Breaking Free from Golden Chains

Chapter 1

Elias Hawthorne sat in the backseat of a taxi, gazing out the window with a deep sigh as they drove toward the Bureau of Civil Affairs in Mountshire. He had been in this new world for a week now, and as a ten-year bookworm, he never thought he would find himself in such a position—especially as the proverbial 'golden son-in-law.'
Back in his old life in Everhold county, he had a steady job and a modest home. His life was comfortable, and he often heard of the struggles that rural sons-in-law faced. Yet, he never imagined he would actually become one of them.
In his past life, Elias wasn’t married by the age of thirty, and then one day, while vacationing with his childhood friend Sir Cedric Lannister at Mossy Mount—the legendary site of Liu Bang's rebellion—they decided to split up and see if fate would bring them together. Unfortunately, fate had other plans; instead, Elias returned home to his bed, only to awaken in another man's body—the very same name, Elias Hawthorne, with a similar background from also being from the Province of Yore's Everhold. He was the oldest of three siblings, and with the cost of marrying in today's rural society soaring into the thousands, it became a burden for his mother, Marion Fairweather. She often worried about her sons' futures and was in poor health.
To ease her worries and lessen the financial strain, Elias agreed to become a son-in-law to a family in a neighboring province, Mountshire, offering thirty thousand yuan as a dowry. This decision ensured his siblings wouldn't have to stress over school fees for a while.
However, life in Mountshire turned out to be grueling. Every day meant back-breaking work in the fields, and to his dismay, his wife, Lady Fiona Wainwright, had initially treated him well. But since giving birth to their son, her attitude had shifted dramatically.
Elias had thought that like many women, Fiona was just going through postpartum struggles. He worked even harder to tend to her needs and keep her spirits up, hoping to bring back the affection they once shared.
One day, he forgot his phone at home, and upon returning, he quietly approached the living room, where he overheard Fiona speaking with her mother.
"Mom, I can't stand Elias anymore. I’m just 23 years old; I have dreams and aspirations. I’ve put up with this for over a year just for the sake of the baby."
Fiona cradled their son while casting worried glances at her mother.
“Little Elias is a good man. He’s honest, devoted, and doesn’t look too bad,” her mother responded.
“If I hadn’t had the baby, we wouldn’t have to deal with all this. We only want you to be happy,” her mother urged.
"But he doesn't have any money! His siblings are still in high school, and his mother’s health is declining. They're just money guzzlers," Fiona lamented.
“And besides, Dad only cares about the grandson,” she added.
As Elias listened, he felt a deep sense of despair wash over him. At barely twenty, he longed to shout that perhaps they should just get a divorce. But that thought pierced through him harder than any insult; his mother's heartbreak would be unbearable. So he quietly slipped out of the house, feeling utterly defeated.
From the moment he entered that family, it had been a single-minded pursuit of their grandson's wellbeing, while he was practically invisible.
Elias rode his bicycle to Riverside, clutching two bottles of liquor and some peanuts, needing an escape from the weight of his unrealized dreams. With every drink, he yearned for adventure, for a life revived, until the haze blurred his sorrow and he felt as if he had actually changed, though the memories of the original Elias pushed back against his cloudy thoughts.
Grateful that the original Elias had retained some memories of his past, he soon found clarity. It was 2005, and he recognized that opportunities for prosperity flourished in this land. With wealth, he could find love again or start anew. Without hesitation, he chose to file for divorce.
He did wish to have children someday, yet the Wainwright family would never accept that. The arguments were prolonged, and he realized he couldn't offer the child a better life—at least not while tethered to this marriage. Finally, he agreed to pay a hefty sum of twenty thousand yuan to finalize his freedom, which for them, understanding the financial struggles of rural life, was a painful toll—but Elias wanted nothing more than to leave.
Arriving back home, his father, Lord Richard Hawthorne, was out working in town, and after two days of dwelling alone in the house, Elias secretly took the household registration and resolved to make it official on Monday.
"Hey kid, we’re at the Bureau of Civil Affairs. That’ll be fifteen bucks,” the taxi driver interrupted.

