After being reborn, I took my childhood sweetheart to cultivate immortality.

In the afternoon, Xu Qingman gave the two jade pendants she had kept to the two elderly people, telling them to wear them carefully and not to take them off.

Seeing her serious expression, the old lady asked, "This price isn't cheap, is it? Did you buy this in Guangzhou?"

"Yes, Grandma, I bought it in Guangzhou. It's much cheaper there than here, but these two still cost almost four thousand yuan."

Xu Qingman deliberately told them the price to prevent them from being unaware of its value and being swindled by the old man and his sister's family.

The old man had no brothers, only a younger sister who married in another town. She never visited her elder brother and sister-in-law. Only every year during the first month of the lunar calendar would the family use the excuse of paying New Year's visits to come and beg for money.

Although the two elderly people were generous and didn't like to haggle, they wouldn't give her everything. They would only give her snacks and other things that they considered to be of little value.

However, a couple of years ago, Xu Qingman's aunt brazenly took one of the old lady's silver bracelets. It wasn't very valuable, but the old lady gave it to her because she saw her husband's sister crying pitifully.

Last year, the old man's sister actually took a liking to the color TV that Xu Jingheng bought for the elderly couple. The old couple knew that it had cost their son more than two thousand yuan, and they absolutely refused to agree to it.

Xu Qingman knew that if she didn't reveal the price, the two elderly people might think it was only a hundred or so yuan and would definitely give it to her aunt through her persistent persuasion.

When the elderly couple heard Xu Qingman state the price, they felt a pang of heartache and their breath caught in their throats. How could just two stones be worth so much money?

However, since their granddaughter had already bought it, they had no choice but to let her put it on for them, after all, the child was being filial.

In the evening, Xu Jingheng came to pick up the two children as promised. The elderly couple were very reluctant to part with their grandson and held his little hand tightly, not wanting to let go.

Seeing his parents' reluctance, Xu Jingheng suggested, "Dad, Mom, why don't you come and stay with me in the city for a while? I have a car, so it'll be convenient."

The old man immediately refused, "No, we're too old, we prefer to stay in the countryside."

They're still able to move around, so they won't disturb their son's family's life, to avoid making everyone uncomfortable.

Xu Jingheng noticed that his daughter was very excited the whole way. When he asked her why, she only said it was a good thing, but she made it sound mysterious, asking him to listen to it with her mother when they got home.

"Mother."

As soon as Xiao Qinghe entered the door, he rushed into his mother's arms and acted spoiled. He had missed his mother after not seeing her all day, but he was a good boy and didn't cry or fuss.

"Daughter, shouldn't you tell your dad now?" Xu Jingheng couldn't help but ask as they finally arrived home.

Xu Meifen looked at the father and daughter strangely and asked, "What's wrong? What did you say?"

Xu Jingheng: "Ask your precious daughter."

"Hey Mom and Dad, I heard something really interesting in the village today..."

Xu Qingman gesticulated wildly as she told her parents about Xu Gengsheng's family, recounting their story with great emotion and humor, like a storyteller.

Xu Jingheng and his wife were also taken aback, their mouths agape.

After they had fully processed what had happened, the two felt incredibly refreshed, like eating a cool mung bean popsicle on a sweltering summer day. They kept smiling and muttering, "Great, so great! Heaven really has eyes."

There's a hot pot restaurant at the end of Nantong Street; the food is delicious and the ingredients are very fresh. The family (Xiaoqing and the other person who was forced to abstain) discussed it and decided to go out for hot pot to celebrate the good news.

The family excitedly entered the shop, only to find the Yu family from next door also eating there. Besides them and Yu Yuxuan's family of three, who were already married, there was also a young woman that Xu Qingman didn't recognize at the table.

For some reason, when Xu Qingman and her group approached, everyone at the table seemed to be staring at Yu Jinchen as if he had committed some heinous crime.

The hot pot on the table was bubbling away, with what looked like a few meatballs bobbing up and down inside, but it didn't attract a single pair of chopsticks.

The Xu family members were in an awkward dilemma, but Xiao Qinghe had already made his choice. He pointed at Yu Jinchen and tilted his head, saying, "Hey, Brother Chen."

The moment he called out "Brother Chen," Yu Jinchen, who had been expressionless, turned to look at him.

"Uncle and Aunt, Manman, Xiaoqinghe, you're here for hot pot too? There's no room at our table, so I'll join you."

Yu Jinchen stood up with a smile on his face, ignoring the anger in the eyes of the people behind him, and walked straight to the Xu family. He then asked the waiter for a private room.

Xu Meifen turned around and looked at the furious Yu family members, asking worriedly, "Xiao Chen, you're just leaving like this? Are your parents alright?"

Yu Jinchen sneered and curled his lips, "It's fine. As long as they get the money they want, nothing will happen."

As for his mother, Liu Meihua, although she was the most boisterous, she couldn't get going on her own as long as he satisfied his father's appetite.

Yu Jinchen sometimes even wondered if he was an adopted child. Otherwise, why would his older sister and younger brother receive their mother's love, while he, from the time he could remember, had never experienced what maternal love felt like?

As for his father, he loved no one but himself. His wife and children were less important to him than himself. His wife was a free caregiver, and his children were merely tools for his retirement.

Other people's children grow up under the loving care of their parents. But he, at such a young age, had to learn to outsmart his parents in order to avoid starving to death.

He would never forget the first time he met Xu Qingman.

It was a winter evening when his mother, after arguing with his father, beat him when he was only ten years old and made him stand alone outside the door on an empty stomach to reflect on his mistakes.

But that day, as usual, he went home from school and started cooking dinner for his family, while his older sister and twin brother, who were a few years older than him, were able to sit there happily watching TV.

For some reason, his parents argued from outside all the way into the house. Later, his father slammed the door and left. His mother cried for a while, then saw him standing there, picked up a stick, beat him, and kicked him out.

It was a really cold day, with a howling north wind. He was cold and hungry, huddled under the wall, his whole body almost frozen. But his mother seemed not to hear his cries and wouldn't let him in.

Just when he thought he was going to freeze to death on this cold night, the little girl riding on her father's shoulders looked at him with innocent, bewildered eyes.

"Brother, why are you crying outside again? Are you scared because your mom and dad aren't home? I'll cry too if I can't see my mom and dad. Come to my house."

That day, in his heart, the little girl was like a little angel who descended from the sky to save him from his suffering.

That night's meal was the most satisfying meal he had eaten since his grandmother passed away. He also spent the night in the warm bed at the Yu family's house.

After that, he started collecting scraps to sell for money and washing dishes at restaurants to earn a living and support himself.