Chapter One, Leaving Home (1)

"That won't do, that won't do!" Zhang Youcai exclaimed loudly in refusal upon hearing this. In this day and age, prices are soaring; a white copper pot alone costs more than five dollars just in materials. If he were to accept this gift, it would mean that Li the blacksmith and his two apprentices would have worked for nothing this month

Note 3: Chairman Han, Han Fuju, the Chairman of the Shandong Provincial Government. During his tenure, he vigorously promoted local education and economy, implemented integrity construction, and received considerable praise from the public. Later, he was lured and executed by the Central Government of the Kuomintang after abandoning Jinan without a fight

"Look at Uncle Cai, he pretends not to care, but deep down he is completely smitten!" The neighbors suddenly realized and chuckled as they teased.

Old Cai, is San Er coming home tonight

Note 1: "Bone Ding," a dialect term, describes an extremely small piece.

Note 2: Gao Xiao, or Higher Primary School. During the Republic of China period, primary education was divided into lower and higher levels. The lower level lasted four years, while the higher level lasted two years, totaling six years

The crowd was once again abuzz with chatter, piecing together hearsay and rumors. Zhang Youcai listened with a smile, neither correcting the errors in their words nor hastily revealing his true plans. He was simply enjoying the moment, relishing a rare sense of glory.

In the midst of the pulling and tugging, a sudden sound of footsteps came from the alleyway. The young assistant from Hanyuan Goods Depot, Zhao Renyi, the nephew of the wood merchant Zhao, was drenched in sweat and gasping for breath as he ran over. From a distance, he spotted his uncle and the old employer, stumbled a few steps forward, and cried out with a wide-open mouth: "Uncle Cai, Uncle Cai, hurry and chase after them, hurry and chase after them. The Third Young Master, the Third Young Master has been abducted!"

Uncle Cai, please treat us. Let us also share in the good fortune of the Third Young Master! Li the Blacksmith had been staring at the pork wrapped in the lotus leaf for quite some time, and finally, seizing the right moment, he brought up the old topic again

Ah?! Zhang Youcai was taken aback, his body went limp, and the pork pouch in his hand fell heavily to the ground

Graduated! Therefore, the vacation starts early. Zhang Youcai glanced at the other person and pretended to be nonchalant as he responded with a light-hearted tone.

As the saying goes, the first twenty years reflect the respect of the father towards the son, while the latter twenty years reveal the respect of the son towards the father. Zhang Youcai has lived a life that can be considered worthy of his ancestors and his descendants. He began supporting a family before the age of twenty, relying on his clever mind and strong hands to transform the pair of carrying poles left by his father into one of the largest general stores in Luxian County. Inside, one can find goods from all corners of the world, whether from the mountains or the rivers, as long as they are permitted for sale by the authorities. Even if a certain item is temporarily scarce, as long as Zhang Youcai writes a letter and entrusts someone to deliver it, there are people willing to bring goods on credit from as far north as Chahar to as far south as Fuzhou.

He gestured towards his waist with his hand, trying to recall the appearance of Zhang's third son from years ago. However, he suddenly felt that this action was no longer appropriate, quickly retracting his sturdy hand and rubbing it on his apron as he added, "What I mean is, time flies. In the blink of an eye, the third young master has grown up!"

No, no!" Blacksmith Li Lianlian waved his hand, but he swallowed hard a few times in his throat. The people of Lucheng place great importance on face. Although Zhang Youcai warmly invited him, he could not rashly accept the invitation. Otherwise, if he were to be unworthy of the status of the other guests tonight, not only would he find it difficult to lift his chopsticks at the table, but he would also be ridiculed by the neighbors for several days afterward.

Take it, take it, take it! Although he felt very reluctant in his heart, Li the blacksmith would never pretend to be poor in front of others. My three nephews have loved hot pot since they were young. Even if they can buy a pot when they are away, they may not be able to find ingredients as abundant as mine

It is not permissible! Not only for oneself, but also for the three sons! One must watch them marry and have children, continuing the family line. When one becomes too old to walk and unable to speak, lying in a recliner with a group of daughters-in-law, grandsons, and granddaughters around, wiping their tears and calling out "Dad" and "Grandpa." At that time, the old neighbors and old friends who come to visit will wipe their eyes and say with envy, "Uncle Cai has truly lived a fulfilling life!"

