Chapter 018

018

Qingyin clapped her hands lightly—this was definitely fishy! No wonder Qing Huihui had been able to take her dowry so easily in the original story. These two must have been in cahoots. Seventh Maternal Great Uncle had probably been embezzling all along!

“This man isn’t simple. I know you want to get your things back, but you absolutely mustn’t act rashly.”

“Alright, thank you for the warning, Uncle. I’ll be careful.” Qingyin thought for a moment, then whispered a few more words to him. Just as she finished, she noticed someone approaching in the distance, and they quickly parted ways.

Qingyin walked slowly, a habit of hers to think while moving. As she reached the courtyard gate, she saw a crowd gathered at the entrance of the side house.

“Qingyin, you’re back just in time! Haven’t you met our courtyard’s new son-in-law yet?” Sister-in-law Qin grabbed her arm and pulled her to the front.

The Liu family’s door was open. The elderly couple sat cross-legged on the kang, while the other siblings sat obediently around the square table. Among them, the bride Liu Hongxing stood out in her green dress and red hair ribbon. Given the limited resources and restrictions on lavish celebrations, she had simply worn a red flower when she left yesterday morning to marry into the family north of the city. Today was her return visit, and she would spend the day at her parents’ home before returning after dinner.

On the table lay a bag of apples and two pounds of brown sugar, but the most tantalizing item was the entire pinkish-white pig’s head placed beside them, its eyes closed.

The pig’s head wasn’t particularly large, its pinkish-white ears perked up, and one could faintly see the upward curve of its snout.

Everyone, young and old, was salivating. It seemed Hongxing had truly married into a life of comfort—who else in Apricot Blossom Alley could afford to bring back a whole pig’s head for the return visit?

A single thought crossed everyone’s minds: the Yang family was doing even better than they’d imagined.

However, Qingyin noticed something different. Liu Hongxing didn’t seem very happy. Her usually bold phoenix eyes were downcast, and she nervously twisted the hem of her dress.

Beside her stood a burly, bearded man—presumably the groom, Yang Gang—who certainly lived up to his name.

A few young women nearby giggled and began whispering, “Why does Hongxing have dark circles under her eyes? Didn’t she rest well last night?”

“Last night was the wedding night…” They covered their mouths, laughing suggestively.

Qingyin looked closer. The dark circles didn’t quite resemble the exhaustion from overindulgence, but she felt it inappropriate to discuss such topics in public and stayed silent.

Sister-in-law Qin, noticing her thoughtful expression, assumed she didn’t understand and scolded softly, “What nonsense are you all spouting? We might not mind crude talk, but Xiao Qingyin isn’t married yet.”

The chatter died down, and the conversation shifted to how the Liu family was all present today. Not only had the eldest sister, Hongmei, returned with her child, but even the second sister, Hongyun, who rarely visited, had come with her family—a clear sign of respect for the new son-in-law.

This was Qingyin’s first time meeting the Liu sisters since transmigrating into the book. The eldest, Liu Hongmei, had plain features but carried herself with steady, unpretentious grace. A widow, she had been the self-sacrificing, broad-minded elder sister in the original story, with far-sighted vision, eventually rising to the highest official position among her siblings.

The second daughter, Liu Hongyun, was the prettiest among the three sisters and had married into a decent family. However, for some reason, she rarely returned to her parents’ home. Little Qingyin had adored her as a child because she would braid the little girl’s hair and never tricked her out of snacks like her older siblings did.

Qingyin was lost in these memories when the Liu family finally finished showing off. They couldn’t bear to eat the pig head right away, saying they would salt and cure it to make a cured pig head, which would pair perfectly with drinks later.

The crowd dispersed, disappointed at not witnessing the grand feast. Sister-in-law Qin linked arms with Qingyin, chattering nonstop about the grand wedding procession the day before—how many people had attended, how many brand-new Phoenix bicycles there were, and so on.

Qingyin had been at work yesterday, while Sister-in-law Qin had the day off and seen it all firsthand.

Just as they turned to leave, Liu Hongxing looked up, her eyes filled with venom as she glared at Qingyin’s retreating figure. *Why? Why does she get such a good job? That job was supposed to be mine!* Her younger brother had schemed for so long to secure that position for her, and just when it was within reach—gone. Without the job, she’d been forced to marry the “good family” her parents had chosen. The memory of her wedding night made her shudder, her fingers tightening around the hem of her clothes.

