A Republican-Era Small-Time Merchant

(An alternate Republic of China era. Updates are irregular, but I’m doing my best to post daily.) I The Bai family of the northern lands had been wealthy merchants for a hundred years. The family head, Bai Rongjiu, was cold and unfeeling, until one day he fell for someone and took him in. Ninth Master made it clear: even if he died, nobody else would be allowed to lay a finger on that person. In life, he belonged to Ninth Master; in death, he would go with him. But when Bai Rongjiu really did die, Xie Jing was still alive and well. His master had paved the way for him, leaving him with a smooth road ahead and enough to survive in these troubled times. After guarding the grave for ten years, Xie Jing opened his eyes and found himself back in his youth. The chaos had yet to begin, and there was still time to change everything! II Xie Jing returned to the winter when he was thirteen, once the hardest year of his life. This time, though, everything would be different. Ninth Master took the little wolf cub in early and taught him everything himself. The child he raised by his side grew in the blink of an eye into a handsome young man. Only his eyes remained the same as in childhood, shining especially brightly whenever he saw Ninth Master. Many years later, Ninth Master asked young Xie, “Why are you so good to me?” Xie Jing replied, “Because there’s no one else in this world who treats me as well as you do.” Ninth Master asked again, “Then do you know why I’m only good to you?” Xie Jing’s ears turned red. “I-I know.” Xie Jing learned the answer from a love letter. It was only ten words long, and every bit as domineering as Ninth Master himself: “The south wind has yet to rise. I miss you until it becomes an illness, incurable.” But Ninth Master didn’t know that Xie Jing had come from more than ten years in the future. His longing for him had sunk to the bone, and no passing years could cure it. III [Bonus scene] One day, Ninth Master was strict while teaching him, and young Xie took it all in stride. Bystander: He’s scolding you. Young Xie, solemnly: Ninth Master is kind to everyone. He never scolds people. Bystander: I heard him scolding someone today! Young Xie: It’s because they keep making him angry. Bystander: ??? Another day, Xie Jing used a few tricks to secure three shops for Ninth Master. Bystander: You might not know this, but young Xie can be pretty calculating too. Ninth Master: Nonsense. There’s no one more innocent than him in the whole world. Bystander: ??? An older man spoils his sweetheart. They’re both wearing a thousand layers of rose-colored glasses for each other. A dark, obsessive big shot takes in a little wolf cub, only for his home-raised cub to turn out obedient. Together, they build their fortunes in the Republic of China era. A story of two people being ridiculously sweet and living it up: even a forcibly picked melon can be sweet. [Next novel up for preorder]: Themes include returning to the 1990s, a leisurely life running a country inn back home, a cultivation big shot who is reborn, surviving among the insectoid race, life as a student in another world, The Mermaid Pearl (raising a merfolk), and the joys of cuddling dragon babies. These are just some of the possibilities. New recipes, familiar flavors: guaranteed sweetness! If you’re interested, visit my author page and pre-save Sweet Treats. A heartfelt thank-you, delivered with a full-body tiger pounce! [Other completed novels] Reborn childhood friends: Back to 1988, Back to 1995 Sweet romances about two people falling in love: Contract Couple, Mr. Gingerbread Book Transmigration: The Lucky Charm Lives Next Door to the Male God Theme: A true hero serves the nation and its people.