Zhang Youcai felt his face flush with embarrassment and quickly thought of a way to remedy the situation. "What I mean is, we cannot let Xiao Sanzi walk back from the train station. It's too hot, and he has been weak since childhood. If he were to suffer from heatstroke, it would definitely delay his exam preparations"

Since the beginning of spring, Zhang Laocai had already calculated everything clearly. The family business he had worked hard to build over half his life would be completely entrusted to his eldest son, Shouling. With the substantial connections he had established and Shouling's cunning, even if they could not continue to expand the business, maintaining its current scale would pose no problem. As for the second son, Yanling, with his skilled car repair abilities, he would also thrive in the provincial capital. The third son, Songling, would either find his path in Nanjing or in Beiping. No matter where he went, Zhang would set aside his current business and accompany his new wife to follow him. The couple would watch over him, urging him to focus all his attention on his studies, rather than behaving like those idle youths in the provincial university who spent their days handing out flyers and shouting slogans about "the nation and the people!" With Chairman Jiang and Chairman Han wielding machine guns and cannons, why should a poor scholar, who couldn't even lift a knife, be so loud? Furthermore, this slogan of "the nation and the people!" has been shouted since President Yuan's time; have you ever seen anyone truly take it seriously?

In the evening, Zhang Youcai, the old owner of Hanyuan Warehouse, was holding a lotus leaf package in his hand, swaying with every third step as he walked home

"The Third Young Master has returned?" Li the Blacksmith, tall and robust, had a voice that resonated like thunder, even when he spoke softly. "When did he come back? Why is he back so early this year?"

The old neighbors around had long listened to the conversation between the two clearly, and they all put down their tasks, gathered around, and approached the books, congratulating Zhang Youcai, "The third young master has graduated?!"

Go, go, go, all you see in those eyes is money! That young master is someone who is fit for studying; why not go and attend Tsinghua or Peking University again? When he is released, he will at least be a county magistrate...

No, no!

Business is thriving outside, and the three sons at home are each more promising than the last. The eldest, at fourteen, became an apprentice at the county grain store, traveling far and wide, and now he is able to support a large part of the family business. The second son, after graduating from primary school, went to the provincial capital to learn automobile repair, and he is now capable of taking on apprentices himself. The youngest has always shown great potential for academics; he skipped two grades in primary school and one in junior high, and at just seventeen this year, he has already obtained his diploma from the Provincial National First High School. If he goes to Beijing to attend university and hones his skills for a few more years, upon graduation, he will be a manager at a foreign firm! Not only could he earn over two hundred silver dollars a month, but he would also wear a sharp suit, allowing him to interact with the Japanese without having to bow and scrape in deference.

Look at what you are saying! Everyone shook their heads, chuckling and teasing, "The university in Beiping is not like those money-grabbing offices in the provincial capital! I have heard that it only costs a little over twenty yuan a year, which is even lower than the secondary schools in the provincial capital!"

These words sound quite frightening, but upon careful consideration, they may not be as terrifying as they seem. Is it merely a change of dynasties? What is there to be afraid of? Whoever occupies the throne cannot possibly deny the common people their basic needs for clothing and food. As long as the common people continue to require clothing and food, the Hanyuan Warehouse in Lucheng will have business to conduct. If the Hanyuan Warehouse has business to conduct and money to earn, it is not worth Zhang Youcai risking his life and fortune in the hands of a group of unreliable individuals.

It seems they also wear clothes, looking sharp in winter and summer alike. They appear quite spirited. Two years ago, I saw in Nanjing individuals dressed neatly, exuding an air of refinement!

