Chapter 1 Starting Over If she asked, there was nothing he couldn't give her...

"Don't be silly. Although people like us are not allowed to buy houses or land according to the law, at least this money can help us survive if we keep it in our own hands..."

I could hear someone talking in my ears, but it didn't sound very real, as if it was from a distance.

Jiang Tong didn't have the mind to listen carefully. She was in a daze at the moment. She clearly remembered that she was dead, died on an ordinary morning, without any relatives or children around.

There was nothing worth lingering in this world for her anymore. She lived her life alone and died without any regrets.

But what is happening now?

She turned her head and looked around in confusion, and found herself in a small courtyard. There was a screen wall behind her and a few side rooms in front of her. The whole courtyard looked dilapidated and messy.

Jiang Tong's breathing suddenly became rapid. She remembered this yard!

This was the courtyard where Su Guanqing lived when he was making a living in a music troupe.

The voice just now continued to speak: "...Besides, Guan Qing, you are blind. Why give away the money you worked so hard to earn instead of saving it for your eyes?"

Guan Qing?!

Jiang Tong looked up suddenly, and after realizing that the sound came from the window of the west wing, he rushed towards that room.

She was so excited that she didn't even notice how fast her pace was. It was not at all what an octogenarian should be doing.

"Miss Jiang is none other than you." Another man's voice came from the room.

Unlike the man's gentle voice just now, this voice was very warm, like a handful of stream water in spring, clear and soft.

Jiang Tong had already raised her hand, ready to knock on the door, but when she heard the voice, she was suddenly shocked and stood still.

"I know! She was your fiancée." The same gentle voice from before rang out again. Jiang Tong suddenly remembered that this person was the male dan in the troupe.

The male actor's voice rose a few notches. "But wasn't this happening before your family was convicted? It's like the monkeys scatter when the tree falls. As soon as your family was convicted, they cut ties with you. Now that they're down and out, they're desperately looking for you. It seems to me they just want to squeeze you dry and kick you out!"

The onlookers were filled with righteous indignation, but the person involved was neither anxious nor angry. Su Guanqing even explained to the other party in a gentle voice: "That's not what I said. The court law stipulates that musicians are of low status and cannot marry into decent families. This marriage is impossible in the first place."

"You're such a fool! If you can't marry, why are you giving them money for nothing? People give money to the girl's family in the hope of marrying a beautiful bride, but you're just throwing money down the drain!"

"I don't want anything. The Jiang family and my family have been friends for many years. How can I stand by and watch them in trouble?"

The people inside were so disappointed: "You! Sooner or later, you will be killed by the Jiang family!"

Su Guanqing was still trying to comfort his friend gently, but Jiang Tong could no longer hear a word he said.

Wasn't Su Guanqing murdered by her, Jiang Tong?

To be honest, she has never liked her fiancé.

Putting aside the fact that she, a modern person who had traveled from the new century, couldn't accept arranged marriages, she also had a strong family background. Furthermore, the Jiang family was a military family, and she had been influenced by them since she was a child. She had always been attracted to men who were strong and daring, capable of lifting tripods. So even if the eldest son of the Prime Minister's family was renowned for his talent, in her eyes, what was the point of writing a few sour poems and painting a few landscapes, flowers and birds? He was still just a bookworm who couldn't lift a single thing!

She once tried everything to cancel the engagement, but the elders simply didn't listen to her. Crying, making a fuss, and even threatening to commit suicide were of no use.

She went to urge Su Guanqing to break off the engagement, but unexpectedly, this brother Guanqing, who always agreed with her in everything, refused to give in at all on this matter.

She said all the nice things she could and got so angry that she lost her temper at him and even almost started a fight. However, he just endured her anger without fighting back or retaliating, and even smiled at her gently.

But later their engagement was cancelled.

When the Su family was in trouble and had not yet been convicted, Su Guanqing took the initiative to propose it in order to prevent the Jiang family from being implicated.

However, after that, Jiang Tong was unable to choose a satisfactory husband for herself.

The reason was simple. Her father had no son, so he adopted a distant nephew as an heir. However, this nephew indulged in eating, drinking, whoring and gambling, and quickly squandered the family fortune.

Father Jiang had been in mourning for many years at home, and the family had no income for a long time. Seeing that this good incense stick was so unfilial, Father Jiang was so angry that he was bedridden.

The good incense burner doesn't care about his cheap father's life or death, and even refuses to pay for medicine.

Jiang Tong had no choice but to go find Su Guanqing.

At this time, Su Guanqing was blind, so he was bought by a troupe and had to play the erhu and piano to earn a little money to make a living.

When he heard that the Jiang family was in trouble, he gave all his savings to Jiang Tong without saying a word. He even told Jiang Tong where he had buried an antique painting before the Su family was ransacked, and asked Jiang Tong to dig it out if needed.

It’s a pity that in the end all of Su Guanqing’s calligraphy and paintings and savings went into the stomach of the wealthy.

Jiang Tong's father eventually died of illness, and his mother followed him.

