Chapter 23

The three-day garden party had brought in substantial profits for Zhang Rui and the participants. Except for Tian Jiao, everyone received a significant reward. As a collaborator, Zhang Yanran received three parts of the earnings, but she chose not to keep any for herself. Instead, she reinvested the money into the store as operating funds.

Xiao He did the same. With the store’s promising development, it made sense for him to invest in its future. Although he was too young to work outside, he helped Zhang Rui manage tasks, earning more than most kids his age.

As Tian Jiao watched them divide the money, she realized, “It seems that except for me, you all have become rich!”

She was the only one with less than fifty cents in her pocket, and that amount dwindled quickly when needed. Losing money had become normal for her, and she had learned to accept it.

Zhang Yanran reassured her, “It’s okay! You’ll get used to it. When we have money, we can take you flying!”

Xiao He added, “Just tell me what you want to buy, and I’ll get it for you.”

Zhang Rui, the calmest of them all, asked teasingly, “Do you dare to take the money I give you?”

Tian Jiao pouted and replied, “I dare not.”

Everyone laughed, and she continued, “When I make more money, I won’t be afraid of losing it. From now on, I’ll work hard to earn money!”

Zhang Rui nodded in understanding. “Many people have noticed your painting skills. If you want to make some money, I can help you get a few jobs.”

Tian Jiao’s excitement was palpable. “Okay, okay!”

Before the holiday was over, Tian Jiao landed a job. However, this time she had to deal with a difficult uncle who had no understanding of art and expected her to create something based on his vague description. The end result was unsatisfactory even to him, yet he refused to acknowledge his mistakes, instead blaming Tian Jiao for not meeting his unrealistic expectations.

After two frustrating days, Tian Jiao decided enough was enough. The little money was not worth the trouble, so she opted to go home and rest instead. Drawing was best enjoyed for her own pleasure.

_

After National Day, the store’s business surged. Having gained recognition at the park, many customers flocked to the shop to sample the food and beverages, becoming regulars.

With the business booming, Zhang Rui was busier than ever. He hung a sign declaring himself the signature chef but still hadn’t found a suitable replacement for the position. As a result, much of the store’s management fell to Xiao He.

Xiao He’s talent for finance shone through as he kept all the accounts clear and organized, easy for anyone to understand. He managed the finances so well that it was evident he had a knack for it, allowing Zhang Rui to focus on other aspects of the business.

In the following days, Xiao He continued to help out. Besides his investment in the company, his earnings began to accumulate, leaving him with no place to invest further.

Once Zhang Yanran’s business stabilized, she turned her focus to her studies. She enjoyed a leisurely life, occasionally spending time with her childhood friend, a soldier.

Meanwhile, Tian Jiao concentrated on her studies. After letting go of the idea of making money for now, she dedicated her energy to her academic pursuits. Medicine was a long-term goal, a five-year journey filled with challenging content, but if she delved deeply, it could be an incredibly rewarding subject.

As time passed, winter arrived swiftly, and Kyoto’s cold was harsher than she had experienced before.

Zhang Rui bought thick down jackets for everyone, ensuring they stayed warm even in the snow. Tian Jiao silently requested Xiao He to buy a few more jackets, knowing the quality of clothing in this era was exceptional. She planned to gift them to her grandparents and Dazhu upon her return.

With the Chinese New Year approaching, Tian Jiao and the others prepared to go back home. However, Zhang Rui’s shop was thriving during this festive season. The decor was artistic, the food delicious, and the atmosphere inviting, drawing many relatives and friends to gather.

Zhang Rui’s earnings during this time rivaled what he made as a student, making him hesitant to leave the successful venture.

Seeing her father’s commitment to the shop, Tian Jiao decided to stay and wait for the New Year before returning home. Similarly, Zhang Yanran found it impractical to leave as her childhood friend was also in Kyoto.

They had yet to confirm their relationship, and with Zhang Yanran only fifteen, it felt premature. In the past, girls married young, but in the current era, a fifteen-year-old was still a junior high school student, and early marriage would invite gossip.

So they stayed there until three days before the New Year when they quickly packed their bags and headed home.

Xiao He went back with them.

At first, Tian Jiao wanted Song Zhen to return with him, but Song Zhen was too old. Zhang Rui didn’t allow him to go back, worrying that something might happen on the train.

Tian Jiao couldn’t say he was sure nothing would happen, so he remained silent.

However, when they returned this time, some things happened at home.

****

Since Tian Jiao and Zhang Yanran went to college, the house had become quiet. But when the second child grew up a little, it became lively again.

