Chapter 004 was taken advantage of

The clever girl quickly complied, entered the room to place the banknotes properly, and then came out to discuss with Aunt Zheng what to buy for lunch to treat her elder brother and sister-in-law

The precious girl was being held horizontally by Qiaoniang, her eyes only able to see the blue sky. If the adults did not come over to look at her, she could not see anyone else's face. At this moment, upon hearing the name "Weige," she recalled a certain highly popular medication among men in her previous life, and her eyes involuntarily rolled to the side, straining to see which unfortunate child had called out that name. As she exerted herself, her head slightly turned outward; she had not yet clearly seen the person in front of her when a woman exclaimed in surprise, "Just a month old, and this little head already knows how to move!" Saying this, she came over to support the precious girl's neck, recalling that certain highly popular medication among men in her previous life, her eyes involuntarily rolling to the side again, straining to see which unfortunate child had called out that name. As she exerted herself, her head slightly turned outward; she had not yet clearly seen the person in front of her when a woman exclaimed in surprise, "Just a month old, and this little head already knows how to move!" Saying this, she came over to support the precious girl's neck, holding her against her chest and playfully making "tut-tut" sounds to entertain the precious girl.

Oh, my, it has made a sound, it has made a sound! Follow me and click your tongue! The Dong family has five sons, and whenever they see someone else with a daughter, they become envious. At this moment, seeing the precious girl, plump and fair, with a round little nose and a pouting little mouth, she is particularly lovable. When I hold her, she is soft and cuddly, and not only does she lack the unpleasant odor of unwashed farm babies, but instead, a delightful scent of milk wafts through the air. I can't help but exclaim with affection, disregarding any potential awkwardness, and I say to Qiaoniang, 'This daughter-in-law, I must have her!'

"Elder brother, sister-in-law, you have come, but why bring so many things?" Qiaoniang embraced Guijier and welcomed her to the door, playfully scolding a few words, then freeing one hand to pat Fang Wenwei's head, saying: "It has been almost half a year since we last met, and Wei Ge has grown a whole half a head taller."

Dong nodded quietly, and Zheng Pozi, having enjoyed a good life with Zheng Weisheng for over ten years, had not forgotten the etiquette of receiving guests. She performed it quite well, ensuring that both the adults and children were attended to, clearly distinguishing between the important and the trivial. When Qiaoniang offered her tea, she reached out to take the precious girl but was reluctant to return her, smiling as she said, "Let the tea sit for now; I will drink it later." While saying this, she continued to play with the precious girl, hoping to encourage her to mimic the "tut-tut" sound again.

It was only then that Dong realized that in the countryside, it was customary not to praise the child in front of her, but rather to speak ill of her, saying she was ugly or resembled a cat or dog, as this was believed to ensure her well-being. He couldn't help but clap his hands and say, "This precious girl is so lovable; I can't help but adore her at first sight, I almost forgot about this custom." As he was about to follow the custom and say some sarcastic remarks about the precious girl, he noticed that she had already finished her milk and was sound asleep. Fearing that he might wake her, he stopped speaking and simply waved his hand, signaling Qiaoniang to take her inside to sleep before coming back to talk.

Perhaps she is hungry! Upon hearing her cries, Qiaoniang hurriedly took Guijier from Dong's arms, turned her back, and began to breastfeed. Dong and Fang Wenwei did not let her off either, surrounding her to watch her suckle, while discussing: "She sucks with such vigor, quite strong. With such an appetite, no wonder she feels heavy when held!"

Fang Wenwei ate several pieces of sweet potato chips, and also came over to look at Miss Gui, with the corners of his mouth still not wiped clean. He then made a clicking sound and kissed Miss Gui on the cheek, and used his mouth to nuzzle against her chest, trying to make her laugh

The young lady heard her mother refer to this woman as sister-in-law, realizing that this was her aunt by marriage. Seeing her putting in effort to tease her, she could only graciously imitate her sound with a "tch".

Several people deliberated for a long time. Fang Da then summoned Qiao Niang to come forward and handed her a silver note, saying: "From now on, my brother-in-law can focus on his studies, while you must diligently manage the household affairs. Spend the silver where it is needed. I will come to visit you every month, and if the silver is insufficient, just let me know."

