n

n

n

n

n

nThey went to the market nearby to buy some vegetables and fruits before heading home.

n

n“Oh my, Grandpa Zhou!” Qiao Mei saw Zhou Sheng at the entrance of the alley and greeted him warmly.

n

nWhen Zhou Sheng turned around and saw that it was Qiao Mei, he smiled so widely that it was as if he had seen his own granddaughter.

n

n“Oh, Mei Mei, you’re back!” Zhou Sheng said with a smile.

n

n“Yes I am. Grandpa Zhou, where are you going?” Qiao Mei asked.

n

n“Me? I’m just heading home after a walk. Oh, Xiao Fang is also here too. And who is this?” Zhou Sheng asked curiously as he looked at Xia He.

n

n“Grandpa Zhou, I’m Xiao He,” Xia He said.

n

nIt was no wonder that Zhou Sheng could not recognize her. Xia He did not used to go to the old house often. During her schooldays, she went to boarding school and did not go home much. She only saw Zhou Sheng more often when she was much younger and living with her grandparents.

n

n“Oh my, it’s Xiao He! You’re so grown up now and so beautiful,” Zhou Sheng said happily.

n

nBack then, Xia He also did not hold a wedding banquet. Xu Lan did not agree to this marriage to begin with, and Kong Lu was still poor then and could not afford to pay for a wedding at all. He even needed to borrow money to prepare the betrothal gifts.

n

nZhou Sheng did not know that Xia He got married. The last time he saw Xia He, it was when Xia Zhe’s grandmother passed away.

n

n“Grandpa Zhou, I bought a lot of groceries. Come to our house for dinner!” Qiao Mei said as she swung the groceries in front of Zhou Sheng.

n

n“I’d better not. I won’t go given that you’re having a family reunion,” Zhou Sheng waved his hand and said.

n

n“Grandpa Zhou, it’s just me, Xia Zhe, Aunt, and elder sister. You must come. I’m going to go back and cook now. Don’t stand on ceremony with me. I’ll take it that you’ve agreed. You must come and eat,” Qiao Mei left with her things the moment she finished talking.

n

n“This child is in such a rush,” Zhou Sheng said as he smiled and shook his head.

n

nXia Fang and Xia He bade farewell to Zhou Sheng and he headed home.

n

nQiao Mei thought that she did not manage to show off her skills at Zhou Sheng’s house the last time. Today, she must cook some nice dishes for Zhou Sheng. They could also celebrate their elder sister’s homecoming as well.

n

nAs soon as Qiao Mei entered the house, she rushed into the kitchen. Xia Fang wanted to go in and help but was pushed out by Qiao Mei.

n

n“There’s no need to help me. I can do it by myself. Aunt and elder sister, why not go and take a seat in the house and take a look at how the furniture is being arranged. I’m worried that Xia Zhe won’t be able to get it right on his own,” Qiao Mei said.

n

nXia Fang and Xia He had no choice but to go into the house to help Xia Zhe with the furnishings.

n

nThe furniture that they bought today had all arrived. Compared to the relatively empty house from before, it now had a more warm human touch to it. However, the new furniture were all modern designs, so there was no classy vintage feel anymore.

n

nThere was also a huge dining table in the main hall that was big enough to accommodate the entire Xia family. For normal mealtimes, there was another small dining table.

n

n“Elder sister, is there anything that you don’t eat?” Qiao Mei, wearing an apron and holding a kitchen knife and spatula in her hands, ran over and asked.

n

nThe way she looked gave three of them a fright.

n

n“Oh my goodness, my little ancestor. Why did you come out like this? What if you fall and get hurt by this kitchen knife!” Xia Fang hurriedly took the kitchen knife from Qiao Mei.

n

nXia Zhe also had a troubled expression on his face.

n

nQiao Mei smiled awkwardly and quietly moved the spatula in her hand behind her back. She asked in a playful tone, “Elder sister, is there anything you don’t eat? Anything that you avoid eating.”

n

n“I eat everything. I’m not picky. I’ll eat anything you make,” Xia He said.

n

n“Alright, I got it.” With that, Qiao Mei returned to the kitchen to get busy.

n

nXia Fang was still worried about Qiao Mei and followed her while holding the kitchen knife.

n

nWhile there was a lively atmosphere in the Xia residence, Zhou Sheng had a frown on his face when he got home.

n

nIt was not due to any serious matter. It was just that when he first met Qiao Mei, he did not give her anything nice. This time, he must bring her an appropriate gift.

n

nHe searched through his house but could not find anything that was suitable for Qiao Mei. Throughout his life, he had no other hobbies except writing calligraphy.

n

nZhou Sheng took out a calligraphy piece with the words “Harmonious Family” written on it, which he had personally written in the past, and encased it into a frame.

n

n