The mother of the era is reborn to support her cannon fodder children!

Chapter 423 "The Key to the Locked Room"

Since her second uncle was treating them, Gu Lan and the others naturally had no objections and happily followed him into the coffee shop.

After the opening up, people in big cities reacted quickly.

There is no shortage of rich and daring people anywhere.

The owner of this coffee shop is one of them.

Upon hearing that the government was encouraging the development of a market economy, he immediately transformed his ancestral property into a coffee shop.

After a flurry of activity—renovating, hiring baristas, hiring servers—the business opened.

And you know what? Business is surprisingly good.

The shop was full of people, with well-dressed young men and women sitting in front of them, each with a clear glass containing a liquid that seemed unfamiliar to the Gu family.

Gu Yucheng pushed open the glass door and a round-faced girl with a warm smile walked towards him.

"Welcome! Please order at the front desk. You can sit anywhere."

Walking to the order counter, the Gu family member, who knew nothing about coffee, ordered the shop's classic coffee.

Find an empty seat and wait quietly.

Soon, the waiter came over with a tray and placed the coffee in front of them.

The waiters were all smiles, neither obsequious nor arrogant, and their attitude made me feel very comfortable.

"Enjoy your meal, sir. If you need anything, just wave and call me. I'll come over when I see you."

Gu Yucheng nodded, "Okay, you go ahead and get busy."

Gu Qingzhou looked at her second brother with a surprised expression, "Second brother, aren't you nervous? You seem to be adapting very well."

"What's there to be nervous about? We're not here to drink coffee for free. We're not lacking anything compared to them, and we're not inferior to anyone," Gu Yucheng said.

Gu Qingzhou gave a thumbs up.

Gu Yucheng was somewhat smug. Tsk... why did his parents send him to escort the college student home? It's all because he's shameless enough.

His father asked him to help Alan and the others build confidence.

He didn't understand what was so great about building self-confidence; wasn't that something everyone had? But his father had spoken, so he did as he was told. Only a fool would refuse a trip to Haicheng and a visit to the capital.

"It's so bitter!!" Gu Zhixing (Tie Dan)'s face scrunched up. He had bitter coffee in his mouth, wanting to spit it out but not wanting to. His bronze face wore a mask of pain.

Ugh, I'm paying money to suffer!

"Why are other people drinking so calmly? It's so bitter, so bitter, I can't stand it." Gu Zhixing's tongue was bitter.

Gu Zhili, also known as Li Bao, often eats chocolate with the twins and has a good tolerance for the taste of coffee.

He ordered it with milk and sugar, and after taking a sip, his lips were covered in white milk foam.

“It’s great. Yu Bao and Heng Bao should like it. I wonder if we can take it with us? I’d like to give it to them.”

Gu Xingye (Bangbang) doesn't like drinking, but he can accept it. "Why bring anything? I'll take them to the store to drink tomorrow. It'll be fresh, and they can sit in the store. It's quite warm in here."

Gu Zhili thought about it and agreed. "Yes, I've memorized the way. I'll bring them here tomorrow."

……

noon.

While eating at the restaurant, Lin Zhao learned that Qingzhou and the others had gone for coffee. It's only been a few months since the city opened up, and there are already coffee shops? Some people are really quick to react; no wonder they're rich.

She carefully bit open the skin of the pan-fried bun, and the hot soup inside almost burned her lips and tongue.

"I'll give it a try this afternoon too."

Lin Zhao blew on the pan-fried bun she was picking up with her chopsticks and looked at Gu Chenghuai, "Do you want to go?"

Gu Chenghuai picked up a piece of food for her and replied gently, "I'll take you there, and then I'll go see one of my old comrades."

"Okay, then let's each go about our own business."

Yao Bao sat next to her mother, eating fried fish, and said sweetly, "Mom, I'll go with you."

"Okay, Qianbao, are you going?" Lin Zhao asked.

Qianbao shook her head. "I want to go to the bookstore."

He's still young, and no one feels comfortable letting him go alone.

Gu Lan offered, "I'd also like to go to the bookstore. I'll go with Qianbao."

One was a girl, and the other was a child. They were wandering around in an unfamiliar city, and no one was at ease with them.

Gu Qingzhou added, "I'll go too, and see if there are any books I need, so I can buy a few in advance."

Gu Xingye: "I'll go too. I've never been to a bookstore in a big city before. I'm really curious."

Gu Xingci (Lai Mei) is her brother's tagalong. When she heard that he was going to the bookstore, she also said she wanted to go.

So in the afternoon, they split into several teams, each busy with their own tasks.

Lin Zhao and her group stayed in Haicheng for a total of five days, visiting all the places they wanted to go and taking many photos.

It's worth mentioning that Gu Yucheng didn't find an opportunity to discuss the ownership of the villa with Old Qiao until he was about to leave.

Tickets to the capital have been booked.

He got anxious.

"Chenghuai, what do we do?!"

I've been having a great time these past few days, and now I'm thinking about my most capable younger brother.

