Early the next morning, Jiang Li happily carried the eggs back into the kitchen. When she had time, she planned to clear a patch of land in the courtyard to grow some grain and vegetables. She didn’t need much—just enough to feed herself and Lu Yuanshan in the future.
She had already arranged with Jiang Jin’an to meet that evening to catch Zhao Zhijia and Wu Jianchuan in the act. After resting for a while inside her space, she took advantage of the remaining time and went shopping at both the state-run supply cooperative and the black market.
At the supply cooperative, she bought salt, soy sauce, vinegar, soap, towels, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and other daily necessities, using up every ration coupon she still had. She also purchased several bowls and ceramic cups.
Then she headed to the black market and bought vegetable seeds—Chinese cabbage, white radishes, carrots, loofah gourds, cucumbers—mostly vegetables suited to northern China.
On her way home, she decided to visit someone.
She rode her bicycle to a small house in the eastern suburbs and stopped in front of its courtyard gate.
This was where Grandma Hong, an elderly servant who had once worked for her family, lived.
Grandma Hong had been Fang Lingyu’s wet nurse and had served the Fang family for most of her life. Her daughter, Zhang Yulian, had once been Jiang Li’s mother’s personal maid. When domestic servants were no longer allowed, the two women had left the Fang household and moved here to live with their son and grandson.
Jiang Li and her mother used to visit them often, and they would frequently come to see Jiang Li and her mother in return.
Since Jiang Li would soon be leaving to join her husband at his military post, she likely wouldn’t return for quite some time. She wanted to say goodbye before she left.
Before knocking, she quietly took some eggs and fruit out of her space.
Knock, knock, knock.
The door was opened by Zhang Yulian.
“Aunt Zhang.”
“It’s the young miss! Quick, come in.”
Zhang Yulian beamed with delight.
“Aunt Zhang, you still haven’t broken the habit. Just call me Li Li.”
Every time they met, Jiang Li reminded her of this.
“I know, I know. I’m just used to it. All right, Auntie will call you Li Li from now on. Come inside.”
She hurriedly welcomed Jiang Li in.
Grandma Hong slowly made her way into the courtyard behind her. Because of her age, she walked much more slowly.
The moment she saw Jiang Li, her wrinkled face broke into a broad smile, as happy as if her own granddaughter had returned.
“Our little Li Li! You’ve come. Grandma was just thinking about visiting you.”
“Grandma, let’s go inside.”
Jiang Li gently supported her into the house.
The home was quiet. Besides Grandma Hong and Aunt Zhang, no one else was there.
After they sat down, Zhang Yulian poured Jiang Li a cup of hot tea.
“Aunt Zhang, you really didn’t have to.”
Once Zhang Yulian had taken a seat as well, Jiang Li told them she would soon be leaving to join her husband at his military base.
“Grandma, Aunt Zhang, I’m going to the northwest to be with Jianjun. I’ll probably leave in two or three days, so I wanted to come tell you.”
Both women looked surprised.
Jiang Li had often complained that the northwest was too harsh and remote. The last time they met, she had insisted she would never willingly go there.
Zhang Yulian asked, “Li Li, you’re really going to the army camp to find that husband of yours? Didn’t you say life there was too difficult, and that you two had nothing in common?”
Jiang Li smiled and revealed the reason.
“I’m pregnant. I want my child to grow up with its father. As for not having anything in common… I think we just haven’t spent enough time together. Once we live together longer, we’ll probably find more to talk about.”
Grandma Hong squeezed Jiang Li’s hand and smiled warmly.
“Young couples should stay together. Feelings grow through living together. Grandma only met Xiao Lu once, but I could tell he’s a reliable young man. Honest, steady, dependable. He’ll treat you well. Knowing you’re going to him puts my mind at ease.”
Jiang Li neither agreed nor disagreed.
She had indeed decided to make a real marriage with Lu Yuanshan, but whether he truly was reliable remained to be seen. Only time would reveal a person’s true character.
“Grandma, as long as he stays dependable and continues treating me well, I’ll live a good life with him too.”