Liu Hongmei, standing beside her, noticed and gently squeezed her hand in silent support.

In this family, only her eldest sister truly cared for her. Leaning against Liu Hongmei’s shoulder, Liu Hongxing murmured, “Eldest Sister, it’s stifling in here. Let’s step outside for a bit.”

Liu Hongmei led her straight to the stone lions at the front gate, ensuring no one could overhear, before asking with concern, “Hongxing, tell me the truth—is he treating you well?”

Hours had passed since their return visit, yet their parents had only cared about basking in Yang Gang’s flattery and showing off the pig head. Liu Hongmei was the first to ask how she was doing. Tears instantly spilled from Liu Hongxing’s eyes as she buried herself in her sister’s embrace, sobbing quietly and stammering out a few words.

Liu Hongmei’s face filled with shock.  

“He—he really did that to you?”  

“Yes.”  

Two silent tears slid down Liu Hongmei’s cheeks. “I’ve failed you. I thought finding you a good family would spare you from being sent to the countryside. Instead, I pushed you into a living hell. I—I’m worthless…”  

She wept even more bitterly and despairingly than the victim herself.  

Liu Hongxing was momentarily stunned out of her own tears and hurried to comfort her sister, focusing on the positives—like the spacious house, the ample food, and how she’d soon be able to share some of their household’s surplus with her sister’s family.  

Since her brother-in-law’s death, Liu Hongmei’s life with Haitao and Haihua had been hard. Raising two children alone, unwelcome in her parents’ home and unable to return to her in-laws, she truly had it rough.  

Compared to her sister, Liu Hongxing’s suffering was limited to the marital bed. She had no worries about food or clothing, didn’t have to work, and was far better off.  

With that thought, she quickly rallied. “Anyway, I’ve made up my mind. Since I’m already married, I’ll make the best of it. I’ll never forget what you and our brother have done for me. Whatever good comes my way, I’ll share it with you.”  

“No, no, we just want you to be happy. That’s all your brother and I care about.”  

As they talked, Liu Hongmei suddenly asked, “Earlier, it seemed like you had some resentment toward Qingyin?”

Liu Hongxing’s eyes flashed with hatred. “If it weren’t for her, why would I have had to marry Yang Gang!”

Something like flames burned in her not-so-bright eyes, as if they could scorch through clothing. Liu Hongmei shifted uncomfortably. “Don’t rush to hate her yet. What’s most important now is that Qing Huihui has climbed into impressive connections. You should do more to encourage things between her and our brother.”

“That good-for-nothing? The one who let a job opportunity slip right through his fingers?”

“Don’t underestimate her. Now she and her mother have gotten to know the old commander of the military district and often visit him. Lin Suifen wants to introduce her to Commander Qu’s son—a widower, I hear.”

“If Qing Huihui could marry into such a family, it would benefit our brother too.”

Liu Hongmei had never seen someone so foolish. Once a woman married, all she thought about was her husband and children—how could she wholeheartedly help the Liu family then?

“Besides, Zhiqiang doesn’t even like her.”

“Does liking matter?”

Liu Hongxing fell silent. Her own marriage was proof that it didn’t. As long as it helped the Liu family thrive and made those who once looked down on them and mocked them grovel like dogs, that was what truly mattered.

“Fine, I’ll do my best to encourage it.”

***

Over the next few days, Qingyin went about her work as usual. Although the clinic still saw few patients, Lin Li—having been put in her place—rarely visited their office, so things remained peaceful.

Gu An disappeared again for a few days, and Qingyin didn’t dare let her guard down. While she had an omniscient view of the male and female leads’ rise to success, she knew nothing about this hidden powerhouse. Whether he was plotting her death or planning her disappearance, she had to prepare for both possibilities.

At the same time, Qingyin kept a close eye on Lin Suifen.

Before, she had only seen her as an ordinary person—after all, it was natural for a mother to favor her own child. Though she despised Lin Suifen’s hypocrisy, she had never considered her morally flawed.

But now, with Uncle Liu’s reminder, Qingyin noticed something odd: Lin Suifen’s grocery shopping schedule differed from others.

