Struggle in Ancient Times

He took Liao Ming and Mother Deng out; Liao Shi and Wen Xiuer were left in the drugstore. After all, they were still sick and one was pregnant, they should take care of themselves inside the hospital.

Liao Ming had been working in the town and was familiar with the street conditions but Mother Deng rarely went out.
She carefully watched the scenery around and wrote it down in her memory.
Along the way, Liao Tingyu thought a lot about buying a bigger house and living with the whole family under one roof.

This had the advantages but some disadvantages. When there were many people, some trouble might arise and conflicts would happen. For now, it was fine. But once Wen Xiuer gave birth to a child, no one could predict what might happens.
In the past two days, his sister-in-law wasn’t an easy person. Once she became a mother, she would inevitably become stronger.
Liao Tingyu’s thoughts were spinning.

When Xiuer who stayed in the hospital, touched her belly and watched people coming and going on the street. She didn’t hear her husband calling her.
Liao Tingyu decided to take out the money of his parents’ first then used half of his to buy a small shop. They could settle here first.
As for the house, it would be given to his big brother as repayment for his hard works for years to support his study.

For this money, Liao Tingyu thought quietly about his wallet. It must be said that ancient people were smart enough, he carried such heavy amount of money on his clothes but no one could tell it from the outside.
The only problem was, it was really heavy! Why aren’t there banknotes here?
Liao Tingyu felt he was exercising with a sandbag tied on his body every day.

Honestly, it wasn’t like he didn’t want to buy it alone and gave it to Liao Shi, but the kindness of sharing the burden together was worth it to encounter the jealousy or envy.
This money must not be given by him alone.
If he spent all his money and worked alone for this shop, he would never be able to stop some hatred that might arise within the family.

It wasn’t that Liao Tingyu looking down on some people. But their hearts were separated from their mouth, they might say something good but we never know what were they thinking.
He comforted himself and kept telling himself, ‘Don’t pay blindly to make up for it. this will only make you fall into endless trouble.’
Liao Ming didn’t know what was going on Liao Tingyu’s head. He was only thinking about what kind of house and small shop they could buy with their money.

What can you do after buying it?
Mother Deng looked around. She was always in hurry to sell things in the market. It had been a long time since she walked around calmly and enjoyed the scene.
Liao Tingyu looked at the innocent smile on mother Deng’s face and took some money to buy her candied hawthorns.
Mother Deng thought it was Liao Tingyu who wanted to it, so she looked at him with a smile.

But she never thought that it was placed right under her nose.
“Come, mother, try it and taste it.”
Mother Deng refused with a smile, “You can eat this yourself. Who is eating such a thing at my old age?”

Liao Tingyu didn’t believe her excuse, he heard these words too many times, “who said you are old? You are young as flower. Besides, is there a rule to eat this candied hawthorn? Try it. in the past, mother always buy it for me but you never eaten it. Take a bite and taste this one.”
Liao Ming stood aside and was very envious, but he said in a joke, “My youngest now knows how to honour his mother but he already forgets his father.”
Liao Tingyu didn’t care about him and replied, “What did you say? If I give you this candied hawthorn, will you dare to eat it?”

As he spoke, he moved the candied hawthorn into Liao Ming’s mouth.
Liao Ming dodged away. At his age, it would be a joke for him to eat it. But it was fine for his wife. He a grown man, if people saw it, they would laugh at him.
Mother Deng smiled and took it from Liao Tingyu’s hand, “Stop teasing your father. How could your father eat such thing? He is a very respectable person you know. Since you don’t eat it, just give it to me.”

“Alright.”
Mother Deng cherished the candied hawthorn and took a bite slowly. She savoured the taste as if she was eating a rare treasure.
Although when she was young, she liked sweet thing very much but as she got older, she no longer had the same enthusiasm.

But this string of candied hawthorn made her feel young again. At that time, she just married Liao Ming and the man cared for him a like pearl in his hand. Whenever he came back from work, he would bring this for her.
She was better off than most women in the village. Because Liao Ming treated her well at home.
When she lived with her mother and fathers-in-law, Liao Ming always protected her from them.

Well, mother Deng must be a real beauty back then.
The eldest son was very tall and strong. And the youngest one was handsome like a jade and gentle as a scholar.
Liao Tingyu was surprised when he saw the gentle looks on mother Deng’s eyes.

He had never seen his mother who always wore sharp armour on her mouth to be soft like a different person. When Liao Ming saw the look on his wife’s face, he took her hand and held it together tightly.
Liao Tingyu was fed with thousands ton of dog food in an instant. He felt exhausted.
When they arrived at the place. The real estate agent greeted them warmly.

Liao Tingyu asked Liao Ming about his plans, locations and the environments for their shop.
Liao Ming didn’t expect Liao Tingyu to ask for his opinion but he still answered directly, “Don’t buy large shop, must be 70 or 80 taels. Not to remote and not too old.”
The conditions were a bit harsh and there was little of shops that could meet them.

The real estate flipped over his record books and selected the shops that met Liao Ming’s criteria.
They looked at the shops carefully and read the description.
After discussing the pros and cons in a low voice, Liao Tingyu fell in love with some shops.

