Chapter 1170 was like tearing a piece of her heart out!

The entire General's Mansion and the Prince of Dingbei's Mansion also came, bringing the finest food and wine.

After a year apart, Madam Zheng had become much more haggard from missing and worrying about her daughter and her family, and her eyes, which had been healed, almost went blind again from crying.

Qiao Ran felt a pang of heartache upon seeing this and quickly took out her newly refined body-strengthening pills and various qi- and blood-nourishing medicines.

"Grandma, I'm so sorry! It's our fault. We were half a year late coming back and didn't even manage to send a message to let you know we were safe. We made you worry!"

Qiao Ran felt very guilty as she was held in her grandmother's arms.

Grandma Zheng hugged her granddaughter tightly for a while before letting go. Looking at her granddaughter, who had grown into a graceful young woman, the old lady was very gratified.

"Grandma doesn't blame you. You've gone off to do great things, far across the ocean, so it's normal that you can't send any news back. Actually, deep down, Grandma thinks you'll be alright, but I just can't help worrying."

In fact, over the decades, the old lady has sent her husband and son off to fight countless times. Every time, she was worried and fearful all day long.

But gradually, I realized that worrying was useless, so I forced myself not to think about it too much.

But her daughter had been missing for decades and was finally found. Her granddaughter and grandson were so outstanding, and she hadn't had enough of them yet. If they were to disappear again, it would be like tearing a piece of her heart out!

Thank goodness! Thank goodness they all came back safe and sound!

Xiao Lan'er is no longer a chubby little baby with a babyish voice, but has grown into a pretty and charming young girl.

She had been holding the little white rabbit and waiting expectantly by her side. As soon as her grandmother let go of her older sister Qiao Ran, she immediately put down the rabbit, stretched out her two little arms, and hugged Qiao Ran's leg, looking up at her with a resentful expression:

"Sister Ran, you're finally back! Lan'er has been missing you so much that she can't sleep or eat. Look, I've lost weight in the past year!"

Qiao Ran quickly bent down, picked up the little girl, pinched her still slightly chubby cheeks, and teased:

"It's all my fault, sister, for making Lan'er worry. Sister brought back lots of delicious food, can you fatten Lan'er up a bit more?"

Lan'er nodded:

"Okay! But you can't be too fat, or you won't look good in a dress! Sister Ran, my mother and grandmother are very worried about you. I've seen them secretly crying several times, which scared me and made me cry too. I'm so afraid you won't come back!"

Looking into the little one's clear, worried eyes, Qiao Ran's heart melted.

"Yes, it's my fault for making you all worry! Come on, to make it up to Lan'er, I brought back a lot of seafood, try some! After dinner, your older brothers and sisters also brought you gifts, even Xiao Ba picked up a beautiful seashell on the beach to give you!"

Lan'er was so happy that her eyes crinkled with laughter. At this moment, she felt like the happiest person in the world, not only because she had the love of her elders, but also because of the care and concern of her older brothers, sisters, and even her younger cousin.

The seafood that Qiao Ran brought back was loaded onto a cart in the woods on the southern outskirts of the city and transported back. Ten carts were sent to the palace for the evening banquet, ten carts were sent back to the village for the villagers to enjoy, and ten carts were sent to the Shenxiangu Supermarket, causing a frenzy.

The seafood was so fresh, as if it had just been caught from the sea. Even the well-informed nobles of the capital had never seen anything like it before, let alone ordinary people.

Suddenly, a seafood-buying frenzy swept through Beijing. Despite the freezing weather, the entrance to Shenxiangu Supermarket was packed with people, with the inside overflowing and those outside sweating profusely trying to squeeze in.

Even though this batch of seafood sold for an astronomical price, the servants of the powerful and wealthy and the managers of the restaurants still fought tooth and nail to snatch it up.

Now that the country is peaceful and prosperous, and people's lives are getting better and better, what a happy thing it would be to be able to eat the first bowl of delicious and sweet seafood in this cold autumn?