After transmigrating, he supported his family by working at a garbage dump.

"So you did go to steal something, but you just didn't manage to steal anything?"

Li Quanfu stood by the brazier, listening to Xu Wenjie's explanation, and finally understood why they hadn't found anything at the Zhang family's house.

Hu Sanniang gently nudged Li Quanfu, "Are you frozen stiff? If the theft wasn't real, how did the trap end up in someone else's yard?"

She was unaware of the relationship between Zhang Xiaolin and Wang Xiucai, so she didn't think much about it.

I just feel that Xu Wenjie didn't need to argue with the Zhang family so much. He could have just reported it to the authorities and asked her brother to investigate. The truth would have been clear within half a day.

It was quite a hardship for Zhang He and her two children to cry and make a fuss in the snow for so long. It was a case of hurting the enemy a thousand and themselves eight hundred. When the three of them came back with her just now, they didn't say they were cold.

But she noticed that the hands of the mother and her two children were all red from the cold, especially Zhang He's.

Xu Wenjie smiled sheepishly, genuinely not expecting that Third Master Zhang and Fourth Master Zhang could talk such nonsense.

However, Hu Da had no direct relationship with him. Not to mention that he was not confident about Wang Xiucai's matter, it would be bad to owe Hu Da favors again and again.

Thinking of his wife, Xu Wenjie quickly took Zhang He's hand and asked with concern, "He Niang, how are you feeling?"

Zhang He's complexion had become rosy.

I was treated to ginger soup and a foot bath by Hu San Niang, and now I not only look healthy, but my palms are also warm, although they are still red.

Fortunately, the chilblains on my hands were healed by Xu Zhuzhu's red beads the night before; otherwise, they would be unbearably painful and itchy right now.

Xu Wenjie looked distressed.

It's his fault.

Seeing that her husband was holding her hand tightly despite the presence of outsiders, Zhang He blushed and quickly pulled her hand away.

Wen smiled and said, "I feel fine, nothing's wrong, I'm just worried the two kids might get cold."

At that moment, Zhang He thought about going back later to brew some medicine to dispel the cold for the two children.

Hu Sanniang said directly, "It saves you the trouble of going back to brew it. I have some for my son to drink before the New Year. It's a light dose, which is also suitable for children. I'll go brew a batch now."

Zhang He hurriedly said no need, but Hu San Niang had already rushed off to get the medicine pot.

When she returned and saw the couple so affectionate, she covered her mouth and smiled, feeling a pang of envy. Looking at Li Quanfu's dazed expression, she rolled her eyes at him in annoyance.

Li Quanfu was bewildered by the glare, but he was still concerned about Zhang Xiaolin's situation, so he didn't argue with his wife and changed the subject back.

"I need to take advantage of the fact that it hasn't snowed in the last couple of days to go to town and inquire about Zhang Xiaolin's situation, and also ask about my brother-in-law's situation."

Xu Wenjie nodded in agreement, "Brother Li is right. It would be best if Constable Hu handled this matter to avoid any accidents."

However, he guessed that Hu Da was not in the yamen, otherwise why would he send those two people?

I'm afraid Li Quanfu probably wouldn't get any information even if he went, but I didn't say the recommendation aloud.

Hu San Niang felt that her husband was ruining the atmosphere, and he was even aware of it, so she was speechless.

He pulled Zhang He outside, saying happily, "He Niang, have dinner at our house later. I've already started cooking. I haven't eaten the cured meat my father gave me before the New Year yet, so I'll steam some to eat..."

How could Zhang He have the nerve to do that?

He quickly and tactfully declined, saying, "How could I possibly accept this? This cured meat is a rare treat. You should keep it for yourselves; it's a waste for the neighbors."

Hu San Niang was not happy. She only had brothers in her family and no sisters. Although she was easy to get along with the neighboring women in Lao Ya Village, she was never as comfortable as she was with Zhang He.

Therefore, he liked Zhang He very much and treated her like his own younger sister, so he was willing to give her all the best things.

Seeing that she couldn't persuade him otherwise, Zhang He had no choice but to give up and then thought of asking Xu Wenjie to go home and bring over some more rice and flour.

The wolves had almost completely devoured the fruits, vegetables, and eggs in the yard the night before, and the garbage dump hadn't been cleaned up in the last couple of days, so they really couldn't put together any good food right now.

So I brought extra rice and flour. Xu Zhuzhu had been talking about wanting to eat noodles a few days ago, and I figured I had plenty of time today, so I could make some. Paired with Hu San Niang's cured meat, it should taste pretty good.

Upon hearing Zhang He's instructions, Xu Wenjie didn't hesitate, told Li Quanfu, and headed home.

When I passed by the Zhang family, I saw Fourth Master Zhang coming out of Zhang Xiaolin's house. When he saw Xu Wenjie, Fourth Master Zhang opened his mouth but didn't say anything.

