"Left, second room."
Following the man's instructions through the earpiece, Shen Qingqing easily found her way to Gao Qi's bedroom.
The room was painted in a sky-blue color, matching the bedsheets and comforter. Various medical books were scattered on the desk, and a collection of model racing cars filled a shelf nearby.
A large floor-to-ceiling window allowed moonlight to stream in, bathing the room in a warm, cozy glow.
However, as she casually wiped the desk, Shen Qingqing discovered a layer of dust.
It seemed Gao Qi hadn't been back in a long time.
"Gao Qi really went to great lengths to hide the ledger," she murmured with a light laugh.
He didn't live here, yet he'd hidden the ledger in this room to avoid detection. Who would suspect that someone who had broken ties with his family would hide something at home?
But with a stepmother like this in the house, it wasn't entirely safe.
If it were her, she might hide it here, but only in a place within this room that she considered absolutely secure and undetectable.
So, for Gao Qi, what was an absolutely secure place?
Her gaze slowly drifted to the large shelf.
Gao Qi's extensive collection of model cars indicated his passion for racing. Yet, these items were typically valuable only to those who loved them.
To those who didn't, they held no value.
This was the only place Gao Qi's stepmother would likely not investigate.
She moved closer to examine the shelf. It was large, with many compartments. A glass front covered the models, and a faint layer of dust coated the glass as well.
She didn't rush to touch anything, but observed carefully.
From the outside, the shelf appeared ordinary, with no distinguishing features. Had she miscalculated?
"Jing Shu, did you check the shelf last time?"
"Mm."
Fu Jing Shu hadn't opened it then, to avoid leaving any traces, but he had observed it closely and found nothing unusual.
Shen Qingqing pondered for a moment. "It seems this is the only way."
She reached out and fiddled with the lock. A puff of dust fell. The lock looked old, and she wondered where Gao Qi had found it.
However, for her, it was quite easy to pick.
Taking a black hairpin from her hair, she bent it open and inserted it into the keyhole. As she twisted, she listened intently to the sounds within the lock.
With a soft "click," the lock sprang open. She opened her eyes, gently pulled with her left hand, and the lock came off. Removing it, she finally pulled open the door, revealing the model cars within.
She quickly scanned every corner of the shelf.
Finding no anomalies, the inside of the shelf was spotless, containing only the models.
No, it couldn't be this simple. If he wanted to hide it, it would be more discreet, especially since the contents were visible through the glass.
Perhaps...
A glint flashed in her eyes as she crouched down to examine the very bottom of the shelf.
If something were to be hidden, it would only be here. The top and sides of the shelf were thin panels, unlikely to conceal a ledger.
But the bottom was thick, about five centimeters deep.
She ran her fingers along the corners, feeling for anything unusual. She then tried to remove the model cars. The first few came off smoothly, but the last one suddenly wouldn't budge.
It was as if the model was glued in place.
She tried to twist it, but it wouldn't move.
Wasn't it this one?
No!
She looked at the model in her hand and then at the one stuck to the shelf. They were almost identical, differing only in color.
Upon closer inspection, she noticed the steering wheels were different.
One was round, the other square.
She slipped a finger through the car window and gently pressed the steering wheel. With a slight push, a "click" echoed.
The wooden panel at the bottom of the model suddenly popped up.
She lifted the panel, revealing a hidden compartment. Inside lay a black notebook. She opened it.
It was indeed the ledger!
She put the ledger away, replaced all the other models, locked the door, and wiped the fingerprints from the lock.
This way, even if someone discovered something amiss and reported it, they wouldn't find anything. Moreover, besides Dr. Gao, no one knew of the ledger's existence.
With the item secured, she turned to leave. Just as she reached the doorway, something occurred to her. She turned back to the desk and took a medical book.
The book was about one-third of the way through, with annotations.
She had noticed it earlier – it was a rare edition. This meant that after leaving home, Gao Qi had never been able to finish reading it.
Everything had gone smoothly. All she needed to do now was leave and get back to the car.
But as she stepped out, she came face-to-face with Madam Gao, who was emerging from a room, her eyes still heavy with sleep. Seeing Shen Qingqing, she suddenly jolted awake and screamed, "Help! We have a thief!"
Shen Qingqing didn't have time to cover her mouth. She needed to escape, but it was too late, as she saw security guards rushing up the stairs.
A group of men surrounded her.
The door behind Madam Gao opened, and a middle-aged man in pajamas stepped out. His expression darkened upon seeing Shen Qingqing. "What's going on?"
Madam Gao snorted, "What's going on? We have a thief! Call the police."
Mr. Gao observed Shen Qingqing, his gaze lingering on her attire. "Excuse me, madam, why have you trespassed into our home?"
"Old Gao, why are you wasting your breath? Just call the police. She'll tell the truth at the station!"
Madam Gao found Shen Qingqing utterly displeasing.
Shen Qingqing raised an eyebrow. "Madam Gao, I haven't offended you, have I?"
Why was she so intent on sending her to the police station?
"You broke into my house in the middle of the night. Do you think you haven't offended me?" Madam Gao instructed the guards, "Call the police immediately and keep an eye on her until they arrive. Don't let her escape. Old Gao, you've had a long day and are tired, you should go back and rest."
As she spoke, she began to escort Mr. Gao back to their room.
Her hasty demeanor struck Shen Qingqing as suspicious. "Madam Gao, why the rush? Are you afraid I'll say something you don't want Mr. Gao to hear?"
Madam Gao retorted angrily, "What nonsense are you talking about?"
This attitude further solidified Shen Qingqing's suspicion. She addressed Madam Gao, and also the man in her ear: "Mr. Gao wasn't here last time my husband visited, was he?"
"No."
The reply from the earpiece was swift.
But Madam Gao was less accommodating. She snapped, "Why are you asking that? I already had you people look around last time. Even if you are Gao Qi's friends, you can't come to our house causing trouble repeatedly, let alone sneaking in late at night. I think you have ulterior motives. I truly don't understand what Gao Qi is thinking, befriending people like you!"
Mr. Gao's expression was inscrutable. "Did Gao Qi send you?"
"Yes."
"What did he send you to do?" Mr. Gao's expression was complex, a mixture of anger and disappointment. "Does he still have me, his father, in his heart?"