Huang Youdao had another dream, dreaming that someone was stepping on his bloody body, cutting his throat with a knife. The dream instantly startled Huang Youdao awake. He saw Tao Xiaoniu leaning against him, looking at Zhang Si with fear in his eyes.
"Little girl, say it again, who calls the shots in this house?"
"Brother." Tao Xiaoniu said softly.
"Who is your brother?"
Zhang Si roared, scaring Tao Xiaoniu into crying. Huang Youdao held Tao Xiaoniu in his arms and said to Zhang Si, "Big brother, what are you doing? It's the New Year, why are you scaring her?"
"She said Tao Yue calls the shots in the house."
Huang Youdao smiled, "Whoever she says calls the shots, calls the shots. So isn't it her? Where is Old Tao?"
"He's packing red envelopes for the brothers in the gang. Old Huang, you know, ever since that incident with Boss He, many people think Tao Yue is the brains of the Beggars' Union and want him to give advice. Tao Yue is also confused and told those beggars that some factories hire disabled people as workers, and there's disability welfare. If all these disabled people go to work, who will collect money for me, what will we eat?"
...
To be honest, Zhang Si didn't earn any money. He used the few dozen yuan Tao Yue earned for him to recruit brothers and eat and drink. In the end, the amount he got back was limited. This year, if it weren't for Tao Yue's frugality, there would have been no food at home. Moreover, Tao Yue didn't look well either, his face was sallow, and he was as thin as a skeleton.
"Big brother, there's something..."
Huang Youdao wanted to speak his mind and tell Zhang Si that this Beggars' Union wouldn't last long, but before he could say it, Tao Yue interrupted him. Tao Yue smiled and said, "Big brother, the red envelopes are ready, and someone is coming to pay New Year's respects. Hurry and go distribute them."
Zhang Si went out happily. Tao Xiaoniu quickly ran into Tao Yue's arms. Tao Yue held Tao Xiaoniu and whispered instructions, "In the future, if big brother asks who makes the decisions in this house, say it's big brother."
Tao Xiaoniu nodded grievance, and Tao Yue smiled, "Good girl!"
"Old Tao, why did you interrupt my conversation with big brother?"
"Big brother is a man who won't turn back until he hits a brick wall. We can't persuade him. How is your studying going?"
"After the New Year, I'll be assigned to a hospital in a nearby village for an internship. I'll be a doctor in the future."
"I hope it's enough time."
"What?" Huang Youdao didn't understand what Tao Yue said and pressed for an answer, but Tao Yue fuzzed it over again with a smile, "It's nothing."
At this moment, Zhang Si called from outside, "Old Tao, someone's looking for you outside."
...
Tao Yue went out and returned with a man in his fifties wearing a long gown and a jacket.
Huang Youdao looked at Tao Xiaoniu, while Tao Yue invited the man to the dining table for tea. Huang Youdao was impressed by the man's demeanor and listened attentively. Later, he learned that the man in the long gown and jacket was named Wen De, who had been abroad and only returned to Beijing in the past two years.
Mr. Wen De was exceptionally intelligent. Upon learning that Boss Zhu had an eight-year-old son who was extremely intelligent, he wanted to take the Zhu family's son as his disciple. This led him to devise a plan for Boss Zhu to squeeze out his competitor, Boss He.
Originally, Boss Zhu was wealthy and powerful, and the plan meticulously crafted by Mr. Wen De was foolproof. However, he did not expect a young man of eighteen to break this scheme. Intrigued, Mr. Wen De came to Tao Yue's Western-style house on the first day of the Lunar New Year.
...
"What do you want me for?" Tao Yue asked respectfully.
Mr. Wen De presented a Song Dynasty official kiln white porcelain bowl to Tao Yue: "In '50, pawnshops were abolished. In the past two years, there have been faint signs of resurgence. But I know that the next rectification will inevitably make pawnshops unique."
"I'm just a child, why are you telling me this?"
"This white porcelain bowl can save one person."
Tao Yue took the bowl and looked at it from left to right: "You're joking, this bowl is a fake."
"If it can save one person, I will take you as my disciple."
Tao Yue smiled, "I don't have that fortune. If I'm qualified, then take Zhang Si as your disciple."
Hearing this, the old Mr. Wen De's pupils slightly contracted: "That idiot giving red envelopes to disabled people at the door."
"My big brother Zhang Si is very smart."
"Not even one percent of you. Forget it. Since you have no intention of joining my school, I won't leave empty-handed. This bet is made. If you can do it, I'll help you take in that simpleton!"
Tao Yue was overjoyed and stood up from his stool, kneeling on both knees: "Thank you, Mr. Wen De, for your fulfillment!"
...