School starts in September. Before that month, Zhang Rui and his friends made some money from their store. They used some of that money to buy special treats from Kyoto and other things that weren’t available in Lanshan, then sent them home.

Afterward, there was almost something coming in every month.

Whenever the courier came on his bicycle, he became familiar with the Zhang family.

It was the coldest part of winter, and it was lightly snowing today. The courier, Fan Wa, arrived and shouted, “Zhang Rui is back with the courier.”

The tightly shut door of the Zhang courtyard opened immediately. A woman with gray hair but full of energy appeared. Li Mizhen was surprised and saddened: “Oh, it’s so cold. Why are you still delivering? Thanks to you, Xiao Fan, for bringing it. This child doesn’t even think about buying something nice for himself.”

Fan Wa waved his hand and handed over the big package from the back seat: “This package is a bit big.”

Li Mizhen took it with a smile. She felt it was heavy, but compared to its size, it seemed okay. It was still very cold in winter, especially there. She shivered and said, “Thank you, Xiao Fan. You should come in for a cup of tea.”

But Fan Wa refused, so she quickly changed her mind: “Go back quickly; it’s too cold.”

“No, no, I have two more to deliver, so I need to hurry.” 

“Okay.”

Li Mizhen and the others closed the courtyard gate, returned with the large package, and carefully placed it on the table in the main room.

Today was the weekend, and Dabao was also at home. When he heard the noise, he ran out and exclaimed, “Wow, what a big package!”

The tables were filled.

The smile on Li Mizhen’s face never faded: “These children are so kind. Let’s see what it is.”

Xu Qiu was also looking forward to it. Every time a package arrived, her share was always included, so this time she expected to get something too.

When they opened it, they saw it was filled with thick clothes.

Li Mizhen wondered, “Why did they send such beautiful coats? Oh, they feel so warm.”

Xu Qiu held up a long army green down jacket and said, “This is a down jacket, not a coat. It’s very warm.”

As soon as she picked it up, she knew it was completely different from a jacket.

Li Mizhen realized: “I was wondering why it was so warm.”

She quickly took it and looked closely. There was a tag showing who it belonged to, but the price had been torn off and couldn’t be seen.

Everyone had their own down jacket. Five people in the family received one, except Erbao.

Dabao tried one on first and exclaimed, “Grandma, this dress is so warm. I don’t feel cold anymore.”

“Oh, let me try.”

Zhang Dong had more experience. The military coat he had worn was also very warm, so he wasn’t too surprised. However, he still smiled widely. Seeing that Zhang Dagen wasn’t moving, he said, “Dad, try it on too and see if it fits.”

A hint of shyness appeared on Zhang Dagen’s old face as he waved his hand: “No, no, I’m too old to look good in anything. You all wear them.”

Zhang Dong replied, “We can’t wear them if you keep them. Dabao will have to wait for years before he can wear them. If we keep them, they will go bad.”

After hearing this, Zhang Dagen hesitantly took the clothes that belonged to him and held them carefully.

This kind of clothing wouldn’t be considered a luxury in later years, but at that time, it was something they had never seen.

When Tian Jiao felt the quality of the clothes, she immediately asked Xiao He to buy more and send them back. These could be worn by her grandparents for many years. However, after getting new clothes, they wouldn’t cherish them as much.

The Zhang family just felt this winter was warm.

When she learned they were returning, Li Mizhen had already urged her family to take out all their down jackets before the New Year. She planned to show them off and then hide them away to wear again on New Year’s Day.

…

The four words “returning home in glory” fully describe the scene when Zhang Rui, Tian Jiao, Zhang Yanran, and Xiao He returned.

As soon as they heard they were coming back, more people in the village gathered to watch. They all waited at the village entrance, as that was the only way for them to pass.

Zhang Rui had predicted this, so he bought some candies in advance and shared them with everyone when he arrived at the village entrance. When he got home, the villagers returned happily.

In the past six months, the Zhang family had their house torn down and rebuilt. They were the first family in the village to build a red brick house.

When Ding Yushu left and took the family’s money, it was no secret in Lanshan Village. For a time, the Zhang family became the subject of sympathy and gossip.

It took a while for this topic to be replaced by something else.

But the image of the Zhang family as pitiful and miserable was deeply rooted in people’s minds.

When the Zhang family built the first red brick house, it had only been around for a short time. However, it was better for living than the blue brick house, though not as durable.

At that time, people thought red brick houses were superior.

Zhang Zhi and Zhang Dong paid for the house and didn’t ask Zhang Rui for money because he had already taken care of them enough over the years. As a result, when Zhang Rui learned about this from a letter, he still gave them a large amount of the money his mother left to ensure the house looked nice. 

