Chapter 10

An ZhiAng returned triumphantly with his men, while Liu Jun led his own group to raid the Gao family.

They were both straightforward individuals.

Their methods of operation revealed that Liu Jun had worked alongside An ZhiAng before.

As soon as they entered, they immediately accused the Gao couple, unjustly labeling them. Following An ZhiAng's instructions, Liu Jun and his men dug up the Gao family's kitchen and unearthed a large box from beneath the stove.

Liu Jun was highly experienced and eagerly prepared for a fight, engaging in a fierce confrontation on the spot.

When An ZhiXia and An ZhiAng returned to the Zhou family, it happened to be mealtime.

The half-grown pig brought back from the Gao family was placed in the Zhou family's pigsty, while the chickens and ducks had their legs bound and were placed nearby.

An ZhiAng graciously thanked the people who had accompanied him and generously announced that the small pig from the Gao family would be slaughtered in the afternoon and shared among everyone. He didn't want others to have made the trip in vain.

There was no room for criticism in terms of interpersonal relationships.

After all, it wasn't their own belongings being distributed, so they didn't mind sharing.

Zhou Granny couldn't help but express her concern, saying it was a pity that the piglet hadn't fully grown yet, but she didn't reject An ZhiAng's words due to her seniority.

After returning from seeking revenge on the Gao family, An ZhiXia's mood noticeably improved. It was as if she had forgotten An JingZhi's suggestion to keep An MeiYun behind. She didn't refuse when food was served to her at the dinner table, and she even smiled at him.

An JingZhi also breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that after this commotion, the resentment in the child's heart had dissipated. It wasn't surprising that An ZhiXia had a forgetful nature. In her previous life, she had quite an appetite for good food. Otherwise, she wouldn't have followed the young chef to the mountains to watch the meteor shower.

It was a pity that she could see but not taste back then. In these past few days since her rebirth, she had only managed to slaughter a chicken. However, with the large number of people in the Zhou family, there wasn't much meat from a single chicken, and An ZhiXia didn't want to eat alone.

The meals at the Zhou family had been mediocre these past couple of days, with insipid clear soups and little to savor. But today was different, perhaps due to the arrival of An JingZhi and his son, or maybe because Zhou Nan had caught several big fish. Finally, the lunch had some taste and flavor.

Although Aunt Zhou's culinary skills were nothing special, the deep-fried fish pieces were incredibly fragrant, as was the stir-fried salted pork with chili.

Even today's staple food was no longer the coarse black bread mixed with bran that was hard and scratchy on the throat. Instead, it was delicious three-combination steamed buns.

Of course, they couldn't compare to the soft and fluffy white steamed buns of the future, but for this era, they were considered fine grains and had a satisfying chewiness.

After finishing their meal in the Zhou family's courtyard, Zhou Nan vividly described the process of seeking revenge on the Gao family, combining words with gestures. His eloquence and humorous antics perfectly imitated the cowering appearance of the Gao couple, eliciting a sense of satisfaction from the listeners.

An ZhiXia sat on a small stool behind him, her face filled with laughter. An ZhiAng stood beside her and occasionally moved forward to cooperate with Zhou Nan, eliciting hearty laughter from everyone.

An JingZhi watched his daughter with a tender expression and gently touched her hair.

The marriage between him and Zhou Nan was arranged while the old master was still alive, and it could be considered a marriage of convenience. However, Zhou Nan devoted herself to taking care of the family and their children after marriage, which he appreciated. Over time, their relationship as husband and wife became harmonious.

Especially after giving birth to three sons and a pair of twins, Zhou Nan earned the satisfaction and approval of the old master. He would even smile when he visited and expressed that he had no regrets.

However, it was the year 1952, a period of turmoil. Although the An family wasn't landowners, their ancestors were from a scholarly background, and the family had enjoyed a glorious past.

During that time, they faced the passing of the old master. After handling the funeral arrangements, in order to prevent any mishaps, they had to temporarily send Zhou Nan back to her family's home. Unexpectedly, she went into premature labor and a baby-switching incident occurred.

An JingZhi couldn't blame the Zhou family for not taking better care of her. After all, at that time, the Zhou family hadn't clearly defined their boundaries with him, so it was already kind of them to accept Zhou Nan.

Over the years, An JingZhi always remembered this situation. Therefore, he was always willing to help the Zhou family and take care of their needs.

Recalling that time, An JingZhi was filled with emotion. He hadn't even heard when Zhou Granny called him.

It was An ZhiAng who patted his arm and reminded him, "Dad, Granny is calling you."

An JingZhi hurriedly went to see Zhou Granny. She asked him to bring back two fish because Zhou JianYe had caught several large ones, and they couldn't finish them all at home.

An JingZhi nodded. He was in a rush and hadn't brought a gift, so he planned to leave some money for the elderly woman later, as a token of filial piety. "Dad, what are you thinking? You've been standing there in a daze," An ZhiAng asked him.

"I was thinking..." An JingZhi lowered his head to look at An ZhiXia. "Xiao Cao, let Dad give you a new name."

This child was born to him and Zhou Nan after they had hoped for a daughter. After all, they already had three sons, so she should be the precious one in the family. How could she be referred to as "grass"?

"Okay," An ZhiXia nodded. She also didn't like the name Xiao Cao, but she didn't know what name An JingZhi would choose for her.

Honestly, she quite liked the name her fourth brother had given her.

Full of energy, not fearing the heat, cherishing the long summer days. This was the best hope and blessing her brother had for her, with the meaning of being cheerful, intelligent, and beautiful.

"Let's call her MeiXia, like the beautiful and colorful sunset clouds, full of vitality," An JingZhi explained the meaning of MeiXia, but it still made An ZhiXia's face turn sour.

Although An ZhiXia wasn't included in the family hierarchy, it was obvious that this name was following the naming pattern of An MeiYun.

An JingZhi also wanted to improve the relationship between the two daughters as much as possible, but he didn't expect her to react so poorly. She tightly clenched her fingers, her face turned pale, and her eyes revealed stubbornness and unwillingness.

An JingZhi immediately noticed her displeasure and was about to change his words when he saw An ZhiAng grabbing An ZhiXia's hand and retorting, "Why call her MeiXia? It sounds unpleasant and tacky. Little sister, let's listen to Fourth Brother. Whoever wants to call her can go ahead."

An ZhiXia took the opportunity and said, "Then, Fourth Brother, please give me a nice name."

"Alright, Fourth Brother will give you a name. Let's not listen to Dad. I think he's getting old and his mind isn't working well. Whatever name he comes up with, it sounds awful," An ZhiAng said.

An ZhiAng couldn't help but live up to his reputation as the person who almost had his belt snapped in half. He even dared to disdain his own father, leaving him no face at all.

As he spoke, An JingZhi only glanced at him, signaling him to tone it down and see what profound name this most disobedient son could come up with.

"Though unaware of the scorching heat, I cherish the long summer days. How about calling her ZhiXia?" An ZhiAng looked at his obedient little sister like a precious treasure and said, "I hope my sister will be warm, cheerful, intelligent, and beautiful in the future. Do you like it?"

An ZhiXia hurriedly nodded. "It sounds lovely, and I really like it. Thank you, Fourth Brother."

An ZhiAng then provocatively glanced at An JingZhi, making An JingZhi feel uneasy.

If he had known earlier, he wouldn't have brought him along. Knowing well that this child now had a strong aversion to MeiYun, not only did he not help reconcile them, but he also stirred up trouble.