Gu Chenghuai pondered for a moment and said, "I can't do anything about it. How can we talk if we can't even see the person? Let's leave it at that for now. When we get back, you can ask your father to think of a solution. If we really can't go back, we'll buy this house at market price and give it to my parents so they can move to Haicheng. It's convenient to live here, the climate is good, and it's very suitable for retirement."

He has visited Haicheng several times and likes it very much. What he is most satisfied with is that it is convenient for everything.

For example, if he were to visit an old comrade-in-arms, he could hail a taxi or take a bus; he wouldn't have to walk more than a few steps to get there.

Lin Zhao agreed in her heart, but did not express her opinion publicly.

As for the matter between my father-in-law and the Gu brothers, they can decide for themselves.

Gu Yucheng's tightly furrowed brows relaxed.

"This is the only way!"

He was inclined to buy it, but such a nice house, especially in Haicheng, must be very expensive. He wondered how much it would cost for the family, and whether their savings would be enough!
The Gu brothers have earned a lot of money in recent years. Since the family is short of tickets, they can only save their earnings, and the amount in their savings accounts is quite considerable.

Having money in your pocket means you don't have to panic, which is the main reason why Gu Yucheng is so calm and composed now.

As the old saying goes, money emboldens the timid; it's truly a philosophical statement.

Seeing that it was getting late, Lin Zhao and the others did not linger and boarded the train to the capital.

Lin Heling and Song Xiwei were originally going too, but Lin Zhao stopped them.

Relocating graves is a major event that cannot be done without Lin Heling. He has no heart to do anything else if he doesn't handle this matter well.

Seeing the determination in her daughter's eyes, Lin Heling had no choice but to agree.

He told Lin Zhao the location of the small courtyard house that he was going to transfer the property to, and told her to go there directly; it should be habitable.

Song Xiwei said, "Your father and I will come over as soon as we're done with our work, and we'll try to do so before your school starts."

When their children go to university, they feel sorry for them if they don't go to see them off.

"I know, don't worry, Mom and Dad. I've traveled many times before, and Gu Chenghuai is with me, so nothing will happen," Lin Zhao said softly, tugging at her mother's sleeve.

"Don't be careless." Song Xiwei still had a lot of worries.

In the past few years, she and Lin Heling went out quite a bit and encountered quite a few scams.

After seeing her daughter and the others off, Lin Heling began to deal with the affairs of the Lin family.

First, we need to reclaim the Lin family's property.

It's impossible to take it all back.

Lin Bancheng's reputation back then was not fake. If he were to actually take it back, who knows how many powerful forces would be affected? The resistance would be too great.

In the end, not many properties were recovered, only about ten, and not many antiques and paintings were left either...

Uncle De was furious.

"This is outrageous! If the old master were still alive... how dare those people do this?"

"Things have changed, and my old face is no longer useful. I've made the young master suffer."

Lin Heling held onto Uncle De's arm, her emotions very stable. "It's nothing. I expected this result. There are hardly any people left in the Lin family now. The days of having many descendants are long gone. It's normal to be looked down upon. It's alright. It'll be fine when my dad and the others come back... I hope we can get it back by then."

Putting everything else aside, the ancestral home must be returned. Uncle De also said, "Putting everything else aside, the ancestral home must be returned."

He pulled open his collar and took out a strange-looking key that looked like it was made of wood and was strung on a red rope.

"Young Master, this is the key to the secret chamber of the ancestral home. The entrance to the secret chamber is in the storage room. With this key, and the one you have in your hand, you can open the door to the Lin family's secret chamber. The old master said that the things inside can help the Lin family rise again."

Lin Heling carefully put the key away.

"Uncle De, don't worry, the Lin family will not be defeated."

Uncle De, who had no children, valued the rise and fall of the Lin family above all else. Hearing the young master's words, he relaxed.

"I believe."

After Old Master Lin's grave was moved to the Lin family cemetery, Uncle De lived in a house near the cemetery and refused to move again.

Lin Heling couldn't bear to see him living like an ascetic. Uncle De smiled and said, "I'm getting old and don't want to go through all that trouble. Staying to guard the tomb is the life I've always wanted to live; it's neither hard nor tiring. If the young master still considers me part of the Lin family, then don't try to persuade him otherwise."

What else could Lin Heling say?
He had the houses near the cemetery renovated, the doors and windows replaced, the furniture custom-made, the bedding cleaned, and the grain stored there... He asked someone to come and check on them every few days, and then planned to go to the capital with Song Xiwei.

"If Uncle De doesn't go, Zhao Zhao will ask questions."

Uncle De said, "Miss is a kind and considerate girl, she will understand me."

Seeing that he really didn't want to leave, Lin Heling had no choice but to leave on his own.

After getting into the car, he looked at Song Xiwei and asked, "How about we move to Haicheng?"

“Sure, you know me, I’m fine with living anywhere.” Song Xiwei said indifferently.

She was domineering and incredibly strong, always working her way up to the maximum work points and even hunting wild boars. She wasn't well-liked in the village, so she didn't have many close friends and didn't feel any attachment to her homeland.

"Shall we move back then?" Lin Heling didn't mince words and directly asked his wife for her opinion.

