Back to the 60s: The Struggle Career of a Charmed Wife
Chapter 1353: Preparing to Leave Beijing 8

Chapter 1353: Chapter 1353: Preparing to Leave Beijing 8

Feng Qingxue took over the conversation and said, "It’s clear that Zhou Zhou protects herself by appearing feeble."

If she were truly weak, she wouldn’t have beaten up Wang Chengjun.

She’s intelligent, knows when to advance or retreat, and has upright character. She’s definitely a good girl. Who knows which lucky bastard will end up with her in the future.

Hong Zhanjun chuckled and said, "This child is very grateful. Last month, she sent over some fine grains, saying it was part of the year-end ration distributed to them by Wanglou Brigade. She said it was for me and her grandma to eat. Her grandma can’t read and would be scared to receive it directly, so she sent it to me instead. Every now and then, I secretly take some to her grandma, not daring to give too much at once, afraid that her family would discover it."

Guan Yu patted his chest and said, "Don’t worry, Grandpa Hong. Once I, Tianzhi, get back home, I’ll definitely look out for Zhou Zhou and make sure no one bullies her. Our family still has some influence."

"It’s more than just a bit, isn’t it?" Lu Tianzhi turned his head to look at him.

The Lu Family holds quite a bit of respect in Wanglou Brigade now and no longer worries about their social class.

Guan Yu chuckled and, propping his chin in his hand, said, "Zhou Zhou knows martial arts? If there’s a chance, I should spar with her to see who’s stronger, my brother and I or her."

The very thought had caught his attention because it seemed so incredible.

Lu Jiang and Feng Qingxue didn’t care and started asking Hong Zhanjun about Jin Laoqi.

"Jin Laoqi? He’s a destitute Manchu noble, seems like he was from the Bordered Yellow or Plain Yellow Banner." Hong Zhanjun remembered, "He lives right behind my house. Just after the liberation, he pulled a rickshaw for some time. After the founding of the country, the state decided to take care of these old people and gave him two rooms to live in. They also arranged for him a job sweeping the streets, and he’s still at it!"

Lu Jiang and Feng Qingxue went to visit Jin Laoqi that evening, after sending all the children back to the hostel.

Jin Laoqi immediately let them in, "I saw Qiao San during the day and he told me about this. I’ve got everything ready, it depends on whether you can give me some more food so I can have a good New Year."

As soon as Feng Qingxue entered, she set her eyes on a mat on the bed. Despite the worn blankets and ragged mats, nothing could conceal the elegance of this mat.

It was as white as jade, looking very beautiful under the light.

"How much for this mat?" Feng Qingxue asked directly.

Jin Laoqi looked at her in surprise, regretting that they were fully armed and he couldn’t see their faces or expressions clearly, "I’ve seen many people buying second-hand goods, most pretending not to be interested to bargain better; actually, they’re quite fond of the item. Aren’t you afraid I’ll hike up the price by showing your interest in this mat so openly?"

Feng Qingxue smiled and said, "Qiao San said you’re a straightforward person, why beat around the bush? We only have this much stuff, so it’s up to you whether you want to trade or not!"

Although this mat is truly priceless.

This mat is an Ivory Mat, a craft long lost to history. It’s said that only three exist in the world, all stored at the Forbidden City Museum, with the other two’s whereabouts unknown. It was unexpected to find one in Jin Laoqi’s possession, and judging by the way the mat lay flat and smooth, it was well-preserved.

Jin Laoqi laughed heartily, "Good, good, good! I do like straightforward people! Ten jin of rice, ten jin of flour, and a stick of cured meat, and you can take this mat. This is an Ivory Mat; the moment you spoke I knew you were connoisseurs, and there aren’t many left who know their stuff. This mat was made during the Yongzheng Era and somehow found its way out of the palace into my grandfather’s hands."

He had intentionally placed it on the bed, and sure enough, it attracted someone who knew its value; the ensuing negotiation would be favorable.