Most people went in the morning for the freshest produce, but Lin Suifen always claimed she went later to save money, leaving after lunch when everyone was napping. She never stayed out too long, sometimes returning early, other times a bit later.

The days she returned late were Wednesdays and Fridays—the same days, as Uncle Liu discovered, that Liu Jiamin had no afternoon classes.

What a coincidence!

Qingyin’s striking appearance made tailing Lin Suifen herself too risky—she’d be easily recognized. And Uncle Liu, being a street vendor, couldn’t exactly pack up his stall to follow her around. If only she had a few reliable people at her disposal…

Ah, in her past life, those she had trained were all highly capable, thriving even after leaving her company.

The thought kept her awake late into the night, wishing she had someone to rely on.

Gu An was different. She had once seen him as just a hoodlum with a crowd of dubious friends, but after the incident where she helped him, she realized his closest companions—Gangzi, Xiangzi, and Liangzi—were actually decent.

Gangzi’s family also lived in Apricot Blossom Alley. Having lost his father early, the orphaned boy and his widowed mother were bullied relentlessly by relatives until Gu An couldn’t stand it anymore and helped devise a way to teach them a lesson. Only then did those relatives stop overstepping their bounds. Later, when Gangzi’s mother passed away, her maternal relatives came making trouble, demanding to divide the house. Gu An stepped in again, sending the most troublesome one to jail for a while, allowing Gangzi to “single-handedly” keep the house his parents left behind.

With such a bond between them, wouldn’t Gangzi go through fire and water for him?

As she was thinking this, a creaking sound suddenly came from next door—the door opening.

Qingyin immediately pricked up her ears. By the moonlight through the window, she checked her wristwatch: half past one in the dead of night, the deepest part of slumber. Had Lin Suifen or Qing Huihui gotten up? To use the toilet? But she remembered they had a chamber pot in their room.

The footsteps were neither hurried nor slow, steady and rhythmic—even pausing outside her door… Qingyin quickly feigned deep, even breathing. The footsteps hesitated briefly, as if confirming she was sound asleep, before continuing in another direction.

Toward the backyard, it sounded like.

Qingyin was certain it was Lin Suifen because Qing Huihui’s footsteps weren’t this “steady.” Her grandfather had once said that a person’s footsteps reflected their temperament; unless deliberately disguised, the two were generally consistent. Someone as boisterous as Qing Huihui couldn’t possibly have footsteps like these.

But what was Lin Suifen doing in the backyard at this hour? That was where the Liu family—her sworn enemies—lived. Because of their constant squabbles, she usually avoided that area… Wait!

Qingyin quietly got up, waiting until the footsteps faded before tiptoeing out, carefully closing the door behind her. Just in case, she stuffed a pillow under the blankets to mimic a sleeping figure.

At this hour, the courtyard was silent except for the occasional bark of a dog or the lazy chirp of a bird in the trees. Having practiced her grandfather’s ancestral internal martial arts, Qingyin could move without making a sound if she wished.

Sure enough, she followed Lin Suifen to the backyard without a trace, the woman glancing back several times but never spotting her.

“You took so long—it’s freezing out here, I’m half dead,” a man’s voice grumbled from under the backyard’s jujube tree. Peering through the moonlight, Qingyin’s eyes widened—it was Liu Da!

The husband of Lin Suifen’s arch-nemesis, Sister-in-law Liu.

The Lius were among the earliest residents of the compound, a flourishing family with three sons working at the steel mill and three daughters married to workers—one even held a minor leadership position at the Meat Processing Plant, so the Lius occasionally enjoyed treats like pig heads or offal. Liu Da, being shrewd and free with his money, had done well at the factory, now a team leader in the smelting workshop. Rumor had it he’d take over as workshop director after the current one retired, making him a mid-level manager who could swagger around the compound.

This was why Sister-in-law Liu openly picked fights with anyone she disliked—Lin Suifen had suffered plenty from her.

“What’s wrong with you? Tell that hag of yours to lay off me, or don’t blame me for what happens next,” Lin Suifen muttered.

Qingyin’s mind reeled: “???”

She truly hadn’t expected that Lin Suifen, who always carried herself as an intellectual, could speak so familiarly with Liu Da, someone who seemed completely unrelated to her. These two usually didn’t even greet each other when they met in the compound!

