Chapter 64: The Factory Exchange Meeting

Old Huo rolled his eyes dramatically. “You think junk is so easy to find?”

“Hehe.” Lin Jingyue grinned. “There’ll definitely be something today.”

Ha, this old man still wanted to fool her.

“If you want to know, go see for yourself. Come out in half an hour,” Old Huo said.

Lin Jingyue agreed and dashed inside.

Sure enough, a lot had arrived, mostly furniture. She went over and tapped and knocked on a pile of battered, broken pieces.

These things had already been picked over before being delivered; not much escaped scrutiny. Lin Jingyue searched with the hope of finding something overlooked.

Just as she was finishing, she noticed one drawer pulled out from a dressing table was a different length.

In wealthy households, dressing tables often had hidden compartments. She took the drawer out entirely.

Sure enough, a box was revealed inside.

She reached in, felt around, and removed the secret compartment.

Unfortunately, it was empty. She wasn’t disappointed and was about to toss it aside when she discovered another layer beneath the compartment.

It seemed someone had searched it before, as the false bottom was loose and came apart easily.

Below, a black velvet pouch was exposed, about the size of a palm.

Lin Jingyue took the pouch, loosened the drawstring, and poured out its contents.

Her eyes lit up—diamonds!

A pouch full of diamonds—

Pink, blue, colorless—the smallest was about a carat, the largest appeared to be just over seven carats.

In her previous life, she had collected quite a few diamonds, but good pink and blue ones were rare. She wasn’t much for luxury herself and hadn’t amassed many.

But one year for her birthday, her stepmother gave her a pink diamond necklace called “Tears of the Pearl,” worth over fifteen million, and the diamonds on it weren’t as big as the ones she now held.

Lin Jingyue put away the diamonds into her space and kept searching for other overlooked treasures.

But there were no further finds; she only came across two books, which she decided to take home.

When she came out, Old Huo was talking to someone—it was the man she’d met the other day.

Old Huo heard her and turned, his displeasure vanishing and replaced by a smile. Seeing Lin Jingyue with just two books, he raised his brows. “Girl, didn’t I tell you there was nothing? Don’t worry, next time I’ll keep something for you.”

“Old man, that’s your word, eh?” Lin Jingyue smiled.

“Would I lie to you? Who gave you the Yuan blue-and-white?” Old Huo huffed and glared.

“Yuan blue-and-white? What’s that? Oh, you mean the plate I use for veggies? Well, isn’t it just for serving food? Doesn’t seem valuable,” Lin Jingyue said nonchalantly.

Old Huo glared, and she glared right back.

The old and the young exchanged looks.

“Old man, I’ve got things to do, I’ll come chat with you next time.” Every chat brought something good.

Old Huo waved dismissively. “Get lost!”

Lin Jingyue left with a cheeky grin.

“Little rascal,” Old Huo cursed with a smile as he watched her go.

This surprised Song Shiyun. “Teacher, you…”

He could see it now—Lin Jingyue and the teacher had a good relationship, though their interactions were astonishingly informal.

When had Old Huo ever been so amiable?

Old man?

And being called that, he wasn’t even angry.

“Stop right there. I’ve told you, I’m not your teacher,” Old Huo snapped. “And I’m fine here, don’t meddle.”

Song Shiyun was helpless. “Once a teacher, always—”

“Stop, stop, stop. Why are you so wordy? Go on, I don’t welcome you here.” Annoying brat.

Song Shiyun…

Meanwhile, Lin Jingyue went to the post office. Her porcelain skin and pretty face made her stand out. As soon as she appeared, Zhou Mingxue spotted her. “Lin Jingyue, wait for me, I’ll be off soon!”

“Off this early?” Lin Jingyue leaned against the door.

“Yes, yes, ten minutes at most,” Zhou Mingxue replied, then hurried with her work.

There were many people sending and receiving mail.

Fifteen minutes later, her replacement arrived. She exhaled, grabbed her satchel, and rushed out.

“I’m exhausted.” She hooked her arm through Lin Jingyue’s. “Why did it take you so many days to come find me?”

“Sis, I’ve been supporting rural construction!” Lin Jingyue said.

“Oh right, you have to work. Is it farming? How pitiful.”

“…No comment.”

“Jiang Xun is rich, you don’t have to work so hard.”

“Jiang Xun’s money is his own.” Lin Jingyue glanced at Zhou Mingxue. “We’re just dating.”

“Is there a difference?”

“There is.” Lin Jingyue nodded, but didn’t elaborate. “Last time you treated me to dinner, today I’ll treat you—state-owned restaurant.”

She waved grandly.

Zhou Mingxue was a perceptive girl, and her admiration for Lin Jingyue grew.

“Then I won’t be shy.”

The two girls linked arms, laughing as they entered the state-owned restaurant.

They immediately drew attention, including from Cai Jinzhou in the corner.

He instantly noticed the most striking girl in the crowd.

The one who might always remain in his heart.

“Comrade Cai, what are you looking at?” The woman across from him glanced back suspiciously, seeing no one familiar.

Cai Jinzhou looked away, his expression cool. “Nothing. Are you done eating?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s go then.” Cai Jinzhou stood, not glancing toward Lin Jingyue.

His mother was right; until he was sure the girl had feelings for him, he couldn’t trouble her or cause unnecessary problems.

The two left, one after the other.

Lin Jingyue didn’t notice them. She and Zhou Mingxue ordered food and found a seat.

“What was that place you said you’d take me to?” Lin Jingyue still remembered.

“Factory exchange meeting,” Zhou Mingxue whispered.

“Hm?”

“It’s not what you think.” Zhou Mingxue waved her hands quickly; she wasn’t bold enough to bring Jiang Xun’s girlfriend to a matchmaking event.

After her explanation, Lin Jingyue understood.

Factory workers organized their own exchange meetings, held twice a month. Everyone brought things they got from the factory and gathered to trade.

Money and coupons were acceptable. Though the exchange was quite secretive, many knew about it, but since most participants had connections and the relationships were tangled, some people simply turned a blind eye.

It was a small market, safer than the black market.

“You’re lucky. There’s one this afternoon, and I heard from someone at the textile factory there’ll be a batch of flawed cloth—no coupons needed. Are you going?” Zhou Mingxue asked.

She’d thought Lin Jingyue probably didn’t have many coupons, so buying things would be tricky, and decided to bring her along.

“It’s a rare chance, of course I’ll go.” Only a fool would pass it up.

“Alright, we’ll go after lunch.” Zhou Mingxue liked Lin Jingyue’s decisiveness.

Their food arrived quickly. There was no braised pork today, but they had sauerkraut noodles stewed with pork bones and braised lamb, served with big steamed buns—enough to satisfy anyone.