Lin Ning and Xu Wang came up with a plan. First, Lin Ning went to a Chinese medicine shop. “Boss, I need a few pieces of cinnabar.”

After obtaining several large pieces of bright red cinnabar, Lin Ning headed to the old street, where many jewelry shops used to be. Hidden in its corners were many old craftsmen.

Lin Ning quickly tracked down someone named Old Ding. It was said that he used to make jewelry for the concubines in the imperial palace and was known as the most skilled craftsman on this street. However, due to his old age, he no longer practiced his craft.

Lin Ning still wanted to visit him because cinnabar jewelry was challenging to craft. Cinnabar is hard and brittle, and most craftsmen struggle to work with it. Particularly, the design she wanted featured a “Ruyi” symbol with intricate cloud patterns that needed to be vividly carved, so only an experienced craftsman could handle it.

She turned into a narrow alley and found Old Ding’s home. Before entering, she heard scolding from inside. “Sitting around all day doing nothing, not earning a single penny! Our family doesn’t have the extra food to feed useless people!”

This was followed by the sound of an old man coughing. “Cough, cough, cough…”

The woman’s voice grew sharper. “Coughing like that? Don’t tell me it’s tuberculosis! Don’t spread it to us—go outside to cough!”

Moments later, an old man with a hunched back shuffled out. When he saw Lin Ning, he paused in surprise.

Lin Ning asked, “Excuse me, is this Old Ding’s home?”

The old man replied, “That’s me. And you are…?”

Lin Ning took out the cinnabar pieces and said, “I heard you’re the most skilled craftsman on this street. I’d like to hire you to carve a bracelet for me.”

Just as Old Ding was about to reply, he was overtaken by a fit of coughing. “Cough, cough, cough…”

He quickly covered his mouth and motioned for Lin Ning to step back. After the coughing subsided, he caught his breath and said, “I’m in no condition to work anymore. It’s better to forget about it.”

Before Lin Ning could respond, a middle-aged woman came out of the house and started scolding him. “Finally, someone’s come to give you work, and you’re refusing? How will you eat or drink if you don’t make money?”

Then, the woman turned to Lin Ning with a forced smile. “Don’t listen to him, young lady. He can do it, but it’ll cost a crafting fee.”

Lin Ning glanced at Old Ding. His face was pale, and he nodded at her. “Alright, I’ll take the job. As for the fee…”

“Ten yuan for the crafting fee!”

Before Old Ding could finish, the woman blurted out the amount. Old Ding’s face darkened. “Not ten yuan—two yuan.”

Seeing the woman about to lose her temper, Lin Ning quickly interjected, “Ten yuan it is. I’m in a hurry.”

The woman’s face immediately lit up with a smile. “His craftsmanship is excellent. You won’t regret spending ten yuan.”

Once the woman went back inside, Old Ding apologized to Lin Ning. “I’m sorry. Just give me two yuan. Carving a bracelet isn’t worth that much.”

“No need. Ten yuan is fine.”

Lin Ning handed the cinnabar pieces to Old Ding and explained the design she wanted in detail. Old Ding nodded. “This is simple. I’ve carved many Ruyi designs before, and the small beads are even easier. You can pick it up the day after tomorrow.”

When Lin Ning left the alley, she asked around about Old Ding’s background. She learned that he used to be an imperial eunuch who crafted jewelry for the concubines in the palace. After liberation, he returned to his hometown in Dong’an County and bought this courtyard house.

Old Ding had no children of his own, so he adopted a nephew, Ding Houliang. They had agreed that Ding Houliang would take care of him in his old age in exchange for inheriting the courtyard. However, in recent years, their relationship had soured because Old Ding refused to die quickly enough. He had even been kicked out of the house a few times.

Lin Ning nodded in understanding. Other people’s children are rarely dependable, just like the original host in her previous life. She had wholeheartedly cared for Feng Tianqi’s three sons, but when she was old and no longer useful, they kicked her out without hesitation.

