After running around all day, Gu Wan was completely exhausted. She didn’t want to waste any more time arguing with them, so she simply said she was tired and returned to her room.
After locking the door, Gu Wan slipped into her space. She drank a few mouthfuls of spiritual spring water and then soaked herself in the spiritual spring pool.
A feeling of complete comfort spread through her from the inside out. The exhaustion from an entire day of rushing around disappeared in an instant, and her body was filled with renewed energy.
Early the next morning, Gu Wan remembered that she had arranged to meet Zheng Dehai at the Housing Management Bureau before eight o’clock to complete the paperwork. After breakfast, she was preparing to leave.
Just then, the telephone in the living room rang.
Her grandfather had specially arranged for this telephone to be installed so it would be convenient for Gu Wan to keep in touch with others. However, it had become a source of pride that Liu Jihong’s family loved to show off.
Gu Wan often used it to contact her best friend, Feng Baobao, and make plans to go shopping together.
Gu Wan casually picked up the phone.
“Hello?”
There was silence on the other end for quite a while before Feng Baobao’s voice came through, sounding as though she had been crying.
“Wanwan, can you come to my house right now?”
Gu Wan’s heart sank.
“What happened? Is something wrong?”
“…It’s nothing serious. I just… want you to come over.”
Gu Wan thought Feng Baobao still wanted to ask her to go shopping. Since she had already planned to visit her, she said,
“I have something to take care of first. I’ll come see you as soon as I’m done, okay?”
Feng Baobao’s voice sounded strange.
“Then hurry. Get here before ten. Otherwise… you might not be able to see me.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Gu Wan was confused, but Feng Baobao didn’t explain. She simply urged her again.
“Come as early as you can once you’re done.”
After hanging up, Gu Wan was filled with doubts. Seeing that it was already getting late, she hurriedly took a bus to the Housing Management Bureau.
Zheng Dehai was already waiting for her outside.
“Grandpa Zheng, are you really going to buy this house? You don’t need to spend that much money!”
“Oh, don’t worry about it.” Zheng Dehai shook his head. “I have no children and no grandchildren. I’m just an old man living alone. What do I need all that money for? I’d rather buy myself a spacious house and live comfortably for the next few years. Besides, I can think of it as helping you keep an eye on the place.”
“But having such an awful neighbor would be frustrating. Why don’t you buy somewhere else?”
“That’s even better! Otherwise, I’d have nothing to do every day. This way, I can keep an eye on her and annoy her every day. It’ll make me happy! I’ll just consider it… catching spies. Hahahaha!”
Zheng Dehai’s reputation really carried weight. Amidst their laughter and conversation, they quickly completed the transfer procedures.
Zheng Dehai told Gu Wan to continue living there for the time being and not worry about moving in a hurry.
Gu Wan, however, told him that she had already moved everything out and that he could move in immediately and keep an eye on Wang Cuilan.
Zheng Dehai was extremely pleased with this arrangement.
After saying goodbye to Zheng Dehai, Gu Wan hurriedly took a bus to her best friend Feng Baobao’s home.
From a distance, she could already see a Liberation-brand truck parked outside her friend’s house. People were constantly going in and out, carrying things.
Gu Wan hurried into the Feng family home.
She saw Feng Baobao and her parents sitting on the sofa, their faces filled with worry.
Gu Wan first greeted Mr. and Mrs. Feng, then grabbed Feng Baobao and asked what had happened and why there was a moving truck outside.
Only after asking did she learn the truth.
The Feng family had been caught up in the political movement, and the entire family was being sent to the countryside for reeducation through labor. The truck outside was there to take them to their assigned destination.
The Feng and Gu families had been family friends for generations. The two old men had been very close, and among their generation, Gu Wan and the Feng family’s granddaughter, Feng Baobao, were best friends. The two families had always been very close.
Like the Gu family, the Feng family also had deep roots and considerable wealth.
