Chapter 246 Camphorwood Box
Shen Wanxue was stunned for a moment, but still followed Xia Juanjuan obediently.
When she reached the inner room, Shen Wanxue saw three large camphorwood boxes, the eight corners of which were wrapped with silver. If these were not the things that she and her husband had secretly brought here and asked Grandma Yao to help hide, then what could they be?
Shen Wanxue stared blankly at the box, then looked at Xia Juanjuan: "This..."
Xia Juanjuan whispered, "Auntie, before she passed away, Grandma Yao called me over to keep the things you entrusted to her and pass them on to you. Here is the key."
As she spoke, she handed the three keys to Shen Wanxue.
Shen Wanxue took the key with trembling hands, walked unsteadily to the two camphorwood boxes, and wiped the yellow soil off them with trembling hands, tears flowing uncontrollably.
When she and Zhenbang felt that something was not right, they secretly packed up all the things left by their ancestors at home, sent them to the countryside, and asked Yao Ma to help look after them.
After so many years, I never thought I would have the opportunity to see this camphorwood box again with my own eyes.
Shen Wanxue looked at it for a moment, then used the key to unlock the box.
Xia Juanjuan said quickly, "Auntie, you don't have to open it. It's not convenient for you to carry these things with you now. I will keep them for you like Grandma Yao did. If you need anything, just tell me and come and get it yourself. You don't need to let me see what's inside."
No, it's not that I'm not curious about what good stuff is inside, but curiosity is curiosity, and it's not worth it.
She didn't want Aunt Shen to misunderstand.
Shen Wanxue patted her hands and said softly, "Juanjuan, I trust you. If you want to embezzle these, you don't have to tell me that Grandma Yao entrusted these to you. If I don't open it today, it will be an insult to you!"
As he spoke, he opened the boxes one by one.
When they opened it, even Xia Juanjuan was shocked.
There were only three boxes. One was filled with gold bars and small yellow croakers, another was filled with jade, gold ornaments, etc., and the other was filled with various bronze wares, porcelain, calligraphy and paintings, etc.
Every box is worth a fortune!
"Aunt Shen..."
Shen Wanxue sighed and said, "Alas... this is the accumulation of several generations of our Shen and Rong families. A lot of it was sold and donated during the war, and these are the only ones left. Fortunately, they have been preserved. Juanjuan, are you really willing to keep it for Auntie for the time being?"
In this day and age, preserving these things is not an easy task.
Although Xia Juanjuan just said that Grandma Yao died peacefully, her sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were all with her.
But she did hear something about the chain reaction triggered by the incident of Chen Qi's small yellow croaker.
Ultimately, it was the things she asked for that caused the trouble...
Xia Juanjuan nodded and said, "Aunt Shen, as long as you trust me, I will help keep it for you, and return it to you intact in a few years."
Shen Wanxue nodded, handed the key back to Xia Juanjuan, and said, "Then I'll leave it to you."
This matter has come to an end.
Xia Juanjuan didn't pay much attention to what happened to the Chen family later, but the eldest and second sons of the Chen family did organize Grandma Yao's funeral in a very formal manner.
Whether she wanted to gain a reputation as a filial son because she had become rich, or she really felt guilty towards her mother, Grandma Yao was still lively behind her - although this liveliness could not compare to the bowl of noodle soup in front of her.
Later, the eldest and second sons of the Chen family also separated from each other. However, after the separation, their sons and daughters-in-law started to quarrel with them, and eventually they also separated from each other.
Anyway, it took a long time, and in the end it caused rifts between father and son and brothers, which is quite sad.
Xia Juanjuan looked at her little kids and thought that if they grew up and became like that, she would be so mad that she would die.
Xiaowen and Xiaowu were doing their homework. When they felt Xia Juanjuan's gaze, they felt a little uneasy.
They seem to have been very well behaved these past few days and haven't done anything to deserve a beating. Why is their mother glaring at them like that?
"Mom, did we... do something wrong? Just remind us and we'll change it!" Xiaowen and Xiaowu exchanged glances for a long time, and finally it was the eldest brother Xiaowen who asked.
Xia Juanjuan was stunned for a moment, then she reacted and couldn't help laughing at herself for worrying too much.
How old are these kids? She was worrying too much.
Moreover, she would definitely educate them well and instill in them the correct view of money and life, so that such a thing would never happen.
Even if we take a step back, if they really dare to cause trouble to the whole family for a little money in the future, she will never get used to it, no matter whether they are adopted or biological children!
