Courtyard Houses: From Families of Martyrs and Orphans to Giants of the Times

Early the next morning.

The sky was just beginning to lighten.

Lin Jian'an then woke up.

To be precise.

I was woken up by a system notification.

[Dongcheng District Scrap Metal Station: High-Value Items to Appear Soon]

This sentence.

It hung in his heart like a hook all night.

"The system specifically reminded me."

"That's definitely not an ordinary thing."

He put on his cotton-padded coat.

Step onto the kang (heated brick bed) quietly.

Yi Xiulan was still asleep.

My health has improved considerably recently.

My complexion has gradually improved.

At least he doesn't look sickly like he did a while ago.

Lin Jian'an added a piece of coal to the stove.

Then boil water again.

Only then did he quietly leave the house.

The alleyways are especially quiet in winter.

You can still see people shoveling snow by the roadside.

Many workers went to work.

He was already riding his bicycle towards the steel rolling mill.

In this day and age.

Able to afford a bicycle.

That's definitely a respectable person.

"I'll get one eventually."

Lin Jian'an muttered to himself.

However, he is now more concerned about the scrap yard.

After half an hour.

Dongcheng District Waste Recycling Station.

This one is bigger than the last one.

Upon entering.

It was just a yard full of dilapidated things.

Scrap iron.

Old furniture.

Bad book.

Bottles and jars were piled up everywhere.

There was also a musty smell in the air.

The old gatekeeper was sunbathing by the doorway.

I saw Lin Jian'an.

I'm too lazy to even lift my eyelids.

"Child."

"Go collect the scraps at the back."

"I'm just browsing."

"Don't flip through it."

"Pay me if you damage it."

"understood."

Lin Jian'an verbally agreed.

But I was already secretly delighted.

this kind of place.

The more chaotic it is, the easier it is to find a bargain.

really.

I had only taken a couple of steps inside.

The system notification started ringing.

[Qing Dynasty porcelain shards detected]

[Value: 3 points]

[A bronze incense burner from the Republic of China era was detected]

[Value: 5 points]

……

Although neither is high.

But the quantity was too large.

Lin Jian'an looked around.

I was filled with emotion.

In this day and age.

Treasures are everywhere.

a lot of things.

If it were sold in later generations, it could fetch hundreds of thousands at auction.

Now it's just thrown away like trash.

However, he didn't rush to pick them up.

Because the system was referring to "high-value items".

A real bulk shipment.

It definitely hasn't appeared yet.

really.

I just got to the very back.

The system suddenly started flashing wildly.

High-value target detected!

[Items from an unusual era have been detected!]

Lin Jian'an's heart skipped a beat.

Look in that direction.

In the corner, all I could see was...

There was a pile of broken wood.

There were also waste newspapers piled on top.

It looks particularly unremarkable.

Systematic red light.

It came from down there.

"Is the good stuff down there?"

He immediately went over.

I just peeled back the newspaper.

next second.

My breath caught in my throat for a moment.

Wooden box.

An old-fashioned carved wooden box.

The corners of the box are already cracked.

It was covered in dust.

But that wood grain...

Lin Jian'an was too familiar with this from his previous life.

"Huanghuali?!"

He almost shouted it out.

Quickly squat down and take a closer look.

The more I look at it, the more alarmed I become.

This is not an ordinary wooden box at all.

Instead, it was an old-fashioned official box.

And it is most likely from the Qing Dynasty.

"System check!"

[Ming Dynasty Huanghuali Official Chest]

Completeness: 78%

Current value: 420 points

[Special Assessment: Extremely High Collectible Value]

Four hundred and twenty!

Lin Jian'an's heart started pounding wildly.

This is the biggest leak to date!

and.

The system has given it "extremely high collectible value" for the first time.

This shows that this thing is really something special.

The most outrageous.

It's currently being used as a piece of broken wood and pressed down on.

"calm……"

"Don't get agitated..."

Lin Jian'an desperately suppressed his emotions.

At times like these, it's best to avoid showing your face.

He deliberately feigned a disgusted expression.

"This old box is still usable."

