When Zhao Yi returned to the county town, Jiang Bai was just stepping into his home.
The two of them paused for a moment, looked at each other's travel-worn appearance, and then smiled.
Jiang Bai approached Zhao Yi and walked alongside him into the house, asking as they went, "Is everything resolved?"
Zhao Yi nodded.
He couldn't help but say, "What are you doing...?"
Jiang Bai's clothes and shoes were all dusty and grimy. She had carefully inspected the Zhao family's old house before deciding to rebuild it. Therefore, she hired several villagers to level the areas that hadn't collapsed.
She couldn't stay still, so she shoveled a few shovels herself, ending up looking quite disheveled. Knowing her own appearance, she sighed and said, "Let's go wash up first, and I'll tell you the details later."
Zhao Yi agreed.
Because they always kept hot water on hand for cooking, the couple washed themselves thoroughly and felt as if they had lost ten pounds when they came out.
The two met in the reception room.
Jiang Bai recounted in detail what happened after Zhao Yi left. Upon hearing that the house had collapsed, Zhao Yi said, "Leave this matter to me."
Jiang Bai also planned to hand it over to him. As a woman, it would be inconvenient for her to get involved, since the area where the houses were being built was full of young and middle-aged laborers.
When Zhao Yi heard that a milk tea shop had been opened for the Zhao family, he lowered his eyes and said, "This is a money-losing business."
“I know it’s going to lose money,” Jiang Bai sighed, “but my two younger brothers are under a lot of pressure to support their children’s education, so I think the milk tea shop is the most reliable way to make money.”
They are, after all, the elder brother and sister-in-law of Zhao Lao Er and Zhao Lao San. We can't just harm them. The milk tea shop in the county town is doing so well; we can easily lend a hand.
Zhao Yi also said, "In the end, it's about sending the children to school, not getting them into some harmful hobby. I'm willing to spend money to send my nephews and nieces to school. But if they get addicted to gambling like Jiang Cheng, then I can't help them anymore."
Speaking of Jiangcheng, Jiang Bai thought of those outsiders again, which gave him an even bigger headache.
She didn't want Zhao Yi to worry about her family's mess anymore, so she shut up and didn't say anything more. Just then, Nanny Xu brought Zhao Ping'an and Zhao Xile back. The two of them ran into the reception room and looked at Zhao Yi and Jiang Bai excitedly.
Zhao Xile threw herself into Zhao Yi's arms and shouted, "Dad, you're back!"
Zhao Yi hadn't seen his daughter in a long time. After catching her, he laughed heartily and lifted her up, saying, "Xiao Le, you've gotten fat."
Zhao Xile pouted.
She's been growing a lot lately, eating more, getting taller and heavier, and can't fit into her old clothes anymore.
She refused to accept it, and would make a huge scene if anyone said the word "fat" or "overweight." Tan Ji's second son, Tan Yongyan, was tricked out of four candied hawthorns in this way.
Seeing that Zhao Xile was about to burst into tears again, Jiang Bai quickly nudged Zhao Yi with his elbow and corrected him, "You've not gotten fat, you've grown taller."
Zhao Yi didn't understand the little girl's thoughts. He looked her up and down and saw that the little girl had indeed grown quite a bit taller, so he said, "She has indeed grown taller, quite a bit taller."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xile's attention shifted, and she proudly said, "I'm taller than Tan Yongyan now, by so much!"
As he spoke, he gestured a short distance with his hand, and Jiang Bai looked at it and realized it was probably less than half an inch.
Zhao Yi hoisted Zhao Xile onto his shoulders: "This way it's even higher."
Zhao Xile wasn't afraid at all, and happily discussed with Zhao Yi, "Dad, how about you take me to school like this tomorrow?"
She also thought the view from up there was better, and how impressive it would be to go to school like that!
Zhao Yi had just returned and was still feeling guilty towards his children, so he quickly nodded upon hearing this: "Okay."
As he spoke, he looked at his eldest son standing to the side.
Zhao Ping'an was already about the same height as Jiang Bai. He no longer wanted to act spoiled towards his parents like his younger sister. He had thick eyebrows, big eyes, a high nose with a fleshy tip, and thick lips. He was very handsome and didn't look much like Zhao Yi. Jiang Bai guessed that the two siblings resembled their mother who had passed away early.
Zhao Yi patted Zhao Ping'an's head and asked, "What have you been learning at school lately?"
Zhao Ping'an hurriedly took out the exam papers from his cloth bag and showed them to Zhao Yi one by one, saying apologetically, "I've been first in all these tests."
Seeing the scene of fatherly love and filial piety, Nanny Xu couldn't help but laugh. She leaned closer to Jiang Bai and whispered, "Master's return is just in time. Today is the Winter Solstice, a day for family reunion."
Jiang Bai was taken aback. She had been so busy that she hadn't even realized the festival was approaching. Upon hearing this, she quickly asked, "Shouldn't we be eating dumplings?"
"Dumplings?" When it comes to food names, Zhao Xile is the most perceptive person in the world.
“Yes,” Xu’s nanny smiled broadly as she saw everyone’s eyes turn to her, “What kind of dumplings would you like to eat, Master and Madam?”
The family started ordering food.
In the end, a total of five kinds of dumplings were made: chives and egg, pork and cabbage, beef and scallion, and shiitake mushroom and pork. These are the most common fillings at the moment. Jiang Bai also showed off her skills by making dumplings with tomato and egg filling.
Zhao Ping'an doesn't eat chives, and Zhao Yi doesn't eat mushrooms, so they filled all the remaining three kinds of fillings. Jiang Bai and Zhao Xile have the same taste, so they eat everything.
The family celebrated the Winter Solstice in harmony, and after a hearty meal, Zhao Xile leaned back in her chair, exclaiming, "I've never been so happy before."
Jiang Bai sighed. She had been in this world for over a year, and now with her handsome husband by her side and her children surrounding her, she felt a sense of peace and tranquility.
Before she transmigrated, her family of origin broke down, both her parents remarried, and she was left to be raised by her grandmother. Later, she finally grew up and started earning money, only to encounter the ten-year apocalypse. These ten years were the most difficult ten years she had ever gone through, full of stumbles and hardships.
After transmigrating, she suddenly experienced the warmth of home, which was the most peaceful time in her two lifetimes.
She was so engrossed in it that she didn't want to leave.
As she was lost in thought, Zhao Yi quietly took her hand. When she opened her eyes and looked at him in shock, she didn't pull her hand away, but smiled smugly.
He said to Jiang Bai, "I hope it can be like this every year."
Jiang Bai's stiff body gradually softened. She gripped Zhao Yi's hand, feeling the calluses on his hands from years of hardship, and sighed, "I hope so."
She suddenly wanted to accept Zhao Yi; he had children, was an upright person, and was a very good husband candidate.
Jiang Bai was afraid of getting hurt before, but now, she is loved by Zhao Yi, Zhao Ping'an and Zhao Xile, and she has gained confidence.
So what if she's injured? It's not like someone actually shot her in the heart; injuries can always be healed.
Don't try to think about nothing, but don't overthink it either. What good is it to love recklessly?
Even if this one doesn't work out, there's always another one; cherish the intense love.
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