I placed the freshly brewed hot tea in front of Sister Ying. Looking at the scattered debris on the floor, I intended to grab a broom to clean it up. However, Sister Ying said, "No need to worry about it. Come sit down, I have something to tell you."
Why would Sister Ying smash her own shop like this?
Could it be that she was the one who smashed it last time too?
I couldn't quite understand. Who would go around smashing their own shop for no reason?
"Xiao Fei, I know you have many questions. If you want to know, I can tell you everything."
Sister Ying paused as she spoke, "But you need to be prepared."
"Prepared? Prepared for what?" I asked, confused.
"Originally, some things didn't concern you. But the more you know, the more dangerous it might become for you."
Sister Ying's expression was very serious, not at all like she was joking.
"Sister Ying, if there's anything I can help with, please don't hesitate to ask," I replied.
I meant that from the bottom of my heart, as Sister Ying had treated me very well.
"Are you sure?"
"Sure," I nodded.
Sister Ying let out a breath and after a moment of thought, asked, "What kind of person do you think I am?"
I truly didn't know how to answer this question. After searching my mind, I finally blurted out two words: "A good person."
Upon hearing my assessment, Sister Ying couldn't help but laugh, "Xiao Fei, you're still too young."
Young? You're not much older than me.
I couldn't help but think this to myself, my eyes illicitly glancing at her prominent chest.
"Do you know what a 'Tu Fuzi' is?" Sister Ying asked.
I nodded. "Yes, it's the general term for grave robbers in the Xiangnan region."
Sister Ying nodded and said lightly, "My ancestors were Tu Fuzi."
Although I had already guessed some things, hearing it from Sister Ying still surprised me.
Considering her young age, yet owning so many businesses and knowing some people with questionable backgrounds.
My father used to say, "Nine out of ten collectors are dirty."
This meant that any major collector would have some unsavory dealings.
After all, many antiques were unearthed from graves. How many were truly passed down through generations?
Only antiques buried in graves were less likely to be damaged and could last for centuries.
Seeing that I wasn't overly surprised, Sister Ying asked, "You already suspected?"
I nodded.
Sister Ying gave a wry smile. "It seems you're quite clever... Xiao Fei, to be honest, I don't like your personality at all. You're always hesitant and timid in your actions. If you put it nicely, it's called introverted; if you put it bluntly, it's cowardice."
I was taken aback by her assessment.
"At your age, you should be more assertive. And you are a capable person. A capable person who isn't assertive will miss many opportunities."
Sister Ying continued, "At your current age, you need opportunities. I don't know your purpose in Guangling, but you must understand that whatever you do, opportunities are earned, not waited for like waiting for a rabbit to run into a stump."
These words made me fall into deep thought.
Sister Ying's words were not without reason. However, I was afraid of following in my father's footsteps.
But thinking about it carefully, if I continued to stay here, poring over that cryptic notebook every day, when would I be able to avenge my father? When would I be able to uncover "that matter" that my father had been preoccupied with his entire life?
I took a deep breath and said, "Sister Ying, you're right. Opportunities must be pursued, not given."
Sister Ying smiled faintly. "It's good that you've thought it through. I'll give you an opportunity now. Whether you seize it depends on your choice."
"What opportunity?" I asked.
"Find something."
Before I could understand what Sister Ying wanted to find, she took me away from Hongyuan.
She drove me to a factory on the outskirts. This factory had clearly ceased operations.
As we arrived at the entrance, the security guard greeted Sister Ying and let our car through.
The car stopped in front of a factory building, and Sister Ying gestured for me to get out.
She then used a key to unlock the large padlock on the main gate and pushed it open. Inside the vast factory, wooden crates were stacked high.
A few wooden crates had already been opened. I glimpsed that they were all filled with Zisha teapots.
"This used to be a clothing factory, and I bought it later to use as a warehouse," Sister Ying said.
The scale of this factory was not small. Buying such a factory must have cost a considerable amount of money.
"The Zisha teapots in the shop were all brought from here," Sister Ying added.
So that's why these Zisha teapots looked so familiar.
But where did all these Zisha teapots come from?
Sister Ying turned to me, "Xiao Fei, the item I'm looking for is hidden among these Zisha teapots. Can you help me find it?"
"What item?" I was a bit bewildered.
"A map."
"A map?"
I couldn't quite grasp how a map could be hidden in a Zisha teapot.
Now I finally understood why Sister Ying had smashed things in the shop without a word.
Sister Ying walked out of the warehouse, took her personal bag from the car, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and then began to tell me the story.
Years ago, her father and her fourth uncle had entered a tomb and brought out a treasure map.
They didn't know what the treasure map contained, but it was certainly significant.
So, they had made a replica of the map and destroyed the original.
At that time, Sister Ying's second uncle was a craftsman specializing in Zisha teapots. Sister Ying's father suggested that he engrave the map onto Zisha teapots and hide them. As for how he would engrave it, Sister Ying didn't know.
"The night before my father was admitted to the intensive care unit, he told me about this," Sister Ying said. "If this treasure map is not found, my father and my fourth uncle will both die..."
"Both die?"
Sister Ying nodded gravely, "Because they have both been poisoned by gu."
I was somewhat dumbfounded, "Sister Ying, what you're talking about, gu, is...?"
"Gu poison, a type of witchcraft from the Miao region. I've had many experts examine my father, but none of them could figure it out..."
Sister Ying slowly exhaled a plume of smoke. "To be honest, I never believed in gu poison before. But with things having escalated to this point, there are some things I have to accept even if I don't believe them. If the map isn't found, my father and fourth uncle will both die..."
If these words hadn't come from Sister Ying, I wouldn't have believed them at all.
"Xiao Fei, can you do me this favor?" Sister Ying's eyes revealed a hint of vulnerability.
I took a deep breath and said, "Sister Ying, don't worry, I will definitely help you!"
She showed a smile, her face filled with gratitude, "Thank you, Xiao Fei."
For some reason, every time I saw Sister Ying smile, my heart felt happy.
I said, "Sister Ying, you don't need to be so polite. I will definitely help you find the item!"