Rebirth: Making a Fortune in Ancient Times

Zhang Youtie drove the mule cart, with Liu Shi and her two children sitting in the carriage. Nineteen and Daniu also came along.

Liu's original intention was for the four of them to go, but Uncle Ma said the journey was long and the snow was quite thick, so he suggested that Da Niu come along so she could help them when they encountered potholes. Shi Jiu, on the other hand, insisted on going with them to protect them.

After thinking for a moment, Liu agreed, leaving her home in the care of Uncle Ma and Aunt Ma. The family then set off on their journey, carrying gifts and riding in a mule cart.

There were quite a few pedestrians on the road. Judging from the items they were carrying, they were all visiting relatives. Men carried baskets on their backs and slung over their shoulders, while women followed behind with children in tow. Those going nearby walked, while those going further away took oxcarts. When they reached the main road, they found all sorts of vehicles on the road: handcarts pulled by hand, wheelbarrows pushed by hand, and donkeys ridden by. It was quite lively. It had been many days since they had seen so many pedestrians on the road.

At first, Xia Yu was very interested in peeking out through the curtain, but after a while, she got bored. She put the Go board she had brought with her on the seat in the carriage and asked Chang Yun to play with her. Da Niu and Shi Jiu sat on the floor of the carriage watching them play. Seeing that they were having fun, Liu Shi came out of the carriage and sat next to Zhang Youtie on the other side of the carriage shaft.

"Why did you come out? It's cold outside. Come inside and sit down," Zhang Youtie said to Liu Shi when he heard the noise, turning his head to look at her.

"The children are playing, and I wanted to come out for some fresh air. I'm dressed warmly, so I don't feel cold," Liu said casually.

Zhang Youtie reached out and pulled Liu's hand, squeezing it firmly.

"We'll be in Ming'an County soon."

"Um"

"..."

The two chatted casually, while the sounds of children playing could be heard from time to time in the carriage.

In Ming'an County, all the shops were closed, and the streets were filled with people visiting relatives with their families.

Emerging from the north gate of Ming'an County, Zhang Youtie rode his mule cart at a leisurely pace. At first, he could see people visiting relatives along the way, but as noon approached, the number of pedestrians gradually decreased.

Liu sat silently outside the carriage, watching the snow scene on both sides of the road.

"Mom, when are we going to Grandpa's house?" Changyun asked, sticking his head out to ask Liu Shi.

"We'll be there soon. After passing that town, it'll be about a quarter of an hour's walk. Are you hungry?" Madam Liu asked her son softly.

"Well, I'm a little hungry."

"There are two packets of fruit in that blue bundle in the carriage. Take them out and have some to tide you over."

Soon, another hand emerged from behind the curtain, holding a packet of fruit.

"Mother, you and Father can have this."

Xia Yu's crisp voice came from behind the curtain. Liu smiled, took the package of fruit from her daughter, fed one to Zhang Youtie first, and then picked one up and ate it herself.

It was already late afternoon when the mule cart entered the village. Zhang Youtie drove the mule cart to his father-in-law's house based on his memory.

Several little boys were building a snowman at the door. One of them saw a mule cart stop in front of his house, so he quickly threw down the snowball he was holding and ran into the yard, shouting, "Grandpa, Dad, Mom, Auntie is back! Auntie is back!"

As Liu Shi was getting off the mule cart, she heard the child's voice, and tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her face. Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar courtyard before her, Liu Shi's vision blurred with tears.

"Don't cry anymore. Now that you're back, be happy," Zhang Youtie said, trying to comfort his wife when he saw her like that.

Hearing the children's voices outside, everyone inside rushed out, lifting the curtains in a flurry.

Seeing her relatives standing at the door, Liu Shi, with tears welling in her eyes, smiled and called out to the people inside, "Father, elder brother, elder sister-in-law, I'm back."

"Oh my, it really is my eldest sister back! Father, my eldest sister is back!" The woman who spoke was wearing a half-new holly-colored jacket; she was none other than Liu's eldest sister-in-law, Tian Maisui. Before she finished speaking, she ran out of the courtyard to greet her sister-in-law, who had not returned for many years.

