As dawn broke, He Sheng woke up and walked on the road to the shop, feeling a sense of sorrow. He, who once slept until he woke up naturally, was now rushing like everyone else on the street, toiling for a few taels of silver.
Fortunately, the treatment at the shop was decent, with breakfast provided. Yesterday night, he had been so hungry his back touched his stomach, and now he walked with a lack of energy. If the shop didn't provide meals, he'd probably go to work on an empty stomach again. Thinking of these miserable days, he wondered when they would end, feeling dejected.
He realized that without his mother, he was truly nothing. Even his current means of livelihood were taught to him by people she had instructed. It was fortunate that Xia He and their two daughters hadn't followed him, otherwise, how would he support them?
Unknowingly, he had arrived at the shop's entrance. Despite his dejection, life had to go on, and he immediately put on a smile.
One day, Xia He, with nothing else to do, took her personal maid to select some fabric to make clothes for their two children. Although her mother had given her enough money and there were embroiderers in the mansion, she felt that making the clothes herself held a special significance. However, the moment she stepped into the shop, she saw a strikingly familiar figure.
The other person was also surprised to see her. Xia He quickly pretended nothing was amiss and, with the shop assistant's attentive guidance, bought a few bolts of fabric she found satisfactory before leaving in a hurry.
When the shop assistant turned around and saw He Sheng staring blankly at Xia He's retreating figure, he, having a good rapport with He Sheng, couldn't help but tease, "That madam just now was rather ordinary-looking. You must not have seen many prettier women, right? It's true, you haven't been here long, and ladies from wealthy families stay in their mansions waiting for deliveries. Perhaps if you stay here longer, you might get lucky and see some who will make you unforgettable for a lifetime."
He Sheng watched the assistant speak with gusto and wished he could tell him that the lady was his wife. But he knew no one would believe him. Judging by Xia He's attire, she was undoubtedly wealthy, while he was merely the accountant in this small shop, earning three taels of silver a month, which wasn't even enough for her to tip.
The shop assistant was skilled at reading people. Seeing He Sheng's change in expression, he didn't know what he had said wrong but wisely kept quiet. Just then, new customers arrived, and he hurried to attend to them.
"Madam, if I'm not mistaken, that accountant just now should be our master." As soon as they walked out of the shop, her personal maid looked at Xia He in shock.
"What does that have to do with us? Since he chose to take the Zhang surname, he must be prepared to endure hardship. Didn't you see he's working quite willingly? Otherwise, why hasn't he visited his mother to plead his case in so many days?" It would be untrue to say Xia He didn't care about her husband, but his current life was undoubtedly better than it was in the village.
At least he had learned a skill under his mother's tutelage, and her husband was a martial arts practitioner, so no one could bully him. Of course, except for those people from the Zhang family who squeezed him out openly and secretly. But since he was willing, she couldn't say anything.
The maid thought it made sense. She wondered if her master had lost his mind to choose to leave with that group, hurting his elderly mother's feelings.
No one wished to bring up this small incident; it was as ordinary as anything else in their lives. When He Sheng returned home again, he was met with an empty stove and cold hearth, as he had grown accustomed to these past few days. Yet, whenever hunger gnawed at him, he still felt regret, especially today. Seeing his wife adorned in gold and silver and spending lavishly was a stark contrast to his current destitution. Would she mock him if she knew he often went without dinner at night? Su Dan Novel Network.
His wife had advised him against frequent contact with his father back then. But he felt the Zhang family's blood flowed in his veins and that one shouldn't forget their roots. So, he hadn't listened to her advice and even grew distant from her because of it. He shook his head with a wry smile.
Meanwhile, Hai Sheng and Hu Sheng grew increasingly anxious. They approached their father again, frustrated. "Are we going to continue living like this? I see the third one has resigned himself to his fate. Haven't you noticed he hasn't complained even though no meal has been left for him all these days?"
Looking at his sons' anxious expressions, Zhang Da Shan had unspeakable bitterness. He was anxious too, just not as overtly as they were. This idea was his own. He was old and wanted to live a comfortable life without stating it directly, so he resorted to such methods.
He hadn't expected his youngest son to endure it all, which infuriated him. Was it so difficult to bow his head to his mother? A mother and son are connected by heart; how could Wu Cai Wei make things difficult for him?
Hearing everyone's words, Zhang Da Shan could no longer sit still and went to He Sheng's room. He Sheng quickly sat up, looking at him with some confusion. Knowing that his father had come to his room at this hour, he must have something to say.
Zhang Da Shan looked at his son, who was ready to listen attentively. Honestly, after so many days together, he knew his youngest son was extremely filial and regretted how he had treated him back then. He decided to make it up to him later. But now, their lives were filled with hardship; how could he have the mood? Once they had money and servants, he would pay more attention. Otherwise, if they couldn't even survive, how could he make amends?
After some thought, he sighed and said, "If I hadn't interacted with you much back then, I wouldn't have implicated you. Let our lives be a little harder; at least you are still a young master, served by slaves, with endless money. Thinking about it makes me deeply regretful. I often can't sleep at night these days. I want to go back and ask your mother to take you back, so you don't have to suffer with us. But I'm afraid your mother will become angry with you because of me."
He Sheng never expected his father to say such things to him. To be honest, he had regretted it sometimes during these days. If he hadn't always defended his father and hurt his mother's feelings, perhaps she wouldn't have been so resolute. Although he was just an accountant and it seemed like a less arduous job, only he knew how difficult it was for someone who was once in a high position to be constantly dictated to by the shopkeeper and owner. However, when his father showed such a remorseful demeanor, he was touched, feeling that all the suffering he had endured recently was worthwhile, at least he was with his father.
"Please don't say that. What do you mean by implicating? If it weren't for me, your lives would be even tougher, and I would feel more guilty. Although I haven't brought immense wealth to our family, at least we don't have to worry about food and clothing," He Sheng said sincerely, looking at his father with tears in his eyes.