Lin Suifen had such an impeccable reputation—everyone from top to bottom spoke highly of her. Only Sister-in-law Liu had always been at odds with her, and now it seemed there was a reason for that.

Perhaps it was a woman’s intuition?

“Pah, why bother with her? Women with long hair and short sight, always gossiping and never understanding that men need financial flexibility when they’re out and about. Sister Qing, you’re my lucky star.” His tone carried a hint of admiration, surprisingly devoid of the romantic undertones Qingyin had anticipated.

Observing Lin Suifen’s expression, it was equally composed, lacking the usual coyness. Qingyin began to doubt her own judgment again.

Could it be that there was no affair between them, just some shady dealings?

Whatever. She’d keep watching.

“Let’s not dwell on the past. This is mutually beneficial. Did you handle what we discussed last time?”

“I’ve found someone—absolutely reliable. But there’s too much stuff, and it’s… that kind of thing. If you want to offload it, you’ll have to wait a while. Things have been unsettled in the north of the city lately, and even the ghost market isn’t safe for transactions. After all, that’s…”

“Shh, don’t say it. I know. Same as before—you get ten percent.” Difficult? He just wanted more money.

Lin Suifen was seething with impatience but forced herself to lament how hard life was for an unemployed woman like her.

Liu Da thought for a moment. “How much do you have left? If it’s a lot, we could find a bigger buyer and sell it all at once.”

Lin Suifen’s eyes narrowed. Trying to probe her, was he?

“Not much. This is the last batch—and the biggest. You know how sharp my sister-in-law has become. It’ll only get harder to move her things from now on.”

Qingyin’s pupils trembled: “!!!” So the items meant for the ghost market were hers?! And this wasn’t the first time!

“At most, how much are we talking? Give me a number.”

Lin Suifen held up five fingers. Liu Da gasped. “F-five…”

“Big ones.”

Liu Da inhaled sharply three times in a row. “B-big…”

“Honestly, where’s your backbone? Because the amount is large, I told you to look into it early. Don’t mess this up.”

“You don’t trust me? When have I ever failed you? It’s just that since Qingyang died, that hag watches me like a hawk. If I’m late getting home, she comes looking for me at the workshop, sniffing around like a damn bloodhound when I get back.”

Lin Suifen’s face twisted with disgust, but she suppressed it and pressed on. “Given the amount, we shouldn’t meet again. Same as before—I’ll leave the items in the usual spot at 3:30 AM on Tuesday night. You find an excuse to come get them and leave the money there. No contact in between.”

“You’re on the night shift that day, right?”

Liu Da confirmed. Lin Suifen hesitated, still uneasy. “Count the money beforehand—not a single cent less.” This deal was too important. She needed every penny.

This was truly the largest amount ever, more than all previous transactions combined. If it weren’t for the urgent need for money on the other side, she wouldn’t have been willing to part with such good items at this price. Plus, with her sister-in-law suddenly becoming shrewd, she feared complications might arise.

As long as this deal went through, all the hardships she’d endured would be worth it.

“I know the rules. The other party trusts me, otherwise they wouldn’t have paid half the deposit upfront. You can ask around—in this entire city, how many people have the face I do?”

Lin Suifen cut short his bragging and double-checked the timing before they each went home. Qingyin had been hiding under the millstone in the corner of the backyard. She waited until Lin Suifen had gone far enough and heard the sound of her closing the door, then squatted for another half hour until her legs went numb before finally heading back.

She had tied a fine strand of hair to the doorknob earlier, and sure enough, it was gone when she returned. Lin Suifen had twisted her door handle. Fortunately, the lock Uncle Liu had chosen could be double-locked from the outside with a key. No matter how she twisted it, she’d never guess no one was inside.

Damn it. Even in her past life’s business battles, she’d never encountered an opponent this meticulous. She had truly underestimated Lin Suifen before.

Qingyin tiptoed to bed. The next morning, she resumed her usual demeanor—sometimes harmless, sometimes sarcastic. Lin Suifen, suspecting nothing, even smiled and asked if she wanted to share a bowl of coarse grain porridge.

Qing Huihui, who left right after, still had a bit of oil glistening on her lips—clearly having sneaked a private meal in her room.

Qingyin found it amusing. “We’ve already split the household. Still being this cautious?”