Chapter 2

The voice of the taxi driver pulled Elias Hawthorne back to reality. He paid the fare, accepted the change, and stood at the door with a backpack in hand, waiting for Lady Fiona Wainwright to arrive.
As the clock approached nine, Lady Fiona and her cousin Gwendolyn Stone strolled towards him, chatting and laughing.
Lady Fiona wore a white sundress that complemented her fair skin; she rarely worked, and her beauty shone through effortlessly. As the saying goes, "Fair skin hides a multitude of flaws." While she was neither stunning nor unattractive—maybe an eight out of ten—her makeup took her to a solid eight and a half.
However, upon seeing Elias's expression, her demeanor shifted to serious.
None of the three exchanged words; there wasn't much to say. They had only just started their workday, and Elias was their first client. In under half an hour, the process would be over.
Less than a year after tying the knot, Elias was now faced with a divorce certificate. Holding it in his hands, he sighed, "What a way to start things off, only to find myself a divorcee before I know it."
He discarded all his other belongings; his son was not even a year old. From now on, seeing him would depend on others’ goodwill. What a humiliating position to be in.
He thought to himself, “I might as well return home.”
Feeling dejected, Elias hopped into a truck that took him toward the northern region. He shelled out a hundred bucks to get there, then another hundred to make it to his hometown. The journey took more than five hours.
His two siblings were studying in the county town. Brother Ethan was in his senior year of high school and turning eighteen, while Sister Maeve was sixteen and just beginning high school herself. Their father's income barely covered tuition and living costs for the two, and their mother needed medications too. Ever since Elias got married, her health had seemingly improved.
Elias didn’t plan to tell his mother about the divorce. They came from a farming background, and no one had managed the land; they hired others to tend it, paying about two hundred bucks per acre per year. They owned just over seven acres, barely enough to cover a year’s rent in the county town.
He lived in a rental—four rooms stacked under a clay roof with a small courtyard, only ten minutes walking distance from the county hospital, which was convenient.
When he returned home, the clock showed just past three in the afternoon, and the house was empty. Marion Fairweather was busy at the hospital, helping his aunt with cleaning. She earned over three hundred dollars a month, primarily to keep her occupied and ward off bad thoughts.
Elias stretched out on the bed, contemplating how to make some money. They still owed around fifty thousand dollars to someone.
His hometown was merely a county-level city, a four or five-tier context where lingering too long would likely get his mother asking questions. The big cities like New York, Seattle, or San Francisco were bursting with opportunities; he needed to earn some money first and then try to start a business back home to ease his mother’s worries.
Glancing at his old Nokia, the clock read four o’clock—he had just returned a few days ago, and now he was utterly alone at home.
Resolutely, he grabbed his bag and walked to the bus station, planning to catch a ride that evening to Deepvale.
In June, the buses were not too crowded; Elias had booked a sleeper.
What would he do upon reaching Deepvale? His investment capital barely topped twenty thousand, and he had no specialized skills—he’d cross that bridge when he got there. For now, he just wanted to rest; today had utterly drained him.
He awoke seven or eight hours later, splashing cool water on his face. The remaining journey to Deepvale would take almost ten hours. Though he had worked there for over three years, it didn’t feel entirely foreign to him.
Pulling out a pen and a notepad from his bag, Elias jotted down some important things. As he recalled, the memories came flooding back with startling clarity; perhaps it was his hidden talent.

