80s Transmigration: The Young Widow's Hustle to Riches-Chapter 160 - 156: Li Jing

When Lin Lan saw the silk floss her mother pulled out, it was as white as pearls. It felt silky and smooth in her hands. "Mom, this silk floss is so nice. You and Dad should make a quilt for yourselves. It would be so light and warm."

Wu Shufen smiled and shook her head. "We’re used to cotton quilts. A silk one would be too light; we wouldn’t be comfortable. If you like it, Mom will get some silkworm eggs from our in-laws next year, raise the silkworms, and make one for you."

Lin Lan was at a loss for words. "Oh, Mom. I tell you to make a quilt for yourselves, and you’re already thinking about making one for me."

Wu Shufen chided her affectionately, "How much can two old folks like us possibly need? If we don’t give things to you children, who would we give them to?"

"Mom!" Lin Lan linked her arm through her mother’s, a warmth spreading through her chest as if she were soaking in a hot spring.

Lin Changyou chuckled as he watched the mother-daughter pair, then took out the lambskin he had bought for Lin Lan and handed it to her.

When Lin Lan came out of the room, Lin Guoliang called her aside and said earnestly, "Little Lan, I’m your brother, so let me give you a man’s perspective. If a man doesn’t care about a woman’s background, there are two possibilities. One is that he’s truly fallen for her and cares for nothing but her as a person. The other is that he just wants to have some fun, so he doesn’t care what kind of person you are. You need to be able to tell the difference. You can’t make the same mistake again."

Lin Lan nodded. "I know what you mean, Brother. Xiangyang has always been very respectful toward me. He’s not that kind of person." With the experience of two lifetimes, she was confident in her ability to judge his character.

"Good! If anything comes up, have Master Chen and the others bring a message," Lin Guoliang said.

After the brother and sister finished their talk, the group prepared to head back to the East Market. The family reluctantly walked them to the edge of the road, watching until they disappeared into the distance.

Wu Shufen smiled and said to Yu Xiufang, "Have you two decided when you’ll go to Lexing to take a look?"

Yu Xiufang gave her daughter a smiling glance. "We’ve decided. We’ll go after we plant the rapeseed seedlings."

Zhang Xiuqing said happily, "If things work out between Yuru and Zhixue, then she and Lin Lan will have each other for company in Lexing."

"Mhm! That young man, Zhixue, seems quite decent, and his mother doesn’t seem like she’d be difficult," Yu Xiufang said, smiling at her sister-in-law. "If, after Yuru gets married, her mother-in-law is just like you, I would thank my lucky stars."

Wu Shufen was pleased to hear this and smilingly picked up the conversation, "Xiufang, don’t you worry. I heard from Little Lan that his older sister is very kind, not the difficult type."

The group walked back, chatting and laughing.

****

Li Xiangyang and Shuiqing went to the storefront on Vegetable Market Street in the south of the city to meet the owner, Old Miao. Old Miao was desperate to sell the place, so the two of them settled on a price without much haggling. They agreed to meet at the Housing Management Office to transfer the deed and make the payment.

Shuiqing returned to the black market to find Wang Zhilin and get Zhao Dehai. Li Xiangyang went to Lin Lan’s home and told Lin Yuezhen that he had bought the storefront in the south of the city and needed Lin Lan’s household registration book to process the property deed.

Lin Yuezhen assumed the two had already discussed it, so she immediately went to get it for him.

Zhao Dehai and Wang Zhilin each got one unit, and Li Xiangyang registered the remaining two in Lin Lan’s name.

Looking at the thin piece of paper in his hand, Zhao Dehai was both excited and worried. "A whole bundle of cash for an old storefront and this piece of paper."

"Uncle, don’t you worry. Listening to Aunt and Uncle Li is never a mistake," Wang Zhilin said happily.

Zhao Dehai smiled and nodded. "I trust them. It’s just... I sweated blood for that money. The calluses on my palms from pushing the grindstone are thicker than the soles of my feet. Money I scraped together for months, all spent in just over an hour."

