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Xia Zhe looked at how Qiao Mei reacted and felt both angry and helpless. He reached out and held Qiao Mei's head while saying,
You're still pregnant. Be good and go to sleep.
Qiao Mei giggled quietly in Xia Zhe's arms. It got really late after a while and the two of them gradually fell asleep.
On the other side of town, Xia He and Xia Fang returned to the Xia family residence. The moment they entered, they saw Kong Li sitting in the living room with a lot of food on the coffee table.
Xu Lan, who was sitting at the side, looked very haggard. For the entire afternoon, it was only her, Kong Li and the helper at home. Putting aside the fact that Kong Li kept calling her auntie, Kong Li also kept asking her for food and drinks.
If whatever they offered Kong Li was not deemed delicious enough, they would have to go out and buy something else. Otherwise, she would say that they treated their guests poorly and wanted to go out to publicize how the Xia family neglected their guests.
It was how she managed to hold Xu Lan under her thumb as Xu Lan was the kind of person who cared the most about reputation.
Seeing Xu Lan so haggard, Xia He went forward and said ingratiatingly,
I'll leave now, I'll take her with me now.
As soon as Xia He finished speaking, she went forward to grab Kong Li. However, Kong Li shook off Xia He's hand and said,
Where are you taking me?
She did not want to go anywhere else. She did not know that the Xia family residence was so comfortable. It was such a big house and there were servants helping out. She could have whatever she wanted, so she did not want to go anywhere else.
This is my grandfather's house. Do you think you can stay at my grandfather's house whenever you want? Hurry up and follow me,
Xia He said as she stood at the door and looked at Kong Li.
I'm not leaving! If you want to leave, you can leave on your own.
Kong Li ignored Xia He and sat on the sofa to continue eating, drinking and watching television.
Xia He was so angry that she clenched her fists and said coldly,
Are you leaving or not? If you don't leave, I'm going to ask your brother to come back.
Xia He did not want to get angry with the Kong family and had not quarreled with any of them for a long time. She had been maintaining a nice attitude in front of them.
Kong Li could also tell that Xia He had reached the limit of her patience. She pouted and packed her things before following behind Xia He.
Kong Li used to live in the countryside, in a house with two small rooms and a small courtyard. Later on, she moved to the city to live in Kong Lu's new house. It was the Xia family who had paid for Kong Lu's spacious new house with four rooms and two living rooms.
Yet, it was definitely not comparable with Xia Jun's villa which was a luxurious place with three floors. Now, they were headed for Xia Fang's house. Xia Fang's house had three rooms and a living room. The room that was kept for Xia Zhe to sleep in was not open to outsiders. There was still another small bedroom for Kong Li to sleep in while Xia He stayed with Xia Fang.
As soon as they entered, Kong Li looked around Xia Fang's house and sized it up. For an ordinary family, such a house was already considered the best, but in Kong Li's eyes, it was just a lousy house.
What kind of lousy house is this? It's so small,
Kong Li said disdainfully.
It's already good enough that you have a place to stay, yet you're still so picky. If you continue being so picky, you can go out and find a place yourself,
Xia He said impatiently.
What Kong Li did today had already embarrassed her within the Xia family. She could no longer be bothered to talk to Kong Li in a nice manner.
Kong Li went into the guest room. Xia He and Xia Fang chatted through the night, and Xia He reminded Xia Fang to lock the cabinet doors and drawers at home. Otherwise, things would really go missing.
The next morning, Xia Zhe got up early to tidy up the courtyard. He had finished arranging all the furniture in the house yesterday, but had not tidied the vegetable garden in the backyard yet.
He borrowed a few bricks from the neighbors and placed them around the vegetable garden to demarcate the different areas, making it look much more orderly. He then plowed the old soil and picked up all the broken stones.
When Xia Zhe was done, Qiao Mei was still sleeping on the bed without any signs of wanting to get up.
Xia Zhe picked up a piece of foxtail by the roadside and sat by the bed to tickle Qiao Mei's nose with it.
Qiao Mei seemed to feel some discomfort with her nose in her sleep. She frowned and reached out to rub it before turning her body to the other side. Xia Zhe smiled quietly and started to use the furry part of the foxtail to tickle Qiao Mei's nose again.
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Qiao Mei could not help but sneeze. She opened her eyes in a daze and saw a green furry thing in front of her. She thought it was a bug and screamed in fear.
Ah, caterpillar!
Qiao Mei covered her face with her hand and said as she backed away.
Xia Zhe threw the foxtail aside and hugged Qiao Mei gently.
Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. It's just a foxtail, don't be afraid.
When Qiao Mei heard that it was Xia Zhe teasing her, she clenched her fists and hit him on his back.
You scare me so early in the morning!
Qiao Mei said with tears in her eyes.
It's my fault, it's my fault. I won't do it again.
Xia Zhe was at a loss when he saw Qiao Mei crying. He wiped her tears and covered her with the blanket.
Qiao Mei did not know what was wrong with her. She never used to cry, but ever since she got pregnant and when Xia Zhe was by her side, she felt like crying whenever she felt aggrieved.
Perhaps it was because her emotions kept fluctuating after she got pregnant and Xia Zhe had always indulged her and spoiled her too much.
Then don't do this again next time,
Qiao Mei said as she sobbed.
Xia Zhe nodded and tried to redeem himself by saying,
I got up early this morning to tidy up the vegetable garden you wanted. I didn't know what you wanted to plant though, so I haven't gone to buy any seeds.
Vegetable garden? Planting? What was he talking about?
Qiao Mei had just woken up and felt a little puzzled. Why did Xia Zhe suddenly mention a vegetable garden?
What vegetable garden? Where did that come from?
Qiao Mei asked in puzzlement.
Did you become forgetful after getting pregnant? You were the one who told me yesterday that you thought the backyard looked quite nice and wanted to have a vegetable garden there,
Xia Zhe said.
Ah.
Qiao Mei's memories gradually returned and she recalled what happened yesterday.
How is it, do you feel better now?
Xia Zhe asked.
I'm awake now. Let's go take a look at what we can plant in the backyard.
Qiao Mei got dressed and followed Xia Zhe to the backyard.
The yard looked quite big. It was definitely more than enough to grow vegetables. They could also have fruit trees or something similar. Then they would not have to go out to buy fruits in the future.
However, Qiao Mei did not plan to stay in this house for too long. She still wanted to return to the village to stay for a while before returning to the capital with her grandfather when he was ready.
Let's go and buy the seeds to grow some potatoes, sweet potatoes and corn,
Qiao Mei said.
It was easy to grow these things. All they had to do was to sow the seeds and let them grow. Moreover, these things did not require much care.
After they bought the seeds and planted them, Qiao Mei wanted to try her hand at making desserts. At this moment, Zhou Sheng came to visit again.
I saw the two of you going out to buy things early in the morning. Where did you go?
Zhou Sheng came in and said with a grin.
Grandpa Zhou, you're here. I thought that the vegetable garden in the backyard was too empty and wanted to plant some vegetables,
Qiao Mei said.
It's such a big yard. It would be exhausting if you grow too many plants,
Zhou Sheng said.
Most of the neighbors in the vicinity had the same house layout, so they all knew what it looked like.
That's so true. That's why I'm also thinking whether it's better to plant fruit trees or something,
Qiao Mei said seriously.
In the past, your family had plum trees. Those plum trees grew tall and big, and the flowers that bloomed every winter were especially beautiful. The neighbors in the vicinity all came to this house to get some plum branches to plant in their own homes,
Zhou Sheng said.
Looking at Grandpa Zhou's dazed expression, it appeared that he was thinking of their grandmother again. It looked like he was not missing the plum blossoms, but the person who planted them.
Alright, let's grow a plum tree then. There will be flowers blooming again during winter in the future,
Xia Zhe said.
Good, good, good. When I'm free later, I'll take a few branches off my plum tree and plant them for your family,
Zhou Sheng said with a smile.
Thank you, Grandpa Zhou,
Qiao Mei said with a sweet smile.
Zhou Sheng felt very happy to see Qiao Mei. Who would not like such a smart and capable girl? This must be a blessing that Xia Zhe had accumulated from his previous life.
Chapter 283
I heard that you had made an exchange for the two sections of your backyard from the Cao family,
Zhou Sheng asked.
Xia Zhe nodded and said,
Qiao Mei was the one who did it.
This young girl is quite capable. She actually managed to get the entire house back. This has always been your grandmother's wish and now it has finally come true,
Zhou Sheng said emotionally.
It's true. If not for Qiao Mei, I don't know when we will be able to get that part of the house back,
Xia Zhe said with a smile as he looked at Qiao Mei, who was busy in the kitchen.
Kid, you're so lucky. You have to treat this girl well and not do anything to let her down. You must dote on her,
Zhou Sheng said sternly.
Yes I know, Grandpa Zhou. I will definitely treat Qiao Mei well,
Xia Zhe said.
At this moment, Qiao Mei brought out a plate of low-sugar cake for Zhou Sheng.
Grandpa Zhou, try this. I'm worried that it's not good for your health to eat too much sugar at your age. There's no sugar in this. Try it and see if it tastes good,
Qiao Mei said.
Qiao Mei looked at Zhou Sheng expectantly. This was her first time making low-sugar cake. Zhou Sheng took one piece and tasted it. It was indeed not sweet, but had a nice milky fragrance.
Zhou Sheng nodded and said,
It's really delicious, and it's not sweet either. It's so fluffy and soft. Mei Mei, you're really capable!
After saying that, Zhou Sheng was about to pick up the second piece when he realized that half of the plate was already empty. Xia Zhe had been quietly helping himself to the cakes.
I say, you're already an adult, yet you're snatching food from an old man like me!
Zhou Sheng looked at Xia Zhe and said angrily.
Xia Zhe was stunned by the outburst. He just felt that the cake was very delicious and could not resist the temptation. He did not realize that he had wolfed down so many of them.
