The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 44

Chapter 44

After seeing Rong Xiang off, Xu Kaicheng sat alone in the room for a while longer.

This whole sea-salt refinement business really had been one thing leading to another—an idea that had come to him in a flash of inspiration. For half his previous life, he'd been chasing a better life, clawing his way upward. How would he ever have had time to study ancient history?

Whatever common knowledge he had came mostly from history textbooks back in school, supplemented by the occasional period drama he'd stumbled across after entering society.

The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 43

Chapter 43

On just the third day of making a profit, Xu Kaicheng started buying up sea salt in bulk.

Not the edible kind—rather, the inedible industrial salt produced by directly evaporating seawater under the sun.

Although this was a fictional ancient society that didn't follow the standard historical timeline, because it was, after all, written by Chinese authors, everything prior to the Tang Dynasty was still acknowledged as real history here.

The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 42

Chapter 42 

"Huahong, we've been living here for a month now. Go buy some good meat and vegetables—tonight we'll invite Brother Lu over to sit with us for a while."

At the only table in the room, Song Yue took out her jewelry—something she rarely did. She changed into a beautiful outfit and put on ornaments she hadn't worn in a long time. The somewhat cloudy bronze mirror still reflected a beautiful woman.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Song Yue grew even more certain of her choice. She, Song Yue, was born for a life of wealth and privilege — she wasn't brought into this world to suffer.

The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 41

Chapter 41 

It turns out human nature doesn't stand up to close scrutiny.

Xu Kaicheng stood on the hillside, shaking his head and clicking his tongue. The small village below wasn't particularly poor, thanks to its proximity to the capital. Even early in the morning, the sound of earnest recitation could be heard.

According to intelligence reports, this village alone had twelve tongsheng and as many as three xiucai. And last year, it had even produced Lu Lande, a juren. For a tiny village of a hundred households, that was quite the concentration of talent.

The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 40

Chapter 40

"Young Master, Young Madam, we're coming in!"

Zhao Cuihua's voice interrupted the silent standoff between the two people in the room. Xu Kaicheng was full of helplessness, but Song Yao looked left and right, refusing to meet his eyes.

Xu Kaicheng didn't let go of the person. He just sat at the head of the bed holding him and responded. Zhao Cuihua came in with Chunmei. Seeing the situation inside, Zhao Cuihua didn't react much, but Chunmei directly knelt down.

The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Song Ping was very efficient. Soon, a coachman named Song An appeared by Xu Kaicheng's side—almost identical in appearance to Song Ping.

As for cleaning up the mountain, Song Ping went over and took on the role of a overseer. With Xu Kaicheng sparing no expense and prioritizing speed, and before Zhao Guangming even realized what was happening, all one thousand and nine members of the Black Flag Order were summoned.

What does it mean for a thousand people to comb through a mountain together?

The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Yang Wanhe's eyes were full of smiles and warmth, giving Xu Kaicheng all the moral support he needed. His face was flushed red, but his gaze gradually grew resolute. "That's exactly it, Grandfather. I really enjoy what I'm doing right now. They say building bridges and paving roads is a tremendous good deed—I just want to do lots and lots of good deeds."

Xu Gandang gazed at his grandson. The young man was also around twenty, and it seemed like the first time Xu Gandang had truly looked at his grown grandson so formally. Although his features bore much resemblance to Yang Wanhe, that determined look in his eyes made him seem to see his most beloved son from the past. 

The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 37

Chapter 37

"Buying grain?" Xiong Hong was briefly stunned.

Xu Kaicheng turned back and gave him a meaningful look, then slowly began measuring the room's dimensions with his footsteps. "It's already late in the sixth lunar month. I hear winter sets in at Liexi Pass by the tenth lunar month." 

Xiong Hong wiped the smile from his face and pressed his lips tightly together. He watched Xu Kaicheng with burning eyes, waiting for what would come next.

Xu Kaicheng didn't disappoint him.

The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 36

Chapter 36 

"Shut up! Who's your sister?!" The shrill scream made everyone frown.

Wei Cai'e was the only one who straightened up as if nothing had happened. She smoothed her disheveled bun with both hands and put on the dignified air of the First Madam. "Father, I know you suspect that Mother's death has something to do with me, but my conscience is clear, and since I didn't do it, I'm not afraid of an investigation. If you don't believe me, I can have a physician and a coroner examine the body to find out what really happened."