Chapter 3

Elias Hawthorne stepped out of the West Deepvale Train Station and hopped into a car headed for Dragon's Hollow. The living expenses there were lower, and rent was affordable. With several factories nearby, it was an ideal place for starting a small business.
He secured a one-bedroom apartment, about fifty square meters, for just over three hundred dollars.
After settling into his new home, Elias went out shopping for household essentials. He stayed busy until five in the evening and spent over two hundred dollars.
Eager to explore his new surroundings and think about his plans, Elias headed outside.
It was June, and the heat was intense. Elias walked alone down the street, where a few electronics factories filled the vicinity, making the area popular among workers seeking jobs.
He remembered a farmers' market near his place and thought there used to be a night market nearby, but not this time.
As he looked around, he noticed there weren’t many vendors selling goods on the street; whether it was due to safety concerns or lack of ideas was unclear. The Oceanic Electronics Forge, with thousands of employees, had a bustling night market that opened early, full of energy.
After dinner, Elias couldn't shake off a sense of loneliness. Thankfully, he had spent a lot of time indoor in his past life, so he was accustomed to solitude.
He made his way to the Oceanic Night Market, where most stalls featured tasty street food and a handful sold clothes.
After browsing again, Elias confirmed that the cheap socks he had seen at Alar's Marketplace weren’t available here—those ten for ten dollars deals from back in '08 and '09 were everywhere in Deepvale and yet to appear in Dragon's Hollow, likely because many people hadn’t adjusted to online shopping yet.
With impatience bubbling inside him, he rushed to an Internet café in the back.
“I’ll put down five dollars,” he said to the owner.
“Sure, use machine twelve,” the owner replied.
Elias fired up the computer and opened QuickQuery to search for Alar's Marketplace. Sure enough, he found socks priced at ten dollars for fifteen pairs. He borrowed a pen from the owner and noted down a few ordering numbers.
Checking the time, he realized it was just before eight o’clock. He exited the café and began making calls, starting with the first number on his list.
“Beep, beep, beep…”
“Hello?” a girl answered, her voice young but unclear in age.
“Hey there, do you do wholesale for your socks?” Elias dove right in, eager not to waste time.
“Yeah, wholesale. The more you order, the cheaper they get,” she sounded more alert.
“I'll start with two thousand dollars’ worth. If the quality is good, I’ll order five thousand more,” he stated confidently.
Silence hung on the line for a full minute before she replied, “Are you serious? I can give you three thousand five hundred pairs.”
“Look, I really need this. You guys have more stock, right? I will just take four thousand; I don’t want to complicate things.”
“No way, we’re already running on thin margins. Three thousand six is the max. Feel free to shop around.”
“Just so you know, I’m paying on delivery, and I’ll return it if the quality is bad,” he clarified.
“Fine, send me your address, name, and phone number. You’ll also need to call back with a three hundred dollar deposit,” she replied.
“Okay, I’ll split it evenly between men’s and women’s styles,” said Elias before ending the call. He dashed back to a store to check the cheapest socks, which were around two dollars each.
Back at his rented space with internet access, Elias spent nearly six thousand dollars on a laptop.
It was close to ten at night, and the streets were relatively quiet. While heading back, he noticed some large trees lining the path, leaving patches of darkness beneath the streetlights. As he rounded a corner, he spotted a group of men surrounding a woman, their intentions unclear.
Instinctively, Elias ducked behind a tree, wanting to avoid getting involved.
“Please, I really don’t have any money!” the girl pleaded, her voice quivering.
“Who keeps money on them while on the job? I just started work and literally have no cash!” she added urgently.
“Let’s not make this messy. Just hand over your phone, and we won’t need to search you,” one of the men growled.
“We only want enough for a meal, so just hand it over quickly,” another added, a sinister grin spreading on his face.
Elias hadn’t planned on intervening, but seeing the girl’s helplessness tugged at his heartstrings. He quickly scanned the area for a solution, spotting a surveillance camera at a nearby newspaper kiosk. That gave him an idea.
Gathering his courage, Elias stepped out into the open. “Hey!” he called out, catching the attention of the assailants with the distance of only a few yards between them. “I’ve already called the cops. Robbery carries serious consequences!”
“I’ve got this on camera; you guys won't get away with it,” he shouted loudly.

Chapter 4

“Come on, brother, let's go. Better safe than sorry.”
Elias Hawthorne observed the hesitation in their eyes and added fuel to the fire.
“The cops don’t care how much you steal; if it’s robbery, you’ll do time regardless.”
The bald man pointed at Elias threateningly. “You’d better hope we don’t cross paths again.”
“Let’s go, guys.”
As the group dispersed, a young woman hurried over to Elias.
Elias began to take in the girl before him. Despite her work uniform, her round face, fair skin, and youthful appearance caught his attention. She was around five-foot-six, and he could see that even in a factory, beauty could stand out.
“Are you okay?” he asked, stepping closer.
“I’m fine, thanks, big brother. I’m Lydia Silver,” she replied, her smile brightening her face.
“I’m Elias Hawthorne.”
“Let me walk you a bit.”
Though Lydia was attractive, Elias didn’t press her for personal details; right now, making money was all he could think about.
They soon reached a crossroads, and Elias felt he had to make a move. He couldn’t let her think he was up to no good.
“Wow, you live around here too?” she asked, surprised.
“Yeah, just got to Deepvale today. I’m off to buy a computer.”
“You should avoid dark places and try to head home early after work or get your boyfriend to walk you,” Lydia suggested, her mood seemingly lifted as she walked, bouncing slightly on her feet.
Elias chuckled, “I’m just starting out in the workforce too. My family can’t afford to send both my brother and me to school, so my hometown buddy and I came out together.”
“I’m from Sichuan. What about you?” she inquired curiously.
“I’m from Henan. I’m three years older than you, so you can call me Brother Elias. Do you have a phone? You can call me anytime.”
“Brother Elias, I don’t have one yet. I haven’t received my first paycheck.”
As they chatted, Elias grew more comfortable. They were getting along well, and it felt refreshing since people nowadays weren’t as superficial as they could be.
“Where do you live? Let me walk you home,” he insisted.
“It's that building over there,” she pointed, and to Elias's surprise, it turned out to be the same building he lived in.
Seeing Lydia’s lively demeanor brightened his mood. Generally, Elias had a rather gloomy personality, but he appreciated her enthusiasm.
“Lydia, I’m here. You can head back now. Thanks for today!” she said at the entrance with a grateful smile.
“Actually, I live in this building too. I’m on the third floor, Apartment 301. Come, let me show you,” he replied, pulling out his keys.
He opened the door and called back, “Feel free to come over sometime. And make sure to get some rest.”
Caught off guard, Lydia replied, “Sure thing, Brother Elias.”
Neither expected that they’d ended up living in the same building. Given how newly acquainted they were, they didn't share more personal details, and after a tiring day, Elias headed straight to shower and then to bed.
He woke up on the dot at six-thirty, a habit from his days working the fields. Downstairs, he grabbed some baozi and youtiao for breakfast.
After finishing his meal, he set up his internet connection and fired up his computer.
That’s right—Elias was preparing to write a novel. As a ten-year-old bookworm well-versed in many classic stories, he felt confident that although he couldn't remember every detail, the classic themes would inspire him. If it all went south, well, he had plenty of chances to try again.

