An eight-year-old kid emptied his scumbag father's warehouse and followed his grandparents into

Xiaoyu was naturally the happiest. Hearing she'd be staying in Qiantang County for a few days, she'd been tossing and turning for several sleepless nights. Not only was she going to pay her respects to those relatives whose memories had faded, but she was also going to see the brothers and sisters she'd met during those difficult times.

She specially prepared a box full of gifts - for sister Ahe, she got the most fashionable gold-thread butterfly dress in Beijing and a pair of red gold silk pendants; for brother Douzi, she got a set of the best four treasures of the study and several nine-linked rings with ingenious mechanisms.

Still feeling this was not enough, she secretly exchanged the small change her sisters had given her for seven or eight fifty-liang silver notes, carefully folding them and keeping them in her purse. She always remembered those days and nights of hunger and cold, when it was Sister Ah He who slipped her only half a piece of bread, and when it was Shitou and Shuisheng who braved the rain to gather herbs for her.

Although many years have passed, she is still worried that they are having a hard time. Although this banknote is not much, it can at least supplement their family expenses and repay their kindness in the past when they would rather starve than abandon her.

The convoy headed south along the official road, and the scenery became increasingly different the further south it went. The red walls and green tiles of the capital gradually faded behind us, replaced by vast expanses of rice paddies. It was the season when the fragrant rice flowers wafted through the air, and the wind blew away layers of green waves. The sweet fragrance drifted in through the carriage curtains, refreshing us.

That day, as they reached the banks of the Huai River, they saw the vast expanse of the river, with thousands of boats competing. Mingzhu leaned against the car window and sighed, "When I read 'Fireworks in March in Yangzhou,' I could never imagine such a scene. Look at the white sails on the boats. Don't they look like clouds settling on the river?"

Ling Xiao, who was helping Yan Jie'er straighten her wind-twisted hair, responded, "That's nothing. Back when my father and I were returning to Beijing from the northern border, we passed by the Yellow River ferry. It was like a thousand boats vying for the current. But the water was yellow, not as clear as the Huai River." She pointed into the distance, "Look at those bamboo rafts with cormorants on them—they're what people in the south use to fish."

Xiaoyu leaned against the car window and stared intently: "Sister Ahe said there is a small river in front of her house. She wrote to me saying that she would use cormorants to catch fish for us to eat." As she spoke, her voice lowered.

Sister Jin hurriedly handed over a plate of osmanthus cake: "Try it quickly. This is what the servants just bought at the ferry. They said it has the flavor of Jiangnan. Let's see how it compares to the one in the mansion."

Xiaoyu picked up a piece but didn't rush to eat it. Suddenly, she said, "I remember it was just as hot as this when we fled to Lingnan that year. Sister He and Brother Shitou carried Douzi and me for more than ten miles. I lay on her back and saw that the skin on the back of her neck was sunburned." She turned to look at Ling Xiao, "Third cousin, do you think they are doing well now? Brother Douzi should be as tall as me now, right?"

Ling Xiao held her hand and said, "Since we'll be meeting soon, why worry now? Qiantang County has been blessed with good weather and good harvests over the past two years under the governance of Lord Xiao. They can use your silver to start a small business, and things will get better."

As they were talking, the carriage suddenly slowed down. It turned out they were crossing a narrow stone bridge, so the convoy had to pass in order. Several girls took the opportunity to get off and stretch their legs.

Under the bridge, the river was clear, and several women were washing clothes by the river. The rise and fall of wooden hammers created a shimmering spray of water. Willows swayed along the bank, and in the distance, the green mountains were like dark green. The scene was peaceful and tranquil.

Sister Yan took a deep breath. "The wind in the south is soft and carries moisture. Unlike the capital, it's very dry in spring and autumn."

Ling Xiao smiled and said, "Only when you get to Leizhou will you understand what humidity is. If you hang clothes out for two days without drying, the mirror will be covered with a layer of moisture. But the seafood is excellent, especially the oysters, roasted with garlic, they are incredibly delicious."

They were all talking about happy things, probably having long forgotten the catastrophe that might be coming a year from now. Jing Chunxi, however, was preoccupied. He clasped his hands together, placed them on his forehead, and secretly made a wish towards the verdant mountains and clear waters: May disaster stay away from Daqing, may the country be peaceful and the people safe, may the canal, built with the entire nation's efforts, not be opened because of a disaster, may Brother Xiaokang be safe and sound, and may they meet again soon on this journey.

"Now that Third Sister-in-law mentioned that, I remember something." Xiaoyu suddenly tugged at Ling Xiao's sleeve. "Back when we fled to Lingnan, Sister He picked up a kind of shell on the mudflats and roasted it over fire to eat. She said it was called 'razor clams.' That was the first time I knew that things from the sea could actually satisfy hunger. Otherwise, we might have starved to death."

Ling Xiao's eyes softened. "Yes, live by the mountains, eat by the mountains; live by the sea, eat by the sea. There are cattle and sheep in the northern border, and fish and shrimp in Lingnan. As long as you are willing to work, heaven and earth will always provide a way for you to survive." She looked toward the southern horizon. "That's why I often think that Sanlang chose to stay in Leizhou. Although it is hard, it is a practical way. There is a bright future ahead of him in those mountains and by the sea."

Mingzhu broke off a willow branch and played with it in her hands, feeling a little melancholy. "Come to think of it, isn't Third Sister-in-law going to get married this time and never coming back? I don't like the idea of ​​growing up and being separated."

Ling Xiao pretended to hit her: "But I got married and became your third sister-in-law. I'm very glad to be a family. Those who leave will leave eventually, but I have you around, right?"

Several girls agreed and burst into laughter, startling a pair of yellow orioles on the willow branches.

At this moment, the driver's call came from the front, and the caravan was about to set off again. The maids and servants urged everyone to get on the carriages. Xiaoyu was the last one to get on, and she kept looking back at the stone bridge, as if she was reluctant to leave.

"After crossing this bridge, it will take another three days to reach Qiantang." Jing Chunxi smoothed her hair. "Once you pay respects to your relatives and meet old friends, the knot in your heart will be untied."

Xiaoyu nodded heavily, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. The carriage rumbled forward, carrying the laughter of young girls, along with the cares and expectations hidden in the years, heading south, towards the ancient Jiangnan city that Jing Chunxi remembered.

Xu Zize didn't know whether he had received the letter, whether he knew that she was getting closer and closer to his territory, whether he would write back to the capital, or whether he would wait for her in Qiantang County. Jing Chunxi knew nothing about all this, but she was vaguely looking forward to it.

She touched her slender waist, then touched herself again, and it seemed that her face had gained a little more flesh. She looked down at her increasingly full chest, and suddenly smiled: I wonder if Brother Xiaokang will be like her, with his appearance and figure having changed a little as he grows older, but I hope he will still like her.