That one sentence changed the expressions of everyone in the room. Song Yao finally understood what was going on.

The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Xu Kaicheng wanted to avoid trouble, but trouble was determined to smash right into him.

Less than half an hour after washing up, word came from the main courtyard telling him to hurry over. On the way, he ran into Yang Wanhe, who had also been summoned, and Xu Kaicheng quickly stepped forward to support her.

Yang Wanhe squeezed his hand twice. Neither mother nor son spoke. They kept their faces calm, as if they knew nothing, and followed the servant leading the way.

The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 34

Chapter 34  

On the night of the wedding, Yang Wanhe and Zhao Guangming had worked together to lure the people from Linlang Pavilion away, but after Wei Cai'e regained control the next day, those people never returned. Only one meal was sent to Linlang Pavilion each day, and it was only enough for Song Yao alone. And even that had only been arranged because Zhao Guangming had specifically intervened.

All of this was fact, and Song Yao wasn't the least bit afraid of Xu Kaixuan looking into it.

The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 33

Chapter 33 

"Grandfather? What's going on?" Xu Kaixuan glanced at Wei Cai'e, who was slumped on the ground, and did not rush to plead for her.

From the moment the door opened, the expressions of both people in the room had been changing. The killing intent around Xu Gandang had disappeared, and he simply watched Xu Kaixuan quietly. Wei Cai'e's eyes suddenly lit up, as if the most money-loving person had laid eyes on a mountain of gold.

"Wuu wuu, Kaixuan, Kaixuan, quick, persuade the Marquis. Mother really didn't do it on purpose. It's just that last night there was some commotion on your grandmother's side, so I was busy all night.

The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 32

Chapter 32

"The Marquis of Jing'an household is grand and powerful, and it is my Song family who has aimed too high in marrying into it. If the Marquis of Jing'an looks down on the daughter of the Song family, just say so outright. We Song family women are not the kind to shamelessly cling to the marquis household."

The sun had just passed noon, and in ordinary households, people were still not awake from their afternoon naps. Madam Song arrived at the main gate of the Marquis of Jing'an household with a group of servants and began shouting for someone to come out.

Reborn: Back to the 1980s Chapter 88 (End)

Chapter 88: Going Home

Guan Manxing and Li Jianguo were afraid that if they delayed too long, Zhao Shenggu and Guan Yuan would leave. After getting the news at the factory, they bought a few things at the mall and hurried over to Guan Guo's house. Guan Yuan and Zhao Shenggu were playing in the yard with Chanchan when they heard Guan Manxing's voice from outside the gate: "Why are you stopping me? I'm Xiao Yuan's aunt. Xiao Yuan, your aunt's come to see you…"

It turned out that when Guan Manxing and Li Jianguo arrived at Guan Guo's house and tried to go inside, the bodyguards stopped them.

Reborn: Back to the 1980s Chapter 87

Chapter 87: Cleaning House

"Th-this... I... Boss Zhao, this is my failure to manage properly. I will investigate thoroughly!"

Zhao Shenggu said nothing and simply threw a stack of papers in front of him. Manager Qian picked them up and read through them, his face growing paler by the second. In the end, he actually fell off his chair.

"Boss Zhao, I was blinded by greed, I—" The documents laid out in detail every abuse of his position: pulling strings to get people into the company, taking kickbacks, embezzling assets, and having improper relationships with female employees.

The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 31

Chapter 31

[Ding, Affection Points increased by one thousand.]

"Huh?" Xu Kaicheng had just stepped out of a grain shop when the sudden notification sound left him bewildered. He opened the detailed list with his mind, and it only showed that Song Yao had helped him gain one thousand Affection Points.

He looked up at the sky. The midday sun was blinding, and his head felt just as dizzy.

Reborn: Back to the 1980s Chapter 86

Chapter 86: The Look of Love

Guan Yuan and Zhao Shenggu had no idea that a photo of them had already gone viral online, spreading at hurricane speed. After the traveler returned to his hotel, he posted the photo he had taken on his blog. His blog had many followers, and whether or not they knew Guan Yuan and Zhao Shenggu, everyone was stunned by the photo.

