Shen Qingqing found herself in the police station for the second time in less than a day, and Jiang Si only learned about it—along with Shen Xiuwen being taken away by the Red Committee—two days later.
Early that morning, members of the Red Committee, under the pretense of conducting an investigation, banged on the Jiang family’s door with menacing expressions.
However, after turning the house upside down, they failed to find what they were looking for and eventually left, grumbling curses under their breath.
Seeing this, Third Grandpa finally let out a sigh of relief.
Earlier, when Zhong had brought back those "gold bars," Third Grandpa had initially planned to bury them in the grave mound in the suburbs.
But Jiang Si had insisted that aside from the hidden chamber in the house, there was an even more concealed secret passage.
Without giving it much thought, he had let Jiang Si take care of it.
Who would’ve guessed the Red Committee would be so cunning, sniffing around like bloodhounds?
"Third Grandpa, you can relax now. I told you they wouldn’t find anything!" Jiang Si said with a smile.
Hearing this, Third Grandpa nodded.
Relax? He was more than just relieved!
In fact, he was so eager that he skipped lunch and rushed out with Uncle Zhong in a hurry.
Though his wealth couldn’t compare to his elder brother’s, he had spent decades in Shanghai and had accumulated quite a stash of gold, silver, and valuables.
These things couldn’t be taken with him in life or death, and since he and Zhong had no children, who else could he leave them to but Jiang Si?
Unaware of Third Grandpa’s decision to hand over his fortune, Jiang Si was busy in her space at the moment.
In a few days, she would be heading south to Yancheng, and it was uncertain when she’d return.
While Third Grandpa and Uncle Zhong were packing, she decided to cultivate some supplies.
The "one-click watering" feature was too time-consuming, so after some thought, she opted to do it manually.
She kept watering, watering, and watering some more.
In about ten minutes, the tree was laden with golden pears.
After selecting "one-click harvest," she repeated the process, using the same method to grow rice, wheat, corn, and more.
The seeds she had bought were all from this era, so the produce looked identical to what was sold in the market.
Satisfied, Jiang Si packed about 100 pounds of each into sacks.
For longer-lasting items like pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and potatoes, she prepared a basket of each.
She also collected 100 eggs and duck eggs, along with a few chicks and ducklings.
These had been fed with spiritual spring water, so she left them for Third Grandpa to raise—after all, the courtyard was spacious.
Remembering the rare medicinal herbs she had stored in the hidden chamber earlier, Jiang Si picked out a wild ginseng with considerable age and found a large wine jar from the storage room.
After cleaning it, she tossed the ginseng inside and poured in Moutai liquor as if it were free.
Once the jar was about 70% full, she added spiritual spring water.
Even Jiang Si, who never drank, could tell from the aroma alone that this brew would be exceptional.
Let alone Third Grandpa, who was a connoisseur.
The moment he returned home that evening, Third Grandpa sniffed the air. "What’s that smell? So fragrant! Zhong, do you smell it?"
It resembled Moutai, but far more enticing.
Uncle Zhong, too, caught the rich, mellow scent of alcohol.
But he shook his head.
The doctor had advised against drinking.
Yet, the old man stubbornly ignored medical advice.
Just then, Jiang Si emerged from the kitchen carrying several dishes. Since all the pots and pans had been packed away, she had bought these from a nearby state-run restaurant.
"Third Grandpa, Uncle Zhong, wash up and come eat!"
Eyeing the spread on the table, Third Grandpa couldn’t resist asking again.
"Jiang Si, what was that smell earlier? It was so inviting."
Jiang Si pretended not to hear.
Third Grandpa pressed on, "Look, such fine dishes deserve a proper drink. Wouldn’t it be a waste otherwise?"
"...Maybe just a little?"
"...Just a tiny sip?"
"...Please, Jiang Si?"
The old man was practically wearing the words "begging and pleading" on his face, all for a taste of liquor.
Uncle Zhong, standing nearby, was utterly speechless, his expression a perfect "old man squinting at his phone" meme.
"Alright, alright, I’ll go get it."
Jiang Si decided not to tease him further—if this went on, Third Grandpa might resort to a full-blown eight-layered act of coquetry.
