Lin Zhijin treated it like she had gotten a huge new toy. Whenever she had nothing to do, she would go to the eastern district to arrange her single-courtyard residence. Along the way, she explored the entire surrounding area and even bought a small courtyard simply because she liked a jujube tree there.
It really was a very small courtyard.
There were two and a half single-story rooms. One contained the living room and kitchen, while another was divided into two bedrooms. The remaining half-room was used as a woodshed and pigsty.
Aside from a jujube tree, there was also a well in the front courtyard. Behind the house was a small vegetable plot of around fifteen square meters.
This was the home Lin Zhijin had prepared for her future.
It had its own private courtyard and entrance without being grand enough to make others envious.
“Here. Yes, put the toilet right here. The washbasin goes here, and this side will be the bathing area.”
After giving instructions to the craftsman installing the bathroom, Lin Zhijin went to look around the kitchen.
“Ninth Concubine, this house is so small. Why are you renovating it?” Xiaohong looked around in confusion.
It was not even half the size of Wenzhu Courtyard.
“I like the jujube tree in the courtyard. I thought I could occasionally come here and sit for a while. But the house is in such poor condition, how could anyone stay here?”
Lin Zhijin smiled and left with Xiaohong.
This was going to be her future home.
Of course she needed to renovate it properly while she still could.
Nothing else mattered much, but the bathroom and kitchen absolutely had to be done well.
Back at the Chen residence, First Madam put down the account book and casually asked, “The Ninth Concubine has gone to fuss over her residence again?”
“Yes. I heard from Old Woman Zhang that the Ninth Concubine even bought another house just because she liked a jujube tree there,” Mama Sun replied.
The corners of First Madam’s lips curved upward.
“She’s still a child. By the way, how is Siqi’s leg? Can he get out of bed yet?”
Li Siqi was First Madam’s younger brother, a spoiled wastrel who indulged in eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling.
Last month, he had gotten into a fight over a prostitute and had one of his legs broken. He was still lying in bed even now.
Thinking of Lin Zhijin’s appearance, First Madam sighed softly.
“I hope that once he has a wife, he’ll settle down a little.”
“The Ninth Concubine is becoming prettier by the day. Third Young Master will definitely like her. It’s just… the Ninth Concubine comes from a poor background and has already been married once. How could she be worthy of Third Young Master?”
A hint of disdain appeared on Mama Sun’s face.
First Madam let out a long sigh.
“Siqi is useless. What young lady from a distinguished family would take a liking to him? Although the Ninth Concubine has been married once, you and I both know she’s still an untouched maiden. She also has a considerable amount of wealth in her hands, she’s beautiful, and she’s timid and easy to control. She can barely be considered worthy of Siqi.”
Lin Zhijin did not care what First Madam was thinking.
At that moment, she was sitting in a café, with Second Madam Chen sitting opposite her.
“Aunt Pan, you haven’t been to a café before, have you? I heard you like Western-style cakes. The pastry chef here is a foreigner, so everything is very authentic. You must try some.”
Second Madam Chen spoke with a bright smile.
Lin Zhijin took a restrained sip of coffee, frowned, and put it down without touching it again.
It was the same with the cake Second Madam Chen recommended. She took one bite and did not touch it afterward.
It was too sweet and did not suit her taste.
Second Madam Chen glanced at it but did not say anything. Instead, she changed the subject to clothes, shoes, and jewelry.
After rambling about various things for quite some time, she finally got to the point.
“I heard from Mother-in-law that Father gave you Jinshi Mountain?”
Lin Zhijin looked at her in confusion.
“Jinshi Mountain? I don’t know. But Master did indeed give me a mountain.”
A trace of disdain flashed through Second Madam Chen’s eyes.
As expected of an ignorant country bumpkin.
A few casual words were enough to leave her completely muddled.
“Then that must be it. Aunt Pan, you should know that before Father passed away, he instructed our Second Master to sell all the family’s farmland. As for the farmland currently in your hands, we suggest that you sell it as well, so you don’t bring disaster upon the family.”
Second Madam Chen deliberately made the situation sound more serious.
Lin Zhijin pretended to be frightened and said timidly, “I already told First Madam to help me keep it. Why don’t you ask First Madam?”
