Chapter 8 is a good person
However, upon approaching, Chen Moran discovered that what he saw seemed to differ greatly from the scenes commonly depicted in movies and television. In the films and shows he had watched, the most frequently appearing image was that of a beautiful young girl kneeling beside a corpse, with a piece of paper placed in front of her, on which were written the four large characters "Selling oneself to bury one's father"
Trust, for a counterfeiter, is often the most difficult thing to extend to others. At least in this time and space, apart from Wang Desan, who saved his life without probing into the matter and simply offered silent assistance, Chen Moran truly has no one he can trust.
Ah! Let's see if we can find a maid!
Young Master Ran, you have returned
Third Master, you are again...
Tsk! Tsk... It's not like she's a young lady, why learn those theatrical scripts! A strong young man, what can he really do if brought home...
The driver of the cart, upon hearing the shouts from behind, turned his head and asked a question.
Seeing this scene, Chen Moran could only shake his head in helplessness; his father clearly looked as if he had been frozen to death from hunger and cold.
At that moment, the young boy heard a crisp sound coming from the underground, and suddenly, about ten silver dollars fell before him, along with several banknotes. When the boy looked up, he saw an elderly gentleman dressed like a foreigner standing in front of him, though he did not know when he had arrived.
Selling oneself to bury one's father
It is cold! Don't bother looking for change, just get a couple of cups of hot wine to warm up!
Ah!
Hearing the words of the cart driver, Chen Moran couldn't help but become somewhat distracted. Many years ago, if someone had said that he was a good person, he would have been very pleased. But what is the cost of being a good person? Reflecting on his own experiences, Chen Moran shook his head; the price of being a good person was indeed too great, so great that he could not bear it. Previously, he had merely acted out of momentary compassion.
The coachman looked at the gentleman in front of him with surprise and said to the tycoon before him, in the vast Shanghai, there are few tycoons who help the poor without seeking anything in return; it is likely that one would be hard-pressed to find even one within a hundred miles. It would be quite remarkable if they did not use their wealth to oppress the poor.
After entering the factory, when he saw the young master needing assistance to enter the room, Wang Desan hurriedly said that he had followed the young master to Shanghai, rented this factory, and brought those machines over. Regardless of whether the young master was coming or going, he would always lock the factory tightly. In this chaotic world, even the capital city has been occupied by foreign devils. If the door is not locked properly and thieves enter, it would be a grave mistake.
As soon as I reached the entrance, the door opened, and an old man in a black cotton coat stood beside the door with a cheerful smile
Chen Moran shook his head, remaining silent. It was not his style to seek repayment for kindness; the reason he helped that young man was merely a momentary act of compassion. In this time and space, there are too many pitiable matters. How much can he truly help?
Sir, in the future, I will certainly do my utmost to serve you with the vehicle
The sound of rustling... ...
Put the money away, bury your father! If there is anything left, engage in some small business!
Before entering the house, Wang Desan chuckled and said a few words
In the wind and snow, the carriage moved forward slowly. Having learned from previous lessons, Chen Moran no longer cast his gaze outside the carriage, but instead contemplated how to help himself with the pound in his hand
Third Master, look at how you call me. I have said to call me Mo Ran. If you call me Young Master Ran again, I will be angry!
Chen Moran gave a command to the boy whose forehead was already bruised, and then turned to board the carriage
Half an hour later, the carriage returned to Chen Moran's "home". Once the carriage came to a stop, the attendant respectfully opened the door.
Sir, do you need to park?
But what is the reward for being a good person? It is difficult to be a good person; rather than being a hard-to-be-good person, it might be easier to simply be a bad person. At least in this way, one does not have to worry about life.
Master San, please hurry inside to warm up! It is cold today, and I do not want you to catch a chill!
Am I a good person
The young master’s large cart broke a leg when it hit the mountain. Although the broken leg has healed now, the leg is still somewhat inconvenient. The young master rented this factory, but unfortunately did not hire a few people. After the young master left, Wang Desan swept the factory yard by himself. If it weren’t for the young master’s instruction not to enter the factory building, he might have gone in to clean it up.
This is undoubtedly one of the most classic plots in historical costume films and television dramas. Almost anyone who has watched Chinese historical costume movies or shows has certainly encountered this scene, which is truly iconic.
The boy, with a bleeding head, seemed to understand that no one would buy him. While crying out, he forcefully bumped his head against the corpse beside him.
