Qiu Yan and Qiu Yumei left satisfied with their purchase of eight jin of meat, leaving only the two meat vendors, each disliking the other.

Qiu Yan and her companion walked a few more steps forward, intending to buy some scallions. Occasionally, they would run into one or two women from the same village who were selling vegetables.

Needless to say, the Qian family had their own oxcart and came to sell vegetables every day.

In the past, Qiu Yumei hadn't fallen out with Qian Shi, and would still greet her if they ran into each other. Now, nobody knows who she is.

When Qian saw the large pile of food in Qiu Yan's hands, she ground her back teeth in anger. Just thinking about Qiu Dayong's cowardly behavior made her furious.

Everyone wants to succeed, and she wanted to succeed more than anyone else.

As Qiu Yan and her aunt walked and looked around, they encountered an acquaintance by the roadside: Zhao Zhengniang, whose surname was the same as her husband's.

"Xiaoyan, Yumei, it's you two."

As soon as Zhao saw Qiu Yan and the other two, she couldn't hide her smile.

Qiu Yan left a very good impression on her. She used to visit their house often. It's just that she had no chance with their son.

Zhao smiled brightly. Qiu Yan took a serious look at her and recalled that she had treated Zhao quite well.

"Sister Zhao, it's you." Qiu Yumei looked down and saw Zhao Zhengniang selling shepherd's purse. She squatted down, intending to buy some to make wontons with meat filling.

Qiu Yan smiled calmly, "Aunt Zhao."

"Xiaoyan, I understand that you don't want to marry my Zhao Zheng now, but your aunt really likes you. Don't have any ill feelings towards your aunt in the future, and let's be the same as before."

After all, these things can't be forced, and she's easygoing about it.

She guessed that Qiu Yan changed her mind because her family had previously rejected Qiu Xu and Qiu Ling'er.

Qiu Yan nodded. Zhao Zhengniang was indeed a perceptive person, but Zhao Zheng was weak-willed and afraid of her all the time.

The Qian family next door kept glancing around. They both sold wild vegetables, but Qiu Yumei never offered to help her own business; instead, she always sided with outsiders.

She regretted it a little. She should have built a good relationship with Qiu Yan and the others so that she could help them in the future. In the end, it was all her evil mother-in-law's fault. If Yang hadn't forced Qiu Yan to be sold off, their relationship wouldn't have deteriorated to this point.

"I heard from Wang that you and Xiaoyan are now selling wontons at a stall. How's business?" Zhao was extremely envious, thinking about how little money she could earn selling wild vegetables all day.

As Qiu Yumei placed the picked shepherd's purse into Zhao's hand, she said, "It's not bad, it's selling quite well."

"You guys are really capable." Zhao's eyes were filled with even more envy. No wonder her son was able to recognize Qiu Yan; it was also her fault for being so blind.

...Under the direction of his second uncle, the new house gradually rose from the ground.

When the villagers saw Qiu Yan again, they all came up to greet her warmly.

Qiu Dafu was busy all day long, and Zhao Shan would come over to visit and chat with him when he had some free time. "Dafu, after the house is built, let it air out for a while, and you can move in when winter comes."

Qiu Dafu knew that all of this was thanks to Qiu Yan. "The construction of the house was all thanks to Xiao Yan."

"What are your plans for the future?" Zhao Shan asked.

"I'll stick to what I used to do." Qiu Dafu knew nothing but building houses.

Zhao Shan sighed. "That's not what I asked. Dafu, you're not getting any younger, and you can't go on like this forever. Once the house is built, it's time to get married. If you agree, I'll have my wife ask around and see if there's anyone suitable."

Qiu Dafu stopped what he was doing and shook his head repeatedly, "Brother Zhao, forget it. I'm not young anymore, where would I find someone suitable?"

"Why isn't there a suitable one?" Zhao Shan said anxiously. "Of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is to have no offspring..."

Zhao Shan turned into a gossipy old woman, constantly chattering beside Qiu Dafu, following him wherever he went.

Qiu Dafu was annoyed by Zhao Shan so much that he stopped talking, and Zhao Shan took it as a tacit agreement. "It's settled then. If I meet someone suitable in the future, I'll try to set you two up."

"What are you looking at?" Li Zheng had just returned from hunting and handed a blue brick to the craftsman when he overheard Zhao Shan's last sentence.

Because Ye was pregnant, Li Zheng's violent aura dissipated considerably, and he became more gentle.

Zhao Shan: "Looking at my wife, Brother Li, how was the hunt today?"

Li Zheng: "It's the same as always."

In Zhao Shan's opinion, the old way was not bad either. He didn't have Li Zheng's ability, but if he did, he would also go hunting, which would help supplement his family's income during the off-season.

“Your eldest apprentice is so filial, much better than my own son. Now that your two families are building houses together, you can move in together in the winter. It will be quite a lively occasion.”

"Move together?" Li Zheng was a little confused.

"Yes, I've been running myself ragged trying to find a suitable team of craftsmen. Brother Li, you have to treat me to a drink sometime." Zhao Shan was still thinking about how he couldn't outdrink Li Zheng last time, and he wanted to get his revenge.

Li Zheng, on the other hand, could only think of Gu Qian's face, a face he both loved and hated.

I don't know what the situation is like at the border, or whether he was injured.

He had been wondering how Qiu Yan could build two houses at once.

Qiu Yan believed that Gu Qian had already told Li Zheng.

Li Zheng took out two small jars of wine from his cellar and drank with Zhao Shan and Qiu Dafu.

Life in the countryside is quite nice.

"Brother Li, drinking too much alcohol is bad for your health," said Madam Ye, who was less than four months pregnant, as she came to stop him.

A few days ago, she couldn't eat, but for the sake of the baby in her womb, she forced herself to eat more every day.

Now her appetite has finally improved, and she doesn't have to be forced to eat as much as she wants. She's also gained weight compared to before.

After hearing this, Li Zheng put down his wine cup and said, "I'll listen to my wife."

Zhao Shan was still somewhat unsatisfied, not expecting that Brother Li was so afraid of his wife.

Qiu Dafu, unable to hold his liquor, took advantage of a lull to pick up Gu Xiaoran from a distance, pulled Qiu Ling'er aside, and quietly watched the craftsman in the distance.

Now, Gu Xiaoran has become Qiu Ling'er's shadow, and Qiu Ling'er takes good care of him.

With Qiu Ling'er watching over her, Qiu Yan felt much less worried.

"Second Uncle, it's so late, why hasn't my sister come back yet?" Qiu Ling'er asked.

My sister would usually be home by now at this time.

"Didn't your sister tell you that she wasn't staying home tonight? She has to take care of things at the wonton shop."

Qiu Ling'er remembered her sister's instructions and wanted to help, but she knew her sister had important business to attend to and she couldn't cause trouble.

She is now looking forward to growing up quickly so that she can help her older sister with some of the burden.

Gu Xiaoran pouted, he was used to sleeping with Qiu Yan all day long.

Listening to this, Mrs. Ye thought to herself, "It's good to be busy." Seeing Qiu Yan working hard every day, rain or shine, she wished she could earn money with her.

That evening, Qiu Yan and Qiu Yumei stayed together in the newly purchased shop.

Qiu Yan and her aunt had already bought the bedding and other daily necessities yesterday, and the bowls, chopsticks, and cutting boards were also prepared.

The workshop owner has moved out of the place where the pastry business used to be, and everything that needed to be cleared out has been cleared away.