Chapter 2309

The elders were very satisfied with their rooms. Most importantly, the renovations gave each room a private, independent feel, providing them with personal space.

The Zhu family courtyard was large, offering plenty of room for gardening or exercise. Everyone was happy about this.

Zhu Yanyi and Zhu Yanli’s rooms remained on the third floor. After helping the elders settle in, they went upstairs to tidy their own space.

Their rooms had changed significantly. Two rooms had been combined into one large suite. Since they now had children, they opened the wall between the rooms so the kids could sleep in the adjacent room, allowing the parents to care for them easily at night.

The children were exhausted. They had fallen asleep long ago during the journey.

"Little Northwest is so tired," Yan Aohan said gently as he placed the child on the bed, his eyes full of affection.

Zhu Yanyi nodded with a smile. "She was excited when we first got on the train, but she got tired after that."

With Zhu Yanyi, a skilled healer, present, the children were safe despite their fatigue. She told Yan Aohan, "Watch Little Northwest. I’ll take this bottle of diluted Spirit Spring water to my sister. Little Monkey and Little Cicada will need some when they wake up."

"Okay," Yan Aohan nodded. "By the way, where is the suitcase I brought?"

"It’s by the door. I’ll come back to help you unpack it later." The suitcase contained daily clothes. After speaking, Zhu Yanyi left.

Yan Aohan didn’t wait. Although her wife was a cultivator, she believed she should handle these chores himself. she never wanted to tire her out.

Zhu Yanyi knocked on Zhu Yanli’s door. When Zhu Yanli opened it, Zhu Yanyi went in and saw them unpacking. She handed the bottle to Zhu Yanli. "This is Spirit Spring water. When Little Monkey and Little Cicada wake up, mix it with warm water for them to drink. It will remove their travel fatigue and prevent illness."

"Okay, I won’t thank you then," Zhu Yanli said happily, knowing her sister cared for the children.

Zhu Yanyi smiled. "Why thank me? You are their mother, and I am their aunt. Go on, unpack. I’ll go tidy my things too."

Everyone unpacked their luggage, took showers, and rested. By a little past five in the evening, they all came out, driven by hunger.

Since everyone needed rest, dinner was simple noodles, easy to digest. After eating, they returned to rest.

Although they had traveled in soft sleeper train cars, sleeping on a train felt different from sleeping at home. However, after a night’s rest, everyone recovered. With Zhu Yanyi’s care, even those who felt slightly lethargic became energetic.

The next day, they began organizing the local specialties they had bought. Since they returned only once every few years, proper etiquette required them to share gifts.

"Ani, where are the keychains I bought last time?" Xie Xinlian asked, unpacking items while looking around.

"Didn’t you put them in your personal bag last time?" Zhu Yanyi replied. "By the way, Grandma, how should we divide the cured ducks and sausages?"

"Find some mesh bags. Put one whole duck and six sausages in each bag. Make twenty such bags. For the rest, put half a duck and four sausages in each," Xie Xinlian instructed, looking at the two large sacks of cured meat. "Since it’s rare we’re back, let’s share with the whole village. Those we visit often get whole ducks; others get half."

"Okay. Husband, you and brother-in-law help cut the ducks," Zhu Yanyi said, quickly finding helpers.

Yan Aohan smiled and went to the kitchen for two knives. He handed one to Great Uncle Yuanxiang and began cutting.

Other elders came out and joined in.

Old Li said, "Xinlian, you bought a lot."

Xie Xinlian nodded. "I’ve been away for years. Now that I’m back, I want to give the villagers something to remember me by. These sacks look big, but there’s actually a lot to distribute." She then turned to Zhu Shunhao. "Shunhao, where are the bagged brown sugar you wholesaled?"

"They’re in the small room. Many boxes. Do you want to pack them now?" Zhu Shunhao asked.

Xie Xinlian nodded. "An’er and Ani didn’t treat everyone to red eggs when they had babies. Although Ani is hosting a banquet now, we should still follow tradition. Since we couldn’t give red eggs then, we’ll give a bag of brown sugar to every household now. Go get them and put them in the mesh bags with the ducks."

"Okay, I’ll move them," Zhu Shunhao said.

"Dad, let me do it," Yan Aohan said, putting down his knife.

"Sure. They’re in the east corner of the small room. Five cardboard boxes. Actually, I’ll go with you. It’ll be faster with two people," Zhu Shunhao said.

"I’ll help too," Great Uncle Yuanxiang said, joining them. Such heavy work was for the men.

Zhu Yanyi watched them with a smile. Old Zhan nodded beside her. "A family should be harmonious like this. Truly, Great Uncle and Aohan are more like sons than sons-in-law in your family."

"Grandpa Zhan, a son-in-law is half a son. Actually, they are sons," Zhu Yanli said with a grin.

Old Zhan laughed. "You’re right. They are sons. That’s why I like your family. It’s so warm here."

Zhu Yanyi laughed. "That’s why we invited you to retire here. Do you like the atmosphere?"

Old Zhan nodded again. "The house is great too. I slept comfortably yesterday. Truthfully, the beds in Beijing are too soft. Everyone insists on Simmons mattresses, but I prefer palm-leaf beds. They’re comfortable."

"Old Zhan is right. I like palm-leaf beds too," Old Chun said, picking up a knife left by Yan Aohan to cut ducks. "Hard boards are okay, but as we age, they’re hard to sleep on. Palm-leaf beds are best. I even had one specially made in Beijing."