Hahahahahaha. Don't worry, Grandpa Zhou. I'll make some more for you so that you'll be able to keep some at home. Whenever you're hungry after going out, you'll have something to munch on,
Qiao Mei said.
Good, good, good. Thank you for the hard work, Mei Mei,
Zhou Sheng said.
Not at all,
Qiao Mei said with a smile.
By the way, you must take note of the Cao family's movements in the coming days,
Zhou Sheng whispered.
The Cao family's movements?
Qiao Mei looked at Zhou Sheng in confusion and then turned to look at Xia Zhe, but Xia Zhe was equally confused.
In the past, your grandmother's father was a famous gambler in the capital. Although your grandmother's ancestors were very rich, your grandmother's father was quite the prodigal son,
Zhou Sheng said.
Xia Zhe did not know anything about these things. His grandmother never mentioned anything about the past. Even if she happened to mention something, she never elaborated and would move on to something else.
After all, being born into a noble family was not something glorious at that time. Back in those days, his grandparents only managed to cover up this background due to their countless contributions to the country.
Your grandmother's grandfather was a very capable man. He was a businessman and had a lot of money, to say the least. However, when it came to your grandmother's father, he was not that capable. He liked to go around buying antiques and got cheated at some point in time,
Zhou Sheng said.
Xia Zhe did not care much about money, as he saw money as just a worldly possession. However, when Qiao Mei heard this, her eyes lit up.
Young girl, did you think of something?
Zhou Sheng smiled at Qiao Mei.
You said that grandmother's father is a prodigal son. Then where did all the antiques go? Since he had both real and fake ones, there must have been some real ones around, right?
Qiao Mei voiced her thoughts.
Hahaha, you're indeed smart.
Zhou Sheng laughed heartily.
Qiao Mei's quick-wittedness reminded him of Xia Zhe's grandmother, Wu Min. Moreover, she was also beautiful and capable. Compared with Xia Zhe's grandmother, she was not inferior in any aspects.
You're right, he had real antiques. After he died, he split all these things into two sets, giving one set to your granduncle and the other set to your grandmother. But one day, when I visited your grandmother, I realized that everything had disappeared,
Zhou Sheng said.
It was not just the decorative ornaments which had disappeared, even the furniture was gone.
When he asked Xia Zhe's grandmother what had happened, she only said that her children were sick and she had exchanged all the items for money so that she could seek medical treatment for the children.
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However, Xia Mao was at home at that time and he was not sick at all. He was only asked not to go out of the house.
At that time, it was very chaotic in the capital, so it was likely that she did not tell Zhou Sheng the truth. He thought that if the things were not really sold away, then it meant that they were all hidden away.
When you're able to do so, you can check if there are any of them hidden within the entire house. If there are none, then it would mean that she really sold those items back then,
Zhou Sheng sighed and said.
Antiques! Treasures!
Qiao Mei did not pay any attention to what Zhou Sheng said after that. She felt that those things must have been hidden under this house.
You both need to be careful too. Don't let others know that you know all this,
Zhou Sheng reminded them carefully.
He did not know if it was a good thing for him to do this. After all, although it was not as strict now as in the past, it would still be considered a very serious crime if someone found out and reported it.
If that happened, it would not just be Xia Zhe's career at stake. His entire family might even need to go to jail for it.
Sigh, maybe I shouldn't have told you.
Zhou Sheng began to regret what he did.
What? I didn't hear anything. Wasn't Grandpa Zhou telling us that this cake is delicious? I don't know anything,
Qiao Mei said as she blinked her big bright eyes.
Xia Zhe looked at Qiao Mei and smiled. He turned to Zhou Sheng and said,
That's right, we didn't hear anything. If those things are there, let them stay there. If there's nothing, then it's a relief for us.
Zhou Sheng looked at Xia Zhe and then at Qiao Mei. He thought that these two kids were really good kids and it set his mind at ease.
Now, Zhou Sheng could understand why Wu Min did not give this house to anyone else back then, even when people said that she was biased. She did not even give it to her own son, but chose to give it to her precious grandson instead.
Xia Zhe was the kind of person who could give up a mountain of treasures. He had so far remained unmoved by such a huge temptation. No other person in the Xia family would be like him.
You're good kids, I'm relieved to see you like this. Even if I die, at least I didn't let your grandmother down,
Zhou Sheng said with a smile.
Pfft, pfft, pfft. What are you talking about, Grandpa Zhou? You still have to bring our baby out for walks in the park!
Qiao Mei hurriedly spat three times on the ground.
Old people often said that if someone said something inauspicious, one must spit three times on the ground and pretend that nothing had been said.
Zhou Sheng then took out a brocade box from his pocket.
This was passed down from my ancestors. It's one of the pocket watches that they had received as tributes. There were three in total and I inherited this one,
Zhou Sheng said.
The gold pocket watch shone brightly in the brocade box. Although it no longer had the luster of a brand new item, it had aged really well.
It was self-evident who this ancestor might be. He must also be from a very prominent family. However, Qiao Mei felt that the gift was too precious for her to accept.
Grandpa Zhou, this item is really too valuable. You should take it back,
Qiao Mei said to Zhou Sheng as she closed the brocade box.
Zhou Sheng smiled and shook his head. He said emotionally,
I'm already so old and I don't have any children. I like Xiao Zhe and treat him like my own grandson, so you're like my granddaughter-in-law. Consider this watch to be a token from me. You just have to take care of it well.
Qiao Mei glanced at Xia Zhe as she could not make up her mind. Xia Zhe smiled and nodded.
Since it is a token from Grandpa Zhou, just accept it.
Qiao Mei took the brocade box with both hands and said,
Thank you, Grandpa Zhou. I'll definitely take good care of it. When the time comes, I'll pass this box to my child.
Good, good, good. That's good to know.
Hearing that Qiao Mei treasured this pocket watch so much, Zhou Sheng felt very happy and satisfied.
Zhou Sheng slowly stood up and walked out of the door, taking with him the remaining cakes as well as his bird cage.
Grandpa Zhou, remember to come for dinner tonight!
Qiao Mei said.
Alright!
Zhou Sheng left after saying that.
Qiao Mei looked at the pocket watch in her hand and felt very happy. She thought that Grandpa Zhou was such a nice person.
After putting away the brocade box, Qiao Mei looked at Xia Zhe eagerly and he could not help but smile at how she looked.
Why? Are you thinking about the treasures Grandpa Zhou mentioned?
Xia Zhe said.
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Qiao Mei knew that Xia Zhe already understood what she wanted.
Let's just pretend that we don't know about those things. If we find them now, it will only attract unwanted attention. Besides, the Cao family might also be eyeing them,
Xia Zhe said after some thought.
Qiao Mei felt listless when she heard that, but after a while, she also thought that what Xia Zhe said made sense. After all, there was only a wall between them and the Cao family. It would not be a good thing for the Cao family to hear the sounds of them knocking the ground and digging into the earth. No one knew what would happen if any valuable items were found in the yard.
Alright, don't be sad. Come, let's go and deliver wedding candy to the neighbors,
Xia Zhe said as he held Qiao Mei's hand.
Qiao Mei nodded and went back to the room to change into a dark blue maternity dress. Yesterday, they had gone back to have a discussion with the Xia family. Since they had already held a banquet at Qiao Mei's hometown earlier, they did not plan to hold another one here.
It was also a time of exceptional circumstances now, so they did not dare to make a big deal of the occasion. Qiao Mei even had to think twice even though she really wanted to wear red. Although every woman would want to have a nice wedding, Qiao Mei found herself liking the Xia family's prudent attitude.
After all, during such turbulent times, it was very rare for a family to be able to make steady progress within the last ten years.
After dressing up nicely, Xia Zhe and Qiao Mei went knocking on the neighbors' doors one by one to deliver the wedding candies, peanuts and melon seeds in a simple manner. They did this to inform the neighbors that they were already married.
The Xia family had a harmonious past few days, but it was different with the Cao family.
After the Cao family received the ginseng, the first thing they did was not to start moving out. Instead, they immediately took the ginseng and visited another very famous old Chinese doctor in the capital. They wanted to check if this ginseng was as good as what others said.
The old Chinese doctor examined the ginseng and said in surprise,
How did you manage to get this wild ginseng? This ginseng is simply fantastic!
Cao Da remained silent, not knowing where to start. The more people who knew about this matter, the more dangerous the situation would be.
Is there really no problem with this ginseng?
The Cao family's eldest daughter-in-law tried to change the topic.
There's no problem with this ginseng. Just tell me the price. I want to have it,
said the old Chinese doctor as he looked at the couple from the Cao family.
That won't do. We still have a use for this,
Cao Da said.
He knew that the old Chinese doctor's backer was the He family. If the doctor took this ginseng, he would definitely give it to the He family as a gift. The Cao family's real intention was to give it to the He family themselves.
We would like to give this ginseng to the third master of the He family, He Ning. Would it be convenient for you to introduce us?
said the Cao family's eldest daughter-in-law.
When the old Chinese doctor heard this, he immediately understood what they wanted. This old Chinese doctor was He Ning's personal doctor and helped to take care of his health.
There were three sons in the He family. The eldest son was He Guo, whose daughter was He Mei. The second son had died of illness when he was young. The third son of the He family was He Ning, who was also the largest shareholder in the family business. However, as the old saying went, the great had great hardship to contend with. Although He Ning was still young, he had been seriously ill for a long time.
It was difficult for the He family to have more children, so He Mei was currently the only heir to the He family fortune.
Alright, then come with me,
the old Chinese doctor said.
The old Chinese doctor brought the couple from the Cao family to the third master, He Ning's house. It was a villa with a medium-sized garden that was located in the suburbs.
They drove from the city to the suburbs and it was already dark when they reached. The area was so far that it was not even serviced by public buses, and the surrounding areas had always been occupied by businesses dealing in flowers, plants and fruits. It was a vast area with very few people and surrounded by farmland, so it was very quiet and the air quality was very good.
