1990s: Spring Water Family

Chapter 110 Wanting to Own a House
"She copied Qu Peng's homework for three years, and she still isn't infatuated?"

"That's because Qu Peng exploited her."

"If she doesn't want to, who can exploit her?"

"Alright, I'm not talking to you anymore."

Lin Xiyu didn't want to argue with him, so she pushed him out, saying, "You should go back now. Be careful on the road, don't ride too fast."

"Are you kicking me out now?"

Gu Bin was speechless.

"Come on, come on, don't just stand there."

Lin Xiyu pushed him hard from behind.

"Okay, I'm leaving, I'm leaving right now."

Gu Bin moved forward following her force: "You ungrateful little thing, I just bought you jewelry, and you're already turning your back on me."

"I didn't ask you to buy it for me."

Lin Xiyu teased him with a smile, "You insisted on buying it for me."

"You're just trying to annoy me."

Gu Bin didn't want to argue with her because his maternal grandmother and her family were all there.

Lin Xiyu suppressed a laugh and pushed the person out of the house.

-

"What kind of jewelry?"

The main room wasn't big; it was just a small space, and everyone could hear what the two of them were saying.

Once the person had left, her cousin rushed over and pulled open Lin Xiyu's collar.

"What are you doing?"

Lin Xiyu, both embarrassed and annoyed, slapped her hand away.

"Let me see if there's a necklace."

My cousin chuckled and gave her a knowing look: "I've heard that when couples are deeply in love, the first gift they give each other is a necklace. Once it's around your neck, you can't escape it."

You mean a dog leash, right?

Lin Xiyu laughed in exasperation and glared at her.

"hey-hey."

My cousin continued slyly, "You said it yourself."

"You're just jealous."

Lin Xiyu got annoyed: "If you're so capable, go ask someone for it yourself. Stop bothering me here."

"I'd like to, but unfortunately they don't appreciate it."

My cousin stopped smiling, and a hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes.

"Xi Yu".

Women all have a special fondness for jewelry, and Grandma is no exception: "What did Xiaobin buy for you? Show it to us."

"Ah."

Lin Xiyu had no intention of hiding it from her grandmother, so she went along with her grandmother's wishes and took out the jewelry box hidden at the bottom of her wardrobe.

Wow, it's so beautiful.

When the box was opened, my cousin was immediately dazzled by the exquisite jade ornaments.

"This set of jewelry must be very expensive, right?"

My aunt also came over and peered into the box.

"It's alright, not too expensive."

Lin Xiyu didn't want to make a fuss and didn't reveal the real price.

"Good quality."

Grandma took out the jade bracelet, held it up to the light and examined it: "It's a fine piece of material."

"Grandma knows about jade?"

Lin Xiyu smiled and agreed.

“When I first came to Jinan, your grandfather also bought me a jade bracelet.”

Grandma's eyes showed a hint of nostalgia: "It's a pity that during those years of famine, the family was so poor that we couldn't even afford to eat, so we sold the bracelet."

"I'll buy you another one when I make some money."

My cousin reacted the fastest and was also the most quick-witted.

"Grandma is too old to carry these things anymore."

Grandma had a gentle look in her eyes. She took Lin Xiyu's hand and put the bracelet on her wrist, saying, "Such a beautiful bracelet looks better on a young girl."

"Tsk tsk, it's beautiful."

My cousin looked on with great envy.

"Let's put on the earrings and jade pendant together and take a look."

My aunt was simply pleasing to the eye; I didn't harbor any lustful thoughts towards her.

Such valuable jade ornaments must be expensive; she dared not touch them. If she broke them, she couldn't afford to pay for them even if she sold them.

Lin Xiyu didn't put on airs and went along with her aunt's wishes, letting her feast her eyes.

The jade pendant's cord was neither too long nor too short, hanging just at the neckline of the shirt.

The delicate and elegant floating flowers accentuate the snow-white skin.

The earrings, like pure water droplets, hang from slender silk threads, falling above rounded shoulders, swaying gently with the movement of the face, making the girl look exceptionally playful and cute.

"Tsk, tsk."

My cousin smacked her lips a few times, and had to admit that Gu Bin had good taste; this jade set suited her sister perfectly.

"Our Xiyu is just so beautiful."

Grandma looked at her well-behaved and sensible granddaughter with a smile, and liked her more and more the more she looked at her.

"It's good to be rich."

My aunt laughed and chimed in, "Find a rich partner, and you'll benefit from his wealth for life, never having to worry about food or drink."

"You have to be willing to spend money if you have it. A man who is willing to spend money on a woman truly loves her."

Grandma took the opportunity to lecture her, giving my cousin a meaningful look: "The stupidest thing a woman can do is to give herself away, with her self-righteous maternal love overflowing, thinking that being nice to someone will win their heart."

