Speaking of Han Zhen, Yang Haiyan suddenly remembered a plot from the story.

Why did Han Zhen’s father and stepmother travel to the border to find him?

Although it was necessary for the story, for the male and female leads to experience hardships, it also had something to do with the original character.

In the original plot, after the original owner of the body returned to her hometown with Qin Fang, just like this time, Han Zhen’s family came asking about him.

The original owner, out of jealousy toward Yang Dahua, exaggerated and embellished the story about Han Zhen’s life at the border, making it sound as though he was living very well.

As a result, Han Zhen’s father brought the whole family to the border to find him.

Now, Han Zhen’s father and stepmother had come again.

But this time, without the original owner, would they still know about Han Zhen’s situation?

Would they still be able to go to the border to find him?

Yang Haiyan wasn’t sure.

Some plotlines, even if delayed, still unfold, just like the incident where the barbarians kidnapped the young lord as a hostage.

As Yang Haiyan ate her rice soup with vegetables, she curiously listened to the gossip from outside.

What could be more enjoyable than secretly listening to gossip by yourself?

Qin Siya entered the room with a silk flower in her hand.

She sat across from Yang Haiyan, simply staring at her.

Yang Haiyan thought she might be hungry. “Siya, are you hungry?”

Qin Siyah shook her head.

“Then why did you come in?”

“I just came to sit,” she replied.

Er Yah and San Yah had gone to the embroidery workshop to learn embroidery, so she was the only girl left at home.

Sometimes, she felt quite bored.

Yang Haiyan quickly finished her rice soup, cleaned her bowl, and saw that Qin Siya was still sitting there.

She said, “Come on, big sister-in-law will do your hair and put the silk flower on for you.”

Qin Siya jumped up, “Okay!”

But when Yang Haiyan looked at her hair, it seemed a bit oily and dirty.

She said, “You should start a fire and heat some water. We need to wash your hair first.”

Qin Siya eagerly replied, “I’ll go heat the water right away!”

Outside, Qin Fang thought Han Zhen had guessed correctly.

As long as he returned home, Han Zhen’s father would definitely come, and here he was.

Qin Fang was already standing outside; after meals, he had developed the habit of standing for a while, a practice he picked up from his wife.

When Han Zhen’s father arrived, Qin Fang greeted him, “Uncle Han.”

Han Zhen’s father, who was older than Qin Fang’s father, had not come alone.

He brought Han Zhen’s stepmother, Mrs. Qian, with him.

The Han family didn’t live close to the Qin family.

It was Mrs. Qian who, upon hearing that Qin Fang had returned home with great success, remembered that Han Zhen and Qin Fang had served together in the military, and she urged Han Zhen’s father to come with her.

As soon as she entered the yard, she noticed Wu Shuai and the carriage, thinking to herself that Qin Fang had indeed achieved success.

Everyone knew carriages were expensive, costing at least 60 or 70 taels of silver—an amount they could never afford in their lifetime.

Qin Fang had succeeded, but what about Han Zhen?

Qin’s mother brought out a stool, saying, “Dogzi’s father, have a seat.”

Han Zhen’s father declined, “No, no, I just came to ask about our Dogzi’s situation. Qin Fang, you and Dogzi served together in the military. Now that you’ve completed your service and returned, why hasn’t Dogzi come back?”

Qin Fang responded, “I’m not sure; we didn’t stay in the same place.”

Qin Fang wasn’t one for many words, so he didn’t elaborate further.

Han Zhen’s father, a quiet man himself, wasn’t sure what to say next.

In their household, Mrs. Qian usually took the lead.

Mrs. Qian signaled for Han Zhen’s father to continue asking questions, but he just looked at her blankly.

Frustrated by his lack of response, Mrs. Qian spoke up, “Qin Fang, what’s our Dogzi’s current situation? Has he earned any military merits?”

Qin Fang calmly answered, “No,” without the slightest hesitation, as if it were a normal conversation.

If Yang Haiyan didn’t know the truth, even she would have believed him.

