I was divorced because I got pregnant during the lean years, so I went back to my parents’ home and

"No, maybe there will never be another chance!"

The old lady said in a deep voice.

Nanny Zhang put it in a box and handed it to Jiaojiao.

Jiaojiao walked out of the yard holding the brocade box, full of doubts.

I thought to myself: What's wrong with these two old people? They are so unpredictable!

When I returned to Ji Xiaobei's yard, An An was already asleep.

Three little people were lying on the bed, and Ji Xiaobei was wading sleepily with a palm-leaf fan.

Seeing Jiaojiao coming in, he yawned and said, "Let An'an sleep here, don't disturb the child! Or you can go back tomorrow, it's so late!"

Jiaojiao pointed at the box in her hand and pulled Ji Xiaobei out of the room.

"What's wrong? Who gave it to you?" Ji Xiaobei saw the mahogany box shining under the oil lamp, and it was obvious that it was worth a lot of money.

"Mrs. Fu gave this to my grandfather..."

Jiaojiao recounted what had happened.

Ji Xiaobei loves to listen to gossip the most.

"Could it be that they loved each other in the past, but were separated by their families..." Ji Xiaobei blurted out.

Jiaojiao smiled and tapped her head.

"You can understand other people's affairs very quickly, but you are as confused as a gourd when it comes to your own affairs. I really want to open your brain and see what's inside!"

"Hey, Jiao'er, on the day they met, your grandfather looked strange. Old Madam Fu said hello and then ran away with an excuse! Do you remember?"

Ji Xiaobei was not sleepy at all and turned up the light of the oil lamp.

Jiaojiao nodded, she saw it too.

"Okay, I'll go back and give it to my grandfather first. I'll tell you when I have news." Jiaojiao stood up and was about to leave, but was stopped by Ji Xiaobei again.

"Jiao'er, there is one more thing. Shitou and Yuyao, maybe they can really make it!

Shitou is almost becoming Yuyao's full-time donkey driver. If he continues like this, Shitou will be transferred to another position. Eight out of ten times when the dyeing factory staff look for him, he is not there! "

Ji Xiaobei said with some worry.

"With Miss Liang as your sister-in-law, you will be even more powerful. You can leave the household affairs to her with more confidence. However, there is a big gap between the two of them. Yuyao is proficient in everything from playing the zither to chess, calligraphy and painting, while Shitou is a little bit worse in this aspect..."

Ji Xiaobei knew that Jiaojiao had given Shitou face, so she said:

"It's not just a little bit off, one is in heaven and the other is in hell...

Now the two of them are inseparable. After getting married, they stay together every day. Miss Liang is writing poems in the house, while Shitou is sharpening knives and chopping wood in the backyard. I'm afraid they have nothing in common. "

Jiaojiao shook her head to express her disapproval:

"Ruo Xiaolian and I jointly manage the shop in Anzhou, so we have something in common.

He used to love visiting brothels and picking up girls to call his sisters. I understood his kind-heartedness; he supported me in running the shop, but in the end, I still failed in the marriage and was almost tortured to death by her mother.

He is weak and incompetent, has no sense of responsibility, and can't support our little family... I think Shitou is fine. As long as the two of them are happy, you should support him!"

When it comes to her own affairs, Ji Xiaobei is decisive and never drags her feet, but when it comes to the matters of Shitou and Yuyao, she hesitates.

She was afraid that Shitou would get hurt and that Miss Liang would feel wronged after getting married.

After hearing Jiaojiao say this, she felt much more relieved.

Jiaojiao stood up, picked up the brocade box and said, "I have to go. It's too late. Grandfather must be worried."

Before leaving, Jiaojiao turned around and said, "Don't just think about others, think about your own business!"

Ji Xiaobei glared at her and said, "This is what I wanted to tell you. You are still young, and An An is still young. You can find another one."

With her nose turned up to the sky, she said: You are not old, why don’t you find one yourself?

Jiaojiao turned back, took Ji Xiaobei's arm, and said delicately: "How about we two become a family!"

Ji Xiaobei pretended to have goose bumps all over his body, touched his arm twice, pushed her away and said with a smile: "You make it sound so creepy, but I don't have that hobby!"

"Hahaha……"

Jiaojiao held the box and left with a smile.

After Jiaojiao returned home, she gave the box to her grandfather.

Qiu Ming looked at the things in the box and didn't sleep all night.

At daybreak, he dug out a wooden box from the bottom of the box.

After opening it, he put the two lifelike wooden horses together, silently picked up the knife in the box, and shaved them flat little by little until they could no longer be seen as two wooden horses.

He received a secret order from the emperor this afternoon.

The war in the northern border is about to break out, so he should go back as soon as possible to prepare good war horses, as the emperor might lead the army in person.

The emperor personally led the army, which shows how seriously he took this war.

After the imperial edict came, Qiu Ming did not dare to delay.

Someone has been asked to prepare food and fodder, and we will set out early tomorrow morning.

He didn't have time to tell Jiaojiao.

When Jiaojiao woke up, she saw that the light in her grandfather's room was still on, and she felt a little worried.

She got up, dressed, and went to her grandfather's house.

Grandfather had already dressed and was packing his things.

"Grandpa, where are you going so early?" Jiaojiao asked in surprise.

Grandfather's eyes were red and he looked tired. The wrinkles on his face seemed to have deepened. He took Jiaojiao's hand and sat down.

"Jiaojiao, Grandfather received a letter from Xijiang yesterday. There are some things going on over there, and I have to go back in a hurry to deal with them! You and An'an must take care of yourselves, take good care of An'an... Tell her that Grandpa can't spend her birthday with her..."

As Qiu Ming spoke, tears welled up in his eyes.

"Grandpa, is it so urgent? Are you okay?" Jiaojiao looked at her grandfather worriedly.

Qiu Ming shook his head and said, "It's okay, Jiao'er. The war horses in the Western Frontier are very important to the Great Northern Dynasty. Grandfather won't tell you more..."

Jiaojiao nodded.

My grandfather is loyal to the emperor, dedicated to his job, responsible and ambitious!

She admires her grandfather very much.

Jiaojiao didn't ask any more questions. She carefully folded her grandfather's clothes and put them in the box.

Grandfather put on the new clothes he had just made and they fit him perfectly.

She helped her grandfather straighten his collar, tears streaming down her cheeks.

My grandfather is so old, but he still wants to go to a place like Xinjiang.

She suddenly had an idea that she should go and take care of her grandfather.

Jiaojiao expressed her thoughts, and Qiu Ming patted her on the shoulder and said, "You can't go. An An is too young to bear it. You guys live well here and write to me more often!"

Jiaojiao nodded with tears in her eyes.

Qiu Ming took out three envelopes and said, "This is for you. Wait until I leave and then you can take a look! This and that box are for An An. Keep them for her. This is for old lady Fu. Give it to her for me..."

Jiaojiao felt a pang of sadness in her heart and looked up to see the white hair on her grandfather's temples.

"Grandfather, take good care of yourself. After you have dealt with the affairs of Western Xinjiang, you can write to His Majesty and retire to your hometown..."

Jiaojiao said while crying.

"Okay, Grandfather promises you! Good boy, stop crying!"

There was the sound of horse hooves at the door.

Jiaojiao saw her grandfather out the door and watched him get on the carriage, which gradually went away in the morning light.