Chapter 105: Tao Taozi

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“The bigger, the better,” said Luo the carpenter as he left with his men. Li Ying immediately jumped up, shouting excitedly, “Oh my, what a treasure! We only paid a few hundred yuan, and here we are, such shrewd merchants!”

At that moment, she was even more girlish than a little girl. The bookshelf, full of antique charm, had a perfectly preserved lacquered surface; though there was a hole in the back, it did not diminish its value. It matched the intricately carved bed and the drum-shaped table and stools—a complete set with similar floral patterns and lacquer colors. Among the piles of scrap wood were six carved window panels, richly detailed with flowers, birds, and human figures, lifelike and exquisite. Although their lacquer was not as pristine as the furniture’s—blackened by smoke—their quality was undeniable after a good wipe-down. There were also four finely carved dragon-head spouts, exquisitely detailed and still vivid despite some lacquer peeling after all these years. Thanks to the fine wood, the carvings remained delicate—true works of art.

Le’er’s mouth dropped open in astonishment when she heard this.

“How much are these worth?” she asked.

“You silly girl, all you care about is money,” Li Ying said with a coquettish smile. “These are rare works of art, priceless even if you had the money. I’m no antiques dealer, so I can’t estimate their value, but you definitely made a good deal.”

Hearing this, Le’er happily touched everything, barely able to contain her joy.

“What use is that rusty old copper pot you bought?” Le’er questioned. “I’ll clean it up; a little scouring pad will make it shine. Let’s see.”

“Don’t you dare wipe it,” Li Ying hurriedly shielded the pot. “If you do, it’ll lose its value.”

“Really? Is it that precious?” Le’er was puzzled. “If it stays dull and grimy, it looks awful.”

“You don’t understand,” Li Ying explained. “That copper pot is at least a hundred years old. The patterns on it are beautiful, but you can’t scrub it with a scouring pad, especially the verdigris—that green patina shouldn’t be removed. I know how to care for it—it’s a treasure.”

She held the copper pot in one hand and hugged six thread-bound books tightly in the other.

“What about those old books? Are they treasures too?”

“Of course,” Li Ying said cheerfully. “They were printed during the Kangxi era. That family must have had scholars once, but sadly, the other books were burned.”

Le’er didn’t understand much but trusted Li Ying’s enthusiasm—they must be valuable. He began gently wiping the bookshelf with a soft cloth. After Li Ying placed the copper pot and books inside the room, she too started cleaning. With their efforts, the bookshelf’s true colors emerged—the bright red lacquer gleamed so vividly it reflected their images.

Though the bookshelf bore no carvings, its curves were intricate, lines clean and simple, the design ancient and understated. It was adorned with brass clasps, corners, and rings, all engraved with floral motifs.

Once dry, Li Ying carefully polished it again with a dry cloth, inside and out, until it was spotless, lacquer gleaming like new, brass fittings shining. The carved window panels were moved into the courtyard, placed where rain wouldn’t reach, then covered with plastic sheeting for the time being. They were not cleaned yet as there was nowhere to store them afterward. The dragon head spouts would be sawed off and stored after Luo the carpenter returned; they remained untouched for now.

“All done. I’m hungry—time to cook,” Le’er said as they washed their hands. “Tonight, we’ll have wild pheasant. I’ll call Director Feng over; she’s probably never tasted wild pheasant before.”

“Can’t we just keep the pheasant alive?” Li Ying looked at the bird’s beautiful feathers, reluctant to kill it. “Such a pretty creature—it’s cruel to eat it.”

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“Hey, what do you mean, ‘keep it alive’?” Le’er laughed. “There are plenty of wild pheasants up the mountain here. No matter how pretty, they’re food. Their flavor beats any farm-raised chicken—it’s a real delicacy.”

Wild pheasants are sold in markets too, but those are all farmed. None compare to the truly wild birds of the mountains, running free and flying high. Li Ying couldn’t argue and called Feng Shuya.

Feng Shuya agreed enthusiastically.

Le’er first slaughtered and plucked the pheasant, soaking it in clear water for half an hour. Then he stir-fried it briefly in a hot wok with sliced ginger and cut scallions before steaming it with the aromatics.