Mrs. Qian didn’t doubt Qin Fang’s words either, as she didn’t expect Han Zhen to have achieved anything remarkable.

She continued, “Did Dogzi ask you to bring anything back for us? Like money or anything?”

Qin Fang simply replied, “No.”

Seeing that there was nothing else to ask, Mrs. Qian said, “Alright, we’ll be going now.”

She shot a glare at Han Zhen’s father. “Are you coming or not?”

Han Zhen’s father quickly apologized to the Qin family and hurried after his wife.

Second Aunt Qin snorted, “What kind of people are they? I bet Han Dogzi isn’t coming back. Once his service is over, he’ll find a better place to make a living. Why would he come back to be a slave for that stepmother of his?”

Qin’s mother chimed in, “If Dogzi doesn’t want to come back, maybe his stepmother doesn’t want anyone returning to share her son’s inheritance.”

After Han Zhen’s father left, Yang Haiyan came out with a basin of warm water, followed by Qin Siya.

Qin’s mother noticed, “What are you two up to?”

Qin Siya quickly explained, “Big sister-in-law said she’d do my hair and put the silk flower on, but… but I need to wash my hair first.” The young girl was a bit embarrassed, knowing her hair was dirty.

Qin’s mother teased, “Look how happy you are! Finally willing to wash that straw-like hair of yours?”

Qin Siya retorted, “Your hair is straw!” Clearly upset by the comparison.

As the family sat in the courtyard, Yang Haiyan washed Qin Siyah’s hair.

She went inside to retrieve a small wooden box and scooped out a bit of hair cleanser.

Once the cleanser was applied, a pleasant scent filled the air.

Qin Siya asked excitedly, “Big sister-in-law, what is this? It smells so good!”

Yang Haiyan smiled, “It’s for washing hair. After washing, your hair will be soft and fragrant.”

Qin Siya brightened, “Does that mean it won’t look like straw anymore?”

Yang Haiyan couldn’t help but laugh.

It seemed the young girl was quite concerned about her mother’s comment on her hair.

After using three full basins of water, they finally got Qin Siya’s hair clean.

Once it was done, Yang Haiyan instructed her to let it dry in the sun before she would style it.

Qin Siya sat in the sunlight, completely still.

Since Qin Fang and Yang Haiyan had returned, the family hadn’t gone to the fields in the morning.

After lunch and a short rest, they headed out to work, and Qin Fang joined them.

Qin’s mother didn’t go, staying behind to accompany her newly returned daughter-in-law, so she wouldn’t feel unfamiliar or out of place.

However, Qin’s mother had something on her mind.

She called Grandmother Qin into the room and said, “Mother, there’s something about Qin Fang I need to tell you. He planned to tell you and Father privately, but you know me, I can’t keep secrets, so I wanted to give you a heads-up.”

Grandmother Qin, noticing her mysterious tone, was puzzled. “What’s going on?”

Qin’s mother replied, “Qin Fang didn’t just come back because his service is complete. He’s also an official now.”

Grandmother Qin was stunned, “What?” Had she heard wrong?

Seeing her reaction, Qin’s mother added, “Yes, he’s an official now, the same rank as our county magistrate.”

Grandmother Qin’s mouth dropped open, then slowly closed. “I need a moment to process this.”

Qin’s mother wasn’t in a hurry, letting her mother-in-law take her time, though she had processed the news more quickly herself.

Grandmother Qin took a long time to come to terms with it.

She never imagined that in her lifetime, her grandson would become an official, and she would become the matriarch of an official’s family. “The ancestors have blessed us… truly blessed us… We must tell your father. He’ll be so happy. Right now, only you and I know?”

Qin’s mother confirmed, “Yes, just us. Even your son doesn’t know yet.”

Grandmother Qin thought for a moment. “Why did you tell me now? Why not let Qin Fang announce it?”

Originally, Qin Fang had planned to share the news over lunch, but after Yang Haiyan cried, the atmosphere at the table became heavy, and he forgot to mention it.

Qin’s mother explained, “It’s because we need to choose a date to host a banquet for Qin Fang and Yanyan. Should we announce Qin Fang’s official status at the banquet, or should we keep it secret for now?”

