How can someone travel through time and space and become a beggar?

Guan Xu picked up his younger brother after school and went home together. Wang Qiuyu came up to him with a smile and said, "Third brother, I heard there's a new acrobatic troupe in Wa Si. Let's go and see it."

"No." Guan Xu didn't even look at his brother and walked straight ahead. This conversation happened every day. Wang Qiuyu wanted to go somewhere different every day, but he didn't want to go home. Guan Xu ignored him. Wang Qiuyu had no money and couldn't go anywhere.

"Third brother..." Wang Qiuyu grabbed his brother's arm and spoke in a coquettish tone.

"I'll buy you a snack on the way. Let's go home first." Guan Xu dragged his brother and continued walking forward.

"Brother..." Wang Qiuyu just called out, but Guan Xu interrupted, "I won't buy it anymore."

Wang Qiuyu snorted, knowing that his third brother was obedient, so he could only say aggrievedly, "Then I want to eat a pastry."

"Sure." Guan Xu bought him a pastry on the way. Wang Qiuyu nibbled on it, looking around. He passed by this street every day, and he didn't know how he could still maintain such a strong curiosity.

When he got home, Guan Xu found that the door was not locked. "Mom, you came home so early today?"

"Mom! I'm back! Da'an and Xiao'an! Open the door!" Wang Qiuyu stuffed all the cakes into his mouth. Just as he was about to knock on the door with his greasy hands, Guan Xu caught him and wiped him clean with a handkerchief.

Fortunately, I didn't wipe it on my clothes today, Guan Xu sighed. The sound of the bolt being unbolted came from inside the door, accompanied by the squeaking sound of claws scratching on the door. Guan Xu stretched out his hand to push the door, and Xiao An pounced on him with his tongue hanging out. He patted the dog's head as usual, and just as he turned around to close the door, he saw Xia Chu standing behind the door with a smile on her face. He was stunned for a moment, and said in surprise: "Little sister!"

"Third brother!!" Xia Chu shouted, "I'm back!"

"Sister!!!" Wang Qiuyu had already taken a few steps when he heard the voice and turned back to rush over. He hugged his sister and jumped up and down several times, his joy was beyond words, "Sister! You're back! You're finally back!"

The two brothers were very happy to see Xia Chu, and they talked for a long time at the door before going in. Da'an and Xiao'an followed beside them, and they were so anxious that they wanted to speak too.

Seeing Xia Chu so happy, Jia Qingwu also smiled, secretly sighing that she should have set off earlier.

When Wang Yong returned, the family happily sat together for dinner. Dong Xiaohuan, who rarely took out wine, specially allowed Wang Yong to have two glasses.

The only one missing was her eldest brother. Xia Chu looked around. But it didn't matter, she was already back, and she would be able to see him the next time her brother came back from his holiday.

"These braised and grilled meats were all invented by our Xia Chu. You should try them, sister." Dong Xiaohuan greeted Jia Qingwu warmly, but did not pick up any food for her without permission.

"Xia Xia's idea?" Jia Qingwu immediately picked up two pieces of food with her chopsticks and said, "Then I have to try it."

"Try it. We're all family, so don't be polite." Dong Xiaohuan moved the meat and vegetables in front of Jia Qingwu. She caught a glimpse of Wang Yong already gulping down the wine in his glass. Her eyes flickered, and she softly reminded him with a forced smile, "Eat the vegetables first. Don't drink on an empty stomach. Ah~"

Wang Yong's face froze, and he quickly put down his glass. "Eat, eat, you eat too."

Jia Qingwu quietly observed the way the two interacted, finding it amusing. Big Brother Wang, though tall and unkind-looking, was surprisingly henpecked.

"Sister, can I go feed the pony after we finish eating?" Wang Qiuyu had already seen Ranran once before, who was tied up in the barn in the backyard, and almost wanted to eat there.

"Let's go." Xia Chu naturally wouldn't refuse, "Let's eat well first."

"Does this barbecue seem to have herbs or spices added to it?" Jia Qingwu took a few bites and found that neither the braised meat nor the barbecued meat had a single hint of muttoniness. There was only the aroma of fat and plants. Even when she ate it, there was no strange taste, and it wasn't greasy at all.

"Yes, we added some medicinal herbs to remove the fishy smell and stimulate the appetite, and the spices are also to remove the fishy smell and enhance the fragrance." Xia Chu nodded. He hadn't eaten it for a long time, and he felt that the barbecue was even more fragrant.

The servants ate in the kitchen, their dishes no different from those on the main table. It wasn't that they hadn't eaten good food before, but such fragrant and large pieces of meat were rare.

Aunt Xu, despite her age, couldn't resist eating several pieces. But she didn't dare eat too much. After all, she was old, and too much meat was hard to digest. The others didn't have such concerns, and they all ate until their mouths were full of oil, barely raising their heads.

The meal was a delight for both the host and the guests. Gong Shang and Zheng Yu quickly finished their meal and began to boil water. Aunt Xu watched from outside the dining room without going in to disturb them. Seeing that the meal was almost finished, she asked Gong Shang to make tea while the others cleared away the dishes.

Dong Xiaohuan enjoyed the treatment of a rich lady for a while. After dinner, she did nothing but wait for tea.

After Wang Qiuyu finished eating, he dragged Guan Xu to the barn to look after the horses. Zhang Zhou returned to his room to pack up. Xia Chu chatted with his parents, but it didn't last long.

Knowing they'd been traveling for days, even in a carriage, they were tired. Dong Xiaohuan calculated the time and boiled some water for them to wash up and get to bed. They'd reminisce tomorrow after a good rest.

Jia Qingwu was indeed a little tired, and so was Xia Chu. The carriage was wobbly, and if she dozed off, she'd probably bump her head. And even the official road wasn't exactly smooth, just a little bumpy.

The moment she lay down on the bed, Xia Chu let out a long sigh, "Home is still so comfortable." She tilted her head and sniffed the pillow and quilt. They all smelled of sunshine. Her mother must have dried them in the sun; they were clean and soft. She loved a soft bed. Dong Xiaohuan always put three or four layers of bedding on her bed, and it felt like sleeping on cotton.

Back home. Xia Chu smiled and rubbed the pillow, feeling comfortable everywhere. She closed her eyes and fell asleep in less than a quarter of an hour.

Except for Aunt Xu, everyone else went to sleep in the inn, after all, there was no room at home. Aunt Xu also told everyone to get a good night's sleep and not rush back the next day.

Xia Chu didn't wake up until daybreak. She yawned, rolled around twice in her quilt, and finally struggled to get up from the warm bed. Clean clothes were placed at the end of the bed, and it was obvious that Dong Xiaohuan had come early in the morning.

She lifted the curtains and spotted fresh flowers, still covered in dew, on the windowsill. Her mood brightened instantly, and she emerged from the house. Looking down, she saw Da'an and Xiao'an squatting at the doorway, the sun almost reaching its zenith. Everyone else must have gone about their business. Xiao'an rubbed her head against her calf. Da'an, walking ahead, reminded her to keep up.

Seeing the kitchen, Xia Chu understood. Dong Xiaohuan must have left some food for Daan before leaving, and asked him to bring her over. "I see. I'll go eat right away." She went to Jia Qingwu's room first and found it empty.

That’s right, apart from her, no one else should sleep so late, right?

I walked around the house and found no one there. It would be fine if everyone else was out, but why was Jia Qingwu out too? Where had she gone?