It had been a while since they last saw the youngest son, and he seemed completely transformed. It was as if an ordinary person suddenly revealed extraordinary talents. Like a withered tree that suddenly burst into full bloom with vibrant green leaves, he appeared renewed and full of life.
Upon seeing Lord Zhang, Old Zhao’s expression turned surprised, and he quickly exclaimed, “My lord, the Fifth Young Master has truly suffered! When I went to fetch him, he was hanging in a tree, training himself! The other young masters have also endured much hardship!”
Only then did Lord Zhang notice that his son had slimmed down significantly; the flesh on his face was gone, revealing clear contours. No wonder he seemed so spirited; he had suffered and transformed through training!
Suddenly filled with a pang of heartache, Lord Zhang, however, chose to maintain a stern expression, coldly snorting and scolding, “These ungrateful children are useless simply because they have never experienced hardship!”
Old Zhao felt awkward and didn’t know how to respond, cautiously glancing at Zhang Fang.
“Father, I admit I was foolish in the past and did not study well. Now I have changed and wish to study diligently. I will work with my brothers to correct our ways and become better people together!” Zhang Fang was still the same son he had always been, his demeanor reminiscent of characters from previous worlds, which made Zhang Fang feel a sense of warmth.
Zhang Fang’s sincere attitude left Lord Zhang at a loss for words. After a brief silence, he responded in a sarcastic tone, “You ungrateful child love to spout empty words to brush me off! The moment I turn my back, you’ll surely return to your old ways of indulgence!”
Then feigning impatience, he waved his hand at Zhang Fang, shooing him away. “Fine! I don’t want to see you, just leave!”
“Then I’ll take a rest first, and you should rest early too, father!” Zhang Fang said with a smile as he left the study.
Lord Zhang bit his lip, staring at the study door.
Old Zhao approached Lord Zhang and whispered, “My lord, the Fifth Young Master truly has matured. You may not know, but upon hearing about your experiences in the Western Frontier, the other young masters all appeared quite somber. The Second Young Master wished to return to see you, but the Fifth Young Master asked them if they would help you manage the business. Suddenly, the Second Young Master fell silent. Then the Fifth Young Master stated that someone had to share the burden for you. He is willing to take over the business and learn diligently.”
“He really said that!” Lord Zhang exclaimed, shocked, feeling as if he had seen a ghost.
Old Zhao nodded vigorously, his expression serious. “I swear on my life! It’s absolutely true! The Fifth Young Master has returned to his senses, and you should cultivate him properly.”
That headache-inducing sensation vanished instantly, and Lord Zhang’s lips uncontrollably curled upwards. But he forced himself to calm down, trying to suppress his smile with a serious facade, saying in a nonchalant tone, “Who knows if he’s just trying to deceive me!”
Old Zhao bent over in exasperation, pounding his thigh, and went on an extended plea: “Oh my! My lord! These words were spoken by the Fifth Young Master behind your back! If he were just pretending to be good, why wouldn’t he just say such things directly to you? Besides, I witnessed it today. The Fifth Young Master hung so high in the tree that even when I went to find him, he refused to come down. He only came down when he felt it was time! The Fifth Young Master has set standards for himself! This is a pursuit of progress, and it is a good thing! You should encourage him and not scold him as you did before.”
Lord Zhang pinched his fingers, the slight pain reminding him that this was not a dream but reality. His youngest son had finally matured!
Feeling pleased, Lord Zhang waved his hand, saying impatiently to Old Zhao, “You just came back from outside; I don’t even know if you’ve eaten, and you’re still standing here! Go serve that ungrateful child!”
Old Zhao was taken aback for a moment, nodded, and hurriedly went out.
Once Old Zhao disappeared from the study, Lord Zhang could no longer hold back and smiled widely.
Taking out a jade pendant he had carried for years, Lord Zhang gently caressed it, whispering with a smile, “Wan’er, did you see? The Fifth Young Master has matured. He has turned over a new leaf and begun to study hard!”
“I used to think these sons would never grow up, especially the Fifth Young Master, who was the most reckless. Who would’ve expected that he would be the first to grow up and show maturity?” As he spoke, Lord Zhang’s eyes brimmed with tears.
He had thought countless times about what he would do if he grew old and was unable to manage the fabric shop, and these sons did not wish to take it over. What then? Should he sell the fabric shop or choose someone to sign a lifetime contract to manage the shop for the Zhang family? Regardless of the choice, it would not affect his sons’ continued comfort, since the Zhang family’s wealth was enough for them to squander for several generations.
Now, with his youngest son willing to take over the business, Lord Zhang felt greatly relieved, yet concern began to creep in. Given the current situation, Lord Zhang wasn’t even sure how long he could keep the fabric shop afloat.
This time, with the fabric not sold and many lives lost, the losses had been severe. Moreover, the new fabric from abroad had gained immense popularity in the market. Even those old customers had shifted to purchasing from the foreign fabric vendors, and it had been a long time since they had come to their fabric shop. If this continued, in less than half a year, the Zhang family’s fabric shop would surely go under! It could be said that the Zhang family’s fabric shop had reached a critical point of survival.
Zhang Fang choosing to take over the business at this moment made Lord Zhang unwilling because the responsibility felt too heavy.
With a sinking heart, he lifted a hand to wipe away the tears from his eyes and sighed silently.
The next day, when Lord Zhang woke up, Old Zhao happily approached to inform him, “My lord, the Fifth Young Master got up early for training. He even took the initiative to ask about the business. I told him the current situation, and the Fifth Young Master listened patiently!”
Lord Zhang placed down his handkerchief and frowned slightly, displeased as he replied, “Who allowed you to tell him about the business?”
Seeing this, Old Zhao’s expression stiffened slightly, awkwardly explaining, “I saw the Fifth Young Master was concerned about the fabric shop, and since he was willing to learn about it, I answered any questions he had.”
Lord Zhang maintained a serious face and told Old Zhao, “He doesn’t understand the business. In the future, do not speak to him about the fabric shop.”
Old Zhao looked surprised and asked in disbelief, “Does the lord not want the Fifth Young Master to learn how to manage the business?”