Zhang Youtie greeted the people in the courtyard with a smile: his father-in-law, elder brother, and sister-in-law.

"Oh, oh, it's good that you're back, it's good that you're back, come inside quickly."

Upon hearing his son-in-law speak to him, Grandpa Liu finally realized what was happening, wiped away his tears, and hurried out to greet his daughter and son-in-law.

After a period of chaos and turmoil, and with father and daughter separated for many years, Grandpa Liu, who had been holding his daughter's hand and weeping uncontrollably, had finally calmed down. Once everyone was seated in the main room, Grandpa Liu looked at the two extra girls and asked them curiously...

"Are these two children related to us?"

"Father, these two are children that You Tie and I adopted," Liu Shi said to her father.

Upon hearing his daughter say that she was adopted, Grandpa Liu quickly stood up and went to the inner room, realizing that he had less red envelopes on him.

After he entered the house, Liu looked around again but didn't see him. Her sister-in-law, Tian Maisui, knowing what she was looking for, quickly spoke up in a low voice.

"She's gone. Now it's just the few of us at home, no one else. I'll tell you more tonight." Although she didn't know the reason, Liu felt much better after hearing her sister-in-law say that.

When Grandpa Liu came out of the house again, Madam Liu called to the two children who were still standing there dumbfounded.

"Changyun, Xiaxia, come and wish Grandpa a Happy New Year."

Upon hearing Liu's instructions, the two people respectfully knelt on the ground and paid their respects to Grandpa Liu for the New Year.

"Good children, all good children." Grandpa Liu excitedly took the two children's hands and gave each of them a red envelope. Then the old man looked at Da Niu and Shi Jiu standing behind him, holding two more red envelopes in his hands, seemingly about to give them New Year's money as well.

Not knowing how to explain their identities, Madam Liu said to the two women, "You should also wish Grandpa a Happy New Year."

The two obediently knelt on the ground to wish Grandpa Liu a Happy New Year and accepted the red envelopes he handed them.

"Thank you for the generous gift, sir!" the two said in unison.

Next, the brother and sister wished their uncle and aunt a Happy New Year and each received another red envelope. Da Niu and Shi Jiu also received red envelopes, but their words of gratitude while kneeling on the ground puzzled the people in the room. Mainly, none of them had expected that their daughter and sister, who hadn't returned for only a few years, could actually be employed by someone.

Mrs. Liu gave New Year's money to her two nephews and one niece, and the whole house was filled with joy.

Suddenly, Liu's eldest sister-in-law, Tian Maisui, slapped her forehead. "Look at my brain! You haven't eaten yet, have you? I'll go cook for you."

"Yes, yes, hurry up and cook for your sister. I'm getting senile, and I've been letting you two talk while you're hungry." Grandpa Liu only remembered this matter after hearing his daughter-in-law's words, and hurriedly urged her to cook.

"Sister-in-law, don't bother. We ate some fruit on the way, so we're not hungry now. Let's eat together tonight." Liu got up and pulled her sister-in-law, who was about to go to the kitchen to cook, back to her.

“If you can get full from eating some fruit, then your brother-in-law can get full too. There’s plenty of food at home, it’ll be ready in a little while.” Tian Maisui tapped Liu’s forehead affectionately and scolded her playfully.

"Sister-in-law, just make yourself a bowl of noodles. We'll eat together tonight, and I'll have a good drink with Dad and my brother then."

Sister-in-law Liu thought about Zhang Youtie's words and felt that they made sense. She decided to cook a few bowls of noodles to fill her stomach first, and then they would have a drink together in the evening.

"Alright, I'll go make a few bowls of noodles first." After saying that, Sister Liu went to the kitchen.

In the courtyard, Changyun and Xia Yu had already started playing together with their two cousins ​​and one cousin from their uncle's family. Nineteen and Daniu followed behind, playing with them as well.