Village Chief He was so excited that he couldn't contain himself; he hadn't expected that Good Brother An would agree so quickly to the matter he had been worrying about for a month: "Good Brother An, rest assured, we all understand the rules, thank you for your trouble."

He Jinseng was so touched that he solemnly bowed to Good Brother An: "Good Brother An, thank you. I will always remember this kindness in my heart."

Gu Jin'an smiled and said: "Brother Jin Sheng, there's no need for such formalities, we are all from the same village, we should help each other."

He Jinseng was even more moved, and he thought of when the Qin, Gu, and Luotian families had just arrived in the village, his grandfather had given them a hard time because of the influence of the Lu Family and he felt particularly guilty.

"What are you standing around for? Hurry back and get ready, then put on the new jacket I bought for you so you can meet Master Ouyang looking neat and tidy." Village Chief He was dragging He Jinseng home while he said to Gu Jin'an: "Good Brother An, wait for my Jin Sheng, he will be here soon."

He then turned to Brother Cheng and said, "Oh, Brother Cheng is up, you've put on some weight, like a lucky baby."

Brother Cheng: "..."

Your eyesight is failing, I've been standing right here all along, and you're only noticing now?

Muttering inwardly, but with a smiling face he said to Village Chief He: "Good morning, Village Chief, take care."

Village Chief He courteously said: "Eh eh, no need for you to see me off."

"... We haven't moved an inch." Brother Cheng whispered to Gu Jin'an, who pressed a hand on top of his head: "You can't say that out loud, just keep it to yourself. You need to be a good child."

Brother Cheng nodded: "Mhm, I've been very good o(^0^)o."

Seeing him laugh like a little fox, Gu Jin'an also smiled and called out to Feng Lian: "Lianzi, go and call Brother Dexing from Uncle Dafu's house, tell him we are going to meet Master Ouyang later, does he want to come?"

Since he had invited He Jinseng, it wouldn't be good not to invite Gu Dexing.

"Ei, I'll go right now." Feng Lian promised and dashed to Gu Dafu's house, but when he came back, he was accompanied by a crowd.

Mrs. Chen was dressed to impress, with a striking red silk flower in her hair, one hand pulling Gu Defa, the other dragging Gu Dewang, and she shouted to Gu Jin'an: "Good Brother An, Lianzi said you are taking Brother Xing, Brother Wang, and Brother Fa to meet Master Ouyang. Oh, Auntie knew you are good-hearted, always thinking of Auntie's family when there's an opportunity."

Gu Dewang said: "Mother, Jin'an Brother only called for Brother Dexing, not us. Let us go, we still have to get to the workshop to work."

Sister Xiao Yu said, working at the pharmaceutical workshop for a day earns them one hundred copper coins. That's a hundred copper coins! If they work from the holiday until the New Year, they could earn a whole tael of silver.

Mrs. Chen scornfully said: "Pah, work what work. Go with your mother to town to meet Master Ouyang."

Mrs. Chen was also mentally exhausted; how could she, so clever, have given birth to two fools?

She also scolded Gu Dagui: "It's all your father's fault, if he could have been a bit smarter, you two wouldn't be so foolish, not even knowing to woo a noble when one comes."

Gu Defa silently thought: If our temper was like yours, could we still live this life? Even the sturdiest roof would be flipped over by the three of us.

Gu Dexing followed behind Mrs. Chen, never expecting that his second aunt could witness Feng Lian visiting their house for breakfast and then rush over to ask if Good Brother An had returned?

Upon hearing that he had indeed returned, she was so excited she looked as if she was ready to claim a share of the goodies.

After hearing what Feng Lian said, she didn't even finish her breakfast and hurried over with Brother Wang and Brother Fa.

Gu Jin'an had long been accustomed to Mrs. Chen's behavior; as long as her demands were not excessive, it was fine.

"Brother Xing, hurry up, what's the matter with you? You're becoming softer as you grow older. As the eldest son and grandson, you should be protecting your younger brothers, not being so lukewarm," Mrs. Chen complained about Gu Dexing's slow pace and yelled at him again.

Gu Dexing shook his head helplessly and could only follow... He used to dislike his second aunt as well, but as he grew older and thought back on past events, he realized that his second aunt had actually been very kind to him and his siblings, better than many other aunts. At least she truly cared for them and did not mistreat them in any way.

"Good Brother An, leave Brother Wang and Brother Fa to you. You must take them to meet Master Ouyang," said Mrs. Chen, with a hint of envy. "I don't know what kind of luck your family has; right after Master Xia leaves, an even more impressive Master Ouyang arrives, and I've heard that Master Ouyang's elder brother holds an official position. Oh my, if only the Northwest were closer, I'd genuinely want to go back and see if the ancestral grave of your paternal grandmother is emitting green smoke."

Otherwise, how could their luck be so good?

Brother Cheng smiled and said to Mrs. Chen, "Aunt Gui, now that we have silver, if you want to see, you can take a mule cart back to the Northwest and return after the visit."

He added mischievously, "But before you leave, you should buy a maid for Uncle Da Gui; otherwise, he will have no one to serve him. It's customary for ladies from wealthy families to buy maids for their husbands when they go out."

Mrs. Chen's face darkened, "Brother Cheng, don't talk nonsense. I was just saying it in passing and never really thought about going back. You're too young to understand, our old home in the Northwest is truly a wretched place. If it's not drought, it's sandstorms, and during big sandstorms, you'd get a layer of sand on the roof that would fall and cover everything at night while you sleep, such a mess."

Brother Cheng didn't quite remember these details, only recalling that in their old home they were often beaten, starved, and their little home was very very poor—to the point where he couldn't remember what it felt like to sleep in a bed... It was either his mother holding him, or his elder brother or sister.

As for his second sister, she was rather fierce, spending her days either arguing with their grandparents or running around finding food for him. Returning home each evening, she would just throw herself onto the straw mat and fall asleep.

Right!

Their home didn't have a bed, only straw mats. At night, they spread the straw mats on the ground to sleep on.

"Good Brother An, we are here, we haven't made you wait too long, have we?" Village Chief He arrived with He Jinseng, who was dressed in new clothes.

Mrs. Chen was disgruntled upon seeing them; with only one Master Ouyang, if he taught He Jinseng, then how would he have time to teach her three?

"Good Brother An, hurry up, let your Brother Dexing get on the cart first," Mrs. Chen deliberately said, pulling Gu Defa over to get him on the mule cart first.

Gu Dexing, fearing that Mrs. Chen would say something off-putting, quickly said, "Second aunt, didn't you say you wanted to see the good things Xiao Yu brought back from Jinling? Please go take a look quickly, otherwise once Xiao Yu goes to the pharmaceutical workshop, you'll have to wait until tomorrow."

Mrs. Chen eagerly replied, "Right, right, I'm going to find Xiao Yu now; Brother Xing, make something of yourselves, don't be so dull. When you see that chubby old man, just flatter him, what's the point of being so thin-skinned? Compared to an official position, your three faces are worth nothing!"

Gu Dexing's face flushed with embarrassment, he lowered his head and said, "I understand, second aunt."

Having said that, he helped Brother Cheng onto the mule cart, and after Brother Wang got on, he himself climbed onto the mule cart.