Zhou Xiaozheng, who was on vacation at home, was playing chess with Zhang Guoqing, occasionally looking outside. He saw Zhou Jiao coming back with another bamboo basket filled with things, covered with a black cloth.
Zhou Xiaozheng concentrated slightly and looked deeply at his son-in-law opposite him.
Zhang Guoqing nodded and smiled at him. He knew his father-in-law should have noticed.
As for Zhou Xiaozheng, the father-in-law, he and Zhou Jiao discussed it repeatedly and felt that the space really could not hide it from him, nor did they want to hide it from him.
Fifty-eight years later, the outlook was grim. Far away in Northeast China, communication was difficult. What if his father-in-law, desperate to save his own food to feed his daughter, eventually broke down? What if his father-in-law overestimated his own vulnerability and made a mistake for his daughter?
The most serious problem is that in a few years, some of these things will become the original sin, a handle. The huge deposit certificates and valuables in their hands are even more difficult to keep openly.
His father-in-law knew all of this. He had to make sure he understood that he and his wife had a hidden weapon. No one could exploit his father-in-law's weakness—Zhou Jiao—to frame him.
His father-in-law cherished his daughter as his life, and in a crisis, he would absolutely do anything for Zhou Jiao. As for whether his heart would change if he had a son in the future? He and Zhou Jiao were convinced that this father loved his daughter wholeheartedly.
The couple didn't say anything. The topic of space was too mysterious, so they just let him accept it slowly.
Zhou Xiaozheng looked at the child in front of him with mixed feelings. He felt guilty for his son-in-law's unconditional trust in him, but also for his doubts about his character.
What was Zhou Jiao to Zhang Guoqing? Zhou Xiaozheng was fully aware of the importance his daughter held in his heart. While Zhang Guoqing might be somewhat imprudent, he was a shrewd man. He wouldn't have failed to consider the consequences of revealing certain things.
On this trip back to Beijing, the young couple secretly prepared a special meal for him, away from his wife. At first, he was so caught up in the excitement and joy of a family reunion that he didn't notice anything unusual. But as the two children became more open in front of him, and privately offered him either fresh game or fresh fruit, he was no fool; how could he not notice something unusual?
Believing it's better to keep things simple, he kept quiet. He'd been wandering the world for so many years, and had witnessed many extraordinary people and events. They were nothing more than legendary spells or rare treasures. He'd heard of some people experiencing extraordinary experiences in the past, and it seemed like the couple had met their match. This was all good, as long as his daughter, Jiaojiao, lived a carefree life.
"Stop pulling! You've already pulled Jiaojiao down." As soon as Zhou Xiaozheng finished speaking, Lin Xuezhen immediately let go. She was not afraid of anyone, but she was afraid of her uncle's gloomy face.
Lin Xuezhen patted her head hard and gave Zhou Xiaozheng a flattering smile.
"Why are you in such a hurry? I told you to pick whatever you want, so I'll let you pick first." Zhou Jiao was amused by her, she was really funny! Her personality was similar to Zhao Yuanyuan's.
Zhang Guoqing supported Zhou Jiao and took the bamboo basket. He didn't lift the black cloth, as he had already let her secretly hide some of the goodies. His wife was like a hamster now, hiding anything good she saw.
"Tell me what good thing is making you so angry?" Zhou Xiaozheng said to Lin Xuezhen with a calm expression. It was rare for someone to get along with his daughter, so he didn't want to take out his dissatisfaction with the Lin family on the girl.
"Uncle, please take a look at these wooden hairpins. I suspect Jiaojiao must have found a treasure. I just can't see what's so good about them. They are black and dirty, and no one would want them even if they were placed in the corner. She loves cleanliness so much, but she still bought them. There must be something strange about it..." Lin Xuezhen immediately explained the reason when he asked.
Zhou Xiaozheng didn't wait for her to finish, took the bamboo basket handed to him by Zhang Guoqing, opened it and took a look. He immediately raised the corners of his mouth and looked at Zhou Jiao with a smile.
Zhou Jiao smiled triumphantly at him.
"Uncle, do you see what's going on? Isn't it too much for Jiaojiao to spend two dollars?" Lin Xuezhen didn't dare to rush him, she was so anxious that she was running around in circles.
Zhou Xiaozheng brought out the wooden tray and fiddled with the hairpins. After a moment, he nodded approvingly at Zhou Jiao. His usual guidance of the child had really paid off.
Among them, ebony and agarwood were untreated, and even experienced hands could see through them. Now, a young girl who had just graduated from school could see through them. That was because of his sharp eyesight.