"Brother Zhao, as long as you spend money on the right things, it’s worth it!" Li Xiangyang said with a smile, handing the keys to the two men. "Brother Zhao, there’s a well in the shop’s backyard. You’ll need to find someone to clean it out. Then go buy some lumber, bricks, and tiles to fix up the place. Some of the roof purlins will need to be replaced."

Zhao Dehai nodded. "Alright. I’ll find someone after I’ve planted the rapeseed seedlings."

The three of them chatted for a bit more, then went their separate ways.

Just as Li Xiangyang returned to the black market, he saw a black car parked at the entrance. He frowned and walked inside.

Standing on the steps was a middle-aged woman with beautiful features and a full head of long, jet-black hair coiled on top of her head. She wore a straight-cut, dark brown woolen overcoat, exuding a mature femininity. With her was a pretty young woman.

When the middle-aged woman saw Li Xiangyang arrive, her eyes filled with a smile and she went up to greet him, saying softly, "Xiangyang, you’re here!"

Li Xiangyang’s expression darkened instantly. He frowned at her. "Li Jing! What are you doing here? Who told you to come?"

Li Jing paid no mind to his expression, smiling as she pointed to the young woman beside her. "This is Xu Huan. I brought her so you two could meet." Then she turned her head to Xu Huan. "I told you my younger brother was exceptionally handsome, wasn’t I right?"

Xu Huan’s face flushed slightly. She nodded and gracefully extended her hand to Li Xiangyang. "Hello, my name is Xu Huan."

Li Xiangyang stared coldly at Li Jing, ignoring Xu Huan’s outstretched hand. "Who told you to take it upon yourself to bring someone here?"

He was truly amazed by Li Jing’s ability to act on her own counsel. Whenever she wanted something, she could do it without the slightest regard for anyone else’s feelings.

Li Jing turned, smiled at the embarrassed Xu Huan, and said, "Why don’t you go wait in the car? I’ll just have a few words with Xiangyang and be right there."

"Of course, Ms. Li." Xu Huan agreed and walked quickly toward the parked car.

Li Jing walked toward him and said softly, "Xiangyang, it’s time you found a partner. The political winds have shifted; no one’s going to dwell on the past anymore. If you still want to join the army, I can help you."

Li Xiangyang took a few steps back, putting distance between them. He gave her an indifferent look. "I’ll tell you again: I don’t have a sister. And I don’t need your help. Go back to being your high-ranking official’s wife."

"Xiangyang!" Li Jing’s voice held a hint of a plea, her eyes rimmed with red as she looked at him. "Can you please forgive me? I really didn’t think..."

"Don’t you dare mention the past in front of me! And another thing, my business is none of your concern. We haven’t had any relationship for a long time." As Li Xiangyang spoke, he pointed at the car by the entrance and barked, "Get out!"

Seeing him enraged, Li Jing said quickly, "Alright, alright, I’m going!" After taking two steps, she turned back, unwilling to give up. "Xiangyang, it was the era that caused it all. I never meant for..."

"You made your choice, so don’t regret it." Li Xiangyang cut her off without turning his head and walked straight inside.

Seeing him walk away without a backward glance, Li Jing stomped her foot in disappointment and sighed. She turned and walked to the car. After getting in, she said to Xu Huan, "So, what do you think of Xiangyang?"

Xu Huan blushed. "He’s great!"

Li Jing smiled with satisfaction. "He sells things in the Eucalyptus Forest. If you’re interested in him, you should go find him. And as for my dad, his bark is worse than his bite. If you just visit a couple more times, he’ll be too embarrassed to turn you away."

"Mhm!" Xu Huan hesitated for a moment. "I don’t think Xiangyang likes me."

"Sigh!" Li Jing sighed softly. "How should I put this... It’s not that he doesn’t like you. He doesn’t like the ’you’ that *I* brought to him."

’I should have had someone else bring Xu Huan. How could I have forgotten?’