This was the best location for someone who was recuperating from illness.
The old Chinese doctor brought the couple from the Cao family to He Ning's house. As soon as he opened the door, they could smell the strong scent of Chinese medicine mixed with the smell of medicinal cuisine.
The moment Cao Da entered, he saw He Ning sitting at the dining table and looking at four medicinal dishes without even lifting his chopsticks.
Mr. He, this medicinal cuisine is good for your body. You should eat it,
said the old Chinese doctor.
The medicine concoctions you prescribed are too bitter. How am I supposed to eat this?
He Ning complained.
You must have heard of the saying that good medicine tastes bitter.
The old Chinese doctor tried to lighten the mood.
He Ning did not say anything. He knew that the old Chinese doctor was truly very skilled.
Chapter 286
He Ning could feel his health getting better after eating these medicinal dishes, but he also thought that the food really tasted very bad and found it difficult to swallow.
She's already the best cook specializing in medicinal cuisine in my family. If you're not satisfied with her skills, who else can you find?
The old Chinese doctor looked at He Ning helplessly.
The family of the old Chinese doctor had been in the same line for generations. Most of his relatives and friends also did work that was related to Chinese medicine. In this instance, He Ning's current cook was the old Chinese doctor's cousin.
This cousin's family was very good at making medicinal cuisine. His cousin was the best cook among all of them and was well known for her skills in the capital. There were many people who wanted to invite her to their house to make medicinal cuisine, but she turned them down.
But it really doesn't taste nice.
As He Ning spoke, he saw the couple from the Cao family behind the old Chinese doctor.
Isn't… isn't this Director Cao? How did you find time to come to my humble house, please come in and take a seat,
He Ning said with a smile.
He had only seen Cao Da once and they did not even speak that time. He only saw Cao Da from afar that time, but it was enough for him to remember Cao Da's face. He Ning had a photographic memory since he was young.
We! We are… we are not… we are…
Cao Da stammered, not knowing what to say.
He Ning continued smiling. He knew that people would not visit unless they needed something. Furthermore, given that the old Chinese doctor had brought them, they must be useful to him.
The old Chinese doctor went forward and slowly opened the cloth bag. As soon as the bag was opened, He Ning had a whiff of an extremely strong smell.
Yes! The smell is so strong. It must be top-grade.
He Ning's eyes lit up.
Although He Ning had never studied medicine, he had learned a lot from taking medicine for so many years and had some basic medical knowledge.
The old Chinese doctor whispered to He Ning,
The medicinal value of this ginseng cannot be compared to those available in the market. This 100-year-old ginseng can let you live for another 15 years.
Another 15 years! That was not a small number.
He Ning was currently being kept alive by all kinds of valuable herbs. If not for these herbs, he would have died long ago. It would be great news for him if this ginseng could allow him to live for another 15 years.
The couple from the Cao family stood rooted to the ground in a daze. They did not know what the old Chinese doctor and Xia Ning were talking about and did not dare to go forward to listen.
He Ning nodded in the end. The old Chinese doctor understood what he meant.
This is what Director Cao wants to give you. You can talk about other matters. I'm going to prepare the medicine.
The old Chinese doctor looked towards the couple from the Cao family before heading to the small pharmacy in the next room to brew the medicine.
Ever since He Ning fell ill, the guest bedroom on the first floor had been renovated into a small pharmacy. It was filled with priceless medicinal herbs that the old Chinese doctor used to prepare concoctions.
Seeing that He Ning had accepted the ginseng, Cao Da felt at ease. It seemed that this matter was settled.
He Ning had been ill since he was young and he was congenitally deficient. This illness had haunted him for his entire life. The He family had all kinds of medicinal herbs, but the medicinal value of ginseng was determined by its quality. There were not many ginsengs of good quality around, let alone good quality wild ginseng.
He thought that it was heaven's will that he could come into possession of this wild ginseng. It was the heavens that were allowing him to live a few more years.
In the past two years, He Ning's health had been deteriorating and he could only stay at home to recuperate. The He family's businesses were all handed over to the eldest son of the He family, He Guo. However, the one who really had the right to make decisions was still He Ning.
You've done me a favor, so now I'll do you a favor as well. Tell me what you want,
He Ning asked calmly, the fake smile gone from his face.
Cao Da looked at He Ning nervously. He had heard rumors about He Ning, but he did not expect himself to be so afraid of He Ning even though there were no emotions on He Ning's face.
He had originally wanted to ask for something sky-high in exchange for this 100-year-old wild ginseng, but when he looked at He Ning's face, he found himself unable to say a single word.
What do you want? You have no desires?
He Ning asked with a frown.
The Cao family's eldest daughter-in-law hurriedly gave the stunned Cao Da a push and said,
Speak quickly!
Cao Da came back to his senses and he hurriedly took two steps forward and looked at He Ning.
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I want to hold on to my current position. It's best if I can keep this position until I retire!
Cao Da said agitatedly.
Until retirement? At Cao Da's age, there was more than 30 years to go before he needed to retire.
Until retirement?
He Ning glanced at Cao Da uncertainly.
Putting aside whether He Ning had the ability to help him keep his position for more than 30 years, using a 100-year-old wild ginseng to exchange for riches for the rest of his life was really asking too much.
No, no, no. A few years is also good enough,
Cao Da immediately corrected himself when he saw He Ning's expression.
Standing at one side, the Cao family's daughter-in-law sweated profusely. She had never seen someone like He Ning, who exuded a sense of authority even while sitting there motionlessly.
Sure,
He Ning said nonchalantly.
In the coming days, there were going to be big changes at the top. Cao Da was the kind of person who was dispensable so it would not be difficult to protect him.
Thank you, Third Master He! Thank you, Third Master He!
Cao Da said excitedly.
He Ning just sat there quietly without any expression and ignored Cao Da.
Then shall we take our leave now?
Cao Da said.
Wait, where did you get this ginseng?
He Ning asked.
Cao Da was stunned for a moment and did not answer the question. He wanted to keep the source of the ginseng to himself so that he could keep asking He Ning for favors and getting the He family to help the Cao family.
Is it from a dirty source?
He Ning said slowly.
Cao Da was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat. He turned around and said respectfully,
Xia Zhe from the Xia family brought this to us. He used this ginseng to exchange for our house.
When did the Xia family have such a treasure? Besides, shouldn't such a thing be given to that old man Xia Jun to keep in case of emergencies? Why would they use such a treasure to exchange for a house?
Xia Zhe gave it to you?
He Ning asked.
Yes, he gave it to us. He said that his wife dug this ginseng out at her village,
the Cao family's eldest daughter-in-law added.
His wife? Xia Zhe is married?
He Ning was very surprised by this news.
He had been living in this house for more than three months, focusing on his health and not bothering about the outside world. He Mei had always been very concerned about Xia Zhe's affairs. It was too strange that she did not react to Xia Zhe's marriage.
He's married, probably for more than three months. From the looks of it, his wife is pregnant,
said the Cao family's eldest daughter-in-law.
He had originally thought that the He family and the Xia family would have a better future together if they had a marriage alliance. He did not expect this future to have disappeared.
Alright, I understand. You can leave now,
He Ning said with a frown.
After the Cao family members left, He Ning thought for a long time before calling his eldest brother, He Guo.
I've just sent people to investigate this matter. It's very likely that the marriage happened because the woman lied to Xia Zhe.
He Guo told He Ning about all his speculations.
Although He Ning was not able to investigate these things personally, he believed in his eldest brother's capability. Given that such things were usually not groundless, he wanted to let these speculations ferment and become something real.
He Ning already had a plan in mind.
Leave this matter to me. When you have all the information, organize everything and send it to my house. I'll make the necessary arrangements after that,
He Ning said.
Sure, sure, sure. It's best if you are able to handle this matter,
He Guo said happily.
The main thing was that He Ning succeeded at everything he did. He Guo just needed to wait quietly to become Xia Zhe's father-in-law. When the time came, all the Xia family's possessions would belong to him.
I hope He Mei did not cause any more trouble recently,
He Ning asked.
She has been very well-behaved recently and has not gone there to cause trouble,
He Guo said after some thought.
That's good. Let her stay at home for the time being. When this matter is settled, she can do whatever she wants.
He Ning hung up after that.
At this juncture, he could not let He Mei ruin the big plan. Otherwise, if this matter failed, he would need to think of other ways to salvage the situation.
288
As dusk fell, Qiao Mei and Xia Zhe finished sending the wedding candies to the last few families and headed home.
Sigh, it's been such a tiring day,
Qiao Mei said as she massaged her sore shoulders.
Xia Zhe was also feeling very tired. They visited about 20 families along the streets and alleys today. Not only did they have to send wedding candies to every family, but people from each family would also hold them back to chat for a while. They wasted a lot of time doing that.
You must be exhausted. I'll go boil some water for you to take a bath. You can go to bed once you're done,
Xia Zhe said.
Qiao Mei nodded listlessly and sat on the rocking chair by the door as it swayed gently.
She had not rested long before she suddenly heard a strange sound.
What's that sound?
Qiao Mei looked around the room curiously.
It was a strange sound. Although this house had been around for a long time, it was not in a bad condition or in any danger of collapsing. Even if there were rats gnawing on the wooden beams, it would not make a sound like that.
Qiao Mei walked into the house slowly and checked the rooms one by one. The sound was sometimes distant and sometimes close, and it was most obvious at the wall near the yard next door.
Qiao Mei quietly brought over a stool and stood on it, looking through the small window to see what the Cao family was doing.
The Cao family did not notice Qiao Mei. They were focused on searching for something.
They had even removed the bricks in the yard. Logically speaking, if they wanted to move, they could have just moved their items away. Why did they have to remove the bricks from the ground?
Qiao Mei felt that what Grandpa Zhou said made sense. The Cao family also seemed to know that Xia Zhe's grandmother might have hidden something underground back then.
