Chapter 13: The New Neighbor and the Hidden Treasure

Midday brought the Chen family back for lunch, a boisterous throng. Xiang Chen was pulled into a whirlwind of greetings, “Uncle, Auntie, Elder Brother, Elder Sister,” leaving him utterly bewildered as to who was who.

Indeed, the only two individuals he managed to remember were Chen Guocai and Pangli, whom he addressed as his junior uncle and aunt. Their gazes, sharp and venomous, felt as though they wished to pierce him with daggers.

Xiang Chen, sensing their hostility, instinctively shrank behind Chen Guoliang, feigning a look of fright. This immediately ignited a protective instinct within Chen Guoliang, who then cast a piercing glare at his younger brother and sister-in-law.

Truthfully, his relationship with Chen Guocai had always been strained. In their younger years, when their father was still alive, it was the youngest, Chen Guocai, who received the most favoritism.

Being close in age, Chen Guoliang had keenly felt the sting of his father’s bias.

Later, both Chen Guoliang and Chen Guocai were sent to school. However, as the family’s finances deteriorated, they could only afford to support one of them.

Chen Guoliang, having matured earlier than the pampered Chen Guocai, understood that if he couldn’t change his father’s favoritism, his only recourse was to excel in his studies.

He threw himself into his books with relentless determination, leaving Chen Guocai far behind. This academic prowess ensured that the family would naturally prioritize the one who showed the most promise.

Thus, Chen Guocai, unable to match Chen Guoliang’s achievements, was forced to drop out.

This outcome was one of the primary reasons Chen Guocai harbored resentment towards Chen Guoliang and coveted his family’s assets.

He firmly believed that their father had originally intended for him to continue his education, and if he had, he might have been the one working in the factory. In his eyes, Chen Guoliang owed him.

Now, with his long-cherished dream shattered, Chen Guocai’s deep-seated resentment had festered into a bitter grudge. He yearned to devour Xiang Chen whole for ruining his prospects.

Feeling Chen Guocai’s intense malice, Xiang Chen dared not stray from Chen Guoliang or Old Lady Chen for the entire day. He couldn’t even bring himself to trust Cai Zhen.

Serving as their little shadow for the day, he unexpectedly earned the goodwill of both Old Lady Chen and Chen Guoliang.

Their attitudes towards Xiang Chen softened considerably, especially Chen Guoliang, whose gaze now held a distinct satisfaction.

After eating to about 70% fullness at noon, complemented by the snacks Old Lady Chen had given him, Xiang Chen experienced true satiety for the first time since transmigrating. The thought alone brought a pang of sadness to his heart.

***

Once the peak heat of the afternoon sun had passed, Chen Guoliang took his wife and children and returned to the city.

Back home, all four of the Chen daughters were present. Cai Zhen had thoughtfully set aside steamed buns for them earlier, though the porridge was gone, leaving them only with water to drink.

Chen Fen and Chen Fang sat on small stools, diligently working on their homework. Chen Fen, in her sixth year, was only a few months away from her entrance exams.

Her academic performance was excellent; Cai Zhen had been strict with her from a young age, instilling the importance of education through words and actions.

Consequently, Chen Fen was determined to attend high school, hoping to secure a position at the machinery factory afterward.

Cai Zhen went into the room to tidy up, then informed Chen Guoliang that she would go home to inquire about Xiang Chen’s household registration. Chen Guoliang nodded, and she promptly departed.

Having worked hard all week, Chen Guoliang simply wanted to rest at home. He drew the curtains and lay down. Before drifting off, he instructed Chen Fen to look after her younger siblings and ensure they didn’t make too much noise.

Chen Fen knew that her father required quiet when he rested. Creating any disturbance at such a time would invite a beating. Therefore, as she passed Xiang Chen, she merely glared at him, refraining from any further action.

Xiang Chen glanced at the two sisters, Chen Fen and Chen Fang, who were hunched over, catching up on their homework. He quietly crept behind Chen Xiaohua and whispered, “Let’s go out and play.” Chen Guoliang hadn’t locked the door, and their main gate remained open.

Chen Xiaohua peeked at her little sister, who was already fast asleep, then nodded. She took Xiang Chen’s hand and led him outside.