"Actually, that's not the case. Men all have self-esteem, especially in front of the women they like. They must stand up straight and not let her look down on them."

"When a man complains about being poor, he always has ulterior motives. He just wants to take advantage and make a profit. If you encounter such a person, stay as far away as possible. You must never let yourself get caught up in it and end up doing all the work for someone else."

-

"Hey, Grandma, don't glare at me."

My cousin had something to hide. The more she listened, the more she felt that her grandmother was giving her a warning. She stubbornly argued, "I've never met that kind of person, so I won't do something for someone else."

“It better be this way”

Grandma gave her a cool look.

"necessary."

My cousin raised her eyebrows smugly: "I'm very good at judging people. If someone has bad character, I'll never associate with them. They're trying to take advantage of me, no way."

Grandma, there's something else I want to tell you.

Lin Xiyu couldn't stand her smugness, so she changed the subject: "Gu Bin wants to take me to Beijing to meet his sixth grandfather while Director Du has sprained his back and filming is on hold."

How many days are you going to be gone?

Before Grandma could answer, my cousin's expression changed.

"About three days."

Lin Xiyu calculated the days: "Tomorrow is Friday, the latest will be next Monday, and if things go smoothly, I can be back on Sunday night."

"It will take three days!"

My cousin looked distressed: "Does that mean my business will be stagnant for three days and I won't make any money?"

"The weather forecast says there will be thunderstorms for the next week."

Her uncle glanced at the torrential rain outside the window and poured cold water on her hopes: "If you can't set up your stall because of the rain, just give up."

"Ugh."

My cousin sighed, "It would be great if we could rent a shop. Setting up a stall at the night market has too many limitations and can't last long."

"The Dongmen Small Commodities Market is almost finished, isn't it?"

Lin Xiyu offered her some advice: "I heard from Gu Bin that it will be available for rent soon. They have their eyes on that location and intend to buy shops there."

"Oh right, how could I forget about that?"

My cousin beamed with joy: "I'll talk to Liu Ye about this tomorrow and ask them to take me with them when they buy it. I want to get involved too."

Grandma raised an eyebrow: "The little money you earn isn't enough to buy a shop."

I'll borrow money to buy it.

My cousin's little scheme was in full swing: "Gu Bin has an incredibly sharp eye. Following him is definitely the right thing to do. He said he'd buy a shop, and he's sure to make money. We absolutely can't miss such a great opportunity."

"Who do you want to borrow from?" Grandma narrowed her eyes, displeased. "It's not that classmate of yours whose family wholesales clothes again, is it?"

"No."

My cousin denied it outright.

"Not her?"

Grandma was still worried and continued to ask, "Who else do you know?"

"My boss."

My cousin said confidently, "Grandma said that a man who is willing to spend money on a woman truly loves her. I have such a wealthy brother-in-law; it would be foolish not to take advantage of him."

Grandma: "."

Whose daughter is this shameless girl?

She denies having this granddaughter.

-

A strong wind blew up at night, and the rain became even heavier.

Lin Xiyu slept restlessly, dreaming that someone was throwing dirty water on her. She was so frightened that she suddenly opened her eyes.

"Tick tock."

Raindrops fell from the eaves, dripping onto her.

The roof is leaking!
My cousin's sleeping mat was also soaked, but luckily she's a restless sleeper and kicked the towel covering her to the side, so it didn't get wet.

"Sister, wake up."

Lin Xiyu sighed softly and shoved her cousin a few times.

"What are you doing?"

My cousin was still half asleep when she reluctantly rubbed her eyelids.

"It's leaking."

Lin Xiyu caught a few drops of rain and splashed them on her face.

"Oh? It's leaking again?"

My cousin suddenly came to her senses and sprang up from the ground like a zombie.

"The rain is too heavy."

Lin Xiyu smiled helplessly, put the towel and pillow aside, and pulled the straw mat from the ground.

"I'll go get the basin."

My cousin brought a basin and a dishcloth from the kitchen while holding an umbrella.

Lin Xiyu wiped the bamboo mat with a rag, while her cousin wiped the floor. The two sisters worked for quite a while before they were finally done.

"Tick tock."

Raindrops made a crisp sound as they dripped into the basin. Lin Xiyu threw a towel into the basin, and the sound gradually subsided.

"The bamboo mat is wet, how can I sleep on it?"

My cousin looked annoyed and yawned sleepily.

"My blanket is wet too."

Lin Xiyu smiled wryly, "I can only lay yours on the floor and make do for the night."

"Can you manage without a cover?"

My cousin frowned: "I'm strong, I'm fine without a cover. Didn't you develop the habit of having to cover your stomach to sleep since you were little?"