Not long after, the sound stopped. It seemed that the Cao family was intent on searching through their entire house. Judging from the mess outside the house, they seemed to have started removing the floor tiles inside.
Qiao Mei took a closer look and found nothing useful in the Cao family's yard. There were no plants around, even the weeds on the ground had been pulled out by the Cao family.
This Cao family won't stop until they have searched the entire house,
Qiao Mei muttered to herself.
Qiao Mei returned to the room and took out the remaining vine seeds from her backpack. These seeds were from the same batch as the ones she used when she saved Xia Zhe. They had become useful again at this moment.
Qiao Mei returned to the wall in the back room and stood on the small stool. Through the small window, she gently scattered the vine seeds into the Cao family's yard.
Little vines, it's up to you now!
Qiao Mei said and used her energy to stimulate the vines to grow.
At this moment, Qiao Mei's energy was already connected to the vines.
Ever since Qiao Mei obtained the other bangle, she felt that her energy was even purer than before. She could even attach her energy to plants.
The vines gradually penetrated deep into the ground of the Cao family residence. Now, she was able to share what the plants heard and saw.
She was still not very familiar with this new ability, so she could not hear very clearly. However, she could roughly make out what was going on from the intermittent voices.
Brother, is what you said true?
asked the Cao family's second son.
I'm not sure about it either. This is what our father said at that time,
Cao Da whispered to his younger brother.
Then why didn't you say so earlier? We could have searched in any manner we wanted when the Xia family members were away. Now, we can only do the search secretly. It would be bad if what we're doing gets discovered,
complained the Cao family's second daughter-in-law.
Sister-in-law, you're being unreasonable. If we had said this earlier, wouldn't you have demolished this house long ago? Would we still have a chance to live here until now?
said the Cao family's eldest daughter-in-law.
Sister-in-law, you've misunderstood me. When did I say that I wanted these things? If the Old Master had wanted to give them to me, I'll take them. If not, I won't force it,
the Cao family's second daughter-in-law said mockingly.
The Cao family had two sons. The second son was a businessman and had a small business selling fruits and vegetables.
The eldest son of the Cao family was the only one in the extended family who was a government official. Their relatives and friends usually ignored the second son and only paid attention to him. This caused the second daughter-in-law of the Cao family to be mocked and looked down upon from the moment she married into the family.
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It was usual for the Cao family's eldest daughter-in-law to act like a tyrant and order the second daughter-in-law around like she was the maidservant.
Previously, the Cao family's eldest son lived in the front part of the house while the second son lived in the back part. However, the Cao family's eldest daughter-in-law disagreed with the arrangement and went to make a scene in front of Old Master Cao.
She wept and complained about how good her family was to the old man and how they gave him the best things and the nicest food. Yet, they were not rewarded for their efforts and only had a room to stay in.
When the neighbors heard this, they also said that the Cao family's second son and his family were insensible and ungenerous. In the end, all the gossip made the Cao family's second son and second daughter-in-law decide to move out and live on their own.
The two of you stop arguing. Hurry up and carry on with the digging,
Cao Da said angrily.
They had been digging for two days, but they did not manage to find anything in the courtyard. By right, if there was really anything, they would have dug it out long ago. However, even after tearing through the entire house, they still could not find anything.
Could it be in a corner? If I wanted to hide something, I would definitely put it in a corner and not anywhere else,
said the Cao family's second daughter-in-law.
When everyone heard this, they thought she made sense and they all stopped what they were doing. They decided to dig at the corners of the house instead.
Hey, big brother, how do we split it if we dig up something?
said the Cao family's second daughter-in-law as she looked at Cao Da.
This…
Cao Da looked at the Cao family's second daughter-in-law, not knowing what to say.
There were only four people in his own family. Other than him and his wife, he also had two sons. The two sons were very young and were unable to help with the digging, so he had no choice but to ask his second brother for help. He did not expect his second brother to be interested in these things as well.
Big brother, let's be fair about it. We're all children of the Cao family. Whoever digs up something in this courtyard will get ownership of it,
said the Cao family's second daughter-in-law.
In any case, it was possible that the Cao family's eldest daughter-in-law would take it away even if it was someone from the other family who dug it out. It would be better to leave it to fate.
Alright, we'll take your idea. I'll go dig in the east corner and you'll dig in the west. Whoever finds something will get ownership of it,
Cao Da said.
Hearing what Cao Da just said, the Cao family's second daughter-in-law felt relieved and agreed with a smile. She hurriedly brought the Cao family's second son to the west side and started digging fervently.
By now, Qiao Mei roughly understood what was going on and slowly pulled back the vines. It turned out that the Cao family had long known that it was highly possible that something was buried in this courtyard.
Qiao Mei also felt a little anxious at this moment. Although she did not covet these things, she did not want to let them fall into the hands of others.
Qiao Mei used her ability again to make the vines grow insanely fast underground to check if the treasure was really there.
Not long after, using the roots of the vines, Qiao Mei found a fairly large box buried very deep underground. There was also another small box buried nearby.
At this moment, the Cao family had not even managed to dig one meter deep. This box was at least at a depth of ten meters.
Qiao Mei quietly pulled the boxes even deeper underground and used excess soil to fill up the empty spaces where the boxes were originally occupying. When the Cao family eventually dug into this spot, they would only feel that the soil here was looser than the surrounding areas, but would not find anything unusual.
By the time she was done, Xia Zhe had come back from buying food. He originally wanted to cook, but after thinking about his experience a few days ago, he decided to go to the small restaurant in the alley to buy a few dishes.
After all, Qiao Mei was pregnant. If the food he made was not delicious, she might go hungry. He was worried about her not getting enough nutrition, as now was the time when she needed nutrition the most.
Xia Zhe had a lot of worries on his mind. Ever since he found out that Qiao Mei was pregnant, he had been very concerned about her safety. He was determined to take care of both her physical and mental health.
When he returned home and did not see Qiao Mei anywhere, he went into the house to search for her and found her looking around while standing on a small stool.
Xia Zhe was so frightened by the sight that he did not dare to make a sound. He was afraid that if he made any sound, he might scare Qiao Mei so much that she fell off the stool. Xia Zhe slowly approached Qiao Mei and gently wrapped his arms around her waist.
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My little ancestor, what exactly are you doing?
Xia Zhe asked Qiao Mei with a frown.
Shh!!!
Qiao Mei quickly raised her left index finger to her mouth and made a shushing gesture.
Lower your voice and listen to what the Cao family is doing,
Qiao Mei whispered as she pointed towards the house next door.
Xia Zhe pressed his ear against the wall and listened carefully for a while before saying,
They… they're demolishing the house?
I think they know grandmother's secret. Listen carefully!
Qiao Mei tiptoed on the stool and tried her best to lean her head out.
Seeing this, Xia Zhe immediately picked Qiao Mei up and sat her on his shoulder. Qiao Mei hurriedly held on to Xia Zhe's arm.
This man of hers was really amazing!
She was already very impressed by the fact that Xia Zhe could carry her up. She did not expect him to be able to sit her firmly on his shoulder.
Qiao Mei sat on Xia Zhe's shoulder and giggled. She would not exchange such a man for any amount of money.
Xia Zhe looked at Qiao Mei giggling away and wriggled his shoulders slightly, making Qiao Mei shake a few times.
Don't just play around. Hurry up and listen to what they're doing,
Xia Zhe said as he looked up at Qiao Mei.
Only then did Qiao Mei clearly see where they were digging. The bricks in the entire courtyard had already been pried up and all the furniture had long been moved away. Now, they were digging down at the corners at both the east and west sides.
Qiao Mei patted Xia Zhe on the shoulder and said,
I have seen everything. Put me down first.
Xia Zhe squatted steadily on the ground so that Qiao Mei's feet could reach the ground.
Qiao Mei jumped down from Xia Zhe's shoulder and stood beside him as she whispered,
They have already moved everything away, but the entire courtyard is already in a mess. The square bricks on the ground have all been dug up.
Xia Zhe frowned when he heard this. The old house used to have wooden floors. It seemed that this had been ongoing since Old Master Cao's time.
Come, let's go back into the house first.
Xia Zhe pulled Qiao Mei back to the bedroom.
What should we do?
Qiao Mei sat on the bed and said worriedly.
All the old houses used to have wooden floors. Given that they've already changed it to square bricks, it would appear that Old Master Cao had already been searching since the beginning. Their house has always been undergoing renovations, so it looks like they've been searching all this while,
Xia Zhe said.
Then is it possible that they have already found it?
Qiao Mei said agitatedly.
After all, the Cao family had lived here for so long. Since they had already redone the floor, they would definitely have found some clues along the way. It would have been possible that they had already found and taken away boxes which were buried at more shallow depths.
Xia Zhe shook his head and said,
I'm not too sure about this either, but it doesn't matter even if they take it. It's not a good thing for these things to be dug out.
But it's still a pity for these things to fall into their hands,
Qiao Mei said indignantly.
It would still be alright if they hand it over to the authorities after finding it, but if they keep it for themselves, the consequences will be unimaginable if they are found out. Since they want to dig around, then let them be. If they manage to dig up anything, they won't have it easy either,
Xia Zhe said gently.
Qiao Mei understood all these principles, but she still felt uncomfortable to imagine that something belonging to the Xia family had fallen into the hands of the Cao family for no reason.
Alright, let's not think about this anymore. Let's go and eat.
Xia Zhe brought Qiao Mei out to the dining room.
As soon as they entered the dining room, she could smell a nice and strong fragrance. There were three dishes and a bowl of soup on the table, and they all looked and smelled good.
You… you made these?
Qiao Mei looked at Xia Zhe curiously.
Am I that capable? I bought all these,
Xia Zhe said embarrassedly.
Even while eating, Qiao Mei continued to think about what happened just now. She could not just leave this matter alone.
Xia Zhe watched as Qiao Mei picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks and chewed on it non-stop. She stared blankly ahead, and it was obvious to him that she was still interested in those treasures.
