A Family Matter

"It's no fun here without Xiao Hua, Xiao Hu, and A Zhu."

"But there's so much delicious food here! You won't be able to eat it if we go back."

"Let's go back and see them another day when we have time. You can bring them back some good food and toys."

Chen Xiaoxiao was excited when she first arrived, but gradually lost interest as she didn't have her familiar playmates.

She was currently nestled in her mother Yang Xiu's arms. Yang Xiu looked at her youngest daughter, stroking her back and gently comforting her.

Ever since their family and eldest brother's family moved to town, they had bought a small courtyard with the silver left by their eldest son.

The front was a street-facing shop, and their family lived in the courtyard behind the shop.

The adjacent courtyard was occupied by their eldest brother's family. The two families had found and bought places together to look out for each other.

Although they had moved into town, Chen Liangwu, who couldn't read a single character, only knew farming. He had no idea what business to do in town.

Chen Liangyuan and Chen Liangwu were not as capable as the two boys back home, and they were not people who could sit idle.

Coincidentally, two months ago, the Clan Leader Chen Yucheng came to the small town on business and took the opportunity to visit them.

After hearing their worries, he gave them a suggestion.

The houses the two families bought faced the street, so they could open a general store, a grain and oil shop, or a cloth and apparel shop.

With the connections of Chen Qinglin and Chen Qingshi, he believed no one within the Iron Sword Martial Arts School would cause trouble.

The subsequent developments were indeed as Chen Yucheng had said.

Chen Liangwu opened a general store, selling daily necessities like knives, scissors, and various sundries.

Chen Liangyuan, on the other hand, opened a cloth shop. For this, he even sought advice from his brother-in-law Zhou Jin.

Zhou Jin's Zhou clan was a relatively large family in Qingyan Town.

However, Zhou Jin was not part of the direct lineage and merely managed the clan's shops in town.

He was greatly surprised to hear that his wife's family was opening shops.

He knew what kind of people his two brothers-in-law were over the years, so how could they have the money to open a shop in town?

When his eldest brother-in-law visited, he called his wife Chen Liping to talk with her elder brother.

After a conversation, he finally learned about the great fortune that had befallen his two nephews.

After the shock, although Zhou Jin was not a big shot, he knew the prestige of a martial artist.

The Zhou clan had built its current foundation with a Body Tempering Seventh Level martial artist. His mind raced through countless thoughts, and he immediately came up with an idea.

From now on, I will have my children visit their maternal uncles' homes often.

After carefully explaining the experiences he knew to Chen Liangyuan, a few days later, Zhou Jin informed the clan about this matter. After some investigation, they got a general idea of the news.

Zhou Jin didn't have much insight. He only knew that his two nephews were Martial Artists, but he didn't know their level.

However, the Clan Leader of the Zhou Clan, Zhou Zhi, discovered that Zhou Jin's nephew, Chen Qinglin, participated in a martial arts competition in the county town last year and was valued by a sect, thus becoming their disciple.

Before he could be shocked, he immediately told Zhou Jin to handle this relative relationship well from now on. He then summoned clan members who managed the cloth business and passed on all their experience to Zhou Jin, instructing him to teach Chen Liangyuan.

He told Zhou Jin to have his family interact with Chen Liangwu's family more often from now on and also ordered that all items sold by the Chen Clan of Linhe Village to the Zhou Clan in the future would be purchased at a high price.

Only then did Zhou Jin return to prepare.

This Linhe Village actually produced an extraordinary person like Chen Qinglin. They were about to soar to the heavens.

I wonder if my actions can bring some glory to the Zhou Clan and help my own family ascend as well?

Linhe Village relied on the mountain for its livelihood. Besides the farmland they cultivated daily, they also collected Herbs from the nearby mountains and Furs from hunting to sell in Qingyan Town.

Since Chen Liangyuan and Chen Liangwu, two brothers, opened two Shops in town, they often purchased items sold by the people of Linhe Village.

However, Chen Yucheng stopped the Chen Clan, forbidding them from exploiting the two families. He personally went to town to confirm the daily needs of the two Chen brothers' shops. Upon his return, he set the scope of goods to be sold to the two shops.

Furthermore, after discussing with Chen Liangyuan and Chen Liangwu, they unified the purchase of remaining villagers' stock in the village under the name of the Chen Clan.

This greatly increased the prestige of the Chen Clan of Linhe Village.

Chen Qinglin followed Chen Qingshi all the way and arrived at the entrance of a General Store. At a glance, he saw his father sitting inside.

