Chapter 5: Wealth and the Red Dust of the World

However, when calculated now, among the third generation of the Shen family, apart from his daughter Ruoxi, the one with the closest blood relation is actually Shen Lian.

Self-weight training refers to the practice of using one's own body weight to exercise various parts of the body. The advantage of this method is that, unlike machine-based training, which tends to focus on specific muscle groups, it allows for a simultaneous workout of the entire body

After this episode concluded, a servant led Shen Lian to his room. To his surprise, the furnishings in his room had remained largely unchanged over the years.

Following Shen Qingshan into the courtyard, the Shen family remained as simple as ever, lacking any exquisite gardens, and instead featuring a bit more plainness. Of course, with Shen Lian's own knowledge of modern society, even if the Shen family were to be constructed like a royal palace, it would not leave him much in the way of shock

She did not feel much sorrow, perhaps because the two deceased cousins were not her biological relatives

Perhaps Shen Lian bears some resemblance to his mother, as the usually stern expression of Old Lady Shen has softened somewhat at this moment, and she remarks to those around her, "This child truly resembles his mother."

After completing the process, a natural flow of heat arises within the body, permeating the limbs and every part, which is the effect of the medicinal properties from the tea consumed earlier

After all, the elder uncle has no descendants left, and he is also ill. It is uncertain whether he will be able to father a son in the future. When it comes time to divide the inheritance, it will naturally not be like before, where the majority would be inherited by the first branch. Now, with the addition of Shen Lian, the share they receive may be significantly reduced.

Shen Lian was well aware that if he acted foolishly, the other party might even be pleased; in that case, perhaps Old Master Shen would not pay as much attention to him.

Shen Lian felt somewhat out of place. Although he had become the new master of this body, and from a bloodline perspective, Shen Qingshan was indeed his uncle, he had decided to continue living with this identity as a form of compensation for having taken over the previous owner's body. However, he still possessed the consciousness of an adult, and although he understood that accepting this identity had countless benefits and no drawbacks, he found it difficult to fully adjust psychologically in a short period of time

In a previous life, the young girl could still be referred to as a late-stage loli. In this ancient-like world, she is already at the age to prepare for a lifelong commitment. In fact, if it were not for her mother being greatly favored by the old master, she would not be reluctant to marry at the age of seventeen.

The maid prepared a cup of ginseng tea, and after Shen Lian drank it, feeling warm and comfortable, he began to do some self-discipline training alone in his room

He followed Shen Qingshan through the hall and arrived at the main hall. Along the way, he appeared calm and composed, without any signs of looking around, which made Shen Qingshan regard him with a higher level of esteem.

Although the two nephews were not very close to him, he still felt deeply saddened by their sudden departure

Shen Lian, with a cautious and meticulous attitude, engaged in conversation with Master Shen while also attending to the polite inquiries of several dignitaries, carefully maintaining a sense of propriety.

She was holding the hand of a bright young girl, who appeared to be slightly older than Shen Lian. Dressed in a light blue silk dress, simple and unadorned, her figure was beginning to take shape, standing gracefully like a lotus bud ready to bloom. At the peak of her youthful beauty, she needed no embellishment. Even though Shen Lian was accustomed to seeing beautiful women, the sudden sight of a girl in ancient attire quickened his heartbeat.

The old gentleman did not show any particular affection towards Shen Lian, perhaps he was accustomed to being stern, or perhaps the loss of his beloved grandson had left him in sorrow

Shen Lian was left gasping for breath by Shen Qingshan, and could only cough a few times. Only then did Shen Qingshan release him, saying with some regret: "Seeing how frail you look, you must have suffered in the mountains these past two years. It is also to blame on your uncle for being too busy, as he has not found the time to visit you."

Shen Lian and Shen Qingshan entered the main hall, where an elderly man with silver-white hair and beard was seated in the center. He appeared vigorous and did not show signs of aging. Since his grandmother had passed away many years ago, Grandfather Shen held even greater authority at home, making him difficult to approach

What I actually think is that the seemingly absurd idea of the old gentleman might indeed be a good one

Shen Lian found it difficult to say anything; he certainly could not admit that he was currently a weakling. He secretly vowed to himself that during this period, he would train his body to become a strong man. Although he possessed great spiritual strength, and his emotional and intellectual quotients were not low, with an exceptional memory that allowed him to remember everything at a glance, which was more suited to the style of Jiangzuo Meilang, he truly did not want to be a weakling

Shen Qingshan tightly embraced Shen Lian and said, "Good child, let us go in quickly." He paused for a moment, sighed, and added, "By the way, let's take a look at your two cousins."

Unlike the uniform beauty seen in previous lives, the artificially created beauties, although the young girl may not be as exquisite as those who have undergone surgery, she excels in her pure and natural freshness. Moreover, being raised in a wealthy family, her skin is fair and tender, attracting a multitude of gazes wherever she goes

After many years apart, the Shen family is unsure how to interact with Shen Lian, especially considering the sensitivity of his identity

This mother and daughter are naturally Shen Lian's second aunt, Chen, and his cousin, Shen Ruoxi

Beside her is a middle-aged American woman, described as somewhat sharp-tongued, with thin lips tightly closed, showing no warmth towards Shen Lian's arrival; this is Shen Lian's maternal aunt, Xu.

On the other side stood a pair of mother and daughter. The mother, somewhat older, was dressed simply, with sparse yet well-defined eyebrows and a very kind expression. Although there were some crow's feet at the corners of her eyes, it instead added to the mature charm of the woman.

As for why Master Shen wants Shen Lian to return, it is likely that he has other intentions, after all, to the old master, there is little distinction between a granddaughter and a grandson. If Shen Lian's maternal uncle is indeed unable to bear children like the second uncle Shen Qingshan, then the inheritance of the vast family estate would become uncertain

This action is essentially a form of basic bodyweight training from a previous life. It was only after he sensed his limits through his soul power that he slowly rose. After a period of time, he began to perform another action.

Shen Lian bowed to Old Master Shen while carefully observing the people around him. The middle-aged man beside him should be his uncle Shen Qingshi, who looked deeply sorrowful, dressed very warmly, and seemed even weaker than Shen Lian, with puffy eyes that could not be concealed, suggesting he had not rested well for several days.

If someone else were to enter, they would see Shen Lian gripping the bed frame, straining his arms downward, his chest colliding with the edge of the bed, and then slowly straightening his arms, as if he were engaged in some shameful act that evokes unpleasant associations

Shen Qingshan was lost in thought for a long time, but was awakened by Shen Lian's voice, realizing that he had been staring blankly at Shen Lian for quite a while

Moreover, Shen Qingshan still has a solid foundation and possesses great strength. Shen Lian is currently too weak; a single bear hug from him feels like being clamped by a pair of iron pliers, making it extremely uncomfortable

By the time Master Shen was exhausted and ready to rest, Shen Lian finally noticed that his aunt Xu was looking at him with even more hostility.

Shen Lian felt a deep respect; it is indeed a sorrowful matter when a white-haired person sends off a black-haired one. Old Master Shen has lost two grandsons, yet he does not exhibit excessive grief, truly a person with a heart as hard as iron.

This child has truly immersed himself in the path of cultivation. Without mentioning anything else, just this sense of tranquility and detachment is something that can hardly be found among the younger generation of the entire Qingzhou Prefecture.