After a male student transmigrated into the body of a widow,

Unaware of Gu Lin's probing, Yu Ge'er listened to the other party's introduction of Xingfuju, and his initial nervousness gradually eased.

In fact, after learning the specifics of the series of arduous tasks Gu Lin had mentioned, Yu Ge'er breathed a sigh of relief.

Farmers are not afraid of hardship, especially the women and men. They all work from dawn till dusk, and after finishing their work in the fields, they still have to do housework.

Therefore, Brother Yu is not afraid of hard work at all.

He looked at Gu Lin with a determined gaze and said, "Brother Lin, I'm not afraid of hardship. I can do all of what you're saying."

It was both unexpected and expected; Yu Ge'er gave him a different feeling from the others in Xiahe Village.

He is full of vitality and has an indomitable spirit.

Despite his probing, the other party remained unmoved.

Gu Lin's deliberately tense expression softened. "Okay, you can start work tomorrow."

Gu Lin thought he would need to observe him for a long time, but to his surprise, Gu Lin agreed in just a few words.

Yu Ge'er's surprise was evident on his face, his mouth slightly open.

Seeing the incredulous look on the other person's face, Gu Lin smiled slightly and said, "I'm recruiting here, not trying to make things difficult for anyone. If you're suitable, you'll naturally be able to stay."

"However," Gu Lin changed his tone, "I'm telling you this upfront: if you try to slack off or cheat in the future, I won't keep you here."

Yu Ge'er immediately tensed up and said, "Don't worry, I will definitely do my job well and I will never slack off."

Hearing Yu Ge'er's guarantee, Gu Lin was satisfied for the moment, though he didn't know what the future held for him: "I'll pay you one tael of silver for now, and if you do well, your wages will increase."

One or two taels of silver?!

Although Yu Ge'er had already heard from other villagers that Gu Lin paid Zhao's wife and brother Zhao a high wage, he didn't take it too seriously, thinking that one or two taels of silver would be enough.

But now, he's earning a tael of silver for his own wages, so you can imagine how generous Gu Lin is to Sister Zhao and the others.

But Yu Ge'er did not feel greed or resentment because of this, nor did he feel that Gu Lin treated him and Zhao Saozi differently.

Yu Ge'er knew his own limitations; could he compare to the Zhao family's relationship with Gu Lin?

Moreover, one or two taels of silver is already quite a lot.

Yu Ge'er was very satisfied. He asked Gu Lin, "Lin Ge'er, can I go to Xingfu Ju to get used to it later?"

Gu Lin had intended to give the other party some time to cool off before starting work the next day, but seeing that Yu Ge'er himself wanted to go to Xingfuju, Gu Lin did not stop him and said, "Of course you can. Let me tell you about the precautions for the store."

Upon hearing this, Brother Yu immediately became extremely alert.

These are the key factors that determine whether he can stay at Happiness Residence.

Gu Lin liked ambitious and studious people. Seeing that Yu Ge'er was listening attentively to him, Gu Lin explained some things in more detail.

Finally, he said to Brother Yu, "Don't be nervous, everyone has been through this. Just look at how Sister Zhao and I were before and how we are now, and you'll understand."

Yu Ge'er was concentrating on remembering the precautions for Xingfuju, not daring to be distracted for even a moment.

But after hearing Gu Lin's words, he felt somewhat comforted and grinned at the other person: "I understand, Brother Lin."

I took Yu Ge'er to Xingfuju Restaurant in front of us. At this time, the restaurant was gradually getting more and more customers.

Gu Lin pointed to the iron pot and bamboo tubes behind him and said to Yu Ge'er beside him, "Yu Ge'er, you pack the food first today and see how Zhao Saozi and I entertain our guests."

"Okay." Knowing that Gu Lin was willing to take care of him, Yu Ge'er was somewhat touched.

He watched as the other person walked forward, abandoning their usual reserved demeanor, and began to speak to the diners with a generous smile.

While serving the dishes, Yu Ge'er observed how Gu Lin and Zhao Saozi dealt with the diners.

After an afternoon, Yu Ge'er felt that he had learned a lot from Gu Lin and Zhao Saozi.

After the three of them closed the shop, Yu Ge'er took advantage of the fact that it wasn't dark yet and got on Brother Zhao's oxcart to go back to Xiahe Village.

When Gu Lin and Zhao's wife returned home and entered the hall, they saw Zhao Dagen sitting in a chair with a blank expression.

Sister Zhao's brow twitched, and she walked outside.

When she saw that not a single wisp of smoke was coming out of the kitchen chimney, Zhao's wife was furious. She turned around and strode back to the main hall. When she came up to Zhao Dagen, she slapped him on the shoulder and said, "You idiot, you're just sitting here. You don't even need to cook!"

