Oh my, is it too late to regret now? The Eight Great Guardians, whom Shuzhen always thought of as simple and honest, scratched their heads and laughed, "Hehe, Sister Shuzhen, you just nodded and agreed. We have to be trustworthy people!" Shuzhen widened her eyes, thinking she’s been tricked, right? Had she been bamboozled by eight guys who pretend to be simple and honest but are actually shrewd and clever?! She watched in astonishment as items such as the cotton shoes and fake shoes made by the Su family wives for their family of three, the small clothes and quilts for the child, along with various dried vegetables, pickles, mushrooms, and grains, were taken out one by one from the bulging sack. Although Shuzhen thought it wasn’t good to go back on her word, she genuinely intended to say nothing more. The reason was that the sentiment was too much, too heavy, and too overwhelming! But before she could speak, Lianshan interjected: "My dear brothers, we, as a couple, appreciate your kindness. But honestly, we can’t manage taking all these things; you see, it’s just us two with a child. The journey will be tough as it is. Adding all this stuff, we simply can’t handle it!" "Hey, that’s nothing. The eight of us plus Shouren, Shouyi, Haizi, and Jianshe will all see you off. No matter how much stuff it is, we’ll ensure it gets sent off on the train!" The eldest brother from the Su family, Su Yanfu, scratched his head with a silly smile, acting unconcerned. "Exactly, with our brothers around, brother-in-law Shuzhen, what are you afraid of?" "That’s right, even if it’s a few times more, with our brothers here, we guarantee you’ll get on the train smoothly!" "If worse comes to worst, we can even buy a ticket and have someone like me, who’s strong, efficient, and careful, go with you directly to Beijing!" The youngest, Su Yanyi, pointed to his own nose, with a look of yearning. "You little rascal, with no hair on your mouth, you can’t handle things well. For accompanying someone on a journey, it’d still have to be me, Sixth Brother!" "Give me a break, when it comes to physique, I’m clearly the best!" Lianshan scratched his head, wondering how his polite refusal ended up turning into following them directly to Beijing. It was the most honest Fourth Brother, Su Yanxi, who explained with a smile: "Sister Shuzhen and brother-in-law, don’t worry about it. This is just a small token of our family’s appreciation for the two of you. Although it looks like a lot, it’s actually worth not much. Also, the earthworm bed and mushroom business you helped with have brought a lot of earnings to our family, and the furniture style and stroller ideas you gave us have also brought a lot of work for us brothers. Your Third Brother and Fifth Brother, along with Little Eighth, were even noticed by the city’s furniture factory for these ideas and were invited to be master craftsmen. Even their wives and sisters-in-law have been arranged to work in the canteen or workshop. The furniture factory arranged housing and adjusted their grain status. From now on, these three brothers will have urban household registrations, with provisions provided! Having benefited so much from the two of you, how could we brothers feel at ease without expressing a little gratitude?" As soon as Su Yanxi finished speaking, everyone immediately congratulated them. Liu Shouyi even pounded the table, calling out the big brother-in-law and little brother-in-law for not being forthright. For such a joyful event, he, the family member, was kept in the dark. Only drinking punishment or drinking could explain this away! The youngest, Su Yanyi, immediately scoffed: "Drink then, of all things I’m afraid of, drinking isn’t one of them, I can outdrink several of you!" The rest, realizing the topic had gone astray, quickly turned to talking about food and drinks. They didn’t acknowledge Lianshan and Shuzhen’s polite refusals and simply insisted that gifts once given should not be taken back. They also refused any return gifts, saying if the couple insisted, it would mean breaking ties with the Eight Great Guardians. Lianshan and Shuzhen exchanged helpless glances, and being unable to refuse, had to accept the heavy-hearted gesture. While planning to remember to bring gifts for the Su family next time they return during the winter or summer breaks. Shuzhen thought even more about sending some furniture designs to the Su family’s three carpenter brothers and younger brother after arriving in Beijing, claiming they are the trending styles over there! Rarely did these brothers treat her like their own sister, caring so much for her. As a sister, shouldn’t she reciprocate? Reciprocity and ongoing exchanges like these bring people closer together. With the couple about to attend university and the Su brothers being recruited by the furniture factory to live in the city, the double happiness pushed the atmosphere to a climax. The lively toasts and exchanges continued. Among the adults, aside from Shuzhen still breastfeeding, even Su Hongying and Qiu Fang drank several glasses of wine. Only Lianshan, fearing that he might slip up and reveal his wife’s secret when drunk, remained resolute regardless of who urged him, stubbornly abstaining from alcohol, and understandably was ridiculed by the Eight Great Guardians, and big brother-in-law and the rest. Lianshan was not annoyed, nor did he have any intention of proving himself at the drinking table to save face. He humbly asked everyone whether they had reliable relatives, preferably someone single and good at taking care of children, who could be employed to help out with their kid. It’s not only more reliable with family ties, but also more convenient for asking for help, avoiding the reputation of hiring help and acting high and mighty. Lianshan had looked around within Liu family’s village for a few days but hadn’t found a suitable candidate. "You should have said so earlier, there is actually someone like that!" Su Yanxi put down his wine glass and slapped his thigh: "You should remember her, she’s your sister-in-law’s aunt. Early widowed, she raised two sons. Now that those brats are married and settled, none of them are willing to support their mother. Yet, they want to maintain a good reputation, so they forbid the old lady from making a living. Your second aunt is gentle, hardworking, and excellent with kids. She doesn’t require much money, just food and a couple of new clothes a year would suffice without causing any grievances. If you think she’s suitable, I’ll tell your fifth sister-in-law to bring her over for a meeting. If it works out, your second aunt can also enjoy a couple of good years!" Once he finished speaking, the Su brothers who knew the second aunt nodded in agreement and gave the couple a rundown of her life and character. After hearing this, both Shuzhen and Lianshan felt the conditions were suitable and agreed to meet her. If it works out, the employment and conditions could be settled, and they’d bring her along when they left. As for the opinions of her two unfilial sons, Lianshan and Shuzhen didn’t consider them at all. Sons who treat their own mother, who raised them painstakingly, as a burden would be delighted to hear this and not likely to oppose!