He Daqing, do you know how I've lived these past years?

"Dongxu, thank you for coming to see me. Uncle is very happy."

Lying paralyzed in his hospital bed, Jia Gui held Jia Dongxu's hand tightly and said...

Jia Dongxu looked at his aunt, who was crying with her head down, and also cried as he spoke:

"Uncle, why don't we quit? It's too dangerous. I heard from people at the factory that the enemy from the east has already attacked. Let's just be ordinary people."

Jia Gui gently stroked Jia Dongxu's hair and said:

"Dongxu, you're still young and may not know the origins of our Jia family. Let me tell you now, hoping you can be like our great-grandfather's generation."

Our Jiajia Village is a branch of the Shanlu Jia family. 123 years ago, our ancestor was awarded the title of second-highest scholar in the imperial examination and was appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. Our branch then moved to Beijing.

Our ancestor served as a high-ranking official under three emperors. 89 years ago, when the emperor and others fled, our ancestor was entrusted with the critical mission of defending the capital and resisting the combined forces of the Great Eagle Kingdom and the Gallic Kingdom that invaded from Dagu Port.

Even in the subsequent negotiations, he remained neither humble nor arrogant, and argued his case based on reason.

"Uncle had no choice but to become a traitor to Xia back then; he could only be physically in Yinghua but his heart was in Xia. Now that General Yue treats us like human beings, I am determined to repay him with my life."

As the old saying goes, "If you treat me like a national hero, I will repay you with the same respect. Don't be like your mother; be a true man."

Jia Dongxu nodded as well.

Jia Gui then asked his wife to go out and buy some food.

After everyone left the room, he slowly took out a few small yellow croakers from his pocket and put them into Dongxu's arms, saying:

"Dongxu, your uncle is barely able to take care of himself right now, so I'm afraid he can't take care of you or look after Jiajia Village outside the city. Keep this money safe, don't give it to your mother. Use it in times of crisis. If you have the ability, help the village. You can't forget your roots."

Seeing Dongxu burst into tears again, Jia Gui sighed and said:

"Don't look for me anymore, and I won't look for you and your child either. If I really pass away, I hope you can bury me under the hibiscus tree at the village entrance."

"You can leave now."

After Jia Dongxu was driven away crying, Jia Gui also lay on the bed silently shedding tears.

Upon returning home, Dongxu looked at the people sitting in He Daqing's house with suspicion, but didn't ask any questions. He went straight home, took out a small yellow croaker, and told Jia Zhangshi what Jia Gui had instructed him to do.

Madam Jia jumped out of bed excitedly, snatched the small yellow croaker, put it in her mouth, and bit it, saying:

"Before Jia Gui died, he did one thing right: one thread was far too little. He deserved to be executed later."

Dongxu suppressed his anger as he looked at his mother and walked towards the kitchen.

Meanwhile, arguments were also heard coming from He Daqing's home.

"Uncle, look at He Daqing, he's such a scoundrel! The woman has already returned, but he still hasn't come back."

"Don't rush. I heard he's already in charge, so he must be very busy. Don't forget why you came today."

As darkness gradually fell, He Daqing happily returned, carrying He Yushui in his arms and a food box in one hand.

"Oh, when did your father-in-law arrive? Why didn't he tell me beforehand?"

He Daqing looked at the old man sitting in the room and asked,

"Hmph, you arrived at Chenshi (7-9 AM). We sent your neighbor to look for you, but you came back so late. Does that mean you don't respect us anymore now that your wife is gone?"

The old man beside him said angrily,

He Daqing hurriedly put down the vegetable box and the rainwater, took out two cigarettes, and said:

“Uncle, I haven’t seen Jia Zhangshi from next door all day. I’m afraid she hasn’t come to see me. You must be tired. I’ll cook some dishes, and we can have a good drink later. Zhuzi should be back soon.”

The old man sitting in the main seat waved to his uncle, then swept up some rainwater from the side and laughed, saying:

"Rainwater, rainwater, your father-in-law has come to see you, are you happy?"

He Yushui also chuckled and tugged at his beard.

He Daqing also started washing vegetables and starting a fire to prepare dinner.

"Father, sister, I'm back!"

Sha Zhu ran into the house shouting and yelling. Upon seeing the two elderly people inside, I hurriedly called out:

"Grandpa, Uncle"

The two elderly people were delighted to see the chubby-faced, silly Zhu and stood up, repeatedly patting his head and hands.

