Chapter 177 Dowry
Lin Baozhu suppressed her wildly beating heart and carefully picked up one. It was cold and heavy to the touch. She shone a flashlight on it and examined it carefully. The surface of the cast iron bullet was dry, the grooves were clear, and it was very well preserved.
Where did all these things come from?
Lin's mother's gaze swept over the rows of silent boxes, her voice low and distant, as if she were lost in a long-forgotten memory:
"Back then... when I married your father, your grandmother couldn't treat everyone equally and forced us to leave with nothing..."
She paused, "Later, the village approved this plot of land for building houses. The year the house was built, your father and I discussed digging a cellar to store winter vegetables, and then... we dug down and found this place." She looked at her daughter, her eyes filled with complex emotions, "Besides your father and me, you are the first... and the only one who knows about this place."
After speaking, Lin's mother took a deep breath and solemnly brought out a small but heavy sandalwood box from the corner. She placed the box with utmost care in Lin Baozhu's hands: "Daughter, these... your father and I found them here. Consider this your dowry. Open it and take a look..."
Lin Baozhu opened the box with curiosity—
"hiss--!"
She held her breath instantly! On the top shelf of the box lay a complete set of exquisite kingfisher feather headdresses! The kingfisher feathers shimmered with iridescent light, and the gold threads were intricately intertwined, still radiating a breathtaking brilliance even in the dim light.
Lifting the bottom layer, a half-open box of jewelry came into view! Jade bracelets were as smooth as water, gold hairpins shone brightly, and gemstones reflected a deep, mysterious light...
Good heavens! Any one of these items would be a priceless treasure, a museum piece, in later generations! And yet, there were so many before her eyes!
Goodness gracious... Lin Baozhu's heart pounded. If those so-called "experts" found out, wouldn't they be blocking her door every day with gifts, trying to coerce her into "selfless dedication"?
"Mother, this...this is far too precious!" Lin Baozhu's voice trembled slightly.
"You're my only precious child, who else would I give you to if not you?"
Lin's mother spoke resolutely, then her gaze swept over the silent and dangerous metal boxes by the wall, her brows furrowing. "Besides, only this one box contains valuable items. As for the others..." A deep worry and helplessness appeared on her face.
When the family first separated, they were dirt poor. Suddenly receiving such a box of treasures was like a hungry wolf seeing a piece of fat meat; how could they bear to let go? But back then, who dared to flaunt their wealth? If discovered, having their house confiscated and being criticized would be the least of their worries!
So they didn't dare sell the goods, much less report them. Later, when the family was really starving, they tried to secretly take some to exchange for grain, but they almost got caught red-handed by the police...
After that, I never dared to even think about those things again.
Seeing her mother's worried expression, Lin Baozhu understood her concerns—once these "time bombs" were exposed, the whole family would be unable to clear their names no matter what!
“Mother, don’t worry,” Lin Baozhu patted her mother’s hand, her voice steady and strong, “I’m strong and quick. I’ll secretly transport these ‘tough guys’ up the mountain in batches and bury them in some godforsaken corner, making sure no one knows!”
"But...but that thing is too dangerous! What if it gets damaged on the way..." Lin's mother was still worried.
"I know what I'm doing!"
Lin Baozhu interrupted her firmly, "Besides, we don't need these things right now. Don't we have that 'traditional treasure' at home? I remember Third Brother is quite good at it, we can let him take it for self-defense!"
Having said that, she helped Lin's mother out of the secret chamber without another word. Just as they leaped out of the cave, Lin Baozhu's thoughts subtly shifted—
The metal crates full of weapons in the secret room vanished without a trace! Only a few large sacks of neatly stacked coarse grains and piles of radishes, potatoes, and other winter vegetables that can be stored for a long time remained.
Lin Baozhu used all her strength to carefully move the heavy water vat back into place, sealing the opening. She then patted the small sandalwood chest containing her dowry in her arms with a light touch.
"Mom, I'm going to secretly hide this treasure box!"
Lin's mother waved her hand with relief, her eyes full of trust: "What's given to you is yours. How you deal with it is up to you."
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