Her parents can afford to raise her and will take good care of her, ensuring she doesn't suffer any injustice. But can she forever hide under their wings, letting them endure the gossip and strange looks from outsiders...? Spit can kill; how will her younger siblings cope in the future...?

"Sister, you..."

Xinghui didn't know how to continue after saying only half of what she had said.

If the older sister doesn't get married, will they live together? But what if other women have many children, and the older sister especially likes children? Won't that be a disadvantage for the older sister?

I could advise my sister to get married, but she was extremely reluctant. She didn't know the men's backgrounds, so what if they treated her badly? What if she ended up with a bad in-law family?

Compared to Xinghui, Wanxia thinks about things more deeply.

She is not her aunt's biological daughter. Her second uncle and aunt have already done a good job raising her. They can't keep her alive forever.

It is absolutely forbidden to require a son-in-law to buy land and build a house;

But if she eventually gets married and can't live with her older sisters, can she persuade her eldest sister not to get married? Wouldn't that just leave her eldest sister to be the only one being criticized?

After a moment of silence, Wanxia realized that it would have been best for her aunt to ask beforehand.

After all, it allows us to plan ahead, let the older sister figure out what she wants, and let her make her own decisions.

The atmosphere fell silent. Shui Qing had only mentioned it casually, so she wasn't in a hurry and continued to rock slowly in her rocking chair.

The weather in March is so nice.

The weather is neither too hot nor too cold; the grass grows and the birds fly—it is a season of hope.

"Mother! Father! I'm back!"

"Big sister, second sister, little brother and little sister, I'm back!"

The shouts, mingled with the sound of horses' hooves, suddenly enlivened the quiet atmosphere in the courtyard.

Shui Qing quickly sat up from the rocking chair, her face filled with disbelief.

Yan Qiuxing turned to look at the gate as late summer arrived, her eyes widening with surprise.

Even Fan Hu and Fan Jin, who were reading in the study, rushed out of the room upon hearing the shouts.

"Is it my elder brother who's back?" Fan Hu asked incredulously.

My second brother and my uncle have only been gone for more than ten days to buy medicinal herbs in Yuhang. They won't be back until early April at the earliest.

“It’s Dajiang coming back. When Dahe comes back, there’s the sound of carriage wheels, but this one only has the sound of horses’ hooves!” Shuiqing said quickly, got up from the rocking chair, and ran towards the courtyard gate.

Yan Qiuxing returned to Wanxia Fanhu and started running after him.

Three years!

It's been three years since we've had a family reunion for the Lunar New Year.

The courtyard gate opened, and the boy standing outside was taller, stronger, and darker-skinned, but his ever-present goofy grin remained unchanged.

As they laughed, everyone except Fan Jin and Shui Qing started crying.