When the pears are green

The gate of the Jiang family's courtyard was open. Jiang Qingzhou was sitting at the gate weaving a basket and looking towards the alley intersection from time to time.

Villagers passing by kept greeting Jiang Qingzhou, and a bold neighbor aunt asked Jiang Qingzhou: "Da Hu, are you waiting for your wife to come home?"

Jiang Qingzhou nodded with a slightly red face, and the villagers beside him all laughed.

A few brave neighbor aunts stopped and talked about how they were in love with their husbands when they were young, which made Jiang Qingzhou blush.

After seeing Song Li and Song Xing, someone quickly reminded the aunts who were talking that someone was coming. They shut up and looked at Song Li and her brother who were walking over with a joking look.

Song Li and Song Xing looked at the teasing smiles of the few people. After the brother and sister greeted them with a fake smile, they hurried back home and closed the gate.

After Jiang Qingzhou saw Song Li and Song Xing, he ignored the looks of the others, hurriedly moved the basket into the yard, and asked Song Xing: "Xiaoxing, how are mother and Xiaoyue doing recently?"

Song Xing smiled and replied, "Brother-in-law, my mother and second sister are both very good. I will not let my imagination run wild anymore. I must study hard and I cannot let my parents and my two sisters down."

Jiang Qingzhou smiled and touched Song Xing's head, asking him to go back to his room and rest first.

The moment Song Xing's door closed, Jiang Qingzhou smiled and picked up Song Li.

Song Li was afraid of attracting Song Xing's attention, so she didn't dare to struggle and let Jiang Qingzhou carry her into the east room and put her on the bed.

Song Li looked at Jiang Qingzhou nervously. Jiang Qingzhou smiled and pressed her down on the bed to let her rest for a while while he went to cook.

At dinner, Song Li looked at the fried garlic sprouts on the plate and asked Jiang Qingzhou in surprise: "Qingzhou, didn't I ask you to have lunch with Qingye?"

Jiang Qingye quickly explained: "Sister-in-law, I didn't let my brother cook it. I wanted everyone to eat together."

Song Li looked at Jiang Qingye with emotion. She felt that her love for Jiang Qingye was not in vain.

Jiang Qingye lowered his head in embarrassment and said hurriedly: "Sister-in-law, eat quickly, it will get cold soon!"

The next day, Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou harvested the garlic sprouts from the vegetable garden early in the morning, and Song Li stacked them neatly in a backpack.

Jiang Qingzhou watched Song Li's actions and told her what happened when he went to Jiang's house yesterday.

Jiang told Jiang Qingzhou that she already had a candidate for Ruyi's future husband. Jiang Qingzhou thought of Chen Yuan, who had been particularly enthusiastic about him in recent gatherings, and reminded Jiang to ask Ruyi before making a decision.

Song Li stopped what she was doing and asked curiously, "Qingzhou, did the eldest sister-in-law say who it was?"

Jiang Qingzhou shook his head and said that Jiang did not mention who it was specifically, he only knew that the other party was also from Zhanggou Village.

Song Li didn't know what Ruyi was thinking, she just hoped that Jiang would listen to Jiang Qingzhou's advice. No matter what Ruyi decided, she hoped that Ruyi could marry someone she really loved.

Whenever Song Li and Jiang Qingye went to the market, they would send Jiang Qingye and Song Xing to the study room in advance. Master Li also acquiesced to their practice, and he would open the lecture hall in advance every time to let Song Xing and Jiang Qingye go in to review their lessons.

Song Li took a handful of pre-prepared garlic sprouts from the basket on Jiang Qingzhou's back and gave them to Master Li, asking Master Li to add a dish for Li Yi.

Master Li wanted to refuse, but after seeing Li Yi staring at the garlic sprouts curiously, he accepted it with a smile and urged Jiang Qingzhou and Song Li not to miss the market.

There were no vegetables in this season, and most people relied on wild vegetables, bean sprouts, tofu, bean paste, etc. as dishes. Therefore, Song Li's garlic sprouts, which cost four cents per pound, were relatively easy to sell.

Chen Yuan appeared in front of the stall again. He greeted Jiang Qingzhou and Song Li with a smile, and said he wanted to buy a pound of garlic sprouts.

After Jiang Qingzhou weighed them, Song Li tied the garlic sprouts with a cloth strip that she had prepared in advance and asked Chen Yuan to carry them.

Seeing that there were not many customers at the moment, Chen Yuan wanted to shamelessly ask Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou about Ruyi's situation.

Song Li looked at Chen Yuan and asked softly, "Detective Chen, I want to know one thing first before I decide whether to tell you about my cousin's situation."

"Young lady, please speak up. I will tell you everything I know." Chen Yuan replied hurriedly.

