A few more children arrived shortly after, and together they decided to play hide-and-seek.

This time it was Zhao Erni's turn to search. Zhao Erni counted, and everyone hid. After Erni finished counting, she opened her eyes and began to search slowly in the village.

"You brat, what are you doing? You've gotten lazy! You spend all day hanging around with your mother at the Mo family's. Come back and help me with the chores!" Just then, Granny Zhao saw Zhao Erni, grabbed her ear, and dragged her home.

These days, Li Rou Niang takes the children out early and returns late, and Zhao Po Zi does all the housework herself. She also caught a few chicks and feeds them and cleans every day, which makes her very tired.

Granny Zhao had been wanting to tell Li Rou Niang to bring Da Ni and Er Ni back home to work, and since this happened, she just pulled them back.

Before Erni could react, Granny Zhao caught her red-handed.

She bared her teeth and struggled, but the more she struggled, the harder Granny Zhao pulled. Qian Duobao, who was hiding in the shadows, saw this and quickly ran out and pushed Granny Zhao away!

"Who are you? You're not allowed to bully Erni."

"Whose brat are you? Mind your own business, or I'll slap you twice!" Granny Zhao was annoyed when Qian Duobao pushed her away. She didn't even notice what he was wearing and started cursing.

Upon hearing this, Jinzi, the little follower, immediately ran over and shouted, "Whose woman are you? How dare you treat our young master like this! Be careful, or I'll go back and tell our master to come and deal with you!"

Granny Zhao was taken aback. Upon closer inspection, she realized that Qian Duobao's attire and demeanor were unlike those of other village children. Hearing Jinzi repeatedly referring to himself as "young master" or "master," she felt a chill run down her spine.

She asked timidly, "Whose family are you?"

"Hmph, we're from the Qian family in town," Jinzi proudly announced, hands on her hips.

Granny Zhao was startled. She had heard Zhao Dahua mention the Qian family once before. Wasn't that the young master who was dying?

The family that used Erni to bring good luck in marriage!

Could they have found their way to the village? That won't do. We can't let anyone know that she sold her granddaughter to bring good luck.

Granny Zhao asked somewhat nervously, "Then what brings you to our village?"

"I came here to play with Erni. You're not allowed to bully her. Who are you?" Qian Duobao asked angrily.

"Oh, you're here to play with Erni, young master. I'm Erni's grandmother." Granny Zhao breathed a sigh of relief, as long as they weren't here to pursue the matter from before.

“Even if you are Erni’s grandmother, you can’t bully Erni like that,” Qian Duobao said.

“I didn’t bully Erni. That little brat has become lazy all day long. All she does is play and doesn’t know how to help her frail grandmother with chores. I’m just teaching her a lesson,” Granny Zhao argued.

“Who didn’t help you with the chores? It was Mother who told us to go help at the Mo family’s house, that’s why we weren’t home,” Erni said.

"You brat, who gave you the right to speak?" Granny Zhao was so angry that she slapped her across the face!

Fortunately, Erni had been learning kung fu from Mo Bei recently and was quite agile. When she saw Granny Zhao coming at her, she quickly squatted down to dodge. Granny Zhao struck hard but missed, instead straining her back.

"Ouch, my back!" Granny Zhao clutched her back, pointing angrily at Zhao Erni: "You brat, you unfilial brat, may you be struck by lightning and become a worthless burden."

Qian Duobao frowned upon hearing this. Instinctively, he disliked the woman in front of him, but since she was Erni's grandmother, he couldn't very well make things difficult for her.

"Can't hit her, hee hee hee." Erni made a face and ran away, making Granny Zhao stomp her feet in anger.

She turned around and looked at Qian Duobao, who was frowning, and said with a smile, "Young Master, you see? Erni is a born bad seed. You shouldn't play with her anymore."

“No, Erni isn’t a bad child.” Qian Duobao shook his head.

"Hmm, so you like my girl, huh?" Old Granny Zhao, being shrewd and experienced, asked, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, Duobao likes Erni." Qian Duobao nodded vigorously.

"Then how about this, you take Erni back to your home to play," Granny Zhao said with a smile.

Qian Duobao was stunned and quickly waved his hand: "No, Aunt Li said we can play in the village and not go far."

“That’s not what I meant. What I meant was that this girl is so disobedient, we don’t want her anymore. Why don’t you buy her and make her your maid? What do you think?” Granny Zhao knew that children wouldn’t understand if she spoke tactfully, so she spoke directly.

Qian Duobao was a little tempted, but in the end he shook his head: "No, Erni said she's my best friend, I can't buy her as a maid."

Granny Zhao coaxed her gently: "You can make good friends with a maid. And when Erni comes to your house, she can eat well and dress well. She will definitely be very happy."

Is that really the case?

"Of course it's true," Granny Zhao replied affirmatively.

"Duobao, what are you still standing there for? Come here quickly." At this moment, Erni, who had run far away, saw that Qian Duobao had not followed and called out from afar.

Qian Duobao waved to Erni, then said to Granny Zhao, "Erni called me, I'm going to play."

After saying that, he ran away without Zhao Pozi stopping him. Zhao Pozi was so angry that she stomped her feet. The duck that was about to be eaten had flown away again.

"Duobao, what did you just say to my grandma?" Erni asked Qian Duobao.

Qian Duobao scratched his head and said, "Erni, would you like to come to my house and be my maid?"

"Why should I go to your house? I want to stay with my mother." Erni shook her head and refused.

“I knew you wouldn’t agree. Your grandma is lying to you,” Qian Duobao said.

"Did my grandma say I could come to your house?" Erni asked.

“Yes, your grandma told me to buy you and take you home as a maid, saying that you would be very happy eating well and dressing well,” Qian Duobao replied.

Erni stomped her feet angrily: "Qian Duobao, let me tell you, if you buy me and send me to your house, I will never be your friend again."

"Erni, don't be angry, I won't do that," Qian Duobao said anxiously, tugging at Erni's sleeve.

"My grandmother doesn't like me, don't believe what she says," Erni added.

"Okay, I'll listen to Erni from now on. So you're not angry anymore?" Qian Duobao asked cautiously.

Erni nodded: "Yes, I'm not angry anymore."

Qian Duobao felt relieved when he saw that Erni was no longer angry.

He took a candy out of his pocket and handed it to Erni: "Here, this is for you. My dad's friend in Beijing brought it. There are only a few pieces. He said that all the kids in Beijing love to eat this. It's very delicious."

Erni took a look and saw the crystal-clear candy. She exclaimed, "This is different from the candy we usually eat. It's so pretty!"

"Yes, that's why I secretly saved a piece, thinking of giving it to you," Duobao said.

Erni smiled and said, "Thank you, Duobao."

"You're welcome, we're good friends." Qian Duobao scratched his head and smiled sheepishly.