Chapter 1 After Waking Up

  Chapter 1 After Waking Up

  He stared blankly at the luxurious bedroom in front of him, which was full of traditional features of Ming and Qing dynasties' home furnishings, and for a moment he still couldn't believe that he had actually traveled through time!

  As a 21st-century Chinese youth who had received quality education and developed morally, intellectually, physically, aesthetically, and laboriously in an all-around way, he could never have imagined that something like "crossing over" would happen to him. However, when he lifted his hands, they were obviously smaller by several sizes, delicate, tender, and pale, and combined with the memories left in this body, it made it even harder for him to find any excuse.

  "Alas, although I envied the 'time-travelers', I never thought I'd have such a day myself. Truly, it's hard to predict the ways of the world!" Huo Shan sighed and shook his head, thinking to himself.

  Fortunately, in his previous life, he was an orphan who had been studying for over a decade. After graduating from a somewhat well-known technical school majoring in "Mechanical Automation", he started working at a small machinery factory. Apart from some online friends who were "angry youth", he didn't have many friends around him. As a young man with no car, no house, and no girlfriend, his personality was also somewhat introverted, so he hadn't had any romantic relationships either. Although his life was indeed quite miserable, it could also be said that he was carefree.

  "Let it be another unsolved mystery for the society of past lives!" Huo Shan couldn't help but mock himself in his heart.

  Dazed and dizzy, he looked around at his surroundings and a satisfied expression appeared on his face. Although he still didn't know what era he was in now, judging from the elegant and refined room decorations, he knew that this was at least a wealthy family.

  "At least I won't go hungry!"

  In his previous life, he had experienced the bitter memory of eating only one meal a day, which made him think of having enough food and clothing first, before anything else.

  Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel a little excited. Usually, it was just watching others travel to the past or future online, building achievements, becoming kings and overlords, surrounded by beauties, with an air of grandeur. Now it's finally his turn.

  He reached out to lift the quilt off his body, turned over and got out of bed, put on those obviously several sizes too small, exquisitely crafted cloth shoes! After standing up and walking a few steps, Huo Shan only then discovered that there was something heavy at the back of his head.

  "Could it be that his hair was too long." With some doubt in his mind, he couldn't help but stretch out his hand behind him and sweep it back, instantly, a shiny black braid appeared before his eyes.

  "Pigtails? Are we in the Qing dynasty now?"

  Although he inherited most of the memories of this body, but obviously not old enough, except for playing and remembering more clearly, other memories were a mess, upside down, and Huo Shan didn't pay much attention.

  "Never mind, since we're already here, let's make the best of it! When we get to the mountain, there will be a way!"

  Thinking of this, Huo Shan couldn't help but shake his head. He casually tossed his braid behind him and reached out to grab the clothes that were obviously his from the nearby clothes rack. The 21st century's Qing dynasty dramas had all been filmed to death, and having returned from an era of knowledge explosion, he still had some understanding of life in this era. Although these clothes were very ancient, they didn't stump him, and he quickly put them on.

  Ouch!

  The tightly closed door was pushed open from the outside, and a pretty little girl about eleven or twelve years old, wearing a red flowered jacket with two small braids tied behind her head, walked in.

  Looking at him who was already dressed, the little girl's expression obviously stunned for a moment, then she hurriedly ran over, stretched out her tender white hand as if it could pinch out water, and helped him smooth out the wrinkles on his clothes. "Young master, how did you get dressed by yourself today? Xiaobi was going to call you!" The little girl said while helping him tidy up his clothes.

  When she said that, Huo Shan's face turned red as he shook his head and hastily stopped her, saying in a low voice: "Alright, alright! I'll do it myself, I can put on my own clothes!" It was the first time in over twenty years of his past life that someone had taken care of him like this, especially a beautiful young girl.

  The young girl, although not very old, looked like she was her personal maid with her quick movements. "Alas, it's really corrupt, no wonder everyone wants to be rich!" He Shan sighed secretly in his heart.

  After hearing his words, the little girl's hand paused, her bright and clear big eyes suspiciously looked him up and down, making Huo Shan feel uneasy in his heart, thinking that she had discovered something!

  "Young master is acting strange today, isn't Ping'er usually serving you like this? What's going on today!" As she spoke, the little girl pouted her small mouth, and a thick mist rose in her beautiful big eyes, as if she was about to cry: "Does young master despise Ping'er?"