Although Master Zhang was somewhat hypocritical, he didn't openly make trouble for Xu Wenjie, so Xu Wenjie smiled and nodded as a greeting.

At that time, two young men were gathered under the big locust tree in the village. Xu Wenjie recognized them as the two who had gone with Tiezhu to report the case. The two were whispering to each other, seemingly discussing something.

Upon seeing Xu Wenjie approach, he immediately stepped forward and greeted him very respectfully, "Mr. Xu, are you busy?"

"I was just heading home! Is there anything I can help you with?" Xu Wenjie replied politely.

When the two constables arrived, it was obvious they didn't bring that much silver, so the reward money that the person who reported them was hoping for naturally didn't receive it.

Xu Wenjie guessed what they wanted to ask, and without beating around the bush, he spoke frankly, "If you want to know about the reward for reporting, I remember that the law does indeed say it's ten taels of silver. As for whether you can get that much, it depends on what the people in the yamen say."

Both of them were stunned for a moment after hearing this, then their faces lit up with joy. "Mr. Xu's words are enough."

They didn't have time to listen to Xu Wenjie anymore, and walked towards the town together.

Seeing that it was getting dark, Xu Wenjie hurriedly advised, "It's not too late to go tomorrow, it's getting late."

Ten taels of silver—that's enough to feed five poor families for a year. What a temptation!

Fearing that things might go wrong if they waited too long, the two young people naturally refused to wait, saying that nothing would happen, and turned to leave.

Xu Wenjie knew he couldn't persuade him otherwise, so he said no more.

Judging from the appearance of the two constables today, he felt that they probably wouldn't get much silver, but oh well, it was reasonable for them to want the silver.

He hurried home.

Before long, Xu Wenjie, seemingly "rich and powerful," brought over half a bag of flour and half a bag of rice from his home.

Hu Sanniang was stunned and didn't know what to do. She paced around the two bags, "Oh dear, what is this! I finally treated you to a meal, and you brought your own rice. Have you come here to slap me in the face..."

Zhang He tried to comfort her with a smile, but knowing it wouldn't work, she directly used the children as a shield: "Sister-in-law, it's nothing. I'm making noodles for the children. If you still don't agree to this, then our family will just go back home and eat!"

Hu Sanniang sighed and nodded in agreement, muttering to herself, "How did things turn out like this when we were hosting a dinner party!"

As she spoke, she impatiently beckoned Li Quanfu, who was sitting inside, to come out and help knead the dough, saying, "Even the guests know to come and help, how can you sit here like that..."

Li Quanfu, who was inside the house, blushed and muttered as he walked out of the house.

The Li family's courtyard was even more lively on this day than during the Lunar New Year.

……

In the west wing, because the adults needed to discuss some matters, they sent Xu Zhuzhu and Xu An to keep Li Quanfu's son company.

Xu Zhuzhu slapped her forehead, unable to remember what the little boy's name was. She simply called him Brother Li.

It was only after his brother Xu An had a friendly conversation with the boy that he learned the boy's name was Li Xiaomo.

Xu Zhuzhu laughed and said, "It must be because Brother Li is too noisy that Uncle Quanfu chose this name."

Li Xiaomo was a lively and mischievous person who could take a joke, so she laughed along. "It's the 'Mo' in ink. My dad wanted me to study a lot, so he had my uncle give me this name. I even have a courtesy name!"

Xu An was puzzled. His father had said that he would only be given a courtesy name after he came of age, and Li Xiaomo was only four years older than him. Why was he being given a courtesy name now?

He then asked a question out of confusion.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiaomo puffed out his chest, very proud: "It was the teacher at the school who gave me this name. He said that my courtesy name would be Bangxiang, which is from a poem and represents Liu Bang and Xiang Yu. They are very important people, and everyone at the school envies me."

Every character has a meaning, but the meaning of this character is someone else's name, and why is it two people's names? Xu An had never heard his father mention choosing characters this way, which made him even more puzzled.

Xu Zhuzhu didn't understand either. She wasn't very interested in these things, and she had no interest in poetry and songs. She could remember some of the poems from her previous life, but so much time had passed that she could no longer remember them all because the first line was jumbled up.

Out of curiosity, she ran over and asked her father.

Her father was talking to Li Quanfu.

It just so happens that Li Quanfu also knew about this, so he asked Xu Wenjie about it as well.

Xu Wenjie frowned afterward, without saying which poem it was, only that the teacher at the school was joking, and warned Li Xiaomo not to use that character anymore, saying that there was no rush to choose a character, and it would be better to choose one after he came of age.

Seeing Xu Wenjie's solemn expression, Li Quanfu also hurriedly and seriously instructed his son, "Uncle Xu must have a reason for saying that. You must not say that your name is that again."

Li Xiaomo nodded obediently.

Xu Zhuzhu didn't understand what was going on, but if her father chose not to tell her, it must not be a good story, so she naturally didn't ask.