Chapter 216: Xiulan Wants to Build a Hidden Treasure Compartment |
Chapter 216: Xiulan Wants to Build a Hidden Treasure Compartment
Lin Yue returned home with Lin Heng, carrying a basket filled with some purple and red crystals.
Lin Heng examined them closely, turning them over in his hands, but couldn’t recognize them. He asked, “Where did you dig these up?”
Strictly speaking, these weren’t stones but some kind of crystal. Two pieces were semi-transparent with a beautiful purple hue, featuring smooth tetrahedral surfaces.
Lin Yue chuckled, “I found them when I went up the mountain with your sister-in-law to dig for yams and kudzu roots.”
After a pause, he continued, “We dug them up by the creek while searching for yams. I’m not sure if there are more nearby. Do you think these could be worth some money?”
Hearing this, Lin Heng had a rough idea and looked at them again. “These should be some kind of crystal. They could fetch a bit of money, but it’s hard to say for sure. I doubt there are any buyers around here.”
Crystals are quite common, and only those of particularly high quality are valuable. The pieces his brother found looked pretty but lacked transparency.
Lin Heng’s words left Lin Yue a bit disappointed. “I thought they might be worth something.”
“Keep them. Maybe you can find someone who knows their value later. Who knows, they might be some rare mineral,” Lin Heng said with a smile, though he didn’t hold much hope.
“Alright, even if they’re not worth anything, at least they look nice.”
Lin Yue said, handing a piece to Lin Heng, “Here, take one home to play with.”
“Sure.”
Lin Heng didn’t refuse and accepted it with a smile. When they were younger, his brother would always share his finds with him.
Today, however, Lin Heng hadn’t bought any gifts for his brother and sister-in-law when he went to town, only buying a shirt for each of his three nephews.
It wasn’t that he was stingy with money, but his brother had his pride. Buying things for him would make it hard for them to interact. What he should do is involve him in something so he can earn money himself, rather than just giving it away.
Just like when he helped sell the yams they had dug up.
Lin Heng fiddled with the purple crystal for a while and said with a smile, “You should try looking for more of these. The more unusual the shape, the higher the value. Even if you can’t sell them now, you might be able to later.”
“Alright, I’ll go look for more later.”
Lin Yue nodded with a smile and walked out with Lin Heng.
“Hey, little brother, did that motorcycle really cost three thousand?” Lin Yue couldn’t help but bring up Lin Heng’s new motorcycle as they walked.
Motorcycles, like watches, were extremely rare in the countryside. The wealthiest families in the village only had a few bicycles, and it was only six months ago that the village head Zhao Xiancheng’s son, Zhao Hu, bought one, making everyone envious.
But Lin Heng’s sidecar motorcycle was even bigger and more impressive. Lin Yue genuinely admired it.
Lin Heng smiled and nodded, “Yes, having a vehicle makes it easier to go to town for things. A regular motorcycle can’t carry many people, so I bought this one.”
“Impressive.” Lin Yue gave a thumbs-up and laughed, “I’ll get to enjoy the benefits too. I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before.”
“No problem. You can even take it for a spin,” Lin Heng said with a smile.
“Great.” Lin Yue’s smile grew even wider.
He didn’t ask how Lin Heng had so much money. It was obvious it had something to do with the man and woman who had visited in a jeep a few days ago.
But since Lin Heng didn’t mention it, he wouldn’t ask. Knowing too much wouldn’t benefit him and would only add to his worries.
When they arrived at Lin Heng’s home, Father Lin and a group of nephews were still there, watching. Thanks to Liu Juan’s scolding, they hadn’t climbed onto the motorcycle.
Seeing that the meal wasn’t ready yet, Lin Heng introduced everyone to the motorcycle’s buttons and features.
He even started it up and took a few laps around the yard. His nephews, Lin Wei and the others, eagerly scrambled to get on, and both Father Lin and his brother got to experience it.
After getting off, Lin Wei cheered loudly, “That was awesome! I’ve ridden a motorcycle now. When I grow up, I’m definitely going to buy one.”
His second nephew, Lin Tao, shouted, “I’m going to buy two, one for myself and one for my parents.”
“Go for it. Second Uncle believes in you,” Lin Heng said with a smile. Owning his own motorcycle had been one of his childhood dreams, and now that it was fulfilled, it felt great.
Father Lin patted the seat on the side of the motorcycle with a smile, “It’s really comfortable. No wonder it costs so much.”
Lin Heng had helped him onto the motorcycle earlier, and the experience was excellent. He felt a mix of pride and satisfaction.
Lin Yue looked at it again and said with a smile, “You should build a shelter for it. Leaving it out in the rain might not be good.”
