it. You have no idea how many people can't even afford to eat zongzi. When I was a child, my mother and I could only taste zongzi every few years."

  The little tree looked at Tian with a wronged expression and then lowered its eyelids.

  "Where there's milk, there's a mother. You've seen better food elsewhere, go ahead and leave, don't come back." Tian Shi said to Xiao Shu Er, then deliberately turned her face away and refused to look at Xiao Shu Er again.

  The little tree looked at Xia Zhi, and Xia Zhi nodded at him.

  The little tree immediately rushed into Tian's arms. "Mom, don't abandon me, Mom. Whatever is delicious or not, you are my own mother, Mom..." With a playful and smiling face, it was impossible to get angry.

  Tian was also helpless with Xiao Shu. "Get lost, you little brat," he said, pushing Xiao Shu away. Xiao Shu took the opportunity to run off, still chuckling to himself. The atmosphere in the house improved a lot because of his laughter.

  At this time, Lanyue and Xiaoxia Lin arrived.

  The siblings came over to pass on Old Man Xia's message, saying that the food in the backyard was almost ready and asked the entire Xia family to come over and eat.

  Xia Xiuzai smiled and responded with a "known", and he also rubbed Xia Xiaolin's furry head. Xia Xiaolin giggled and rubbed against Xia Xiuzai's palm again. This made Xia Xiuzai extremely happy, so he picked up Xia Xiaolin in one motion.

  Xiao Shu is already nine years old, and Xia Xiucai hasn't hugged the child for a long time. "Hey, little fatty, what delicious food have your parents given you?" Xia Xiucai teased Xiao Xialin.

  Xia Xiaolin burst out laughing and struggled free from Xia Xiuren's arms, then ran to Xia Zhi with a wobble and hugged his leg.

  "Fourth sister, grandma and grandpa are asking you to come over for dinner." The soft and gentle voice was not calling anyone else, but specifically calling out to Xia Zhi. Then he smiled and glanced at the little black fish, and again in a soft and gentle voice, called out to Old Uncle.

  "Hmm." Little Black Fish responded with a hmm and then beckoned Xia Zhi to hurry up and follow him back to the backyard. As for others, it was up to them whether they wanted to go or not.

  "I'm not going, whoever wants to go can go." Little Hei said as he walked out the door, and Tian Shi immediately followed him, saying to Xia Xiucai.

  "Let's all go over, Father," Xia Xiuren advised Tian Shi. Just now when he came back from the backyard, Old Master Xia had told him to have his whole family go to the backyard for dinner.

  Everyone went, only Tian Shi didn't, which doesn't look good. Moreover, everyone went to eat delicious food, and Tian Shi was left alone with nothing good to eat at home.

  Xia Xiuzai is heartbroken for Tian Shi.

  However, Tian refused. "I don't have the good fortune to eat the leftovers from your kitchen. If I ate that meal, it would be at the cost of my backbone. I won't go, whoever wants to can go."

  The meaning of this sentence is that Xia Xiuzai and Xia Qiao are not allowed to go. Xia Zhi and Xiao Shu'er have already left ahead of time, those two are white-eyed wolves, she can't control them anymore.

  Xia Xiuren was in a dilemma. Old Master Xia asked him to go over for dinner, and as his son, he couldn't not go, or it wouldn't be right. But he also knew that the Tian family was being difficult, and if he went to the backyard to eat, he feared that Mrs. Tian's heart would feel even more uncomfortable.

  Xia Xiuzai was in a dilemma, but still persuaded Tian Shi to go with him.

  "Everyone gathers together to have a meal, it's also harmonious to look at. I'm always not at home, if there's anything going on at home, the backyard can also lend a hand." Xia Xiuzai meant to ease the relationship between Tian Shi and the backyard.

  "I won't go. Even if something big happens, I can handle it alone. It's better than letting the old man come and interfere again. If you don't want to live with me anymore, then go back to the backyard and live with your father!"

  Xia Xiuzai advised Tian Shi, and Xia Qiao also followed suit to persuade him.

  After a while, Xia San Shu came over. He and Xia San Shu's wife had just returned from working in the fields. Xia San Shu's wife was helping Xia Lao Tai Tai cook in the backyard, and he was sent by Xia Lao Ye to formally invite Xia Xiu Cai and the Tian family.

  When Xia Sanbo arrived, Tian Shi also restrained his temper a bit. Xia Sanbo was good-tempered and a kind old man, even Tian Shi couldn't say anything bad about him.

  However, she still refused to go to the backyard to eat.

  Xia San Shu had already invited them, but Tian Shi didn't show her face. Xia Xiu Cai couldn't say anything else, so he followed Xia San Shu first. When Xia San Shu reached the door, he turned back to speak with Tian Shi and Xia Qiao: "Elder sister, Elder Qiao, you two come quickly."

  Tian's family did not make a sound. After Xia San Shu and Xia Xiucai left, she raised her head to take a look at Xia Qiao.

  "Big bridge, you go too. Only I am left alone and quiet, I love to eat what I want." This is another suffocating sentence, not really letting Xia Qiao go to the backyard.

  Xiaqiao couldn't hear what Tian's family meant, so he thought for a moment and said: "Dad, they all went to the backyard, I'll stay here with mom."

  "What's the point of having you around!" Tian said, but in her heart, she was pleased. No matter what, her eldest son still sided with her and stood on her side.

  Look at Xia Qiao, Tian's family is somewhat proud. Xia Qiao is the eldest grandson of the Xia family and a treasure in Old Man Xia's heart. At that time, Old Man Xia loved Xia Qiao so much, just like his own flesh and blood.

  What's more, her son was born with a natural inclination towards her. At that time, she had suffered much from Old Man Xia, so she devoted herself to Xia Qiao.

  Watching Xia Qiao become more and more estranged from Old Man Xia, watching Old Man Xia's heart-wrenching appearance, Tian Shi felt comfortable in her heart.

  It's now, everyone else has gone to the backyard, Xia Qiao stayed with her, and Old Master Xia probably won't be able to eat this meal comfortably. Knowing that Old Master Xia is uncomfortable, Tian Shi felt a bit better because of the suffocation she had been feeling since Xia Xiuzai didn't raise enough money.

  Just now, this matter has been interrupted by a personal affair, and the matter of money seems to have become somewhat lighter. Tian Shi is slowly accepting in his heart that Xia Xiuzai really can't raise more money.

  But the Tian family's requirements won't change, and for this matter, she still needs to think of another way.

  ……

  Mr. Xia returned from the Tian family's house, with a big smile on his face, obviously having had a good conversation with them. Mrs. Xia had already prepared all the dishes, and seeing that the Tians and Xia Qiao hadn't arrived yet, Mr. Xia sent Xiao Hei to hurry them up again.

  As a result, Xiao Hei was unable to bring anyone over. Knowing that Xia Qiao had to accompany Tian Shi and refused to come over for dinner, Old Man Xia let out a sigh.

  "What a fine big grandson I have..."

  (。)