"can."

……

When Lin Zhao and his entourage arrived in the capital, even more people got off the train at the station, making it so crowded that it was hard to breathe.

Fortunately, I got off the bus smoothly.

After exiting the station, I flagged down several cars and headed straight for the Lin family's small courtyard house.

The weather is nice today, with the bright sun shining in the sky, which puts me in a good mood.

About forty minutes passed.

Lin Zhao and the others got out of the car.

Gu Zhiyu led the way, looking at the house number and searching for his own courtyard.

Once found, she turned her head sharply and exclaimed, "Mom, it's here! Our home is here!!"

As he spoke, he knocked on the door.

Lin Zhao quickly chased after him.

The door wasn't locked; it opened with a gentle push.

There happened to be someone in the yard at that moment.

She was a woman who looked honest and simple.

"Are you from the Lin family?" Upon seeing the person at the door, the woman instinctively straightened up and asked nervously.

"Yes, you're the one helping with the cleaning, right? Thank you for your hard work." Lin Zhao greeted him with a smile, looking around the courtyard. This small courtyard was square, with quite a few houses and a well in the yard. It had just been renovated and looked very clean.

"It's no trouble at all, I've almost finished tidying up," the woman said. "I just came to air out the quilts today. Since you're here, I'll be leaving now. Here's the key, please keep it."

After saying a few words, she hurriedly left.

The sheer number of people in this family is unsettling.

Lin Zhao waved his hand, "Find your own room and go to school this afternoon."

"okay."

The group avoided the main house, which had the best natural light, and went inside their respective rooms.

There were too many people, so they couldn't accommodate one person per room. Several people had to share one room. The children didn't feel uncomfortable at all; on the contrary, they were very excited.

Gu Xingci spread out his bedding on the floor and said, "Zhiyu, Zhiheng, it's been a long time since I shared a room with you two since you joined the army. Tonight we're going to chat until midnight."

Gu Xingye looked at his younger brother and said, "There are other people in the house. Don't disturb the neighbors. Eleven o'clock at the latest, no later than that."

"...Alright then."

Lin Zhao walked into the main house, his face full of satisfaction, nodding repeatedly, "This house is really nice, I'm satisfied with everything about it."

"I just checked out the surrounding facilities, and it's very convenient to buy anything. The driver said we're very close to the square, and I'm going to watch the flag-raising ceremony tomorrow morning!"

Gu Chenghuai put down his luggage and said, "The flag-raising ceremony is very early. If you can't get up, we can watch it another day. Your feet are swollen. You should take care of your health first."

Knowing that her husband cared about her, Lin Zhao didn't argue with him, "Okay."

She sat down, took off her leather shoes, and felt a burning pain in her heels.

"What if the children want to see it?" Lin Zhao lifted her eyelids, her eyes revealing undisguised fatigue.

"I'll take them, don't worry about it, get some rest," Gu Chenghuai said. "I'll go out and boil some water, you can soak your feet."

A short while later, he carried the foot-washing basin into the house.

The water contains herbs to relieve fatigue.

"Where did the herbs come from?"

Gu Chenghuai said, "It was prepared by Fourth Brother."

"Young man, you're so thoughtful." Lin Zhao said with a smile.

Gu Chenghuai looked up. "I suggested it."

"The best, of course, is my Mr. Gu." Lin Zhao looked at her husband massaging her feet, bent down, and kissed the corner of his mouth.

Gu Chenghuai's brows furrowed, his dark eyes locking onto her with a sense of oppression and possessiveness.

"What do you think about me getting my hair permed?" Lin Zhao suddenly asked.

She saw many girls in Haicheng with permed hair, which looked fashionable and stylish, and she was very tempted. It truly lived up to its reputation as a cutting-edge city.

Gu Chenghuai's mind flashed back to the afro he had seen before, and he found it hard to accept.

He said tactfully, "You're fine the way you are."

Fearing that this would spoil the mood, he added, "If you really want to get a perm, then go ahead."

No matter what Zhao Zhao does, he won't laugh.

"Let me think about it some more." Lin Zhao was still hesitating. Her hair was so good, black and thick, that she was reluctant to ruin it.

"Ah."

……

After dusk.

After resting, Lin Zhao and the others went out to visit the university.

Our first stop was Tsinghua University.

With the opening of the country, people's pent-up enthusiasm, suppressed for ten years, urgently needed to be released.

As dusk settled, the number of people outside showed no signs of decreasing, and laughter could be seen everywhere.

There were also small businesses along the way.

The popcorn made a 'popping' sound, and the children shouted excitedly.

Gu Chenghuai noticed that his daughter wanted some, so he went over and bought some, then distributed them to the children.

A group of older children grinned from ear to ear.

Looking up, I could see the ancient, imposing, and grand gate of Tsinghua University in the distance.

"Look over there!" Gu Zhiheng's loud voice rang out.

He pointed to the huge entrance and said excitedly, "Mom, I want to take a picture at the entrance."

Ahhh, this university is even better than he imagined. He likes it, hehehe.

(End of this chapter)