Reborn at 80: From Village Scoundrel to Billionaire

"Still shy?"

After taking a few steps, Su Yuehe suddenly stopped. Seeing that Su Yuehe was not moving, Zhao Da'e immediately saw through what her third daughter-in-law was thinking and pulled Su Yuehe to the door of Liu Bei's room.

"Squeak!"

Zhao Da'e gently pushed the door open a crack, craned her neck, and peeked inside.

Inside, Liu Bei was lying on his side on the bed, resting with one arm draped over his forehead.

"What are you waiting for? Go inside!"

"Mother, I...I..."

"Go inside!"

Before Su Yuehe could finish speaking, Zhao Da'e forcibly pushed Su Yuehe inside.

Just as Su Yuehe had already stepped halfway inside, the door to the next room suddenly opened.

"Squeak!"

Zhao Chunyan rushed out and grabbed Su Yuehe.

"Mom! You're really something! I haven't even warmed the kang (heated brick bed) in my room yet, and you're already arranging for people to move in? You can't be this biased!"

Zhao Da'e opened her mouth, "I didn't—"

Before she could finish speaking, Zhao Chunyan had already squeezed past Su Yuehe and rushed into Liu Bei's room.

"Liu Bei! Get up!"

"Huh?" Liu Bei opened his eyes and saw Zhao Chunyan grabbing his arm and pulling him out.

"Chunyan, what are you doing?"

"Mother said we need to go to the village to find a tailor to take our measurements and make new clothes. Wake up and get up now!"

"Making new clothes?"

Liu Bei turned his head and looked towards the door.

Sure enough, both her mother and Su Yuehe were there.

"Okay, sure!"

Liu Bei slowly got up.

Seeing this, Zhao Da'e looked helpless. Zhao Chunyan had ruined everything.

Su Yuehe quickly stepped aside, her neck turning bright red.

Seeing Su Yuehe's shy appearance, Zhao Da'e shook her head and sighed, then called towards Lin Wanqiu's room, "Wanqiu! Come out, take the children, let's go to tailor Fan Laojiu's place together."

"Squeak!"

Lin Wanqiu also came out.

Her hair had just been combed and was neatly tied back.

"It seems this eldest daughter-in-law was well-prepared!" Zhao Da'e thought to herself, looking at Lin Wanqiu's specially dressed appearance.

"Mother, let's go!" At this moment, Liu Bei and Zhao Chunyan came out.

"Okay! Let's go!"

Led by Zhao Da'e, the whole family left the courtyard in a grand procession.

Zhao Da'e walked at the very front.

Liu Bei was behind her, holding Nian Nian's hand with his right hand and carrying the bundles of cloth in his left.

Panpan followed beside him, her new sandals making a "tap-tap" sound on the dirt road.

Liu Bao was the last and the most mischievous. As he walked, he would tuck his toy gun into his waistband and occasionally pull it out to make a "biubiubiu" sound.

Zhao Chunyan followed behind Lin Bao, while Lin Wanqiu and Su Yuehe followed one after the other, about three steps apart. The three women walked separately and did not speak to each other.

Five minutes later, Liu Bei's family arrived at Fan Laojiu's house.

Fan Laojiu is in his early fifties and has been a tailor for thirty years. He made a living in the whole village with just a pair of scissors.

He usually makes a living by making clothes, altering waistbands, and mending cuffs for the villagers. His life is not very comfortable, but it is much better than those who rely solely on farming.

It's summer now, unlike the Lunar New Year when everyone is busy making new clothes for him and doesn't even have time to eat. He's very relaxed now.

When Liu Bei and his group arrived, Fan Laojiu was lying on a bamboo bed in the courtyard, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan.

"Knock knock knock~" Zhao Da'e knocked on the door.

Who is it?

"Ninth Brother, it's me."

"Sister-in-law Da'e?" Upon hearing this, Fan Lao Jiu looked up and glanced outside. When he saw Liu Bei's family, he was full of surprise. "Oh, the whole family is here? Sister-in-law Da'e, what brings you here—"

"We've come to you to have clothes made," Zhao Da'e said bluntly.

"To make clothes?"

Fan Lao Jiu froze, forgetting to fan himself with his palm-leaf fan, and his eyes darted around Liu Bei.

Like many others in the village, his impression of Liu Bei was still that of a gambling addict, a domestic abuser, and the laughingstock of the whole village.

The whole family actually came to our door to have clothes made today; it's like the sun has risen in the west!

"Sister-in-law, you're not kidding me, are you?" Fan Lao Jiu was still a little incredulous.

Zhao Da'e took the cloth from Liu Bei and placed it on Fan Laojiu's bamboo bed. "Now that the cloth is here, do you think it's fake?"

