…
Owing two hundred million.
If it were the first time experiencing this, it would inevitably feel somewhat despairing.
But Chu Tianshu had managed to repay it in his previous life.
In this life, it mattered even less.
After all.
This wasn’t a small sum—they couldn’t possibly force him to repay the money immediately.
They would give him some time to raise the funds.
Compared to the River of Time flowing backward and life being able to turn back,
What immense fortune this was.
Owing just two hundred million? A mere trifle.
Stay calm, head home!
…
Chu Tianshu took a taxi to the Civil Affairs Bureau.
His car was still parked there.
Just an Audi worth over two hundred thousand.
After driving a few kilometers,
He parked the car by the roadside and headed straight for the “Four Seasons Fresh Fruit Store.” A middle-aged woman in her forties or fifties was sitting inside watching TV.
She was Chu Tianshu’s mother, Xu Xiuxia.
In his previous life, she passed away due to illness in early 2017.
Now, she was right in front of him, alive and well.
“Mom!”
Seeing the familiar figure, Chu Tianshu broke into a radiant smile.
He pulled Xu Xiuxia up from her seat.
Then, gave her a big bear hug.
His eyes grew warm and moist.
“Ouch!”
Xu Xiuxia, however, gasped in pain and pushed her son away.
Clutching her chest, she glared at him: “What are you doing? Have you lost your mind?”
She even swatted him lightly.
Her face was pulled long: “You’re all grown up now, yet still so rough and clumsy.”
Xu Xiuxia was a mid-to-late stage breast cancer patient.
After her husband passed away, her emotional state deteriorated. Over time, mammary gland hyperplasia worsened into cancer.
After falling ill, her temper grew even worse.
Indifferent to life and death, willful, and defiant!
“Ah, sorry… I just suddenly missed you, old lady!”
Chu Tianshu helped his mother sit back down and considerately massaged her shoulders.
Xu Xiuxia shot him a glare: “You just left this morning, what’s there to miss? Tell me the truth—did you cause trouble again?”
Chu Tianshu: “…”
Truly, a biological mother.
He wasn’t the least bit upset; instead, he grinned cheerfully.
He asked how the fruit store’s business was that day.
The Chu family’s fruit store had been open for over a decade.
A small business, it used to make a profit of around a hundred thousand per year.
Now it was rather bleak, bringing in only seventy to eighty thousand.
Xu Xiuxia started chatting with her son.
Chu Tianshu listened to his mother’s chatter for a while.
In the past, he found it annoying and didn’t want to listen;
Now, he felt it was truly music to his ears!
But after listening, he couldn’t help advising his old mother a few words.
Not to suggest she take it easy / not work too hard / leave the money-making to him.
Instead—
“Mom, could you take it a bit easier? I’m not asking for excellent service, but at least don’t lose your temper with customers, alright?Xu Xiuxia was too willful in running her business now.
If she didn’t like you, no sale, get lost;
If she took a liking to you, discounts, free samples!
Chu Tianshu felt it was nothing short of a blessing from the God of Wealth that the store hadn’t gone under yet.
“Alright, I know.”
Xu Xiuxia’s attitude toward such reminders was just like Chu Tianshu’s in the past.
I know I’m wrong.
But I’ll dare to do it again next time!
Xu Xiuxia asked: “Why are you back so late? Did you get the divorce?”
Chu Tianshu thought for a moment, then decided to tell the truth: “Yes, it’s done. But on second thought, I shouldn’t have divorced. I want to remarry.”
Xu Xiuxia gave her son a deep look but surprisingly didn’t say anything.
After a long pause.
She sighed and zoned out for a while.
Due to her illness, her complexion wasn’t great, slightly ashen.
When she spaced out, she appeared even more melancholic and aged.
Chu Tianshu felt a pang of sorrow in his heart.
He was an only child, and now, he was his mother’s greatest concern.
Xu Xiuxia wasn’t very satisfied with his marriage and didn’t like her daughter-in-law.
But she absolutely adored her pair of grandchildren.
It’s just that the two babies didn’t often come into contact with her.
Having contracted a terminal illness, she was actually quite fearful and lonely inside…
“Enough, I don’t want to think about these things,” Xu Xiuxia rolled her eyes and waved her hand, “How one’s life turns out is predetermined.”
The fruit shop quieted down.