What are you thinking about? You're not even eating.
Xia Zhe knocked on Qiao Mei's bowl lightly.
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I think that we should keep an eye on the Cao family. Although we had made an exchange for their part of the house, they definitely won't tell other people what we gave them for it. Anyway, we did not shortchange them by exchanging the ginseng for the house,
Qiao Mei said as she looked at Xia Zhe with bright eyes.
Right.
Xia Zhe nodded in response.
If they dig up something, then let's report them. In that way, I won't feel the pinch if the things get handed over to the government. They will also suffer the consequences of their actions,
Qiao Mei said.
In fact, Xia Zhe had the same plan. If the two of them started digging up their courtyard, the Cao family could also file a report that the Xia family was hiding something. Even if they had no evidence, they would still suspect that there was really something hidden underground.
So, let's just keep an eye on the Cao family over the next two days. Hurry up and eat. Otherwise, the food will get cold soon,
Xia Zhe said.
Qiao Mei nodded obediently. All she could think about was how to pull the treasure boxes deeper into the ground. She decided to check again tonight if there were any other boxes buried under the house.
After they had eaten and showered, the two of them went out to the nearby park for a walk to aid digestion. When they returned, Xia Zhe went to the back wall to check on the Cao family's movements. There was no more sound, so there was unlikely to be any more digging tonight.
How is it?
Qiao Mei asked softly.
They've probably left. There's no sound from the Cao family side,
Xia Zhe said.
That's good, that's good,
Qiao Mei said as she patted her chest.
As it was already late, the two of them lay down on the bed. Xia Zhe used the excuse of providing the baby with antenatal education to touch Qiao Mei everywhere.
Don't mess around,
Qiao Mei said as she slapped Xia Zhe's hands away.
After a while, Xia Zhe's hands started moving again. Qiao Mei closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. It was not as if Xia Zhe had not seen Qiao Mei sleeping before and he could tell if she was really sleeping.
Xia Zhe smiled affectionately and just hugged Qiao Mei as he rested. Qiao Mei gradually fell asleep and completely forgot about her earlier plans to move the treasure boxes.
The next day, Qiao Mei woke up before dawn. It could be that she was too tired yesterday and did not really sleep well.
How muddleheaded of me, how could I have forgotten about this!
Qiao Mei said in frustration.
Qiao Mei quietly put on a thin coat and went to the same spot she was at yesterday. She first checked if there was anyone from the Cao family around. When she was sure there was no one around, she secretly sent energy to the vines.
Golden energy surrounded the vines. Before long, Qiao Mei's consciousness was connected to the vines. After checking the location where she had placed the treasure boxes yesterday and making sure that they were still intact, she continued to pull the treasure boxes even deeper underground.
By now, the treasure boxes were already 30 meters underground. At such a depth, the Cao family would definitely not be able to discover them.
Hmph, let's see how you can find the treasure boxes,
Qiao Mei said, feeling pleased with herself.
After finishing what she needed to do, the sky was not even completely bright yet. Qiao Mei crept back to the bed to sleep for a while more.
The Cao family still had to go to work during the day and could only come back to dig at night. After digging for a while, they had to return everything to its original state. Otherwise, if any neighbors passing by saw them, they would think that their house was raided and this would invite gossip.
This affected the speed and efficiency of their digging and they would not be able to find the treasure boxes even if they dug until the day when they had to move out.
By the time the sun rose, Xia Zhe woke up. He turned around and saw that Qiao Mei was still sleeping soundly. He smiled and stroked her head before gently kissing her forehead.
Time to get up. We still have to go to Aunt's house today.
Xia Zhe woke Qiao Mei up gently.
After being back for so many days, Xia Zhe had yet to formally pay his aunt a visit at her house. Although he had already met with her, it was still more proper etiquette-wise to formally pay her a visit.
Hmm… I don't want to get up… Let me sleep for a while more…
Qiao Mei turned over and curled up against the wall.
If you still don't get up, we won't be able to go to Aunt's house,
Xia Zhe said to Qiao Mei threateningly.
However, they did not expect Xia He and Xia Fang to come in just as they were about to get ready and leave the house.
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Elder sister and Aunt? Why are you here? We are just about to go and look for you,
Qiao Mei said in surprise.
At this moment, Xia He looked troubled. Xia Fang did not think much of it, but Xia He felt very apologetic towards both Qiao Mei and her aunt.
Qiao Mei, I want to apologize to you,
Xia He said sincerely as she looked into Qiao Mei's eyes.
What's wrong, elder sister?
Qiao Mei was puzzled to hear that.
Xia Zhe looked at Xia He. He knew that Xia He would not take the initiative to reach out unless it was something very important.
Come, elder sister. Come in and talk.
Qiao Mei pulled Xia He into the house.
Xia Zhe looked at his aunt as they followed behind and asked,
What happened?
Xia Fang shook her head helplessly and said,
It's Xia He's sister-in-law. She had caused some trouble.
You've both come over so early in the morning, have you had breakfast?
Xia Zhe asked.
We haven't eaten yet. Xiao He and I came out at dawn,
Xia Fang said.
We haven't eaten either. Let's go out and buy some food and let the two of them talk.
After saying that, Xia Zhe and Xia Fang went out to buy breakfast from a nearby shop, and also to visit Zhou Sheng.
Inside the house, Qiao Mei brought Xia He into the main hall to talk and served her a cup of tea.
Elder sister, don't be anxious. Have some tea first. What happened?
Qiao Mei asked.
Xia He had not eaten or drank anything yet since waking up very early in the morning. She quickly took a sip of tea and then took out 2,000 dollars from her pocket.
Sister-in-law, I'm so sorry. I know that the set of jewelry you bought for Aunt costs 2,000 dollars,
Xia He said.
Yes, it's 2,000 dollars. But elder sister, what is the money for?
Qiao Mei looked at Xia He and felt at a loss.
It's like this. Kong Li has taken that set of jewelry and I'm unable to remove what she had already worn, so I have no choice. Take it that I have bought over this set of jewelry and I'm compensating you for it.
Xia He pushed the money towards Qiao Mei.
That night, Xia He had repeatedly reminded Xia Fang to lock all the drawers and cabinet doors in the house, but she was still a step too late.
The next morning, Xia He woke up to find Kong Li wearing Xia Fang's jewelry and admiring herself in the bedroom. She could not take the jewelry off Kong Li no matter how hard she tried. Whenever she tried, Kong Li would kick up a big fuss. Even though both she and Xia Fang tried, the two of them could not win against Kong Li, so she had no choice but to come and apologize to Qiao Mei.
She slapped you, didn't she?
Qiao Mei asked with a frown.
Although the marks on Xia He's face had mostly disappeared, it was still obvious that the left and right sides of her face looked different. It was obvious that she had been hit by someone.
Xia He gently touched her cheek and used her hand to block the marks.
I'm fine. It's almost fully recovered,
Xia He said.
Qiao Mei went to the kitchen to get a hardboiled egg for Xia He to use on her face.
Take this money and buy another set of jewelry. You can give it to Aunt or do whatever you want with it. This whole matter is my fault,
Xia He said guiltily as she looked at Qiao Mei.
Qiao Mei smiled indifferently. If the jewelry was broken, she could go and buy new ones. If she lost something, she could get a replacement. However, she felt that it was a little too much that elder sister had been beaten up for no reason and then still had to be the one to repay the money.
I don't want money, and you shouldn't be the one paying for it.
Qiao Mei said as she pushed the money back.
It's alright, I'm willing to do it,
Xia He continued.
Just take the money. I'll feel better this way.
Qiao Mei did not refuse anymore. If this money was in Xia He's hands, it would be taken away by the Kong family sooner or later. Moreover, Kong Li already knew that Xia He had come to find her to compensate her today. If she did not accept the money and Kong Li found out, then Kong Li would definitely find other reasons to ask Xia He for the money.
Alright, then leave the money with me. But we can't let this matter rest just like that. She definitely has to pay for the slap she gave you,
Qiao Mei said with resentment.
This gave Xia He a fright and she hurriedly said,
Mei Mei, you can't go. You're currently pregnant. What if she attacks you and something happens to you?
Qiao Mei thought for a moment and said,
Don't worry, I'll have Xia Zhe with me. He won't let anything happen to me.
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Do I have a role to play in this?
Xia Zhe said as he came in from the door.
Where did you go?
Qiao Mei asked.
Both elder sister and Aunt haven't eaten yet. Let's eat first and talk about other things later.
Xia Zhe placed the soy milk and dough sticks on the dining table.
After putting down the things, he went to the kitchen to get some white sugar. The soy milk they usually drank was bland and tasteless, with only the taste of beans. Xia Zhe added a spoonful of sugar to Qiao Mei's bowl so that the soy milk would become very sweet.
Xiao Zhe, why are you so biased? Why didn't you add a spoonful of sugar for Aunt and me as well?
Xia He teased with a laugh.
Xia Zhe stood there with a red face and said shyly,
It's just that I don't know what Aunt and elder sister likes.
Alright, alright. Stop teasing Xia Zhe and just eat,
Xia Fang said as she sat down.
After they finished their meal, they took a rest in the courtyard. Xia Fang had already told Xia Zhe the whole story along the way. Xia Zhe thought that it was not appropriate for him to say anything about this matter and he decided to go along with whatever Qiao Mei wanted to do.
Let's rest for a while and then go look for Kong Li,
Qiao Mei said as she lay on the rocking chair.
Xia Zhe, please dissuade your wife.
Xia He looked at Xia Zhe with a pleading gaze.
I'll listen to Qiao Mei,
Xia Zhe said firmly.
When he said that, it was greeted with mixed feelings. Qiao Mei sat on the rocking chair and laughed happily. Xia He stood in the middle of the courtyard and pointed at Xia Zhe as she said,
How can you listen to your wife when she wants to go for a fight!
