Courtyard House: A System Connecting Two Worlds, Resources for the Nation

Bai Ling practically fled back to her small, back-facing room. Leaning against the closed wooden door, her chest heaved violently as she took several deep breaths before she could finally calm her wildly beating heart.

How did she just... inexplicably pounce on Zhou Feng?

This...this is too audacious! This is completely against discipline!

Although... although what that guy brought out this time, if it is really as miraculous as he said, it is indeed a tremendous achievement that can save the lives of tens of thousands of people!

But thinking about it this way... a hug... doesn't seem like... a big deal... right?

Bai Ling shook her head vigorously, forcing herself to get rid of these messy thoughts, and her gaze fell on the wooden box that Sun Yue had given her.

Correct!

Now it's time to get down to business!

She took another deep breath, forcing herself to calm down completely, and the abnormal blush on her face gradually faded.

Bai Ling straightened her slightly disheveled clothes and temples before picking up the box and heading back to Zhou Feng's room.

On one hand, she wanted to give him the candlestick, and on the other hand, she was also anxious to send those precious documents back to the department immediately!

The sooner the problem is delivered to the experts, the sooner the problem can be solved and the benefits can be realized for the people!

She longed to sprout wings and fly back, but in front of Zhou Feng, she had to pretend to be calm and composed.

"Oh, Comrade Bai Ling is back? You've come to your senses so quickly?"

Zhou Feng raised an eyebrow at Bai Ling as she walked in, his tone slightly mocking.

After that hug, he felt the distance between them instantly shrink, and he became more casual in his speech.

Stop being so cheeky!

Bai Ling felt herself blushing uncontrollably, so she forced herself to keep a straight face and pretend to be expressionless.

"I knew you liked tinkering with these old things, and you must have collected quite a few by now! Here, I found these for you!"

"Hey, hey, hey? Comrade Bai Ling! That's slander! You're defaming me! When did I accept anything?"

Zhou Feng almost jumped up, and hurriedly waved his hands to explain.

Bai Ling works for the Municipal Public Security Bureau. If even she knows about this, then my affairs will soon be common knowledge.

Thinking of this, Zhou Feng secretly regretted that he had been too successful before and had lost all his vigilance!

The robber who robbed him before only targeted him because he heard that he collected old items. It seems that he will have to be more discreet in the future.

There are hardly any easy characters in this courtyard. Whether it's Jia Zhangshi, Sha Zhu, Xu Damao, or even Yi Zhonghai, they all get along with him.

If someone manages to find fault with me and successfully reports me, then I'll be in big trouble!

"Alright, stop pretending with me. You're not doing any speculation, it's just a personal hobby, what's the big deal?"

Bai Ling rolled her eyes at Zhou Feng, annoyed.

This guy is still pretending. He was reported for dealing in antiques and speculation, but nothing came of it. It seems he just sent everything back to the future.

Watching his performance with an answer in mind always gives me a clear and innocent feeling.

"Hehehe, Comrade Bai Ling, you're very perceptive! This is purely a personal hobby of mine. You can investigate all you want, I guarantee... I guarantee I won't resell it!"

Seeing that Bai Ling didn't seem to want to delve deeper, Zhou Feng immediately seized the opportunity and put on a fawning smile.

Yes, of course we can check. You didn't sell it here at all!

After muttering a curse to herself, Bai Ling was too lazy to argue with him anymore and pushed the box forward a little further.

"Open it and take a look, it's definitely a good thing, you won't regret it!"

This piqued Zhou Feng's curiosity, prompting him to carefully open the lid.

On the red silk background, a blue and white candlestick lay peacefully, large in size and with beautiful lines.

"How about it? This is a candlestick used by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty! And it's made of blue and white porcelain!"

Zhou Feng's eyes widened instantly. He leaned closer, almost holding his breath as he scrutinized the area, but he couldn't discern anything special.

To be frank, this candlestick is beyond his capabilities!

Let him identify the general material, look at the basic style, and easily distinguish between real and fake.

But antiques like these, which can be called treasures, are simply not something that Zhou Feng, a small antique shop owner who only started out in the business, can appraise!

Zhou Feng observed the structure of the candlestick and discovered that it was actually made in three sections!

It is cleverly connected by rhythmic curves and varied cylinders; if you count carefully, there are probably more than a dozen segments!

From the lamp tray at the top to the wax plate at the bottom, the patterns painted inside and out are layered upon layered, dazzling the eye.

The main body is an intricate and gorgeous lotus scroll pattern, interspersed with banana leaf patterns, ruyi cloud patterns, lotus flowers, scrolling grass and flowers... there are at least twenty layers!

