Period drama: Old Cao's carefree life

Chapter 116 The Nouveau Riche Who Knows Nothing
"Brother, what brings you here?" Mo He asked in surprise when she saw that it was Fan Wu who took the money.

"Thank goodness I came, otherwise I would never have met our sister's great benefactor."

Fan Wu, with his medium-length hair, stylishly tossed it around, leaned forward, tilted his head back, and looked people up and down, offering his critique:

"Not bad, not bad, you're quite good-looking, no wonder Mo He always talks about you."

Upon hearing this, Mo He was so embarrassed she wanted to disappear into the ground. She retorted angrily, "Brother!! What nonsense are you talking about? When did I mention Brother Cao? I only mentioned him twice when I went back that day."

"Enough already, you're still talking." Master Fan secretly glared at her and said slyly, "You little rascal, you like to talk in your sleep. When I go to the toilet at night, I always hear you calling out 'Brother Cao, Brother Cao' in your sleep. Only you don't know it, but your brother knows it perfectly well!"

"Brother! What nonsense are you talking about!" Mo He stomped her foot, too ashamed to lift her head. She hurriedly went to cover Fan Wu's mouth, but secretly glanced at Cao Weida out of the corner of her eye.

"Who's talking nonsense? Who's talking nonsense? I'm telling the truth, okay!" Seeing his younger sister's shy expression, Master Fan laughed heartily, patted Cao Weida on the shoulder, and said in a very familiar manner:

"Cao Weida, Master Cao, you have helped my sister twice. I don't know how to thank you enough."

At this point, Master Fan sighed, "If it were ten or twenty years ago, we would have prepared a grand feast for you, not to mention anything else. It's a pity that the Fan family has fallen on hard times, and we can only invite you to a meat shop for a bowl of braised pork offal as a token gesture."

"Sir, if you don't mind, would you please have a bite?"

Cao Weida replied with a smile, "Hey, Fifth Master, you're joking. What's with all this talk of condescension? I, Cao Weida, am just a rough countryman, a man who toils in the fields. I've even eaten grass when I was hungry, let alone braised pork."

"It's just that times have changed. If it were ten or twenty years ago, I would have had to kneel down and pay my respects to you, let alone help your sister. I wouldn't even have the right to go up and help you."

"It's quite a coincidence. Today I went out intending to get a haircut at Old Sun's place, but something came up and I was delayed. When I came back to the overpass, I just happened to run into Mo He and you. This is fate."

"Don't even mention that you're treating me. Just give me the honor, and I'll treat you to something simple to eat?"

"Wow, what a coincidence! Mr. Cao, you're a real man. Well then, I won't stand on ceremony with you. Shall we go?"

"Mo He, come along too."

Mo He quickly waved his hand to refuse, "Brother Cao, you and my fifth brother can go eat. I still need to go for a walk; these cigarettes won't stay here."

"Come on, what kind of cigarettes are so fragile? They've already worn out so quickly?" Cao Weida knew Mo He was embarrassed to go, so he went straight over and took the basket she used to store her cigarettes.
"Come on, let's go get something to eat. Look how thin you are, you're almost unrecognizable."

It's fortunate that the muscles that should have grown have grown, otherwise the child would have suffered as a result.

"This..." Mo He hesitated and looked at her fifth brother, Fan Wuye, who said with his neck stiff, "Why are you looking at me? Master Cao is giving us face, we can't refuse it. It's just a meal, nothing to Master Cao!"

Cao Weida chimed in, "That's right, let's add a pair of chopsticks together."

"Alright then, thank you, Brother Cao."

"Hey, don't be so polite, let's go."

He said that since he was treating people to dinner, he should be generous and called two rickshaws.

"Hey, Mr. Cao, why are you calling for a car? There's a stall right over there!"

"Fifth Master, please get in the car. We'll talk when we get there."

He and Master Fan rode in one car, while Mo He rode in another, all the way to Dongxinglou.

Speaking of Master Fan, he was also a pitiful and tragic figure of his time.

Master Fan was born into a Manchu noble family and was a descendant of the Eight Iron-Cap Princes. His ancestors held hereditary titles and had even entered the palace to meet the emperor. He had also studied at the Tongwen Guan (a school for scholars of the same learning). He was a man who had been paid by the emperor for generations.

However, after the fall of the Qing Dynasty, his family fell into poverty and lost their source of income. They gradually became destitute and eventually had to rely on his sister to sell cigarettes to make a living.

He shared a common flaw with most of the Manchu nobles: he was obsessed with appearances.

Despite his impoverished life, he retained the airs and habits of an aristocrat, always dressing neatly when going out, and even mending and ironing his clothes when they were worn out.

Even when attending a gathering, one should still be particular about the simple setting and coarse tea.

In order to change the environment, he would resort to some tricks, such as using his sister as bait to get Tong Fengquan to lie, and encouraging his employees to make fake seals.

However, they have their own principles when it comes to matters of principle.

Overall, Cao Wei Da did not dislike such people. People are selfish, and it is understandable that they would use some clever tricks to make a better life.

