Chapter 298 My Heart Flutters If only I hadn't gotten this money in the first place…

"Come in," Aunt Rong said, stepping aside to let them in.

Qin Xiangxiang hesitated. Originally, they just wanted to come and take some photos. Looking at the door in front of her, she suddenly had a bad feeling. She was afraid that once she went inside, she would become more and more attracted.

This is a woman's sixth sense, making her feel uneasy.

Especially when her "salted fish radar" started to sound the alarm, a feeling that seemed to have recurred in the past few years.

"Let's go in and take a look." Li Jianzhi patted his wife's shoulder. He didn't mind at all. Going in to look at the house openly, even if he didn't buy it, wasn't a big deal.

Moreover, in Li Jianzhi's eyes, the house was old and dilapidated, and the living experience was definitely not as good as the future river-view apartment.

"...Mom?" The children blinked, their faces full of curiosity.

They had never seen such a big and beautiful house before.

"Okay, let's go in and take a look." Qin Xiangxiang was like a little kitten; even knowing there was danger, she couldn't suppress her curiosity.

The living room is very large, with dark parquet solid wood flooring underfoot. In some places, the paint has been worn white. In the old-style villas of Shanghai, the living rooms are very high, giving people a sense of spaciousness.

A flickering flame burned in an ornate fireplace, dispelling some of the winter chill, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of pine.

Qin Xiangxiang stared at the fireplace, her heart screaming inwardly. Fireplaces, a common feature in old-style houses, were something she had only ever seen in novels before. Her heart suddenly stopped beating.

Oh no, that's the sound of my heart fluttering.

It's only 100,000 yuan, 100,000 yuan! The old lady looks like she's sixty years old. It's just taking care of her in her old age. She can be Qin Xiangxiang's ancestor.

No—that's too much trouble!

But this is a carved fireplace! Solid wood flooring throughout! Such a tall, spacious living room!

Qin Xiangxiang's mind was in the midst of a fierce internal struggle between her bourgeois, pretentious spirit and her laid-back, unambitious soul.

Looking to the side, the window is a floor-to-ceiling window with old-fashioned stained glass. The dim winter light shines through, casting beautiful spots of red, blue, and green like emeralds on the floor.

The furniture in the room is a blend of Chinese and Western styles, with a wine-red velvet sofa and a red lacquered bookcase with glass doors, filled with old-fashioned thread-bound books and old foreign language books.

In the corner, there was an old-fashioned vacuum tube radio, next to a small Ming-style kang table, with a few sprigs of winter plum blossoms in an ivory-colored porcelain vase.

The first floor mainly consists of a living room, a dining room, a side room, and a kitchen. The second floor has a master bedroom and a study. The third floor has three rooms and a sunroom with glass walls.

After seeing the entire house, Qin Xiangxiang's mind was filled with only one thought:

What would happen if this house were mine?

In winter, she would sleep by the warm fireplace or on the soft sofa, like a salted fish sunbathing on the beach.

She dispatched Regiment Commander Li, along with several soldiers from her family, to tidy up the garden. As the superior officer, she was responsible for inspecting and supervising the work in the garden.

In spring, the fence is covered with winding, blooming roses; in summer, the walls are covered with ivy that cascades down like a waterfall; and in autumn, the air is filled with the fragrance of osmanthus trees.

The old record player played a melodious piano tune, the brass clock on the fireplace silently ticked away time, and the stained glass shimmered with dancing light. I changed into a beautiful dress, stood in front of the French windows, and looked at the garden outside.

Ahhhh, Qin Xiangxiang, you can't think about it anymore!

"Little ones, tell Grandma, who made your clothes?"

"My mom made it."

"The embroidery on the little clothes inside is so beautiful." Aunt Rong's thin fingers gently caressed the cuffs of her youngest daughter Li Qinglan's inner garment.

Aunt Rong's gaze shifted to Qin Xiangxiang. At that moment, Qin Xiangxiang felt like she was being pricked by needles, wondering if the old lady would ask her to make clothes.

If that's the case, it's not so bad, as Feiyan Textile Factory has plenty of experienced craftsmen.

"Aunt Rong, do you like this? I'm the manager of a textile factory. Our factory's master tailors are skilled at making clothes, especially the old styles."

"You're also good at making clothes?" Aunt Rong stared at her without blinking. She stepped forward and grabbed Qin Xiangxiang's hand. She found it strange and was surprised. "You've studied kesi (silk tapestry) and Suzhou embroidery?"

Qin Xiangxiang: "I've probably learned a little bit."

“I’m not good at my craft. I’m always slacking off when I’m learning from my master, and he can’t do anything about it.”

"Really?" Aunt Rong's eyes shone brightly. "These stitches—the hidden stitch technique is used to such an extent, the stitch spacing is as even as if measured with a ruler, the force penetrates the back of the fabric but there are no visible stitches. Factory director, you put a lot of effort into making clothes for your daughter. I can't see the slightest bit of laziness."

Qin Xiangxiang: "..."

That's my own daughter.