Since Zhao Dagen successfully became an apprentice under Master Jin's recommendation, he and Gu Lin have been living in the county to make it easier for him to learn woodworking.

On weekdays, Gu Lin and Zhao's wife are very busy with the business of Xingfuju. They are always in a hurry to cook dinner when they get home in the evening.

After Zhao Dagen moved to the county town, he returned home earlier than them in the afternoon. So, Zhao's wife handed over the cooking to him, so that when Gu Lin and Zhao's wife returned, they only needed to stir-fry a dish.

Zhao Dagen has been doing very well recently.

On several occasions, Gu Lin and Zhao's wife were delayed by the business at Xingfuju and returned very late, only to find that the restaurant had already prepared the meal.

"mother."

Zhao Dagen was thick-skinned and didn't feel much pain from his mother's slaps.

He looked up at his mother, his expression somewhat blank, and said, "Mother, my master wants me to go to the prefectural city with him."

Zhao's hand, which was about to fall again, stopped in mid-air as she looked down at her son.

Zhao Dagen murmured, "My master said his foundation is in the prefectural city. He came to the county town a few days ago on the behalf of a friend, and now that the matter is settled, he's going back to the prefectural city. My master said I have some talent, and staying in the county town would bury it; it would be better for me to go to the prefectural city, but..."

"But what but!"

With a reprimand, Zhao's sister-in-law's hand finally landed on Zhao Dagen's shoulder.

Zhao Dagen's wheat-colored eyes were slightly red, and he said in a hoarse, low voice, "But I don't want to leave my parents."

Brother Zhao and Sister-in-law Zhao had so many children, but only Zhao Dagen survived. To them, Zhao Dagen was their only child, their lifeblood.

For Zhao Dagen, Brother Zhao and Sister-in-law Zhao were his only ones.

If the Zhao family is a tree, then Brother Zhao and Sister-in-law Zhao are undoubtedly the roots, deeply rooted in the ground, supporting the great tree of the Zhao family.

Zhao Dagen is like a branch on a tree, drawing nourishment from the roots, slowly growing stronger and sprouting small branches and leaves.

What happens if a branch is separated from the nourishment of the tree roots?

It either grows into a giant tree after enduring countless winds and rains, or it gradually loses its vitality, withers, rots, and merges with the soil.

Gu Lin didn't know what kind of person Zhao Dagen would become after he broke away from his wife and brother.

He watched from the side without speaking rashly.

After hearing Zhao Dagen's words, Zhao's sister-in-law's eyes also welled up with tears.

She had never been separated from Zhao Dagen, so how could she bear to let her only child leave home to go to the prefectural city?

But Sister Zhao is no longer the ignorant village woman she once was; for her, Zhao Dagen's future is the most important thing.

In the past, we had no choice, but now we have the opportunity. Who would want their child to be like them, a peasant who toils in the fields all their life?

Sister-in-law Zhao lowered her head slightly to hide the tears in her eyes, then looked up at Zhao Dagen and said, "What's there to be reluctant about? Your father and I are staying at home. How far is the prefectural city from the county town? When you miss your father and me, you can just take the oxcart back. Crying and wailing here is not even as good as a young boy or girl."

"mother……"

Seeing that Zhao's wife showed no reluctance at all about him leaving the county town, Zhao Dagen felt a little wronged and sad, feeling that his parents didn't want him anymore.

Sister Zhao slapped him hard and said, "What mother? Your master values ​​you and is taking you to the prefectural city to train you properly. Don't be ungrateful. Go back to bed early tonight, and pack your bags and go to the prefectural city with your master tomorrow."

Seeing that his own mother had arranged everything for him with just a few words and was going to send him to the prefectural city, Zhao Dagen was somewhat bewildered.

He really didn't want to leave his parents and go to such a far place.

My parents are getting old and they only have me as their child. What will happen if something happens to them after I go to the prefectural city?

No one knows a son better than his mother. Zhao's wife immediately saw through Zhao Dagen's thoughts and said, "What are you worried about? Your father and I are very healthy and can do better than you. Don't think about things that don't exist all the time."

After being scolded by his own mother, Zhao Dagen felt ashamed, but he refused to back down.

Seeing this, Gu Lin spoke up at the right moment: "Da Gen, don't worry, I'm here. Do you think I would let my sister-in-law and Brother Zhao work so hard?"

"Uncle Gu..." Zhao Dagen wanted to say that this was not what he meant.

Gu Lin interrupted him, saying, "I know you can't leave your parents. You're afraid that if you go to the prefectural city, there will be no one to take care of Sister-in-law Zhao and Brother Zhao if they feel unwell."

“But now your parents live almost with me. Whenever they are unwell, I always know before you do. Like when your sister-in-law’s rheumatoid arthritis flared up, I was the one who told you.”

