Rebirth in 1986: Unforgettable Regrets
Chapter 52 Brothers

Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Brothers

"Dad, look, Uncle Tang fell and injured his leg. You are the pillar of our family. Me, mom, and Xiao Jun, we can’t be without you," Tang Yue immediately said. She continued, "Mom, please convince dad. Working at the forest farm is tiring, difficult, and dangerous. You wouldn’t want dad to endure such hardship for so little money, right?"

Tang Yue was just thinking about how hard it was to explain this situation to Zhang Hualian directly. With Uncle Tang’s example, this was the perfect opportunity to give dad a warning.

"Zhengde, Xiao Yue is right. We can’t afford to lose you," Zhang Hualian was extremely worried. Tang Zhengde was indeed the backbone of the family. If something happened to him, how would she and her daughters survive in the future?

"Xiao Yue, don’t scare your mom," Tang Zhengde said with a smile, trying to reassure her: "I’ve been working at the forest farm for several years without any issues. Don’t overthink things. Yes, it’s tough and tiring, but as a man, I can handle it."

Moreover, Zhang Hualian managed the household well. Previously worried about Tang Yue, now she had matured and become sensible, and Xiao Jun was also focusing on his studies. His biggest hope every day was to be able to return home early.

Night.

Tang Zhengde and Zhang Hualian lay in bed, each apologizing to the other.

Tang Zhengde felt he had burdened his wife and daughters.

Zhang Hualian felt she had held him back; after all, Tang Zhengde could have married a better woman back then, so why had he chosen a woman who came with baggage?

The couple talked, and naturally, they ended up engaging in the best exercise for bringing spouses closer to each other.

In the darkness, Tang Zhengde’s eyes gleamed as he watched the sleeping Zhang Hualian and seriously pondered the feasibility of Tang Yue’s words.

On Saturday, Tang Zhengde took Tang Yue to her school and then went directly to the market to find Tang Mingli, who was selling clothes.

Tang Mingli was very busy when Tang Zhengde arrived. Lacking Tang Yue’s help, from morning till night, he was spinning like a top.

"Second brother, you’re here," Tang Mingli greeted him warmly, but there were too many customers buying clothes, and it wasn’t the place for a lengthy chat.

After saying a few words, Tang Zhengde sat to one side and watched.

Tang Mingli’s stall wasn’t large, but it wasn’t small either. Clothes hung everywhere, attracting many customers. Since his arrival, Tang Mingli had already made around sixty dollars.

Tang Zhengde calculated briefly; it had only been about an hour since he sat down.

When Tang Mingli was less busy, he spoke up: "Mingli, your business is not bad at all."

"It’s passable," Tang Mingli’s smile could light up a room. His business was more than just ’passable.’ These days, he would wake up laughing from his dreams.

"Big brother, you still need money?"

Tang Mingli asked.

"No," Tang Zhengde shook his head. "Big brother’s leg is just being taken care of at home."

"Then you came here especially, is there something you need?" Just as Tang Mingli asked, another customer arrived.

After completing this transaction, Tang Mingli decided to close the stall an hour earlier than usual.

Tang Zhengde felt somewhat guilty, but Tang Mingli pulled him to a small restaurant for a meal, saying, "Second brother, you are my brother. Besides, I usually close only half an hour later than this."

"Second brother, eat more, and later you can stay at my place. It’s been a long time since we brothers lived together," Tang Mingli warmly invited.

Tang Zhengde had something on his mind, yet he wasn’t sure how to start.

As Tang Mingli ate, he waited for his second brother to speak. He sighed and said, "This tofu is not as tasty as the one you make. I remember the braised tofu you cooked; it was so fragrant."

Tang Mingli was nostalgic. In the past, he occasionally tasted Tang Zhengde’s cooking when he went home, but in recent years, with growing responsibilities, Tang Zhengde had less time to cook.

"Mingli, do you really think I cook well?" Tang Zhengde picked up the conversation.

Tang Mingli nodded affirmatively, reminiscing about the past.

Tang Zhengde smiled and said, "Mingli, I actually came today because I have something I want to ask you about."

"What is it, Second Brother? Why beat around the bush? I am your own brother. Just speak directly, how much money do you need to borrow?" Tang Mingli spoke bluntly, expressing the close relationship between him and his second brother, who had always cared for him best, often saving the best food for him, the youngest.

"It’s like this, Xiao Yue stayed at home for a day, and she wants me and your sister-in-law to open a small store, to sell breakfast and some simple dishes," Tang Zhengde started speaking.

"That’s a great idea, Second Brother," Tang Mingli interjected immediately. "I used to work at Fusheng Restaurant, and it did really well. We don’t need to open a big restaurant like that, just start with a small store and save some initial capital."

"Second Brother, are you here today to look for a shop?" Tang Mingli spoke and his eyes began to dart around. "There are good locations near the bus station, near schools, and next to the market, all with lots of foot traffic. However, I haven’t noticed any shops for rent."

Tang Mingli was well-acquainted with the area, not just the market street but also around Wangjiang County. He took initiative and said, "I’ll ask around tomorrow; maybe we can find a shop for rent."

"Mingli, do you really think this is a good idea? Better than me working at the forest farm?" Tang Zhengde was somewhat surprised. Tang Mingli seemed especially enthusiastic, even starting to help look for a shop.

Tang Mingli laughed, "Second Brother, your cooking skills are good, you’ll definitely have many customers and won’t have to worry about not making money."

"Having heard what you said, I feel more confident. Tomorrow, I’ll let Xiao Yue take me to see the shop," Tang Zhengde mentioned the shop a classmate of Tang Yue had spoken about.

Tang Mingli got excited and immediately said he would come along.

"Second Brother, don’t worry about money," Tang Mingli assured him energetically. "Ninety-five dollars is really cheap."

"Mingli, that’s quite a sum of money," Tang Zhengde thought to himself. Even if Tang Mingli had made some money, one hundred dollars wasn’t a small amount. He still needed to save some for his wife’s dowry.

"Second Brother, just trust me," Tang Mingli patted his chest confidently. "I’ll take care of this. I won’t get involved in this small shop, but if the business expands later, you can’t forget to let me benefit too."

After Tang Mingli started doing business, his mind obviously worked faster, and he became bolder. With Second Brother’s cooking skills, plus both he and his wife being hardworking, this restaurant venture was certain to succeed.

"You, still not sure how this small shop will turn out," Tang Zhengde felt a great relief and said seriously, "Mingli, consider this money as a loan from me. Tomorrow, I’ll put the deed to my house with you as a collateral."