Viver: Tornei-me o filho do senhorio, Xu Fugu i

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(This story is entirely fictional. If anything happens to resemble reality, that is simply your bad luck!

This story combines elements from the original novel and the television adaptation, so some characters may be mixed together. I will do my best to remain accurate. First, let me briefly sort out the ages of several major characters, so everyone has a general idea. These figures are my own estimates and may not be exact, so please bear with me.

Xu Fugui: Born in 1925!

Around 1993, Yu Hua encountered Xu Fugui while out in the countryside on a spring excursion. By then, Xu Fugui was already an old man. Long Er came to Xu Family Village in the year Japan surrendered, 1945. We may therefore assume that Xu Fugui gambled away the family fortune to Long Er in 1946. Fengxia was already four years old at the time. Since people married young in those days, let us say he married at seventeen, which would make him twenty-one in 1946.

Chen Jiazhen: Born in 1925, the same year as Xu Fugui.

Xu Fengxia: Born in 1941.

Xu Youqing: Born in 1946, four years younger than his sister.

This is my first attempt at writing a novel of this kind. I will try my best to avoid anything likely to cause offense, but if I do happen to touch upon any of your sensitive nerves, dear readers and supporters, I hope you will kindly forgive me.

What is that saying again? A little thunder is good for your health!

Very well, enough idle chatter. Let us begin!

As is customary, all you handsome gentlemen and lovely ladies, before you