Seeing the worry on Feng Baobao’s face, Gu Wan could guess some of what had happened. She lowered her voice and asked,
“Are you going to have to hand over this house too? What about all the things in your house?”
Feng Baobao looked so aggrieved that she was almost in tears.
“Other than the necessities of daily life, they won’t let us take anything. Those people outside are here to supervise us. It’s such a shame to leave all our things behind.”
Mr. Feng let out a heavy sigh.
“At a time like this, being safe and alive is already a blessing. How can we worry about possessions? Besides, no one knows what the situation will be like after we leave. Even if we took things with us, who knows whether those possessions might cost us our lives?”
“After all, people die for wealth just as birds die for food. We’re already living through turbulent times. Carrying conspicuous valuables with us would only be inviting disaster.”
Mr. Feng looked at Gu Wan. Thinking that when the nest is overturned, no egg can remain intact, he asked about the Gu family’s old residence.
Gu Wan replied indifferently,
“We already handed it over.”
“You already handed it over? Then…” Mr. Feng cautiously looked around. Seeing that no one was paying attention, he lowered his voice and quietly asked,
“What about the things your grandfather left you? Were they all confiscated?”
Gu Wan shook her head.
“No. I hid everything.”
“Hidden? Where did you hide it? Ah… never mind, don’t tell me. Don’t tell me anything. I don’t know anything.”
Mr. Feng nervously glanced around.
“To be able to hide everything without anyone noticing, you really are capable.”
He looked at Gu Wan seriously.
“After we leave, the committee members may come here. If… I mean, if… you can take advantage of the opportunity and move our family’s belongings somewhere safe, your uncle would be extremely grateful!”
Gu Wan looked at Feng Baobao, who also nodded at her seriously.
Gu Wan turned back to Mr. Feng.
“I’ll do my best!”
“I don’t know what method you’re using, but as long as you can preserve our family’s ancestral musical clock, everything in the basement can be your payment.”
Gu Wan nodded.
“All right! Is there anyone in the basement right now?”
“No. Everyone helping with the move is upstairs.”
“Then all right. Baobao, take me to your basement and let me have a look. Stand guard at the door for me.”
Feng Baobao nodded and led Gu Wan to the entrance of the basement.
Gu Wan lowered her voice.
“Are all your family’s valuables in the basement? Are there any hidden compartments or anything like that?”
Feng Baobao shook her head.
“The basement itself is difficult to find, and the entrance is well concealed, so we didn’t make any additional hidden compartments. I’ll open the door for you. Take whatever you need.”
With that, she pressed her hand against the wall.
A concealed door in the wall quietly swung inward.
Gu Wan glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, then slipped inside. Feng Baobao casually closed the door behind her.
The Feng family’s basement was slightly smaller than the Gu family’s.
The most eye-catching item was a Qianlong-era Qing Dynasty Penglai Eight Immortals Eight Treasures revolving pavilion enamel musical clock.
The body of the clock was carved in the shape of the legendary Penglai Immortal Mountains. The entire mountain scene had smooth, natural lines that were neither abrupt nor exaggerated. It was magnificent yet elegant, with pavilions and towers, exotic flowers and plants, stone steps and winding paths, all coming together to create an ancient, serene, and fantastical paradise.
It truly was a masterpiece of exquisite craftsmanship.
An intact and exquisitely crafted work of art like this could fetch tens of millions at auctions in later generations, with its value continuing to rise.
No wonder the Feng family had hidden it in the basement and never displayed it publicly.
A treasure this exquisite would only attract the covetous eyes of greedy people. It would bring the Feng family no benefit whatsoever.
For now, Gu Wan might as well keep it safe for them.
Gu Wan noticed that several boxes in the basement were empty. It seemed that the Feng family had already packed away some of their belongings.
That was good, too. Having made at least some preparations would keep them from being completely helpless once they arrived at their assigned destination.