That afternoon, Hu Yufen mysteriously led Qin Ruan into the cellar.
The cellar was dark and damp, with several old wooden chests stacked in one corner.
Following Hu Yufen’s instructions, Qin Ruan moved the wooden chests aside and began digging into the ground. After digging more than a meter deep, they uncovered an enormous chest.
“Lift it up.”
Qin Ruan and Hu Yufen worked together to haul the large chest out. To Qin Ruan’s surprise, there was another one underneath it.
“Don’t look. Leave the one below alone.”
After saying that, Hu Yufen opened a small box hidden inside the large chest. The box was lined with red cloth and filled with jade bracelets, jade pendants, and hairpins, all glowing with a soft green luster in the dim light.
“These were left behind by your grandfather’s family. I’ve never had the heart to take them out,” Hu Yufen said, gently running her fingers over the jewelry, her eyes full of nostalgia. “Pick out two bracelets to bring to your aunt. Even though she’s the daughter of a military commander, our Qin family’s sincerity can’t be lacking.”
Looking at the jade, Qin Ruan’s heart stirred.
If I listed these in the system marketplace, I’d definitely earn a lot of points.
But she quickly dismissed the thought.
These were keepsakes left by her grandparents and also a gift for her aunt. She couldn’t possibly entertain such selfish ideas.
She selected the two finest jade bracelets—one with floating green patterns and one a rich, solid green. They felt satisfyingly heavy in her hands.
“Grandma, these two are beautiful. Aunt will definitely love them.”
Hu Yufen smiled and nodded as she closed the box again.
“The daughters-in-law of the Qin family deserve only the best. Once we get to the military base, make sure you behave well. Your aunt can help keep an eye out for a suitable young man for you.”
Qin Ruan blushed and quickly changed the subject.
“Grandma, we’d better finish packing first. We don’t want to leave anything behind.”
That evening, Qin Ruan packed the malted milk powder, tea leaves, and rock sugar into a cloth bag. She carefully wrapped the two jade bracelets in old cotton padding before placing them securely in an inner pocket.
Meanwhile, Hu Yufen wrapped each egg from their hens individually in paper and carefully arranged them in a bamboo basket.
“These eggs are from our own chickens. They’re perfect for helping your aunt regain her strength.”
Watching her busy grandmother, Qin Ruan quietly slipped the 20 yuan she had exchanged from the system marketplace beneath her grandmother’s pillow. She knew Hu Yufen didn’t have much money, and this would come in handy.
As the night grew deeper, the grandmother and granddaughter lay in bed. Hu Yufen chattered endlessly about things to keep in mind at the military base, while Qin Ruan gazed at the moon outside the window, thinking about the mysterious man and the new life awaiting her there.
After her grandmother fell asleep, Qin Ruan quietly got out of bed. She took out the tea leaves she had picked over the past two days and listed them on the system marketplace.
“System, can I simply label these as ‘1983 Yunnan Raw Pu-erh Tea’?”
[Replying to the Host: Yes, you can.]
After receiving the system’s confirmation, Qin Ruan listed the tea for sale and didn’t bother worrying about the rest. The system could automatically handle both sales and shipping.
At the first light of dawn, Qin Ruan and her grandmother, Hu Yufen, shouldered their packed luggage and set off toward the town’s railway station through the morning mist.
The mountain road was rough and uneven. By the time they reached the station, both were drenched in sweat. Hu Yufen had to stop every so often to catch her breath, while Qin Ruan gently wiped the sweat from her grandmother’s face and massaged her back.
“Grandma, slow down. Don’t wear yourself out,” Qin Ruan said softly as she supported her.
Hu Yufen waved her hand dismissively with a smile.
“I’m fine. Just thinking about seeing your uncle and aunt again fills me with energy. I don’t feel tired at all.”
After a long journey, they finally arrived at the railway station, where a long line had already formed in front of the ticket window.
Qin Ruan asked her grandmother to rest on a nearby bench while she joined the queue to buy tickets.
“Comrade, I’d like two sleeper tickets to Shancheng, please,” Qin Ruan said politely as she handed over the money.
Without looking up, the ticket clerk replied, “There are only two sleeper tickets left. You’re just in time.”
Delighted, Qin Ruan quickly accepted the tickets and helped her grandmother through the ticket inspection.
