Lin Lishan sent her off and came back sighing, "She's such a hot-tempered girl. She's also quite impatient. But the little girl is quite nice and energetic."

Zhou Jiao smiled and said, "She has a nickname, Hot Wheels. She's always in such a hurry no matter what she does, and even makes a mess of it. She's a very nice person, very enthusiastic, and her temperament is similar to her mother's. When I go to her house, both her mother and she have short tempers, and you often see them bickering, but they have a very good relationship."

Lin Lishan could imagine the scene. Handing Zhou Jiao a bowl of dessert, she brought up the new courtyard and the split. She was curious why the Zhang family had to split up and move in next year. Since the house was already built, they should have split up and moved in by the end of the year. Zhou Jiao and her husband wouldn't have the time next year. And now the child's father had bought a small courtyard in the county town. Who would care about both? She didn't think it was necessary to build another courtyard in the village. Who would come back to live there? In two years, even the courtyard in the county town would be empty.

Zhou Jiao shrugged helplessly. What could she do? However, she saw her mother-in-law had made up her mind—to split up the family before the New Year. As for the village courtyard, she understood Zhang Guoqing's thinking. This would be their ancestral home from now on. In the future, they could even grow fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in the yard.

As for when to split up, no matter what Zhang's father planned, the couple would have the new courtyard ready by the end of the year. She had no plans for new furniture; she would just move her current furniture and some odds and ends there to make do. When would she have the time to come back and start over next year? As for how to convince the old man to agree to a split before the end of the year, that was Zhang Guoqing's job. As his daughter-in-law, she was determined not to interfere or speak up.

Lin Lishan knew her daughter understood what was going on. Moving sooner rather than later was fine; the couple could live their lives however they pleased. She secretly reminded Zhou Jiao to build a basement, preferably somewhere secluded. She should get the dowry she'd prepared for her daughter back from her mother. With her nephews and nieces about to start their own families, who knew if her mother would misappropriate it?

Seeing her puzzled face, Lin Lishan said, "Your dowry is all with your grandmother. I've already made an agreement with her when I go back this time. I'll give it all to you when you go to Beijing. The sooner you go, the sooner you can collect it. Who knows if your cousins ​​will embezzle it when they get married? It's all prepared carefully for you by your mother from all over the country. And the villa in SH, I think you really need to go there. It's been 6-7 years. Your father asked the old lady to look after it. What if the old lady dies in an accident? The pianos there were bought by your father at a huge price. Money is attractive to the heart, so the sooner the better. Hide it if you can."

"Mom, don't scare me. You've already given me the house, so why do you still have a dowry? Can't you just go to grandma's house and collect it yourself and give it to dad? I also want to go to SH, but I'd better deal with it as soon as possible. I'm afraid it will affect my dad in the future. But Ping An will only be two months away by the end of the year. Can you take it out with you?"

Lin Lishan looked at her with amusement as she frowned and some people complained that there were too many things.

"Why would I give birth to a fool like you? I have money and things to store in the box, so what if it's too much? There are both small and large items. Your grandma loves your eldest cousin very much. What if she says she embezzled some of them? You are not in the capital. What's the point of me taking it back by myself if I promised to give it to you? There are a lot of jades among the small items. They are not valuable locally, but rare in the capital. Your aunt and uncle are not very clear about some things. What if your grandma is confused? Who can tell? It's not that mom doesn't trust your grandma, but I will deal with what can be solved first to avoid embarrassing things in the future."

Zhou Jiao looked at her worriedly: "Mom, did something happen at grandma's house when you went back this time? Is someone jealous of us or were you bullied? If you don't tell me, I'll go find Dad."

Lin Lishan touched her head and sighed, "You are so smart. I knew I couldn't hide it from you. No one is making things difficult for me, I just can't figure out some things. Your aunt wouldn't care about the money if your uncle didn't come back. It may be because the two children are going to start their own families. This time, your uncle's salary subsidy was given to your grandmother. Your aunt was unhappy and said something secretly. It's because your second aunt is in the northwest, otherwise there would definitely be a breakup. How much is that? I'm worried that if she knew about your things, it would cause a stir. Although your second aunt's family lives in the compound, they are extremely poor. With four children, they are also very worried. Your two cousins ​​are not as good as you. They enjoy life and pursue material things. This human nature cannot be tested. It's better to get it back sooner. It was originally yours."

Zhou Jiao smiled coquettishly at her and said, "Oh, my rich mom has also learned to be frugal. Okay, I'll listen to you and solve it as soon as possible. If they really need it in the future, we can give it to them. Don't worry, Mom. Didn't you say? Anything that can be solved with money is not a problem. Don't worry, you're married now. You each have your own family, and we will definitely help you if we can. Just be good to you and Dad. Those things that you can't bring with you when you are born and can't take with you when you die are all external possessions."