She poured a cup each for Third Grandpa and Uncle Zhong.
"This wine was found in the secret passage at home. It’s infused with a century-old wild ginseng."
"No wonder! I knew that aroma was something special!"
Third Grandpa took a sip and exclaimed, "Incredible!!"
Honestly, this Moutai infused with hundred-year ginseng was in a league of its own compared to the ordinary stuff.
Of course, while savoring the drink, Third Grandpa didn’t forget to mentally mark Shen Xiuwen with a big, fat X.
[That bastard had such treasures and never thought to share them with me during the holidays.]
"Zhong, try it! This is really good!"
"No matter how good it is, you can’t overindulge."
Jiang Si laid down the law: "Uncle Zhong, take the jar to your room later. Remember, Third Grandpa gets only one small sip a day—not a drop more!"
"Understood, Miss Jiang Si."
Uncle Zhong promptly downed the liquor in his glass in one gulp, his rough drinking style immediately irritating Third Uncle.
"You, you, you... liquor should be sipped slowly!"
"How can you even taste it like this?"
Uncle Zhong admittedly hadn’t tasted much. "Well then, how about you share a little more with me? I’ll savor it properly this time..."
"..."
Third Uncle’s eyes nearly bulged at the suggestion, and he quickly clutched his glass protectively, as if guarding against a thief.
The two were used to bickering, so Jiang Si simply smiled and didn’t interfere.
After the meal, she carefully explained the situation to Third Uncle.
Earlier, she had only mentioned that many things had gone missing from the house, but she hadn’t gone into detail.
Moreover, Shen Xiuwen regularly procured supplies from the black market every month.
So when she revealed that these items had been found in the cellar, Third Uncle didn’t find it suspicious. Instead, he solemnly handed Jiang Si a black dragon-shaped ring.
This ring was one of the tokens he had used when founding his brotherhood years ago. Though the group had disbanded long ago, many of its members remained scattered across the region.
Most had returned to their hometowns and gone straight, but some had returned to their old ways, still dabbling in shady dealings.
"Keep this ring safe. If you run into any trouble on your journey, anyone who recognizes it won’t dare give you a hard time."
Jiang Si knew Third Uncle’s temperament—if she refused the ring, he might insist on sending someone to escort her all the way to Qiongzhou Island.
Besides, theft and violent robberies on trains were far from rare in these times.
Traveling alone, an extra layer of security was always welcome.
Without hesitation, Jiang Si accepted the ring.
But the ring alone wasn’t enough. Next, Uncle Zhong taught her three life-saving moves.
In short: jab the eyes, kick the groin, and chop the neck!
Women didn’t need fancy techniques in a fight.
Survival came first.
These were the most vulnerable spots on the human body—just a little force, and the attacker would be writhing in pain.
Perfect for someone like Jiang Si, who had zero combat experience.
"It’s your first time traveling so far—you must be careful."
"Call us as soon as you get off the train, understand?"
Third Uncle sighed as he spoke, already fretting before she’d even left.
Jiang Si nodded. If not for the stigma of being labeled a capitalist’s daughter, she wouldn’t have wanted to leave this place.
"Third Uncle, once I’m settled there, I’ll bring you and Uncle Zhong over."
"Qiongzhou Island has warm winters and cool summers, fresh air, and endless seafood—perfect for retirement!"
Hearing this, Third Uncle’s lips twitched. He thought to himself: That’s not what you used to say. Before, just mentioning Qiongzhou Island made you grimace like you’d eaten a bitter melon.
But seeing Jiang Si’s earnest expression, he didn’t dampen her spirits.
"Alright, we’ll go to Qiongzhou Island, drink beer, and feast on clams!"
Third Uncle was originally from Shandong, and when excited, his hometown dialect slipped out.
"Yes! We’ll go beachcombing together—digging for oysters, picking crabs~~"
"Good, good! We’ll bring plenty of buckets, rakes, and shovels."
"With so many of us, we’ll fill sacks in no time!"
"Hahaha~~"
The three of them grew more and more excited, already picturing their future beachcombing adventures—even though they hadn’t left yet!