Chen Fen merely raised her eyelids, letting out a cold scoff. Unlike her mother, she wouldn’t mind if Xiang Chen simply ran away and got lost.

Xiang Chen, of course, had no intention of running off like that. Regardless of whether he could even escape, he knew that if he did, he would likely end up in an orphanage.

In a time when food was scarce everywhere, the provisions at an orphanage would only be even more meager.

Xiang Chen, holding Chen Xiaohua’s hand, walked deeper into the corridor. The apartment building they lived in had five to six households per floor; the first floor had six, while the second and third floors only had five.

The reason for one less household was that the innermost apartment was larger, a two-bedroom, one-living room unit, reportedly even boasting its own private washroom and kitchen.

Such a spacious apartment was naturally beyond the reach of ordinary factory workers.

The couple residing in the second-floor unit comprised a union cadre and a workshop director, and their elderly father was a senior technician, earning the highest tier of wages.

As for the third-floor unit, it had initially been occupied by a deputy director of the machinery factory and his family.

However, they had been transferred recently, leaving the apartment vacant, much to the envy of countless people.

Chen Guoliang’s apartment was the second to last room at the end of the corridor, right next to that large unit. Cai Zhen had fantasized countless times about how wonderful it would be if their family could live in such a place.

Xiang Chen, still holding Chen Xiaohua’s hand, huddled with the small girl in a corner of the corridor. Xiang Chen glanced back, confirming Chen Fen hadn’t followed.

Only then did he place the small handful of soybeans he had clutched throughout their walk into Chen Xiaohua’s hand.

Chen Xiaohua gasped in delighted surprise. “Roasted soybeans!”

“Shh!” Xiang Chen quickly made a shushing gesture, fearing Chen Fen might hear.

Chen Xiaohua quickly nodded, her eyes crinkling in a smile as she picked up a single bean and popped it into her mouth, happily chewing. After finishing it, she extended her hand with the remaining soybeans towards Xiang Chen. “Little brother, you eat some too.”

“I’ve already eaten,” Xiang Chen said, patting his stomach with a feigned air of generosity. “I ate a lot. These are for you.”

Only then did Chen Xiaohua withdraw her hand, carefully savoring each precious bean from the small handful.

Xiang Chen watched, a pang of sorrow in his heart. A girl her age, in his previous life, would have been pampered and adored. Moreover, Chen Xiaohua was both sensible and well-behaved; such a little sister was truly endearing.

Chen Xiaohua ate slowly. After watching for a while, Xiang Chen stood up and surveyed his surroundings. He hadn’t forgotten that his small pouch still needed to be hidden.

Given the small size of each family’s apartment, many belongings were stacked in the corridor. For instance, outside Chen Guoliang’s door, there was a pile of coal briquettes and various wooden odds and ends.

Xiang Chen looked around. Cai Zhen used two coal briquettes daily to light the stove and boil water, and they were neatly stacked, leaving no room for his small pouch.

The pile of miscellaneous items, however, seemed a possibility, but it was too disorganized.

He worried that if he tucked his pouch in there, he might never find it again, and moving the heavy clutter was beyond his small physique.

Xiang Chen frowned in thought. ‘Did it mean he still had to hide it inside the room? At least he spent more time indoors.’

Suddenly, a swallow darted past Xiang Chen’s eyes, flying directly to the second floor. From below, the chirping of little swallows could be heard.

Xiang Chen froze, instinctively looking up. Sure enough, along this row of five households, two had swallows’ nests under their eaves: one belonged to the second house near the stairwell, and the other to the house at the very end of the corridor.

There were several baby swallows in the nest near the stairwell, but the nest directly above his head was empty. It was likely an old nest, and the swallows hadn’t returned this year.

Though the baby swallows weren’t there, Xiang Chen felt as if he had discovered a treasure.

Swallows were beneficial birds that ate insects, and in an era without pesticides, many crop pests were controlled by these birds. Consequently, people rarely caught swallows or disturbed their nests.

Xiang Chen observed carefully. He realized he could climb the coal pile outside Chen Guoliang’s home, then step onto the window ledge to climb higher.

