The first step in the book is to start selling tofu

Soon, footsteps were heard from inside the door, and then the door was slowly opened with a creaky sound.

"Madam, Miss, you are finally here!" It was Dalang's servant who opened the door. "The eldest and second sons went out to meet friends, and left me at home to wait for you. If they knew you would be home today, they would definitely regret it."

In the new house, besides the two brothers and their servants, there was only an old man guarding the gate and a cook.

In addition to studying, Dalang and Erlang also have to expand their social circle. After all, they have already stepped into the officialdom, and interpersonal communication is no easier than studying.

Lin Zhi was not disappointed when he heard that the two were not at home.

Lin Zhi still had a gentle smile on his face. He waved his hand gently and said, "It's okay. It's a good thing for them to go out and meet friends. It will be beneficial to their future career development if they can make some like-minded friends. We will go in first."

Daya curled her lips slightly and muttered softly: "Humph, they don't even know we're coming back today, so we can't see each other."

Lin Zhi smiled and touched Daya's head, jokingly saying, "They don't have clairvoyance or super hearing, so how can they predict so accurately? We still have a long time in the capital, and there is plenty of time to get together. It doesn't matter if we spend a day or two together."

When Daya was sick, Lin Zhi wrote letters to the two brothers, but after all, they were not equipped with modern means of transportation, so he could only roughly estimate the arrival time.

After saying that, he took Daya, Lin Er and followed the servant boy into the house.

After entering the house, Lin Zhi looked around and saw that the house was neatly laid out. Although the courtyard was a little bleak in the winter, it also revealed a simple elegance. The pillars of the corridor were engraved with auspicious patterns, showing a bit of extraordinaryness.

Such a house and such a location are not something that a family like Lin Zhi's can afford, nor can they be purchased by a small scholar.

But who can blame money for making the world go round?

If you have money and connections, you will have confidence.

After they sat down in the main hall, the servant hurriedly brought hot tea to everyone and placed a few plates of exquisite snacks. He smiled and said, "Madam, this is what the second young master specially asked me to prepare in advance. He said he was worried that you would be tired from the journey and that drinking some hot tea and eating some snacks would make you feel more comfortable."

Lin Zhi took the hot tea, feeling the warm steam on his face, his heart was filled with warmth, and he smiled and praised: "Erlang is a thoughtful and considerate child."

Daya couldn't wait to pick up the snacks and started eating. While eating, she asked the servant: "What kind of friends do they often meet?"

The book boy replied respectfully, "To answer your question, young lady, the first and second young masters mostly make friends with young students who are knowledgeable and well-behaved. Some are children of noble families in the capital, and some come from all over to prepare for the imperial examinations. They get together to discuss poetry and articles, or share their reading experiences. It's very lively, and the two young masters gain a lot every time they come back."

Lin Zhi listened and nodded slightly, his eyes full of satisfaction: "That's great, there are so many talented people in the capital, if you communicate and learn from others more, your knowledge will be further improved."

Everyone was drinking tea, eating snacks and chatting in the main hall. Before they knew it, quite a while had passed.

"Aren't you going to meet a guest? Why are you back so early?" Lin Zhi was just about to take a rest when he saw the two brothers coming back in a hurry.

A young man of about sixteen or seventeen, with an upright figure and a face full of vigor and elegance, trotted into the main hall, beads of sweat still dripping from his forehead. Dalang spoke first, his voice full of anxiety and guilt: "Mom, as soon as you came, your sons rushed back without stopping! It's all our fault for not choosing the right time and not waiting for you at home. We really shouldn't have done that!"

Ji Lang also nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of annoyance: "If I had known that you could arrive today, we would have postponed the meeting for another day."

No matter how important socializing is, it is not as important as family.

Seeing the two children blaming themselves and feeling annoyed, Lin Zhi was deeply moved. She hurried forward and wiped the sweat off Dalang's forehead with a handkerchief, saying with a smile, "I don't blame you, kids. Going out to meet friends is a good thing. We have arrived safely, so it doesn't matter if we meet for a while."

Daya also jumped up to her brothers, took their arms, and said with a smile: "I knew you were thinking about us. It's worth the gifts I brought you."

When Dalang and Erlang heard this, they immediately became excited. Dalang smiled and asked, "Show me what good things you brought."

Daya's money only comes in but never goes out. Except for buying things for her family on some days, she hardly ever touches the money.

In terms of net worth, Daya ranks second in the family.

"It's in the luggage. My son will send it to you later." Daya said.

Although the two are looking forward to the gifts, what is more important now is to spend time with their long-lost family.

Dalang smiled and nodded, saying, "Okay, there's no rush for the gift. Let's just have a good time together first. We can look at the gift anytime. We can't run away anyway."

Jiro also echoed: "That's right, being able to sit with my family right now is more important than anything else."

Lin Zhi was filled with joy as she watched the children getting along so well. She smiled and said, "Of course, it's the most fun thing for a family to be together and have fun. It's just right that we haven't seen each other for such a long time. I want to hear about your recent life."

Both of them were the type who only reported good news and not bad news, and they picked out some interesting things that happened to them and other students.

Daya asked curiously, "Besides studying and meeting friends, do you have other fun things to do in Beijing?"

Dalang smiled and replied, "There are a lot of fun things. There are often markets and temple fairs in the capital, which are very lively. Once when we had some free time, we went for a walk. The streets were crowded with people, and there were all kinds of novelties and snacks from all over the country. The aroma filled the streets. It was very interesting."

Erlang also nodded and said, "Yes, but we dare not delay any longer. We will come back to continue studying after strolling for a while. After all, study is the most important thing."

Lin Zhi smiled and said, "It's good that you have this sense of propriety. Relax when you need to, but don't forget the business. By the way, are you used to living in this house? Are the gatekeeper and the cook doing their job conscientiously?"

Dalang hurriedly replied, "Mother, I'm used to living here. This house is comfortable and quiet, very suitable for studying. The master is responsible and conscientious, and he guards the gate tightly, which makes people feel at ease. The cook's skills are also very good, and the meals she cooks every day are very much to our taste."