Chapter 110: 90: A Family by the Spring Chapter 110: Wanting a House of One's Own

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"She copied Qu Peng's homework for three years, and she's still not lovestruck?"

"That's Qu Peng exploiting her."

"If she weren't willing herself, who could exploit her?"

"Fine, I'm not talking to you anymore."

Lin Xiyu didn't want to argue with him, pushing him toward the door: "Hurry back now, be careful on the road, don't ride too fast......."

"Kicking me out already?"

Guben was quite speechless.

"Go on, go on, stop standing there."

Lin Xiyu pushed him hard from behind.

"Fine, I'm going, I'm going now."

Guben moved forward with her force: "You ungrateful little thing, I just bought you jewelry and you turn on me."

"I didn't ask you to buy it for me."

Lin Xiyu laughed and tickled him: "It was you who insisted on buying it for me."

"You just want to make me angry."

Guben, with Grandfather's family all present, didn't want to quibble with her.

Lin Xiyu stifled a laugh and pushed him out of the house.

——

"What jewelry?"

The main room wasn't big, just that little space, and everyone could hear what the two said.

Seeing the person leave, the female cousin rushed over impatiently and pulled open Lin Xiyu's collar.

"What are you doing?"

Lin Xiyu, both shy and annoyed, slapped her hand away.

"I'm checking if there's a necklace."

The female cousin chuckled and gave her an ambiguous little glance: "I heard that couples in the heat of passion give necklaces as their first gift, tied around the neck so they can't run away."

"You mean a dog leash, right?"

Lin Xiyu laughed in anger and shot her a glare.

"Hehe."

The female cousin continued black-belliedly: "This is what you said yourself."

"You're just jealous."

Lin Xiyu got annoyed: "If you're so capable, go find someone to give you one, stop tickling me here."

"I'd like to, but unfortunately they don't appreciate it......"

The female cousin stopped smiling, a hint of disappointment flashing in her eyes.

"Xiyu."

Women all have a soft spot for jewelry, and Grandmother was no exception: "What did Little Bin buy for you? Take it out for us to see."

"Mm."

Lin Xiyu hadn't intended to hide it from Grandmother anyway, and going along with her wishes, she took out the jewelry box hidden at the very bottom of her wardrobe.

"Wow, so pretty."

As the box lid opened, the female cousin was instantly dazzled by the exquisite jade ornaments.

"A whole set of jewelry like this must be very expensive, right?"

The maternal aunt also came over, craning her neck to look into the box.

"It's okay, not too expensive."

Lin Xiyu didn't want to show off and didn't say the real price.

"The quality is not bad......"

Grandmother took out the jade bracelet, holding it up under the lamp to look: "It's a fine piece of material."

"Grandmother knows jade?"

Lin Xiyu smiled and echoed her.

"When we first came to Jinan, your grandfather also bought me a jade bracelet."

A touch of nostalgia appeared in Grandmother's eyes: "Too bad, during those years of famine, our family was so poor we couldn't even light the stove, so I sold the bracelet."

"When I make money, I'll buy you another one."

The female cousin reacted fastest and had a glib tongue.

"Grandmother is old, she doesn't wear these things anymore."

Grandmother's eyes and brows were gentle as she took Lin Xiyu's hand and put the bracelet on her wrist: "Such a pretty bracelet looks best on a young girl."

"Tsk tsk, it is pretty."

The female cousin looked on with great envy.

"Put on the earrings and jade pendant together and take a look."

Auntie was purely a feast for the eyes; she harbored no covetous thoughts whatsoever.

Such a valuable jade ornament was clearly not cheap at a glance; she dared not touch it, for if she broke it, she could not afford to compensate even if she sold herself.

Lin Xiyu did not put on airs; going along with Auntie's intentions, she let her feast her eyes.

The jade pendant's cord was neither long nor short, hanging just at the neckline of her upper garment.

The lively and elegant floating flowers set off her skin, white as snow.

The earrings were like pure water droplets, suspended on fine silk threads, hanging above her round shoulders, swaying gently with the turn of her cheeks, making the young lady appear especially playful and cute.

"Tsk tsk."

Female Cousin smacked her lips a few times and had to admit that Guben had good taste; this set of jade ornaments suited her younger sister perfectly.

"Our Xiyu is just good-looking."

Grandma also smiled while looking at her well-behaved and sensible maternal grandchild, liking her more the more she looked.

"It's still good to have money."

Auntie smiled and echoed: "Find a wealthy partner, follow him for a lifetime and bask in his glory, never worrying about food or drink."

"But one must be willing to spend money; a man willing to spend money on a woman is truly fond of her."

Grandma seized the opportunity to preach, looking meaningfully at Female Cousin: "The most foolish behavior for a woman is to throw herself at someone; excessive self-righteous maternal love, thinking that being good to someone can move his heart."

