RBI1960 Chapter 29 V3

One was a porcelain snuff bottle—oval-shaped, delicate, painted with a graceful lady in ancient attire. The porcelain was smooth and white like jade. Unfortunately, there was no identifying mark, so it was hard to date.

The other was a jade seal. Even someone like Jiang Yiliu, who wasn’t knowledgeable about jade, could tell this was high quality. The milky-white seal was smooth and radiant. Sadly, one corner had chipped, greatly reducing its value.

“You’re still too young to understand any of this, but just know these are all valuable things. Once you’re a bit older, I’ll teach you how to tell whether something is worth money or not.”

Gu Xiashi saw how serious he looked, as if he truly understood what he was seeing. Smiling, he took the two items from the boy’s hands, tucked them into the lining of his cotton coat, and buttoned it up.

“Now that is a real treasure. That’s a chair made from genuine Hainan huanghuali wood. Back in the day, only the rich and powerful could afford to use something like that.” As Gu Xiashi held his nephew’s hand and led him outside, he stopped when they passed a messy pile of old furniture in the yard. He pointed to a chair beside a wooden cabinet and said with a hint of heartache.

In his opinion, that chair would be worth a fortune in the future. The shame was, it was too big to sneak out. Even a blind man would notice someone carrying it.

Gu Xiashi let out a sigh, regretting the fate of that chair. The stuff collected by the scrap yard—especially wood furniture—usually ended up chopped up for firewood. That was just such a waste of good pieces.

But there was nothing he could do. No matter how painful it was, he simply couldn’t take it with him.

Jiang Yiliu was quietly moved by what he said and casually asked, “Uncle, do you know what kind of wood all this is?”

“What’s so hard about that?” Gu Xiashi scoffed. “Look at this piece—see how beautiful the grain is? The color is soft and warm. More importantly, the wood grain is fine and orderly. Even around the knots, the patterns don’t crisscross randomly. That’s something you won’t find in other kinds of wood.”

He picked up his nephew and carried him over to the chair. “Come closer and see if you can smell anything.”

“I don’t smell anything,” Jiang Yiliu said, turning back with a confused look.

Gu Xiashi chuckled mysteriously, picked up a small stone from the ground, and gently scraped a bit off the armrest of the chair. “Now smell it again.”

Jiang Yiliu leaned in to sniff the newly scraped area, and instantly, a rich fragrance rushed up his nose.

“What the—how come I couldn’t smell anything just a second ago?” he asked, wide-eyed.

“That’s huanghuali for you. Its scent fades over time once it’s been exposed to air. But scrape the surface and reveal a fresh layer, and the fragrance comes right back.”

Gu Xiashi was pleased by the admiration in his nephew’s eyes. He began pointing at the other pieces of furniture nearby and enthusiastically explained the characteristics of each type of wood. He went on and on until his mouth was dry and his voice hoarse, only stopping reluctantly.

“Alright, I’ll bring you back next time to learn more. It’s getting late—we should head home.”

It was nearly noon. Their breakfast had long been digested by now. Gu Xiashi rubbed his belly and led Jiang Yiliu out of the yard.

“Done picking out your comic books?” asked the woman at the entrance, opening the gate after hearing a knock. She glanced at the thick stack of comics in Jiang Yiliu’s hands and smiled.

“Yeah, this kid took forever. He finally found a few he liked,” Gu Xiashi said as he ruffled his nephew’s hair, putting on the act of a doting father.

The woman gave them both a once-over with a sharp look but didn’t see anything amiss. Satisfied, she nodded. “Kids are all like that.”

She shut the gate behind them. No one noticed that just as it closed, one of the chairs in the yard’s junk pile had mysteriously vanished.

All three of them were quite pleased with how things turned out.

The woman was happy to have made a free buck. Everything in the scrap yard belonged to the state, and most of it was junk no one cared about. If something went missing, who’d even notice?

Gu Xiashi was thrilled to have found two valuable treasures for just one yuan.

And Jiang Yiliu? He didn’t spend a single cent but scored dozens of collectible comics, a mysterious scroll, and a nearly confirmed Hainan huanghuali armchair. He was, hands down, the biggest winner of the day.

With his treasures secured, Jiang Yiliu no longer felt tired. His legs didn’t hurt, and his back wasn’t sore. He followed Gu Xiashi back the same way they came to the entrance of the state-run restaurant. Their bike was still there, untouched. If nothing else, public safety in this era was top-notch. If someone tried to steal or rob you, one shout and passersby would immediately jump in to help. As for thugs? People would swarm them like hornets.

Not like in the future, where folks were too scared to get involved, afraid of becoming the next target.

Gu Xiashi told his nephew to wait by the bike while he went back inside the restaurant. When he came out, he was holding two yellow paper packages. He handed the heavier one to Jiang Yiliu.

“Here, eat a few of these meat buns now. The rest, take home. Have your mom steam them for dinner so everyone can share.” As he spoke, he took a steaming bun from his bag and downed it in just a few bites.

Jiang Yiliu looked at the large package of at least a dozen big meat buns in his arms. His nose stung a little as he fought the urge to tear up. He grabbed one, stuffed it into his mouth, and with his cheeks puffed out, mumbled, “Uncle, you’ve got to save money. You should find yourself a wife and get your place with Grandma and Big Uncle’s family. That way, you won’t have to stay at home and keep getting treated badly by Big Aunt.”