Then he turned and shouted towards the door.

"uncle!"

"Will you sell this piece of junk?"

The old gatekeeper glanced at it.

"that?"

"Um."

"Take it if you want."

"Two cents."

"Two cents?!"

Lin Jian'an almost burst out laughing inside.

Things like later generations.

They fetch astronomical prices at any auction.

The result is now.

Two cents.

He suppressed his excitement.

Intentionally haggling.

"How about one cent?"

The old man immediately rolled his eyes.

"You're quite the schemer."

"Okay, okay, okay."

"Take it, take it."

Lin Jian'an didn't say a word.

He immediately took out his money.

I was afraid that if I was even a second too slow, the other party would change their mind.

Just as we were about to move.

A voice suddenly sounded behind me.

"etc."

Lin Jian'an's heart tightened immediately.

Looking back.

He was a middle-aged man who wore glasses.

He was wearing a cadre's cotton-padded jacket.

He was also holding a briefcase in his hand.

They look like people from cultural institutions.

The key is.

The system lights up as well.

[Detecting Special Individuals]

[Occupation: Cultural Relics Researcher]

[Danger Level: Low]

Lin Jian'an's heart skipped a beat.

broken.

I ran into a competitor.

really.

The man had already walked over.

Push up his glasses.

His gaze fell on the box.

"Young comrade."

"Let me see this box."

Lin Jian'an became wary.

But he pretended to be stupid on the surface.

"A broken box."

"What's so interesting about it?"

The man squatted down.

I took a closer look.

His eyes had clearly changed.

Although he wasn't sure.

But his intuition told him otherwise.

This thing is not simple.

"This box."

I'll pay 50 cents.

"How about you sell it to me?"

The old gatekeeper next to him immediately widened his eyes.

"50 cents?!"

"I should have kept it myself!"

Lin Jian'an was secretly pleased.

really.

This person knows their stuff.

But how could he possibly sell it?

"I won't sell it for even five dollars."

"I'm installing things in my house."

Done.

He simply picked up the box.

He turned and left.

The man was clearly getting anxious.

"Young comrade!"

"Wait a minute!"

"You've got no use for this!"

"I can pay more!"

Lin Jian'an quickened his pace.

joke.

This is a future treasure.

Selling now?

That's ridiculous.

We walked all the way out of the scrap yard.

He finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The next second...

A system notification sounded.

[Host successfully intercepted high-value items]

[Reward: 30 points]

[Enable Feature: Collection Appraisal]

Followed by.

The system interface has been refreshed.

[Current Collection: Huanghuali Official Box]

[Recommendation: Keep this on long-term]

[Future Value Forecast: Extremely High]

Lin Jian'an could barely suppress the smile on his face.

This wave.

They've really struck it rich.

And most importantly.

The system has clearly told him—

Truly top-notch stuff.

Its future value far exceeds the points.

"It seems like the future will bring more possibilities."

"We can't recycle everything."

He is now slowly beginning to understand the system logic.

Ordinary things.

Exchange for points.

A truly top-tier antique.

Keep it for yourself.

The future is the true wealth.

Thinking about this...

He carried the box home.

They had just reached the entrance of the alley.

Then I saw Xu Damao standing there.

The moment I saw him.

Their eyes immediately lit up.

"Yo."

"Jian'an".

"What are you holding?"

Lin Jian'an was speechless.

This thing is like a dog skin plaster.

It's a traffic jam every day.

"A broken box."

I found it at the junkyard.

"A junkyard?"

Xu Damao narrowed his eyes.

recent.

He increasingly felt that Lin Jian'an was problematic.

Especially this kid.

He's always running around outside.

They always bring things back with them.

"let me see."

talking.

He actually reached out to touch it.

Lin Jian'an's face instantly turned cold.

"Don't touch it."

Xu Damao froze.

"Hey."

"It's just a broken box, isn't it?"

"What's your hurry?"

"I'd like to."

Lin Jian'an was too lazy to waste words.

He carried the box and walked directly into the yard.

But the more he does this...

Xu Damao became increasingly suspicious.

"This box..."

There's definitely something wrong.