Chapter 37 (1/2)

Chapter 37 Invitation from Fatty CuiWhile Lin Luoran is worrying about her housing fund, Fatty Cui, who wallows in money, is also having bad days. He can’t sleep at night, and w.a.n.g Miao’e has been picking fights with him because of this.

Fatty Cui doesn’t want w.a.n.g Miao’e to know about his concerns. How can he tell his wife that a martial art master bent a steel bar right in front of him and forced him to give out some raw jade with Reiki?

This is too confusing. Doesn’t Reiki only exist in those mythical novels? How can an uncouth fellow like him know where to find Reiki? Fatty Cui is worried. He doesn’t care much about himself. He is afraid that those gangsters may go and make trouble for w.a.n.g Miao’e. As a result, Fatty Cui has lost a few pounds in the past half month, which makes w.a.n.g Miao’e quite envious of him.

Lin Luoran thinks over and over again and decides to cut open the raw stone she left in Baojia’s place. She will look for other ways out if she still can’t get enough money after selling the stone.

Lin Luoran doesn’t have tools to cut the stone, but she is not silly.

First, she goes to the stone-cutting factory of Liu Zheng’s company and asks workers there to cut off its surface. The stone is cut into the size of a large bowl and the jade in the middle is still hidden. Lin Luoran does this just for people not to recognize that this is the stone which she bought from Mr. Zhang with 500 yuan.

Since she has learnt the breathing method from Master Jia, Lin Luoran realizes that she shall never infuse Reiki in jade anymore. Who knows whether there is someone who can see through her trick? Besides, if someone happens to know about her mysterious bead, Lin Luoran may get herself in danger because she is not strong enough to protect herself in front of other cultivators. Lin Luoran understands the story that “precious stone lands its innocent possessor in jail”. It seems that she shall keep it in low key.

After the raw stone is almost cut open, Lin Luoran gives Fatty Cui a call.

w.a.n.g Miao’e has mentioned at home that Lin Luoran wanted to buy Mr. Jia’s house. At that time, Fatty Cui asked if there was any need to lend some money to Lin Luoran, for he did have a good impression on her.

As expected, he was scolded by w.a.n.g Miao’e, “You see my sister as a beggar? Who want your filthy money!”

Fatty Cui had to leave despondently without saying anything.

Now, Lin Luoran calls to tell Fatty Cui that she wants to sell her raw stone. On the one hand, Fatty Cui is desperate for new raw stone since he is threatened lately; On the other hand, he wants to help Lin Luoran out— There is not many people who can stand the hot temper of his wife and still be friends with her.

Lin Luoran doesn’t think much about Fatty Cui’s excitement on the phone. She has made several contacts with him. She knows that although Mr. Cui always wears his tacky gold necklace, he is not a bossy person and he is always smiling. Lin Luoran is sure that he is nice.

Fatty Cui lives in an old villa district in R City. Almost all of the people with old money in R City, even in the entire S Province, live there, which is a well-known rich area.

Though the buildings are old, the district looks nice. This is a luxury villa district which is well-protected and regularly restored. Due to its long history, the trees there are tall and strong. Leaves of oriental plane trees cover the stone path, looking quite Europeanized.

w.a.n.g Miao’e has to deal with some affairs in the company, so there are only Fatty Cui and two housekeepers at home.

“Brother Cui, why are you alone at home? Your kid has gone to school?” Standing in the bas.e.m.e.nt, Lin Luoran asks casually while watching Fatty Cui rubbing the stone.

Fatty Cui looks up and sighs, “Of course Miao’e hasn’t told you about this. It appears that she still cares much… We don’t have kids, for physical reasons.”

Lin Luoran is surprised. Fatty Cui and w.a.n.g Miao’e are both in their forties and they haven’t got any kid. No wonder Sister w.a.n.g has never talked about children like other married women. Lin Luoran finds herself so careless. Thank G.o.d she didn’t ask the question in front of Sister w.a.n.g… Lin Luoran is regretful, but Fatty Cui himself doesn’t mind much. He says, “It’s ok that we don’t have kids. I figure that we can adopt one to inherit our family business. However, Miao’e is anxious about this. She has taken countless medicines for this, which has ruined her health. You shall talk her through this sometimes. I really believe that adoption is a good idea.”

So it is the medicines that make Sister w.a.n.g’s skin and stature worse? Lin Luoran ponders, the gift she is going to send to Sister w.a.n.g may have a chance to help. Every woman has a desire to look attractive, however, the desire to be a mother seems to be more powerful since it makes w.a.n.g Miao’e willing to use her health and appearance as the cost. Lin Luoran sighs with emotions.

Fatty Cui is holding Lin Luoran’s stone. Its surface has already been cut off, so Fatty Cui has to slowly rub it until the jade comes out. Of course, if Lin Luoran doesn’t insist that there must be jade in this stone, Fatty Cui will never believe that a small stone like this can contain any jade.

While Fatty Cui is half-way done, the housekeeper calls him from upstairs, saying that there is a call for him.

Fatty Cui spits out the dust in his mouth and goes upstairs to take the call. Lin Luoran stays in the underground workshop. Ten minutes have pa.s.sed and Fatty Cui doesn’t come back. The housekeeper brings a cup of scented tea to Lin Luoran. Lin Luoran knows that she has to keep waiting for a while and starts to check out this underground workshop.