At this moment, He Daqing brought out all the dishes and even took out a cup of yellow wine from under the bed.

As things progressed, the old man finally explained why he had come.

He Daqing hesitated for a moment before refusing.

It turns out that Tianjin was captured some time ago, and many landlords fled, resulting in a sudden increase in land ownership. Their family, being large, also acquired a considerable amount of land. They came to take He Yuzhu and Yushui with them.

Since He Daqing became the canteen manager, he's been living a leisurely life and no longer wants Zhuzi to go to the countryside to make a living by farming.

It is also said that Yuzhu is working as an apprentice in the restaurant and will soon be starting work in the kitchen.

He Yuzhu only visited her mother's home when she was young; she spent most of her life in the city and didn't want to go back.

The two elderly people, having had their meal, reluctantly drove their donkey cart back to Tianjin that very night.

When Da Qing finished clearing away the dishes, he saw He Yuzhu sticking out his tongue and licking his wine glass repeatedly, and Da Qing angrily smacked him on the back of the head, saying:

“Zhu Zi, your mother has been gone for so long, and you haven’t gone back to Tianjin. I have something to tell you.”

Silly Pillar continued licking his glass and said:

"What is it?"

He Daqing stammered:

"Would you like to have another mother? She has two sons."

He Yuzhu stared wide-eyed and said:

"What? You're getting married? What am I supposed to do? I'll be getting married in a few years too! You'll have to help her two sons find wives as well!"

Just as He Daqing was about to continue speaking, Yi Zhonghai, who had been listening outside the door for a long time, walked in and said with a grin:

"Haha, Qing Dynasty, huh? Just finished eating?"

Upon seeing someone enter, He Daqing stopped talking to Yu Zhu and nodded to Yi Zhonghai, gesturing for him to sit down and have some tea.

Yi Zhonghai shook his head and said:

"Da Qing, I've been buying things to nourish Cuilan lately, so I'm a little short on cash. Could you lend me some?"

Upon hearing the name Cuilan, He Daqing couldn't help but picture her fair skin. Without saying much, he took twenty silver dollars from the inner room.

Yi Zhonghai also said happily:

"Thank you, Daqing. You truly are a man of Beijing. I'll calculate the interest and pay you when my wages come in this month."

He then stuffed the silver dollar into his pocket and rushed toward the courtyard gate.

At the alley entrance, a woman with a curvaceous figure and a slightly voluptuous physique was pacing back and forth anxiously.

Upon seeing Yi Zhonghai running towards them, they happily raised their hands and shouted:

"Brother Zhonghai, I'm here!"

Yi Zhonghai glanced around, then grabbed the woman and pulled her deeper into the alley.

"Brother Zhonghai, did you bring the gift money? I need to hurry back; my father is still waiting for me outside the city. My older brother can deliver the money tonight, and we can pick up my sister-in-law tomorrow."

Yi Zhonghai shook his pocket, then pressed one hand directly onto the man's head.

The woman was also forced to kneel on the ground, and she heard Yi Zhonghai's low growl in her ear:

"Huai Ru, I'm really angry right now."

Qin Huairu, her eyes also alluring, skillfully began to help him cool down.

A moment later, Qin Huairu, her face flushed, coughed and clutched the silver dollars in her pocket as she ran out of the alley.

What are you doing?

Jia Dongxu, who was nearly knocked down by Qin Huairu rushing out at the alley entrance, hurriedly shouted.

Qin Huai glanced back, but didn't stop, and quickly ran away.

Watching the woman leave, Jia Dongxu's mind was filled with her image. He took a deep breath and said:

"It smells so good!"

Just as I turned my head, I saw a man with a flushed face and looking rather unwell emerge from the alley, and I exclaimed in surprise:

"Master, what are you doing here? Do you know that woman who just left?"

Yi Zhonghai glanced at Jia Dongxu's appearance, hesitated for a moment, and said:

"Oh, you mean her? I know her, but she's married."

After saying that, he walked home.

Jia Dongxu gazed in the direction the woman was in and murmured:

"If I ever meet you again, I will definitely marry you."

"If I can't get it, I'll rob it; if I can't rob it, I'll steal it."

"Whether you like me or not, I must have you."

……