The Qin family didn’t have a family shrine or close ancestral ties.

In Baili village, most people didn’t share a common ancestor, and generally, ordinary folks didn’t have family shrines.

So even though Qin Fang had become an official, there was no need for ancestor worship. “We should probably discuss this with your father,” said Qin’s grandmother.

In her view, this was good news and should be shared.

But once it was announced, there was always the risk of people abusing the situation.

She was torn. If they didn’t tell anyone, though, could they keep it a secret forever?

“Besides, shouldn’t we inform the relatives in our family? And what about Ah Fang’s family? If we tell one and the other, doesn’t that mean everyone will know?”

Qin’s mother asked again, “What about other things? Mother, don’t blame me as your daughter-in-law for asking too much, but now that Ah Fang has an official post and a salary, we can’t expect him to hand over half of it, right?”

Grandmother Qin understood immediately.

Her daughter-in-law wasn’t primarily concerned about the earlier matters, but about this one.

As a mother, it’s natural for her to think about her son’s well-being.

There was nothing wrong with that.

Grandmother Qin said, “I will discuss this matter with your father.”

With her mother-in-law’s response, Qin’s mother didn’t push further.

However, there was still one more issue: “And what about the matter of adopting by Third brother? He’s mentioned it more than once. Before, it was delayed because Ah Fang hadn’t finished his military service.

Now that he’s back, the third brother might bring it up again. Mother, let me be clear: I will never agree to giving up my son. If I, as his mother, can’t even protect my child, I might as well hit my head against the wall and die.

Now that the eldest son is back and the eldest daughter-in-law is on my side, who can force me to give him up? Besides, Ah Fang is an official now, and if word gets out that we’re passing down the family name, it won’t sound good.”

Qin’s mother’s words made Grandmother Qin uncomfortable—not because of the issue with Shoucheng, but because of her tone.

She felt like she was being pressured by Qin’s mother.

Although she could understand Qin’s concerns, it didn’t mean she appreciated this attitude.

But Grandmother Qin also knew that things were different now with the eldest son’s family.

The future of the Qin family depended on them, and they couldn’t afford to alienate them.

With a sigh, she said, “Don’t worry, your father and I never had such a plan.”

Qin’s mother replied, “I tend to speak bluntly, so I hope you don’t take my words to heart.”

Grandmother Qin smiled, “We’re family. Why take anything to heart? By the way, we should visit the nunnery and ask the nun to choose an auspicious day for Ah Fang and Yan Yan’s wedding banquet.”

Qin’s mother asked, “Shall we go later?”

Grandmother Qin replied, “We have enough time to go now.”

There was a nunnery near Baili Village, but it took about half an hour on foot.

The nunnery was quite run-down, with only one elderly nun living there.

Whenever something happened in the nearby villages, people would go to the old nun for help.

And to be honest, sometimes her predictions were surprisingly accurate.

When Yang Haiyan heard that Grandmother Qin and Qin’s mother were going to the nunnery, she thought about joining them, but when she realized it was a half-hour walk, she gave up the idea.

After several days of traveling, she was too tired to walk that far.

So, Yang Haiyan stayed home with Qin Siyu while the others went.

Baili Village wasn’t much different from the border areas.

While at the border, Yang Haiyan would often pass the time embroidering handkerchiefs or secretly eating fruit in her room.

The hierarchy between servants and masters was very strict, and no one dared enter her room without her permission, so she felt quite safe.

The fruits she ate were small, like cherries, grapes, and tomatoes, and she would carefully dispose of the peels and seeds.

But here, there was no fruit to eat, and no handkerchiefs to embroider.

For the past few days, she hadn’t even brought any items with her.

Yang Haiyan felt a bit tired, but she knew if she slept now, she wouldn’t be able to sleep at night, so she stayed awake.

She glanced at Qin Siyu, who was drying her hair in the sunlight, and asked, “Siyu, is there anything interesting around here?”

Qin Siyu replied, “What do you mean by interesting?”

