Chapter 29

I'll be counting on both of you to help me lead everyone to even better results in the future."

Xu Wen's smile was stiff. "Of course."

"Oh, Liang Ying won't be staying," the team leader said cheerfully. "Sister Deng from the Third Workshop has her eye on Liang Ying and wants her over there as team leader. Congratulations to you too, Liang Ying!"

Liang Ying froze, then stood up, a smile spreading across her face. "Really?"

"Absolutely." The team leader beckoned her over, then said to Sister Deng, "You've made the right choice putting the Third Workshop in Liang Ying's hands. She's hardworking and clever. You couldn't have picked a better team leader."

"That's what I thought too," Sister Deng said with a smile.

She had thought the whole thing would fall through today. Instead, Director Wang had given his approval for Liang Ying to become team leader.

Sister Deng didn't know why, but she felt even more confident now.

If Director Wang thought Liang Ying could do it, she could trust her.

Everyone in the workshop stared at Liang Ying in surprise.

Xu Wen and Lin Lianhua both looked unhappy.

Lin Lianhua most of all. She stared at Liang Ying, unable to smile. She had thought she would become team leader and make Liang Ying's life miserable. Who would have guessed Liang Ying would transfer out—and become a team leader too!

The thirty-third day of being overheard

When Gu Yousi woke from her afternoon nap, a delicious smell filled the house.

She smacked her lips and called, "Mom, Mom..."

She could crawl now, but the kang was so high that she couldn't climb down.

In the main room, Liang Ying had just plated the pork slices she'd fried with the scallions she'd bought when she heard her daughter calling. She smiled. "She must have smelled the meat."

"I'll get her. That child has quite a nose."

Home from work, Gu Yinxing snatched a slice of pork with her chopsticks and popped it into her mouth. She dodged He Chunlian's hand and hurried inside to carry Gu Yousi out.

Dressed in a pink floral padded jacket and pants, Gu Yousi clung to the edge of the table, drool spilling from her little mouth. "Meat, meat..."

"That's right, it's meat. Our Second Girl is so clever."

Gu Yinxing's eyes crinkled with delight. "Our Second Girl wants some meat, doesn't she?"

Gu Yousi nodded. Her plump little cheeks were rosy as she gazed pitifully at her mother.

In just a few months, she had learned who in this family decided whether she got meat or porridge.

"Three slices at most, mixed into your porridge."

Amused and helpless, Liang Ying picked out three slices of meat.

Gu Yousi was satisfied at once. Three slices weren't bad. The stir-fried pork was generous, with each slice a good size. But she hadn't expected Liang Ying to mince the meat into paste...

At dinner, she held her little bowl and drank her pork porridge.

Nobody in the family saw anything odd about a child not yet a year old drinking porridge by herself. Their child was smart. Wasn't it perfectly normal for her to manage that at her age?

The Gu family simply hadn't noticed that Huang Xirong next door practically hated them for it. Her Da Bao was about the same age as Gu Yousi, but Gu Yousi could crawl, talk, and even feed herself a little, though she inevitably spilled some. Everyone said one look at those bright eyes told you how clever she was.

But Song Dabao still couldn't talk and refused to crawl. He was chubby, his arms and legs all rolls of flesh.

"Daughter-in-law, don't go throwing your weight around the moment you take over the Third Workshop," He Chunlian advised Liang Ying as she helped look after the child.

"I know, Mom. I'm not stupid," Liang Ying said with a smile.

"Mom, how's she supposed to establish herself if she doesn't make an example of someone?" Gu Yinxing muttered. "I just heard the neighbor say the Third Workshop's full of troublemakers. They don't care about improving, and they're always forming cliques."

He Chunlian shot her a look. "That's why I'm talking to your sister-in-law, not you. She's new there, and those people have known each other for years. If she makes an example of someone, who do you think will end up isolated—your sister-in-law or them? Everyone knows what they're like. If going head-to-head with them worked, anyone could do it. Deng Mei is a March 8th Red Banner Pacesetter, and even she couldn't do a thing with them!"