  Looking at the little girl about to cry, Huo Shan not only felt a severe headache, but also had zero experience in dealing with the opposite sex in his previous life as a flower-like gentleman. He wanted to help her wipe away her tears, but was afraid of committing some taboo, after all, this was the Qing Dynasty where etiquette was strict. For a moment, he didn't know what to do either.

  "Alright, don't cry, can't I just take it back? As long as you're not crying, everything is fine."

  Looking at him being busy and flustered, the little girl couldn't help but giggle. She stretched out her small hand to wipe away the tears on her face, pouting her mouth and saying: "This is what Young Master said, you can't go back on your word!"

  Looking at her smiling face, with long eyelashes still hanging with tears, speaking softly and gently, Huo Shan knew very clearly that he was not a lolicon, but he was still stunned by the lovely appearance of little girl Ping'er Yuxue.

  Noticing the young master's gaze on her, Ping'er's face involuntarily flushed with two lovely rosy hues. She gently pushed him away and whispered: "Young Master, you're dressed now, I'll call them in for you later!"

  "Master's clothes are ready, you can come in now!"

  In her crisp voice, the delicate door creaked open from the outside. Four seventeen- or eighteen-year-old women with neat and tidy hair, dressed in maids' uniforms, walked in one after another, each carrying washing utensils.

  "It seems that from now on I will also be a 'young master' level figure!" He Shan thought to himself with some secret delight.

  Under Ping'er's care, after washing his face and brushing his teeth with salt, he not only missed the soap and toothpaste of modern society, but also secretly decided that if he had the chance, he would definitely solve these problems first, otherwise he would have to endure this suffering every morning.

  "Sprout, is the young master dressed yet?" Just as Huo Shan finished wiping his face and tidying up his clothes, a thick, aged voice came from outside the door.

  "Alright, Fu Bo! Young Master is coming out."

  As soon as the little girl's voice fell, the light in the house dimmed slightly, and a tall, white-haired old man strode in, sizing him up before speaking with a warm smile: "Young master, come with me, madam is waiting for you to have breakfast in the front courtyard!"

  "Alright, Uncle Fu. Let's go then."

  The old man's eyes flashed with a hint of suspicion after listening, he wasn't like Ping'er, that little girl, having lived for most of his life, his discerning eye was quite accurate. Although he didn't know what was wrong, the young master in front of him had clearly changed from before.

  Looking at the bewildered expression on his face, Huo Shan was secretly shocked in his heart. He naturally understood that as someone from the 21st century who had lived for over 20 years and possessed rich knowledge and open-minded thinking, he would inevitably carry a unique aura about him that set him apart from others. Although no one could have anticipated this kind of thing happening, now that he was in ancient times, he also had to be careful not to reveal his true nature.

  Recalling the information left in my mind and comparing it with my actions.

  "It's better if you don't reveal your true nature." Huo Shan thought to himself.

  Following the old man, looking at the carved corridor with beautiful flower patterns in the courtyard, the unique fake mountains, and various ornamental trees, Huo Shan couldn't help but secretly marvel at the scale and scenery of this courtyard. Even an ordinary wealthy family can't achieve this.

  "How much money is this going to cost?!" Huo Shan thought involuntarily as a miser.

  After walking out of his residence for about four or five minutes, he finally arrived at the familiar courtyard where he usually had meals. Crossing the threshold, he saw a woman in her thirties sitting in the main seat, dressed elegantly and with an air of majesty. Following his previous body's habits, Huo Shan walked up to the woman with a respectful expression and asked softly: "Child greets mother!"

  She stroked her son's head, and a loving smile spread across her face, with doting eyes that only grew more affectionate.

  "Alright, Shan'er, hurry up and eat your meal, Mom still has something to say to you later!"

  "Oh, I see!" He muttered to himself about the coincidence of having the same name as this body, then stood up and sat down on a nearby stool.

  Looking at the exquisite pastries on the table, Huo Shan's stomach growled involuntarily, apparently he was really hungry.

  "Alright, eat quickly. Here, Mother has prepared your favorite Osmanthus cake."

  Looking at the woman's face with a loving expression, Huo Shan's heart warmed up. As an orphan in his previous life, he had never experienced the warmth of motherly love. At this moment, his appetite suddenly opened up, and he grabbed the exquisite pastries on the table, stuffing them into his mouth.

  Chinese etiquette is strict and has many rules, one of which is not to talk while eating, so the dining hall is very quiet. After about a minute of eating and drinking enough, Huo Shan picked up the white handkerchief on the table and wiped his mouth, patting his small belly contentedly.