Do not visit https://www.hetushu.com! While preoccupied with thoughts of the future, Zhang Youcai inadvertently let slip the words that had been on his mind. The elderly neighbors, who had already begun reminiscing about how diligent the third young master of the Zhang family was, were taken aback and quickly shut their mouths, directing their gaze solely at his face

Hi, no outsiders!" Zhang Youcai stopped in his tracks, continuing to energetically weigh his pouch up and down, enticing the neighbors' gazes with "pa" "pa" "pa" sounds. "It's just your eldest nephew, third nephew, and the three of us."

Amidst a chorus of envious or jealous blessings, Zhang Youcai's back gradually straightened. On his face, weathered by wind and rain, was written the pride of a father. "His second brother has found him a job through connections at a foreign firm in the provincial capital, but it is not yet settled. I want to ask him what he thinks. If he intends to continue his studies, I will close the shop and gather money to send him to Beiping!"

My in-laws just sent over a large piece of salted fish, and I am worried about how to finish it all

I just received a shipment of Hengshui Laobai Gan in my shop. I will have the staff deliver a few jars over shortly

Since those wielding machine guns and cannons are not in a hurry, the people of Luxian County, who are reluctant to eat more than a few meals of meat throughout the year, especially businessmen like Zhang Youcai, will certainly not join the poor students in their futile excitement. The last time he visited the provincial capital to see his two sons, he happened to encounter the poor students marching in the streets, with flyers flying everywhere. Zhang Youcai, caught off guard, ended up with several flyers stuffed into his arms without realizing it. They claimed that the Japanese were insatiably greedy; after occupying Chahar, their next step would be to seize Hebei and Shandong. If the Chinese do not rise up in resistance, they will once again become slaves to a foreign power, just as they did when the Manchus entered the pass.

What! Graduated. Graduated from middle school?! Li Tiejiang seemed to be startled, taking two steps back, and in an instant, the news spread throughout the entire alley, "That was fast, back when he went to catch the train, it was just..."

Inside the lotus leaf wrap is a piece of pork loin, half a foot wide and three inches thick. Even through the thick layers of lotus leaves, a warm sheen of oil still seeps out. Zhang Youcai's heart, much like the lotus leaf wrap in his hand, is full and soft, radiating a warmth from within.

Hehe, hehe! Zhang Youcai tacitly acknowledged the neighbors' remarks with a smirk.

That is Central University in Nanjing, not Beiping

"It can't just be Uncle Cai bearing the expenses alone!" Boss Zhao, who runs a woodworking business, understanding that it's not easy for his old friend to make money, said with a smile, "Since it's a celebration for the third son, let's all contribute! I have two large roosters at home; I'll slaughter them and bring them over!"

"Please, please!" Zhang Laocai readily agreed, "Everyone come to my house for dinner tonight; I will have my wife prepare a few more dishes."

Indeed, indeed! Zhang Youcai weighed the piece of meat in his hand with force, as if afraid the old neighbors could not hear him clearly, and elongated his voice to respond, "Goodness, such a small bone, and he actually dares to ask me for two and a half. That butcher Wei Laosi is just a step away from using a knife on someone! Do you have plans for tonight? If not, are you going home to eat?"

Uncle Cai has finally made it through this time. The eldest is the best locksmith in Lu County, and the second is also quite skilled. The third has just graduated from high school and is casually looking for a job, bringing home fifty or a hundred each month

It seems that meals are also provided

I, I..." Li Tiejian turned around and looked, truly unable to find a suitable gift. He steeled his heart and shouted loudly into the blacksmith shop: "Xiao Liuzi, bring out the white copper hot pot that I just finished binding yesterday! My three nephews are going to school outside, and they must have a hometown item with them!"

I have some excellent mushrooms that were just brought over from the north! Just soak a handful, and you can prepare a delightful dish

Uncle Cai, have you sold more meat again? The blacksmith Li at the end of the alley, with his sharp nose, caught a whiff of the meat aroma in Zhang Youcai's hand from a distance and quickly approached with a smile to greet him

"It's not for you! You old miser, if you keep this up, I might just get angry!"