Men, listen, grab the top of the mountain and stand in the center position

Ji family.

After reading for an hour, Ji's father came out to check the sun. He sighed, sauntered to the east wing with his head tucked behind his back. Ji's mother was embroidering quickly on a large square canvas. "Madam, take a break..." After years of embroidery, his husband was truly distressed. "Your eyes are more important."

...Mother Ji, who was busy all the time, was disturbed by him several times that day. She put down her hand in annoyance, "Shushu always loved to discipline me in the past. She finally went out for a day today, and now it's your turn to nag me. My status at home is getting worse day by day..." But she also stood up and stretched her waist to loosen up her stiff back.

"How can I do that? My wife is the breadwinner and the head of the family, but she can't be exhausted. My husband's salary can't support the three of us..." Mang Xiaoyi stepped forward to massage her back and knead her bones, "Are all these your jobs?"

Ji's mother nodded, "It's all delicate work."

Xia Xiaoxiao couldn't help out in the embroidery room. She was now busy braising meat and feeding the chickens. Occasionally, she'd go out and deliver the braised meat, as she did now. Her superiors had paid a fortune to order five pounds of braised meat. Xiaoxiao bought the meat early in the morning, braised it thoroughly, and then, as soon as it cooled, braved the scorching sun to personally deliver it to the door.

Now that the price of braised meat has been set, Ai Ai will deliver it to anyone who pays and even cut it for them. Today, this person is Ji Wenshu's superior, and if he pays quickly, he'll earn a good profit. Ai Ai will cut it carefully, and Shu Shu will give him some pointers on how to present it, including the salad and dipping sauce. If the superior is pleased with his hospitality tonight, who knows, he might become a wealthy "repeat customer who will come back for more."

Xia Yiyi once received a tip from a colleague of Ji's father. She loved braised meat with wine, and she gave him a tip the first time. After that, Shushu and her agreed to split the tip 50-50. Although that colleague didn't give any more tips later, he would often order a pound of braised meat...

Today I am preparing some cold salad with dipping sauce for Ji's father to go to the peak. I am trying my best to get rewards and repeat orders, so I am putting in all my effort... and making it look fancy.

“…The smell of braised meat in our house never fades away…”

In the workshop, the couple talked about Xia Aiai and Shushu's frequent trips to earn money. Ji's father couldn't help but sigh, "...It's like being in an abalone shop. After a while, you don't smell the stench anymore...but every day when you come home from work, the smell hits you the moment you enter the house..."

It made him stand there in a daze for a long moment.

"I don't think it smells bad..." Madam Ji retorted. The braised meat at home was so delicious that the neighbors all said they drooled every day... And it was true. They kept two large pots of meat boiling constantly, and used all those expensive spices and herbs from the Western Regions...

Father Ji quickly admitted his mistake, "It's not smelly, I just said it casually. In fact, eating more meat is very good. We didn't know this way of eating before. Now that we eat more meat, the whole family has gained weight, and our complexion has improved. Our daughter has grown taller, and she is so healthy now..." As he spoke, the sentimental Father Ji choked up a little, "...things that I only dared to think about in my dreams before..." He quickly covered his sleeves to wipe away his tears.

Oh, what a crybaby!

"Husband, it's alright, it's alright..." Mother Ji wiped her husband's tears, "Nannan will be back soon. If the son of the Qin family saw you like that, he would think I was bullying you..."

"...I finally had a day off, and Shushu was out all day... She left before dawn, and she was reluctant to come back when it was almost dark!"

How can that brat, still wet behind the ears, know how to love his daughter like an older man!

"...Today, my husband watched the chickens eat and drink, chatted and sang hymns, sighed to the sky, and stood by the door in a daze. Now, I have also put down my work to accompany my husband. Are you still dissatisfied?"

Yingying is the name Wangshu gave to her pet parrot.

...Every word and action was under the control of the Madam, "...Satisfied, satisfied, I just miss my daughter..." Speaking of his daughter, he couldn't help but feel a little worried, "Madam, Shushu will be seventeen years old at the end of the year..." His daughter has been ill for a long time, and she can't celebrate her birthday for fear of shortening her life.

Old people often say that people in poor health should not celebrate their birthdays, lest the little ghosts take them away.

...How could Madam Ji not know her husband's worries? She shook her head. "Shushu has indeed grown taller and stronger..." Other things, like menstruation, the couple's biggest concern, still hadn't come, and her breasts were still flat. Many girls her age were married and mothers...

"I have always wanted to go to Famen Temple to fulfill my vow and pray again..."

But after my daughter recovered from her illness, the only time she got really angry was when they wanted to fulfill their vows. She sternly told them they were not allowed to enter the temple because she had a dream in which the Bodhisattva wanted to take her to reincarnate...

Ji's father hurriedly stopped him, "My dear, don't go. I'll be angry. Besides, my daughter's dream seemed so real. You should stay away from ghosts and gods." His daughter's life was hanging by a thread. She had been in a coma for three days and had been given death sentences by all the doctors in the city. He cried out in despair and ran to Lin County to fetch a doctor... And my dear, Ji went alone to Famen Temple, bowing with every step... Xia Aiai couldn't bear it any longer, so she took out her private money and went to ask the doctor again... Taotao was terrified and ran to the next door to find a fortune teller who could read her fingers...

