Chapter 0001: The house is bare and empty

At that time, Xu's father declined all marriage proposals that came to their door, but ultimately agreed to the proposal from the fisherman Xie family. The reason was that the year Xu's father went to the provincial capital to participate in the local examination, he ended up failing and, feeling dejected and disheartened, went boating on Poyang Lake with his classmates to relax. Unfortunately, he lost his footing and fell into the water, but was rescued by Xie’s father, who was fishing nearby. Out of gratitude, Xu's father took the initiative to propose a marriage alliance with Xie's father.

Good, it has been吐出来了!

Panic and anxiety arise spontaneously; one must understand that hunger and cold can lead to death

One cannot be poorer than begging; as long as one does not die, there will always be a way out. Wiping away tears and making a comeback is what truly defines a man!

At that moment, the sound of the wooden door being pushed open came from outside. Xu Jin hurriedly walked to the door and saw Xie Xiaowan carrying a large bundle of firewood into the courtyard. Two buckets were hanging on the wood pile, and she also had to hold a wooden basin with one hand, which contained freshly washed clothes.

Five years ago, the parents of the original owner of the body were still alive, and Xu's father was the only scholar in the nearby village, enjoying considerable respect. During festivals, weddings, and funerals, the villagers would always invite him to attend.

The parachute failed to open, and Xu Jin fell straight from an altitude of 2,000 meters, then... inexplicably, he traversed through time.

Finally, Xu Jin found a clay jar in the corner of the room. With great anticipation, he opened the wooden stopper, only to discover that it was completely empty, with just a few grains of rice dust remaining

It is worth mentioning that under the guidance and teachings of his father, Xu Jin became an unyielding bookworm, wholeheartedly devoted to studying and striving for academic success to bring glory to his family. After the death of his father, no one was there to guide Xu Jin in his studies, and coincidentally, there was an old scholar in the neighboring village who opened a private school to teach children the basics of learning. Thus, Xu Jin became a disciple of the old scholar, walking several miles every morning to attend classes in the neighboring village

... ...

Xu Jin's heart sank to the bottom in an instant, as there was not a single grain of food left at home. How would they endure this cold winter?

Thereafter, Xu Jin's career progressed smoothly, with the company successfully going public, and his wealth skyrocketing to over 1 billion.

The stomach is rumbling, and it feels as if there is a fire burning inside; the sensation is truly uncomfortable

Xu Jin smiled wryly, as fate once again left him with nothing. Oh, strictly speaking, he still had a dilapidated house to shelter in, and it seemed he also had a... little wife!

Xu Jin instinctively ran out to help, but this body was simply too weak. He stumbled at the threshold and nearly fell flat on his face.

"What is going on? Are we filming a period drama?" A thought flashed through Xu Jin's mind

In the midst of deep winter, as dawn breaks, a thick layer of white frost still covers the wild grass by the roadside, the cold biting to the bone

"Come quickly, Jin Ge has fallen into the river!" A cry for help shattered the tranquility of the winter morning

At that time, the Xu family was relatively well-off, and with Xu's father's title of scholar, there were indeed many who wished to form a marriage alliance with the Xu family. This was because, who knows, one day Xu's father might achieve the status of a successful candidate in the imperial examination, or even attain the highest honors, which would mean that their daughter would become a wife of an official, thereby elevating their own family's status as well

From the memories of the original owner of the body, it is known that this young girl is named Xie Xiaowan, with the nickname Yacai'er. Her father is a fisherman, and she has several brothers in the family. Her marriage was arranged five years ago.

Xu Jinxing stepped out of the room and into the hall, and immediately a sense of desolation enveloped him. The hall was relatively spacious, yet it was utterly empty; apart from a low table and two crooked, dilapidated stools, there was nothing else. It truly was a case of bare walls and no place to express one's sorrow.

At this moment, a young girl walked in, dressed in a grayish-brown skirt, approximately twelve or thirteen years old, with slightly dark skin and a sallow complexion, clearly indicating malnutrition; however, her bright black eyes were quite lively.

Thus, the marriage between Xu Jin and Xie Xiaowan was settled. However, a year later, Xu's father passed away, and the following year, Xu's mother also died of grief, leading to a drastic decline in the Xu family's circumstances

It is often said that one establishes oneself at thirty and becomes free from confusion at forty. However, Xu Jin, having passed the age of confusion, has come to a different understanding. Wealth is something that cannot be taken with us at birth or in death; as long as it is sufficient for one's needs, that is enough. Why toil and exhaust oneself with work every day? After all, the children have grown up. In the remaining journey of life, he intends to live for himself.

Xu Jin trembled as he took the bowl, not caring about the heat, and gulped down several large mouthfuls, finally feeling a bit warmer

Xu Jinyuan is the head of a private enterprise, a self-made wealthy individual who amassed a fortune exceeding 100 million at the age of 28. He married a wife eight years his junior and has both a son and a daughter, making him a true winner in life

A sudden cheer startled Xu Jin, causing him to open his eyes slightly, and he found himself staring at a row of large feet clad in gray cloth shoes, wooden clogs, and even straw sandals

The young girl carried the wooden basin and retreated outside, then picked up the dung bucket at the door and left the courtyard

Looking at the frail figure of the young girl, Xu Jin could not help but sigh. A girl of twelve or thirteen years old would likely just be starting middle school in modern times, while some pampered ones might not even be able to fully take care of themselves. In contrast, girls of this age in ancient times were mostly already married and shouldering the heavy burdens of household chores

However, when the water is full, it overflows; when the moon is full, it wanes; the tide rises and falls; no one's life can always be smooth sailing. A serious production accident brought Xu Jin from heaven to hell, the company went bankrupt and delisted, and he ended up in prison

Perhaps the act of celebrating the marriage had an effect, as after the wedding, Xu Jin's illness gradually improved, and in recent days he was even able to get out of bed and move around

The filling inside the麻布被子 should not be cotton; it is likely made of bulrush or rice straw. Despite being tightly wrapped, Xu Jin still felt very cold, with his upper and lower teeth chattering.