Lin Lishan rolled her eyes at her. "That was something I carefully prepared for you. It was a token of my love, understand? Our family's savings are all with your grandma. This time, your dad ran to you like he was on fire. Your grandma took your uncle's money and didn't even mention returning my savings certificate.

The yard your aunt bought a few years ago was probably subsidized by your grandma. I wonder if it was paid for with our money? She shouldn't have said anything to me. Your mom's not stupid!

Oh, you don't know how I feel. Your grandma seems really old. She didn't know how to refuse your uncle's money and just held on to it tightly. I don't know what she was thinking. She can't even spend all her salary, so why bother? Your aunt is still talking about buying a yard for your cousin, and your aunt is smiling and not answering. I don't know what to do. It was only when your dad pulled me out that I felt relieved.

Zhou Jiao nodded in understanding. Yang Chun Bai Xue's mother had been so frightened that she'd sneaked away. The situation must have been more serious than she'd let on. Her mother had already sensed something was amiss, so there must be something else going on.

After a moment's silence, Zhou Jiao gently asked, "Is my uncle's family in financial difficulty? It seems my eldest cousin will be getting married soon, and her partner should be very good. Grandma is planning to find a partner for my second uncle's eldest cousin, and maybe they've already found one, and we're just waiting for him to come back and get married. My eldest grandson is old enough, and my father and eldest uncle are probably in Beijing. The next step is for my eldest cousin to be transferred back to Beijing."

Lin Lishan smiled proudly, "As expected, your grandfather praised you for being smart. Your uncle-in-law was chosen by your aunt herself. Your aunt has to bear the entire family's burden. When she first got married, she didn't dare to have children. She didn't give birth to your cousin until she was 25, and now she has two sons. Your aunt has been with your grandmother since she was a child and is closest to her. Your uncle-in-law is a very good person. His brothers and sisters have grown up in recent years, and the burden has also been lighter.

What would your eldest cousin say? I always thought she was aloof and proud, disdainful of worldly matters like money and status. But I was wrong. This time she found a plain-looking guy, only 170cm tall and a year older than her. He's the son of the dean, and his grandfather is still in office. But other than that, there's really nothing attractive about that guy. Your grandfather disliked him because he wasn't a soldier, was too short, and had complicated family relationships, so it was useless to disagree. I'm worried that once she gets married, she'll target you for her dowry.

As for your eldest cousin, he didn't want to return to the capital. But your grandmother insisted that he come back. She had her sister's granddaughter in her eyes. I think she's quite good. Your grandfather said she's far inferior to you, so he asked your grandmother to look for another one. This is the first grandson's wife, and she must be smart. Haha, your grandfather often praises you two.

Zhou Jiao retorted shyly, "It's because Grandpa and we are meant to be together, not because we are so good. Don't brag about your daughter and son-in-law in public."

"There's no need for me to go out and praise her. My daughter will be very proud of herself if she goes out." Lin Lishan glanced at her and said proudly.

It wasn't necessarily best for Lin Dingsheng to return to Beijing; it would be ideal for him to stay outside with his second uncle by his side for a few years. It was easy for a junior officer to rise through the ranks outside, without being conspicuous, and future transfers would be easy. What was Mrs. Lin thinking? Zhou Jiao said she didn't quite understand her thinking.

Lin Lishan talked about how Mrs. Lin used age as an excuse to ask Mr. Lin to agree. The old man was hesitant to make up his mind. After saying this, Lin Lishan sighed.

"Forget about them. Your father didn't ask for a transfer because he wanted to wait until things stabilized before seeing how the situation developed. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy to apply for a transfer. Oh, and by the way, your father got the calligraphy you requested. He'll give it to you later. He said it's his trump card, so keep it safe. He's confident in giving it to you."

Zhou Jiao was extremely surprised and stared at her mother with wide eyes. "Did you really get it? My dad is so smart. As soon as I asked for it, he knew that I should keep it well. Keep it well, yes, and take it with me when I go to Beijing. When you treat me to a meal, I will show it off and my dad's job will be safe. Mom, this is great, it's worth more than anything else."

"Are you overly happy? You're going to show off? Mom and Dad promised you'd keep it at the bottom of a box and not let anyone touch it. What's the point of showing off? It's not like you."

Zhou Jiao smiled mysteriously, "This matter cannot be discussed, it cannot be discussed! You cannot show off, and don't even mention this piece of paper. But a junior like me can use it to show off. Okay, my dad knows about this matter."

Lin Lishan recalled her man's expression at that time and then looked at her. They were indeed father and daughter. Forget it, the two of them were so mysterious, so just listen to them.