Huang Youdao watched from the side, completely bewildered. After Mr. Wen De left, he quickly asked Tao Yue, "Old Tao, what's going on?"
"Call big brother, let's pack up and go pay New Year's respects to Boss He."
...
Tao Yue didn't explain. After Zhang Si finished distributing red envelopes to the Beggars' Union, he called Zhang Si and Huang Youdao, and the whole family headed straight to Boss He's house. Huang Youdao was a bit puzzled. Tao Yue wasn't someone who took advantage of others. If the whole family went at this time, wouldn't they be right in time for lunch?
Boss He was very happy to see Tao Yue and gave Tao Xiaoniu a red envelope and Tao Yue a generous one. Throughout the entire interaction, Boss He didn't say much to Huang Youdao and Zhang Si.
During lunch, Boss He and Tao Yue had a long discussion in the study before coming out. At the table, he toasted Tao Yue, showing him considerable respect. This scene displeased Zhang Si, who said to Huang Youdao, "Our Beggars' Union helped Boss He so much, with such a large sum of money, I delivered it from the bank to the pawnshop for him, and he's not even grateful, he looks down on me."
"Speak quietly, don't let them hear you." Huang Youdao realized that Zhang Si had no idea about Boss He's difficulties. It was then that he discovered Tao Yue hadn't explained the whole story to Zhang Si.
Judging from his daily behavior, Tao Yue had always treated Zhang Si as an elder brother. But from this situation, it seemed Tao Yue hadn't told Zhang Si many things. Huang Youdao had been studying frequently lately and no longer lived solely by emotions as he did before. He had started to use his brain. Because of this, he felt that Tao Yue had a secret he couldn't reveal.
...
Especially on the way home, Huang Youdao saw that the bowl Tao Yue brought back was not taken away, and he knew that Tao Yue had put the bowl to use. Originally, Huang Youdao was somewhat looking forward to Zhang Si erupting in anger at home due to unfair treatment. But he didn't expect this conflict to be quietly resolved by Tao Yue. Tao Yue gave Zhang Si all the red envelopes for him and Tao Xiaoniu, then asked for the money for a candied haw, and bought Tao Xiaoniu a candied haw.
And so, the whole family happily returned to the Western-style house!
...
This matter passed without a ripple. After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Boss Wang of the bun shop returned from his hometown and reopened for business. Huang Youdao had nothing to do, so he cheerfully went to pay his New Year's respects. Boss Wang gave Huang Youdao a dollar in New Year's money and also gave Huang Youdao hot meat buns. While eating the buns, Huang Youdao heard something. People were whispering that after the New Year, they would redeem the treasures they had pawned at Dewang Pawnshop before the festival. Huang Youdao inquired and learned that the common people all knew that Dewang Pawnshop wouldn't last long.
So, that's what happened? Pawnshops operated without business licenses, doing business in secret. During holidays, the pawnshop owners had to give gifts to those in charge. This year, during the New Year, Boss He of Dewang gave a Song Dynasty official kiln white porcelain bowl to the official. This bowl was worth thousands of silver dollars in the old society. As living conditions improved, antiques would become even more valuable.
However, Boss Zhu of the neighboring pawnshop wanted to monopolize the business. Moreover, he knew the background of this white porcelain bowl. He gave the official a fake, which made Boss Zhu laugh in his sleep. He immediately went to the official's home, not only giving money but also revealing that the white porcelain bowl was a fake.
Now, people in the neighborhood, spreading the word from one to ten, ten to a hundred, all said that Dewang Pawnshop would close before the end of the first lunar month. Everyone was borrowing money to redeem their treasures. In contrast, Boss Zhu's side was thriving, monopolizing the business and setting low prices. The common people suffered, as they could not redeem their items and then pawn them again immediately, as they would lose a lot of money.
...
Huang Youdao didn't understand at all. He took two large meat buns back for Tao Xiaoniu to eat and ran back to the Western-style house. As soon as he got home, he heard Tao Xiaoniu crying outside and Tao Yue coughing violently inside.
Seeing Huang Youdao, Tao Xiaoniu ran over crying and said, "Brother, don't want her anymore."
Huang Youdao handed the buns to Tao Xiaoniu, held her, and smiled, "No, no, I'll talk to brother." After saying that, Huang Youdao carried Tao Xiaoniu into the house. Tao Yue shouted from inside, "Don't come in! We'll talk outside in a moment."
After a while, Tao Yue finally came out of the room. Huang Youdao saw Tao Yue burying some bloody rags in the yard.
"What's going on? Old Tao."
"From today onwards, you and Tao Xiaoniu will live in your house."
"What do you mean?"
Boss He's pawnshop closed. Boss Zhu didn't fare well either after the first lunar month. He was also arrested and imprisoned for bribery.