Gu Yinxing pursed her lips, unconvinced.

He Chunlian didn't bother arguing. Young people thought they knew everything. Liang Ying was smart; one word of warning was enough.

Besides, if her daughter-in-law had dared take on this responsibility, she must have had a plan!

Liang Ying knew she couldn't rush something like this.

The next day, she took over from Sister Deng. She introduced herself, met the people in the workshop, and got to work. She laid down no rules and tried to curry favor with no one.

And just like that, Liang Ying became team leader. It infuriated Chen Xiuhong and Zhang Xing'er, who had been fighting over the position in the Third Workshop, and nearly drove Lin Lianhua mad. She had been waiting to see Liang Ying make a fool of herself.

"Please check it carefully. Is it the same one as before?"

Gu Jinshui unfolded the newspaper and set the Snuff Bottle inside on the table.

Director Chen hurriedly picked it up. He examined it from every angle and could hardly bear to put it down. Only after a long while did he reluctantly set it aside and go inside to fetch the Jade Cicada. "Young man, here's the Jade Cicada you wanted. That makes us even."

"Even!"

Gu Jinshui could barely contain his excitement.

Director Chen chuckled. "You really do love this little thing."

"I do. I've been thinking about it day and night, just like you with that Snuff Bottle."

Gu Jinshui admitted it readily.

Director Chen smiled. "At least you're honest. I'm surprised you managed to find the Snuff Bottle, though. Something this fine would have been hard to find even back in the day."

"Call it fate," Gu Jinshui said. "If you have anything else good to sell, Director, come to me. I promise you a fair price."

"Certainly, certainly." Director Chen smiled and even tried to keep Gu Jinshui for dinner, but he declined. They weren't close enough for that; there was no need to stay for a meal.

Director Chen was a straightforward man who probably knew plenty of antique collectors. Building a lasting connection with him would be far more useful.

Jade Cicada in hand, Gu Jinshui didn't rush off to see Chen Dengxing. People had just finished work and were about to eat dinner. Visiting now would be rude.

Instead, he bought a box of dumplings to take to Old Master Xi.

Old Master Xi ate his dumplings with vinegar as he listened to Gu Jinshui recount how he had wheeled and dealt these past few days to get the Jade Cicada.

Gu Jinshui couldn't help saying, "Master, I see now that the antique trade really isn't easy."

Old Master Xi looked up at him from beneath drooping eyelids, then lowered his head and went back to his dumplings.

Gu Jinshui complained for ages without getting a response. Finally, he grew restless and cleared his throat. "Master, aren't you going to say anything?"

"Say what?"

Old Master Xi popped the last dumpling into his mouth. Only after he had chewed and swallowed did he say, "You've had better luck than just about anyone. What have you got to complain about? Most people never stumble on a bargain in their lives. You've found several in a row. Count yourself lucky. Wait until I send you out hunting for antiques in the countryside. Then you'll learn what hard work is."

"Hunting for antiques in the countryside?"

Gu Jinshui blinked. He hurried over to knead the old man's arms and pound his legs. "Master, do you have something planned for me?"

"Enough, enough."

Old Master Xi went rigid, unable to stand his disciple's fawning.

"If you're interested, say so. Someone's heading to Xi'an next month and can take you along. But you'd be gone a month or two at least. Decide for yourself."

Gu Jinshui hesitated and rubbed the back of his head.

"I need to think about it."

"Fine. Go home and consider it." Old Master Xi didn't try to persuade him. That was how he treated Gu Jinshui: he offered the opportunity, and whether to take it was up to him.

Gu Jinshui was torn.

If he hadn't had a child, leaving would have been an easy decision. But he had a wife and daughter now. The thought of traveling so far worried him.

Bandits roamed the roads these days. Truck drivers on long journeys carried guns and knives, and Xi'an was unfamiliar territory.