Don't worry, elder sister. I'm very strong,
Qiao Mei said with a smile.
Xia Zhe gave Qiao Mei a meaningful look. It still felt as if what happened that night had happened just yesterday. Qiao Mei was shockingly strong, and even he stood no chance against her strength.
How can you just let her be, Xia Zhe! What if something happens!
Xia He stood in the middle of the courtyard and pointed at Xia Zhe as she questioned him.
Qiao Mei stood up and lifted the rocking chair with one hand. Although the rocking chair was not very heavy, it weighed at least 20 to 30 pounds. Yet, Qiao Mei could lift it with one hand without any effort.
She stunned Xia He and Xia Fang with this move.
I just told you that I'm very strong. Come on, let's go.
Qiao Mei held Xia Zhe's hand and walked out of the house, leaving the two of them in the courtyard, looking at each other and still immersed in the unbelievable scene just now.
The four of them returned to Xia Fang's house together. Before they entered, they could hear many children making noise in the house.
Xia He felt a little dizzy. She placed one hand on the railing and closed her eyes.
Xiao He, are you alright?
Xia Fang held Xia He anxiously.
For the past few days, she had been worried about what Kong Li did. Not only did she not manage her own affairs well, but she even got her family into trouble. This made her feel very guilty and she did not sleep last night, thinking about how to apologize to Qiao Mei.
Qiao Mei could tell what was going on. She knew that those children from the Sun family would not let the matter rest. They did not manage to bully Qiao Mei the last time and this time, they had their eyes on the newcomer, Kong Li.
Qiao Mei wanted to push the door open with all her might, but she did not expect the door to be unlocked. She almost fell over from the momentum but fortunately, Xia Zhe held on to her.
What she saw was a huge mess in the house. The tables and chairs were all in disarray and the cushions on the sofa had also been thrown onto the ground. Everything edible in the kitchen had been taken out and there were oil stains and food scraps everywhere.
Kong Li and the children were seated around the dining table, eating the cake that Qiao Mei had made for Aunt two days ago.
They were wolfing it down as if they had not eaten for five or six days.
The children of the Sun family had always been like this, but she could not understand why Kong Li also behaved in the same way when she had regular meals every day.
Kong Li was the first one to see Qiao Mei and the others returning. As she ate, she said with a grin,
Brother Xia, you're here to see me.
Qiao Mei could not help but roll her eyes.
Brother Xia? Brother Xia, your head! Are you allowed to call him Brother Xia!
This made Qiao Mei even more bad-tempered. She had to settle this score today, or it would never end!
Although the children were badly behaved, they paled in comparison with Kong Li.
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The children from the Sun family saw Qiao Mei and the others shortly after, and they quickly stuffed whatever they could into their pockets. These children's pockets were custom-made and could hold a lot of things. Before long, the table was emptied of everything on it.
The children took advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention to them and ran out of the house. They were so fast that no one could hold onto them. Even if it was possible to grab the children, Qiao Mei found it awkward to argue with the children and to ask them to take everything out from their pockets. After all, Kong Li was the main culprit today.
Without another word, Qiao Mei went forward and pulled off all the jewelry that Kong Li was wearing, including the earrings. Kong Li would have been fine if she did not struggle, but she put up a fight, causing her ears to bleed from the struggling.
You're all bullying me! How dare you treat me like this!
Kong Li said as she covered her ears.
These things belong to me. I don't want to lend them to you, so I'm taking them back,
Qiao Mei said as she put the jade jewelry into her pocket.
Xia He, how can you ignore this! This is how your family treats me!
Kong Li pointed at Qiao Mei while she questioned Xia He.
Those things belonged to someone else in the first place,
Xia He said coldly.
You're all in cahoots! I just borrowed it to wear for a couple of days! Why are you so petty!
Kong Li said as she looked at Qiao Mei.
Qiao Mei laughed and said,
This is mine and I didn't lend it to you. What right do you have to wear it?
Of course Kong Li wanted to take it! She had heard Xia He asked Xia Fang yesterday and knew that this set of jewelry cost 2,000 dollars!
Qiao Mei crossed her arms and looked at Kong Li fiercely, accidentally exposing the two bangles that she was wearing. When Kong Li saw them, she went up to snatch them.
Kong Li behaved the same way when she was at home. If she took a fancy to something, she would snatch it away. She took advantage of the fact that no one could bully her because of her size. Once she managed to snatch something, no one could take it back.
This method did not work on Qiao Mei though, given that she was stronger than Kong Li and she had seen all kinds of unreasonable people in the village.
However, Qiao Mei did not expect her to be so vicious. Before she could react, Xia Zhe had already pulled her into his arms so that she managed to dodge Kong Li's attack.
Xia He also knew that Kong Li would definitely use this move. Back when she was at home, Kong Li had done this to her many times. She rushed forward and used all her strength to push Kong Li away.
What are you trying to do? How dare you think about snatching it! This is where the Xia family lives, not the Kong family. It's not a place where you can throw your tantrum!
Xia He pointed at Kong Li and scolded her.
Xia Zhe hugged Qiao Mei and then looked at his elder sister who was behaving like a shrew. His heart ached for her. In his memory, Xia He was that happy and warm elder sister who was always full of smiles. He did not expect the Kong family to make her such a wreck.
At the end of the day, it was all Kong Lu's fault! He had to settle all these scores properly after this! He must make Kong Lu pay for all the grievances his sister had suffered!
You're my sister-in-law and she's your sister-in-law, so she's also my sister-in-law! Since she's my sister-in-law, why can't she give me something since I'm younger!
Kong Li shouted at Xia He.
Don't flatter yourself here! Who's your sister-in-law? Is she willing to be your sister-in-law!
Xia He said.
Is that how you talk to me! When I get back, I'll definitely tell my brother and let him give you a telling off!
Kong Li said angrily.
Then you better tell him everything that happened today so that he can teach me a lesson. We're not done with this yet!
Xia He had thought it through. She did not want to be bullied by the Kong family anymore.
She was fine if she was the only one bullied, but her younger brother, sister-in-law, and even her aunt, were being bullied now. She was definitely getting a divorce!
Seeing that it was many against one, Kong Li stopped arguing. She sat down at the dining table and decided to finish all the cake before calling up Kong Lu to complain to him.
Qiao Mei walked to the bedroom and put away all the valuable things, including the calligraphy painting in the study. These things would be worth a lot of money in the future and she could not let Kong Li ruin them. As for the flower pots, she decided to forget about them as she did not know where to hide them. She only wished that the flowers in the attic were not discovered.
Xia Zhe and Xia He tidied up the mess in the house. Xia Fang sat in the bedroom, not knowing what to do. Kong Li was like a scoundrel and an eyesore who could not be chased away.
Chapter 295
The few of them sat around in the study room and looked at one another in silence.
How can we send her away?
Xia He said as she looked at Xia Zhe helplessly.
We can't really find an officer for her to marry, right? When you first came back, didn't you say that you can only bring her home when you find someone to marry her?
Xia Fang said.
Ask Kong Lu to come and take her away,
Xia Zhe said expressionlessly.
It's not enough to just ask him to come. He must pay for all the damages done to this house before taking her away,
Qiao Mei said.
From her quick cleanup session just now, she found out that two stools in the living room had been damaged and could not be used anymore. There were also a few glasses and bowls on the coffee table that had been shattered.
In addition, if there was any damage to that set of jewelry, she also wanted them to compensate for it.
It would be best if he would come,
Xia He said with a sigh.
She had already forgotten when she last saw Kong Lu. It was probably more than half a year ago.
Aunt, put all your valuable things at my house first. I'll help you to replace whatever you need after Kong Li leaves,
Qiao Mei said to Xia Fang.
Xia Fang nodded, then she turned to look at Xia He and said,
During this period of time, come with me to live in the house in the neighboring apartment complex. The military had allocated that house to your uncle for his family to live in.
But she can't be allowed to live in this house alone. Who knows what else she might do,
Xia He said with a frown.
Why don't you all come to my house? It's not far from the hospital where Aunt worked and it's also easy for you to go to work from there,
Qiao Mei said.
Never mind, let Aunt stay with you. I should watch over her in this house. Otherwise, it would be disastrous if she really did something nasty,
Xia He said as she shook her head.
I'm going to stay in the house allocated to your uncle. You don't have to worry about me. That house is also not far from the hospital,
Xia Fang said.
Hearing what Xia He said, Qiao Mei had no choice but to ask her to take good care of herself.
Xia Zhe and Qiao Mei only managed to reach home late at night. As soon as they entered their courtyard, they could hear the Cao family next door starting to dig again. The sounds were very faint, but could still be heard clearly.
I'm amazed that they don't find it tiring at all. They have to go to work during the day and then come over to dig up the house at night. Then, they have to return it to its original state in the morning. The way they do it, they won't be able to do much even if they dig till the cows come home,
Qiao Mei said mockingly.
I couldn't care less about them. Let's eat first,
Xia Zhe said.
Eat? What are we eating?
Qiao Mei asked curiously.
I'll cook today. You can just take a rest,
Xia Zhe said.
Seeing how enthusiastic Xia Zhe was, Qiao Mei did not want to discourage him. However, when she thought about how he had turned the potatoes into small potato chunks the other day, she felt that the meal today was fraught with grim possibilities.
Alright, go ahead then. I'll just wait to eat,
Qiao Mei said.
After Xia Zhe left, Qiao Mei stood under the cherry tree and looked around.
Although this cherry tree was still alive, it was not growing well nor in a good condition. Qiao Mei felt that it would definitely be able to grow better if she exchanged some energy with it. Furthermore, if she helped to spread its roots underneath the entire house, it would also make it easier for her to investigate the matter of the treasure.
Otherwise, if too many vines started appearing out of thin air in the entire courtyard, it would also arouse suspicion.
By now, Qiao Mei could already communicate with plants silently. She could achieve her desired goal just by communicating through her consciousness without making any physical contact.
