Jewelry box?
Qin Yize had gotten in touch with An Xiaotong and heard bits of conversation earlier, allowing him to conclude that it must be the jewelry from Du Tian’s mother’s jewelry box that went missing.
A quick inquiry to Du Tian confird his suspicions.
Since he already knew, there was no need to avoid the subject, especially since Qin Yize knew what the items in that jewelry box ant to him.
Du Tian had an apartnt left by his grandmother located about an hour away from here, not very close but also not too far in this city.
Both of Du Tian’s grandparents had passed away, and with no close relatives, Du Tian, always alone, couldn’t bring himself to take away what belonged to his mother.
Moreover, he had a vague reluctance to take it.
Why should he? This was Director Du’s ho, but it was also his and his mother’s ho.
Why should all traces of his mother be wiped clean?
As a child, he was filled with rage, and as he grew older, he beca more open to things, but that didn’t an he was willing to give everything up.
Especially after having a son, when Qin Yize and Gu Qiaoqiao ca to see his newborn son, he had said he wanted to give his son the best in the world.
Perhaps it was a form of transferred compensation, and Qin Yize joked that Du Tian would be a father who spoils his child.
At this mont, however, Du Tian’s face looked terrible.
He had worried about losing them if they were kept in his apartnt, but unexpectedly, even in the old house, in his own ho, they were still gone.
Could the last bit of trust in this family really be about to disappear?
"Du Tian, what all is missing?"
Qin Yize asked softly.
With a somber expression, Du Tian took the box, and Qin Yize didn’t stop him, thinking that the fingerprints inside must already be in complete disorder.
Especially with Du Tian and Director Du’s fingerprints likely being the most prevalent.
Yet Qin Yize still took out a handkerchief from his pocket while Du Tian pointed to the opened red sandalwood box and said with a heavy voice, "I rember clearly; I opened it three years ago and everything was there. This morning was the first ti opening it since, and now two jade pendants, three jade bracelets, and a pair of ruby earrings are missing..."
"Are you sure you haven’t made a mistake?" Director Du asked irritably.
Du Tian raised his head, looked steadily at Director Du, and said, "Dad, I swear in my mother’s na."
"You little rascal, are you trying to make angry?" Director Du fud, "Stop swearing in your mother’s na for no reason. Give her so peace in the afterlife, can you?"
Qin Yize knew that Du Tian hadn’t said this infrequently.
But every ti, wasn’t it because he was forced by Director Du?
Because, unknown since when, Director Du no longer trusted him.
Over the years, Qin Yize hadn’t spent much ti in the Imperial Capital, and whenever he returned, both friends would only share happy news, never the troubles, so he’d no idea what Du Tian had really gone through.
Though he’d glimpsed monts in the endless void, those were fragnted and flashed by, and they only showed what happened after Du Tian’s death.
He’s not an omniscient being; he couldn’t possibly know everything.
So, at this mont, his heart genuinely ached for Du Tian.
Fortunately, this good brother had long since grown up and could live on without a father’s affection and trust.
Du Tian let out a cold laugh, seemingly ready to tear things apart, for this was the one thing he couldn’t tolerate, "Dad, my mom’s favorite jewelry was lost, and I don’t think she’ll be at peace in the afterlife either. As her son, I must retrieve those items."
Director Du furrowed his brow; truthfully, he didn’t actually know what was in that jewelry box.
So naturally, he was half-believing and half-doubting his son’s words.
But then, after a long argunt, his son was insisting on filing a report, so did that an his son’s words were true?
He hesitated.
anwhile, Qin Yize was quietly observing.
The red sandalwood box had layers of compartnts, containing various pieces of jewelry.
There were three gold bracelets with antique designs, clearly pieces from decades ago, along with so gold rings, earrings, and necklaces...
The majority were jade items.
Qin Yize didn’t look at the gold jewelry but instead, with a handkerchief, picked up a jade bracelet from the red sandalwood jewelry box. He then held it up to the light, followed by another jade bracelet, tapping them together to produce a crisp, lodious sound.
The sound was truly beautiful.
Du Tian felt a tremor in his heart, his eyes becoming slightly moist.
As a child, his father was always working overti and not at ho, and while there wasn’t much entertainnt back then, his mother would quietly take out the jewelry box and tap two jade bracelets for him to listen.
The sounds were as crisp and tinkling as they are now.
But his mother had been gone for fourteen years.
Du Yu’s age equaled the number of years since his mother left, ironic that he didn’t even need to rember specifically.
Qin Yize’s brow furrowed slightly; things were becoming complicated.
It should have been simple, but unfortunately, the last ti Du Tian had opened the jewelry box was three years ago; the span of ti was too long, and he had no proof of what was missing—with no register or record inside, Du Tian was unable to prove what was gone.
Moreover, even if he proved it, in three years there had been countless people entering the study, and who to investigate?
This society requires evidence.
And Du Tian, unfortunately, had none, re words weren’t enough.
Qin Yize suddenly squinted his eyes, examining closely, then picked up other items one by one, finally holding a jade pendant and pointing out almost invisible script inside, "Take a look—is there an imperial character here?"
Both Director Du and Du Tian were taken aback.
Du Tian, having already handled it, didn’t hesitate to take the pendant, mimicking Qin Yize, and inspected it against the bright study lamp.
A mont later, he gave up, "Ah Ze, I don’t see anything..."
Qin Yize was puzzled but then understood, realizing his vision differed from others, and Director Du grew curious; he went to the bookshelf, grabbed his magnifying glass after so thought, and handed it to his eldest son.
Du Tian accepted it, giving his father a fleeting glance, suddenly noticing his gray hairs at his temples.
Du Tian furrowed his brow but said nothing, instead using the magnifying glass to carefully examine the jade bracelet.
Then, with a surprised exclamation, he said, "Ah Ze, you’re right, there’s an imperial character..."
"Check the other jade pieces," Director Du hurriedly said before Qin Yize could respond.
Du Tian examined each jade piece, finding so without it, but ninety percent did have it.
What does that an?
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