When he entered the house, he was terrified to find it silent. He immediately rushed to the west wing with the doctor in his arms. He saw his daughter's face as pale as paper and her breathing was weak. She was so angry that she kept complaining: "...What a hell of a place! Where's the human figure?" and then she fainted again...

Later, she was able to drink medicine and breathe more smoothly. When she woke up again, she seemed angry that no one was watching her. She didn't want to talk to anyone and just lay there sullenly. The couple, along with Xiaoxiao and Taotao, were humble and patient, repeatedly explaining to her in kind words that they didn't mean to leave her alone...

After a few days, seeing that her daughter was fine except for not forgiving them, she thought of arranging for her to go to Famen Temple to fulfill her vow. However, her daughter, who had been silent and ignored them, spoke up and the first thing she did was to not allow them to go to the temple.

Of course, there was no one who refused. Later, there were many more prohibitions, including not allowing him and her to buy little girl things, not allowing Ji's father to drink and have fun, cough, all for socializing, not allowing Ji's mother to light a lamp to do embroidery at night, and not allowing the family to gossip about others or talk about family matters, because "my ears hurt from hearing too much..."

"Now some neighbors ask Xia Aiai why she doesn't come out to eat sunflower seeds or chat anymore..."

Father Ji rolled up his sleeves and said, "Xixi is very obedient to Shushu." The young bartender on Jiangjun Street was complaining to her colleagues that they hadn't seen her for a long time!

In the past few years, Xia Mimi loved gossiping and asking questions. When Shushu was sick and had to lie down, Xia Mimi would tell her all the gossip about the neighbors to cheer her up.

Now Shushu doesn't like to listen to gossip, and Weiwei is getting busier and busier making money. The family really lives a life behind closed doors, not disturbed by anything from the outside world.

"Madam, do you know how much silver Shushu earns?" Father Ji was a little curious. His salary was managed by his wife. His wife gave his daughter food expenses every day and came back home with a full basket of shopping every day. Now the braised meat can be bartered and there is silver in the account...so how much does he earn?

Mother Ji shook her head. "I don't know either. Nannan said that I give her a sum of money every month and she will arrange food for the family. She told me not to ask about anything else..."

... Father Ji was extremely curious. Tao Tao hurried in, "Master, Madam, Sister Shu Shu is almost home." She was guarding the stove, and from time to time she would lie down through the crack of the door to wait, and sure enough, she saw her. "Young Master Qin is here too."

The couple went out together to greet them, and a man and a woman came side by side. The outstanding young man had the physique and demeanor of an adult, while the girl next to him had a pretty face but a somewhat frail body, and looked no different from a little girl.

"Shushu, you're back. Daddy missed you..." Father Ji took the lead, put his arm around his daughter's shoulders, looked at her carefully, and relaxed when he saw that she was fine.

"Daddy, you miss more than just your daughter... humph!"

"Don't blame Daddy. Mom is at home. She wants more than just Shushu. What else does Daddy want?" Father Ji laughed.

Wangshu rolled his eyes and said, "You still want to save some private money!"

As soon as he heard it, Ji's father jumped in anxiety, "Shh, keep your voice down!" He hurriedly looked towards his wife's position. Fortunately, his wife was busy persuading Qin Xiuyuan to come in and rest and have a cup of tea.

"Daddy will give you half." The daughter was a little naughty, and Father Ji felt wronged and pitiful.

"No, you better hide it, otherwise mother will find out..."

Father Ji was immediately moved. His daughter was the best in the world! He was proud and proud! "How much private money does my dear daughter have?"

"More than Daddy!"

Father Ji: ...I feel wronged! So pitiful...!

"Xiuyuan, your aunt heard that you were going to the border soon, so she prepared two sets of clothes. They were made of durable and stain-resistant materials and colors. You can take them back and try them out to see if they fit you..."

"This is a bag of pork jerky. Shushu asked me to dry it these days. Take it with you. Eat some every day. Don't hurt your stomach. If you go out, bring more with you."

Qin Xiuyuan glanced at the father and daughter who were whispering to each other. The daughter was giving orders one by one, and the father was nodding and bowing in assurance. Wow!

"Thank you, aunt, thank you, uncle, and thank you, sister Wangshu. Uncle Tang's hometown is Xuanwu, and he will go with the army. Please rest assured."

She prepared some dried meat for him. She had originally wanted to remind Ji's father to keep his private money, but now she felt guilty and could only apologize to her uncle.

Upon learning that Tang Bo had prepared a wooden cart to accompany the army back to Xuanwu, Wangshu said, "Then when you leave, I'll braise two pig heads for you to take with you, and give the remaining bones to Xiao Wangcai..."

The journey is long and smooth.

Naturally, they were forced to have dinner at the Ji family's house. It turned out to be cold braised pork, minced meat stewed with tofu, pig skull soup, cold spinach, rice, and a plate of hand-beaten beef balls brought by the Qin family.

Qin Xiuyuan was no longer a stranger, and Aiai was not at home, so Wangshu asked Taotao to come to the table to eat as well.

"Mother, just one spoonful of rice!"