"Holy crap, isn't this the Century Couple?! What are they doing in the countryside? Never mind, oh my heart, so handsome, so handsome!" 

"This is major dog abuse — watching this makes me want to find someone of the same sex to date."

The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 30

Chapter 30 

On the day of the bride's three-day return visit to her family home, Xu Kaixuan was predictably absent.

It was unclear what Wei Cai'e and Xu Kaixuan had said to each other, but after the "tea ceremony" on the first day ended, Xu Kaixuan went straight to the military camp on the outskirts of the capital.

Wei Cai'e, who normally wished she could keep Xu Kaixuan by her side every hour of the day, surprisingly went three whole days this time without sending her son a single message.

Reborn: Back to the 1980s Chapter 85 Part 2

The people from the county were furious—especially the county chief, who was so angry he could have eaten the whole family alive. What kind of nonsense was this? They were there, humbly asking Zhao Shenggu for help, and right in front of him, people had come to lodge a complaint—and the complaint was about disobedience and unfilial behavior.

County Chief Zhao told them to get up first.

Li Xiucui's family wouldn't listen, crying as if they had suffered some enormous injustice. The people of Guanjia Village gathered around, pointing and whispering.

The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"Hey, have you heard? The young master of the Marquis of Jing'an household sent a lot of supplies to the charity homes."

"What? Which charity home?"

"All of them in the capital. I just passed through the inner city and saw several rice shops delivering goods. Gave me quite a fright—I thought grain prices in the capital were about to change. I rushed over to ask and found out it was the young master of the Marquis of Jing'an household doing a good deed, buying rice and grain for all the charity homes."

Reborn: Back to the 1980s Chapter 85 Part 1

Chapter 85: Tattling

Guan Yuan and Zhao Shenggu led Chanchan through the old house, inspecting it carefully. An unoccupied house, no matter how cleanly swept, always carries a faint musty smell.

Chanchan chased dragonflies in the courtyard. The autumn sunlight fell across the spacious yard, and the growth and fading of life seemed to blend together in a strange harmony. Zhao Shenggu held Guan Yuan close, as if he knew what Guan Yuan was thinking. "It's fine. Wherever we are, that's our home!"

Guan Yuan let out a soft laugh and nuzzled against his chest. "Yeah, wherever we are is home. This was once our home."

The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 28

Chapter 28

The new bride couldn't get out of bed, so the morning tea ceremony had to be shelved.

Yang Wanhe handed over power readily—once the account books were given, she left. Xu Kaicheng played the invisible man the whole time, and when his mother left, he followed.

Ignoring whatever disputes might follow among the three people left in the hall, mother and son walked out without a word, only slowing their pace once they reached the West Courtyard.

"Mother?"

Reborn: Back to the 1980s Chapter 84

Chapter 84: Human Nature

After Guan Mancang and Yang Feifang were thrown out, Chanchan pursed his little lips and huffed, "Hmph! How dare you scold my daddy!"

Li Ying certainly didn't object to Zhao Shenggu having the two of them tossed out — in fact, she found it quite satisfying. 

Guan Guo was a bit worried, though: "Xiao Yuan, no matter what, they're still your elders. Throwing them out like that — I'm afraid it won't look good for your reputation."

The Villain's Counterattack Chapter 27

Chapter 27

It was an ordinary morning, and yet it was not an ordinary morning at all.

Song Yao took two steps toward the small room and nearly fell. Xu Kaicheng had sharp eyes and quickly rushed over to carry him into the adjacent room. After a moment's thought, he asked Song Yao's permission and gave him a dose of the same knockout incense that had been given to Xu Kaixuan the night before

The pale-faced man slipped into a deep, dark slumber while, in the neighboring bedroom, Zhao Momo frantically fabricated evidence.

Reborn: Back to the 1980s Chapter 83

Chapter 83: Old Acquaintances

Zhao Shenggu and Guan Yuan's grand arrival stirred up the whole village. People gathered around. Although Guan Yuan and Zhao Shenggu still had a trace of their childhood appearance, their bearing was completely different now. Some people secretly guessed who they were, but seeing that they clearly looked wealthy and distinguished, they didn't dare step forward to ask.

Then Li Ying passed by and saw that Guan Yuan and Zhao Shenggu had actually come back. She cried out in surprise, "Xiao Yuan, Shenggu, why are you back?"