Chapter Nineteen: Parents

Without hesitating for too long, Cui Xiu pushed the door open and entered.

Inside the courtyard, his mother, Madam Xu, was busy with chores.

The original Cui Xiu was the third child in the family, with an eldest sister and a second brother above him, and a younger brother and little sister below.

His eldest sister, Cui Jiao, was ten years older than him and had long since married into the neighboring Qingxi Village. She already had children and only returned to her parents’ home during holidays.

His second brother, Cui Hong, was also no longer young—seven years older than Cui Xiu—and still unmarried.

It was late September, and most of the work in the fields was over, but there was always something to keep a farming family busy. Since his brother hadn’t managed to qualify as a scholar, he could only toil in the fields for a living and was naturally not at home.

As for his younger siblings, they should be playing somewhere in the village at this hour.

With so many children in the family, Cui Xiu’s mother, Madam Xu, was naturally no longer young. She had passed her fortieth year several years ago. Years of hard work had taken their toll; her health was not good and her temples had turned gray.

Cui Xiu entered quietly, and Madam Xu, her hearing faded with age, didn’t notice her son’s return as she was absorbed in her work.

Seeing his mother’s slightly stooped figure and graying hair, Cui Xiu felt a vague pang in his heart.

In his previous life, his father died early, and his mother disappeared after his birth, leaving him to be raised by his grandmother. The family was poor, and it was hard to imagine how much hardship his grandmother endured to support him through university.

Cui Xiu was deeply attached to his grandmother. He worked part-time in college, desperately earning money so she could rest more, always hoping to graduate, find a good job, buy a house in the city, and let the old woman enjoy her later years.

Sadly... just as he was about to start his internship, his grandmother suddenly passed away. That period, when Cui Xiu had always been cheerful, he barely spoke for a whole year.

This was one reason his internship didn’t go well.

Now, seeing Madam Xu—and perhaps influenced by the original owner’s memories—her appearance gradually overlapped with his grandmother’s in his mind.

He had been unsure how to speak, but suddenly, acting on impulse, he blurted out, “Mother! Your son has returned!”

The moment those words left his mouth, he felt inexplicably relaxed, as if everything had become more harmonious. Looking around the courtyard, he no longer felt any sense of unfamiliarity; it was as though he had completely merged with the true “Cui Xiu.”

Madam Xu, who had been bent over working on a low stool, froze on hearing his voice, then tremblingly turned her head.

Her expression shifted from hope to worry, then to delight, and after a moment of disbelief, she finally said, stunned, “Ah Xiu, is it really you?”

“Mother! It’s your son, I’ve returned!”

Cui Xiu had let go of his previous anxieties, and with no more hesitation, he quickly stepped forward to help Madam Xu up.

“It’s good you’re back! It’s good you’re back!” Madam Xu held onto Cui Xiu’s arm, patting it, then examined his hands, finally touching his cheek. Tears glistened at the corners of her eyes, and she said sorrowfully, “My son has grown thin...”

After a round of concern and affectionate questioning, Madam Xu put aside her chores and wanted to call his father home.

Cui Xiu didn’t want Madam Xu to tire herself, so he volunteered to fetch his father.

His father, Cui He, was an old scholar. Once, his name was well-known in Gaoyun Village, for while the Cui clan still had their ancestral school, fewer and fewer pursued learning.

At that time, Cui He was the only member of the clan to pass the scholar’s exam, so he was highly regarded among his kin.

Madam Xu had married him during those prosperous years; she was quite attractive then, and many envied her.

Unfortunately, luck was not on Cui He’s side in subsequent provincial exams. Several attempts yielded no success.

When Cui Xiu’s eldest sister and second brother were born, the family’s burdens increased, and his father, recognizing reality, stopped trying for the exams and began teaching at the ancestral school to supplement their income.

Years passed, and he taught for over a decade.

Thanks to him, the Cui clan produced several scholars—not enough to pass the imperial exam, but they did reasonably well in life.

Once, after drinking too much, Cui He boasted that one of his students served as an adviser to an important figure, which the original Cui Xiu overheard.

But Cui He never mentioned it again, and the original owner dared not ask.

Cui Xiu himself was taught by his father to become a scholar.

Being able to train several such men, Cui He, though not of great status, was held in high esteem in Gaoyun Village.

Even setting aside those he trained, many children had learned to read and write under him, and now as adults, they still showed respect before Cui He.

Because of this, the Cui family, though not wealthy, lived decently thanks to his influence.

“Very well, but your father has a fiery temper. The matter of you failing the imperial exam can wait until he’s back. With me there, he won’t scold you so much.”

Madam Xu doted on the original Cui Xiu. The youngest were mischievous, the eldest sister was married and away, and the second brother was too honest.

Only the original Cui Xiu was obedient, clever, gifted in learning, and thus much loved by Madam Xu.

Hearing this, Cui Xiu felt both moved and amused, wondering what expression his father would wear after hearing his mother’s words.

“Yes, Mother, I understand.”

He knew well his mother’s concern and would never contradict her.

“While you’re at it, bring your younger brother and sister home too. Your second brother should return soon as well. Tonight, we’ll slaughter a chicken for supper.”

“Alright.”

Listening to Madam Xu’s instructions, Cui Xiu felt a rare sense of security. For the first time, he realized that crossing into this world wasn’t such a bad thing. Though he had lost the conveniences of modern technology, he had family again. Unlike his previous life, when after his grandmother’s death he felt life and work had lost all meaning.

Gaoyun Village had a hundred or so households—not large by any means—and Cui Xiu’s home wasn’t far from the ancestral school.

With his current body, the short walk took little time.

Even so, it took half an hour to reach the school, mostly because of acquaintances.

In the evening, most people working outside were on their way home, except for the most industrious, so Cui Xiu naturally drew attention.

And besides that, his results in the provincial exam were enough to pique curiosity. If he had succeeded, the benefits would have extended beyond himself—everyone in the village would profit from his achievement.

Why is it said that all professions are inferior, only reading is noble? Because when one person attains success, all those connected rise with him.

Sadly, the original owner had not passed, and Cui Xiu’s answers could only disappoint.

Still, everyone merely expressed regret, never adding insult to injury, for Cui Xiu was still young.

He responded with a calm smile.

The Cui Clan’s ancestral school had many young pupils, and attendance was not limited to clan members. In the village, it was the only place to learn to read and write, and with everyone being neighbors, the clan would not act foolishly.