Yang Haiyan didn’t want to lead the nine-year-old girl astray by gossiping. “Siyu, what do you usually like to do?”

Qin Siyu thought for a moment, “I help Mother wash clothes, gather pig grass with my third brother Niudan, search for bugs, and dig for wild vegetables.”

Yang Haiyan was surprised, “But isn’t Shoucheng studying? Has he stopped?”

Qin Siyu shook her head, “Yes, he stopped.” After a moment, she added, “Big Sister-in-law, I’ll tell you a secret, but you can’t tell anyone.”

Yang Haiyan quickly promised, “I won’t tell anyone.”

For some reason, the idea of sharing a secret excited her.

Ever since she time-traveled, she hadn’t had anyone to share secrets with, unlike before when she could chat online with her sisters.

Those happy times were long gone.

Qin Siyu whispered, “Actually, my third brother is quite good at studying, but tuition is expensive. The old scholar secretly told my brother to attend a better private school, but my brother said we didn’t have the money. He said knowing a few characters was enough. Later, when my second brother stopped studying this year, my second aunt suggested that Niudan should start school since he was the only grandson who couldn’t read. Because of that, my third brother stopped studying. I even saw him crying in secret.”

Yang Haiyan felt a pang of sadness, “Doesn’t your mother know?”

Qin Siyu shook her head, “No, I promised my brother not to tell. My brother said the family doesn’t have money. Big Brother sent money back to let the second and third brothers study, which was already a lot. Big Brother is in the army, which is very dangerous. We can’t use his hard-earned money for studying.

My brother also said that after Big Brother left that first year, Mother cried secretly every day, and her eyes almost went bad from crying. My brother said if he continued studying, Big Brother might feel pressured to keep serving in the army to pay for his education, but he’d rather have Big Brother come back so our family can be together.”

Yang Haiyan felt deeply moved.

She hadn’t expected Shoucheng, a twelve-year-old, to be so thoughtful.

She believed every word Siyu said; after all, Siyu was a simple, innocent girl.

The Qin family’s upbringing seemed quite good.

Qin Fang was responsible, but he did things with a clear sense of boundaries.

She hadn’t interacted much with Qin Shouye yet, so she wouldn’t comment, but she liked Niudan’s straightforwardness and Shoucheng’s maturity.

Even Siyu left a good impression on her.

The only ones left were the eldest daughter, the second daughter, and the third daughter.

She wondered what they were like.

Thinking about this, Yang Haiyan asked, “Siyu, when we last heard from your second brother, didn’t he mention that your eldest sister got married?”

Qin Siyu replied, “Yes, she got married before the New Year. This morning, Second Brother already went to see her and told her that Big Brother and you were back. She said she would come tomorrow with her husband… Big Sister-in-law, my hair is dry now. It’s so soft and smooth!”

This girl, always thinking about her hair.

Yang Haiyan beckoned to her, “Come here and squat down. I’ll help you braid it.”

Qin Siyu replied happily, “Okay!”

Yang Haiyan gave Qin Siyu bangs, creating the modern look known as “air bangs,” which most girls these days would trim for themselves.

Then she parted her hair in the middle and braided each side from the top of her head to her ears, tying the braids together at the back and adding a silk flower in the middle.

This hairstyle suited little girls like Qin Siyu, though it could work for any unmarried girl.

After finishing, Yang Haiyan said, “All done. Go take a look in the mirror.”

Qin Siyu responded, “We don’t have a mirror. I’ll get a basin of water to check.”

In ancient times, mirrors were made of bronze, not as clear as the glass mirrors of today.

But even a bronze mirror was something a family like the Qin’s wouldn’t buy.

Women in the countryside worked in the fields every day, so why would they need a mirror?

And of course, they didn’t want to spend the money on one.

A water reflection could still give her a rough idea, and Qin Siyu happily touched her bangs, her braids, and the silk flower in the back she couldn’t quite see.

She thought she looked as pretty as her sister-in-law, even prettier than the girls in town.