"Our palm-leaf beds were specially made by Shunhao," Xie Xinlian said with a smile. "We like them too."

"That’s good," Zhu Xinfu said, helping pack dried meat from Beijing into bags. "I haven’t slept this well in a long time. Home really is the best."

"The air here suits us elderly people. Coming here was the right choice," Mrs. Xu added.

For these elders, chatting and doing light chores together was the perfect retirement.

Yan Aohan, Great Uncle Yuanxiang, and Zhu Shunhao brought out the boxes of brown sugar.

"Let’s put three boxes here first. We’ll bring the other two after we finish packing," Yan Aohan said.

Although the Zhu family hall was large, there was too much stuff. It was better to take it step by step.

As they packed and chatted, Xie Xinlian sighed. "After this, we still need to pack wedding candies. I had them shipped over. Now we just need to wrap them."

Zhu Yanyi said, "Mom, you could have had us pack them in Beijing. You sent them loose. Luckily, we know Azure Sovereign Qingdi Logistics well. Otherwise, what if another courier company stole them?"

Indeed, while Azure Sovereign Qingdi Logistics was the most developed, fastest, and reasonably priced with good reputation, other companies existed. Some, unlike the reliable Azure Sovereign Qingdi, were known to secretly open packages.

Xie Xinlian didn’t look up. "Isn’t it because I trust them? Do you think your mom is stupid? I heard recently that someone opened a package and stole the contents. If I didn’t trust them, I wouldn’t have shipped it this way."

Xie Xinlian was right. With so many logistics companies, quality varied. Some smaller ones cut corners, leading to package issues. This was becoming a concern.

"Azure Sovereign Qingdi Logistics has our shares. Why worry about shipping to our own family?" Yan Aohan said calmly.

"Speaking of shares, I feel ashamed," Zhu Shunhao said. "I didn’t do much, just lent my name. Yet the dividends grow every year."

"That’s normal. Look at my second uncle. She has five percent shares and gets tens of thousands in dividends annually. It will only increase," Zhu Yanyi said with a smile.

The Xie family was doing well. Xie Chengyu worked in Hangzhou with a stable income. Xie Shengyu worked in logistics and received dividends, so money was no issue. Xie Jingyu, though only a small veterinary station chief, was a civil servant, and his family was also comfortable.

However, Xie Jingyu and Xie Chengyu barely spoke, as if strangers. Xie Zhong couldn’t fix this, as Xie Jingyu’s past actions were inappropriate. Fortunately, they didn’t argue at important events, which reassured Xie Zhong.

With so many helpers, it still took half a day to finish packing.

"Done. Let’s eat. We’ll deliver the gifts this afternoon," Xie Xinlian announced.

Zhu Yanyi and the others agreed. Since they had already done so much, they might as well continue helping.

In the afternoon, Yan Aohan, Great Uncle Yuanxiang, and Zhu Shunhao pushed a handcart, led by Xie Xinlian, to deliver the gifts.

Zhu Yanyi and Zhu Yanli stayed home to play with Little Northwest and the other two children. Old Zhan and the other elders were also there.

Old Zhan spotted a corner of the Zhu courtyard and decided to plant orchids there. "Ani, bring me some orchid plants."

Zhu Yanyi smiled. "Azure Sovereign Qingdi Group has a horticulture division. When Dad comes back, I’ll tell her to have them send orchids and other potted plants."

"Ani, do you have any private land? Give me some. I want to grow vegetables," Old Chun said, feeling at home.

"Grandpa Chun, can you farm?" Zhu Yanyi asked. She didn’t doubt her ability but genuinely thought she wouldn’t know how.

"Don’t you have Grandpa Zhang? What are you worried about?" Old Chun had already planned ahead.

Zhu Yanyi laughed. "So that’s why you wanted to farm. You’re trying to hitch a ride on Grandpa Zhang’s expertise."

Old Zhang looked at Old Chun with disdain. "Old Chun is never serious. But he’s right about one thing. I do want a piece of private land. I want to grow vegetables to exercise."

"That’s good. I’ll plant with you," Zhu Xinfu said. "My leg is artificial, so I can’t go into the fields, but I have farming experience."

Zhu Yanyi looked at them. "You want land? Easy. Our private land is just sitting there, overgrown with weeds. But Grandpa, if you want to grow vegetables, I suggest hydroponics."

"Hydroponic vegetables? What’s that?" Zhu Xinfu asked curiously.

"It’s actually a new thing," Zhu Yanyi explained with a smile. "You grow vegetables using water. The equipment needs specific features. I’ll draw a blueprint for Dad to make. It won’t be complicated. We have plenty of wood and pipes. Combine them, and you can grow vegetables without digging into the soil."

"That’s great," Zhu Xinfu said happily. "I want to try this. Ani, remember to write a proposal for me later."

Zhu Yanyi was stunned. "Why should I write the proposal?"

"Because you suggested it. Naturally, you write it," Zhu Xinfu chuckled, feeling no shame in tricking his granddaughter.

Zhu Yanyi was speechless. "Grandpa, aren’t you embarrassed to trick your own granddaughter?"

"If I can trick my granddaughter, why would I be embarrassed? You underestimate me," Zhu Xinfu said truthfully, with no hint of shame.

"Fine," Zhu Yanyi nodded helplessly, agreeing.