Lin Suifen stiffened, thinking, *Just wait. I’ll let you be sarcastic for a couple more days.*

But Qingyin didn’t engage in verbal sparring. Her mind was preoccupied with what she’d overheard the night before: What was it? And where was “the usual place”?

The original owner had been too naive, knowing nothing about the family or the compound. There was no way to find clues from her memories. But one thing was certain: if Lin Suifen and Liu Da could pass through a place in the middle of the night within a short time, it had to be near the compound—no farther than the alley entrance. She discreetly circled the area twice but found no hiding spots.

She pondered this all day without making progress. After work, as she passed by the old key-making spot, she unexpectedly ran into two little girls—one tall, one short.

“Sister Yin!”

“Da Ya, Er Ya, what are you two doing here?”

Da Ya, holding Er Ya’s hand and carrying a small schoolbag, ran over. “Sister Yin, we came here to play. Are you off work?”

After chatting with them for a bit, Qingyin felt something was off. “It’s almost dark. You should head home. Don’t make your grandma worry.”

“Grandma’s sick, in the hospital. Grandpa’s taking care of her, so we have nowhere to go.” Da Ya was quick to explain, detailing her grandma’s illness, the hospital, and even the bed number in no time.

Grateful for Uncle Liu’s help and concerned for the girls’ safety alone at home, Qingyin said, “Come on, take me to see your grandma.”

In those days, it was common for parents to leave kids home alone—public security was good, adults were busy, and every household did the same. But Qingyin, coming from decades later, could foresee many potential dangers.

Visiting a patient required bringing something.

First, she took the girls home, grabbed three yuan and some sugar coupons, then went to the grocery store to buy two pounds of brown sugar and a pound of biscuits. The three of them snacked on the way.

These biscuits were indeed good stuff, made with generous ingredients, each piece soaked in oil and milk powder, heavy in the hand and crispy in the mouth.  

Da Ya and Er Ya clearly weren’t strangers to such treats, each eating just two pieces before urging, “Sister Qingyin, have more—they’ll go bad if we don’t finish them.”  

Back then, food rarely contained long-lasting preservatives, so things didn’t keep for long.  

Qingyin couldn’t help but wonder what kind of family could raise two girls like them. Uncle Liu and Aunt Liu clearly didn’t have the means—their father, Qu Jianjun, must have come from a fairly well-off background.  

Come to think of it, Lin Suifen and Qing Huihui had been clinging to the Qu family lately, refusing to let go.  

Aunt Liu was staying in the internal medicine ward of the district hospital, reportedly recovering from an appendectomy and still unable to get out of bed. When Qingyin and the girls arrived, Uncle Liu was clumsily feeding her plain congee with one hand.  

“Feeling any better, Auntie?”

“Much better, just that the anesthesia has worn off and the incision hurts.” Aunt Liu was a delicate-looking woman, her hair slightly disheveled from lying down too long, but her face was clean and fresh, clearly well taken care of by Uncle Liu.

“You didn’t have to bring anything when you came.”

Qingyin smiled and placed the brown sugar on the bedside table before inquiring about her condition.

“Ah, don’t even mention it. This old woman couldn’t bear to waste food. She insisted on eating the leftovers the kids didn’t finish instead of throwing them away. She’s been having terrible stomach pains for days but didn’t say a word. Only the night before last, when she couldn’t take it anymore, did she finally speak up. If it had been daytime, I would’ve gone to find you, but since it was late at night, I thought it’d be inconvenient, so I brought her straight to the hospital. The doctors took one look and said it was appendicitis—her intestines were already rotting inside.”

Qingyin nodded. Qu Jianjun often sent food and drinks to the two girls, and since he brought large quantities at once, the kids couldn’t finish it all. Naturally, the old lady ended up eating herself sick.

“Still, appendicitis is the kind of illness that flares up on its own. Even without eating expired food, it could still happen. Aunt Liu, you shouldn’t blame yourself too much.”

Only then did Aunt Liu relax and ask why they had come to visit.

“It was my oversight. I didn’t realize Da Ya and Er Ya hadn’t eaten yet. The doctor said there’s still an IV drip to administer tonight, so I can’t go home. So… Qingyin, could I ask you for a favor?”

Before he could even finish, Qingyin quickly replied, “Uncle, don’t say it like that. Da Ya and Er Ya can stay with me for a couple of nights. Once Aunt Liu is stable enough for you to leave her side, you can go back then.” Her place was spacious anyway—accommodating two more kids wouldn’t be a problem.