"Actually not; men all have self-esteem, especially in front of the woman they like, their spine must be held straight, and they cannot let her look down on them."

"When men cry poor, they always have ulterior motives, just wanting to take advantage and gain benefits; when encountering such people, stay as far away as possible, absolutely cannot let yourself get involved, making wedding clothes for others."

——

"Hey hey, Grandma, don't glare at me."

Female Cousin had a guilty conscience; the more she listened, the more she felt Grandma was warning her. She stiffened her neck and quibbled: "I haven't met such a person, so I won't make wedding clothes for others."

"Best if that's the case..."

Grandma coolly glanced at her.

"Of course."

Female Cousin proudly raised her eyebrow: "I judge people very accurately; if someone has bad character, I absolutely won't associate with them. Wanting to take advantage of me, no way."

"Grandma, I still have something I want to tell you..."

Lin Xiyu couldn't stand her show-off look and changed the topic: "Guben wants to take me to BJ while Director Du has a back injury and filming is paused, to meet his Sixth Grandfather..."

"How many days will you go?"

Grandma had not yet answered when Female Cousin's face changed.

"Probably, three days."

Lin Xiyu calculated the days: "Tomorrow is Friday; at the latest, next Monday. If fast, we can be back by Sunday night."

"It takes three days!"

Female Cousin put on a bitter face: "Then wouldn't my business be cold for three days, and I can't earn money?"

"The weather forecast says there will be thunderstorms for the next week."

Uncle looked at the pouring rain outside the window and poured cold water on her again: "You can't set up a stall in the rain; just give up."

"Sigh."

Female Cousin sighed: "If only I could rent a shop; setting up a stall at the Night Market is too limited and cannot last."

"Isn't Dongmen Small Commodity Market almost finished?"

Lin Xiyu helped her come up with an idea: "I heard Guben say they are about to rent it out externally; they also took a liking to that location and intend to buy a shop there."

"Right, how did I forget this."

Female Cousin was delighted: "Tomorrow I'll tell Liu Ye about this, and let them bring me along when they buy; I want to get in on it too."

Grandma raised her eyebrow: "The little money you earn, where is it enough to buy a shop?"

"I'll buy it even if I have to borrow money."

Female Cousin's little calculator clattered: "Guben has a very sharp eye; following him is definitely right. He says to buy a shop, and once bought, it will definitely make money. Such a good opportunity absolutely cannot be missed."

"Who do you want to borrow from?"

Grandma narrowed her eyes, feeling displeased: "Won't be that classmate of yours whose family wholesales clothes, right?"

"No."

Female Cousin denied it outright.

"Not her?"

Grandma was not reassured and continued to ask: "Who else do you know?"

"My Boss."

Female Cousin said righteously: "Didn't Grandma say, a man willing to spend money on a woman is truly fond of her. I have such a generous brother-in-law; not basking in his glory would be foolish."

Grandma: "......."

Whose shameless girl is this?

She does not acknowledge having this maternal grandchild.

——

At night a strong wind rose, and the rain fell even harder.

Lin Xiyu slept restlessly, dreaming someone poured dirty water on her. She was overly frightened and suddenly opened her eyes.

"Drip drip drip."

Raindrops fell one by one from the eaves, dripping right onto her.

The roof was leaking!

The bamboo mat under Female Cousin was also wet over a large area; fortunately, she slept restlessly, and the towel quilt covering her had been kicked to the side, so it was not soaked.

"Sis, wake up."

Lin Xiyu sighed faintly and shoved her female cousin hard a few times.

"What are you doing?"

Her female cousin slept in a daze, rubbing her eyelids unwillingly.

"It's leaking rain."

Lin Xiyu splashed a few drops of rainwater onto her face.

"Ah? Leaking rain again?"

Her female cousin was awake now, springing up from the ground like a zombie.

"The rain is too heavy."

Lin Xiyu smiled helplessly, put the towel quilt and pillow aside, and dragged up the bamboo mat from the floor.

"I'll go get a basin."

Her female cousin brought a washbasin and a rag from the kitchen with an umbrella.

Lin Xiyu wiped the bamboo mat with the rag, her female cousin wiped the floor, and the two sisters busied themselves for a good while before finishing.

"Drip drip drip."

Rainwater dripping into the basin made a crisp sound; Lin Xiyu threw a towel into the basin, and the sound gradually became smaller.

"The bamboo mat is wet, how can we sleep?"

Her female cousin looked depressed and yawned tiredly.

"My towel quilt is wet too."

Lin Xiyu smiled bitterly: "I can only spread yours on the floor and make do for one night."

"Can you manage without covering yourself?"