You can't truly understand the sense of loss unless you've experienced the transition from wealth to poverty.

Haven't you seen how many wealthy people in real life commit suicide after going bankrupt, unable to bear the sense of loss? Master Fan, sitting in his rickshaw, watching the endless stream of people, pointed to the few cars on the road and began to boast:
"See that car? It's a Doze, from 1905. I'm not bragging, but that's nothing. I used to buy Buicks, Curies, Dozes, Chevrolets, Pontacles, and Stunars to drive around when I had nothing to do. I've driven three Dozes."

"Speaking of this car, let me tell you, I know it like the back of my hand. You have to put the right kind of oil in it. If you put the wrong kind in, it'll definitely break down after a while. If you don't know how it works, you might just pee your pants."

"The best oil has to be from West Asia. The oil from Yannan Auto Shop is not bad either, but we need the one from that pencil holder."

Seeing him reminiscing about the past and talking boastfully, Cao Weida flattered him, saying, "You really are a man of great experience. Even if you are facing some difficulties now, you still have a solid foundation. Sooner or later, you will make a comeback!"

“Unlike me, I’m just a nouveau riche who doesn’t know anything. I can’t compare to someone like you.”

Master Fan was overjoyed by the flattery. "Hahaha, it's not as exaggerated as you say. It's just a matter of practice makes perfect. If you do it a lot, you'll understand."

"I'm not bragging, there are quite a few Manchu bannermen in Beiping who are just as down on their luck as me, but there aren't many who have more fun than me."

Cao Wei Da smiled and continued to flatter him, since good words don't cost anything.

He was right about one thing: even though Master Fan is down on his luck now, his background and connections are still there.

Antiques are tangible witnesses and vibrant carriers of civilization, embodying the culture, technology, art, and social landscape of a specific historical period.

They are the treasures of Chinese civilization!

However, these treasures have been repeatedly stolen and burned during more than a hundred years of historical changes, which is truly heartbreaking.

Cao Wei has a lot of money, and it will only increase in the future. Putting it in his space would just result in a pile of cold metal. Why not do more to contribute to the preservation of Chinese civilization within his means?
If he hadn't met Master Fan, he wouldn't have cared, because he knew nothing about antiques, and there were too many fakes and inferior products on the market.

After meeting Master Fan, he had some ideas.

He didn't understand, but Master Fan did!

At this moment, wasn't the down-on-his-luck Fifth Master Fan the best helper he could find?

When they arrived, Master Fan looked up at the signboard and gave Cao Weida a big thumbs up: "Master Cao, you're really generous! No doubt about it. When I, Master Fan, become successful, I'll definitely invite you back!"

As he spoke, he brushed his half-long hair aside, stuck out his belly, and put his hands on his hips, exuding a rather domineering air.

A down-on-his-luck Manchu bannerman like him was extremely concerned with his reputation, and even when begging, he would stand with his back straight.

"Look at what you're saying, Fifth Master. How can I invite you to dinner with such a shabby affair? That would be a slap in my face."

Mo He, who had followed behind, glanced at the sign, ran out of the car, and grabbed Cao Weida's arm: "Brother Cao, let's not eat here, it's too expensive!"

For her, even a decent meal is a luxury, so she was reluctant to suddenly come to a top-notch restaurant.

"It's alright. I, Cao Weida, may not have any other skills, but I'm not short of money for food." Cao Weida smiled and pulled Fan Wuye's arm to walk inside: "Mo He, follow me."

"Brother Cao, why don't you go eat with my brother? I'm not hungry yet."

She wasn't not hungry; she just wanted to save Cao Wei Da money!

Eating here, adding one more person doesn't just mean adding another pair of chopsticks, it means adding a huge expense!

Cao Weida felt both heartache and relief. Who wouldn't cherish such a good girl? "Mohe, don't be so polite with me. Besides, I'm inviting you to dinner because I need your help with something. I can't ask for your help if I don't treat you well."

"Alright, enough talk, hurry up and catch up."

Mo He looked to Fifth Brother for help. Fifth Master Fan glanced at Cao Weida out of the corner of his eye and laughed, "Since Master Cao has already said so, you shouldn't refuse. Otherwise, wouldn't you be making him lose face?"

Seeing that her brother had said so, Mo He had no choice but to agree. She tugged at her clothes and followed him with a stiff upper lip.

She had never been to such a high-class place before, and her attire made her feel somewhat insecure.

As they approached, the servant at the door rushed up, "How many gentlemen are there?"

"Are you blind? Didn't you see two men and one woman? The eyesight of the staff at Dongxinglou Restaurant is getting worse and worse."

"Look at my mouth, I don't know why I'm so clumsy. You're right, sir. Please come in, distinguished guests."

"Distinguished guests, there are elegant seats available upstairs. Please come this way."

The waiter's shouts were loud and clear, with a drawn-out ending. This was to allow the restaurant staff to prepare in advance, such as to seat guests and wipe tables, and also to make guests feel the attentive and thoughtful atmosphere. It was a manifestation of the welcoming and farewell etiquette of the old Beiping Restaurant.

(End of this chapter)