Literary Master-Chapter 1.

The cramped room was filled with a strong smell of Chinese medicine, adding a discomforting gloominess to the already dim and unlit space. The ceiling was leaking, with water dripping steadily into a worn-out wooden basin, creating ripples.

Mu Qiong lay on the bed, gazing somewhat blankly at the moldy beam above the room.

He was originally an ordinary young man living in the Twenty-first Century.

Well, not entirely ordinary; he was somewhat different from the average person. Shortly after his birth, he was diagnosed with a severe Congenital heart disease, not only limited his life in many aspects but It was also exceptionally brief.

He passed away at the age of 28.

His parents were reasonably well-off, but finding a suitable heart was not so easy. Until his death, he never received a heart that could extend his life.

However, he still felt that his life was fulfilling.

He had loving parents, a lively and adorable younger sister. Despite rarely going out, he made many friends online and read numerous books, learning a great deal.

He even had a business of his own.

Around the age of seven or eight, after learning to read and reading some fairy tales, he began writing out the peculiar stories that crossed his mind during those idle moments on the hospital bed.

Initially, it was just a form of self-entertainment for a child who couldn’t go to school. However, when his parents submitted these works for publication, and they were fortunate enough to be accepted, his life began to change.

He developed a love for writing.

At first, he wrote whimsical fairy tales, but as he read more and delved deeper into various genres, his writing evolved into more diverse and complex forms of fiction.

He never attended school, spending only two hours each day learning with a private tutor. This arrangement granted him ample time for reading and writing.

Until his passing, he had written over ten million words, and most of his novels were either published or featured in periodicals. Additionally, several of his works had been adapted into films and television series.

He had already received numerous literary awards in his home country.

Many believed that if he hadn’t had heart issues, if he had lived on and continued his creative pursuits, he might have achieved the most prestigious literary award in the world.

Unfortunately, he passed away at the age of 28.

No, it can’t be said that he died.

His body should have perished in the Twenty-first Century, but his soul and thoughts were reborn in the early Twentieth Century within the body of a recently deceased, destitute young man.

As autumn arrived, accompanied by days of heavy rain and leaks in the ceiling, the small room became excessively damp. The air breathed in didn’t feel like air at all; it seemed more like vapor. The bedding was also damp, as if it could be wrung out, so even though he was covered, he didn’t feel any warmth.

Mu Qiong wanted to sigh, but instead, he felt a tickle in his throat, leading to a violent fit of coughing.

He coughed so intensely that it felt like his heart was being torn apart, causing waves of pain in his chest. Surprisingly, he didn’t find it unbearable; on the contrary, he felt somewhat pleased.

In his previous condition, such a severe cough would undoubtedly have been too much for his heart. However, now even if he coughed violently, it would only harm his lungs, and he wouldn’t meet his end due to heart failure.

After coughing for a while, Mu Qiong finally felt some relief. Leaning against the pillow, he slowly organized the memories of the original owner’s experiences left behind by the previous soul.

The original owner was only sixteen, but had been through quite a lot…

“Qiong’er, take your medicine,” a woman’s voice echoed, and the partially closed door was pushed open.

Mu Qiong turned his head to see a woman entering from outside, raindrops clinging to her.

Although the rain had lessened, the sky remained gray. After she came in, though she didn’t close the door, there wasn’t much light in the room, making it gloomy.

Yet, with what little light there was, Mu Qiong could still make out her appearance.

The woman appeared to be around thirty, wearing a coarse blue robe that set off her exceptionally fair skin. Though she didn’t wear makeup, her complexion was still excellent, with delicate features that showcased her natural beauty. As for her figure, the robe concealed most of it, but from the slender neck and wrists exposed, it suggested a graceful and slender physique.

This was a remarkably beautiful woman and the original owner’s mother, named Zhu Wanwan.

Carrying the medicine, she walked over to Mu Qiong, placing the medicine on the stool by the bedside, where one would typically sit at an Eight Immortals table. She then reached out to assist Mu Qiong.

“Qiong’er, come take your medicine. Once you take it, you’ll feel better.”

Mu Qiong’s actual age wasn’t much younger than Zhu Wanwan’s. How could he let her serve him like this? He sat up and took the medicine bowl, finishing it in one gulp.

Zhu Wanwan’s face brightened at the sight, and her expression of worry faded significantly.

“Qiong’er, you can sit up now?”

“Mother, I’m much better,” Mu Qiong replied.

In truth, although the original owner was ill, his health wasn’t too bad. His constant lying around motionless was simply a result of the overwhelming blows a young person faced. Unable to cope, he gave in to despair, losing the will to live.

The original owner’s name was Mu Changqiong, just turned sixteen, with ancestral roots in Suzhou.

The Mu family was a scholarly and agrarian household, owning a hundred acres of fertile land. Their life was prosperous, and they had produced several successful scholars and officials, making them a respected local aristocracy.

The original owner’s father was exceptionally gifted. In his early Twenties, he passed the imperial examination and, with his wealth, traveled to Beijing to study under a highly renowned figure in the late Qing Dynasty.

At that time, the original owner’s grandfather hoped that his father would succeed in the imperial examination, enter officialdom, and bring glory to the family. However, the political landscape was changing rapidly, and with the nation searching for ways to save itself, the father wasn’t conservative in his thinking. He embraced new ideas and eventually joined other scholars in studying abroad in Japan.

Eight years ago, the father returned to China, accompanied by a graceful, educated beauty.

Three years ago, with the establishment of the Republic of China, the father settled in Beijing, where he established a new home. His doting new wife and young son were with him, leaving behind the family and Mu Changqiong in Suzhou, a fact he (the father) seemed to forget until the sudden death of the original owner’s grandfather.