Her female cousin frowned: "I have strong inner fire, so it's fine without covering; didn't you develop the habit since childhood of having to cover your stomach to sleep?"

"Cover with clothes, make do."

Lin Xiyu pulled her school uniform top from the closet and casually got one for her female cousin too: "Anyway, it won't be long before dawn."

"Fine."

Her female cousin found a clean spot and spread the towel quilt.

Lin Xiyu chose a comfortable spot to lie down and draped her clothes over her waist.

"Uncle just repaired the roof, how is it leaking again?"

After this commotion, her female cousin wasn't sleepy anymore, tossing and turning unable to sleep.

"It's an old house; leaking rain is normal."

Lin Xiyu was already used to it: "Otherwise, everyone looks forward to demolition and moving into a new building."

"No wonder people make a fuss."

Her female cousin sympathized deeply with residents who couldn't relocate: "Seeing everyone else living in buildings while you're stuck in a drafty old shack, unable to sleep peacefully—who wouldn't feel uncomfortable?"

"It's good to have money; I want to earn more too."

Lin Xiyu agreed: "With money, you can buy a new house without waiting for demolition. If I had money, I must buy one for myself, never again live under someone else's roof, watching their face to get by."

"Your stepfather is a bastard."

Her female cousin understood her heartache and spoke up for her: "His daughter is even worse; neither father nor daughter is any good."

"Fortunately, Uncle and Auntie have good tempers and don't dislike me, letting me stay at Grandma's house."

Lin Xiyu felt grateful: "Otherwise I truly would have nowhere to go, not even a leak-proof hut."

"Don't I still have me?"

Her female cousin was very loyal: "I'll take you in; we're like real sisters, I'll share my bed with you."

"You were kicked out by Aunt Da yourself."

Lin Xiyu laughed and tickled her: "And you're taking me in?"

"Ay ay."

Her female cousin smiled awkwardly: "Wasn't that for pursuing my ideal? My ideal is to make big money."

"My ideal is to have a house of my own."

Lin Xiyu looked expectant; from this moment on, a seed was planted in her heart—to have a house of her own became her obsession.

"With money comes a house."

"Having a house is equivalent to making money."

"Let's work hard together."

"Go for it!"

The two sisters shared the same goal, exchanged a glance, and smiled tacitly.

—

The heavy rain lasted all night, easing slightly around midnight.

Her female cousin didn't sleep well at night, barely crawled up in the morning, casually took a leftover vegetable pancake from dinner, and left yawning.

Guben bought the train tickets and came to pick her up at 8:30.

Under Grandma's endless reminders, Lin Xiyu carried her luggage out the door.

The train from Jinan to Beijing takes over seven hours; when the two arrived at the train station, Wang Fan, Qu Peng, and Li Liang were already there.

With a clear whistle, the train departed on time, roaring toward the distance.

Seven hours passed in a flash; at 5 PM, they arrived at Beijing Railway Station.

Guben had reported the itinerary to Grandpa Gu in advance; when the five exited the station, someone was waiting at the exit holding a sign.

The one who came to pick them up was Sixth Grandpa's secretary; upon seeing the only woman in the group, his eyes lit up and he showed an expression of amazement.

Lin Xiyu got off the train and, at Guben's request, changed her outfit in the toilet first.

She wore the white orchid silk waist-cinching long dress she had bought from Wu Meng's home while filming on Xi Gengdao Street.

Her head of black and beautiful hair was braided, hanging softly at her waist; her light and graceful figure, paired with a full set of blue-flower jade ornaments, was indescribably fresh and elegant.

"Is Sixth Grandpa home?"

Guben turned his body slightly, blocking the secretary's fleeting obsessive gaze.

"It's not quitting time yet at this hour."

The secretary's eyes flickered, and he slightly embarrassedly withdrew his gaze: "Old Master Gu has already instructed me to take you home first, and have dinner at home in the evening."

"Thank you."

Guben nodded, took Lin Xiyu's hand, and followed the secretary out of the train station.

—

In the evening, a pitch-black car slowly drove into Nanluoguxiang and stopped in front of the door of an old siheyuan.

The car door opened, and an elderly man over sixty, thin in build, got out of the carriage.

The old man had a solemn face, and his cold, sharp gaze was awe-inspiring without anger; just one look could make people feel reverence.

The door of the siheyuan was ajar; the old man pushed the door open himself and entered the small courtyard.

In the antique small courtyard, various orchids were planted.

In the scorching summer season, the orchids were blooming brightly, the scenery was like a painting, with birdsong and flower fragrance.

A brilliant young girl, holding a book, sat on the stone bench by the viewing fish pond, reading with great interest.

As if deeply attracted by the story, the corners of her mouth slightly curled up, forming a charming arc.