"Hey, isn't this Brother He?"

"Yeah, it really is Brother He. Didn't they say he was sending his sister off to get married?"

"That's right, it's been almost half a year, and now he's just coming back. Did something happen to the He family?"

"Maybe that guy He Chu got tricked into becoming a procurer, who knows, otherwise why did it take so long for him to return?"

"Hey, Brother He, where's your brother-in-law?"

"Yeah, Brother He, where's your brother-in-law? Why did you come back all by yourself looking so downcast?"

He Chu sat in the carriage, it was the same carriage that had taken his sister and brother-in-law to the capital, and now he was driving it back.

Compared to half a year ago, the carriage was a bit worn and older, but the horse had gained some weight.

Now approaching the city, preparing to return home, there was a checkpoint at the city gate, and there was a trading caravan in front, so he had to wait a while.

Hearing someone teasing him,

He Chu wasn't angry, nor did he boast,

He just pretended not to hear the mockery and sarcasm in their words,

smiled and nodded,

and said:

"Yeah, I'm back."

Seeing Brother He's attitude, those people were too embarrassed to say anything more, they just cupped their hands in greeting again before entering the city.

They were just some small traders and shopkeepers in the city, dealing in some goods, in the past when He Chu went to the countryside to collect pigs, he often accompanied them, as there wasn't any deep-seated hatred.

The trading caravan was slow to enter the city, because they had to count the goods and pay taxes, the tax official and his subordinates were inspecting very thoroughly.

Earlier, it wasn't so strict, there weren't even dedicated tax officials, this was only in recent months after being sent from Yanjing.

After the trading caravan completed their transactions, He Chu drove the carriage forward, since the carriage had no goods, it was allowed to pass through directly.

The He family's butcher shop was still there.

Because it was noon and the sun was scorching, Old He had closed the shop, sitting inside the house, bare-chested, with one hand holding a palm fan and the other holding a large slice of watermelon, eating.

Why not sit outside, enjoy the breeze and eat watermelon?

Afraid the children passing by from the neighborhood might see, and he'd have to share for free, he couldn't bear it.

He Chu drove the carriage back, Old He heard the commotion, quickly put down the watermelon, opened the door, and ran out.

"Son!"

"Dad!"

He Chu ran to his father,

unexpectedly his father suddenly grabbed a butcher's knife,

He Chu was so frightened he shouted, quickly stopped, but couldn't quite stop in time, and the two of them bumped into each other.

"Bang!"

"Ouch."

"Dad, are you alright?"

"You unfilial son, unfilial son!"

Old He fell, twisted his waist, and was carried inside by He Chu. He wanted to lay him on the bed, but Old He refused, insisting on sitting on the long bench.

As a father, facing his son, the most powerless moment is actually lying in bed watching your son.

Therefore, in Old He's view, as long as he has a breath left, he absolutely cannot talk to his son lying in bed!

"Bastard!"

"Dad, you can scold me all you want, I'm your son, it's only natural, but don't scold yourself."

"....." Old He.

He Chu reached out, took the watermelon his father had been eating, brought it to his mouth, and resumed eating.

Old He calmed down,

and asked:

"What on earth happened, what on earth happened, do you know how many times I almost wanted to close this shop and go to the capital to find you and your sister!"

"Didn't I write to you?"

"Bastard!"

"Dad."

"In your letters, all you said was this is good, that is good, you eat well, sleep well, your sister eats well, sleeps well, but crucial matters, you didn't say a damn thing!"

Obviously, his daughter followed her husband to the in-laws,

since the two families were far apart, 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

his daughter stupidly gave herself away,

he had to bow his head first, let his daughter follow them to see the in-laws, what's next? What's next? What's next?

Almost half a year passed,

apart from a few letters saying everything was fine,

but the next steps, nothing?

He Chu hesitated for a moment,

looking at his father.

"Why are you frowning?"

"I didn't, dad."

"I ask you, how are your brother-in-law's family's conditions?"

"Good."

Just the word "good".

Old He pointed at his own face,

and asked:

"Better than ours?"

A butcher shop, it may not look like much, but the income isn't low, plus over the years Old He secretly acquired some farmland.

He Chu blinked.

Seeing this, Old He relaxed,

snorted coldly and said:

"Ha, don't think that just because they live in the capital they're all rich families. Though your dad has never been to the capital, I know living there isn't easy, people in the capital are flashy on the surface, but everything is expensive as hell, who knows how many are just pretending to be important and making a show of it!"

"Brother-in-law's family really isn't just making a show."

"Not making a show? Haha, you're still young, haven't seen enough people and things, don't get fooled by appearances."

"Dad, don't say that, at first, I really was fooled myself."

It's true,

the first time seeing the head eunuch in the palace,

the first time seeing the head eunuch kneel before his brother-in-law,

the first time seeing the imperial palace,

after that day,

He Chu was in a daze for ten whole days, like living in a dream.

"Ha, I told you, we're just a small family, what matters is the rules and ways of living, besides, that constable, no, that Ji Chengjue.