The next morning, Hu Jinfei told Liu Tong the news.
Liu Tong was very happy that Hu Jinfei could settle down with him in the veterans' village.
Just as Zhu Zi retrieved the pork bones and pork he bought from Zhu Ji's meat stall, he heard Lu Qiqi say, "We're closed today, let's go back together and have a good celebration. Zhu Zi, go buy a chicken and two fish."
"Let's give Uncle Hu and Aunt Zeng a proper welcome today."
After receiving Lu Qiqi's message, Zhu Zi placed the pork bones and pork on the table and went out.
Seeing Lu Qiqi making such a big fuss, Hu Jinfei was not only moved but also a little embarrassed. He said, "There's no need to go to such lengths. We can just eat whatever we want."
Lu Qiqi just smiled and didn't answer.
Hu Jinfei was a little anxious. He looked at Liu Tong, hoping that Liu Tong could put in a good word for him.
Unexpectedly, Liu Tong patted Hu Jinfei on the shoulder and said, "You're in for a treat today! Seventh Girl's cooking is amazing! I guarantee you'll be craving more next time!"
Hu Jinfei had no choice but to thank Lu Qiqi after being told off by Liu Tong.
Lu Qiqi said, "Since he is Uncle Liu's relative, then he is also one of us. We should not speak like family. We should help each other in the future!"
"Yes, yes, yes," Hu Jinfei nodded repeatedly.
Lu Qiqi said, "Then let's go pick up Aunt Zeng."
Liu Tong said, "Dunzi, you stay and help Zhuzi take the vegetables back. We'll head back first."
"Yes, Master," Dunzi replied.
Hu Jinfei, along with Liu Tong, Lu Qiqi, and Zhou San, went to the inn.
Upon arriving at the inn, Liu Tong and Zhou San waited outside, as it was inconvenient for them, being men, to go to their rooms.
Lu Qiqi followed Hu Jinfei upstairs and went straight into the room.
Lu Qiqi followed Hu Jinfei into the room and saw Zeng Shi dressed in a light blue dress, sitting at the coffee table drinking tea.
That day, I was in a hurry to bring down Zeng's fever and didn't pay attention to Zeng's appearance. Looking back now, Zeng must have been quite beautiful when she was young.
However, the feeling that Zeng Shi exuded in her every move reminded Lu Qiqi of the term "lady of a prominent family".
When Zeng saw Hu Jinfei bring a girl upstairs, she looked at Lu Qiqi and felt that Lu Qiqi's eyebrows and eyes looked strangely familiar, but she couldn't remember where she had seen her before.
Zeng was certain she had never met Lu Qiqi, but Lu Qiqi gave her a strange sense of familiarity that she couldn't understand, and she could only think it was because they were kindred spirits.
Madam Zeng smiled and said, "This must be Miss Lu. She's such a beautiful and charming girl, like a fairy who stepped out of a painting."
"Come, sit down," Madam Zeng said as she poured tea. "My husband and I are truly grateful to you for saving our lives!"
Lu Qiqi took a step forward and smiled, "Auntie, I won't sit down. Uncle Liu came to pick you up too."
With no one behind her, Lu Qiqi could only wait downstairs. Zeng Shi glanced at Hu Jinfei with annoyance and said, "Then let's hurry downstairs, I've packed everything."
The couple didn't have much stuff, so Hu Jinfei carried it downstairs by himself and then went to the backyard of the inn to bring out the carriage.
Lu Qiqi followed Zeng Shi into the carriage, while Liu Tong, Zhou San, and Hu Jinfei drove the carriage from outside.
The carriage wasn't large, but it could still fit three people. Along the way, Madam Zeng talked to Lu Qiqi, worried that she might feel bored.
It was just casual conversation, since the two weren't familiar with each other. However, during their conversation, Lu Qiqi felt that Zeng Shi's way of speaking was unlike that of an ordinary merchant's wife; she spoke in the same tone as Lu Qiqi's mother.
Upon arriving at the veterans' village, Zeng got off the carriage with Hu Jinfei's help.
Lu Qiqi got off the carriage with Zeng's help. She wanted to jump down, but Zeng reached out her hand to her early on, so she didn't have a chance to jump down at all.
"Sister, you're back!" Lu Yao saw a carriage parked in front of the door. She didn't dare to approach it at first, but when she saw Lu Qiqi get out of the carriage, she could no longer suppress her longing for her sister and ran over in small steps.
Lu Qiqi gently rubbed Lu Yao's head and chuckled, "Did you miss me?"
Lu Yao nodded repeatedly and said, "I really want to, but I didn't cry."
Lu Qiqi knew that Lu Yao's behavior was a sign of insecurity, so she gently patted Lu Yao's back and said, "A Yao is very good. Today, you'll be rewarded with a big meal."
"Come here, let me introduce you. This is Aunt Zeng, and that is Uncle Hu. They will be living with us from now on."
Lu Yao glanced at the two strangers and timidly greeted them, "Hello, Uncle, Hello, Aunt."
“Okay, Yao is fine too,” Zeng said, taking out a red paper packet and handing it to Lu Yao. “Here, Auntie is giving you some money to ward off evil spirits, so you can grow up quickly.”
Lu Yao looked up at Lu Qiqi, and only after seeing Lu Qiqi smile and nod did she accept the red envelope, saying with a smile, "Thank you, Aunt Zeng."
Liu Tong led his men into the house and taught Hu Jinfei how to use a squat toilet.
Looking at the vanished mud, Hu Jinfei exclaimed in surprise, "What is this? How could it be so magical?"
It took Liu Tong a lot of effort to explain things to Hu Jinfei, and Lu Qiqi's image in Hu Jinfei's eyes became much more impressive.
Hu Jinfei knew that Lu Qiqi was skilled in medicine and martial arts, and now she even knew something new that craftsmen didn't know. He felt that living here would only be better, not worse.
Lu Qiqi spent the whole afternoon working in the kitchen, but luckily Zhu Zi, Dun Zi, Li Shi, and Lu Shi helped her out.
At dinner time, Lu Qiqi prepared a table full of delicious dishes to welcome the new member of the family.
Although Hu Jinfei was a businessman, he had the forthrightness of a江湖人 (jianghu person, a person from the martial arts world). He stood up and drank three cups of baijiu (Chinese liquor) in a row to show his gratitude for everyone's warm hospitality.
Everyone likes straightforward people; they can easily blend in with just a few words.
Sitting next to Zeng, Madam Lu noticed how politely Zeng ate and, fearing she might not have enough to eat, kept piling food onto her plate.
Madam Lu said, "You are pregnant. You are too thin. You need to eat more so that you will have the strength to give birth. Otherwise, the child will be born with many illnesses."
"Thank you, Sister Lu, but I have a small appetite and can't eat this much," Zeng explained softly.
Lu did not force Zeng to eat, but simply stopped putting food into Zeng's bowl.
Lu Qiqi glanced suspiciously at Madam Lu, who was sitting just across from Lu Yao, thinking to herself, 'When did my aunt become so easy to talk to?!'
Lu Qiqi glanced at Zeng Shi, who was eating with a smile, and quickly understood.
Lu Qiqi touched the red envelopes in her money pouch and remembered that Zeng had given each person a red envelope containing a large sum of money.
Even the calculating Mrs. Lu was completely subdued by the meticulous Mrs. Zeng, who was pregnant and displeased with moving into her home.
Lu Qiqi couldn't help but feel that this Zeng family member was very good at dealing with people and doing things.
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