Just as Qin Ruan and her grandmother were waiting in line to enter the station, a tall, stern-faced man was galloping on horseback toward Qingshan Village.
He was none other than the man who had spent the night with Qin Ruan on Tea Mountain.
His name was Huo Tingchen, a regiment commander in the military district and also the captain of a special forces unit.
The moment Huo Tingchen completed his mission, he rushed back to Qingshan Village, determined to find the woman from that day.
Following the route he remembered, Huo Tingchen returned to the tea mountain where Qin Ruan had been picking tea. However, all he found was the hairpin she had dropped.
“Where is she? Where did she go?” Huo Tingchen searched everywhere, calling out loudly, but received no response.
He then rode into the village, going from house to house asking for information. He was told that Qin Ruan, the owner of that section of the tea mountain, and her grandmother had gone to the town’s railway station early that morning, but no one knew where they were headed.
A wave of disappointment washed over Huo Tingchen. Looking at the hairpin in his hand, he said firmly,
“No matter where you go, I’ll find you.”
With that, he swung himself back onto his horse and galloped toward the military district.
He decided to return to his unit first and then find another way to track down Qin Ruan.
Qin Ruan and her grandmother boarded the train and found their sleeper berths.
As the train slowly pulled away, Qin Ruan gazed at the scenery rushing past outside the window, her heart filled with both anticipation and unease.
She looked forward to seeing her youngest uncle and aunt, but she also wondered whether that mysterious man would really come looking for her.
“Grandma, look! The scenery outside is so beautiful,” Qin Ruan said, taking her grandmother’s hand and pointing out the window.
Hu Yufen smiled and nodded.
“Yes. It’s been so long since I traveled anywhere. I never imagined the outside world had changed so much.”
The grandmother and granddaughter chatted while eating the snacks Qin Ruan had prepared in advance.
Qin Ruan also took out the malted milk powder she had redeemed from the system marketplace and mixed a cup for her grandmother.
“Grandma, give this a try. It’s really delicious.”
She handed the cup over.
Hu Yufen took a sip, and her eyes lit up.
“What is this? It’s so good! Sweet, with a nice milky flavor.”
Qin Ruan smiled.
“This is malted milk powder. I asked someone to buy it for me in the city. It’s specially for you and Aunt to help nourish your bodies.”
Hu Yufen looked at Qin Ruan with satisfaction.
“My Ruanruan has grown up. You know how to take care of people now.”
After watching her grandmother gradually fall asleep, Qin Ruan opened the system marketplace.
The tea she had listed yesterday had already been sold. Looking at the huge number of points she had earned, she almost burst into laughter.
[One jin (500 grams) of tea sold. Item: 1983 Yunnan Wild Raw Pu-erh Tea. Reward: 15,000 points.]
“Wow, System, is this tea really worth that much?”
[Yes, Host. This is raw Pu-erh from 1983. The buyer for this order is from the year 2020.]
“Oh, I see.”
Tea that had aged for several decades could naturally sell for such a high price, especially when it was labeled as wild-grown.
At the moment, Qin Ruan had no immediate use for the points.
Adding the 15,000 newly earned points to the 210 points she already had, her balance now stood at 15,210 points.
Thinking about it made her even happier.
One day, I’m definitely going to buy a house and live off the rental income.
The train continued its journey.
Leaning against the window, Qin Ruan gradually drifted off to sleep.
She dreamed that the mysterious man had found her, taken responsibility for what had happened between them, and that the two of them went on to live a happy life together.
Qin Ruan was gently awakened by her grandmother’s pat.
Sunlight streamed through the train window onto her face, warm enough to make anyone feel pleasantly drowsy.
When she opened her eyes, a faint smile still lingered on her lips. The image of Huo Tingchen’s handsome, usually stern face wearing a gentle smile still floated before her eyes.
“What are you smiling about? Did you have a nice dream?” Hu Yufen teased as she wiped the corner of Qin Ruan’s mouth with her sleeve.
Qin Ruan blushed and quickly sat upright, hurriedly straightening her clothes.
“N-Nothing. I just dreamed that I found a huge pile of money, so I was happy.”
Hu Yufen chuckled and lightly tapped Qin Ruan on the forehead.
“You little money grubber. All you ever think about is money.”