Master, Master... please do not leave... your money...
Sir, you are a good person
Third Master, didn't I tell you? It's quite cold today, so stay indoors and avoid catching a chill!
After San Ye's reminder, Chen Moran hurriedly closed the factory door and secured it with a steel bolt. Being cautious is essential, as one can never be too careful. Perhaps it was a habit formed from the time spent counterfeiting money in another dimension, leading him to always lock the door as tightly as possible to prevent any unforeseen incidents. Whether he could live the life he had always dreamed of in this dimension depended entirely on the few machines in that factory room.
Before helping others, one must first help oneself
However, there have been some changes before my eyes. The little girl who should have been kneeling beside the corpse has transformed into a young lad, roughly fourteen or fifteen years old. He is dressed in tattered clothes, with an old cotton jacket that reveals grayish-black cotton in several places.
Although he was reluctant to let Third Master cook for him, as long as he was at "home," Chen Moran, who was nestled in the factory, clearly would not cook for himself and could only helplessly accept this reality
Silently, please close the door first!
The young boy knelt in the snow, repeatedly bowing his head to those around him, pleading for their compassion. Each time he bowed, he did so with great force, leaving traces of blood on the icy ground. Yet, all it did was drive people away; soon, the onlookers dispersed. Occasionally, when passersby noticed that this boy, who was selling himself, was of a size comparable to a stick, they didn't even bother to look and hurriedly left.
As he handed over the money, he glanced at the slightly swollen and reddened face of the man, and Chen Moran casually remarked.
After helping Third Master into the factory, Chen Moran began to complain that without Third Master, he would not have his current life. Third Master had no children or family throughout his life. From the day he saved Chen Moran, he vowed in his heart to take care of Third Master and ensure a good end for him in this lifetime.
Only after the old gentleman's carriage had passed did the young man come to his senses. He quickly got up and shouted loudly. Seeing that the carriage showed no intention of stopping, the young man finally understood the meaning behind the old gentleman's earlier words. He hurriedly knelt on the ground and repeatedly bowed his head towards the carriage.
Father! It is not that I am unfilial! It is that I am incapable of providing you with a proper coffin...
Kind-hearted sir and madam, if you could spare a few coins to buy my father a simple coffin and bury him in the unmarked graveyard outside the city, so that he won't be taken by wild dogs, I would be grateful. Have pity on me! I have plenty of strength; I can chop wood, carry water, and work hard at anything...
Young Master Ran! You should also hurry up, the meal is ready and kept warm in the pot
The reason why the practice of selling oneself to bury one's father is often associated with girls is quite simple. Generally, people tend to buy girls to bring home as maids or child brides, and few are willing to engage in a losing business. In contrast, the young man before us, who is quite large, would clearly find it difficult to sell himself, as bringing him home to work would not even be worth the cost of feeding him
Looking at the stacks of banknotes from the Huaro Daosheng Bank, Chen Moran knew that today he was merely a pawn of bad luck
Closing the main door, Chen Moran then smiled as he assisted the Third Master, guiding him towards the adjacent room
This money is considered wasted
The few people gathered around were pointing and discussing, while the burly young man occasionally bowed his head, pleading in a Su Bei accent, asking everyone to show him some pity, to buy him as a servant or a laborer. He would repay the family for their great kindness and virtue by working like an ox or a horse for the rest of his life
Young Master Ran, having been busy for a lifetime, how could he possibly remain idle
Be a good person! In my youth, I always held this wish, but after growing up and experiencing so much, I have come to realize that being a good person might be the most foolish choice in this world. Rather than being a good person, it might be better to be a bad one. Just like now, if that accident had not happened, perhaps I would already have a fortune of several million. Even in this era, wouldn't I have some assets by now?
You cannot help anyone
Wang Desan said with a smile that when he rescued Young Master Ran from the car accident, he never expected any gratitude in return. However, Young Master Ran was a person who valued kindness. When he came to Shanghai, he insisted on bringing Wang Desan from the quarry at Mufu Mountain to Shanghai, saying he wanted him to enjoy a lifetime of comfort. After working hard for a lifetime, how could he possibly sit idle?
Seeing the old man at the door, Chen Moran hurried over to support him. This elderly gentleman before him was his benefactor. If he had not taken him in at that time and even found a doctor for him, perhaps he would never have had the chance to live in this world.
For the first time, Chen Moran entertained the thought of hiring a servant, but this thought was fleeting and soon vanished.