Zhou Jiao was silent for a moment, seeming to think deeply. Then she made a decision. "Mom, I'll be back at the end of the year. Don't leave on any missions. I'll be safe for more than two months. Ask someone to buy a sleeper berth for me and Xiaowu. Stay warm and be careful. This time, let's take care of some things so we don't have any more trouble."

Lin Lishan was overjoyed. She immediately stood up and said loudly, "Really? Then I'll never go out again. I'll wait for you at home. Your dad must be so happy. He said he'll give you two years. No matter what, he'll drag you away by then."

Zhou Jiao chuckled, "Mom, I'm so happy right now, it feels like a dream. Now that you and Dad are back, I don't feel like I'm missing anything anymore."

"Well, your dad is back, and our family is finally reunited. Mom also felt like she was dreaming. Many times when she woke up, she was afraid that it was a dream and she would not be able to see your dad when she woke up." Lin Lishan deeply agreed.

The mother and daughter smiled at each other, thanking God for his arrangement and feeling sincerely happy for each other.

Lin Lishan checked her watch and decided to go to the kitchen to see if there was anything she could help with. She had just checked and saw about twenty people helping to clean up the yard and level the ground.

Zhou Jiao wanted to stop her, but before she could say anything, her mother hurried away. She smiled helplessly. She opened the package her mother had brought her, and inside were indeed some coats and fabrics. She knew her mother wouldn't just buy two. This much would be enough for her to wear for years.

She tried it on. Her mother had excellent taste; it was a perfect fit. Who knew how many years she had been collecting the remaining fabric?

Zhou Jiao carefully unpacked the clothes hanging in the closet and packed them. She looked at the old clothes, then at the new ones. After a moment's pause, she pulled out two sets of crimson women's thermal underwear and two sets of gray men's thermal underwear from her space. She had previously found them and was going to give them to her father and mother.

She used to have skin allergies. After becoming wealthy, Zhang Guoqing had a lot of underwear custom-made for her. The styles were all classic, made of pure cotton. It wasn't a problem that Xiaowu had gotten them, as the styles and materials weren't unusual. These were perfect for wearing under a military uniform, keeping her warm and comfortable.

After a moment's thought, she took out the donkey-hide gelatin, bird's nest, and milk powder and placed them in the box. She also moved out some of the things her mother had bought last time. After finishing, making sure nothing was left out, Zhou Jiao lay down on the bed, closed her eyes, and thought about things.

When Lin Lishan came in, Zhang's mother and the others were busy steaming meat buns and making dumplings in the kitchen. She washed her hands and walked over to them and said, "Sister, you're so busy and you didn't call me. Don't you think of me as your sister anymore?"

Zhang's mother didn't bother to be polite with her. "Isn't this time for you and Jiaojiao to have a good chat? How is it? You haven't seen your daughter for a few days, you must be missing her, right?

"Oh... I miss her so much when I don't look at it, and I miss her even more when I look at it. Fortunately, you are by her side, at least I don't worry about her anymore. Are you making so many to give to others or to eat yourself?" Lin Lishan looked at the dough in surprise.

Mother Zhang smiled and said, "Didn't you eat the dumplings we made the last time you came? I'll make more today. We'll eat dumplings in the evening when Brother Zhou comes back. I see the yard is already covered with those buns. Give them to the children's uncles to thank them for their help."

"The eldest sister is a kind-hearted person, and the brothers' family are also warm-hearted. A harmonious family is the key to success. I see that the relationship between you brothers and sisters-in-law is really good, unlike other families who fight over food and get hurt. It's very rare to see such a big family getting along like one family together." Lin Lishan exclaimed.

Mother Zhang laughed heartily. "Big sister, I'll tell my sisters-in-law about your praise and ask them to prepare a few pairs of insoles for you. Don't rush this trip like you did before! In two days the men in the village will be back from hunting and it'll be quite lively. You'd better take a good look. Brother Zhou is back now, so take a good rest for a few days. After you get through these hard times, you'll be happy every day from now on."

"Until I was 10, I grew up in the village with my brothers. I remember Chinese New Year was so lively. Steamed buns, sticky rice dumplings, and the New Year pig was slaughtered. Later, when I joined the army, I didn't see that anymore. Chinese New Year is almost here, so there should be a lot of markets, big and small, right? When is our big market? I really want to go. I haven't been in years. It's so lively."

Zhang's mother said cheerfully, "Usually it's just a small market. But starting in November, every three, six, and nine days of the lunar month, it's a big market. People from all over the town come to the market on these days. In December, the town organizes a yangko dance, and people from all ages come to participate. Then they go to the town and county to perform in the first month of the lunar year."

Lin Lishan shook her head regretfully. "I can't watch the Yangko dance anymore. I've already exceeded my holiday limit this year and can't take any more leave. The temple fair in Beijing is held during the first month of the lunar year and it's also very lively. I haven't had time to go in recent years. Life is much better now."