Chapter 24.2: The Fraud

Ye Fan nodded. “Alright.”

The woman checked the weight carefully and broke into a smile. “Five yuan and six jiao — I’ll round it down to five fifty for you.”

Ye Fan almost wanted to tell her — I’m an accountant, a former accountant at the Haidian Supply and Marketing Cooperative, dealing with scales every day. It clearly didn’t even reach five forty.

Still, she handed over five yuan and fifty jiao. “Can you tie it up for me?”

“Of course!” The woman already had a rope ready.

Ye Fan thought to herself — treating me like a fat sheep, huh?

Hopefully, the old lady took Dabao and Erbao out with her.

By the time Ye Fan got home, she was sweating profusely and her legs felt like jelly. But when she saw the door was locked, her exhaustion vanished. She took out her key, unlocked the door, and dragged the sack inside.

Once inside, she untied the bag and started pulling out the scattered items.

Looking at the pile of random junk, Ye Fan felt a surge of frustration. That woman — hard to pin her down. Call her heartless, and she seemed willing to accept anything from struggling people. Call her kind, but she sure didn’t hesitate to rip Ye Fan off.

Ye Fan picked out the books and sorted the other items into categories. Maybe they’d be worth something in the future, but for now, they could easily cause trouble.

She hesitated for a moment, glancing south. Should she stash them among Chen Xiaohui’s furniture?

Ye Fan shook her head. Forget it. It was hard enough to convince Chen Xiaohui not to give money to Zhao Ruping and to buy clothes instead. If she found out what Ye Fan had been up to, she’d start overthinking things again.

Instead, Ye Fan walked to the storage room next to the kitchen. There was a camphorwood chest inside, filled with her old middle and primary school textbooks, along with childhood toys. Years ago, when people were breaking the “Four Olds,” someone had checked their home and confirmed there were no antiques — they probably wouldn’t check again.

Ye Fan took out her old belongings, placed the newly bought items inside, and carefully layered her childhood textbooks and toys back on top.

After shutting the storage room door, the sack of items was reduced to just an empty bag and a few bundles of old books. Finally, Ye Fan felt a bit more at ease.

Guessing her mom would be back soon, Ye Fan quickly flipped through the books. Out of the three bundles, only five mentioned furniture. She set those five aside and stashed the rest under the desk in her room. Just as she finished, the front door creaked open.

Her heart raced — she felt like a thief caught in the act.

Then she reminded herself that everything was already hidden. Taking a deep breath, she calmly stepped out. “Mom, where are Dabao and Erbao?”

Tao Chunlan cursed angrily, “Those two ungrateful brats. Saying their grandparents’ house is better.”

Chen Xiaohui pushed the bike inside. “That’s not it. Dabao said there are other kids to play with at their grandparents’ place — Xiaoqin’s second brother’s child.”

Ye Fan asked, “You went there too?”

Tao Chunlan looked a bit uncomfortable. “I… I’m used to taking the road past the supply and marketing cooperative. I saw Xiaoqin at the door and only then remembered I didn’t need to go by the co-op to get to the Geng family’s house.”

Chen Xiaohui added, “I ran into Xiaoqin, and we went to the Gengs’ together. Mom hadn’t left yet, so I gave her a ride back.”

Ye Fan sighed helplessly. “My mother-in-law just wanted to show off the two kids, but you showed up to take them back before she even had the chance — of course she wasn’t going to hand them over willingly. Dabao and Erbao can’t sit still for long. Once they wear out my in-laws, they’ll have Xiaoqin send them back.”

Tao Chunlan, annoyed at having made the trip for nothing, didn’t want to hear her daughter’s reasoning. She muttered a half-hearted response and went back to her room.

Chen Xiaohui couldn’t help but start, “She—”

Ye Fan cut her off. “Don’t worry about it. I’m going to make dinner.”

Chen Xiaohui wanted to ask — so you’re just letting her stew in her own anger? But before she could get the words out, Ye Fan had already slipped into the kitchen.

Frustrated, Chen Xiaohui thought, What does this have to do with me? Why am I even bothering?

With that, she felt a little better and went back to her room to rest.