There was one in front of the West Street, it was nice size and had traffic with good price. Another one a little further down on the West Street but there was a house behind it which faced the East Street.
Liao Tingyu pointed at this shop and felt it met his requirements, “Father, let’s buy this one. It’s small enough and right across the East Street from behind it.”
Liao Ming didn’t like it very much; he preferred another shop. Although the location was a little remote but it was good; there was a garden in the back, well and several rooms. It was a wine shop but the price was a little high.

Liao Ming raised his eyes and looked at the shop chosen by Liao Tingyu, he calculated the price and said softly, “Son, that one is a little big. It’s useless if it was back alley, let’s but another one with a little higher price. This was a little far away from your school.”
Liao Tingyu thought about it and felt it was useless. The one separated East side and West side wasn’t just distance.
He humbly followed Liao Ming’s idea, “It was true that I was wrong. Dad, what do you like? Let’s talk about it more.”

Mother Deng listened curiously with her ears opened.
Liao Ming picked up the shop mother Deng had hidden away; mother Deng was surprised. The shop cost a little much so she tried to hide it from them.
And now, her husband found it.

“This shop is good but we don’t have that much money.” She said with embarrassment.
Liao Tingyu looked at the shop in Liao Ming’ hands but he couldn’t see the price, it was covered by Liao Ming. He was very satisfied with the condition of the shop, “Dad, let me see the price.”
Liao Ming nodded but didn’t move his hand, “How much money to you have?”

Liao Tingyu widened his eyes and blinked innocently.
As a man who had experienced many battles, Liao Ming didn’t believe his tricks and stretched out his hand at him, “You aren’t like you brother. You have vision and your own plans. If it wasn’t too much, give me sixty taels.”
“Dad, what you said really hurts my heart. How could I have other intention? Besides, you are asking for sixty taels, like this money is nothing to me.” Liao Tingyu pretended to be bitter and determined not to agree easily.

“Don’t you have a lot of thoughts? When you were a child, as long as it was given to you, you would never take out the things you had. Even if you got tired of playing with them, you wouldn’t give it to your family. And you said, you write a book for money, since you passed the exam, I believe your ability. But I don’t think your book could only sell for twenty taels.” Liao Ming said slowly,
“You are a scholar now; do you still lack a writing skill? I have eaten more rice than you. What are you pretending in front of me? You are just like me when I was young. I don’t care about how much money you own, but you are the one who wanted to buy shop. I fell in love with this one, you can give me the money I need for this one.” Liao Ming said reasonably.
Liao Tingyu saw that Liao Ming who usually kept silent at home, was actually the most secretive person in the family. They rarely could see what he thought.

But mother Deng who always chirping was the most innocent and confused here.
He took out the money from his arms, “Sixty taels here, I really don’t have much money left. Although the books are popular but the money comes very slowly. It also takes too long to write one.”
Liao Ming nodded and took the silver from his hands.

“Don’t be so wronged, you still have more on you.”
Liao Tingyu stared at Liao Ming with wide eyes, did he hear those words right? His father was truly extraordinary.
Mother Deng was still confused. She was surprised when Liao Tingyu took out sixty taels. Before came here, she thought her youngest son didn’t have any money but those shiny silver were a slap in her face.

The little money for hospital must be nothing to Liao Tingyu. As expected, she gave birth to a very capable son.
As for why he didn’t tell his family, well, there must be a reasonable excuse for him.
As a scholar, the face was the most important. Now, her youngest son had paid so much for his father. Mother Deng was very proud of this son.

Liao Ming held the money in his arms and walked to the real estate agent, “I have the money here. Can you transfer it this afternoon?”
The real estate agent looked at the old man wearing grey clothes with woody smells.
He actually could have so much money at once. This really surprised him. But he didn’t let it show on his face.

“You can pay the money now and the deed will be transferred immediately. You can go to the shop to clean up after this. Which one was it?”
“Just this one. How much it cost?” Liao Ming took out the shop he liked.
The real estate agent took out the land deed in his hand and introduced it in detail, “This shop used to be a tavern. I believe you have seen it before, the owner of the tavern felt he couldn’t make any more money in this town so he moved away. This shop was handed over to us, there is still tables, chairs and benches inside the shop; all are in good condition. In addition, there is a well several rooms for rest behind the shop. You have a good vision, the owner said it could be sold for seventy-eight taels.”

Mother Deng didn’t know much at first. But after she listened to him, she thought the shop was good but the price was like a lightning bolt to her.
She yelled out, “Seventy-eight taels??? Are you trying to rob us? Isn’t it just some small house behind it, why is it so expensive? I think it must be you look down on us country people who didn’t have much knowledge.”
The price actually acceptable according to Liao Ming and Liao Tingyu. Although it was a little high but it wasn’t bad.

The two never bought a shop before, so they had little experience about it.
But Liao Tingyu was very wise and didn’t say anything. It was fine for him to read and write. But haggling and bargaining was Mother Deng’s expertise.
Liao Ming silently stood behind his wife, the father and son understood how the market worked better between women.

It was good to negotiate, no matter how many taels it would be, the price wouldn’t be so bad.
The real estate agent looked at the aggressive mother Deng and was shocked.
He never encounters such situation. When they did business, usually the man was the one who called out for the decision and women didn’t even dare to say anything. But she actually made such a fuss.

He turned to the two men who watched the show.
As a result, the two of them acted as if they didn’t know each other, and mother Deng raised her head high. She wasn’t going down without a fight.