Gu Xiashi looked young for his age, but he was already well into his thirties. It was rare for someone his age to still be unmarried. Though he was thin and not fit for hard labor, he was smart and had earned decent money over the years doing odd and ends. He just kept it low-key.

Jiang Yiliu couldn’t figure it out—how could such a great guy like his uncle still be single?

Gu Xiashi swallowed the last bite of his bun and wrapped up the two remaining ones in yellow paper, tucking them into his coat. He didn’t dare bring too many home. If that woman saw them, she’d start yelling again. Back when his mom was young, she was known for miles around as a firecracker, raising all those kids by herself. But now, even in her old age, she still had to swallow her pride and tolerate that unreasonable woman.

She always complained that her youngest daughter was too soft-tempered, but look at her now—was she any better off? In Gu Xiashi’s opinion, his little sister had just inherited their mother’s tendency to be a pushover, at least when it came to family.

He, on the other hand, was not his mother. His money was his own, and he wasn’t about to let that woman get even a sliver of it.

“Did your mom put you up to this?” He gave his nephew a sharp tap on the head and scowled.

His mom and sister were always worrying about nonsense. What’s so great about getting married anyway? Look at his older brother—married a troublemaker and nearly brought the whole family down.

“Not everyone’s like Big Aunt,” Jiang Yiliu muttered, seeing his uncle’s indifferent expression.

“Alright, eat your bun and quit talking nonsense.” Gu Xiashi poked his nephew’s cheek. “You’re a boy—don’t go meddling in women’s business like your mom and sisters.”

Jiang Yiliu nearly choked on his bun. If only you knew I spent my last life as a woman for decades… some habits just don’t go away.

But of course, he couldn’t say that. So he just ate in silence, already making plans to talk to Grandma later and ask her to gently nudge Uncle again.

Sure, he’d take care of his uncle when he was old—make sure he never went hungry or cold—but that was different. He truly hoped his uncle could find someone he loved and live a happy life this time around.

The buns were pretty big. Jiang Yiliu only managed to eat one and a half before he was full. Gu Xiashi wrapped up the rest for him to take home later.

On the way back, Gu Xiashi stopped by the supply store and bought some candies and snacks that kids loved. “Take these home and share them with your sisters.”

Jiang Yiliu sat on the back of the bicycle, clutching a big bag of snacks and tightly holding onto his uncle’s coat. Even with the thick velvet cushion, the bumpy mountain roads made his butt feel like it had split into eight pieces.

Gu Xiashi was in a hurry to stash away his treasures. Jiang Yiliu was curious where his uncle hid all that stuff. In his last life, no one had any clue. If it hadn’t been for the time he needed money to take Meiling abroad, his uncle probably never would’ve revealed the stash.

After that, his aunt Niu Fang had secretly gone back to the old house to search, flipping it upside down. But she found nothing. Instead, she was reported by Gu Xiashi for attempted theft. Since nothing was stolen, she was only held for three days, but it was enough to scare her straight. Ever since then, she ran the other way whenever she saw him.

Niu Fang had never been a good daughter-in-law, so it was no surprise her son turned out just like her. He looked down on his mother for having been arrested, and his wife couldn’t stand her attitude either. After draining all the money from Niu Fang and Gu Chunhui, they kicked the old couple into the storeroom to live out their days. Every day, they were forced to work like servants, eating leftovers and enduring verbal abuse. Their final years were miserable—karma at its finest.

His uncle’s hiding spot was a secret, just like Jiang Yiliu had secrets of his own. So even if he was dying to know, he didn’t ask.

After riding for over half an hour, Jiang Yiliu’s butt had gone completely numb. Thankfully, the village was finally in sight.

To get there, they had to pass through a large stretch of farmland. Since lots of people used this road daily, it was relatively flat—Jiang Yiliu’s rear end could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

It seemed most of the villagers had gone home for lunch; the fields were empty. Glancing around, Jiang Yiliu suddenly spotted a familiar figure. He quickly tugged at his uncle’s coat to make him stop.

“Uncle, we’re already at the village entrance. You don’t need to take me in,” he said, rubbing his sore backside. “My butt’s killing me. It’s just a short walk from here—I can go on my own.”

“No way. I’ll just walk with you,” Gu Xiashi said as he hopped off the bike.

“It’s fine. I’ll be alright,” Jiang Yiliu insisted, taking the bag of buns and waving goodbye before running toward the village.

Qingshan Village was so remote that strangers rarely visited. Several families lived near the entrance, and if anything happened, one shout would have the whole village out in seconds. It was safe enough.

Gu Xiashi watched him run off and, seeing no reason to follow, frowned slightly before turning and pedaling off in the opposite direction.

Jiang Yiliu kept glancing over his shoulder. Once he was sure his uncle had left, he finally stopped, took a deep breath, and walked toward a nearby patch of brush.

In the little grove by the field stood a tall and a short figure—clearly a man and a woman. The man handed the girl something, and she lowered her head with a smile. A moment later, he gently placed his hand on her head, the two of them standing close together, whispering who knows what.

Jiang Yiliu’s grip on the bun tightened so hard he didn’t even notice the yellow wrapping tearing in his hand.