In Lin Ning’s view, if you don’t have children, it’s better to live for yourself—earn your own money and spend it as you like. Take Old Ding, for example. He bought the house but didn’t even have the right to live in it. What was the point?

On the third day, Lin Ning returned to Old Ding’s home. He handed her the bracelet. “Take a look. Is it to your liking?”

Lin Ning examined it. The bracelet had 28 small round cinnabar beads, with a small, intricately carved Ruyi centerpiece in the middle. The craftsmanship was exquisite, even better than her original bracelet. She nodded in satisfaction. “It’s perfect. Your skills are amazing.”

Old Ding smiled proudly. “This is imperial craftsmanship.”

Lin Ning took out ten yuan, but before she could hand it to Old Ding, the woman snatched it away. “I’ll take that!”

It was Ding Houliang’s wife, Huang Miao, a shrewish woman.

Lin Ning tried to grab the money back, but Old Ding stopped her. “Forget it. Even if you don’t give it to her now, she’ll take it as soon as you leave.”

Lin Ning silently agreed. The elderly often had to endure indignities, whether they had money or not.

Before leaving, Lin Ning took out two more yuan and secretly slipped it into Old Ding’s hand. “Take this, but don’t let her see it.”

Then, she quickly walked away. Old Ding held the money tightly in his hand and let out a long sigh.

As for Lin Ning, she planned to use the bracelet as bait to lure Morita out. Morita’s main purpose in coming to Dong’an County was to find Ruyi-style jewelry. He wouldn’t leave until he found it.

From that day on, Lin Ning began wearing the cinnabar bracelet. Carrying a bag of bath scrubbers, she wandered around town, deliberately going wherever there were crowds to make herself as noticeable as possible.

Her efforts soon caught someone’s attention—Xu Guangyin.

Xu Guangyin had been having a miserable time lately. Miao Jia and Huang Yuan’s attempt to trap Ma Wenbiao had failed, exposing not just them but also him and Morita. Fortunately, Morita had prepared multiple hideouts. Otherwise, they would have been caught.

Xu Guangyin wanted to leave, but Morita refused. He would rather hide in the mosquito-infested mountains of Jinji Ridge than leave.

“Mr. Morita, let’s leave before the police catch us!”

“No! I won’t leave until I find the Ruyi jewelry!”

“Why bother at a time like this? Let’s just go! If you won’t leave, I will!”

Click. A cold gun barrel was pressed against Xu Guangyin’s temple. “Mr. Xu, I suggest you reconsider.”

“…Fine! I’ll go search right away!”

Sweat dripped down Xu Guangyin’s forehead as he forced a fawning smile. “Mr. Morita’s business is my business!”

“Good. Then hurry and find it! I’ll be waiting for your good news.”

Terrified, Xu Guangyin hurried out. Disguised as a street vendor, he roamed the town with a carrying pole, scanning every woman’s jewelry—on their heads, wrists, and necks—for anything resembling a Ruyi design.

Eventually, his gaze landed on something—a young woman selling bath scrubbers at a street stall. On her fair wrist was a bright red bracelet with a long centerpiece.

Xu Guangyin’s eyes lit up. He went over and bought a bath scrubber, using the opportunity to take a closer look. Sure enough, it was a Ruyi!

My God! There’s actually Ruyi jewelry in Dong’an County!

Staying nearby, Xu Guangyin overheard her name: Lin Ning.

Lin Ning? Wasn’t she the person they had investigated before? Miao Jia and Huang Yuan had even searched her home but found nothing. So, she had been carrying the bracelet all along!

Xu Guangyin rushed back to report. “Mr. Morita, Lin Ning does have a Ruyi bracelet! I saw it with my own eyes!”

Morita nodded. “It’s her again. It seems the item is indeed with her.”

“What should we do next, Mr. Morita?”

“This Lin Ning has some skills. Even Huang Yuan and Miao Jia couldn’t handle her. We can’t confront her directly. We need to think of another way.”