After the original owner’s grandfather passed away, his father returned to the hometown for the funeral. He sold the family’s land and property before taking the original owner’s grandmother, the original owner’s mother, and the original owner and his younger sister to Beijing.

Later on, the original owner’s grandmother passed away in Beijing. Subsequently, the original owner, his mother, and his sister, who was two years younger than him, were unjustly accused of mistreating the old woman and were driven out of their home.

With no other choice, the original owner’s mother brought her children back to their ancestral home in Suzhou. Unfortunately, they lost their belongings due to banditry and faced oppression from within the Mu family, forcing them to seek refuge in Shanghai.

Regrettably, the relatives they sought refuge with in Shanghai also turned them away.

With no help in sight and a bleak future, the original owner fell ill in frustration.

Zhu Wanwan had to sell clothes and jewelry, renting a small house in Shanghai to live with her children. She made a living by doing laundry and sewing for others.

Having excelled in various aspects during his time in Suzhou, the original owner had developed a proud demeanor. However, the continuous setbacks over the past two years left him feeling disheartened. He couldn’t bear the fact that he, as a grown man, had to rely on his mother and younger sister for support. Feeling like a burden, he became despondent and remained silent and motionless for many days, allowing his frustration to fester until it took a toll on his health.

It turned out to be a blessing in disguise when she finally heard her son taking medicine voluntarily and speaking after a long silence. Zhu Wanwan, overwhelmed with joy, cried tears of relief.

“Qiong’er, it’s wonderful that you’re better!”

“Mother, I’m perfectly fine now. There’s no need to buy medicine anymore,” Mu Qiong said. In this era, medical expenses were considerable, and with their current financial situation, they could hardly afford necessities like food, let alone spend money on medicine.

Of course, the most crucial point was that the medicine came from a fortune-teller nearby who only had limited medical knowledge, so its effectiveness was likely minimal.

“Should I make another dose for you?” Zhu Wanwan asked. “With one dose of herbs, you can endure a bit longer and have it twice.”

Typically, herbal medicine would be discarded after one use, but due to their financial constraints, they had resorted to reusing the leftover herbs and decoction by adding water and brewing it again, managing to get another bowl of medicinal soup.

“Mother, there’s no need. I feel uncomfortable taking too much medicine,” Mu Qiong declined.

Hearing Mu Qiong’s words, Zhu Wanwan finally stopped trying to persuade him.

Mu Qiong then asked, “Mother, how much money do you have now?”

“I only have twenty copper coins,” Zhu Wanwan admitted with a look of embarrassment. “But don’t worry, Qiong’er. I have a jade pendant with me, and it should be worth a considerable amount.”

When they returned from Beijing to Suzhou, Mu Yongxue, the original owner’s father, provided some belongings, including several hundred silver dollars and a small gold ingot. In addition, in Suzhou, the Mu family still had an ancestral hall and a hundred acres of land dedicated to ancestral worship. The mother and her two children moved into the ancestral hall to save expenses, hoping to survive.

Unfortunately, upon their arrival in Suzhou, they fell victim to bandits who robbed them of their belongings. The elders of the family insisted that the rice harvested from the rented land, meant for ancestral rites and maintaining the ancestral hall, couldn’t be used for their living expenses. Moreover, the ancestral hall could not be occupied by women who were abandoned, divorced or widowed.

Of course, if Mu Qiong and Mu Changyu were willing, they could stay in the ancestral hall since they were still part of the Mu family.

Zhu Wanwan, who had little say in her pre-marriage and post-marriage life, found herself in a difficult situation. With no support from her natal family and facing mistreatment from her mother-in-law after marriage, she was overwhelmed and crying. The original owner, who had endured much injustice over the past few years, couldn’t contain his outburst.

He had a heated argument with the elders of the Mu family, expressing his disdain for staying there. In the end, the family left Suzhou and arrived in Shanghai.

“Did Changyu’s jade ring get pawned?” Mu Qiong immediately focused on the key point—they had to sell some items to settle down, but they had retained Zhu Wanwan’s jade pendant and the original owner’s sister Mu Changyu’s jade ring.

Zhu Wanwan looked even more guilty, “Yes, it has been pawned.”

They had been in Shanghai for over a month by now.

After their failed attempt to seek refuge with relatives, the mother and her two children had no choice but to pawn their clothes and Zhu Wanwan’s pair of silver bracelets. In exchange, they received five silver coins. However, with the expenses of renting a house and buying medicine for the original owner, even though Zhu Wanwan found some odd jobs, the money quickly ran out. In desperation, they had to pawn Mu Changyu’s jade ring as well.

In the end, they were left with only a jade pendant that Zhu Wanwan had worn since childhood. This pendant wasn’t valuable, and they were fortunate to pawn it for two silver coins.

Mu Qiong felt a bit helpless.

According to the original owner’s memory, it was the early years of the Republic of China. Prices were relatively stable, with one silver coin exchanging for around 128 copper coins. If they only focused on basic needs without considering rent, their daily expenses would be covered with three or four copper coins.

With the entire family’s assets amounting to only twenty copper coins and a practically worthless jade pendant, Mu Qiong realized the gravity of their situation.

Using Mu Changqiong’s body, he was committed to taking care of his mother and sister. However, he also needed to sustain his own livelihood. Given these circumstances, living without money was not an option. Mu Qiong began contemplating ways to earn a living.

Literary Giant of the Republic of china
Chapter 1: Arrival in the Republic of China{ROC}.