The elderly couple from the Liu family were endlessly grateful and reminded the children to behave.

“We promise not to ask for anything and not to cause trouble for Sister Yin!” Da Ya happily hopped in place twice, chattering about going home to fetch her little pillow and grabbing her sister’s new hair ties so Sister Yin could help braid their hair.

“Mm-hmm, braid hair!” The adorable Er Ya chimed in as well.

Qingyin herself liked children—as long as they weren’t unruly. These two sisters seemed well-behaved so far, and besides, Uncle Liu had done her a huge favor before. So she happily agreed. Still, out of professional habit as a medical practitioner, she decided to visit the doctor’s office first to get a clearer understanding of Aunt Liu’s condition. After all, the surgery was internal—she couldn’t see the results with her own eyes. Only the surgeon would know how it went.

The doctor’s office had only one young man in his late twenties, his hair neatly parted to the side. His eyes lit up when he saw her. “Comrade, who are you looking for?”

Qingyin was still dressed in her white blouse paired with a checkered Lenin suit, two glossy black braids resting on her shoulders. She wore round-toed black leather shoes with white cotton socks, looking fresh and lovely—like a budding lotus flower standing gracefully.

“Hello, I’m looking for Doctor Zhang.”

“That’s me. What can I do for you? Please, have a seat. Let me get you some water.”

Qingyin didn’t stand on ceremony and sat down across from him. “I’m a relative of the patient in Bed 3. I wanted to ask about her condition.”

Doctor Zhang paused while pouring water. “You’re her relative?”

Qingyin nodded. “Yes, they’re an elderly couple with no one else around, so I came to ask on their behalf.”

Doctor Zhang set the water aside without pouring it, plopping back onto his stool. The admiration in his eyes vanished, replaced by impatience.

“The surgery went fine.”

“Make sure she gets proper nutrition.”

Qingyin wanted to ask more, but he dismissed her with a few words.

However, having heard the information she most wanted to know, Qingyin didn’t take his attitude to heart. After all, he was just a stranger—not worth getting upset over his dismissiveness. Still, her sympathy for Uncle Liu and his wife deepened by another measure.

He had once contributed to the efforts of underground workers and was a man of unyielding integrity. Yet, because he had no children and came from an ordinary family, it wasn’t so much that he faced discrimination, but rather that he was simply overlooked.

The reason Uncle didn’t dare return home was that last night, during his IV drip, the fluid ran out. Aunt Liu called for a nurse, but no one responded. She then called for a doctor, but again, no one answered. By the time blood had backed up quite a bit, she had no choice but to remove the needle herself. An hour later, when a nurse finally came by, she scolded Aunt Liu instead.

As someone in the same profession, Qingyin understood the hardships of their work, but she also couldn’t deny that there were colleagues who judged people by appearances.

Just imagine—if it had been Commander Qu, Uncle Liu’s in-law, lying there last night, the hospital leadership would probably have stood dutifully by his side all night, wouldn’t they?

Shaking off her thoughts, Qingyin first went to the hospital cafeteria to get two hot meals—one with meat, one vegetarian—and delivered them to the inpatient ward so the elderly couple could eat their fill. Only then did she leisurely lead Da Ya and Er Ya home.

In the past, Qingyin rarely had time for snacks, and when she did, they were usually prepped by the hourly housekeeper—peeled, washed, and ready to eat, requiring little effort on her part. But with the two girls, it was different. Besides biscuits, Qingyin also bought half a pound of salted peanuts, freshly steamed and piping hot. With a gentle crack of the shell, the plump, powdery-white kernels inside were revealed, savory and tender, with a rich, salty flavor.

The three of them snacked as they walked, unable to stop.

“Big lion!” Er Ya pointed at the entrance of No. 16 Courtyard, squealing in delight.

Qingyin smiled too. Nearly every large courtyard in Apricot Blossom Alley had a pair of stone lions at its gate. In recent years, many had been toppled, their eyes gouged out, or their tongues torn off in the name of “destroying the old.” The two lions at No. 16 Courtyard hadn’t fared much better.

“Our house doesn’t have any stone lions. Not even one,” Da Ya said enviously.