In winter, fresh vegetables are scarce in the north. Ye Fan used the rice cooker to make red date porridge, heated a few mixed-grain steamed buns, made a plate of vinegar-sautéed cabbage on the stove, and stir-fried some shredded radish with pork lard.

Chen Xiaohui was surprised — the food Ye Fan cooked was actually pretty good. She had always thought Ye Fan, having spent her time studying, then working, and later raising children, never had the time to learn how to cook — just a pampered young lady who didn’t lift a finger in the kitchen. No wonder Tao Chunlan was uneasy about her following her husband in the army.

Ye Fan noticed Chen Xiaohui watching her. “Does the food not suit your taste?”

Chen Xiaohui shook her head. “No, it’s just… the radish doesn’t have any moisture.”

Ye Fan replied, “I didn’t add water. Mom, is it too tough?”

Tao Chunlan had already softened at the smell of the vinegar-sautéed cabbage, but she was still a bit annoyed. “I can eat it fine, but your father-in-law wouldn’t.”

Ye Fan clicked her tongue. “Why bring him up again? Fine, fine, I’ll pick up the kids and bring them back for Little New Year the day after tomorrow, alright?”

Tao Chunlan asked, “So you’re spending the Spring Festival at your in-laws’?”

Ye Fan said matter-of-factly, “Isn’t that how it’s always been? I come over here on the first day of the new year and stay until the fifth.”

Tao Chunlan reluctantly agreed. “Go back on the 28th.”

Ye Fan thought to herself, Why not just ask me to go back on New Year’s Eve? But she simply said, “Alright, whatever you say. Let’s eat.”

After dinner, Ye Fan gathered her things to go take a bath — anything to avoid listening to her mom curse her in-laws again.

Once Ye Fan left, Tao Chunlan suddenly remembered that she’d been so caught up arguing with the two bratty kids from the Geng family that she almost forgot the real issue. When Ye Fan returned, Tao Chunlan pointed to the southern room and told her to find time to talk some sense into Chen Xiaohui — tell her to stop buying so much. That morning, when Tao Chunlan went out to buy vegetables, the neighbors teased her, asking if Xiaohui was planning another trip to the flea market tomorrow since it was Sunday.

Ye Fan nodded. “I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”

The next morning, Tao Chunlan found an excuse to visit a neighbor. Ye Fan grabbed a broom and started sweeping. When she noticed Chen Xiaohui heading toward the southern room, she pretended to be curious and followed her. “This room’s a mess too — wait, why is there so much stuff in here?”

Chen Xiaohui turned around, clearly trying to hide her excitement, but the proud smile on her face gave her away.

Ye Fan asked, “Did you buy all this?”

Chen Xiaohui nodded, lowering her voice — she knew better than to let people overhear in these times of revolution. “These are Ming dynasty furniture — antiques.”

Ye Fan was baffled and wanted to figure out what made her start buying furniture. “Antiques? And people just sold them to you?”

“They needed money urgently. No one’s willing to spend on these things, so they’re really cheap now,” Chen Xiaohui said, pointing to a long table — the one Ye Fan had said was just for show. “I got it for five jin of national grain coupons.”

She didn’t even spend cash? Ye Fan didn’t know what to say for a moment. “Aren’t you worried the neighbors will gossip about you clinging to the past?”

Chen Xiaohui hadn’t thought that far. She figured as long as the furniture didn’t have any inscriptions or banned paintings, the Revolutionary Committee wouldn’t care. “I— what should I do then? Throw them away?” She winced at the thought.

Ye Fan said, “Just tell people you lived in the countryside for so long that you developed a liking for old things. Later, pick a few pieces you can actually use and put them in your room — make it look natural.”

Chen Xiaohui wanted to ask what would happen if the furniture got damaged, but she realized there wasn’t a better plan. “Alright, this long table then.”

Ye Fan helped her move it into the side room. “It’s perfect for holding books, ink, and brushes.”

Chen Xiaohui couldn’t help but say, “Why didn’t I think of that?” She stacked the books she didn’t often read on the table — that way, they’d stay untouched and safe from wear and tear.

