"Jiaoyan, is this what you named it?" Su Ying looked at the pink glass bottle in her hand. Just based on its appearance, it already gave people the urge to buy it.
"Yes," Zhixia nodded. "But there's also something else I'd like to ask Sister-in-law Su's help with."
Zhixia didn't have many friends. And Su Ying's clients were all either rich or noble. So Zhixia also had the idea to start from this angle.
Giving it away for free, probably no one would not want it. As long as someone used it, she would not have to worry about them not continuing to use it.
The two discussed this issue for a long time until Grandma opened her mouth to urge them, "You can talk about this kind of thing after you've rested well. You just got home after sitting on the train for so long. Aren't you tired?"
Zhixia smiled embarrassedly. She was too excited to feel tired.
Grandma added, "Even if you're not tired, your sister-in-law still needs to rest. She's almost a mother again."
"Pregnant?" Zhixia looked at Su Ying in surprise, "How far along is she?"
"Your fourth brother came back two months ago, so how long do you think?" Grandma asked her helplessly.
"Oh, I was just too excited, so my mind went blank," Zhixia went over and hugged Grandma's arm. "Ever since Sister-in-law entered the door, I've lost favor. It looks like I'll have even less status from now on."
"You girl, competing with your sister-in-law for favor." Grandma helpless poked her forehead.
Su Ying also said, "Don't worry. You're still the most cherished good girl in Grandma's heart. No one can replace you."
She hadn't noticed Grandma show particular favor to anyone even though Big Brother and Second Brother's families had all given birth to daughters.
Of course, this was not an issue about valuing sons over daughters. Even if she valued grandsons more, it would be the same.
"By the way, there's something I haven't asked yet. Your sister-in-law is now pregnant. Will this thing have any negative effects?" Grandma definitely trusted the things Zhixia gave her. She had been eating the ginseng nourishing pills from her for years. Her previous lower back pains and breathing difficulties were gone. Now the two elders were more robust than other peers in the area. In recent years, they hadn't even caught a cold.
It was a pity that Old Pei and Mrs. Zhou didn't have such fortune. People so old still couldn't let go.
Old Pei was brooding in his heart; Mrs. Zhou fell. If not for those accidents, they probably could have lived to this day.
She and the old man were almost eighty. She didn't know how many more years they had.
Now Grandma had nothing else to worry about and just waited for her fourth son's child to be born and her third son to marry. Then she could die with her eyes closed.
Of course, Zhixia didn't know Grandma's inner thoughts. She smiled and said, "You can rest assured about this. Even pregnant women can use it. It's all plant extracts, so it doesn't hurt the body and can even nourish the body."
"That's good. It's getting late. You should pack up and sleep too. We'll go back to sleep as well," Grandma wanted to ask Zhixia if she had eaten but then thought of her own cooking skills. If she hadn't eaten, Grandma couldn't help anyway, so she kept her mouth shut.
Grandpa followed them out the door carrying a bag of gifts Zhixia had brought them.
The next day, Pei Jing also brought Chenye and the triplets back.
As soon as they entered the door, the four dark children cried out and rushed towards her.
Zhixia stared wide-eyed, almost unable to look at the children. Dark and thin, their big bright eyes stood out even more.
"Mom, I missed you so much..."
She was surrounded by the children. Looking at the children around her and then at Pei approaching, she seemed a bit helpless.
Xiao Liuyi clapped his hands by the door and laughed loudly. "Brothers have all been tanned black. Haha...Too funny..."
Chenye no longer competed with his younger brothers for Mom's attention. Instead, he turned and walked towards Xiao Liuyi.
Xiao Liuyi was still vigilant and instantly felt the pressure from their bloodline. He turned to escape into the room.
But Chenye's nearly two months of training were not for nothing. He dashed over before Xiao Liuyi could open the door, grabbed him, and dragged him out. "Pei Chengyou, you still have the nerve to laugh at us? Do you know how your brothers have spent the last two months?"
Although they didn't have to train together, Dad had stipulated training plans for each of them that they had to strictly complete every day.
Usually at home they could act cute, but in the troops, even that privilege was taken away.
At the same time, they also witnessed another side of Pei Jing besides his gentleness and care – serious, with no lack of intimidation. Even Uncle Four who was usually so arrogant was obedient to him.
Although Uncle Four wouldn't admit it, he saw it.
"A real man shouldn't develop the bad habit of tattling after just bearing some bitterness," Pei Jing wasn't much tanner. He had always maintained a relatively healthy complexion, only occasionally becoming thinner from poor diet.
Chenye instantly kept quiet. He happily pounced next to Zhixia. "Mom, did you bring us any gifts from your trip? With neither you nor Sister Zhang around these past days, we got so skinny missing your home cooking. We especially want to eat the feast Mom makes."
Pei Jing was also pulled around by his shy daughter and little son telling him about what they did and saw and played on this trip.
The couple were surrounded on both sides without a chance for intimate words. They could only gaze at each other from afar with a smile.
Sister Zhang rushed in and immediately complained to Zhixia, "I told you to give me a heads up before coming back so I could tidy up the house a bit – air out the quilts and whatnot so you'd be comfortable when you got back to sleep. Luckily I still came by to clean every few days, so the house isn't too messy."
The past couple days Zhixia had been occupied by the children asking what gifts she brought back for each person. She really did forget to let Sister Zhang know about their return.
Hearing Sister Zhang's complaint, she quickly changed the subject, "Sister Zhang, you've already tidied up very nicely. I can still smell the sunlight scent on the quilts. You worked hard this whole time; we brought back lots of gifts for you with some local specialties from the beach. Have Wanqing take you to check them out."
"Of course. Even with you gone, I couldn't just take money for nothing. I still came by every few days to see things and air out the quilts. I was just worried you'd forget to mention coming back, and you see, my concern wasn't unreasonable." No one dislikes being praised, plus there were gifts to collect. Sister Zhang instantly beamed.
She actually didn't want to take wages the past couple months and considered it a holiday for herself.
But Zhixia didn't agree and even said the family couldn't function without her, so even if she took a vacation she'd be on paid leave; otherwise, Zhixia wouldn't feel right.
