My best friend is living a famine-stricken life; you're going crazy, I'm farming.

If the Zhou family were to live a good life for no reason, that wouldn't do; people would think they were swindlers and cheaters.

So, Zhou Qinghe, who had learned a few characters, was allowed to continue his studies.

They support scholars on one hand, and complain about being poor everywhere on the other.

Those days were very difficult for Yang and her son. When they tried to borrow money, Wang would dismiss them with the excuse that "they have no money because they support a scholar."

After studying for two years, Zhou Qinghe became an accountant in the county, and the Zhou family's life improved from then on.

The houses were demolished and rebuilt, everyone wore new clothes, and the aroma of meat filled the homes.

The money was earned by Zhou Qinghe.

Once Zhou Jingyi learned to hunt and became skilled, the Zhou family started crying poverty again in order to get free meat.

They would occasionally ask Yang for things, and Yang genuinely believed they were starving and didn't know how much she had subsidized them.

Now, the person who used to send money from time to time has returned, and in the Zhou family, that's like being treated like an emperor.

Tonight's meal was so much better than what we ate during the Lunar New Year.

Zhou Qingshan missed the food at home and ate with great relish, while Lin Wan'er ate with great impatience.

The two children she was raising even declared, "I don't want to live in a pigsty, and I don't want to eat pig feed."

Wang felt awkward for a moment, then quickly coaxed the child, "Grandma's precious grandson, what do you want to eat? Grandma will go buy it for you."

"I want to eat candy, and I also want to eat roast duck."

"Okay, Grandma will buy it for you tomorrow."

With Wang's coaxing words, the child indeed became obedient.

After the meal, Wang wanted to get closer to Lin Wan'er, but Lin Wan'er wiped her mouth and took the child back to the main house.

She had no choice but to pull Zhou Qingshan outside to talk.

"It's been so many years since you last came home? You rarely come home, so why don't you even wear something nice? Where are your servants and attendants? Also, in your last letter you said your father-in-law was promoted to Minister, so your rank should have been promoted too, right?"

"Oh, how wonderful! I never imagined that I, an old woman, could raise such an accomplished son as you. You've even become an official. It's just that you don't want me to tell anyone. Otherwise, with your status, what an honor it would be to come home!"

"If it weren't for that wretched woman Yang refusing to marry, why would we have to hide ourselves? We could have just returned home in glory, wouldn't that have been so impressive?"

Wang's Baba said a lot.

Zhou Qingshan gradually became impatient. "Mother, listen to me first."

"Alright, go ahead. If you want to ask about your son, I must warn you first: he has disowned the Zhou family and severed ties with us. Don't hold onto any thoughts that might upset Wan'er."

“Mother!” Zhou Qingshan interrupted Wang Shi.

When Wang saw her son, she was excited and couldn't stop talking. "By the way, when do you plan to go back this time? You must stay at home and not go out wandering around. Last time you didn't listen to my advice and provoked Yang, which almost resulted in someone's death."

"Mother!" Zhou Qingshan, impatient with those trivial matters, spoke again, "This time I'm not going back."

"Not going back?" Madam Wang was taken aback, then smiled with delight. "Does that mean the Emperor has transferred you to Qingyang County? To be the county magistrate? No, with my son's abilities, he should at least be the prefect."

Zhou Qingshan sighed, "None of them."

"Then why don't you go back? You have such a bright future ahead of you."

“My father-in-law offended the emperor with his words and was exiled. I used money and connections to escape with my wife and children.”

"What? How could I have offended His Majesty for no reason?"

"Last year, there was a severe drought in the southwest, and the court was deeply divided. The emperor made an example of someone to warn others. In short, we don't know when the verdict will be redressed. Until then, we can't go anywhere." Thinking of this unfortunate situation, Zhou Qingshan often complained about his father-in-law.

Fortunately, he spent a lot of money to save his wife and children. As for his parents-in-law, he was just a son-in-law and couldn't possibly care about them.