Back when Uncle Liu had distinguished himself with merit, he turned down a leadership position. Instead, he was assigned a small, standalone courtyard—plenty of rooms, a private well, and even space to grow vegetables and melons. It was nothing like the crowded tenement courtyards.

Qingyin thought to herself, *You envy me, but I envy your private courtyard!*

“Oh, Xiao Qingyin’s back! And who are these two…?”

Qingyin gave a brief introduction, but before she could prompt them, the sisters sweetly greeted the neighbors and followed her into the main house.

It was already dark. Lin Suifen and her daughter had shut their door, likely up to something again, but Qingyin couldn’t be bothered to check. Her mind was entirely preoccupied with the news she’d overheard last night.

Today was already Monday. The day after tomorrow, Tuesday, was when the “exchange” was supposed to happen—yet she still couldn’t figure out where the “usual spot” was.

“Yin-jie, I need to use the bathroom,” Er Ya said around ten o’clock, rubbing her eyes with a sleepy, childish voice.

Going outside now would mean braving the cold wind, and catching a chill wouldn’t be good. After a moment’s thought, Qingyin remembered she had a chamber pot in her room. She quickly fetched it for them—she could tolerate it for a quick bathroom trip.

But once they were done, she couldn’t stand leaving the pot in the room. She carried it out to dump in the public toilet, then rinsed it thoroughly several times with water.

The current public toilets had men’s and women’s sections connected together, separated only by a wall with several holes dug into it for temporarily storing personal belongings. Some elderly women had poor hygiene habits—they’d use a piece of toilet paper once for urination, crumple it up and stuff it in the hole, then reuse it days later for defecation. Ever since Qingyin witnessed this once, she’d kept a respectful distance from those holes… they were simply too filthy!

But now, staring at those dark holes filled with who-knows-what, she suddenly had an epiphany.

Since these holes existed on both the men’s and women’s sides, could there be connecting passages?

This way, Lin Suifen could hide items from one side during the first half of the night, and Liu Da could pretend to use the toilet later to retrieve them from the other side. What place would be both reasonable and unsuspicious for hiding things late at night? Definitely the toilet!

Qingyin’s heart raced with an inexplicable excitement.

She never imagined that Lin Suifen, in her efforts to traffic goods to the black market, would think of using such a disgusting place—completely at odds with her usual image!

Thinking this, Qingyin overturned the chamber pot and stepped onto its base, suddenly able to reach all the holes.

However, it was too revolting. Without gloves, she didn’t dare touch each one to investigate.

Early the next morning, after seeing Da Ya and Er Ya safely to school and watching them enter their classroom, Qingyin hurried to the factory.

Too excited last night, she’d barely slept and nearly overslept today.

Arriving right on time, she found only Sister Zhang and Sister Li in the office.

“Don’t look, she won’t be coming today,” Sister Li said, pulling out a novel to share her firsthand gossip.

Sister Yang had gone on another blind date—this time not with a worker, but with a doctor from the district hospital.

“Doctor Zhang, I know him. Famous for surgeries, graduated from medical college, really good at appendectomies.”

“My aunt had appendicitis treated by him last time. They say his technique is excellent—quick cuts, neat sutures that don’t scar,” Sister Zhang chimed in.

Hearing this, Qingyin matched the description to the doctor she’d encountered yesterday and thought unimpressed. Having reviewed surgical records last night, she knew while his cuts were fast, they were sloppy, with crooked sutures lacking aesthetic appeal, and even his wound care was careless.

This only reinforced her first impression of him as someone who treated people differently based on their status.

“Qingyin, what are you thinking about?”

“Nothing, just wondering if Sister Yang will succeed this time.”

“Doubtful. Even if she likes him, he might not reciprocate.”

Sister Zhang nodded but defended her colleague, “Xiao Yang isn’t bad either. That Doctor Zhang isn’t so great—similar age, similar job, nothing special to pick on.”

There was a subtle dynamic among women—while they might criticize Xiao Yang among themselves, she became one of them when facing outsiders.

This was why Qingyin increasingly enjoyed their company.

“Heh heh,” Sister Li chuckled, first checking the hallway to ensure no one was around before whispering another bombshell: “Doctor Zhang has… unconventional tastes.”

“How so?”