Aunt Rong stopped looking at her and instead turned to the inner room to take out a camphor wood box. Inside was a slightly worn silk satin cheongsam with a barely noticeable tear in the hem.

"Since we're destined to meet, then you'll help me fix it." Aunt Rong's tone left no room for argument, as if it were a test.

Qin Xiang felt a chill run down her spine. She thought to herself, "I came to look at houses, not to mend clothes. But—"If I mend it, will you consider selling the house to me?"

Aunt Rong nodded.

Qin Xiangxiang perked up immediately. She took the old cheongsam, thinking it was a personal item that Aunt Rong valued. She borrowed a needle and thread from Aunt Rong, and her fingers flew across the fabric like butterflies flitting among flowers. The needle tip rose and fell on the soft satin, leaving Li Jianzhi and the children nearby mesmerized.

In just over ten minutes, the tear on the cheongsam was perfectly stitched up using an almost invisible seamless embroidery method. The characteristics of the silk thread were even cleverly utilized to make the repaired area show faint cloud patterns.

Aunt Rong walked over, picked up the clothes, and examined them carefully against the light. A rare smile appeared on her face, and when she looked at Qin Xiangxiang, her gaze was burning hot, as if she had discovered a priceless treasure.

"It's you," Aunt Rong's tone became somewhat excited. "I'll sell you this house for 100,000, but I have one condition: you have to learn from me. It would be a terrible sin to waste your talent. I want to personally teach you how to make cheongsams and pass on my special skills, 'Eighteen Inlays' and 'Ancient Guibo Technique,' to you."

Qin Xiangxiang froze on the spot, completely dumbfounded!

So, they don't want her to make clothes, they want her to be an apprentice and learn a special skill. Are these masters all seriously ill? From Master Li to Master Lu, and now Aunt Rong in front of us.

It's practically all about forced buying and selling.

"Well... I'm the factory manager of a textile factory, and I'm currently a student at East China Textile University. I don't have time to learn this. But, Aunt Rong, if you want to take on apprentices, I can recommend several to you. They're all promising talents."

Aunt Rong didn't even lift her eyelids. "You're the one. I like your talent. Do you think you can get away with my technique? I don't teach just anyone."

"I've lived for so many years, and all I want to do is pass on this skill and settle my affairs after I'm gone."

Qin Xiangxiang: "...Then you have to find the right person!"

If she's portrayed as a lazy bum, then she's just waiting to disappear.

"You're the one, Director Qin. I've heard your story on the radio, and I really like it. You're even more interesting and vibrant than you are on the radio!"

Qin Xiangxiang: "??????"

"I won't study, I'm lazy by nature! I'll never amount to anything."

Aunt Rong said expressionlessly, "Are you looking down on my cooking skills?"

"Which masters did you follow before? I don't believe I'm inferior to them."

Qin Xiangxiang: "..." Ahhh, you old masters, let's get together for a mahjong game.

"I'm not buying a house, and I'm not going to study."

Aunt Rong smiled slightly: "You really don't want to learn? This house is worth hundreds of thousands, and all the furniture in the house is free. The whole house is only worth 100,000."

Qin Xiangxiang: "..."

"Here's a photo for you. Go back and think it over carefully, then come back to me. Aunt Rong is waiting for you to come and buy the house."

Aunt Rong went to her room and took out a photograph. It was a picture of the small villa surrounded by blooming flowers in spring. The picture was beautiful and told of its unparalleled charm.

It was as if it was beckoning to her: Come and buy me!

Qin Xiangxiang and Li Jianzhi left the villa with their four children. Li Jianzhi put his arm around her shoulder, but Qin Xiangxiang glared at him and said fiercely, "Don't try to persuade me. Forget it. I'm not buying it. I don't want it. Such a big house is too tiring to clean, and such a big garden. I don't want it!"

“I didn’t persuade you to take it.” Li Jianzhi wasn’t particularly tempted. Having seen so many luxurious villas in the future, this little house was just so-so. Besides, he was already used to military life, so it didn’t matter where he lived.

As for money, if he liked money, he wouldn't have chosen to join the army back then.

"Did you persuade your mother to have it?"

Li Qingfeng, the eldest brother, shook his head: "The house is too big. I'll definitely have to clean it again. Don't make me raise chickens in the garden again. Let me tell you, I've had enough!"

Qin Xiangxiang: "..." Silly son, such a beautiful little villa, why keep chickens? Plant flowers and lawns all over the yard.

"Sisters, are you going to try to persuade Mom?"

Li Qinghui: "It's so high, so tiring, and there are so many stairs."

Li Qinghe: "Hide and seek is so tiring, you can't find anyone even if they're hiding."

Li Qinglan: "Mom, I'm hungry! We want to stay next to the restaurant!"

Qin Xiangxiang: "..."

"Let's go, let's buy some pan-fried buns and go check out the apartments on Huaihai Road."

Qin Xiangxiang followed her husband and child, leaving Fuxing West Road, and then went to look at several apartment buildings on Huaihai Road. She ate the fragrant pan-fried buns, but her mouth felt tasteless.

Qin thought to herself, "If only I hadn't gotten this money in the first place..."