Gu Lin gave Zhao Dagen a strong dose of medicine: "Others leave home because they are afraid that their elderly and young children will be left unattended. What are you afraid of now? Whether it's food, clothing, shelter, or any other aspect, if there's anything I can't take care of, what else could you possibly worry about?"

Sister-in-law Zhao chimed in, "Lin-ge'er is right. After you leave, I'll have your father move here. We'll all live in the county then, and Lin-ge'er and I can take care of each other. Lin-ge'er is much more thoughtful than you, so don't worry about it."

Upon hearing this, Gu Lin couldn't help but sigh inwardly. As expected of a mother, this was a devastating blow to Zhao Dagen.

Sure enough, Zhao Dagen remained silent for a long time after hearing what Zhao's sister-in-law said.

As her own mother had said, the other woman was visibly much happier than she was at home since she started living with Gu Lin.

Gu Lin would buy clothes for his parents from time to time. Whenever his parents coughed, Gu Lin would be more anxious than anyone else and take them to see a doctor.

Compared to his own biological son, Gu Lin took far better care of his parents.

As for myself, staying here would only be a burden on my parents, constantly making them take care of me.

Seeing Zhao Dagen suddenly fall silent, Gu Lin said, "You're young now, it's the perfect time for you to go out and make your way in the world. In another ten years or so, when your wife and brother can no longer work, they'll need you to take care of them. Instead of wasting your youth in Xiahe Village, you should go with your master to see the outside world. The prefectural city is bigger than the county town, so it will definitely be easier to earn money there. Take advantage of your youth to save up some money so your parents can enjoy a comfortable life in the future."

Pain, inner turmoil, and hesitation flashed across Zhao Dagen's face.

Finally, he raised his head solemnly and said to Sister Zhao, "Mother, you and Father wait for me at home. Your son will definitely go to the prefectural city to learn something and come back to be filial to you and Father."

"Good! That's a real man!" Sister Zhao said with satisfaction.

During dinner, Gu Lin deliberately quickened his pace.

After finishing his meal, he gave Zheng Hao a meaningful look, and when Zheng Hao noticed, he got up and left the hall.

Gu Lin stood outside for a while, and then Zheng Hao came out as well.

Zheng Hao asked Gu Lin, "Uncle Gu, what happened to Aunt and Brother Dagen?"

During the meal, Zheng Hao noticed that the atmosphere was a bit off. Zhao's wife, who usually only chatted with Uncle Gu, was unusually quiet and her attention was focused on Zhao Dagen. Although she didn't talk to him much, she would occasionally put food on his plate.

Gu Lin lowered his head slightly and told Zheng Hao about Zhao Dagen's plan to go to the prefectural city with his master to learn woodworking.

After hearing this, Zheng Hao said, "It's a good thing that Brother Dagen is going to the prefectural city to learn woodworking with his master."

Gu Lin nodded in agreement, but said, "He has never left home, and Sister-in-law Zhao and Brother Zhao have never been separated from Dagen. Now, I'm afraid both sides will be reluctant to part with him."

“I see that ever since my sister-in-law found out that Dagen could go to the prefectural city with his master, she has been trying to persuade him to go, even though she was reluctant to let him go. She must be feeling extremely sad.”

At first, Zheng Hao didn't understand why Zhao Dagen and his wife were so sad and reluctant to part with him when Zhao Dagen was going to the prefectural city to pursue a better future.

After hearing Gu Lin's words, Zheng Hao immediately thought that if he succeeded in the imperial examinations, he would also leave the county town alone to take the provincial examinations, metropolitan examinations, and palace examinations in other places.

Zheng Hao, who had initially been indifferent to the departure of Zhao Dagen and his wife, gradually became serious.

A gloomy feeling washed over Zheng Hao, who turned to look at Gu Lin beside him. He would never be separated from Uncle Gu, no matter what.

The next day.

Sister-in-law Zhao packed Zhao Dagen's belongings, and Gu Lin and Zheng Hao accompanied Sister-in-law Zhao to see Zhao Dagen off at the city gate.

After Zhao Dagen got on the oxcart, the oxcart started moving and gradually disappeared from sight until it was out of sight. Then Gu Lin turned to look at Zhao's wife beside him.

Zhao's wife stared blankly at the deserted road ahead. Gu Lin was thinking of words to comfort her, but before he could speak, Zhao's wife seemed to snap out of her daze and turned to Gu Lin, saying, "Let's go, Brother Lin, the customers are coming soon, don't delay the business."

Originally worried that Zhao's wife was putting on a brave face, Gu Lin paid close attention to her emotional changes. However, he saw that Zhao's wife had been working as usual for several days in a row, chatting and laughing with the diners.

Gu Lin then knew that Sister Zhao had truly let go.

Seeing Zhao's sister-in-law so full of vitality, Gu Lin felt relieved.