“My cousin who works at the pharmacy said he’s been getting too cozy with some female doctor from internal medicine. The night shift people saw him going from surgery to internal medicine, claiming it was for consultations. Who’s ever heard of a consultation lasting three or four hours?”

Qingyin pricked up her ears to listen for a while—just the usual gossip about affairs, something about the woman being a widow with two kids, blah blah blah. She didn’t pay close attention.  

Right now, all she wanted was for time to pass quickly and for night to fall!  

Uncle Liu was responsible for Da Ya and Er Ya’s lunch and dinner, so Qingyin didn’t have to worry about that. After work, she just had to pick them up, take them home, supervise their homework, and make sure they washed their faces and brushed their teeth.  

While waiting for them to fall asleep, Qingyin deliberately sat outside in the courtyard for a while and saw Sister-in-law Liu hurrying past.  

“What’s wrong with Liu Da’s wife?”  

“Didn’t you see the bruise on her face?”  

“It’s Liu Da again. They had an argument this morning…” Everyone sighed. Liu Da was a burly man who worked in the smelting workshop, and when he got physical, he didn’t hold back.  

“Lucky for us he’s on the night shift today. Otherwise, who’d dare talk about him? He’s going to be a big shot and move into the factory housing soon, you know.”  

“That’s right. I heard he’s been splurging—took several department heads out to eat the other day, even served them Maotai. You know Maotai, right?”  

…  

Qingyin couldn’t care less about what he drank. After all, it was all Xiao Qingyin’s money he was spending. Today’s beating was just that scumbag’s way of “returning the favor” to Lin Suifen. Disgusting!  

Still, she noticed that Lin Suifen had already made two very conspicuous trips to the bathroom that evening. Some even joked about whether she had eaten something bad, to which she grimaced and played along—quite convincingly, too.  

Once Qingyin confirmed that Liu Da and Lin Suifen were sticking to the plan, she didn’t linger and went back inside to sleep.  

The two girls were already snoring softly. Qingyin nudged them further into the kang, but her mind was too restless to sleep. She lay awake until past three in the morning when she heard the sound of a door opening next door. She bolted upright.  

Liu Da would likely sneak back before his shift ended to grab something, so Qingyin had to act fast during the brief window after Lin Suifen returned to her room.  

Timing it just right, Qingyin slipped out right after Lin Suifen, exited through the side gate, and circled around the back alley. Once she was sure Lin Suifen had left, she quickly grabbed a chamber pot and ducked into the women’s restroom, searching through each stall.  

Even with gloves on, the things she had to touch… She wasn’t afraid of rats or snakes, but the thought of touching what the elderly women left behind…  

What?!  

There was nothing useful at all?!  

Qingyin refused to believe it and searched again, but still came up empty.  

But she had heard their conversation clearly last night—if there was nothing to hide, why had they acted so convincingly? And if there really was something, where else could Lin Suifen have hidden it if not here?  

As time ticked away, Qingyin didn’t know when Liu Da would return. Not daring to delay any longer, she cursed Lin Suifen—that old fox—under her breath and could only retreat in frustration.

However, in her anger this time, she completely forgot about the side gate and walked straight to the main entrance. It wasn’t until she saw the two stone lions that she remembered entering this way would easily expose her. When Lin Suifen had entered earlier, she had casually closed the main gate behind her. To get in now, Qingyin would have to wake the Liu family sleeping in the side rooms to open the gate for her. With Old Lady Liu’s big mouth, Lin Suifen would know by morning that she had gone out.

In the past, Qingyin wouldn’t have been so wary of her. But having been tricked once before, she didn’t dare underestimate this woman anymore.

Qingyin sighed and took one last look at the stone lions before preparing to circle around to the back alley.

Suddenly, she remembered what Da Ya had said: if their family had stone lions, they could hide keys in the lions’ mouths. That way, even if they forgot their keys after school, they wouldn’t be locked out.

The teeth and tongues of these two stone lions had been removed long ago, leaving the spaces where stone balls should have been held completely empty. In the darkness, the hollow mouths gaped like black holes, as if concealing some terrifying monster.

Yes, things could be hidden there!

A sudden inspiration struck Qingyin. She had always assumed Lin Suifen and Liu Da wouldn’t conduct their transactions too close to the compound, focusing her search on distant locations. What if they were employing the strategy of hiding in plain sight?