The exquisite craftsmanship, the lustrous glaze, and the pure blue color all exude a royal aura.

Such exquisite large blue and white porcelain candlesticks are extremely rare!

If... if it were truly a genuine item used by Emperor Qianlong, it would fetch at least eight figures at auction in later generations!

This gift... isn't it a bit too much!

"This...this candlestick is so beautiful."

Zhou Feng swallowed hard, his voice hoarse: "Can...can it really be true?"

His words were half in shock and half in genuine uncertainty.

"Hey! What do you mean 'could it be real'? If you don't want it, fine! This precious gem is a treasure that's best kept hidden away!"

Bai Ling raised her eyebrows, reached out and slammed the lid shut, then picked up the box and made as if to leave.

"No, no, no!"

Zhou Feng quickly reached out and grabbed her arm, but he didn't dare to use too much force, for fear that if they pulled on each other, they would drop the precious thing.

"Comrade Bai Ling, don't be anxious! I'm just... I'm just dazzled by this treasure and can't believe it!"

"Hmph! Now you know it's a treasure? Didn't you just doubt it was real?"

This is a treasure selected by the expert group invited by Sun Yue, how could it be a fake?

"Look at you! Really? Anything sent by you, Comrade Bai Ling, is a heartfelt gift! I must accept it and treasure it!"

"No way! A fake wouldn't meet your standards, Comrade Zhou Feng. I'll take it home and keep it for myself!"

"Oh dear! I was wrong! I was wrong, okay? Comrade Bai Ling, you have a sharp eye! What you sent must be a rare treasure! Tell me, what do you want to exchange it for? As long as I have it, I'll give it to you without hesitation!"

Sure enough, one's values ​​follow one's looks; good temper is reserved for beautiful women. Coupled with this valuable treasure, it made Zhou Feng, a burly man from Heilongjiang Province who was over 1.8 meters tall, shamelessly approach him again.

Bai Ling didn't continue to act coy, and her feigned anger dissipated. Her original purpose in giving the treasure was to deepen their relationship, so how could she go too far?

"Just take these things from your table, and those seeds too. I'll have someone come and take them away later."

These are truly invaluable treasures!

"Hey! These things were originally intended for you! How can you say this is a waste?"

Zhou Feng thumped his chest loudly, then his eyes darted around, and an idea popped into his head: "But... if I just give you the things directly, wouldn't that be a sale? That won't do, it violates policy! Hey, Comrade Bai Ling, can you cook?"

Bai Ling was taken aback by his abrupt change of thought and subconsciously nodded: "I know a little."

"Then it's settled!"

Zhou Feng slapped his thigh, beaming with delight: "Look at me here! I have all the rice and noodles I need, plenty of eggs, and even some juicy pork! From now on, you can cook for me here, and we can eat together. How about that? It's not a business deal anymore, is it?"

Seeing Zhou Feng still happily calculating, Bai Ling couldn't help but roll her eyes: "So you're saying that I gave you a treasure, and not only did I not get any benefit, but I also have to sacrifice myself and be your cook every day, right?"

"You can't say that!"

Zhou Feng began to explain in a serious tone, pointing to his own kitchen.

"Look around you, how many families in Beijing these days can compare to me, with piles of rice and flour, saved-up eggs, and hanging pork? It's only because we've shared a life-or-death bond that I'm asking you this! If we team up, I guarantee you'll have meat at every meal!"

Seeing Zhou Feng's serious expression, Bai Ling suddenly fell silent for a few seconds.

What this guy said is actually true. Let alone having meat at every meal, most people in the country are still having a big problem just to fill their stomachs!

Thinking of this, Bai Ling no longer had the mind to banter and joke with Zhou Feng.

She wished she could sprout wings immediately and deliver the documents in her arms, which could potentially change the fate of countless people, to Director Sun!

"Okay! I agree!" Bai Ling made a quick decision. "I'll take these things first, and I'll arrange for someone to come and move the seeds later. Please open the door for me."

"Alright! Don't worry! I'm in a good mood today, so I'll cook for you myself and show off my braised pork skills! Remember to come back early! Starting tomorrow, it'll be your turn to cook!"

Zhou Feng smiled and saw Bai Ling, who was carrying the documents, to the door. He watched her leave in a hurry before humming a little tune and returning home.

Wow, I never expected that I would experience the feeling of waiting for someone to come home for dinner at home first in the world of courtyard houses, and with such a beautiful girl at that!

Our lives are getting better!