Of course, that wasn’t the only dish. Le’er also prepared cured dog meat, though he didn’t dare tell the two girls what it was—many girls refuse to eat dog meat. After washing the cured meat, he simmered it until tender, rinsed it again, sliced it thinly, then stewed it briefly in the wok, drained the excess broth, and stir-fried it with scallions, filling the air with its fragrance. The two girls, originally chatting over tea, were drawn out by the aroma.

“Smells so good,” they said.

“Heh… it tastes even better,” Le’er chuckled.

Besides these two meat dishes, there were three vegetable dishes: stir-fried shredded carrots, stir-fried bok choy, and spinach egg soup.

“Dinner’s ready!” Le’er announced.

He set the steaming dishes on the table. The two girls’ appetites were immediately whetted by the fragrance.

“First, have some pheasant soup—it’s an absolute beauty tonic,” Le’er joked. “Pretty girls will have even more radiant skin after drinking it.”

The two beauties shot him playful, reproachful glances but each ladled a small spoonful into their bowls and tasted.

“So fresh, so fragrant,” they said in unison.

“Here, have some rice wine,” Le’er offered, pouring a cup for each. The rice wine was mild and tasty. Le’er drank four cups, while the two girls sipped just a little, their faces blooming like flowers, eyes sparkling like water.

The delicious meal left them all smiling happily, though by the end, they still had no idea what kind of meat the fragrant cured dish was.

“What is this meat?” Feng Shuya asked. “It smells wonderful.”

“Wild rabbit… cured. Delicious. We’ll have it again next time,” Le’er lied. He dared not admit it was dog meat, having learned that neither Feng Shuya nor Li Ying ate dog meat. He didn’t want to upset the two ladies. “When it snows, I’ll get some more wild rabbits and pheasants.”

The conversation flowed easily, and before they knew it, evening had fallen. Le’er and Li Ying accompanied Feng Shuya home, arranging to visit Tao Taizi, daughter of Tao Shiliang, in the city the next day.

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Tao Taizi worked as a regular clerk in the Municipal Party Committee’s Confidential Section. At thirty-seven, she had little chance of promotion, but a harmonious family and stable job left her content. Feng Shuya, familiar with the Municipal Committee, quickly found Tao Taizi through mutual acquaintances.

Her contact was Deputy Director Yao, a young man who worked in the Party Committee Office. Tao Taizi was one of his subordinates.

“Taizi, someone’s here to see you,” Director Yao said as he led them into the Confidential Section.

Tao Taizi straightened up and looked at the three visitors.

“Sister Tao, don’t you recognize me?” Le’er smiled, stepping forward. “I’m Sha Le’er.”

“Sha Le’er, you’ve grown so tall! I remember you as a little rascal,” Tao Taizi chuckled warmly. “Sit down quickly. I heard you’ve made it big—you’re a boss now.”

Le’er and the others sat on the benches. Director Yao took the opportunity to invite Feng Shuya to lunch, suggesting Tao Taizi join as well. Feng Shuya declined with a wave, telling him to leave them alone.

Seeing two beautiful young ladies brought personally by Director Yao, who left at a wave of Feng’s hand, Tao Taizi realized these were no ordinary visitors. A woman with simple rural roots herself, she was always warm to fellow country folk, but especially so to Sha Le’er and Feng Shuya, whose status was evidently special.

“Sis, are you about to finish work?” Le’er asked over tea.

“Yes, just over ten minutes left,” Tao Taizi replied.

“Call my brother-in-law. I’ll treat you all to a meal,” Le’er said naturally, no longer the rustic country boy she once was, her smile radiant. “I haven’t seen him for years and want to catch up.”

“That won’t do,” Tao Taizi shook her head. “You rarely come to the city; I should be the one treating you.”

“Tao Jie, don’t be so polite,” Feng Shuya smiled. “Especially don’t be polite with Sha Le’er—he’s a big boss now. His company registration alone was 1.5 million yuan. We’ll never earn that on a lifetime of salaries. If we don’t eat at his expense, whose will we eat?”

“That’s not quite right…” Tao Taizi began.

“Sis, just let me treat you once. Don’t embarrass me,” Le’er insisted.

Seeing Sha Le’er so determined, Tao Taizi couldn’t refuse in the office. She called her husband at the TV station, who readily agreed.

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