Ye Fan glanced around and said, “I noticed earlier — the southern room is packed. Don’t buy anything else. Too much of a good thing can be a problem.”

Chen Xiaohui also realized she had been too hasty. “No, no — I forgot. I already made an appointment with someone to check out more stuff next weekend, the last time. If the neighbors ask, just say you like old things too?”

It was currently the 22nd of the lunar calendar, meaning next weekend would be the 29th. Ye Fan had a bad feeling. “Are you sure it’s next weekend? The day after is New Year’s Eve — even families struggling to put clothes on their backs would be preparing for the holiday feast.”

What did Ye Fan mean by that? Chen Xiaohui wanted to ask. “He wouldn’t lie to me. I helped him.”

Ye Fan raised an eyebrow. “A classic case of standing up for what’s right?”

Chen Xiaohui’s face flushed with anger. “You— I don’t want to argue with you. You don’t understand him.”

But I understand you — you’re too trusting! Ye Fan thought to herself but kept a calm expression, giving a slight nod. “Go on.”

Chen Xiaohui, feeling she had done nothing shameful, spoke openly. “His kid wanted some candy, and he tried to sneak some from the supply and marketing cooperative. I happened to catch him, so I quietly told him to put it back and bought a few candies for the kid myself. He was really grateful. When he found out I liked old things, he spent a long time finding a family willing to sell their furniture at a low price.”

Ye Fan felt exhausted. “Was he really ashamed when you warned him?”

Chen Xiaohui nodded. “I think he didn’t really want to do it — it’s just because he’s poor.”

Ye Fan sighed. “Shame doesn’t make people grateful — it makes them resent you, because you saw their most disgraceful moment. He’s not thankful you bought the candy — he’s thankful you didn’t turn him in. Forget it, I’ll go with you when the time comes.”

Chen Xiaohui blurted out, “No need.”

Ye Fan didn’t argue and went back to her room to cram some knowledge about antiques.

Chen Xiaohui thought Ye Fan had agreed to drop the matter.

The next day, as soon as Chen Xiaohui left the house, Ye Fan told her mom to move out all the old furniture Chen Xiaohui had brought home.

Tao Chunlan panicked. “Fan Fan, you can’t throw them away!”

Ye Fan was speechless. “Who said anything about throwing them away? I just want to see how much stuff she’s got. Let’s wipe down whatever can be cleaned with a dry cloth — the moment you open that room, the smell hits you like a wall.”

Tao Chunlan explained, “She hired people to deliver the big pieces. The small ones — she brought those back by bike.”

Ye Fan was speechless — unbelievable! She couldn’t help but wonder what kind of people Chen Xiaohui had gone to the countryside with. How did a simple, straightforward student end up so clueless?

“Mom, grab a broom and some cloths. I’ll move the small pieces out. Let’s get everything sorted before eleven — I need to pick up Dabao and Erbao.”

The moment Tao Chunlan heard that the kids were coming home, her motivation soared. By 10:30, the mother and daughter had finished cleaning out the rooms. Ye Fan went back in to take a careful look, roughly memorizing the styles of all the furniture. Then she changed clothes and got ready to head to her in-laws’ house.

Geng Zhiyé’s father wanted Ye Fan to stay for lunch, but she promised she’d come back on the 28th, so her father-in-law finally let her go.

On the afternoon of the 28th day of the lunar month, Ye Fan brought the two children back to her in-laws’ home. Seeing this, Chen Xiaohui became even more convinced that Ye Fan trusted her judgment of people.

The next morning, after breakfast, just as Chen Xiaohui was getting ready, Ye Fan pushed her bicycle inside. Chen Xiaohui was stunned.

Ye Fan pretended not to notice. “Not going?”

Chen Xiaohui didn’t dare speak the truth. She could tell that Tao Chunlan disapproved of her buying old furniture, so she quickly made up an excuse to slip out of the house.

On the way, she kept chatting with Ye Fan about random things, mentioning that she’d followed Ye Fan’s advice — she had bought two sets of clothes for Chen Kuanren and Zhao Ruping and sent them off. Including postage, it cost less than fifteen yuan. They should arrive today.

Ye Fan nodded silently, thinking to herself, See? Sending clothes is more thoughtful than just giving money.