The only difference was that when Qiao Mei communicated with the plants using her consciousness, the plants' speed of growth might only be around double the original speed. If she touched them, the speed of growth could reach up to ten or even twenty times the original speed.
Qiao Mei gently touched the tree trunk, causing its roots to grow rapidly. Over the past few days, Qiao Mei had taken a long rest and recovered her energy.
The cherry tree's roots grew quickly. Before long, they bumped into a box underground. It was a big box that was buried directly under its main trunk.
Qiao Mei immediately understood why this cherry tree had not grown properly for so many years.
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This box had seriously hindered the growth of the cherry tree's roots into the earth.
Qiao Mei quietly wrapped the box with the tree roots and moved its position so that the cherry tree could grow healthily.
Qiao Mei increased her energy again and the roots of the cherry tree quickly grew all over the courtyard. As the roots spread, she found more boxes.
Qiao Mei smiled whenever she sensed something that the roots touched. She counted a total of three boxes under the courtyard, two big ones and a small one. In addition to one big box and one small box at the Cao family's side, there were a total of five boxes.
Qiao Mei knew that Xia Zhe's grandmother would not put all the eggs in the same basket and would have packed them separately.
However, Qiao Mei was really curious about what was contained in these boxes.
Qiao Mei slowly moved the small box towards the well. The well had not been used for a long time and had long dried up.
She thought about just retrieving the small box to take a look at it before burying it back. That way, no one would discover anything.
She was sure that Xia Zhe would agree to it. If he was the kind of person who strictly abided by the rules, he would have done his best to dig out the things underground and handed them over to the authorities, instead of letting them stay hidden.
Qiao Mei stared blankly at the well. It had been sealed for a long time and there was a thick stone slab over it which was already covered in moss.
Xia Zhe had just come out of the kitchen. He only made two dishes tonight, potatoes stewed with kidney beans and scrambled egg.
Xia Zhe learnt how to make these by asking his aunt. These were the two simplest dishes for beginners to make. Unfortunately, the eggs were a little scorched and he did not know how they would taste.
When Xia Zhe came out with the dishes, he saw Qiao Mei crouched at the mouth of the well, looking around as if she was plotting something. If it was any other ordinary woman, he would not be worried because no ordinary woman would be able to lift up such a piece of heavy stone. However, Qiao Mei was different.
Mei Mei, what are you doing next to that well?
Xia Zhe asked nervously.
Oh, you're done cooking! Hurry up and put down the food, then come over,
Qiao Mei said.
Xia Zhe did not have time to go to the dining room at all. He was so nervous when he saw Qiao Mei in such a dangerous place that he turned around and put the dishes back into the kitchen before running over to her.
What are you doing?
Xia Zhe asked.
My darling brother, can you help me open up this well?
Qiao Mei asked sweetly.
When Xia Zhe heard this form of address, he was stunned to the spot and said to Qiao Mei with a red face,
How can you call me that now? Do that only at night. Stop fooling around.
Qiao Mei pouted and said,
Why can other people call you brother but I can't?
Listen to me. Also, no one else calls me that,
Xia Zhe said.
Then what do you want me to call you?
Qiao Mei said.
Call me by my name when there's someone around. You can call me that only when there's no one around,
Xia Zhe said seriously.
When there is no one around?
My darling brother~ Just help me~
Qiao Mei tugged at Xia Zhe's sleeve and said sweetly.
Xia Zhe's gaze instantly darkened. This little vixen was really annoying.
Xia Zhe did not speak and just stared at her quietly. This made Qiao Mei feel an immense sense of pressure as she felt like she was being targeted by a wolf.
Why… why is this well sealed up?
Qiao Mei quickly changed the topic.
Xia Zhe still did not speak and continued to stare at her. This young girl was getting more and more lawless. Should he teach her a lesson?
When Qiao Mei saw Xia Zhe not moving, she thought to herself that it was useless to rely on men. It appeared that if she needed anything done, she had to do it herself.
Qiao Mei rolled up her sleeves and pushed lightly, causing the stone slab to fall to one side. Then she stood up and dusted off her hands as she looked at Xia Zhe smugly.
Since you're not going to help, I'll just do it myself!
Qiao Mei said.
Xia Zhe sighed resignedly. He really did not know what to say about Qiao Mei.
This well is very deep. Don't lean in too much. Just look from afar.
Xia Zhe said as he went forward to stop Qiao Mei.
Qiao Mei stuck her head out to take a look. The well looked to be about five to six meters deep. It had already dried up and there was only mud inside. She was aware that the box was located directly underneath the mud.
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This well became contaminated for some reason. In the past, my father fell sick after drinking the water from this well, so my grandmother sealed it up,
Xia Zhe said.
His father fell sick? This matched the timing that Grandpa Zhou mentioned! It seemed that the well was used to hide something.
Then why don't we clean up this well and use it again!
Qiao Mei said.
No! This well is so deep. Besides, you're pregnant now and drawing water from the well is such a tedious and heavy chore,
Xia Zhe said with a frown.
If I can push away the stone slab on top of the well, why would it be difficult for me to draw water?
Qiao Mei looked at Xia Zhe in puzzlement.
Xia Zhe was instantly struck speechless. After thinking for a while, he said,
After our child is born, what if the child falls into the well? It's too dangerous.
I'll just close it with the stone slab after they're born. It's not like I can't lift it. Otherwise, we can install a pump so that I don't have to draw water up,
Qiao Mei said.
That won't do either. My father fell sick after drinking the water from this well back then. What if there are still remnants of bacteria inside?
Xia Zhe said sternly.
However, his father's illness back then was not real!
Qiao Mei looked at Xia Zhe helplessly. He was trying his best not to let her use this well.
After thinking about it, Xia Zhe was still worried. When he returned to the army, if Qiao Mei took advantage of the fact that he was not around to clean up the well and use it, he would not be able to come back and stop her.
No! He must fill up this well quickly!
Xia Zhe looked around for the shovel so that he could fill up the well now. He did not want to wait for even another second.
Qiao Mei also could tell what Xia Zhe wanted to do and hurriedly went to the side to pick up the shovel and hugged it.
If you dare to fill up this well, I'll fight it out with you!
Qiao Mei said huffily to Xia Zhe.
Xia Zhe looked at Qiao Mei, who was hugging the shovel and looking like an angry puffer fish, and did not know whether to laugh or cry.
Alright, alright, alright. I won't fill it in,
Xia Zhe said resignedly.
Qiao Mei also knew that Xia Zhe was doing this for the good of their children and her. It was not a bad thing that Xia Zhe liked his children enough to plan ahead for them.
If we clean up this well and restore it, we can use it later to water the vegetable garden and the fruit trees. We can save so much money in this manner!
Qiao Mei said in a serious tone.
Xia Zhe rolled his eyes at Qiao Mei, thinking that she was spouting nonsense. He wondered out loud about not knowing who had spent 30 dollars on three flower pots at the antique market. The money spent on those flower pots was enough to pay for three to four years of running water.
What do you know? You have to save when you should save and spend when you should spend!
Qiao Mei stood with her hands on her hips and holding the shovel next to her.
Xia Zhe shook his head resignedly. It seemed like Qiao Mei was determined to make use of this well.
We can eventually put a lid over the well and lock it every time after use. Otherwise, we can use something that pumps water and just install a pipe. It'll be very safe then,
Qiao Mei said.
You can tell my elder brother about this when it's time. He's a professor and he knows people in this field. Let them look into what you want to do,
Xia Zhe said.
Qiao Mei pulled Xia Zhe over to the well and pointed to the bottom as she said,
Come and see if you can tell what this is?
Qiao Mei had already quietly maneuvered the roots of the cherry tree to push the treasure box up. At this moment, a corner of the treasure box was already revealed.
Xia Zhe pulled Qiao Mei behind him and lowered his head to see what was in the well. He caught a glimpse of something golden.
Do you think that's some sort of treasure?
Qiao Mei whispered.
Didn't we agree to pretend not to see anything even if we did?
Xia Zhe said as he looked at Qiao Mei.
But we can't just leave it there. Since it's already exposed, let's quickly take it out and bury it somewhere else!
Qiao Mei asserted eloquently.
You're just a little money-grubber,
Xia Zhe said with a laugh.
Qiao Mei smiled sweetly and said,
Isn't it only because I want to protect what grandmother left behind? Since it's already exposed, let's quickly take it out and hide it somewhere else!
Chapter 298
What Qiao Mei said made sense, so Xia Zhe went to retrieve the soft rope ladder from the storeroom and picked up the shovel from the side. After tying the rope, he went down the well.
Stay up there and keep watch. Don't come down. It's dangerous, so just stay up there,
Xia Zhe said.
Alright, then you be careful,
Qiao Mei said as she held onto the soft rope ladder by the well.
When Xia Zhe reached the bottom of the well, he only needed to dig a few times before being able to retrieve a wooden box with its four corners wrapped in brass. In the past, it would have been regarded as a high-grade box.
Xia Zhe gently shook the soft rope ladder and Qiao Mei threw down a rope. Xia Zhe tied one end of the rope to the handle of the box and pulled the rope to send a signal to Qiao Mei.
Upon receiving the signal, Qiao Mei pulled the box up forcefully. Her eyes lit up when she saw the box.
Xia Zhe slowly climbed up and packed up his tools. Then, he walked in front of the box and wiped the top.
Stand behind me, and stay further away in case there's any bugs inside that may give you a fright,
Xia Zhe said.
Qiao Mei nodded and stood gingerly behind Xia Zhe, staring at the box. After all, this box had been placed underground for a long time and there might be bugs that had used it as a nest.
Xia Zhe opened the box gently, and what appeared in front of them was a box full of gold bars and silver dollars.
Wow!
Qiao Mei exclaimed with her eyes wide open.
Xia Zhe also found it unbelievable. He did not know that his grandmother really had such assets.
This was the first time in Qiao Mei's life that she had seen a box full of gold bars. This was all real money!