Above, there was a very thick beam, its purpose unknown, where some neighbors hung clothes or dried items. He could climb up, step onto the beam, and tuck his small pouch into the swallow’s nest, retrieving it later when needed.

Having made up his mind, Xiang Chen felt a great weight lift from his shoulders. The issue that had worried him for so long finally had a solution. Of course, he couldn’t do it now.

Chen Guoliang’s door was wide open, Chen Fen could come out at any moment, and with it being a workers’ weekend, the entire building was bustling with people.

Getting caught would be disastrous. It would be best to hide it on a weekday when fewer people were around.

Xiang Chen mentally reviewed the route. Once Chen Xiaohua finished her soybeans, he led her back into the house. He still aimed to behave well, hoping Chen Guoliang and Cai Zhen wouldn’t keep him confined.

Cai Zhen returned nearly at dusk. Chen Guoliang had long since woken up and had been called downstairs by Old Zhang for some unknown reason.

After preparing dinner, Cai Zhen told Chen Fen to go downstairs and call Chen Guoliang back. Chen Fen, guarding the pot on the stove, didn’t want to move, so she sent Chen Fang instead.

Chen Fang then tried to push Chen Xiaohua, but Cai Zhen tapped her head. “Hurry up, or you won’t get to eat!” Only then did Chen Fang reluctantly run downstairs.

After finishing their watery porridge that evening, Chen Guoliang set about repairing a broken chair leg with his tools.

Cai Zhen pulled a small stool beside Chen Guoliang and whispered, “Old Chen, let me tell you, when I went back today, I heard someone tell my dad that a new factory director is coming to the machinery factory.”

“So what if they are? What does that have to do with us?”

Chen Guoliang continued his work without pause. He was a worker at the cast iron factory; even if their own factory got a new director, it wouldn’t significantly affect him unless there were major policy changes, let alone a new director at the machinery factory.

“No, that’s not it.” Cai Zhen slapped his arm, urgency in her voice. “Think about it, where will the new factory director live?!”

“Live where?” Chen Guoliang paused, about to say, ‘How would I know?’ when a thought suddenly struck him. “Next door to us?!”

“Exactly!” Cai Zhen clapped her hands. “There are no other empty apartments for him. A new factory director holds a high enough rank, so there’s a nine out of ten chance he’ll move in next door to us.”

“Then shouldn’t we move the stuff outside?” Chen Guoliang frowned. Their doorway was cluttered with many items, and since the next-door apartment had been vacant for a long time, their belongings had gradually encroached beyond their boundary. It wouldn’t look good if the new factory director saw it.

“Yes, we should move it,” Cai Zhen nodded. “The light’s not good at night, so we’ll move it tomorrow at noon.”

“Alright, then I won’t bring lunch tomorrow; I’ll come back to eat,” Chen Guoliang agreed.

Cai Zhen then lowered her voice. “Once the new factory director arrives…”

Her words were merely a prelude to urging Chen Guoliang to cultivate a good relationship with the new factory director.

The previous director who lived next door felt that Chen Guoliang wasn’t from the same factory, and Cai Zhen was just a woman, so despite their proximity, they had little rapport.

With a new director arriving, Cai Zhen preemptively advised Chen Guoliang to greet him early. The newcomer would be unfamiliar with the area, and if Chen Guoliang showed enthusiasm, their relationship could gradually develop.

Chen Guoliang nodded repeatedly as he listened. Xiang Chen, squatting to the side, secretly patted his chest. ‘Good thing he hadn’t hidden his small pouch in the clutter today; otherwise, it would have been ruined tomorrow.’

However, this also meant he might only have tomorrow morning to hide his small pouch in the swallow’s nest.

When he planned the route today, he had noted that if the clutter was moved closer to Chen Guoliang’s side, it would be much harder for him to climb up, as it would be too far from the hiding spot.

Xiang Chen pondered the situation. This was his only chance. If Cai Zhen didn’t lock him in tomorrow, he would quickly go and hide his small pouch.

He had also heard Chen Fen grumbling about wanting to boil water for a bath today; if she stripped down, there would be no hiding anything.

‘This factory director’s arrival couldn’t be more inconvenient,’ Xiang Chen silently grumbled to himself before falling asleep.