After being threatened by Haozi, Lin’s mother was so terrified her legs went weak. She directed all her anger at Lin Ning, accusing her of causing the trouble and demanding that Lin Ning hand over the house to her, refusing to leave otherwise.

Lin Ning sneered coldly. “Go ask Lin Yong. If he dares to take it, I’ll give it to him.”

Lin’s mother scrambled to her feet. “You said it! You’d better keep your word!”

“Of course. Go ahead and ask him.”

Lin’s parents headed to the Fan family’s house to discuss it with Lin Yong. To their surprise, Lin Yong shook his head vigorously like a rattle drum. “I don’t want it!”

“Stupid boy, why wouldn’t you want such a big house? Living there would be so much better!”

“It’s not good at all. What’s the use of a big house? It’s old and dilapidated. The water and toilet are inconvenient. It’s nothing like this apartment with running water and a flush toilet—clean and easy.”

There was another reason Lin Yong refused: he was afraid of being beaten. Lin Ning had already knocked out several of his front teeth and broken his leg. If he asked her for money again, he feared for his life. No matter how much his parents tried to persuade him, he wouldn’t agree.

Lin’s father said, “Why don’t you take the house, sell it, and buy an apartment instead?”

“Dad, Mom, I don’t want it. Stop worrying about it. I’ve found a way to make money.”

“What way?”

“Fan Xiaoe’s dad knows a reseller who trades in electronics. He often brings goods back from the south to sell, and I can work with him.”

“A reseller? Is that safe?”

“Fan Xiaoe’s dad has known him for years, so it’s definitely safe. Don’t worry. A single electronic watch can earn several yuan—much more than Lin Ning’s little bath scrubber.”

After questioning him further, Lin’s parents were finally convinced and left, trusting the Fan family wouldn’t deceive them.

The farce came to a temporary end, and Lin Ning enjoyed a brief moment of peace. She stayed home for the next few days, closely monitoring Ma Wenbiao’s movements through the listening device.

“Buying old goods, old jewelry—anything old!”

A middle-aged man appeared in Dong’an County, carrying a bamboo pole and shaking a rattle drum while softly shouting his offer.

“Hey, peddler, what kind of old goods are you buying?”

“Old plates, old bowls, old furniture, old jewelry, even antique paintings. Got anything to sell, neighbor?”

“Nope. During the Four Olds campaign, everything was smashed to bits. Where would we get old stuff now?”

Most people simply glanced at the peddler without speaking. Life had only recently stabilized, and taking out such items could risk trouble again.

This man was Xu Guangyin, acting on Morita’s orders to search for Ruyi-style jewelry.

He pulled out a box from his bamboo basket and opened it, revealing a sparkling new Shanghai Diamond-brand watch. The exquisite craftsmanship and shiny surface gleamed under the sunlight.

“Neighbor, take a look at this Diamond watch! It costs 120 yuan at a Shanghai counter! If anyone has old jewelry, I’m willing to trade at a fair price!”

This instantly piqued the crowd’s interest. People gathered around, admiring the watch with envy, though no one brought out any old jewelry. Internally, Xu Guangyin cursed them as a bunch of poor freeloaders.

Suddenly, a voice called out, “What kind of jewelry are you looking for? How about this?”

It was a girl around ten years old, holding a necklace made of shells.

Xu Guangyin took it, examined it for a moment, and shook his head. “This is made of shells; it’s not worth much. I’m looking for gold, silver, or jade, preferably Ruyi-style jewelry.”

The girl, disappointed, took back her necklace.

Xu Guangyin then addressed the crowd, “If anyone has Ruyi-style jewelry, I’ll pay a high price!”

Still, no one responded. They found the man suspicious—who would trade a brand-new watch for old jewelry? Everyone figured the old jewelry must be more valuable than the watch, so no one was willing to trade.

After shouting for half the day with no results, Xu Guangyin had no choice but to move on. As he reached a deserted area, a voice called out from behind, “Peddler, wait a moment!”

Turning around, he saw a young woman approaching. She asked, “Are you looking for Ruyi-style jewelry?”

Xu Guangyin was delighted. “Yes, do you have any?”

The woman shook her head. “I don’t, but I know who does. You…” She glanced at the bamboo basket.

Understanding her meaning, Xu Guangyin took out the watch and its box. “If you can provide a lead on such jewelry, this watch is yours.”

The woman was none other than Jiang Chacha. After failing to find the Ruyi bracelet, she had spent days in despair, doing nothing and incurring her family’s discontent.

Jiang Chacha blamed everything on Lin Ning. She believed that if Lin Ning hadn’t lost the Ruyi bracelet, her life would have been better. This deepened her hatred for Lin Ning.

Seeing Xu Guangyin searching for Ruyi-style jewelry today, an idea struck Jiang Chacha: let him make trouble for Lin Ning and disgust her!

Jiang Chacha said, “Let me make it clear—I’m only providing a lead. Whether the jewelry is still there isn’t my responsibility.”

“No problem!”

“Give me the watch first, and then I’ll talk.”

Xu Guangyin handed her the watch without hesitation. He could buy as many as he wanted; all that mattered was finding the Ruyi jewelry. Morita would pay him handsomely for the lead.

Jiang Chacha clutched the watch tightly and said, “There’s a young woman named Lin Ning around here. She has a Ruyi-style cinnabar bracelet.”

Lin Ning again? Could she be the same woman who invented the bath scrubber?

Xu Guangyin asked suspiciously, “What’s her situation? Tell me in detail.”

“She has parents, an older brother, and an older sister. She used to work at the public bathhouse but quit. Now she carries a bag around selling bath scrubbers.”

Ah, Xu Guangyin understood—it really was the same Lin Ning. What an intriguing woman.

“What does the cinnabar bracelet look like?”

“It has 28 small cinnabar beads and a central Ruyi-shaped piece carved from cinnabar, with one end larger than the other, just like the imperial Ruyi scepters.”

Xu Guangyin nodded repeatedly. “This is valuable information. The watch is yours.”

After their exchange, Jiang Chacha clutched the watch and quickly ran off, fearing Xu Guangyin might change his mind. Once she was alone, she tucked the watch box into her sleeve and walked away as if nothing had happened.

Without delay, Xu Guangyin relayed the information to Morita, who was overjoyed. “After all this time, we finally have a lead!”

“Mr. Morita, the Ruyi bracelet might not even be the jewelry you’re looking for.”

“No, Mr. Xu. Lin Ning is unusual—she’s not like the typical women in your country. I believe we’ll find something with her.”

“What’s the next step?”

“That’s easy. We’ll lure her away and search her home first.”