Land in the countryside is quite cheap. By simply inviting people to a meal or giving gifts, the Zhang family was able to expand their land significantly. They built three two-story houses side by side.

Zhang Rui and Li Mizhen live in the middle house, Zhang Dagen and Zhang Dong are on the left, and Zhang Zhi’s family is on the right.

As people get older, they often prefer separate beds. The Zhang family did this when Dabao was born. Later, when they separated, Dabao lived with them. Li Mizhen has always slept alone, while Dabao shares a bed with Zhang Dagen.

Now that they have enough space, the two older adults can choose to sleep separately. They mainly live in the middle house but rest in their own houses during the week.

The reason for this setup is that Zhang Rui will not get married. The other two brothers already have families, but Zhang Dong is single and needs someone to care for him. Zhang Dagen naturally takes on that role.

Everyone agreed with this arrangement since they remained a close family around the yard.

…

The Zhang family became the first in the village to build such large houses, and they did a great job, making others envious.

Before long, they became the talk of the village.

“The Zhang family must be in trouble. How did they suddenly get so rich?”

“Don’t you know? Zhang Rui has been in the black market for a long time. I heard he opened a shop in Kyoto with his daughter!”

“I know, I know. Zhang Zhi also got rich through his brother. How else could he afford to build a house? His wife even left him.”

“Ding Yushu must regret that.”

“I heard Zhang Zhi is going to marry Ding Yushu, who has been living in their house. Is that true?”

“I saw them holding hands last time, so it must be real.”

The village had been buzzing with gossip, and once Tian Jiao and the others returned, the excitement grew even more.

Li Mizhen and Zhang Dagen wore thick down jackets to greet them, smiling brightly at their son, two granddaughters, and a future son-in-law (she silently accepted this, though Tian Jiao was unaware). After dinner, everyone instinctively gathered together to celebrate.

Xu Qiu and Zhang Zhi sat together, causing Zhang Yanran to glance at them curiously. Then they dropped a bombshell.

In the main room, Zhang Zhi and Xu Qiu were together. Xu Qiu held one-year-old Erbao in her arms, looking shy. Zhang Zhi said seriously, “We are going to get the marriage certificate.”

This left not only Zhang Rui but also Tian Jiao and Zhang Yanran confused.

It was obvious that before they left, Xu Qiu had been flirting with Zhang Rui!

Understanding the adult world is really tough.

Zhang Yanran and Tian Jiao exchanged glances, understanding each other perfectly.

Xiao He was also at the Zhang house, but this was a family meeting. After dinner, he went back to his room.

Zhang Rui and his friends, who had just returned from elsewhere, were quiet for a moment.

Li Mizhen didn’t mind at all and complained, “When the girl liked you, you weren’t interested, so now you have given up.”

Xu Qiu lowered her head, feeling embarrassed. She regretted not focusing on Zhang Zhi from the start.

Zhang Rui was very hard to handle, and Zhang Dong was even harder. If she became the stepmother of the heroine, she would definitely face trouble.

So, after Zhang Rui left, because of Erbao, she spent more time with Zhang Zhi. When she noticed his attention, she changed her mind and slowly accepted him.

If she became the heroine’s second aunt, she wouldn’t be in a bad position in the future. As long as she behaved, she could live well.

With the man in love and the woman willing, Li Mizhen noticed the signs and brought them together successfully.

…

Since they were both not young, they decided to hold a banquet and inform their relatives and friends. However, they needed to tell their families first. Another thing to consider was that Zhang Zhi was still technically married at that time.

Ding Yushu had secretly left him and had not divorced.

The family stayed calm, and Zhang Rui tried to keep himself calm since it was not his issue.

He sincerely said, “Then I wish you both a happy marriage.”

Xu Qiu continued to smile shyly. The second baby in her arms was very attached, while the first baby sat with his grandmother and remained calm.

Tian Jiao looked around and saw no one rejected the idea.

Although Xu Qiu might not be a perfect person, Zhang Zhi wasn’t particularly special either, especially since she had two children and was on her second marriage. However, Xu Qiu wasn’t a bad person either. To make the children so attached to her, she must have treated them well.

Tian Jiao then spoke up cheerfully, “Second uncle, second aunt, I wish you a happy marriage.”

“Thank you,” Xu Qiu said, her smile growing.

The heroine, on the other hand, was deep in thought, her expression serious.

Xu Qiu felt uneasy, worried if the original owner remembered her past mistakes.