Recently, Zhang Xuemei hadn’t heard about what was happening in Zhangjia Village, but she was truly surprised when she saw Jian Xiu.

However, she still politely nodded at Jian Xiu and called out, “Jian Xiu Jie” (Jie = Elder sister).

Jian Xiu was one year older than her, so it was reasonable for her to call her “Jie.”

Hearing the title and seeing the expression on her face, Jian Xiu instinctively furrowed her brows.

“Is there something you’re hiding from me?” Jian Xiu immediately asked.

Although they were from different villages, when Jian Xiu first married into this area, Zhang Xue Mei hadn’t married yet.

They had become two of the more prominent women in their respective villages.

Later, when Zhang Xue Mei remarried into Jianjia Village, their relationship grew closer.

Hearing Zhang Xue Mei’s words and seeing her expression, Jian Xiu instinctively furrowed her brows.

“Is there something you’re hiding from me?” Jian Xiu immediately asked.

Jian Xiu had a certain understanding of Zhang Xue Mei’s character.

In the past, if Zhang Xue Mei saw her, she would be very excited.

Not to mention, Jian Xiu often worked non-stop in the fields, and when Zhang Xue Mei came back, she would find her to chat.

Zhang Xue Mei married into Jianjia Village, and if Jian Xiu’s guess was correct, something must have happened to her parents’ side.

For some reason, when she thought about her original parents, Jian Xiu felt a pang of bitterness in her heart.

Hearing Jian Xiu’s question, Zhang Xue Mei subconsciously said, “Jian Xiu Jie, to be honest, your parents…”

Thinking about Jian Xiu’s situation, Zhang Xue Mei ultimately swallowed the words she was about to say.

“What happened to them?” Jian Xiu quickly asked.

“They… they aren’t doing well. Jian Xiu Jie, if you have the time, you should go see them!”

When Jian Xiu heard Zhang Xue Mei’s words, her furrowed brows deepened even further.

However, she also knew that continuing to ask wouldn’t get her any clearer answers and would only waste her time.

It would be more practical to go and see for herself.

It wasn’t hard to understand why the original owner of this body had been bullied by Mrs. Liu; the original owner only had one older brother.

Her parents were not in good health and had three daughters.

After much difficulty, her mother became pregnant again, but the birth was difficult.

Thankfully, both the child and mother survived, and they had a son. But the birth left them deeply in debt.

At that time, with lives at stake, they couldn’t gather enough money, so they turned to usurious loans.

Thinking about this made Jian Xiu furious.

Back then, her father, Jian Dashan, had come to the old house to ask Zhang Laotou for a loan, but was rejected outright.

And at that time, Jian Xiu had been so weak that she couldn’t say a word, while Zhang Zixuan was out working.

Usurious loans are usually compounded, and normal families wouldn’t take such a risk unless they were desperate.

They had borrowed for four years, and over that period, they had only been able to pay the interest, unable to repay the principal.

If they hadn’t made interest payments periodically, their lives would have been even worse.

With many children, their life was harder than Jian Xiu’s.

The original owner probably knew her family was struggling, so even though she faced hardships at the old house, she bore it in silence.

Her parents and older brother loved her, and if they knew she was suffering, it would only add to their worries.

Most importantly, she only had one older brother.

Even if she went to the old house and caused a fuss, she wouldn’t be able to stand up to the people there.

Her older brother, Jian Ming, worked tirelessly at the dock in the county every day, earning a meager wage that barely covered the interest on the usurious loan.

Thinking about this, Jian Xiu lost her patience.

She quickly headed back to the village.

When she saw Zhang Zhiyong selling wild boar meat at the market earlier, she had planned to bring some back to Jianjia Village to see her parents and brother.

Originally, she had planned to wait a few more days before going, but seeing Zhang Xue Mei’s expression, she guessed that something else had happened at her family.

With that thought, Jian Xiu could no longer stay still.

At the village end, Liutou, Qitou, and Erya were already standing at the gate waiting for Jian Xiu.

They had seen Zhang Zhiyong arrive and guessed Jian Xiu was not far behind.

Sure enough, they saw Jian Xiu carrying a basket, walking toward them from a distance.

“Mom…” The three children shouted in unison.

Hearing “Mom,” Jian Xiu felt her heart swell with emotion.

“Did you miss me while I was out for so long?” Jian Xiu asked, smiling.

“Of course we did.”

Hearing this, Jian Xiu thought of her parents in Jianjia Village.

She imagined they probably missed her just as much.

“Liutou, Qitou, Erya, did you miss your grandfather and grandmother?” Jian Xiu asked softly.

Zhang Zixuan, who was preparing to come out, overheard this question.

Having been married for many years, he knew exactly what Jian Xiu was thinking.

Looking at the remaining half of the wild boar, Zhang Zixuan picked up the knife…

By the time Jian Xiu entered, Zhang Zixuan had already divided the wild boar.

Seeing this, Jian Xiu raised an eyebrow. “You knew I was planning to go to Jianjia Village?”

“You haven’t been back in a long time. It’s my fault, I’ve been a burden to you. This time, when you go back, take more things with you.”

“Yes!”

“Now we have enough money. If possible, we should pay off the usurious loans for your parents. If we don’t, their lives will never get better. We can’t be at ease knowing that.”

Upon hearing this, Jian Xiu raised her head in shock and looked at Zhang Zixuan, unable to believe what she had just heard.

She had never expected to hear such words from him.

Since they had cut ties with the old house, he knew she had money, but he had never asked her to find a great doctor to treat his leg condition.

Jian Xiu knew that he also longed to move as freely as normal people. But even though he knew she had plans for the money, he had never mentioned it to her.

Thinking about this, Jian Xiu said without hesitation, “Actually, I’ve already found a way to treat your leg, but it’s not the right time yet.”

“Really? Are you serious?” Zhang Zixuan asked, wide-eyed.

As Jian Xiu had expected, he had been thinking about this for some time, but he didn’t want to add to her stress.

He knew Jian Xiu had been working hard lately to earn money.

He also knew that they had to finish building the house by winter; otherwise, they wouldn’t know how to survive the season.