PFC Chapter 232 The Item in the Box
Chapter 232 The Item in the Box
Chapter 232 What’s in the Box
As darkness fell, the three of them continued their nonsensical conversation, unable to find common ground.
Seeing that they couldn't get anything out of Grandpa Zeng, the two had no choice but to give up and turn to leave.
Unexpectedly, at this moment, Grandpa Zeng, who had been lying in the chair and talking incoherently, suddenly opened his eyes and said out of the blue, "Fu Family Village."
The three words, spoken clearly and precisely, made the two of them pause, and their steps came to an instant halt.
They turned their heads and saw Grandpa Zeng struggling to sit up from his chair.
He leaned on his cane and stood up unsteadily. His cloudy eyes swept across the air before slowly landing on the two of them, his gaze intense yet meaningful.
Although his movements were still slow and inconvenient, he looked much more energetic and clear-headed than before.
Grandpa Zeng didn't ask about their origins or purpose. He just gave them a deep look before turning around and going into the house with faltering steps.
A hoarse voice echoed in the empty courtyard, drifting into their ears—
"follow me."
Xie Yan and Chu Ling exchanged a glance and, without saying a word, walked into the house at the same time.
The two followed Grandpa Zeng through the courtyard and finally stopped in front of a side room.
The old wooden door was pushed open, and he went in first, lighting the candlesticks on the table.
The flames flickered, and the candlelight slowly brightened, gradually making the scene inside the room clearer in the dim light.
The side room was small, and the furnishings were very simple. Apart from a table and chairs, there were only a few bookshelves filled with books.
This place had clearly been untouched for a long time; not only was there a strong smell of dust in the air, but the ground and bookshelves were also covered with a thick layer of dust.
"Where was that thing...?"
Grandpa Zeng picked up the candlestick and walked over to the bookshelves, where he painstakingly searched through the books.
Thick dust was kicked up and floated in the air.
Although he moved slowly, he searched very carefully and meticulously, leaving no corner unchecked.
Xie and Chu wanted to help, but Grandpa Zeng ignored them completely, not even sparing them a glance.
The two had no choice but to give up for the time being and stand aside quietly watching.
Time passed slowly, and it wasn't until half an incense stick had burned that a slight movement finally came.
However, the noise did not come from Grandpa Zeng, but from a woman's voice coming from the outer room.
"Grandpa..."
A pretty young woman walked in from the outer room. Just as she was about to say something, she looked up and unexpectedly met the eyes of two strangers.
The woman stopped in her tracks.
Her face stiffened, and she took two steps back warily, her eyes fixed on the two men. "Who are you? What are you doing in my house?!"
It seems that this young woman must be Grandpa Zeng's granddaughter, Zeng Xiaocui.
"Young lady, there's no need to be afraid."
Xie Yan immediately stepped forward, smiled slightly at Zeng Xiaocui, and casually made up a story: "Old Master Zeng once taught us—"
Before he could finish speaking, Zeng Xiaocui interrupted him rudely, saying coldly, "Grandpa stopped teaching decades ago. How could you, at your age, possibly be his students?"
“…Our father.” Xie Yan completed her sentence without changing her expression.
"So we came here today to visit the old gentleman on behalf of our father."
Upon hearing this, Zeng Xiaocui's doubts not only did not diminish, but intensified. She even took a step forward, as if she would immediately run out to call for help if the two gave different answers.
She gave a sarcastic sneer, "Coming to visit empty-handed?"
Xie Yan: "..."
Another miscalculation.
Actually, I still have some leftovers from yesterday—
Xie Yan was unable to finish her sentence this time because Chu Ling grabbed her waist and stopped her from taking something out of her clothes pocket.
Who we are is not important.
Chu Ling's expression was serious yet gentle.
He looked back with a deep gaze and said meaningfully, "The important thing is that we have no ill intentions and can even help you."
His voice was steady and powerful, and for some reason, it also carried a subtle air of authority that commanded respect.
Zeng Xiaocui fell silent, her suspicious gaze shifting back and forth between the two of them.
Especially after lingering on someone's waist and the hand resting on it for a long time, he turned his head away with a cold expression and said, "We don't need your help with anything."
Despite saying that, she didn't press the matter further and turned back to the study.
"Grandpa, what are you looking for? Let me help you find it."
Even though there was quite a commotion outside, Grandpa Zeng in the study remained completely oblivious.
He was still holding the candlestick, searching through the bookshelf again and again.
"Fu Family Village, Fu Family..."
Grandpa Zeng's mouth never stopped moving as he muttered under his breath, "That box, the black wooden box..."
"A black wooden box?"
Zeng Xiaocui heard what he said clearly, pondered for a moment, and then suddenly seemed to remember something, and walked directly towards the bookshelf behind her.
Before long, she came back with a black wooden box in her hands and walked slowly to Grandpa Zeng. She said softly, "Grandpa, is this what you're looking for?"
"That's it!"
Upon seeing this item, Grandpa Zeng's face lit up with joy, and his eyes also brightened.
He immediately dropped his cane, eagerly took the wooden box, and vigorously brushed away the dust from it.
Under the watchful eyes of several people, inside the opened box lay an object tightly wrapped in oil paper.
However, Grandpa Zeng did not continue. After confirming that the contents were still inside, he placed the wooden box, along with the contents, into Xie Yan's hands.
After completing this action, as if he had exhausted all his energy, Grandpa Zeng suddenly staggered and was about to fall to the ground.
"Grandpa!" Zeng Xiaocui, who witnessed the scene, couldn't help but exclaim.
Fortunately, Chu Ling reacted quickly and stepped forward to catch the person in time.
Zeng Xiaocui glanced gratefully at Chu Ling, then quickly stepped forward to help her grandfather to a chair and asked with concern, "Grandpa, are you alright?"
But the person in front of me answered—
"who are you?"
The other three people present suddenly stopped moving.
When Grandpa Zeng, who had just been lucid, raised his head again, his eyes were already filled with confusion, and he had returned to his previous state.
"Who are you? Where is Musheng? Where is my son?"
He glanced at Zeng Xiaocui, who was holding him tightly, then turned his head and looked around, as if searching for the person named Musheng.
As Grandpa Zeng called out, Zeng Xiaocui's face was slowly enveloped in a deep sorrow.
With tears in her eyes, she choked out, "Grandpa, it's me, Xiao Cui... Don't call me that anymore, Father is gone."
"Where is Musheng? Where is Musheng?"
But Grandpa Zeng couldn't hear what she was saying at all. He kept asking questions relentlessly and even started to struggle.
Seeing this, Xie Yan and Chu Ling decided to step forward to help.
But before he could take more than a few steps forward, Zeng Xiaocui stopped him in his tracks.
She wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, her tone hardening again, "Now that you've gotten what you wanted, please leave as soon as possible and don't bother us anymore!"