Chapter 266 - The Tenth Year

Since it was snowing, when the children went home after dinner, Madam Zhao even instructed them to cook some ginger soup for the children to drink.

At night, Su Sanlang sighed softly and said, “I haven’t seen the children so happy in a long time.”

Among the four children, even the youngest, Su Xiaolu, was no longer as innocent as when she was young, let alone Su Xiaoling, Su Chong, and Su Hua.

Madam Zhao snuggled up to Su Sanlang and said with a smile, “That’s right. Everyone is very happy today. Although it’s rare to have such joy, I’ll remember it all. I’ll feel sweet thinking about it in the future.”

“That’s true.”

Su Sanlang smiled in agreement.

“In the blink of an eye, it’s the new year again.”

Su Sanlang hugged Madam Zhao tightly and said that unknowingly, another year had passed.

“That’s right. In the blink of an eye, it’s going to be the new year again.”

Madam Zhao listened to Su Sanlang’s heartbeat and felt very warm. To her, every day was satisfying and blissful. When she mentioned the New Year, she also sighed and felt that time passed too quickly.

“Darling, after the new year, let’s go to town and buy a house. This way, it’ll be more convenient for Chong and the others to go to school. We’ll find time to talk to Hu and the others and see if they are willing.”

Su Sanlang voiced his plan. In the past few years, his family had become richer and richer. By making sauerkraut and pickles, they had saved nearly a thousand taels of silver. It was enough to buy a house in town and live a stable life.

Madam Zhao was stunned for a moment before she nodded. “Alright, I’ll listen to you.”

“Then I’ll ask Sister-in-law later.”

Madam Zhao thought of Madam Qian and estimated in her heart that Chen Hu’s family should have a few hundred taels of silver saved up. It was enough to buy a house.

In the past few years, Madam Qian and her had been like biological sisters. Madam Zhao hoped that the two families could continue to be neighbors.

Su Sanlang replied, “Yes, if possible, let’s buy our houses next to each other. We can take care of each other then.”

“It’s getting late. Let’s sleep now.”

Su Sanlang turned his head and kissed Madam Zhao’s forehead.

Madam Zhao nodded. For so many years, Su Sanlang had maintained this habit. Every night before he fell asleep, he would kiss her forehead, making Madam Zhao feel warm in her heart.

Madam Zhao remembered what Su Sanlang said. A few days later.

During their free time, Madam Zhao told Madam Qian.

When Madam Qian heard this, she smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll discuss it with Hu later.”

“However, if we go to town, what will happen to the things here? What will happen to our business in the future?”

Madam Qian asked. Her family also had a few hundred taels saved up. It was enough to buy a house. The town was rich and there were restrictions everywhere. When they went to the town, the pickles business was the confidence of the two families. They had to do it well.

Hearing Madam Qian’s worry, Madam Zhao smiled and said, “I’ve discussed this with Sanlang. Let’s buy a house with a bigger courtyard and move all of these. We’ll rent our land to the villagers and distribute the food every year. We’ll ask Xiaozhi to help collect the vegetables in the village and let her family take care of this.”

Of course, Su Sanlang had considered this question. If they were going to town, Su Xiaozhi’s family would be taken care of as well.

In the future, Su Xiaozhi’s family would be in charge of harvesting vegetables. With Madam Cao around, there would not be any problems.

The sauerkraut and pickles required a lot of vegetables. These tasks could not be underestimated, and Su Xiaozhi’s family did not have it easy either.

Their salary would still be the same, but their jobs would be different.

Madam Qian nodded. “Alright, I’m relieved that Big Brother has made arrangements. I’ll tell Hu later.”

Madam Zhao smiled and Madam Qian also smiled gently. There were many things that she did not need to say for each other to understand.

At night, Madam Qian returned home. When they were going to bed at night, she told Chen Hu about this.

Chen Hu said, “Darling, what do you think? We have more than 700 taels of silver in our family. It’s enough to buy a house. With this money, even if we don’t go to town, we can live very well here.”

“Hu, I want to follow Big Brother and Sister-in-law into the town. Shi and Xing have always known Chong and Hua, so they will also be affected by one another. Perhaps they can also take the Elementary Scholar examination together in the future. It’s said that the closer they are, the more similar they would become. I think it’s right. It’s definitely not wrong to let them learn from Chong and Hua.”

Madam Qian voiced her thoughts and thought about her two sons. Madam Qian hoped that they could study too. It would be best if they made it. Even if they could not pass the exam, they could still read. They could always learn something by following Chong and Hua.

“I think so too. I was afraid that you don’t want to enter the town. Since you want to, let’s go with Big Brother and Sister-in-law.”

Chen Hu said with a smile. He had always been determined to follow Su Sanlang, but he also cared about Madam Qian. Madam Qian thought of the same thing as him. Chen Hu couldn’t stop smiling. He took Madam Qian’s hand and kissed it.

Madam Qian was immediately embarrassed. “You’re already so old, yet you’re still like this.”

Chen Hu smiled and said, “Darling, I’m happy.”

Madam Qian replied lightly, “Me too.”

…

The next day, Madam Qian told Madam Zhao.

Madam Zhao smiled and said that after the new year, the two families would go looking for a house together.

The two families were on the same page. When the time came, they would not be too far apart.

It would be best if they were neighbors.

Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was the new year.

On New Year’s Eve, Madam Zhao and Su Sanlang had been busy since they woke up in the morning. Su Xiaoling was also busy making a few Medicinal cuisines.

Su Xiaolu had also been practicing her swordplay since she woke up in the morning.

After she was beaten down, she watched Su Chong and Gui You exchange blows.

Su Xiaolu widened her eyes. “Big Brother is improving so quickly.”

Su Chong’s improvement was rapid. He could block many of Gui You’s moves and last for two hours without losing.

When the sword in Su Chong’s hand was knocked out of his hand, Gui You stopped and looked satisfied.

His gaze landed on Su Xiaolu and he said calmly, “Girl, your brother, Su Chong, will graduate today. After this year, I’m leaving. From now on, your brother will teach you.”

With that, Gui You leaped over the wall.

It took Su Xiaolu a while to come back to her senses. She looked at Su Hua and Zhou Heng and asked uncertainly, “I think I heard Master Gui You say that Big Brother has graduated?”

Su Hua and Zhou Heng nodded at her with certainty.

Su Hua said, “Master Gui You did say so. Big Brother will teach you in the future.”

It had been four years since Gui You came to the house. Su Chong had already learned what he had taught. The rest would depend on Su Chong to study and comprehend it himself.

Su Chong walked to Su Xiaolu’s side and patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry. It’s the same if Big Brother teaches you in the future.”

Su Xiaolu felt a little reluctant and wanted to cry. She held back.

During the New Year’s Eve dinner, Gui You gave Su Xiaolu a set of knives and silver needles. Su Xiaolu looked up and her eyes were already red. “Master Gui You…”

She really couldn’t bear to let him go, but she knew that she couldn’t. Gui You and Old Wu were the same kind of people.