Controlling his excited emotions, he entered and said, "Dad, I'm back!"

"Customer, what... Qinglin?" Chen Liangwu was sitting idly in the shop, thinking a customer had come to buy something when he heard someone enter. He had only spoken two words before realizing it was his eldest son, Chen Qinglin.

"Lin'er, come in quickly! Qingshi, why are you standing outside?" Seeing Chen Qinglin, he was very excited. He then saw Chen Qingshi outside and quickly called him in.

As he spoke, he shouted towards the backyard.

"A Xiu, your son is back, Qinglin is back!"

Yang Xiu, who was comforting Chen Xiaoxiao in the backyard, heard her husband's call. Just as she was about to release Chen Xiaoxiao in her arms, she saw Chen Xiaoxiao excitedly break free from her grasp.

Then she ran towards the outside, shouting, "Big brother is back!"

Chen Qingyun was not at home. He had been studying literacy at a Private School in town these days.

Seeing Chen Qinglin, Yang Xiu was both happy and tearful. She held his hand and kept saying he had lost weight.

Her son had achieved something, but he couldn't stay by her side to fulfill his filial duties.

Parents felt both joy and a sense of loss.

Sometimes, there was no perfect solution.

After a period of warm greetings and casual conversation, Chen Liangyuan closed the door of the General Store.

The family entered the backyard.

"How long are you planning to stay this time?" Chen Liangwu asked. This son was capable and destined not to stay with them for long.

"A month." Chen Qinglin considered his situation and looked at the expectation in his parents' eyes. He finally decided to stay for a while.

In two months, Qingfeng Mountain would hold an Outer Sect Disciple martial arts competition, but that had nothing to do with him.

His cultivation couldn't improve much in a short period, and martial arts could be practiced anywhere...

Alright, the truth was Chen Qinglin wanted to spend more time at home.

"Good, good! A month is enough."

He glanced at his mother. She was also very happy listening from the side.

He took out the things he bought for his parents one by one. Chen Xiaoxiao watched her elder brother conjure various items from his hand and excitedly hugged him, saying, "What about me? What about me? Did you buy me a gift, Big Brother..."

"Your gift? No..." Chen Qinglin paused deliberately after saying this.

Chen Xiaoxiao looked disappointed and unhappy.

"That's impossible." As he spoke, he took out a pile of gifts chosen by many Senior Sisters for her. Among them, Ling Ling, the youngest Senior Sister, had bought the most.

"Wow! Big Brother, you're so kind!" Looking at the pile of items, Chen Xiaoxiao's expression changed, and she shouted happily.

Then she started examining her gifts one by one, and there were so many delicious foods...

Ignoring Chen Xiaoxiao, who had forgotten her elder brother in her joy over the gifts, Chen Qinglin turned to Chen Qingshi and said, "Brother Qingshi, I bought you a gift too."

He then took out three bottles of Body Tempering Pills.

"These are Body Tempering Pills. With these pills, you can quickly break through to the Body Tempering Third Level, and even the Body Tempering Fourth Level is not impossible."

He was at Qingfeng Mountain and couldn't look after his family. Chen Qingshi was the only Martial Artist in the family, so it was good for him to have a higher realm.

As for pills like the Qi Gathering Pill, Chen Qinglin dared not leave them with Chen Qingshi. Such things would only bring disaster into the hands of an ill-matched person.

"This... is too precious. I can't accept it." Upon hearing the effects of the item in his hand, Chen Qingshi was so startled that he quickly tried to return it to Chen Qinglin.

"These pills no longer have any effect on me, but they are excellent for you."

"Besides, for me now, these things are nothing. We are brothers, so take them," Chen Qinglin said.

He also added with a smile, "Just take it if I tell you to. It's not just you; I've bought gifts for Uncle and Second Uncle's families too. When you go back later, take the gifts to your parents."

"I'll deliver Second Uncle's later."

"Alright then. I'll accept them." Seeing Chen Qinglin say this, Chen Qingshi found it difficult to refuse.

Moreover, since Qinglin entered Qingfeng Mountain, his personality was the same as before. Chen Qingshi no longer felt the estrangement he had when he first met Chen Qinglin.

He accepted the gifts.

When Chen Qingyun returned later and saw his elder brother Chen Qinglin, he was also very happy. Then, Yang Xiu called him to invite Second Uncle Chen Liangpin's family over for a meal.

As for Chen Liangyuan's family, they were not far away and had already arrived.

It was their father, Chen Liangwu, who was happy and had invited his elder brother and second brother over for a meal tonight.