He observed that the agarwood hairpins must have been used by scholars during the Ming Dynasty. Now they were all greasy and black. Perhaps these twenty or so hairpins were handed down from ancestors and were ruined by their descendants.
He secretly planned to take Jiaojiao to the temple fair tomorrow to buy agarwood bracelets that would be good for her health.
"Haha... Did I guess it right? I knew Jiaojiao wouldn't spend two dollars to buy these broken hairpins for no reason. But they are so dirty. This shop owner is so lazy, wouldn't they sell better if they just washed them? Wait for me, I'll get some soap to wash them. Ouch, I don't even know I washed them..." Lin Xuezhen kept muttering and was about to run away.
Zhou Jiao quickly grabbed her. Did this silly girl really think she could clean it with soapy water? Then she would still be the one to pick up the spoils?
"Why are you pulling me? Alas... I know you like to be clean. Let me wash it, okay? By the time Aunt Chen comes back to wash it, the cucumbers will be cold. If you have nothing to do, just wait for me."
Zhou Jiao pointed at Zhou Xiaozheng and his son-in-law and said, "Didn't you see they were laughing? You can't wash it off with soap. Let's see what my dad says first."
Lin Xuezhen suddenly felt embarrassed and gave her a fake smile.
Zhou Xiaozheng pretended to cough, cleared his throat, and said with a smile in his eyes: "Don't worry, it will be fine soon." After that, he went to the study, took out two bottles of solvents and returned to the sofa.
"Uncle, what kind of water is this? Can it really cleanse?" Lin Xuezhen had already stepped forward and surrounded him. She found her uncle to be a god. How could he know everything?
After asking, without waiting for Zhou Xiaozheng to answer, she turned her head and looked at Zhou Jiao with a resentful face.
Zhou Jiao now knew this girl very well. Seeing her acting strangely, she guessed that she had some strange idea. She immediately smiled at her.
Zhou Xiaozheng nodded slightly. He picked out four hairpins at random and used an old cloth dipped in the prepared solvent to wipe the wooden hairpins.
As he gradually revealed the true appearance of the hairpin, Lin Xuezhen covered her mouth with excitement. She glanced at Zhou Jiao, and when she saw her nod, she burst into laughter.
Zhou Xiaozheng put down the last hairpin in his hand, glanced at the others, and said slowly: "Okay, these four are worth some money, divide them among yourselves."
After saying that, he packed up the bottles and walked towards the study.
When he passed by Zhang Guoqing, he saw him smiling. Zhou Xiaozheng glanced at him, secretly worried that this silly child was not as smart as his Jiaojiao. The little girl from the Lin family was not stupid, and if she smiled again, she would be exposed.
Zhou Xiaozheng came out and saw Lin Xuezhen asking for a hairpin, then glanced at her. He picked up a hairpin from the coffee table and threw it to her, saying, "Take two and play with them. Don't lose them, and don't give them away!"
Lin Xuezhen wasn't stupid; she knew these four hairpins must be valuable. Didn't she see her uncle pick out only four from a pile of hairpins? He looked at the rest with disdain.
She quickly took it and put it on the coffee table, shaking her hand and saying, "One is enough. Any more will be snatched away by big sister, so it's better to keep it for Jiaojiao to play with."
Her words obviously hit the sore spot for Zhou Xiaozheng and his daughter.
Zhou Jiao picked up the hairpin and placed it in her hand, saying with a smile, "Just take it. Why are you being so polite?"
Zhou Xiaozheng looked at the bewildered girl in front of him with amusement. He hadn't expected that the usually silly and carefree girl could actually be a sensible person. This girl didn't resemble the Lin family, but rather the Jiang family.
He said slowly, "Take it. Jiaojiao, take it. Don't give these two hairpins to anyone else. These four are antiques from the Ming Dynasty. Keep them for your dowry."
Lin Xuezhen widened her eyes when she heard that. She was so scared that she stuffed the two hairpins into Zhou Jiao's hands and said she didn't want them.
Zhou Jiao was so amused by her that she stood up, handed her the gift, and pushed her out. The girl was vain but had a sense of self-control. She had a good impression of this little cousin. She had many shortcomings, but she was very protective of her.
"Be more careful in your actions next time. Just one little girl can tell you're extraordinary." Zhou Xiaozheng said to Zhou Jiao who had just returned. He didn't intend to say anything extra, as his daughter Jiaojiao would understand.
Zhou Jiao picked up the tray and nodded. Luckily, her father was there to fix the leak. She'd overlooked how unusual things were today, given her usual low-key and frugal lifestyle. It seemed she'd gotten so used to Zhang Guoqing being there to clean up after her, that now, without him, things were messing up. And she still couldn't help but feel neither happy nor sad.
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