Lost in thought, Gu Jinshui still remembered to buy a bag of candy when he passed the department store. His wife had been working flat out to establish herself in the Third Workshop. At the factory, she wolfed down her meals in a few bites, then rushed back to keep an eye on the spinning spindles.

She had grown noticeably thinner in just a few days. Gu Jinshui felt for her and figured candy would at least give her some nourishment. Didn't people say White Rabbit Creamy Candy dissolved in water was as good as milk?

Eating it ought to help too.

When he arrived home with the candy, Gu Jinshui found Liang Renyi and his wife there. He hadn't seen them in some time.

"Oh, Jinshui, you're back."

Liang Renyi was drinking plain water. The moment he saw Gu Jinshui come in with a bag of candy, his eyes lit up like a weasel spotting a chicken.

Xu Fenglai plastered on a smile too, changing her expression as fast as a Sichuan face-changing performer.

Gu Jinshui glanced at his unsmiling wife, then at Liang Renyi. His brother-in-law was obviously here to ask for something, and it was no small matter.

"Yeah. It's late. Why haven't you gone home? Who's watching your children?"

Gu Jinshui played dumb. Right in front of the couple, he took the candy into the bedroom. The message was clear: keep your hands off his family's things.

Xu Fenglai's face fell. She pursed her lips and shot Liang Renyi a look.

Look how much money the Gu family has, and he's still so stingy. He won't even share a bag of candy.

"Dad, Dad..."

Inside, Gu Yousi grabbed Gu Jinshui from her Baby Walker and pointed outside. "Go, go."

Whenever Liang Renyi and his wife came to the Gu family home, nothing good followed. She couldn't let her parents get taken in!

Gu Jinshui grinned. What a loyal child, looking out for her parents.

He picked Gu Yousi up, unwrapped a piece of candy, and let her lick it slowly.

Gu Yousi didn't mind.

She drank bland porridge all day. Something sweet to taste was more than enough.

"Jinshui, we waited until the children were asleep before coming over," Liang Renyi said, looking helpless and miserable. "You really have to help us this time!"

"What is it? If it's something serious, don't bother asking."

Gu Jinshui seemed to be in a good mood, judging by his willingness to tease them.

Liang Renyi choked on the words, anger flashing in his eyes. Then he smiled. "It is serious. If it were something small, we'd handle it ourselves."

"Yes, here's what happened. A relative of ours went abroad years ago and wrote to us recently. She wants to see us. Wouldn't you call that serious?" Xu Fenglai hurried to explain.

An overseas relative?

Gu Jinshui and Liang Ying exchanged a glance.

Liang Ying gave a short laugh. "That's strange, sister-in-law. Isn't your whole family from a poor peasant background? Where did this relative abroad come from? I've never heard of her."

"Well, we couldn't talk about that sort of thing years ago. Who dared admit to having relatives abroad?" Xu Fenglai paused, then hastily added, "Things have opened up these past few years, and news can travel between here and other countries. That's how we found out about this aunt of mine. She made quite a lot of money overseas, but she has no children. She contacted us recently and said she wants to bring us over to care for her in her old age. Then she'll leave us everything. How could we pass up a chance like that?"

What a load of crap!

There's no relative abroad. They just want to leave the country!

Gu Yousi stopped licking her candy and stared wide-eyed at Liang Renyi and his wife.

It's bad enough that they want to leave the country. They want to fleece the Gu family on their way out too? Not if I have anything to say about it!

The thirty-fourth day of being overheard

Xu Fenglai kept talking, painting a rosy picture.

Once they went abroad and received the inheritance, she said, they would do this and that. The gist was that when one person prospered, the whole family benefited. Once they were rich, they would certainly come back and look after Liang Ying and Gu Jinshui.

"Don't bother. We're doing fine on our own. We don't need you worrying about us."

Liang Ying's expression was cold. She set her enamel mug down with a clang. Her meaning was plain: this conversation was over.

But Liang Renyi and his wife acted as though they couldn't read her face.

"Sister, don't say that," Liang Renyi went on. "After Dad died, you and I were all that was left of the Liang Family. We only had each other—"