Rebirth: Making a Fortune in Ancient Times

When Liu returned home, she found her two children cooking in the kitchen. Seeing that they were still cleaning the shrimp veins, Liu washed her hands and joined them.

"Mom, why didn't Dad come back with you?" Xia Yu didn't mention what had just happened and went straight to asking Zhang Youtie.

“Your dad is eating. He’ll be back in a bit. We’ll just leave him some. Whether he eats it or not is up to him.”

"Okay, let's boil it today, quick. My brother has to go to school tomorrow morning," Xia Yu continued.

"Okay, sure."

After the shrimp were prepared, Liu helped Changyun pack his luggage for the school the next day, leaving the cooking to the brother and sister.

Xia Yu cooked a pot of shrimp, and took out the sesame seed cakes she had bought a few days ago that she hadn't finished. The three of them had a simple meal, and afterwards they cut open a watermelon, which was their only meal.

After dinner, Liu urged Changyun to go to bed, otherwise she wouldn't be able to get up the next morning. Actually, Changyun was still a little unaccustomed to suddenly living at the school. She wanted to talk to her parents and sister a little longer, but seeing her mother take out the fine cotton cloth she had bought and spread it out under the oil lamp, clearly ready to do some work, and with her father still not back, she lingered for a while before finally listening to Liu and going to bed.

Xia Yu stayed with Liu Shi under the lamp to make new clothes for Changyun, while waiting for her father to return. However, she waited until her eyes were almost closed, but her father still hadn't come back. Liu Shi then told her to go to sleep first and that they could talk about it tomorrow.

Xia Yu couldn't stay awake any longer, so she washed up and went to bed.

The next day, before dawn, Liu got up to make breakfast. Zhang Youtie was in the yard harnessing the oxcart, which was loaded with some items Changyun would need at school, as well as other clothes his mother had packed for him the day before. Students were required to wear uniforms at school, but they still had to prepare their own undergarments. In the bundle were two pairs of underpants that Liu had stayed up all night to make, and two pairs of tabi socks, all made of fine cotton cloth, although the tabi socks were pieced together from scraps of the underpants.

Xia Yu was awakened by the noise in the courtyard. Still half asleep, she went out of the room and saw Zhang Youtie harnessing the oxcart.

"Dad, why did you come home so late last night? I was so sleepy waiting for you."

"I chatted with your grandpa and the others for a while yesterday." After saying that, she looked at her still somewhat dazed daughter, opened her mouth as if to say something, but didn't know how to start.

Seeing his hesitant expression, Xia Yu spoke up for him. "Dad, just say what you want to tell me."

"Xiaxia, let's not talk about your aunt like that anymore. She's a young woman, so please give her some face."

"Dad, actually, my grandfather wanted to say those things a long time ago. I really meant well for my aunt. She'll be getting married eventually, and do you think she's the kind of person who knows how to manage a household?"

"Dad knows you mean well, but you can be a little gentler with your words in the future."

"I understand, Dad. Don't worry, I promise I won't say that again." Xia Yu didn't want to ruin her mood on such a nice day by talking to her father, so she obediently agreed.

Changyun had gotten up early too; in fact, he hadn't slept well all night, his dreams filled with thoughts of going to school. After the family had eaten, Zhang Youtie drove the oxcart to take them to town to send Changyun to school.

"Father, what time did you arrange with Steward Ding? Won't it interfere with selling watermelons?" Liu asked with some concern.

"Don't worry, they've probably just set off by now. We can make a round trip to town without any delay." Zhang Youtie had already calculated the time.

As the family happily drove their oxcart through the village, they inevitably attracted questions from passersby. Zhang Youtie, without hesitation, explained that he was taking Changyun to school. This, of course, drew more gossip, but what did it matter to them? Nevertheless, they gave a ride to several fellow villagers who were going to town. The group chatted and laughed as they headed towards town.

Upon arriving in town, Zhang Youtie parked the car, and the group headed straight for the school with their luggage. It was still early, not yet time for school, so the school gates were still closed.

Hearing the knock, Uncle Li opened the door and, seeing it was them, led them to the dormitory that Master Zhang had arranged for Changyun. Two students were already living in the room, but they both looked much older than Changyun. When they arrived, the two were studying in the room. The school's teacher had informed them yesterday that a new student would be moving into their dormitory today.

Upon seeing them arrive, the two who were studying smiled at them warmly. The family helped put Changyun's luggage on his bed, and Liu wanted to help make it up, but Changyun refused.

Knowing he had things to do at home, Changyun reluctantly saw his parents and younger sister off outside the school. Before leaving, Zhang Youtie took out a string of coins from his pocket and gave them to Changyun, telling him to keep them for food and promising to come see him in a couple of days. After saying that, the group hurriedly went back. Standing at the school gate, Changyun watched his parents and sister disappear around the street corner, feeling a pang of sadness. He wiped his eyes hard with his sleeve before following Uncle Li to find Teacher Zhang to collect the school uniform that had been issued to him.

Meanwhile, Zhang Youtie and his group finally returned to the village before Steward Ding and his men arrived. Xia Yu placed the enormous watermelon from his spatial storage directly on the open ground in the front yard. All the watermelons he picked this time still had vines over a foot long attached. Xia Yu remembered his father saying that these were to be sent to the capital.

Just as they finished doing all this, a loud commotion came from afar. Just as the family was about to go out to see what was happening, Changsheng and Changyuan came running over, panting.

"Third Uncle, Third Aunt, the people who want to buy watermelons are here. There must be more than a dozen oxcarts." The two were talking as they came to inform them in advance.

Soon, Old Master Zhang led Steward Ding into the courtyard, followed by a long line of oxcarts.

As soon as Steward Ding entered the courtyard, he saw more than a dozen large baskets, each filled with watermelons larger than those he had bought the day before. Zhang Youtie greeted Steward Ding warmly, and after a brief exchange of pleasantries, Steward Ding was delighted to learn that the watermelons were sold individually for one tael of silver each. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a dozen or so men dressed identically from the crowd behind him.

"Move all these watermelons onto the oxcart. Be careful not to break them," Manager Ding instructed the men. Then he said to the servant Zhang Youtie had met before, "You'll be in charge of counting them. Be careful and don't make any mistakes."

"Yes, Steward Ding."

After saying that, the men went their separate ways. Only then did Xia Yu notice that the sides of the oxcart that Steward Ding had brought were raised with wooden planks, so that even without baskets, the watermelons wouldn't roll off, and they could hold even more.

Hmm, this is a good method. This modification makes it look somewhat like a modern truck. I'm thinking about whether I can modify mine as well.