Lin Heng nodded repeatedly, “Definitely. In a few days, help me saw some planks. I need to build a shelter for the motorcycle and two kennels for the dogs.”
As they chatted, Cai Yu came out of the house and said, “Second Brother, the hot pot is ready, but we can’t cut the frozen beef. Can you come and help?”
“Sure, let’s eat.”
Lin Heng nodded and went out to take a look. He saw Wang Zhou already at the bottom of the road and went to bring him up for the meal.
Seeing the entire Lin family gathered, Wang Zhou felt a bit socially anxious but managed a hearty smile to greet everyone.
“Come on in and eat, the hot pot is ready,” Lin Heng said with a smile, leading everyone into the main room.
By this time, it was already dark outside. Closing the door and turning on the lights, the white walls of Lin Heng’s house, combined with an 80-watt tungsten bulb, made the room almost as bright as daytime.
Once everyone was seated, Lin Heng went to cut a large plate of beef, pouring half of it directly into the hot pot. He smiled and said, “Dig in, don’t be shy!”
“Sure, sure.”
No one hesitated, and they all picked up their chopsticks and began fishing for food.
The copper stove was filled with plenty of charcoal, so not only did the food cook quickly, but the heat radiating from it made everyone feel warm and cozy. In the dead of winter, this kind of copper stove hot pot was incredibly comforting.
Even though there were no fresh mushrooms, the dried mushrooms from Lin Heng’s home, when cooked in the clear broth, had an exceptional flavor. Especially with the addition of black truffle and matsutake mushrooms, the dishes in the clear broth were extremely popular.
Lin Heng naturally preferred the oil pot, even putting vegetables in it to eat.
Seeing Xiulan eating only vegetables, Lin Heng picked up a piece of tripe for her with his chopsticks and smiled, “Here, this won’t make you gain weight.”
Then he added some beef to her bowl.
“Okay,” Xiulan nodded and started eating.
Lin Heng continued to distribute beef and tripe evenly among everyone. He himself enjoyed cilantro cooked with beef and tripe the most.
After preparing another plate of beef, Lin Heng made sure to check on Wang Zhou, smiling as he asked, “Wang Zhou, are you enjoying the food?”
Wang Zhou nodded repeatedly, “Brother Lin, this meal is amazing. It’s my first time having hot pot, and it’s delicious.”
Eating this hot pot made him realize how poor his previous meals had been in comparison. It was like comparing a feast to scraps.
He also gained a direct understanding of the Lin family’s wealth. It felt like paradise, being able to eat as much meat as he wanted, something he never dared to imagine before.
And it was precious beef, no less.
What shocked him the most, however, was the harmonious atmosphere in Lin Heng’s home. It was so different from his own family, where meals often led to arguments and complaints, and where his father always tried to belittle him.
Such a joyful atmosphere was nonexistent in his home, even though he now had a decent salary, his family life remained a mess.
“If you like it, eat more,” Lin Heng said, using a clean pair of chopsticks to add a large serving of beef to Wang Zhou’s bowl.
“Thank you, Brother Lin,” Wang Zhou quickly replied.
Lin Heng waved his hand, indicating there was no need for formalities.
Before they knew it, everyone had been eating for nearly an hour. The children, having eaten their fill, ran off to play in the courtyard.
Xiulan, Mother Lin, and the other women remained at the table but had mostly stopped eating. Only Lin Heng and a few others continued, bringing out some cured meat and finishing off the remaining vegetables before calling it a night.
“This hot pot always leaves me so satisfied,” Lin Yue remarked.
Liu Juan laughed, “You eat so much meat every time, of course you’re satisfied. At someone else’s house, you’d have been kicked out long ago.”
“That’s why I eat at my brother’s place,” Lin Yue chuckled.
Lin Heng pointed to the cured meat hanging upstairs, “Eat as much as you want, I’m only worried we won’t finish it all.”
To him, living frugally was unnecessary. If you couldn’t eat well in life, then what’s the point?
“Exactly, Lin Heng was just saying the other day that we have too much pork to finish,” Xiulan added with a smile.
Their household had so much pork that it was almost a worry, and despite eating eggs every day, it seemed like they weren’t making a dent.
The Lin family was used to this, but Wang Zhou was left speechless.
He had only known that Lin Heng made his fortune through hunting, but now he truly felt Lin Heng’s prowess. The abundance of cured meat was overwhelming.
After resting for a while, Mother Lin stood up and said, “Let’s clean up, I’ll help.”
Liu Juan, Caiyun, and a few others got up to help tidy up, while the men stayed lazily seated.