"Just cover it with clothes and make do for now."

Lin Xiyu pulled her school uniform top out of the closet and handed one to her cousin as well: "Anyway, it'll be dawn in a few hours."

"to make."

My cousin found a clean spot and laid out a towel blanket.

Lin Xiyu chose a comfortable spot to lie down and draped her clothes around her waist.

"Didn't Uncle just fix the roof? How come it's leaking again?"

After all that commotion, my cousin was no longer sleepy and tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

"It's an old house, so leaks are normal."

Lin Xiyu was already used to it: "Otherwise, everyone would be hoping for demolition and relocation to new buildings."

"No wonder some people are making a fuss."

My cousin felt very sorry for the residents who couldn't move: "Seeing everyone else living in apartment buildings while you're still stuck in your old, run-down house with no ventilation, you can't even sleep peacefully. Anyone would feel uncomfortable in that situation."

"It's good to have money. I also want to make more money."

Lin Xiyu felt the same way: "With money, I can buy a new house without waiting for demolition compensation. If I had money, I would definitely buy one for myself. I never want to live under someone else's roof and have to live at the mercy of others again."

"Your stepfather is a bastard."

Her cousin understood her inner turmoil and stood up for her: "His daughter is even worse; neither of them is a good person."

"Fortunately, my uncle and aunt have good tempers and don't mind me. They let me live at my maternal grandmother's house."

Lin Xiyu said gratefully, "Otherwise, I really would have nowhere to go, not even a shelter that doesn't leak."

"I'm still here."

My cousin is very generous: "I'll take you in. We're like sisters. I'll give you my bed."

"You were kicked out by your aunt."

Lin Xiyu teased her with a smile, "You still took me in?"

"Hey, hey."

My cousin smiled sheepishly: "I was just pursuing my dream, wasn't I? My dream is to make a lot of money."

"My dream is to own a house."

Lin Xiyu's eyes were filled with anticipation. From that moment on, a seed was planted in her heart, and the desire to own a house of her own became her obsession.

"Having money means owning a house."

"Owning a house is equivalent to making money."

Let's work together.

"come on!"

The two sisters, sharing the same goal, exchanged a glance and smiled knowingly.

-

It rained heavily all night, and the rain subsided a little in the early hours of the morning.

My cousin didn't sleep well last night. She barely managed to get up in the morning, grabbed a leftover vegetable pancake from dinner, and went out yawning.

Gu Bin bought the train tickets and came to pick them up at 8:30.

After her grandmother gave her many instructions, Lin Xiyu picked up her luggage and left the house.

It takes more than 7 hours to travel from Jinan to Beijing by train. When the two arrived at the train station, Wang Fan, Qu Peng, and Li Liang were already there.

With a clear whistle, the train departed on time, roaring into the distance.

Seven hours passed in a flash, and at 5 p.m., we arrived at Beijing Railway Station.

Gu Bin had informed his sixth grandfather of the itinerary in advance. When the five of them exited the station, someone was waiting at the exit with a sign.

The person who came to pick them up was Sixth Grandfather's secretary. When she saw the only woman in the group, her eyes lit up and she showed a look of amazement.

As soon as Lin Xiyu got off the train, she changed her clothes in the restroom as Gu Bin had requested.

She was wearing the white orchid-patterned silk belted dress that she bought from Wu Meng's house when filming on Xigengdao Street.

Her long, jet-black hair was braided and hung smoothly down to her waist. Her light and graceful figure, paired with a set of blue floral jade ornaments, made her indescribably elegant and refined.

Is Sixth Grandpa home?

Gu Bin turned slightly to the side, blocking the secretary's fleeting, infatuated gaze.

"They're still not off work at this hour."

The secretary's eyes flickered, and she looked away somewhat awkwardly: "Old Master Gu has already instructed me to take you home first, and you'll have dinner at home tonight."

"Thanks."

Gu Bin nodded, took Lin Xiyu's hand, and followed his secretary out of the train station.

-

As evening approached, a jet-black sedan slowly drove into Nanluoguxiang and stopped in front of the gate of an old courtyard house.

The train door opened, and a thin, elderly man in his sixties stepped out of the carriage.

The old man had a solemn face, and his cold, stern gaze was imposing without anger; a single glance was enough to inspire awe.

The gate to the courtyard house was ajar. The old man pushed the gate open himself and entered the courtyard.

In the quaint courtyard, various orchids are planted.

In the sweltering summer, the orchids are in full bloom, creating a picturesque scene filled with birdsong and the fragrance of flowers.

A graceful young woman, holding a book, sat on a stone bench by the viewing pond, reading with great interest.

Seemingly captivated by the story, the corners of her lips curved slightly upwards, forming a charming arc.

(End of this chapter)