Song Li glanced at the iron ruler in Chen Yuan's hand, and after considering her words, she asked, "Constable Chen, I heard that the profession of constable is a lowly job. Will it have an impact on the future generations' participation in the imperial examinations?"

Chen Yuan didn't expect Song Li to ask such a question. He smiled bitterly and said to Song Li: "Young lady, you are really thoughtful. If I say there is an impact, then you will not tell me any information..."

"As long as Chen Yuan gets married and leaves this profession, there will be no impact." Another constable in uniform interrupted.

Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou looked at each other. Jiang Qingzhou just told Chen Yuan that Jiang's family was arranging a marriage for Ruyi recently.

Chen Yuan thanked Jiang Qingzhou and Song Li, then continued patrolling with the constable beside him.

After selling all the garlic sprouts, Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou packed up their things and walked towards Li’s shop together.

Hu Zhimin, who was sitting at the counter, was a little surprised and panicked when he saw Jiang Qingzhou. He was afraid that Jiang Qingzhou would reveal the true origin of the half pound of dried vegetables he gave to the Li family, which he claimed to have bought from Yuezhou.

Lingling happily ran out from the counter. She hugged Song Li and said a little aggrievedly: "Sister Song doesn't come to see me often."

Song Li smiled and comforted Lingling. She told Lingling that she had been busy weeding recently and was planning to grow mulberry seedlings in early summer.

Hu Zhimin listened to the conversation between Lingling and Song Li, and he thought of Kai Xin once calling that man "Brother Jiang". He then realized that the two people in front of him were Sister Song and Brother-in-law Jiang mentioned by Lingling.

Lingling let go of Song Li, and she hurriedly introduced Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou to Hu Zhimin.

Jiang Qingzhou greeted Hu Zhimin with a smile, then told Lingling with a smile that he had once gone to Hu's Restaurant to sell dried vegetables and had met Hu Zhimin.

Hu Zhimin looked at Lingling awkwardly. He originally thought Lingling would be angry, but he heard Lingling say, "I was wondering why the half pound of Yuezhou dried vegetables that Zhimin sent and the one pound of dried vegetables that Sister Song sent were so similar. It turns out that they were both made by Brother-in-law Jiang."

Hu Zhimin felt even more embarrassed when he heard Lingling talk about half a catty and one catty.

Song Li looked at Hu Zhimin's uncomfortable expression, she smiled and took out a handful of garlic sprouts from her backpack and handed them to Lingling.

"Lingling, we grew these ourselves. We wanted to give you some to express our gratitude to Mr. Li." Song Li explained with a smile.

Lingling knew that what Song Li wanted to express was that Li Yun'an helped Song Yue and Ruyi draw the drawing paper again. She happily took it and said that she would definitely convey this gratitude to Li Yun'an.

Hu Zhimin walked over from the counter and asked Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou what business they were doing.

Jiang Qingzhou answered generously that it was just a small business, and the couple mainly sold bean sprouts, eggs and chickens.

Hu Zhimin looked at Lingling beside him and said that these things could be sold to his restaurant, and it didn't matter who he purchased them from.

Song Li admitted that she was indeed moved, but she still rejected Hu Zhimin with a smile. She didn't want the relationship between Hu Zhimin and Lingling to be tainted by interests because of her.

Hu Zhimin admired the couple in front of him. He didn't expect Song Li to love Lingling so sincerely. Judging from the couple's behavior just now, they should have known the relationship between him and Lingling. If it were someone else, they might have already used Lingling's name to rush to cooperate with the restaurant.

"In that case, my family also has a few acres of mulberry fields. When the mulberries are ripe, I can keep some fruits and sell them to you at a discount. How about it?" Hu Zhimin asked.

Lingling pulled Song Li's arm and asked her to nod in agreement. Song Li looked at Lingling's expectant expression. She and Jiang Qingzhou looked at each other, and then they both nodded.

"Brother Jiang, how many acres of mulberry seedlings do you need to grow?" Hu Zhimin asked carefully.

Jiang Qingzhou thought of Jiang Qian's words, and he replied: "My family has three acres. I once made an appointment with my neighbor to buy mulberries together. His family has two acres."

Jiang Qingzhou felt embarrassed after he finished speaking. He felt that he was taking advantage of Hu Zhimin.

Hu Zhimin smiled and said that he knew, and asked Jiang Qingzhou not to be so formal.

Lingling talked to Song Li for a while. Song Li was afraid of missing the time to pick up Song Xing and Jiang Qingye from school, so she said goodbye.

Hu Zhimin watched the couple leave and smiled as he told Lingling, "Lingling, your sister Song and brother-in-law Jiang are worthy of close friendship."

Lingling said proudly: "Of course."