Fan Lao Jiu: "..."

He paused, glanced at the cloth, then casually touched it. Instantly, his eyebrows shot up sharply.

"This material... is it pure cotton?"

"Yes. My son Liu Bei bought it in town."

"Sister-in-law, this isn't cheap. No wonder everyone in the village is saying Xiao Bei has recently... struck it rich!!!"

Zhao Da'e raised her chin. "What do you mean by 'getting something'? It's just that my Liu Bei went up the mountain a few times, hunted some game, and made a little money."

"That's right, that's right!" Old Fan nodded repeatedly, giving a thumbs up. "Sister-in-law, in this world, countless people waste their entire lives without ever turning back. Xiao Bei may have been a bit of a scoundrel before, but he was able to turn over a new leaf, which is commendable! You are truly blessed!"

"It's just so-so!"

Despite saying that, Zhao Da'e's wrinkles around her eyes widened into a wide smile.

Fan Laojiu glanced at Liu Bei again, "Xiao Bei, if your father were still alive, he'd probably laugh out loud from under the grave if he saw you like this."

"Alright, Ninth Brother, stop flattering me," Zhao Da'e interrupted him. "Get up and get to work. First, measure my three daughters-in-law, then my three grandchildren, and finally Xiao Bei."

"etc."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei suddenly spoke up, "Ninth Uncle, please measure my mother first."

"Um?"

Zhao Da'e was stunned.

"Xiao Bei, why are you measuring me? I'm an old woman, why would I need new clothes? Isn't this just a waste of fabric? Old Jiu, don't listen to him, you don't need to measure me!"

"Mother," Liu Bei looked at her, "you haven't worn a single new piece of clothing since the year my father passed away, have you?"

"this……"

Zhao Da'e froze.

"When I was young, I was ignorant and when I grew up, I was even more reckless. You raised me all by yourself, providing me with food and clothing. In the end, you were still wearing the same cotton-padded jacket with the cuffs worn through."

"But you can still wear it..."

"They are wearable," Liu Bei said, "but I don't want my mother to keep wearing her old clothes. You raised me for thirty years, and as your son, I haven't even made you a new piece of clothing. This isn't about saving money; it's about being unfilial."

quiet!

quiet!

quiet!

The courtyard fell silent.

"Xiao Bei, you—"

"Mother, please give your son a chance to be filial to you!" Before Zhao Da'e could finish speaking, Liu Bei interrupted again, "Ninth Uncle, measure my mother first."

"Sister-in-law, it's rare for Xiao Bei to have such filial piety. You should just go along with him! Come, come, sister-in-law, stand over here." Fan Lao Jiu picked up the measuring tape and took the initiative to greet him.

"Okay!" Zhao Da'e's eyes welled up with tears, and she nodded slightly, cooperating with Fan Lao Jiu.

Behind her, Lin Wanqiu kept her eyes down and didn't speak, the silver bracelet on her wrist turning once.

Su Yuehe stood in the corner, holding Niannian, her nose stinging with tears.

Zhao Chunyan stood with her hands on her hips, turning her head to look at the New Year pictures pasted on the wall. No one noticed that her eyes were also red.

After taking measurements one by one and paying a two-yuan deposit, the cloth was neatly stacked on Fan Laojiu's cutting board.

"Come pick it up in seven days," Old Fan said, patting his chest. "I guarantee it will be made perfectly!"

"Okay! Thank you, Uncle Jiu. Mom, let's go home!"

"Um!"

……

Just as they arrived at their doorstep, they ran into Fan Shuanzhu with Fan Ha'er, Old Man Tan and his son, and Li Dazhuang and a few others who came to greet them.

"Xiao Bei! It's time to go!" Fan Shuanzhu called out with a smile.

"Okay!" Liu Bei handed the cloth bag to Lin Wanqiu, then squatted down and pinched Niannian's cheek. "Be good at home, and Dad will bring you something delicious when he comes back tonight."

"Um!"

"Little Bao, be a good boy/girl too!"

Patting Liu Bao on the head and nodding to Panpan, Liu Bei turned and joined the group, striding towards the edge of the village.

Watching her son's departing figure, the silver bracelet on Zhao Da'e's wrist gleamed in the setting sun.

A few minutes later, the six figures walked further and further away along the village road, crossed the stone bridge at the village entrance, and went onto the dirt road leading to the forest farm.

They had just stepped onto the dirt road when two figures silently emerged from behind the old elm tree on the west side of the stone bridge.

Staring at the retreating figures of Liu Bei and his group, both of their eyebrows rose simultaneously.

One of the shorter men, speaking with a regional accent, asked in a low voice:

"Is that kid?"

"Yes. It's him."