The couple who came out to pick up Song Xia and the others were middle-aged. Judging from their demeanor, the three of them felt comfortable. Even Hua Ling, who had just complained about the long distance, stopped talking. If they were really capable, it wouldn't be a problem for them to come and pick them up often.

"It's kind of you to come all this way."

Song Xia quickly shook hands with him: "We should be the ones apologizing for visiting so late."

Please have a seat inside.

The three of them walked into the courtyard, which was very comfortable and clean. To the left of the entrance was a vegetable garden, divided into rows, planted with seasonal vegetables. To the right of the entrance was a pebble-paved path, dividing two irregular paths. Various kinds of flowers were planted on both sides of the path. Some were in bloom and some were not because of the season, but even the ones that were not in bloom were very beautiful.

The eaves of the house protrude quite a bit on the west side, under which are placed two rattan chairs and a tea table, enough to imagine the pleasant scene of the two people leisurely drinking tea on weekdays.

Looking at Song Xia, I'm filled with envy. They have a house and land, a lover and hobbies, and they don't have to worry about making a living. They are truly a perfect couple.

Stepping inside, the decor was also Chinese-style, with calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls, which, in Song Xia's opinion, were of a high standard.

“My name is Wen Wanyu, and this is my husband, Qu Guangbo. One of us teaches calligraphy, and the other teaches painting. You can choose one or study at the same time. The situation is as you see it. If you come here to study, you will stay in this courtyard. It may be a bit out of the way.”

Song Xia quickly assured him, "As long as you two can take my daughter in, the journey won't be a problem, and I will guarantee her safety."

Wen Wanyu smiled slightly: "How do you know we might not accept it?"

"Judging from your demeanor and the calligraphy and paintings on the wall, I can tell that you two are quite accomplished and do not just take on students casually."

“That’s right.” Qu Guangbo nodded. “We don’t offer trial classes here, and the fees aren’t low. If after five classes we feel your daughter isn’t suitable for us to teach, we won’t continue teaching her, and the fees for the first five classes won’t be refunded.”

Ye Tingting was a little nervous. She had never studied this before. Could she pass the test of these two teachers?

"Of course, we promise we won't make trouble unreasonably."

The matter was settled simply like that, and Wen Wanyu asked Ye Tingting to come to teach the first class next Saturday.

Song Xia and the others got up to say goodbye, but they didn't leave in a hurry. Instead, they strolled around the area. Hua Ling noticed her daughter looking around and asked curiously, "What are you looking at?"

"I'm looking around to see if there are any vacant farmhouses here."

"You want to rent it?"

"Um."

“Although this place is remote, it’s a whole courtyard and the rent isn’t cheap. It’s not worth it to have Tingting come to class only on Saturdays and Sundays. I’ll pick her up and drop her off.”

“Mom, you’ve misunderstood. It’s one thing that I’m worried about Tingting, but on the other hand, I also want to open my private restaurant here. I plan to only cater to wealthy people in the future. Look at the nice environment here, if we renovate it properly, I’m not afraid that those wealthy people won’t come.”

"Do you know how much it costs to rent a small courtyard and renovate it? And how do you reach out to this wealthy customer base?"

“If I design it myself, buy the materials myself, and supervise the construction myself, I can save a lot of money. As for the wealthy clientele, I’ve already cultivated a portion of them with my current employers. Wealthy people bring their own clients.” Song Xia pondered as she walked. “If I could buy it, that would be even better.”

“Everyone here is waiting to get demolition compensation after the development, who would sell to you?” Hua Ling expressed another concern. “Besides, it’s convenient for Tingting to take calligraphy classes here, but what about regular classes? Going to the city every day, isn’t that more troublesome?”

“I plan to buy a car in a while, and I will pick you up and drop you off. It won’t take much time if I drive.”

"You're so busy, running a private kitchen and picking up and dropping off Tingting. What do you do when you get tired?"

Tingting quickly replied, "I can take the bus by myself, and the school also offers boarding facilities."

“It’s inconvenient for girls to board.” Song Xia rejected the idea without even thinking. “Not to mention, the boarding conditions at your school aren’t good. Mom, if you’re really worried about me getting tired, why don’t you and Dad learn to drive? Then you can pick me up and drop me off, and I won’t be tired.”

"Your father and I?" Hua Ling shook her head. "Your father and I are both this old, how could we learn that?"

“Why can’t you learn it? You’re not old. Some people are over seventy and still pass the exam. You’re not even sixty yet, how are you old?” Song Xia said coquettishly. “Mom, you and Dad, just do it for me and give it a try.”

"Let your dad go," Hua Ling declined. "If you really rent a small courtyard here, I'll help you grow vegetables and do some chores."

As she spoke, she also began to yearn for it: "I must say, the environment here is really nice. I can save some costs by growing my own vegetables, and I won't be bored at home anymore."

Song Xia linked arms with her with one arm and with Tingting with the other: "It would be best if we also got a puppy or a kitten, right?"

"Well, it's a pity that you want to open a private kitchen for rich people. You can't raise chickens and ducks because they have a strong smell."

"We can buy from farmers in the surrounding area. The taste will be even better then. Rich people love this kind of food. Once they get used to it, they will become repeat customers."

"Then remember to sign a contract with the other party after you have chosen a suitable courtyard. If we regret it after the renovation is completed, we will suffer a huge loss."

"Yes, I will definitely hire a professional lawyer to draft the contract. If the other party goes back on their word, I will make sure they compensate me for all losses."

Listening to her grandmother and mother's discussion, Ye Tingting also became hopeful, wishing that day would come soon!

The next morning, Song Xia left home with her daughter Tingting. Forty minutes before leaving, she got up and cooked noodles for the family, and then sent Tingting to school.

As the mother and daughter walked down the quiet alley, Ye Tingting finally said something to Song Xia with concern: "Aren't you tired getting up so early? We still have to go to that employer's house later."

Song Xia was overjoyed upon hearing this and said excitedly, "I'm not tired. I owe you so much in the past, and now I feel that no amount of work is enough. Besides, I find working at my employer's house very easy. They are all very kind people."

Ye Tingting lowered her head and said in a muffled voice, "He wronged you, so it's understandable that you feel resentful."

The "he" she was referring to was her biological father, who was currently undergoing reformation inside. Song Xia sighed softly, "His misdeeds have nothing to do with you, and your mother shouldn't hold a grudge against you."

After saying that, the mother and daughter were silent for a long time. When they reached the school gate, Song Xia finally mustered up the courage to pat her daughter's head: "Go in. Mom will come back to see you next Sunday. If you want to eat anything, you can call and tell Mom. Of course, if you just miss Mom, Mom will be even more looking forward to it."

Ye Tingting walked in with her head down, and after several steps, she smiled and waved vigorously. Song Xia also waved back and looked at her with a bright smile.