  To say the least, the quality of this meal is enough to match that of a five-star hotel in later generations. He was enjoying such a fine meal for the first time, so his table manners were inevitably a bit awkward.

  However, it wasn't until he put down the hand that had been wiping his mouth and looked up that he discovered the strange colors on the faces of the people around him. His heart skipped a beat as he silently exclaimed, "It's bad!"

  Just now I was too busy eating and completely forgot that he is still a young kid, and his table manners were also quite poor. This is a wealthy family, there must be many rules to follow. At this moment, I couldn't help but feel uneasy in my heart.

  "Mom, I just got up and I'm starving, so..."!

  Upon hearing this, a strange expression flashed across the woman's face. She also felt that her son was somewhat different from usual today, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. Of course, something like crossing over into another world was beyond the imagination of people in this ignorant and backward era.

  "Alright, since you like it so much, I'll make it for you again next time."

  "I remember Mother!"

  "Ah, Shan'er, after the New Year you'll be 12 years old. So your mother has found another teacher for you to continue studying. When you grow up and become an adult, you can also inherit our family business." The woman finished speaking, looked out at the sky outside, then turned to the maid beside her and said: "Xiao Mei, go ask Fu Bo if Huang Xiansheng has arrived?"

  Just as Xiaomei was about to go out, the tall old man who had brought Huo Shan to the cafeteria earlier quickly walked in.

  "Madam, Mr. Huang has arrived and is waiting in the living room of the front yard!" Fu Bo said with a respectful expression.

  "Is that so? Well, let's go then..." The woman said with a joyful face as she stood up.

  ——————

  Looking at the simple and elegant decorations in the living room, Huang Sheng couldn't help but sigh. It had been decades since he returned to his hometown after graduating from university. He was now a family man with five children. As time passed, his youthful passion for serving the country had been worn away by the feudal ignorance and pressures of life at home. This time, he came to the Ho's house to be a tutor for the young master, partly because of a friend's request who had once helped him, and also because of the monthly salary of 50 silver dollars.

  Thinking of this, Huang Sheng couldn't help but let out a deep sigh, picked up the tea on the table, took a sip, and calmed down his somewhat turbulent emotions.

  Just then, uneven footsteps sounded outside the door.

  "Hello Mr. Huang, sorry to keep you waiting for so long!"

  "Oh no, Mrs. Huo, you're too kind!"

  Huoshan, who followed his mother into the house, had been sizing up this man who might soon become his teacher. He was not tall, probably around 1.7 meters, which wasn't considered short in this era. He had a square face and wore a long robe, but didn't have a queue, which was quite rare in the Qing dynasty.

  "Come here, Mountain. This is the teacher your mother found for you, Mr. Huang Gongshi. He graduated from St Martin's University in England, so you must study hard, do you understand?" The woman pulled out Hoshan who was following behind her and said to him with a serious face.

  "Understood, disciple Huo Shan greets the teacher!" Although he was surprised by the identity and experience of the person in front of him, his mature mind quickly reacted, and he hastily ran to the middle-aged man in front of him and bowed respectfully.

  Although he still doesn't know which period of the Qing dynasty he is in, every foreign university graduate in this era is an elite in national society. Although he has knowledge far beyond this era, a capable, knowledgeable and open-minded teacher is still very satisfying. After all, he doesn't want to spend his days shaking his head and nodding to the Four Books and Five Classics either, or else he would have suffocated to death.

  "Good boy, get up quickly, as long as you study hard from now on!" Huang Sheng quickly got up and stretched out his hand to help the young man in front of him.

  Although I don't know what this young man's character is like, judging from his humble attitude towards himself just now, at the very least he is a good child who respects his teacher and values morality. With that said, he nodded his head in satisfaction, turned around and said: "Madam Huo, I've taken this child as my disciple, when do you think I should start teaching him?"

  After listening to his words, the woman couldn't help but smile and say: "Sorry to trouble you, sir. Since you just arrived from Hong Kong today, why don't you take a rest for a day first? I'll have someone find a place for you to stay, and then tomorrow you can give lessons to Shan'er, how does that sound?"

  "Alright then, I'll follow your instructions. I'll go back to the hotel and pack my luggage first, and come over again tomorrow!"

  "Alright then, I'll call a few people to go with you, they can also lend a hand!"

  "Thank you very much!"