Xu Jin felt dazed and confused, only aware that someone was roughly grabbing his legs, shaking him vigorously with his head down and feet up, as if his internal organs were being jolted out. The river water he had swallowed sprayed out from his mouth and nostrils like a shower.

After Xu Jin was released from prison, he worked tirelessly, often taking on three jobs in a single day and rarely taking a day off throughout the year. After accumulating several tens of thousands in capital, he began to venture into small businesses. Drawing on his years of experience navigating the business world, his wealth grew rapidly like a snowball in just a few short years. By the age of forty-eight, he once again reached the pinnacle of his life

Xu Jin reviewed his memories as if watching a movie, and couldn't help but let out a sigh. It must be said that the original owner of this body was truly an unfortunate child, having lost both parents at the age of eleven, with no siblings, and of course, no money, the kind that was utterly destitute.

According to the original agreement, once Xu Jin turns fifteen and comes of age, the two families would arrange the marriage. However, Xu Jin is currently fourteen years old and fell seriously ill a few months ago, with no signs of recovery. The Xu family has been experiencing a streak of bad luck, and their fortune is indeed quite poor. The clan members believe that they need to bring good fortune to Jin Ge'er, and since the marriage contract between the Xu and Xie families is well known, the clan leader has taken the initiative to arrange for Xu Jin and Xie Xiaowan to marry ahead of schedule.

Hurry home, don't let yourself freeze to death!

Being called "husband" by a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl made Xu Jin feel quite uncomfortable. He nodded and said, "Um, you go ahead and be busy, no need to mind me"

According to the original memories of this body, it is now the twelfth year of the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty, and the original owner of this body is also named Xu Jin, hailing from Jiangxi's Chengbu Provincial Administration, specifically from Shangrao County in Guangxin Prefecture, and he is only fourteen years old this year

Xu Jin rested in bed for half an hour and finally felt less cold, but his stomach was growling with hunger, so he got up to find something to eat

Several village men, carrying farming tools, hurriedly ran towards the river, while a few village women, who had just finished watering the vegetable fields, tossed aside the buckets of manure they were carrying and also rushed towards the river, creating a scene of chaos with chickens flying and dogs barking.

Hey, there's still breath left, quickly, Er Niu, turn Jin Ge over, with all your strength

However, this biting cold made Xu Jin realize that he had indeed crossed over; this was not a dream

This morning, the bookworm, who had just managed to get out of bed and move around, disregarded Xie Xiaowan's advice and insisted on going to the study to read. As a result, he lost his footing halfway and fell into the river, meeting his demise, while his body was fortuitously occupied by Xu Jin, who had crossed over from another realm.

Xie Xiaowan had just finished washing clothes by the river, her hands were icy cold, the backs of her hands were covered with cracks, her little face, nose, and ears were all flushed red from the cold, and her eyes were misty with tears.

Xu Jin sat on the bed, wrapped in a tattered burlap blanket, shivering. His current mood felt like drinking a bottle of Sprite in the dead of winter, utterly chilling!

Xu Jin subconsciously held Xie Xiaowan's small hand and blew a few breaths of warm air on it, then placed it in his embrace to keep it warm

"My lord, we have run out of ginger at home. Please drink some hot water to ward off the cold!" The young woman timidly approached the bedside, holding a rough earthenware bowl, steaming hot, clearly filled with freshly boiled water.

Thus, Xu Jin completely set aside his business affairs, truly liberating himself. The middle-aged man, approaching 50, indulged in activities like a young person—frequenting bars, reading, painting, photography, dancing, diving, rock climbing, and running marathons... Occasionally, he would embark on a spontaneous trip.

... ...

When Xu Jin was released after serving three years in prison, his wife had long since sold their property, leaving behind their two children whose whereabouts were unknown. That day, seeing his elderly father leading two emaciated young children to pick him up, Xu Jin was moved to tears, burying his head in his father's embrace, crying like a child

Xie Xiaowan hurriedly dropped the firewood and wooden basin, rushed over to help Xu Jin up, and said anxiously: "My dear husband, you are weak, and it is cold outside. You must not run around. Quickly go inside and rest!"

In the twelfth year of the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty, in Xujiacun, Shangrao County, Guangxin Prefecture

Xu Jinwei was momentarily taken aback before suddenly realizing that he was in ancient times, in a patriarchal society, especially during the Ming Dynasty, where Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism was prevalent, and the feudal moral code had reached its peak in restricting women. The so-called Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues dictated that the husband was the guiding principle for the wife, and it was only natural for the wife to serve her husband; no man would ever say thank you to his wife. It was no wonder that the young girl looked so uneasy.

A moment later, the young girl walked in again, carrying a worn wooden basin, and with her head lowered said: "My lord, you should rest for a while; do not go to the school today, and later inform the teacher that you will be taking a leave of absence."

Suddenly, Xu Jin felt as if the softest part of his heart had been struck, a sensation reminiscent of the moment he was released from prison and saw his emaciated children timidly gazing at him, an inexplicable wave of heartache washing over him

Recently, Xu Jin has become enamored with skydiving, jumping almost twice a month. As a result, fate played another joke on him in the year he turned fifty-two.

Fortunately, Father Xie is a man of integrity and did not waver due to the circumstances of the Xu family, even receiving only a symbolic betrothal gift of one dou of rice.

Thank you! After Xu Jin finished the hot water, he handed the earthen bowl back to the young woman, who turned around with an uneasy expression and left the room