Be a small county magistrate in ancient times

Zheng Xidong was naturally touched by the warm hospitality shown to him by other people's families.

Looking at other people's families and then thinking about her own, she couldn't help but feel sad.

Luo Yun noticed her friend's emotional change and, after her mother left the room, went to her side to comfort her, "Don't think too much. Didn't you say that neither the past nor the future is worth thinking about?"

Zheng Xidong looked at Luo Yun and smiled, "That's right."

Luo Yun stretched and lay down on the kang (a heated brick bed). "You'll stay at my house tonight and go back tomorrow. It's a deal, so you can't change your mind later."

Zheng Xidong couldn't bear to disappoint his friend's family.

After having dinner at Luo Yun's house, taking a bath, and getting a good night's sleep, I was even dragged to eat breakfast the next morning.

As she walked home, she felt warm all over; life was so comfortable.

He has friends and a promising future, but he has no family by his side.

But when her relatives were around, all they brought her was exhaustion and poverty.

She thought about these things all the way home, feeling both regret and relief.

Some people really can't stand being nagged.

When Zheng Xidong returned to the front of the row house where she lived, she saw the person she had been thinking about all the way.

Zheng Xidong's mother, Zhou Erya, huddled under the eaves.

Which child wouldn't feel guilty seeing their mother like this?

Suppressing the myriad emotions in his heart, Zheng Xidong asked, "Mother, what happened?"

Zhou Erya, who had been curled up, slowly stretched out her body, her eyes revealing joy as she looked at Zheng Xidong. "I heard from the villagers that the city wall has been repaired, and you've all come back..." She tried to stand up by supporting herself against the wall behind her, but probably because she had been waiting for too long, her calves went numb, and she almost fell. Zheng Xidong quickly stepped forward to support her.

"I've been wanting to come see you." Zhou Erya patted Zheng Xidong's hand.

Looking at her daughter whom she hadn't seen for a long time, Zhou Er wanted to speak but was speechless several times. Finally, she said, "I'm relieved to see that you're doing well."

Zheng Xidong opened the door and invited her mother to sit inside.

The house had been uninhabited for several days, so there was naturally no heat inside. Zheng Xidong put down his bundle and immediately went to light a fire to heat the kang (a heated brick bed).

Her mother insisted on helping, and Zheng Xidong reluctantly let her start the fire.

As the heat spread, the room gradually warmed up, and Zhou Erya relaxed a little. She asked Zheng Xidong if he was used to living alone outside and if he was eating well.
“I’m used to it,” Zheng Xidong said. “Old Madam Meng was kind enough to lend me her row house. Now I work at the county government office and get paid. I eat much better than before.”

Zhou Erya opened her mouth and said, "Okay, that's fine."

“After all that commotion at home, your father… he knows he was wrong. Ever since you started working at the county government, he hasn’t been so lenient with your uncle. He’s always sending him out to do chores and assigning him tasks.” Zhou Erya said this with a smile on her face. You could tell that she was genuinely happy about Zheng Jiasheng’s change.

Upon hearing these words, Zheng Xidong immediately became wary.

“Your father is too ashamed to see you,” Zhou Erya continued, “but you are father and daughter after all, and he misses you.”

At this point, Zhou Erya sighed, "His father is too ashamed to do it, but you, as his daughter, are more magnanimous. Go home and visit him when you have time."

Zheng Xidong sneered. Although she didn't say it aloud, she thought to herself: Now that she has a job, you're thinking about her? Why didn't you think about her before?

Has she been away from home for three or four days, or three months?

It's been almost a year and a half! During that time, no one from her family has visited her. Why do they miss her now? (End of Chapter)