Rebirth: Making a Fortune in Ancient Times

It was already late afternoon when they left the old house. Before leaving, Changyun said to Liu Shi...

"Grandma, I bought a few fox pelts and delivered them to the tailor. I'll bring them to you once they're made into clothes, so you'll stay warm when you go out."

“I’m so old, why would I wear a fox fur coat? You can keep it for yourself. Or you can leave it for your future wife.” Mrs. Liu was very happy to hear that her grandson had prepared a gift for her, but she still couldn’t help but say a few polite words.

"Grandma, I know what I'm doing." Changyun naturally knew his grandmother's personality, so he didn't argue too much.

When the father and sons returned home, they saw Liu Shi doing needlework on the heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed).

"Her mother, our mother asked Changsheng's family to invite you over for dinner, why aren't you going?" Zhang Youtie asked.

"Where would I go? I had already eaten by then. Besides, there's been a lot going on at home these past few days." Liu Shi said, biting off the thread with her head down before looking up at Zhang Youtie.

"My wife, you've worked hard!" Zhang Youtie had drunk some wine at lunch and was a little tipsy from the wind. He forgot about his children following behind him and forgot to walk while talking.

Seeing his father's expression, Xia Yu quickly pulled Chang Yun out the door.

"Brother, let's go. Look at Dad, he's definitely drunk."

"Okay, let's go back. I haven't packed my boxes yet." Changyun agreed with his sister, and the two of them walked out of Liu's courtyard.

Xia Yu was also concerned about this matter, and the brother and sister parted ways at the courtyard gate without saying much.

Meanwhile, on Zhang Haoran's side, when the two carriages hired by the Gao family stopped at their house, they happened to run into Old Master Liu, who was having a meal in the courtyard.

At first, Grandpa Liu thought the carriage was coming to his house, so he quickly came out of the yard to greet it.

"Brother Liu, how are you feeling?" Gao greeted Old Master Liu cheerfully.

When Grandpa Liu heard someone call him that, he squinted his eyes to see who was talking to him.

"Third Brother, I'm Tiesheng's wife!" Gao knew he didn't recognize her when she saw his expression.

"Tiesheng's wife, you're back!" Grandpa Liu finally recognized the person speaking. He hurriedly turned around and called to the people inside.

"Da Zhuang, Da Zhuang's wife, come out quickly and see who has returned!"

"Uncle Liu, are you still in good health?" Zhang Haoran directed the driver to help unload the boxes while exchanging pleasantries with Old Man Liu.

"Is this Haowazi?" Old Master Liu asked uncertainly. His impression of Zhang Haoran was still from several years ago, when he was only a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy. He never imagined that he would grow up so much now. After his father died, he went to study elsewhere, and Gao went with her son. They rarely saw each other again.

Thinking of this, Old Master Liu suddenly remembered that Haowazi, whom he had mentioned, had passed the imperial examination and was said to have become a high-ranking official in the capital. He hurriedly prepared to kneel down and pay his respects.

"This humble subject begs Your Excellency..." He didn't finish his sentence, and Zhang Haoran's hands held him in mid-air as he began to kneel.

"Third Uncle, now that I'm back home, I'm still the same Haowazi. Please just treat me like the child who grew up in your presence. There's no need for any formalities."

"Brother Haoran..." Zhang Haoran was supporting Old Master Liu's arm when a shout suddenly came from the side, startling him so much that he almost pulled his hand back. Looking up, he saw none other than his childhood playmate, Liu Dazhuang.

"Brother Da Zhuang." Zhang Haoran helped Old Master Liu to his feet before greeting Liu Da Zhuang with clasped hands.

"Good brother, it's been so many years! You didn't even say you were coming back." Liu Dazhuang came up and gave Zhang Haoran a warm bear hug.

His words and actions made his father, who was standing next to him, extremely nervous. After all, Zhang Haoran was no longer the boy he used to be; he was now a high-ranking official in Beijing.

"Da Zhuang, Haowa is now a high-ranking official in the capital. Be careful."

Grandpa Liu's words made Liu Dazhuang's arms, which were holding his brother, stiffen slightly. He had been so excited that he had forgotten about this matter.

He quickly let go of her hand and bowed deeply to Zhang Haoran respectfully.

Zhang Haoran felt somewhat helpless. This was partly why he didn't like going back to the village; the elders would always greet him with polite bows. His childhood playmates were the same.

"Alright, alright, Da Zhuang, don't be so polite. If you keep doing this, Hao'er will feel uncomfortable. It's only when he's a child that he feels close to you. All this bowing and exchanging greetings is too formal," Gao Shi advised from the side.

"Aunt Gao, it's been so long since you've come back! Why didn't you give me a heads-up? I could have cleaned up the house and lit the kang (heated brick bed) for you. How can anyone live in a cold house like this? Why don't you stay at my place tonight?"

Da Zhuang's wife, Tian Maisui, grew up in this village and was familiar with both Gao Shi and Zhang Haoran. Just by not having anyone come to clean the house in the past two days, she knew that the family didn't know they were coming back.

"We'll tidy up the house first, and if it's really uninhabitable, we'll come to your house." Gao was straightforward and didn't refuse directly. Although they sent money back every year to ask her brother-in-law to repair the house, it was hard to say whether he actually did anything about it.

"That's fine, I'll come with Dazhuang to help." Tian Maisui knew that this was only natural after hearing Gao's words, so she didn't insist and just went along with her.

After speaking, Tian Maisui went back into the house and brought out an oil lamp and a tinderbox. She followed Gao Shi into their house.

As soon as the door was opened, a musty smell, as if no one had lived there for a long time, wafted out.

"cough cough"

"Cough cough cough," Gao Shi and Tian Maisui coughed, choked by the smell.

Tian Maisui quickly turned on the light, and the pitch-black room finally had some light.

Looking at the dusty room, Gao sighed inwardly. How long had it been since anyone had visited? When she entered, not only did she smell of mildew, but a large cobweb was also covering her face.

Zhang Haoran sent the carriage that brought them away and, together with Liu Dazhuang, moved the boxes in the yard into the house.

"Brother, how long are you planning to stay at home? You brought so much stuff!" Although Liu Dazhuang worked hard all year round, he was still startled by the weight of the boxes.

"Brother Dazhuang, I'm sorry. This box is full of books, which is why it's so heavy. I'll be staying at home for a few months this time. The Emperor has assigned me a mission, and I won't leave until March of next year."

"That's great! We can have a couple of drinks together when we're free." He then remembered that Aunt Gao never let him drink, afraid it would ruin his brain. He quickly looked towards Aunt Gao, afraid she had overheard him.