Grandma smiled confidently.
“My judgment of people has never been wrong. Xiao Lu is capable and trustworthy. Li Li, you’ll have a blessed life with him.”
Jiang Li had always spoken openly with Grandma Hong and Aunt Zhang.
Though they had once been servants, they were far more trustworthy than many blood relatives.
So she told them everything—how Jiang Jinxiu and Jiang Jin’an had betrayed her parents and caused them to be denounced and sent away.
Both women were furious.
“They’re your own flesh and blood!” Grandma Hong clenched her teeth in anger. “Your parents trusted them to look after you in the city, but they’re nothing but wolves in human skin. They… they won’t hurt you, will they? If you’re afraid, come live here with Grandma. I’ll protect you. I won’t let them lay a finger on you.”
Jiang Li smiled reassuringly.
“It’s all right, Grandma. I’ve already thought of ways to deal with them. They’ll pay for what they’ve done. Besides, they still want more from me. Until they’ve gotten what they want, they won’t dare do anything to me openly.”
“Li Li,” Zhang Yulian said sincerely, “if you ever need help, you must tell us. Even if the two of us can’t manage it, we have children. If I ask them to help, they’ll do whatever is needed.”
Jiang Li didn’t want to drag innocent people into her conflict.
More importantly, she believed she could handle both families herself.
“Grandma, Aunt Zhang, I appreciate it, but I really can take care of this. Please don’t worry.”
“Our little Li Li has truly grown up.”
Grandma Hong smiled with relief.
But as she smiled, tears welled up in her eyes.
“You’ve suffered so much… You’re just a young girl.”
“I’m fine, Grandma. I can get through this. Didn’t you just say I’ve grown up? There are things I can handle on my own now.”
Grandma Hong then had Zhang Yulian bring out a cloth bundle from inside.
She handed it to Jiang Li.
“Your mother gave me this before she was sent away. She originally wanted me to wait a few years before giving it to you, but I think you’ve matured enough to stand on your own now.”
“What is it?”
Jiang Li accepted the bundle curiously.
Inside was another, smaller cloth bundle.
She blinked.
A bundle inside another bundle?
She untied the smaller one.
Inside lay a folded piece of sheepskin.
Opening it carefully, she discovered it was a map.
Not a local map—but one of another region.
Grandma Hong explained,
“This marks another treasure your family hid outside the city. Your mother didn’t know whether she’d ever come back after being sent away. She wanted you to have it, but she feared the relatives around you couldn’t be trusted, so she asked me to safeguard it. Now that you’ve broken ties with them, I believe you won’t tell them about this. Li Li, it’s yours now. What you do with it is entirely your decision.”
Jiang Li was completely stunned.
She had fabricated the story about a “second treasure” only to manipulate Jiang Jinxiu.
Who could have imagined there really was another hidden treasure?
My mouth must be blessed, she thought wryly.
If I claimed there was a third treasure, would one magically appear too?
She laughed inwardly.
One extra treasure is luck. Two would be a miracle.
She carefully studied the map.
It showed the treasure’s approximate location, but not the exact terrain, so she couldn’t yet tell how difficult it would be to retrieve.
She folded the map, slipped it into her shoulder bag, and secretly stored it inside her space.
“Thank you for keeping this safe for me, Grandma. I’ll take good care of it.”
Grandma Hong nodded without asking any more questions.
It was the Ning family’s private treasure.
How Jiang Li chose to handle it was entirely her own affair.
If Jiang Li needed help, she would ask.
If she didn’t, Grandma Hong wouldn’t interfere.
Suddenly—
Cough! Cough! Cough!
Grandma Hong covered her mouth and coughed violently.
Jiang Li immediately noticed something was wrong.
“Grandma, are you sick?”
Grandma Hong smiled weakly.
“I’ve had this for a long time. It’s nothing serious, I—”
Before she could finish—
Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough!
The coughing fit grew even worse.
Zhang Yulian quickly began patting her mother’s back with one hand while rubbing her chest with the other.
“Mom, are you feeling any better?”