Lin Yue took a sip of tea and said to Lin Heng, “By the way, little brother, I made some money from selling yams recently. I’m thinking of buying a hunting rifle. Do you think it’s worth it?”
Lin Heng nodded, “Sure, it’s definitely worth it.”
With five or six years left before hunting was banned, investing a hundred yuan in a gun for hunting was quite worthwhile.
After a pause, he added, “But I wouldn’t recommend buying a cheap homemade gun. They’re too dangerous and not very powerful. You should get a double-barreled shotgun, the kind that uses buckshot.”
“How much does a double-barreled shotgun cost?” Lin Yue asked curiously.
Lin Heng took a sip of water and replied, “Depends on the model. The cheapest ones can be bought for around a hundred yuan. They’re simple to produce, but the ammunition costs money too. Even with a homemade gun, you’d still need to buy gunpowder and pellets, so there’s not much difference.”
“Alright, I understand.”
Lin Yue nodded, planning to discuss it further with Liu Juan later.
Once the dishes were cleaned up, everyone got ready to head home. Father Lin insisted that Lin Heng cover the car with a tarp, saying the cold could damage it.
Knowing his father’s meticulous nature, Lin Heng obliged and covered the car.
Wang Zhou also went with Father Lin to the old house, as Lin Heng’s new house had blankets but no extra beds.
After they left, Xiulan asked, “Should we give the clothes we bought for your parents and nephew in a few days?”
“Yeah, let’s wait until it’s closer to the New Year.”
Lin Heng nodded, locking the courtyard gate and heading inside with Xiulan.
Xiong Ba was left to guard the front yard while Lin Heng went into the house to check on the two puppies in the backyard. Seeing they were fine, he felt relieved and made some gruel to feed them.
Inside, Xiulan was boiling water and organizing the items they had bought that day. Xiao Xia was nearby, chattering about how she had learned to draw with her aunt today.
Lin Heng poured water to wash her face and feet, then put her to bed with a story to lull her to sleep. They had bought her many toys, but if they gave them to her at night, she would play for a long time, and both he and Xiulan were exhausted.
Once Xiao Xia was asleep, Xiulan finished organizing their things.
She divided the remaining thirty-five thousand yuan into two new metal boxes they had bought and turned to Lin Heng, saying, “Should we dig a hole under the bed to bury it? I don’t feel safe leaving it in the bookshelf.”
Lin Heng thought for a moment and nodded. “That could work. I’ll find some time to lift a piece of bluestone and make a hidden compartment.”
The money was indeed a substantial amount. He had bought two dogs to guard the house so that even if Xiong Ba and he went up the mountain, there would still be protection at home.
Their newfound wealth was well-known, and surely someone would covet it. Such valuable possessions indeed needed a secure place.
The bluestone flooring was fifty by one hundred centimeters. Near the wall under the bed, lifting a piece to create a small hidden compartment was entirely feasible.
“Let’s do it tomorrow morning,” Xiulan suggested.
“Alright,” Lin Heng agreed.
With that settled, the two washed up and went to bed. They were utterly exhausted from spending so much time in the city.
The next morning at seven, as soon as they woke up, Xiulan wrapped her arms around his neck and urged, “Let’s quickly make the hidden compartment for the money while Xiao Xia is still asleep.”
“Alright,” Lin Heng relented, abandoning his desire to linger in bed, and got up to dress.
After getting up, they moved the bed aside. Lin Heng used an iron rod to break the cement filling the gaps, then used all his strength to lift the bluestone.
Though only three centimeters thick, it weighed over eighty pounds, leaving Lin Heng’s hands numb after lifting it.
Xiulan massaged his hands for a bit, and after resting, Lin Heng picked up the tools and started digging. The soil beneath wasn’t very hard, and after more than an hour, he had dug a pit forty centimeters deep, forty-four wide, and ninety-four long.
Why not fifty by one hundred? Of course, some space was left on the edges; otherwise, the bluestone would fall into the pit.
This was just the first step. They took the soil outside and dumped it in the garden. Lin Heng used leftover plaster to coat the inside, which would prevent water from seeping in and stop insects from getting in.
“This won’t be finished in a day,” Xiulan said, looking at the freshly applied plaster with a hint of frustration.
“Of course not, but it’s fine. We can cover it with a wooden board and move the bed back. No one comes into the bedroom casually anyway.”
Lin Heng nodded. Once the plaster dried, it would be usable, though it would need some decoration to be perfect.
He had often dreamed of having a secret compartment as a child. Though he never managed to dig one back then, he was doing it now as an adult.
A secret only the two of them knew. It seemed like a kind of romance in its own way.
(End of Chapter)