This time, Aunt Zheng was quite open-minded and said gently: "This is for your elder brother to use for Mingfa, you just take it. The family has income from the fields, and Mingye often goes out to catch birds to sell, so it is not too difficult. If it really becomes difficult, I will take some to give to you again."

Zheng Mingfa nodded slightly. Over the years, he had toiled for a living and witnessed much of the world's affairs, thus he naturally understood the key points of certain matters. Now, if he could first become a student under the same sect, he would not fear that the sect would not lend him a hand. With the support of the sect and financial assistance from his uncle, as long as he performed normally in the examination, this degree of Jinshi would likely be within his grasp

Hearing this, Dong laughed and said, "It sounds as if we are delicate beauties, fainting at the slightest scent."

After the baby girl turned one month old, Qiao Niang tidied up a bit, intending to visit Fang Da's family. However, Fang Da brought his wife, Dong Shi, and their six-year-old son, Fang Wenwei, along with a lot of food.

Qiao Niang had settled Guijier and, upon coming out, saw that Zheng Mingfa had also returned with some purchases. He was engaged in conversation with the Fang couple, so she hurriedly moved a small chair and some books over to sit down.

The young lady found it quite annoying to hear the constant "tch" sound coming from Mr. Dong's mouth, thinking to herself: How boring adults are, to be able to repeat such a sound endlessly without any variation. No wonder many infants cry for no reason; they must be driven to tears by the adults' monotony.

Qiao Niang was momentarily taken aback, but quickly put on a smile, saying, "Look at me, I completely forgot to invite you into the house, just standing at the door chatting!" As she spoke, she welcomed Fang Dafang and Fang Wenwei inside, then turned to Fang Da and said, "My mother-in-law sold the two pigs at home the day before yesterday, cleaned the pigsty thoroughly, and now there's a pile of firewood and straw, so there’s no longer that strong pig smell to bother you. You and your wife can feel free to go in."

When the young lady was kissed by Fang Wenwei, she felt a sticky sensation on her face, accompanied by a hint of sweet potato scent. Then, as he pushed against her chest, despite him being just a little boy, she felt thoroughly taken advantage of and unable to retaliate. Anxious in her heart, she had no choice but to resort to her only weapon, bursting into loud tears.

Qiaoniang agreed, took the banknotes, and went to the kitchen to fetch water for Zheng Pozi. She quietly followed in and took out the banknotes from her bosom, saying: "Aunt, please keep this banknote!" For now, Zheng Pozi is still in charge, and although the money was given by her elder brother, Qiaoniang is still concerned that Zheng Pozi might mind.

Zheng Pozi, upon hearing Dong's words without reservation, reminded her: "Mother-in-law, your daughter is still young, her face is tender, and she cannot withstand flattery"

Zheng Pozi, upon hearing the voices, quickly came out to greet them, exclaiming: "In-laws, uncle and aunt, please come in quickly! I went out to buy some things, and I thought I would return with Qiaoniang and Guijier to visit you, but unexpectedly, you arrived first." As she spoke, she saw Fang Da and his wife entering the door, hurriedly moving chairs and clearing space for them to sit down. She then took down a small basket hanging on a hook, retrieved a plate of homemade sweet potato chips to offer to Fang Wenwei, and finally brewed some tea to serve to Fang Da and his wife.

Fang Da learned that Zheng Mingfa had already resigned from his position in the Fang family, and he also heard that a relative from the family who had previously held an official position would soon return to the hometown. He planned to pay a visit to him, hoping to become his disciple. He couldn't help but clap his hands and say: "My brother-in-law has indeed gained some insight; unlike some self-important scholars from poor families who only read dead books, unaware of the ways of the world, yet dream of rising to great heights in one leap. A person may be well-read, but that does not necessarily mean he can hold an official position; likewise, one who can hold an official position may not be well-versed in knowledge. If one possesses both scholarly knowledge and the ability to build relationships, then one can achieve twice the result with half the effort!"