Honey, you didn’t really drugged me, did you?

Chapter 63: Chapter 63 at paragraph 94, this kindness must be remembered for a lifetime!

People are inherently ambitious; who doesn’t want to stand out?

However, the ossification of class resulted in the blockade of social mobility, stripping many of the opportunity to ever stand out in their lifetime!

Daqian was an imperial dynasty with rigid class stratification and blocked channels for upward mobility.

Founded by a foreign ethnicity, the caste system was stringent, and the Han people were third-class citizens.

The obstruction of social mobility was most evident in the severing of the path of imperial examinations. If a Han person wanted to become an official, they had to find a good master, become attached to them, and gain power as house slaves.

This was a display of insecurity from a foreign ethnicity.

The base of the Han people was too large. In contrast, the Mulan people were far fewer, and they feared that one day the Han people might gain power and overthrow them.

Even Bo Yan, a powerful official of the current court, proposed a policy to Emperor Shun: exterminate the five major surnames!

The gist was: the Han population was too large and unstable; to reduce their numbers, and since the Zhang, Wang, Liu, Li, and Zhao families were the most populous, killing off these five surnames would decrease the Han population by one-fifth!

Therefore, they would no longer pose a threat to Daqian!

Fortunately, there were clear-headed individuals in the government who vetoed this proposal, otherwise, the world would not only be dealing with the rebels of the Zoroastrian Sect at this time.

This showed the attitude of the Mulan people toward the Han people.

Thus, in those days, if one wished to rise above their station, the route through the government was blocked; only the guilds, which held the rights at the grassroots level, were the object of commoners’ aspirations.

Look at that fishery staff position; it’s a very good job. On normal days, you are sheltered from the wind and rain and even get to manage the fishermen, a status highly esteemed in society.

In the countryside, if you mention to someone, “I am a fishery staff member,”

everyone will regard you with higher esteem.

At any banquet, you will be seated at the head table, and toasts will be offered to you first. This is what status means!

Xiao Hu was very excited indeed. He had just turned seventeen this year, a year younger than Chen Jie. He still had passion in his heart; he didn’t want to waste his life, weaving baskets like his father for a lifetime!

At this moment, Uncle Erba was stunned, just staring blankly at Chen Jie.

He was completely taken aback, never believing that pie would fall from the sky, but today…

His hands trembled slightly with excitement.

Having been a bamboo craftsman all his life, he knew the bitterness of this job all too well. Look at his hands, scarred by countless cuts from thorny branches, new wounds layered over old ones.

Peeling off a layer of old skin for a new one.

The pain of a bamboo craftsman is known only to himself.

He didn’t want his son to end up like him.

He too wished his son would stand out and have a better life than his own.

But it was impossible, truly impossible!

That position of a fishery staff member was something he didn’t even dare to dream of.

First, he had no connections; second, he didn’t have the money to curry favor!

But today, Chen Jie had accomplished this for him, offering his son a bright future.

“Jiu Si… I…”

Uncle Erba was at a loss for words.

Perhaps for himself, he didn’t have many aspirations, but for his son, who wouldn’t want better?

At this moment, Uncle Erba felt a deep, heartfelt gratitude towards Chen Jie.

Aunt Erba, too, was so moved she couldn’t speak, just squeezing Su Yunjin’s hand even tighter.

Su Yunjin wore a smile on her face!

The look she gave Chen Jie was also filled with tenderness.

She liked Chen Jie’s character of recognizing and repaying favors; Uncle Erba had helped her family a lot.

Even though his abilities were limited, he never stood by idly whenever they needed help.

Now that Chen Jie was doing well, he didn’t forget to lend a hand to old acquaintances.

This was the warmth of human relationships, something Su Yunjin cherished.

Who would like their man to be selfish, insensitive, and lacking in human warmth?

He truly had changed a lot from before.

Su Yunjin even felt that the present Chen Jiusi was completely different from the former Chen Jiusi.

But she didn’t care.

She preferred this Chen Jiusi even more!

“That’s enough, Uncle Erba, we’ve got other things to do, so we won’t stay longer. Hu Zi, come find me early tomorrow morning, we need to report to the fishery. Don’t be late on the first day!”

“Yep, got it, brother!”

Xiao Hu replied excitedly.

At this point, Aunt Erba stood up and said, “Jiu Si, why the rush? Stay for dinner, sister-in-law will cut some meat, and you can have a drink with your uncle!”

“Hehe, no thanks, Auntie. I have some things to take care of with Yunjin, need to get going. Dinner can wait.”

“Okay then, Auntie, Uncle, Hu Zi, we’re leaving.”

Chen Jie led Su Yunjin by the hand and they left.

Uncle Erba: “Hold on, let me walk you out…”@@novelbin@@

“Uncle, you don’t need to get up, no need to see us out, Hu Zi, you just walk us out for your father.”

Chen Jie said this and gently pressed Uncle Erba back into his seat, having Hu Zi walk them out instead.

Upon leaving, Chen Jie patted Hu Zi on the shoulder and said, “You need to work hard, young man, don’t let your father or mother lose face.”

“Yes, brother, I’ll definitely work hard.”

Chen Jie smiled and left with Su Yunjin.

Watching them leave, Aunt Erba turned her head towards Uncle Erba and said, “Old man, pinch me, am I dreaming? Our son is going to work as staff at the fishery?”

“Pinch what? You’re getting all flustered over nothing, has Jiu Si ever lied?”

“Yes, yes, hehe…”

Aunt Erba giggled foolishly.

Uncle Erba said, “All you know is to giggle. We must remember Jiu Si’s kindness. If Xiao Hu makes something of himself in the future, we have to thank Jiu Si!”

“Yes, we must give thanks, indeed.”

Aunt Erba continued to laugh foolishly.

Uncle Erba said, “Stop with your foolish laughter. If you hadn’t listened to me back then and taken care of Jiu Si, would he have thought of us now that he’s made it? Women always think only of what’s right in front of them.”

Aunt Erba looked at Uncle Erba with a plaintive expression, “Who would have cared for Jiu Si when he was in that state? Only you, silly as you were, insisted on helping him.”

“And what do you think now?”

“Hehe, now, of course, it means the head of the household here had great foresight.”

“Foresight, sigh… Does anyone really have it? I, well, I just try to stay true to my heart. That’s all that matters. Your Uncle once did us a good turn, so of course, we need to be good to Jiu Si in return.”

As Uncle Erba was saying this, Chen Xiaohu returned, visibly excited.

Uncle Erba called out to his son, “Hu Zi.”

“Dad!”

Hu Zi approached, and Uncle Erba said, “I have a couple of things to tell you.”

“Dad, go ahead.”

Hu Zi squatted down to listen to Uncle Erba’s advice.

“Hu Zi, this world is brutal; it’s not easy to make something of oneself. Many people are stuck in the countryside for their whole lives.”

“Your brother Jiu Si has made it and still thinks to help you. This is an immense favor, one our whole family should be grateful for.”

“So in the future, whatever you do, remember, never do anything that would betray your brother Jiu Si. Otherwise, it’s not just others that won’t spare you; even I, your own father, won’t spare you. Do you understand?”

Chen Erba spoke very seriously.

Hu Zi nodded: “Dad, don’t worry, from now on, whatever Jiu Si brother tells me to do, I’ll do it. I will not disappoint you or Jiu Si brother!”