Chapter 440 - 214: The Duan Family is So Incredibly Rich

Chapter 440: Chapter 214: The Duan Family is So Incredibly Rich

"Just leave it there. Fei can take Yuyan to deposit it later," Mrs. Qiu said casually.

"Just put it on that chair. I’ll deposit it later when I have a moment," Duan Yu Yan said, pointing to the official’s hat chair in the study.

"Alright." Zhou Yan carried the burlap sack inside, placed it gently on the chair, and asked, "Want to count it?"

"No need. If you say it’s ten thousand, then it’s ten thousand." Duan Yu Yan smiled and shook her head. "You two can chat. I’m going to take Momo out for a stroll."

"Alright," Zhou Yan nodded.

The ten thousand yuan they had so carefully escorted all the way to the Qiu Mansion was just left casually on a chair, with no one even bothering to open the bag and take a look.

’This, I suppose, is the gap between people.’

’The Duan Family was just too wealthy!’

"I’ve already moved most of my favorite things to the Duan Mansion. The furniture and other items still here are all for you now," Mrs. Qiu said with a beaming smile. "This desk, for instance, was left to us by my grandfather. It’s been passed down for several generations. I’ve noticed your calligraphy is quite good. You’ve practiced, haven’t you?"

"I’ve just been tracing copybooks on my own. Compared to you, I’m worlds apart," Zhou Yan said, a little embarrassed.

"The top shelf has rubbings of famous inscriptions and copybooks. If you’re interested, you can use them for practice. The rest are antique books and other volumes I’ve collected over the years. You’re welcome to keep any that interest you. The ones you don’t want, you can send to Wang Yu. His library still has a few empty shelves, so there’s more than enough room for them all." Mrs. Qiu’s gaze shifted to the bookshelf, her expression softening.

"These are far too valuable! They’re all classics from your personal collection over many years. How could I possibly accept them?" Zhou Yan quickly waved his hands in refusal.

"What does it matter if I’ve treasured them for years? If I take them to Xiangjiang, they’ll just end up in another pretty bookcase, gathering dust on a high shelf." Mrs. Qiu shook her head slightly, her eyes on Zhou Yan. "Wang Yu told me you often borrow books from the library and have kept up a reading habit. So many young people nowadays only think about making money; it’s rare to find someone who can settle down with a book. If you can browse through these from time to time, then they will have realized their true worth."

Zhou Yan stood up straighter, his posture earnest. "It would be disrespectful to refuse, yet I feel unworthy to accept. I will be sure to preserve these books well and read them often to learn from them."

"Good." Mrs. Qiu nodded. She then added, "This inkstone... it was a gift from an old friend twenty years ago. He was a magnanimous and kind-hearted man. I see a bit of him in you, so I’d like to give it to you, if you’ll have it."

"I would be honored," Zhou Yan said at once.

Mrs. Qiu walked out of the study.

Zhou Yan followed, a step behind her.

"Most of the household items have been moved. What’s left is some furniture that’s still in pretty good condition. I thought you might find it useful, so I left it behind. When you move in, you can keep what you like and get rid of the rest as you see fit."

"You see that set of official’s hat chairs? I actually found them the year before last. Who knows what happened to the Qiu Family’s original set—someone probably chopped it up for firewood. To be honest, that old set wasn’t even in as good condition as this one."

"That square table for eight is quite old. It’s made of Huanghuali wood. There’s another one at the Duan Family’s Old Mansion, so I’ll leave this one for your family to use for meals. It’s very heavy and sturdy—it’s been used for decades and is still in one piece."

"That wardrobe is inlaid with mother-of-pearl. My mother had a craftsman make it for me years ago. It still looks presentable in a bedroom. If you like it, keep it. If not, just have someone send it over to the Duan Family’s Old Mansion."

...

As they walked, the old woman pointed out one thing after another to Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan’s mouth hung slightly open, never quite closing.

’A bookcase full of ancient texts! A Huanghuali wood table for eight! A large wardrobe covered in mother-of-pearl inlay! A complete set of mahogany official’s hat chairs and a matching tea table!’

’My God!’

’He couldn’t even begin to imagine the sheer value of the heirlooms the old woman was leaving for him!’

’When other people sold a pre-owned house, they’d take all the good things and leave the useless old furniture for the next person.’ 𝖿𝖗ⅇℴ𝑚

’But Mrs. Qiu was different. She took her personal favorites, then left behind a complete set of high-quality furniture that she thought they could use.’

’In his original plan, ten thousand yuan was just supposed to buy the land in a decent location.’

Zhou Yan walked beside her, looking at the old woman. Her back was ramrod straight, her hair streaked with white, yet she remained as elegant as ever. He couldn’t help but feel a stir in his heart.

’What a wonderful person. She deserved to be treated with kindness her whole life.’

Mrs. Qiu stopped and turned to Zhou Yan, asking gently, "Now that you’ve bought this courtyard, are you planning to restore and renovate it? Or will you tear it down and rebuild?"