Chapter 5

Elias Hawthorne opened his laptop, a stark contrast to his previous life in Fairview Village, where he had barely scratched the surface of the world’s information. Now, he needed to get savvy, to ensure a better life ahead.
"Taobao is already up and running, I know that, the Penguin Coalition too. What about the entertainment side? Strange—could this be a parallel universe?" he pondered as he browsed the web.
Elias checked the copyright information again and realized that this world was notably strict about intellectual property.
He reclined back in his chair, confirming his suspicions: this was a world that seemed eerily similar to his past life but still somehow different.
"Forget about it," he thought. "I get a fresh start, so I might as well live freely." He decided to adopt the pen name Ethan Hawthorne, a tribute to himself and his siblings. His debut novel? A quasi-autobiographical piece titled "The Groom," signifying the origins of the genre where a son-in-law finds himself embroiled in family drama.
He hastily downloaded Novella's Haven, signed up, and began to write.
Hours flew by; before he knew it, two had passed. He had completed three chapters, each about three thousand words long. Satisfied, he saved his work—it was nearly midnight, time for bed.
The next morning, after a quick breakfast, Elias went out to shop for cooking supplies, stocking up on utensils and various spices.
Once home, he resumed writing. Three days sped by as he knocked out forty chapters. After reviewing for typos, he prepared to upload five.
"Delivery services are so slow these days," he muttered, returning to his work and writing another five chapters as the clock approached noon.
"Knock, knock."
Just as Elias was about to prepare lunch, he opened the door to reveal Lydia Silver.
"Are you off today?" he asked, surprised.
"Come in and let’s chat," she replied.
"Elias, it’s Sunday. I’m on break and wanted to treat you to lunch—thanks for helping me the other day."
Lydia hesitated but didn’t step inside, keeping some distance since they weren’t close yet.
"Sure, let me grab my phone and keys," he said, his heart racing a little. He was both excited and curious—especially since he had developed a crush on her.
They didn’t walk far before they found a cozy little restaurant called The Spice Hearth.
"You order, I’m good with anything," she said, handing him the menu.
Lydia called out, "Excuse me, boss!"
"Yes? What can I get for you?"
"Mapo Tofu, Sauerkraut Fish, and Fish Head Tofu Soup."
"Elias, how’s that?" she asked him.
"That seems good—let’s not overdo it; we don’t want to waste anything."
"Okay, just these then," she agreed.
A short wait later, their food arrived.
"By the way, Lydia, where do you work? Is it a big place? Is it tiring?" Elias asked, pouring her tea as he sought to know more about her, viewing factory employees as potential networking contacts.
Lydia, being sweet and straightforward, replied, "I work at Durable Forge. I’m on the assembly line. It’s okay; I mostly sit, so it’s not that exhausting. There are about a thousand people, but I’m not really sure."
"Elias, what about you? Are you looking for a job? I could put in a good word for you at my factory."
"I haven’t decided yet. I’m thinking of starting a small business and currently observing the market," he replied, feeling ambitious.
"Let me know if you need help!"
She grinned.
"If I can’t help, I still have friends looking for work," she added, making Elias smile. There was something about her laughter that drew him in.
Elias felt inexperienced in social situations—especially with women. He didn’t know what to say next, until the food arrived, thankfully giving him a distraction.
After their meal, Elias insisted on paying the bill—it was just over thirty dollars for all three dishes, pleasantly affordable.
"Lydia, we agreed I'd treat you," she said, her cheeks puffing slightly with mock annoyance.
"You called me 'brother'! Plus, you haven’t gotten your paycheck yet. Next time, I promise you can take me out."
"You're such a charmer. You should smile more often," he encouraged playfully.
Her face flushed a bit, and she looked down, clearly shy.
There wasn’t much around to explore, but the nearby Pine Crest Plaza was bustling with activity. Being Sunday, a variety of street food vendors had set up.
Elias noticed a place called The Scroll Repository—filled with dozens of TVs showcasing movies, all around the front was a vast collection of DVDs, priced comparably to online rentals. He turned to Lydia, a grin spreading across his face. "How about a movie? They have on-site viewings. Let's go—the treat's on you this time."
"Sounds fun!" she said, hopping slightly in excitement.
Elias watched as Lydia bounced with enthusiasm, filling him with an inexplicable warmth and joy.

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