The TV blared noisily, the fan whirred as it spun, and outside the green roadside trees rustled loudly.
Chu Tianshu gazed at his mother.
To resolve conflicts between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, the man plays a crucial role and must never act like a coward.
He knew very well that his mother had rather traditional and superstitious thinking.
Xu Xiuxia didn’t like Jiang Furong.
There wasn’t anything else wrong with this daughter-in-law.
But not long after she married into the family, Chu Tianshu’s father Chu Xingquan died in a car accident.
From an elderly person’s perspective, this was “fate’s punishment”!
There were also sayings about whether she could bring prosperity to her husband.
Chu Tianshu scoffed at this.
When you dislike someone, anything can become an excuse.
In Xu Xiuxia’s eyes:
When he made money, it wasn’t Jiang Furong bringing him prosperity, but his own capability;
When he lost money, she’d blame Jiang Furong for being a jinx, for not bringing him prosperity…
How absurd is this?
What kind of logic is that???
In his previous life, Chu Tianshu deliberately avoided these matters.
Because they were truly troublesome.
People’s mindsets are difficult to change.
Moreover, Xu Xiuxia passed away within a few years, so he didn’t even have the chance to try.
But since he could return to 2015,
What’s impossible?
This time,
He must properly counsel his mother and encourage her to actively pursue treatment;
Then, resolve the conflict between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.
The family must be harmonious and happy!
“Mom, I’m heading back first. If you’re tired, close up the shop and rest for a while.”
Chu Tianshu planned to go home.
Xu Xiuxia opened the freezer: “Take this half melon, it’s very sweet.”
Sometimes when she bought fruit, she’d pick out the sweet ones first and keep them for herself.
Chu Tianshu saw that today there were seven or eight cut watermelons in the freezer…
Never mind, as long as mom is happy.
“Heading back now.” Chu Tianshu left carrying the melon.
He was from Su City, having grown up in a town.
The family owned two properties.
One was the new home after marriage, the other was the standalone old house they’d lived in for many years.
Now Xu Xiuxia lived alone in the old house.
With old acquaintances as neighbors all around, it was still manageable.
Chu Tianshu reconsidered.
Instead of returning to his own home, he went to the old house.
The old house had all kinds of living tools.
They might come in handy later.
Arriving at the old house,
A tall phoenix tree stood at the entrance, lush with branches and leaves.
Chu Tianshu parked the car under the tree, looking up at this tree older than himself.
He couldn’t help feeling a wave of familiarity and warmth in his heart.
He was back.
This familiar home!
Chu Tianshu opened the courtyard gate and locked it from inside.
In the corner of the yard,
A large white goose confined in its pen honked loudly at him.
“Big White, you haven’t ended up in the pot yet.”
Chu Tianshu laughed at the sight of this fierce guard goose.
Carrying the watermelon, he entered the house.
Suddenly, he willed it.
Feeling his body lighten.
Sure enough, he had entered the space again. The first time he entered, the space probably needed to recognize its master, so his reaction was stronger.
Now it was much better.
Even when physically entering the space, there wasn’t much sensation.
Chu Tianshu needed to quickly understand the space.
He came out and found a spoon.
Holding the half watermelon, he entered the space again.
While eating the melon, he carefully inspected his surroundings.
“Mom really knows how to pick them, this melon is quite sweet.”
Bright red seedless watermelons, with the occasional one or two shriveled seed.
Chu Tianshu picked out the seeds and tossed them aside, strolling along the riverbank.
In the river.
Dark shadows darted through the water.
Occasionally, a fish would flick its tail, splashing up a large spray.
“Good heavens!”
There were quite a few large fish in the river.
By rough estimate, each was at least half a meter long!
Chu Tianshu scooped out a piece of watermelon and threw it in.
Splash, splash!
Dark shadows swarmed over, competing for the treat.
The spray nearly splashed onto his face.
Chu Tianshu stepped back. “These fish should count as completely wild, right?”
And all of them were big catches.
By rough estimate, each weighed at least 30 jin.
Their price was incomparable to small fish.
A whole one would cost at least three thousand yuan.
If they fell into Chu Tianshu’s hands, the price would only be higher.
After walking around for a while, he returned to the Spirit Spring Pond.
Chu Tianshu suddenly noticed two small vines growing amidst the weeds.
“Are these… watermelon seedlings? How did they suddenly sprout here?”