"It's okay. Mom is thinking about something. You guys do your homework."
Xiaowen and Xiaowu breathed a sigh of relief and continued to do their homework.
Two days later, news came from Luocheng that Lizhan's elder sister Li Zhaodi had been found.
"The widower that Li Zhaodi originally married died a few years after the marriage. She was a widow with two children for several years. Later, a matchmaker in the village introduced her to a divorcee, and she married him. Within two years, he moved away. That's why it took so long to find out. Here, this is the address."
Luo Cheng gave the address to Xia Juanjuan.
Xia Juanjuan took it and said, "Thank you!"
Luo Cheng grinned and said, "If you really want to thank me, do more business with me and we can make a lot of money together."
Xia Juanjuan looked at him and said, "You have made a lot of money doing this over the years, right? Are you still not satisfied?"
Luo Cheng shrugged and said with a smile, "Who would complain about having too much money? By the way, the courtyard house you asked Dahei to look out for earlier is said to be suitable. You can go and have a look when you go to Beijing to visit your relatives."
Xia Juanjuan nodded after hearing this and then asked, "How is Li Zhaodi doing? Is he poor or rich? What kind of person is he in the village?"
Luo Cheng replied: "Whose family can live a rich life these days? She raised two children by herself, and her second husband also raised two. Later, the two of them had three more. There were six or seven children in the family, so it must have been difficult. However, they are good people, reasonable and enthusiastic. The couple has a good reputation in the village."
Xia Juanjuan thanked him again, said goodbye to him and left.
After returning home, she wrote an anonymous letter telling Li Zhaodi that Liu Lan had sold the dragon jade pendant for fifty yuan, but the money was given directly to her second son Li Qiang.
After thinking about it, he wrote in the letter that the eldest brother of the Li family had passed away two and a half years ago.
After I sent the letter, it was already around the 20th of Latter Day.
In two days it will be the 23rd day of the lunar month, the Little New Year. Then everyone will line up to sweep the house, make tofu, buy meat, kill chickens and fish, fry them, post couplets, and make dumplings...
The New Year atmosphere is getting more and more heated day by day.
However, Xia Juanjuan was somewhat disappointed. She wrote letters and sent telegrams, asking Li Zhan if he could come home for the New Year this year, but all her letters fell on deaf ears, with no news at all.
She also knew that it was definitely not that Li Zhan did not reply on purpose. He was most likely carrying out some secret mission and had not seen her letter or telegram at all.
But this did not comfort her, but made her even more worried. The more secret the mission was, the more dangerous it was, and she was really afraid that something had happened to Li Zhan.
However, there was no way to stop worrying, and Xia Juanjuan could only force herself to put aside these worries and prepare for the New Year.
The new clothes for the six children in the family to wear during the Chinese New Year were made in October and November. They have been completed in the past few days and we are just waiting to put them on on the first day of the Chinese New Year.
Other things, such as firecrackers, red paper for couplets, etc., have all been bought, and I also bought small boxes of firecrackers for Xiaowen and Xiaowu for them to play with.
Beibei has two bow-shaped hair ties, which makes the little girl very happy. She gets up early every morning to let Xia Juanjuan or Lin Yuru braid her hair.
There is a sheep and six hens to feed at home, as well as other housework. But fortunately, there is no farm work in winter, so it is still easier than the summer and autumn harvests.
On the twenty-fifth day of the lunar year, the commune also killed the New Year pig.
This year, farmers were allowed to raise pigs at home, so they became a little richer. Qingshui Village kept two pigs and did not sell them, so they slaughtered them and distributed the profits according to work points.
Xia Juanjuan's family certainly didn't get much, but she asked for ribs, pork chop, and offal, which were not oily and that the villagers were reluctant to have, so she got a lot!
There are no other vegetables in winter, just radishes and cabbages.
Stewing ribs with radish, making sweet and sour ribs, braised ribs, frying them, coating them with batter, frying them, etc. are all quite delicious.
As for the oily meat, Xia Juanjuan still bought some and took some out from the space. Anyway, there would definitely be enough for the New Year.
I also killed a chicken, bought two fish, and fried vegetarian meatballs, meatballs, hemp leaves, sweet potato chips and so on.
I also bought melon seeds, candies, etc. to entertain guests during the New Year.
Xia Juanjuan also "bought" a bag of apples and brought them home for the kids to eat.
On New Year's Eve, Li Zhaodi returned to her parents' home.