Qiao Mei went forward excitedly to take a look. These gold bars were very well-preserved. Only the box had rotted slightly after being kept under the well for a long time. There was a little mud inside, but it was not a big problem as the contents were waterproof.
These are all good stuff! There's nothing special about these gold bars, but look, these silver dollars are all priceless,
Qiao Mei said excitedly as she picked up a few silver dollars from the box.
Xia Zhe did not know much about these things and did not know what they were worth, but seeing how excited Qiao Mei was, they must be worth a lot of money.
Mei Mei, you can take out these silver dollars and have fun with them. Then we'll bury the rest back. What do you think?
Xia Zhe said.
He did not know if anyone had seen him digging just now, nor did he know if he made any loud noises. If someone passed by and discovered what he did, it would become a big deal. It would be better to bury the box back quickly.
Qiao Mei was also a little worried when she heard what Xia Zhe said, but she liked the way that Xia Zhe discussed the matter with her. It made her feel that he valued her opinion very much.
We should bury these together too. Let's just pretend that we didn't open it and we'll dig it out again during a more peaceful time in the future,
Qiao Mei said as she put the silver dollars back.
She would be heartbroken if she lost these things after taking them out. Besides, she would also feel more at ease if they remained buried in the soil. Furthermore, these things would oxidize once they were taken out and they would lose their value.
Xia Zhe knew that Qiao Mei was a sensible person at the end of the day. Although she was a little obsessed with money, she still knew how to look at the big picture.
The two of them quickly hid the things back where they found it. By the time they were done, it was already past midnight.
Xia Zhe went to heat up the food.
Try it. I learned this from Aunt.
Xia Zhe stood in front of Qiao Mei, wearing a pink apron, and spoke to her while pretending to be calm.
You learned this from Aunt? We're always together, so how do you have the time to learn from Aunt?
Qiao Mei looked at Xia Zhe in puzzlement.
When I walked with Aunt, I asked her about the easiest dishes to cook and she told me about these two. Then I went to look up the recipes,
Xia Zhe said.
When Xia Zhe went out to buy breakfast in the morning, he had already planned to make a nice meal for Qiao Mei. He had bought a few food magazines from the roadside stall and followed the recipes while cooking.
Doubtful about what he said, Qiao Mei picked up some of the scrambled eggs and put it in her mouth to try. It was not unpalatable and tasted quite alright. It was just that he had fried it over too high heat. However, for someone who was cooking for the first time, it was already a very good attempt.
Chapter 299
It's very delicious. Looks like you have a talent for this!
Qiao Mei praised him with a smile.
Xia Zhe was relieved to see Qiao Mei eating the food heartily.
After dinner, they cleaned up the house and then went to bed.
For a few days, no one came to look for them. All their relatives and friends seemed to have left.
What other fun places are there in the capital?
Qiao Mei asked Xia Zhe as she ate grapes.
There's nothing really fun to do in the capital. Do you feel bored at home?
Xia Zhe said as he looked at Qiao Mei.
Not really. I just want to walk around more and look around,
Qiao Mei said.
If you really want to go somewhere, we can take the bus. When you see someplace where you like the scenery, we can get off the bus and walk around,
Xia Zhe said.
She thought that this was a good idea. Most of the sightseeing venues were already reachable by public buses. One could just get off at any station one wanted.
That's a good idea. Let's go after a couple of days when the weather is good,
Qiao Mei said.
For the past few days, Grandpa Zhou had gone off to a friend's house, leaving only Xia Zhe and her at home. On most days, they would go out for a walk and then return to cook at home. It was a boring life.
The strange thing was that the Cao family had become much more well-behaved recently. There were no more knocking sounds at night for about two to three days.
Why do you think the Cao family has been quiet recently?
Qiao Mei asked curiously.
I'm guessing they might be busy with work recently and don't have time to come over. Besides, maybe there's really nothing over there?
Xia Zhe said.
Let's wait a little longer. There's still some time before they need to hand over the house to us. Let's see what else they can do during this period of time.
Qiao Mei felt very excited just thinking about it.
Just when she said that no one had visited them recently, someone came knocking on the door.
Knock, knock, knock!
Who is it?
Qiao Mei asked.
Sister-in-law, it's me,
Xia He said.
Qiao Mei hurriedly gestured for Xia Zhe to open the door. Xia Zhe opened the door gently and saw Xia He standing at the door with a pile of things. Other than fruits suitable for pregnant women to eat, there were also many children's stuff.
I just came back from the mall and saw a store selling baby products. I thought that your baby would be born soon, so I bought some things. I'm not sure if you're able to use them,
Xia He said.
Elder sister, it's been only slightly more than three months. There are still six months to go before I give birth,
Qiao Mei said laughingly.
Six months will be over in just a blink of an eye. I don't know if you're having a boy or a girl, so I bought one set each. When the time comes, you can use whatever you want,
Xia He said as she placed the things in the house.
Qiao Mei was very moved by this gesture. Only she herself knew that she was pregnant with a pair of twins, so Xia He had really made the right choice in buying baby products for both boy and girl.
Thank you, elder sister. By the way, has Kong Li caused any trouble recently?
Qiao Mei asked.
When Xia He heard this question, her face fell immediately. Ever since the incident the last time, Kong Li had indeed behaved herself for a day. However, she immediately asked those children over for dinner the next day.
Those children were very hard to deal with as all of them were very quick-witted. They did not really cause trouble, they were just greedy. In actual fact, the children were more discerning than Kong Li.
Kong Li keeps asking those children to come over to the house. I can't handle it and can only let them come by to eat,
Xia He said helplessly.
So that means these few children have eaten a lot these few days?
Qiao Mei asked.
Xia He nodded. The children were all boys going through puberty and they could eat a lot. In addition, Kong Li could eat a lot too. She must eat two roast ducks every day.
What can I do, except to spend money to buy some peace and quiet.
Xia He sat at the side in a daze.
When is Kong Lu coming?
Xia Zhe asked with a frown.
I gave him a call yesterday, but he just hung up. He didn't even call me back. I don't think he will come to the capital,
Xia He said.
Chapter 300
During this period of time, Xia Zhe kept thinking about what Xia He was going through. The earlier his sister could get a divorce, the earlier she would be able to escape from her misery.
I'll make a call to get him to come to the capital quickly. I'll say there's something he needs to do,
Xia Zhe said.
Do you think he'll believe what you say?
Qiao Mei asked.
I'm considered his superior, so he should believe me. I'll get my soldiers to call him and won't do it myself. Otherwise, he'll be suspicious.
After saying that, Xia Zhe went into the house and picked up the phone to make arrangements.
Xia He looked at Xia Zhe's figure while he was on the phone and sighed silently as she said,
Mei Mei, when Kong Lu comes, how do you think I should face him?
Do you still like him?
Qiao Mei asked.
Of course not. In the past, we were indeed together because of our feelings for each other. But ever since we got married and his attitude towards me changed, I no longer like him anymore,
Xia He said firmly.
Then just treat this as a favor that you're doing for yourself. After this matter is settled, you can start a new life again,
Qiao Mei comforted.
Xia He sat quietly and looked into the distance. She really could not remember what she was like before she got married. That day, Xia Zhe even said that she was no longer the smiley sister he remembered. What was she like originally?
You don't have to worry too much about it. The main thing you have to figure out is whether you will regret doing this,
Qiao Mei said as she held Xia He's hand.
I won't regret it. I must get a divorce!
Xia He said firmly after thinking about it.
Xia Zhe walked out of the house and said,
It has been arranged. He'll be here in two days.
Alright.
Xia He suddenly thought of something and said,
I'm here today with an actual task, not for these other things.
What task?
Qiao Mei asked curiously.
Our Second Aunt-in-law, Third Aunt-in-law, Second Uncle, Third Uncle and Eldest Aunt are coming back. They're coming here specially to take a look at you,
Xia He said to Qiao Mei.
Look at me?
Qiao Mei said in shock.
She had heard Xia Zhe mention other relatives in the family, but he had said that Second Uncle, Third Uncle and Eldest Aunt were all in the military. They were usually so busy that they rarely went home and would only be back during the new year and the holiday period.
Given that it was not the new year or the holiday period, were they making a trip especially to see her?
That's right! Xia Zhe getting married is such a big matter, they must all come back to see what his new wife is like,
Xia He said.
Then do I need to prepare anything? What do they like? Is it too late for me to go and buy now?
Qiao Mei stood up in a flurry, not knowing what to do first.
I've already prepared the gifts for you. You don't have to worry about that. I know that it's too sudden and you won't have time to prepare,
Xia He said with a smile.
Qiao Mei's eyes widened when she heard this. With starry eyes, she went forward and hugged Xia He's arm as she said,
My elder sister is the best~
Alright, alright, stop acting like a child with me. Hurry up and change, then pack up and we can go,
Xia He said as she gave Qiao Mei a gentle pat.
Qiao Mei pulled Xia He into the room and asked her a few questions as she got dressed.
Elder sister, can you tell me what they are like?
Qiao Mei asked nervously.
Second Uncle, Third Uncle and Eldest Aunt are all people with similar personalities to grandfather. The only people you may need to interact with often are Second Aunt-in-law and Third Aunt-in-law,
Xia He said.
Then what are Second Aunt-in-law and Third Aunt-in-law like?
Qiao Mei asked.
It was hard to say. These two aunts each had their own good and bad points, but no matter what they did, it was generally for the good of the Xia family and they did not bear any ill intentions.
Second Aunt-in-law is a good person, but… she's just a little picky and prefers sons over daughters,
Xia He said with a sigh.
Second Aunt-in-law was more traditional in her thinking. She felt that women should stay at home and only men should go out to work, and that women should be in charge of all family matters and men should not interfere.
If she thought that any woman in the family did not do anything properly, she would specially go and educate that person. She might even go to that person's house to educate her! She had to make sure that that person fully understood that women must take care of everything at home before she would let the person off.