Second Madam Chen sighed softly.
“The Seventh Concubine should have told you already, right? First Madam’s reason for treating you so well is not simple. She already considers those things hers. Asking her would be pointless.”
Lin Zhijin blinked, her voice filled with confusion.
“But those things are in First Madam’s hands. There’s nothing I can do.”
“No, there is.”
“Before Master passed away, he already had Shiqing transfer them into your name. The government has records. If you’re willing, we can report the documents as lost, have new copies issued, and then let Second Master help you sell the property.”
Second Madam Chen spoke as though everything she did was entirely for Lin Zhijin’s sake.
Lin Zhijin looked conflicted.
“But I promised to let First Madam keep them for me.”
“Aunt Pan, you keep thinking about First Madam’s kindness, but in truth, she’s been deceiving you.”
“I won’t hide it from you anymore. The reason First Madam treats you so well is because she wants you to marry that younger brother of hers who indulges in eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling. He’s nearly fifty years old. Two of his wives have already died. The first was angered to death, and the second was beaten to death by him. Do you want to become the third?”
Second Madam Chen’s tone carried a hint of intimidation.
Lin Zhijin hurriedly shook her head, then said with a dazed expression, “Let me think about it for two days before I give you an answer.”
“That’s fine. Three days from now, at this same café. I’ll wait here for your good news.”
Second Madam Chen paid the bill, got up, and left.
The property had actually already been transferred into her name.
That was good news.
Later, she could simply donate it directly.
It would help the country, and no one else would need to keep coveting it.
What Lin Zhijin had not expected was that Fourth Master Chen would also send someone to contact her.
His target was Jinshi Mountain as well.
What secret did Jinshi Mountain hold that made one person after another want it?
Wait.
Jinshi Mountain.
A mountain of golden stone.
Could there really be gold there?
No matter what, something that Second Master Chen and Fourth Master Chen were both fighting over had to be valuable.
She would stall them for now.
Liberation was coming soon anyway.
The next day, when Lin Zhijin went to greet First Madam, she nervously told her about Second Madam Chen seeking her out.
Then she timidly looked at First Madam and waited for an answer.
“Second Madam really said that?”
First Madam narrowed her eyes.
Her ambitions truly had grown.
Just because First Madam’s son was not in the country, she actually dared stir up trouble behind her back.
“I understand. The fact that you weren’t provoked by her means you’ve improved a lot. I knew you were a good girl.”
“I heard you bought a new courtyard. Chunlan, take the Ninth Concubine to the storeroom later and let her choose some furniture and decorations. Consider it an early housewarming gift from me.”
“Thank you, First Madam. Ever since I entered the residence, you’ve always taken care of me. Of course I trust you.”
Lin Zhijin’s face was filled with trust.
First Madam patted her hand in satisfaction and had Chunlan take her to the storeroom to choose some things.
Lin Zhijin did not care how First Madam and Second Madam Chen fought with each other.
She was enthusiastically choosing things for her new home.
This bed was nice.
The craftsmanship on this wardrobe was far too exquisite.
This dressing table was beautiful…
Before long, Lin Zhijin had chosen more than a dozen pieces of furniture, along with several decorative objects.
She especially liked one double-sided embroidered folding screen.
In the future, something like this would be considered a national-treasure-level piece.
She directly had everything sent to the house in the eastern part of the city.
After all, First Madam had said these were her housewarming gifts.
While she was at it, Lin Zhijin also moved over several chests of decorative objects and jewelry that she had previously received in the property division.
There were too many things.
Two and a half rooms were not enough.
Lin Zhijin planned to add another floor and turn it into a small two-story building.
The surrounding houses were all two stories anyway, so adding hers would not stand out.
At the same café, Lin Zhijin did not appear.
Old Woman Zhang met Second Madam Chen on her behalf.
Lin Zhijin did not know what she said, but afterward, Second Madam Chen never came looking for her again.
“A country bumpkin will always be a country bumpkin. I already told her First Madam had bad intentions, yet she still chooses to trust First Madam.”
Second Madam Chen angrily smashed a cup.
Second Master Chen’s expression remained unchanged as he said indifferently, “There’s no rush. First Madam doesn’t know the inside story of Jinshi Mountain. Madam Lin? Once First Madam reveals her true colors, there will come a time when she begs us for help.”