She ran back to Yang Haiyan, full of joy, “Big Sister-in-law, you’re amazing! The hairstyle is so pretty.”

Yang Haiyan smiled, “Do you want me to braid your hair every day?”

Qin Siyu’s eyes lit up, “Can you?”

Yang Haiyan chuckled, “Of course I can.”

Braiding every day wasn’t realistic, but while she was staying with the Qin family, it was a fun way to pass the time.

Once back at the border, she could have Granny Lian braid the girl’s hair in all kinds of different styles, keeping her happy.

Qin Siyu almost jumped for joy, “That would be great!”

Seeing the little girl smile, Yang Haiyan felt her own happiness: “Siya, do you like studying?”

Qin Siya answered, “What girl studies? Boys can’t even study.”

Yang Haiyan said, “But sister-in-law has studied and can read. If you want to study, I can teach you.”

Qin Siya thought for a moment: “I don’t like studying.”

Yang Haiyan reflected; she herself hadn’t liked studying as a child either.

She used to make her great-grandmother call her several times to get her to school.

To put it simply, students dislike school, and working people dislike going to work.

She still remembered that during her university years, when there were internships during holidays, she had to go because they related to her credits, so she couldn’t make excuses.

Of course, if someone had connections, they could skip the internship, and the unit would stamp the document without any problem.

However, Yang Haiyan was an orphan and naturally had no such connections when she first entered university.

So, during the summer of her freshman year, she interned at a clothing factory.

The factory had shifts in the morning, afternoon, and night.

Every day she didn’t want to go, but when it was time to get up, she still gritted her teeth and went.

Thus, people who had been to school knew the hardships of studying, while those who had worked understood the difficulties of work.

Yang Haiyan changed the topic: “If you recognize ten characters, I’ll reward you with a coin; if you recognize two characters, I’ll reward you with a piece of cake. Would you be willing to learn?”

Wasn’t this a given?

Qin Siya’s eyes widened, eager to see if her sister-in-law was joking: “Really?”

Yang Haiyan held back her laughter: “Really.”

Indeed, ancient children were much easier to deceive than modern ones.

For ancient children, there was no sweet cake or coins that couldn’t be solved.

Qin Siya quickly asked, “So when do we start, sister-in-law?”

Yang Haiyan replied, “No hurry. Wait until I go back to the border with your older brother and take you with us. Once we reach the border, we can start.”

Qin Siya didn’t seem to mind leaving her hometown; in fact, she was a bit anxious: “Can we leave earlier?”

Being sentimental wasn’t something Qin Siya would do.

Yang Haiyan laughed so hard she nearly doubled over.

Qin Siya felt a bit embarrassed hearing her laughter: “Sister-in-law, are you lying to me? My mother definitely wouldn’t let me go.”

Yang Haiyan assured her, “She will; sister-in-law will persuade your mother. But when you go, you must be obedient. If you are obedient, sister-in-law can reward you with a silk flower every month.”

Qin Sisi exclaimed, “I will definitely be obedient! I’ll wash sister-in-law’s clothes, cut pig grass, and feed the chickens. I can do any chores.”

For the sake of coins, pastries, and silk flowers, Qin Sisi would work hard.

An hour later, Qin’s mother and grandmother returned, both looking a bit unhappy.

Seeing this, Yang Haiyan couldn’t help but ask worriedly, “Grandma, Mother, what happened?”

Grandma Qin was too angry to speak, so Mother Qin began, “It’s that nun from the temple; she really made me so mad. We wanted to ask the nun to pick an auspicious day to hold your wedding banquet, and she calculated that five days later was an auspicious day.

Later, your grandmother and I thought about it; you’re at the frontier, and Ah Fang is in such a dangerous position, so we wanted to ask for a safety talisman.

To get the safety talisman, we needed your birth dates. Unexpectedly, that nun took your birth dates and said some ominous words. It really made me so mad!”

Yang Haiyan, being a successor of socialism, naturally didn’t believe in fortune-telling.

However, fortune-telling could be quite mystical and sometimes very accurate.

She was curious about what the nun had said, “Mother, what did the nun say?”