Chen Xiaohui quickly changed the topic again, mentioning that their family had bought some meat and planned to make braised pork on New Year’s Day.

Ye Fan asked, “Are we almost there?”

Chen Xiaohui turned into an alley, passed by two houses, then stopped and called into a courtyard, “Brother Ren, are you home?”

The door creaked open. Ye Fan took a quick glance inside — it was a crowded, shared courtyard. Ah, no wonder.

A man soon stepped out. He was about the same height as Chen Xiaohui, with a sharp, rat-like face. Ye Fan’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

The man spoke first, “Accountant Chen, this is…?”

Ye Fan answered before Chen Xiaohui could, “I’m Xiaohui’s neighbor. Just curious, so I came along to take a look.”

The middle-aged man surnamed Ren smiled, “And how should I address you, comrade?”

Without missing a beat, Ye Fan replied, “Surname’s Geng.”

Chen Xiaohui couldn’t help but frown the moment she heard the word “Geng.”

Before she could speak, Ye Fan quickly asked, “Is it in the courtyard?”

Comrade Ren, noticing her curiosity, pointed ahead and said, “This house. I’ll take you there.”

Chen Xiaohui pulled her bike closer to Ye Fan and said, “Still don’t believe me?”

Ye Fan chuckled. “We’ll find out soon enough, won’t we?”

Three minutes later, the three of them stepped into a courtyard house, slightly smaller than the Ye family’s. The male owner of the courtyard, who looked to be in his early forties, held a cigarette between his lips as he introduced his belongings. “These were all passed down from my elders. If it weren’t for needing the money, I wouldn’t sell them—no matter if you’re some relative of Xiao Ren or not.”

With that, he opened the door to the side room.

Comrade Ren pointed at the furniture in the room and said, “Accountant Chen, look — this square table, this offering table, all made of rosewood. I wasn’t lying to you, was I? They’re all from the Ming dynasty.”

Chen Xiaohui nodded, glanced at Ye Fan, and couldn’t help but show a smug expression — See? I told you so.

Ye Fan walked over and ran a hand along the offering table. “Judging by the patina, it’s an old piece… but not from the Ming dynasty.”

The smile on Comrade Ren’s face froze for a moment, but then he quickly recovered and said with a laugh, “These are all genuine, unadulterated pieces. Comrade, only Ming dynasty furniture looks like this.”

Ye Fan chuckled and said, “Who says unadorned pieces can only be from the Ming dynasty?”

He glanced at the furniture’s owner. “At first glance, it does look like Ming-style furniture. Unfortunately, it’s from the Qing dynasty — after the Yongzheng era. Furniture from the Kangxi period was similar to the Ming style, with a simple and elegant design.”

Pointing to the carvings around the offering table, he continued, “Ming-style furniture wouldn’t have this. Such elaborate and intricate patterns are most likely from the Qianlong era or later. Judging by the style, it could even be from the time of Empress Dowager Cixi.”

After saying this, he looked at Comrade Ren. “And this low square table — the four legs are so thick, and the tabletop is heavy. The Ming dynasty did have similar pieces, but unfortunately, all four edges here are carved with patterns — a meander design, right?

“You two might think I’m ignorant, but we’re not that desperate to buy these.”

He turned to Chen Xiaohui and said, “Let’s go, Xiaohui.”

The furniture owner instinctively called out, “Accountant Chen, no, wait — Accountant Chen, you asked me to show you this! This person—”

Ye Fan looked at Comrade Ren and asked, “You know Xiaohui from the supply and marketing cooperative? Then you should remember there was an accountant there before her, right?”

Comrade Ren’s mouth fell open in shock. “You—you… You’re Ye Fan? Didn’t you leave?”

Ye Fan nodded. “Yes, I’m Ye Fan. And now I’m back.”

He turned to the furniture owner and said, “If you insist on making us buy these, fine. Tomorrow, I’ll bring a history professor and an archaeology expert to take a look. If these really are Ming dynasty pieces, I’ll pay whatever price you want! But if they’re not… and this is a scam—then we’ll be having a nice chat at the Public Security Bureau!”