"How is the old lady?" Zhang Hongyan asked with concern when she saw Xia Heping return looking distraught.

Xia Heping shook his head: "Not good. He can't even eat. He's been surviving on rice water for the past two days."

Zhang Hongyan opened her mouth, but found that she didn't know what to say.

"Mom and Dad, let's eat first," Xia Qingqing appeared just in time, breaking the silence between them.

Zhang Hongyan quickly said, "Yes, let's eat first. This afternoon, you can take Qingqing and Gou Dan to visit the old lady and bring the things you bought over as well."

Xia Heping nodded: "Yes, you've all worked hard too."

He went straight to the old house when he got back, and his wife and children took care of everything at home.

At the dinner table, Xia Heping ate a few bites and then put down his chopsticks.

Seeing this, Zhang Hongyan frowned: "You should eat a few more bites. You haven't eaten much on the train these past two days. If you keep going like this, your body won't be able to take it."

"I don't have much of an appetite," Xia Heping said with a wry smile, shaking his head. The food that used to be so delicious tasted bland these past two days.

Zhang Hongyan wanted to persuade her again, but Xia Qingqing tugged at her sleeve and gently shook her head: "Mom, forget it, let's make Dad a cup of malted milk powder later."

Hearing this, Zhang Hongyan nodded: "I'll go make one right now."

After dinner, Xia Heping took Xia Qingqing and the other two to the old house.

Zhang Hongyan didn't go; she didn't want to go, and Old Lady Xia probably didn't want to see her either.

The two were already at odds, and the old lady might have been able to stay alive, but her visit might have angered her to death.

When Xia Qingqing arrived at the old house, she was startled by the old lady's emaciated appearance.

It hasn't been many years since the old lady started her tantrum, how did she end up like this?

Grandma Xia was quite happy to see her two grandchildren whom she hadn't seen in a long time. She held their hands and said a few words to them, but her mental state was already very poor, and she soon fell into a deep sleep again.

There was no need for so many people to gather in the room, so Xia Qingqing pulled Song Ze and Gou Dan to the main room.

A short while later, Zhu Xiaoli brought over several cups of tea.

She glanced at Song Ze discreetly and asked, "Qingqing, is this your boyfriend? He's really handsome."

"Yes, sister-in-law," Xia Qingqing accepted the tea and thanked her.

"Don't be so polite, we're all family," Zhu Xiaoli said, sitting down to chat with Xia Qingqing without leaving.

They were all talking about recent events in the village. Xia Qingqing and the others had nothing else to do, so they were all willing to listen to her.

Soon the conversation turned to Grandma Xia, and Zhu Xiaoli said with a sad expression, "Grandma's health has been declining these past two years, and this time it seems unlikely that she will make it..."

After marrying into the Xia family, she got along quite well with Old Mrs. Xia. After all, she was the wife of Old Mrs. Xia's most beloved eldest grandson, and Old Mrs. Xia loved Zhu Xiaoli as well.

Xia Qingqing opened her mouth several times but couldn't say anything. In the end, she could only comfort her, "Sister-in-law, don't be too pessimistic. Maybe things will get better in a couple of days."

That was just a way of comforting her; everyone knew the old lady couldn't possibly get better.

Suddenly, the sound of a child crying came from the west wing. Zhu Xiaoli's eyelids twitched and she quickly said, "The child is crying, I'll go and see."

A short while later, Zhu Xiaoli and Xia Jiashun returned, with Xia Jiashun carrying a fair-skinned little girl in his arms.

Zhu Xiaoli's expression was not good: "How can you be such a father? You can't even take care of a child properly."

Xia Jiashun carefully apologized: "I know I was wrong, look, Xiao Moli isn't crying anymore."

Little Jasmine, nestled in her father's arms, looked curiously at the strangers in the main room with her big, red eyes.

"This must be Little Jasmine, she's so cute," Xia Qingqing praised sincerely.

She never expected that, despite her strained relationship with Xia Jiashun, Xia Jiashun's daughter would bear a striking resemblance to her.

Even Song Ze, who hadn't said a word, glanced at Xiao Moli a couple more times.

He secretly thought to himself that when he and Qingqing had a child, it would definitely be a hundred times cuter and prettier than the little girl in front of him.

"Little Jasmine, this is your aunt. Say hello to her."

"Auntie," Little Jasmine's sweet, childlike voice called out, and she opened her arms, wanting this beautiful auntie to hug her.

Xia Qingqing smiled and hugged the girl, pinching her fair and tender face: "Little Jasmine is so cute."

Little Jasmine shyly nestled into Xia Qingqing's arms. This cousin smelled sweet, and she liked her.

Dog Egg curiously came over: "What about me, Sister-in-law? What does Little Jasmine want to call me?"

“Uncle, you are Jasmine’s cousin,” Zhu Xiaoli said with a smile.

She was happy for her daughter to get closer to her successful cousins. She and her husband might be like this for the rest of their lives, but not their child. If there was a chance in the future, she hoped her daughter could benefit from their good fortune.

Of course, Zhu Xiaoli wouldn't force herself to benefit from the situation; she has always been a realistic and clear-headed person.

Dog Egg's seniority instantly jumped a generation, and he felt inexplicably excited: "Little Jasmine, quickly call him Uncle Tang, and Uncle Tang will give you New Year's money."

Little Jasmine's eyes lit up. She knew what money was; her mother had said that money could be used to buy candy.

Thinking of sweet candy, a suspicious trickle of water dripped from the corner of Jasmine's mouth: "Uncle Tang~".

"Oh, little Jasmine is such a good girl," Gou Dan patted Jasmine's head and generously took out a dollar from his pocket and handed it to her.

Zhu Xiaoli thought the child would only give her a dime or two, but she didn't expect Gou Dan to give her a whole dollar.

She forcibly snatched the money from her daughter's hand and returned it to Gou Dan: "Little Jasmine appreciates your kindness, but Gou Dan, you should keep this money to buy candy."

"Waaah~ All the money is gone," Little Jasmine said sadly, looking at her empty hands.

Seeing his adorable little niece's eyes red from crying, Gou Dan immediately stuffed the money back into her hand: "Sister-in-law, this money is for Xiao Moli, you can't refuse it for her."

“This…” Zhu Xiaoli subconsciously looked at the man beside her, wanting him to say something.

To everyone's surprise, Xia Jiashun smiled and glanced at his daughter, saying, "Just let Xiao Moli take it. Your uncle is none other than Gou Dan, right?"

Dog Egg didn't want to pay any attention to his cousin and continued to tease the cute little Jasmine.

"You really have the nerve," Zhu Xiaoli glared at the man secretly, wondering how he could be so shameless.

Seeing that Gou Dan had given her New Year's money, Xia Qingqing smiled and took out 5 yuan from her pocket and handed it to Xiao Moli: "This is New Year's money from your aunt. Take it and buy some candy."

"Thank you, Auntie," Little Jasmine said with a beaming smile, holding a bill in one hand.