The journey of the only child of a peasant family to take the imperial examination

Fortunately, the person she met this time was Xu Kezhang. Although he didn't have deep feelings for Wuya, he was very responsible.

The two of them are destined to spend their lives together.

Wu Ya has finally met the right person.

When it comes to the issue of children not being able to speak yet, everyone has taken it seriously.

Even Madam Xu was a little anxious and offered some advice: "Take your child to visit other people's homes more often and let him play with other children. Children will naturally learn by imitation, and over time he will naturally start speaking."

“A wise man speaks slowly. I think there’s nothing wrong with Sweet Potato. His eyes are very bright. A silly child wouldn’t have such eyes. Just like Mother said, take the child out more often, and he will naturally start talking. Don’t keep the child cooped up at home all the time,” Daya said.

When Wu Ya first brought her child to Beijing, she noticed this problem: don't keep too close a peephole to the child.

I had already mentioned it to my sister.

Unfortunately, this younger sister doted on her son like he was the apple of her eye.

They were afraid of being battered by wind and rain.

The child gets nervous for half a day just from a little wind or a sneeze.

There's nothing wrong with being meticulous, but being too meticulous isn't good either.

Da Ya saw that her fifth sister's husband was a shrewd man, so she was mainly saying this to him.

“Your family is small and you don’t have any other children, so you could try keeping a parrot at home. I’ve heard that keeping cats, dogs, or birds to keep children company can help them learn much faster, so you might as well give it a try,” Zhang Ping’an said, feeling that his nephew didn’t seem to have any intellectual disabilities.

Children with intellectual disabilities usually learn to walk much slower from a young age, and their hands and feet are also uncoordinated. However, he saw that his nephew walked quite nimbly, taking slow but steady steps, which was enough to prove that the child was not mentally challenged.

Xu Kezhang was indeed very smart. He knew that everyone was doing it for his own good, so he listened to their advice and nodded gently in agreement: "When I get back, I will try it with Wuya. We really need to let the children go out and see more of the world. They can't always stay at home. Now, we are not living in luxury, but we are at least well-fed and clothed. We can't be so afraid that we can't even go out for a breath of fresh air. We can just wear more clothes."

"Ah, that's more like it," Xu said with satisfaction, finding her son-in-law more agreeable than her daughter.

She also shared her experience: "When I had my sixth child, I finally had a healthy baby. He was the darling of the family, but I never stopped him from going out to play. Children need to be active so they can grow up healthy and strong."

Wu Ya was getting a little impatient; this was all ancient history.

Xu Kezhang responded very respectfully.

With an audience, Xu became more and more enthusiastic as she spoke. Donkey Egg and Cat Egg, being too young to listen, quickly slipped away to the side.

Da Ya had actually heard it many times, but she was too embarrassed to interrupt.

By then, the food was ready, and Xiao Hu busied himself setting it out.

Zhang Ping'an took the opportunity to rescue his fifth brother-in-law. "Alright, Mom, we'll talk about it next time. Dinner's ready, let everyone eat first!"

Xu was still somewhat reluctant to stop, but she wisely waved her hand and said, "Alright, let's continue next time. Let's eat!"

Zhang Ping'an had just returned and hadn't seen everyone for a long time, so naturally most of the conversation at the table revolved around him.

He also shared many of his experiences in Northwest China with everyone.

The magnificent scenery is beyond description; only those who have seen it with their own eyes can truly understand the awe it evokes.

There are also all sorts of different customs and habits, which are quite eye-opening.

Little Fish listened with great interest.

For a time, many aspirations arose.

Amidst the laughter and conversation, Zhang Ping'an noticed that the atmosphere between his elder sister and daughter-in-law was indeed quite subtle.

He didn't show anything on his face, planning to have his mother inquire about it later, as these kinds of things are easier for mothers and daughters to communicate about.

He wouldn't bother with trivial matters, but when it came to Zhuzhu's dowry, he couldn't ignore it.

This was something my brother-in-law solemnly instructed me about when he was in the Northwest. It's a major event concerning Zhuzhu's marriage, so it can't be taken lightly.

Otherwise, he would never be able to face his brother-in-law again.

After the meal, Zhang Ping'an distributed the local specialties and various gifts he had brought back from the Northwest to everyone.

Everyone was happy to receive the gifts.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Xu asked Daya to help her find something, and then called her to her bedroom for a private conversation.

As Zhang Ping'an had guessed, the rift between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law stemmed from the issue of Zhuzhu's dowry.

"I am, after all, her mother-in-law, and her status is what it is. She didn't say anything directly, but she pretended to be completely honest and obedient in front of me. She always let Donkey Egg take the lead in everything. Who does she think she is a fool!"

Da Ya couldn't stand people who were timid and cowardly, hiding behind others and instigating things. She thought, "Just say what you have to say and solve the problem. This kind of behavior is really annoying."

"Does that donkey really listen to his wife? You, as a mother-in-law, can't even control your daughter-in-law?" Xu frowned.

Da Ya sighed upon hearing this: "It's not about who can control whom. I've never put on airs as a mother-in-law. As long as the family is harmonious, that's all that matters. But she's pregnant now, so for the sake of my unborn grandson, I'm too lazy to argue with her. Otherwise, if something happens, it'll be the child who suffers."

"But that doesn't mean I'm a pushover. The family business was built up by my husband and me bit by bit. No one can tell me how much dowry I want to give. I know what I'm doing, so please don't worry about it, Mother."

"Conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, and between sisters-in-law, are age-old problems. There are always daughters-in-law who feel that their mothers-in-law's things will be left to their own family after they marry in, which is to say, they will be left to themselves. How can they let their sisters-in-law take them away? Everyone has selfish thoughts," Xu Shi understood clearly.