“The problem is Fourth Uncle has his eyes on Jinshi Mountain too. We may not be able to beat him to it,” Second Madam Chen said worriedly.
Second Master Chen curved his lips.
“It’s fine. I have a way.”
Lin Zhijin had money.
With large amounts of money thrown into the project, the renovation of the house progressed very quickly.
The basic renovations were nearly finished. Next came the furnishings and decorations.
She had already decided.
The first floor would be simple and plain, while the second floor would focus on comfort.
She would seal off the space beneath the roof with wooden boards, leaving a square opening large enough for one person to enter and exit, and use it for storage.
That day, Lin Zhijin was preparing to visit the house in the eastern district.
Since it was far away, she usually traveled there by car.
She directly opened the rear door and was about to get in when, after putting one foot inside, she realized someone was already sitting there.
“Fifth Master?”
Lin Zhijin did not know whether to get in or back away.
“Ninth Concubine, get in. The servants are watching.”
Fifth Master Chen nodded toward Lin Zhijin.
Lin Zhijin pursed her lips and reluctantly got into the car, then sat pressed against the door.
“Ninth Concubine, are you going shopping?”
Fifth Master Chen broke the silence.
Lin Zhijin shook her head stiffly and replied in a small voice, “No. First Madam gave me a small courtyard. I wanted to renovate it, so I’m going over today to see how the work is progressing.”
This was no secret, so Lin Zhijin answered frankly.
“First Madam treats you very well. She gives away a house just like that.”
Fifth Master Chen asked with a faint smile.
“First Madam does treat me very well,” Lin Zhijin said seriously.
If she remembered correctly, Fifth Master Chen and Fourth Master Chen had the same mother.
So had Fifth Master Chen come to help Fourth Master Chen obtain Jinshi Mountain from her?
“I heard Second Sister-in-law came to see you?” Fifth Master Chen knew there was no use beating around the bush with someone like the Ninth Concubine.
She simply would not understand.
It was better to get straight to the point.
“Yes. Not only Second Madam, but Fourth Master also sent someone to see me and asked me to sell the farmland Master gave me. Did Fifth Master come to persuade me too?”
Lin Zhijin was even more direct than Fifth Master Chen.
Fifth Master Chen felt as though something had lodged in his throat.
Then he smiled faintly.
“I’m different from them. I personally happen to be interested in the property under your name. It should be one hundred mu of farmland and one mountain, correct? How about I buy them from you at the highest market price?”
Lin Zhijin looked at Fifth Master Chen in surprise.
“Why? Is there some kind of treasure on those hundred mu of farmland and that mountain?”
“It can’t really be considered treasure. There’s a hot spring on Jinshi Mountain. I plan to build a hot spring resort there. Ninth Concubine, once the resort is finished, I can reserve a courtyard for you.”
Fifth Master Chen spoke with a smile.
Lin Zhijin twisted her fingers together and said with some difficulty, “Actually, whether it’s farmland or mountains, I don’t really understand any of it. Actually… I prefer real gold and silver. But First Madam said these are hens that lay golden eggs and won’t let me sell them.”
That’s right.
It was all First Madam’s problem.
So if any of you wanted to cause trouble, go find First Madam.
Fifth Master Chen frowned.
He had originally thought this would be very simple.
Unexpectedly, First Madam had become an obstacle, while this Ninth Concubine was unexpectedly stubborn.
Seeing that he could not persuade her, Fifth Master Chen could only get out of the car and leave.
Lin Zhijin lowered her head, the corners of her lips curving upward slightly.
She could now be certain that Jinshi Mountain definitely contained something valuable.
After taking a look around her new home, Lin Zhijin was on her way back to the Chen residence when she saw many people running around in panic.
Someone shouted loudly, “Hurry home! The soldiers have fought their way into the city!”
“Hurry! Hurry! The Red Army is here!”
“Ninth Concubine?”
Xiaohong fearfully pressed close to Lin Zhijin.
The People’s Liberation Army had arrived?
Unlike everyone else, Lin Zhijin was not afraid at all.
On the contrary, she felt an excitement that came from finally seeing what she had been waiting for.
AUTHOR’S NOTE:
None.