Gu Zhong took a few breaths and lowered his voice: “Isn’t my third brother’s family poor too? He told me yesterday that his family has a debt of 50 taels of silver!”

“When did you see the third brother’s wife always wanting to take advantage of others like you?”

“I don’t give you less food or clothes. What others have is theirs. Why are you jealous?”

“The Emperor eats meat every day. Do you think you have that blessing?”

“Why don’t you look at yourself in the mirror.”

Xing’er hugged Bao’er and huddled in the chair, not daring to breathe.

Gu Zhong glanced over, and both of them lowered their heads quickly.

Gu Zhong sighed deeply: “I will go and earn money for the family’s living. There are many rich people in Ping’an City, and money is easy to earn. It won’t take a year or two to pay off the money owed.”

“Don’t think too much at home, take good care of Bao’er, Xing’er is grown up, you should also ask around to see if there are any suitable families nearby.”

Hearing this, Mrs. Qian forgot to continue crying: “You want to marry Xing’er here? Then we won’t go back in the future?”

“We still have a house and land at home!”

Gu Zhong was silent for a while: “It’s hard to say now. Even if we go back, it will take a few years. Xing’er will be 16 after the New Year. If we delay for a few more years, she will become an old lady.”

Xing’er became nervous and grabbed Bao’er’s clothes hard.

Bao’er twisted his body: “Why are you grabbing me!”

Gu Zhong glanced at Xing’er and shut up.

This kind of thing shouldn’t be said in front of his daughter. He just said something out of turn.

After dinner, Xing’er passed by Shanzi’s house, coughed lightly, and walked away quickly.

Shanzi was still eating. Seeing Xing’er’s figure flashing through the door, he felt anxious. He finished his meal in two or three bites and threw the bowl away: “Mom, I’m going to Uncle Gu’s house to play with Sanlang.”

Aunt Huang sat with her back to the door and didn’t see Xing’er passing by. She was very happy that Shanzi was approaching Gu Fei’s house: “Then go ahead. Don’t forget to thank your Uncle Gu when you see him. Sanlang sent a smoked duck to our house today.”

Shanzi agreed and ran away quickly.

Shanzi went out of the gate and ran along the courtyard wall.

Then turn to the corner and see Xing’er’s figure in the distance.

He ran to Xing’er and grabbed her hand with a happy look on his face: “Xing’er, do you miss me?”

Xing’er pulled back her hand, looking unhappy: “My father told my mother to find a family to marry me nearby.”

Shanzi was anxious: “How can that be, we will get married.”

Xing’er pursed her lips: “Didn’t you say that you would ask your mother to come to my house to propose marriage?”

Shanzi grabbed Xing’er’s hand again: “I, I haven’t mentioned it to my mother.”

“My mother said a few words that day, saying that I was still young and would only be seventeen after the New Year. I should pay off the money borrowed from my family in the next two years, and then go home to talk about marriage after the drought is over.”

Xing’er looked at Shanzi: “I’ll be 16 after the Chinese New Year, how can I wait for 2 more years, don’t you want to marry me at all?”

Shanzi was so anxious that he talked incoherently: “If I don’t want to marry you, I’m a dog!”

Xing’er stamped her feet: “Then why don’t you tell your mother quickly, it will be too late when my mother marries me off!”

Shanzi gritted his teeth: “I’ll, I will tell my mother when I go back.”

He looked at Xing’er eagerly: “Xing’er, let’s go to the grove–”

Xing’er shook her hand away: “You only know how to take advantage of me–”

Shanzi hugged her and breathed quickly in her ear: “Let’s go, we haven’t been there for several days, I, I miss you so much.”