Hao Xianghuo set his sights on Jiang Tong again, intending to sell this sister for a good price.

Jiang Tong was not willing to be sold obediently. Relying on the little martial arts skills she learned from her father since childhood, she tore through the "bride escort" team and jumped into the surging river.

She was lucky enough to survive the dive in the middle of winter, but she developed a high fever when she got ashore, and her condition worsened rapidly.

It was Su Guanqing who took her in again.

In order to earn money for her medicine, he worked hard to go to various halls and taverns to play music to entertain people.

Later, Hao Xianghuo learned that Jiang Tong was not dead, and came with buyers to snatch her away. Su Guanqing, the weak scholar who in Jiang Tong's eyes could not even lift a knife, actually stood in front of more than a dozen thugs, and allowed himself to be beaten and kicked, but refused to let them take Jiang Tong away.

The matter eventually came to the government. In order to protect herself, Jiang Tong took the initiative to say that she was engaged to Su Guanqing and refused to marry anyone else.

That was probably the thing Jiang Tong regretted most in his previous life.

If a woman of low status marries a girl of good family, she shall be punished with eighty strokes of the cane according to the law.

Even a man of iron would have difficulty surviving after being beaten with eighty sticks, let alone Su Guanqing, a scholar who was always weak and frail.

However, Su Guanqing knew that he would lose his life, but he still told the county magistrate that he would marry no one but Jiang Tong.

So Jiang Tong was free.

After being seriously injured, Su Guanqing suffered for several days, but ultimately did not survive.

Before he died, he even smiled and said to Jiang Tong, who was in tears:

"I know... you don't really want to marry me, but... but when you say that, I... I'm very happy.

Tongtong, Brother Guanqing is incompetent and can no longer protect you. I only wish... I only wish that your future life will be peaceful and comfortable..."

After Su Guanqing's death, Jiang Tong had no one to rely on and had to leave her hometown. She disguised herself as a man and worked as an apprentice in a wallpaper shop.

Perhaps it was really the blessing of Su Guanqing's spirit in heaven that Jiang Tong's second half of life went smoothly. He grew from an apprentice to a well-known restorer in the ancient painting business.

No matter how badly damaged an ancient painting is, it can be given new life in her hands, and she is therefore known as "Painting Doctor Jiang".

Everyone thought that Dr. Jiang was obsessed with restoration skills and never married, but no one knew that Dr. Jiang felt guilty towards one person until his death.

Jiang Tong recalled this and slowly put down her hand that was about to knock on the door. However, the moment her eyes fell on the back of her hand, her eyes suddenly widened!

Her hands were not the withered hands covered with wrinkles and age spots that she remembered. These hands had smooth, plump skin, clearly the hands of a young person!

But this was clearly her own hand!

What's going on?! Could this be a fleeting dream before her death?

Just as she was shocked, the door was slammed open from the inside. The person who opened the door was the male actor who had spoken ill of her behind her back.

Seeing Jiang Tong, he was surprised at first, then glared at Jiang Tong fiercely: "Are you here to ask for money again? Do you know that Guan Qing's hands are all blistered these past two days because he has to run two more shows to earn money for you!"

He looked at Jiang Tong, who looked like he hadn't recovered from his shock, and became even angrier. "Humph! I don't think you care! I think he's exhausted to death, so who cares about you?"

Jiang Tong is, after all, a leader in the industry. She has seen a lot of things, and although she didn't understand the current situation, she had long developed the habit of remaining calm in the face of emergencies, and she had quickly calmed down from her shock.

She sighed and said softly, "There won't be anyone else. He's the only one in the world who's this stupid."

Probably not expecting Jiang Tong to say that, the male actor was stunned for a moment and angrily said, "You still torture him like this even though you knew it!"

"Fu Liu, don't talk to Miss Jiang like that." Su Guanqing's anxious voice came from the room, followed by the sound of a bamboo stick tapping on the ground.

Feng Fuliu's kindness was taken for granted, and she was so angry that she glared at Jiang Tong again, stomped her feet, and walked away coquettishly.

"Tongtong, don't be angry. Fu Liu has always been like this. Don't bother with him." As he spoke, Su Guanqing had already walked to the door with a bamboo stick in his hand.

Jiang Tong didn't care about anything at all. She was just staring at Su Guanqing in a daze.

This was the first time she saw Su Guanqing after coming into this "dream".

After Su Guanqing died, she lived to be ninety-three years old. So, she had not seen this person for more than seventy years.

When we meet again now, it will be a lifetime later.

In my memory, when Guan Qing was the son of the Prime Minister, he was gentle and elegant, like moonlight that was untainted by dust.

He has always been thin, and after becoming a musician, he couldn't even eat meat. He looked even thinner, like a fallen immortal.

The famous and charming person is all in one. [1]

Jiang Tong subconsciously held her breath. She had met this figure countless times in her dreams, but every time she wanted to reach out and grab it, it turned into a cloud or a wisp of mist at her fingertips and disappeared silently before her eyes.

