Chapter 7 of Volume 1: Offering Advice

  In the evening, my old man came back dusty and tired, followed by my old mother who carried a full basket of vegetables. (Ha eighteen pure text) Looking at my young father who looked twenty years younger, I suddenly had an idea. My father was just a famous teacher, even after retirement, there was no guarantee. Why not do something bigger now? Thinking about the future, there are many famous schools and kindergartens, my father should be familiar with these things, why not open a kindergarten at home, specializing in preschool children.

  Alright, I'll do it then. I'll tell her during dinner tonight. With my mind made up, I headed to the kitchen to help out Mom.

  "Xiao Yun, whose clothes are you wearing?" Mom looked at me strangely, oh no, I forgot about this. I turned around and asked with a smile: "Mom, do I look good in it?" Mom smiled and nodded: "Yeah, you look great. Where did it come from?"

  I smiled slyly: "Take a closer look." Mom looked puzzled, shaking her head and saying: "Never seen it before." "Really never seen it?" I asked. Mom furrowed her brow, somewhat hesitant: "It seems a bit familiar."

  I smiled and said, "That's right. This was originally my old clothes, but I slightly modified them." My mother looked at me in disbelief: "You changed it?" I nodded affirmatively and said, "How is it? Not bad, right? It's the real thing!" I joked with a smile, "Otherwise, mom, you don't have to farm anymore, change your career!"

  "Nonsense, if we don't farm, what will we eat?" Mom refused outright. I said seriously: "I guarantee you'll eat even better." Mom burst out laughing: "You little scamp, what can you use to guarantee that?" "Then wait and see, I'll prove it to you right away."

  After finishing, I turned around and ran to the room. Found paper and pen, closed my eyes and thought for a moment, then brushed out several simple sketches of clothes many years later, and rushed back to the kitchen, holding the drawings in my hand and said to my mother: "Look, I guarantee it's here."

  My mother came over and asked, "What is it?" I said proudly, "It's definitely something you're good at, but also something you can't think of." My mother took the drawing paper and looked at it seriously. As she looked, she nodded: "Hmm, that's really the case. This style of clothing has never been seen before, did you think of it?"

  "Oh, I guess so. I don't know where I saw it before, but I just remembered it. Anyway, no one wears it now, Mom, you can make it, right? We've always worn the clothes you made for us." My mom thought for a moment and said, "I can make it, but..." I interrupted her, "As long as you can make it, that's all that matters. Let's just say it's settled then. I'll go talk to Dad about it."

  While having dinner, I said to my dad: "Dad, I think mom works too hard in the fields. I'm planning to let her change jobs. Do you agree?" My dad looked at us with a puzzled expression: "Change jobs? Doing what?" Mom shook her head and said: "Don't listen to the kid, she's just joking!"

  I said seriously: "What I'm saying is true, mom can make clothes and I can draw, mom can open a clothing store in the town, it's definitely going to make a lot of money." Dad listened with some interest: "Oh, you can draw? What do you draw?" I took out the fashion drawing I drew before and handed it to dad. Dad put on his glasses and looked at it carefully, chuckling while saying: "Hmm, kiddo, when did you learn how to draw? It's actually pretty good."

  I thought to myself, I'm an art teacher, how can I not draw well? "Oh, I've liked doodling since I was a kid, you know. Later on, I just learned from books by myself." I'm really talented, it just comes naturally.

  "Girl, what you said is important. I'll discuss it with your mom carefully. After all, opening a store isn't a small matter, we need to prepare many things. We can't neglect the house either, the land still needs to be cultivated." I thought about it too, I couldn't just rush into it and become complacent, I was too impatient.

  I took a bite of the green vegetables, and then another mouthful of rice. I should eat more of this pure green food. "Eat slowly, your brother is not at home, no one will fight with you for it." My mom reminded me, "Sigh, tomorrow is school day, and we only get to see each other once a week. The house suddenly becomes empty!

  "Oh no, whatever you do, don't greet the teacher, she'll say I'm showing favoritism." I waved my hands repeatedly. Dad also nodded: "Since it's so close by, I can go visit her anytime."

  What, no way! I'm completely speechless. I remember when I was in junior high school, my teacher would often report to my dad about my situation at school. I didn't think it would still be like this. Looking at my dad, I suddenly thought of one more thing that I almost forgot. Right, let's keep my dad busy, then he won't have time to bother me.

  I hastily said to Dad, "Dad, I think that since Mom is going to change her career, shouldn't you also make some changes?" Dad was taken aback and smiled, saying, "Okay, then what do you think I should change into?"

  I shook my head, and recited the "Three Character Classic": "Man's nature at birth is good. Their natures are similar, but their habits make them different. If not taught, their nature will change. The way of teaching is to value being specialized..." My dad and mom looked at me with a puzzled expression. I stopped and asked: "Is this the 'Three Character Classic'?" Dad nodded without saying anything.

  "What I mean is, Dad, you can open a kindergarten and teach the kids to recite the Three Character Classic and Tang poetry, sing nursery rhymes, play games and so on. This is your forte. And I guarantee it will be very successful."

  "Dad looked like he couldn't believe it: 'Me, open a kindergarten? How is that possible?' 'Then don't open a kindergarten, open a private school instead.' I ventured to say. Mom tapped my head with her chopsticks and laughed: 'The more you talk, the more nonsense you speak! Can you just open a school if you want to? That takes a lot of money, doesn't it? And doesn't it need government approval too?'"

  Dad furrowed his brow and thought for a moment, saying: "In recent years, I've heard that some people have stopped their salaries to start businesses, but I don't know if anyone has been successful?" I immediately responded: "Yes, many people have become millionaires."

  "How did you know?" Dad asked strangely. "I heard it on the TV at that person's house... someone else's house." I quickly came up with an excuse. Anyway, we didn't have a TV at home, and only about ten households in the whole village had TVs, which were black and white. When I was free, I would go to other people's homes to watch.

  Dad nodded, without any suspicion: "I'm over 50 too, and I've been poor for most of my life. It's time to make a change. Not just for myself, but also for the kids." Dad said seriously: "Girl, you're all grown up now and have your own thoughts. I won't interfere with your studies. As for what you said, I'll think about it carefully." I nodded happily. You can search for "Rebirth on the Road to Youth Chapter 18" on Baidu.