The sky collapsed, and in the blink of an eye, I found myself transported to Nanluoguxiang.

When Li Kaixin returned to courtyard house number 93, it was already broad daylight.

The outfit he wore to the black market had already been changed on the way back.

In the backyard, after greeting Aunt Liu and Aunt Ye, Li Kaixin went straight to push open the door to her kitchen.

At this moment, Qin Xiuli, the mother, was bending over to add firewood to the stove.

Hearing the door open, she turned around and saw her eldest son enter. A smile immediately spread across her face: "Kaixin, why are you here so early!"

"That's why I thought I'd come over and help you out."

Li Kaixin smiled and went to the stove, taking the firewood from her mother's hand. "Mom, let me do this!"

"You came home so late yesterday, why didn't you get some more sleep?" Mother Qin Xiuli straightened up, scolding her but feeling warm inside.

Li Kaixin didn't respond to that question and started changing the subject:

"By the way, Mother, what do you think of the girl that Zhiming and I hit it off with yesterday?"

Although he couldn't control who his eldest apprentice dated, he, as the master, still wanted to know the girl's basic information.

You mean Xiaofang?

While stirring the porridge in the pot, Qin Xiuli, the mother, said:

"This girl is a bit feisty, but she's a good person and efficient at her work. Last year, when you were first promoted, I even considered introducing her to you."

Upon hearing this, Li Kaixin quickly interrupted her mother, "Mother, please don't play matchmaker. If Zhiming hears this, he'll be furious with me!"

"Okay, okay, I was just saying."

The mother, Qin Xiuli, responded and turned around to take out a large basin to scoop out the porridge from the pot.

"But you should also start thinking about your own marriage. Otherwise, Zhiming might get ahead of you, his teacher, and that would be a laughing stock."

"Okay, Mom, I'm looking for it right now," Li Kaixin said casually.

He had used this excuse on his mother countless times, and he had long since mastered it so that he could do it without batting an eye.

Looking at her eldest son's perfunctory attitude, Qin Xiuli, the mother, sighed helplessly.

It's not that she hadn't considered it, but there really wasn't a girl around her who was good enough for Kaixin, otherwise she would have made arrangements long ago.

Just then, the father, Li Mingde, and the younger brother, Li Kai, walked in from the main room one after the other.

Seeing his eldest son tending the fire in front of the stove, the father, Li Mingde, chuckled and teased, "Oh, Kaixin, up so early today?"

"What, what's wrong with me getting up early to be happy?"

His mother, Qin Xiuli, rolled her eyes at him and interjected, "At least Kaixin knows how to lend me a hand, unlike someone who only gets up at mealtimes every day."

"That's not what I meant." Father Li Mingde looked embarrassed and quickly rolled up his sleeves and walked over. "Wife, I'm coming to help."

"No need, you should go wash up."

The mother, Qin Xiuli, spoke with obvious disdain as she walked past him with the porridge bowl in her hand.

Sitting on the stool, Li Kaixin watched this scene and couldn't help but smile.

The frustration from her mother's earlier urging to get married hadn't dissipated when her father realized he was clearly taking the blame for her.

The father, Li Mingde, was somewhat bewildered. He leaned close to his eldest son and whispered, "Kaixin, what's wrong with your mother? Did you upset her just now?"

"Dad, don't talk nonsense. You clearly bumped into it yourself." Li Kaixin stood up with a smile, picked up his toiletries, and left the kitchen, heading towards the sink in the yard.

Father Li Mingde scratched his head and stood there muttering, "Could it really be me?"

Li Kai, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but burst out laughing: "Dad, is that even a question? It's definitely your fault."

"Hey brat, you're getting cocky, aren't you!" Father Li Mingde raised his hand to hit the back of his head.

Li Kai was prepared; he grabbed his toiletries and ran out of the kitchen.

When they reached the door, he turned back and said with a grin, "Dad, you'd better hurry up and wash up, or Mom will scold you again."

......

After the family finished breakfast, Li Kai, limping, took Li Xiaoxiao out the door first and headed to school.

As for why he turned out this way, the reason is self-evident.

A short while later, Li Kaixin also pushed his bicycle out of the courtyard gate.

Just as I got on my bicycle, Liu Jianming appeared out of nowhere and blocked the front of the bike.

"Brother Jianming, what brings you here? Did Grandpa Liu need to see me?" Li Kaixin got out of the car and looked at him with some surprise.

Since Liu Jianming was promoted to deputy captain of the local police station this year, he has been so busy that he rarely has time to come and see him.

"It's not my old man."

Liu Jianming waved his hand, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "It's my own business, and I'd like to ask you for a favor."

"Brother Jianming, given our relationship, just tell me what's on your mind."

"I'm happy, that's what it is."

Without further hesitation, Liu Jianming got straight to the point: "I heard from the Yongtai brothers that you are a very good hunter. I would like to ask you to be our guide when we go into the mountains tomorrow."

Li Kaixin was taken aback at first, then looked troubled.

"Brother Jianming, it's not that I don't want to agree, but I have to go to work tomorrow."

"Don't worry about being happy!"

Liu Jianming quickly explained, "I just went to Uncle Zhao's place and asked. He said that your station will be running two long-distance trips in the next half month or so, and the two days off in between will be tomorrow or the day after."

Li Kaixin nodded after hearing this: "Okay, since I have the day off tomorrow, I'll go with you."

He knew that the "Uncle Zhao" Liu Jianming mentioned was Station Chief Zhao, and the holiday was definitely true.

"Okay, okay, I'm so happy. I'll treat you to drinks after this is over." Liu Jianming smiled and patted his shoulder.

"Okay, I'll remember that." Li Kaixin smiled, got back on his bicycle, and said, "Brother Jianming, if there's nothing else, I'll head to work now."

"Wait, Kaixin!" Liu Jianming reached out and grabbed the back seat of the car, his expression becoming shy. "I... I have something else I want to discuss with you."

This was the first time Li Kaixin had seen him like this, and she immediately became interested: "Brother Jianming, what do you say?"

"I...I'm pursuing a girl in our institute. She's going tomorrow too. I'm so happy for you..." Liu Jianming's voice trailed off halfway through his sentence.

"I understand, I understand!"

Li Kaixin nodded, his gossipy nature piqued:

"But Jianming, how long ago was this? How come I didn't know anything about it?"

He knew most of the people in the police station, but he couldn't recall ever seeing a single woman there.

"She only transferred to our institute two months ago, I..."

Liu Jianming's ears turned red as he said this: "Oh, never mind, I'm just having fun. Anyway, I'm begging you for help tomorrow."

After saying that, he ran away in a flash before Li Kaixin could reply.

Li Kaixin watched his hasty retreating figure, shook his head with a chuckle, and then rode his bicycle towards the transport station.