"Tongtong?" Su Guanqing didn't wait for Jiang Tong's response and called out in confusion, "Are you still there?"

"......I am here."

Hearing Jiang Tong's voice, Su Guanqing finally relaxed and let Jiang Tong in: "There's no one else in the room right now, come in and sit down."

Jiang Tong responded and followed him in.

The room was not big, and there was nothing else inside. There was only a large bunk bed that took up most of the room and could sleep about ten people. There were two obviously mismatched chairs in the corner.

The environment of a house with a dozen or so bachelors was definitely not pleasant. As soon as Jiang Tong stepped through the door, he stumbled at the overwhelming smell.

She frowned and looked at Su Guanqing. He had always been a clean person and had even had a penchant for burning incense. She didn't know how he could stand it.

Su Guanqing seemed to have realized something as well. He tightened the bamboo stick in his hand, a trace of confusion flashing across his face, but he still said, "Tongtong, this is a low-class, filthy place after all. You shouldn't come here. If you want to find me, it's the same as asking your brother to pass on a message."

He said this hesitantly, and even he felt a little disgusted with himself.

He was reluctant to let Jiang Tong come to such a place, but he was also reluctant to let her not come.

Jiang Tong raised her head slightly and her gaze fell on his eyes. She remembered that when these eyes looked at her, they were like the moon reflected in glass, full of starlight.

But now, there was only emptiness and confusion in those dark eyes, looking at her without any focus.

Jiang Tong opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but for a moment he felt a mixture of emotions and couldn't say anything.

Su Guanqing didn't continue talking about this topic. He led Jiang Tong to a chair and asked, "Tongtong, is your uncle feeling better?"

When he asked this, Jiang Tong was sure of the time.

It was probably when his father had just fallen ill and the family had no money for medical treatment, so he came to Su Guanqing to borrow money.

"It's not getting any better." Jiang Tong heard himself say.

"But the money is not enough?" Su Guanqing became anxious. "I have an ancient painting at home..."

Jiang Tong finally sighed, this fool!

Guilt stabbed her heart like a knife: You poured your heart and soul into me, and what did you get in return? I didn't even show up for your funeral!

——They didn't have time to get married back then. After Su Guanqing died, she was still an unmarried girl in the Jiang family. Her adoptive brother naturally would not miss this opportunity, so she had to escape overnight.

Su Guanqing had no idea what Jiang Tong was thinking. When he heard Jiang Tong sigh, his heart tightened. "Tongtong, don't worry. There's always a way. I'll tell you where the painting is buried. You can dig it out and sell it for money. It's more important to treat your uncle first."

"Since you have the ancient painting, why don't you sell it to redeem yourself?" She looked at him with complicated eyes.

Su Guanqing explained to her softly, "Everyone in the city knows that my house was ransacked. If I take the antiques to sell, wouldn't that be telling people that I have hidden treasures? If I were to be reported, that would be deceiving the emperor. Besides, even if I were to dig it out myself, I wouldn't be able to see it. If I rashly take the paintings to sell, wouldn't I be fooled?"

"Maybe I was the one who lied to you?" Jiang Tong said shyly.

Su Guanqing curled the corners of his lips and said gently, "You don't need it."

——She didn't need to lie to him. As long as she asked, there was nothing he couldn't give her.

The author has something to say:

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[1] Quoted from the Internet

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Next door "Hong Kong Gold Medal Screenwriter" please collect ~

Yan Shaowei traveled back to Hong Kong in the 1940s.

She was penniless, living on the streets, and had two dependents following her around.

As a god-level online writer in his previous life, Yan Shaowei could do nothing but tell stories.

She banged on bowls and became a street storyteller, filling her stomach by telling stories.

Later, she started to return to her old career, writing novels, writing screenplays, and making movies.

Soon, the people of Hong Kong discovered that there was a writer in the newspaper whose stories were all interesting.

At the same time, everyone also discovered that a talented screenwriter had emerged in a certain opera troupe.

That year, Yan Shaowei, with his profound writing skills, portrayed the image of an optimistic and strong street boy in his new book "The Story of Gou Wa", which brought tears to the eyes of Hong Kong readers.

Her books were adapted into radio dramas, sung on the streets by storytellers, and even turned into major plays...

That year, Yan Shaowei's drama "The Substitute Bride" made the troupe, which was unable to sell tickets and was about to disband, become popular in Hong Kong.

The critics were impressed: "She is like using a pair of scissors to precisely cut out the dregs in traditional opera. What a keen eye! And what courage!"

That year, the movie written and directed by Yan Shaowei broke out of Hong Kong, broke out of Asia, and broke out into the world.

After watching her performance, a famous director from Europe and America wanted to become her apprentice: "She has already mastered the techniques and paths that we are still exploring!"

ps:

1. Main career line.

2. They cannot write about historical figures and real events, they just make them up.

3. The protagonist’s name is taken from “The three-foot sword in the box, the Shaowei star in the sky”.