Boss Qianâs eyes flickered as he spoke softly, "Yes, thereâs no choice. Blood ties bind them; the children followed their second uncle to arrange their fatherâs funeral. I didnât go; I pretend I donât have this son. Besides, my grandson and granddaughter are now fatherless and motherless. Iâm getting old, and I must consider their future more..."
Gu Qiaoqiao and Boss Xu exchanged a glance, it seemed they really had nothing to do with the One-Eyed Dragon.
Thereâs no use asking further, especially since they werenât in a position to ask too many questions.
Gu Qiaoqiao sighed helplessly, leaning back as she placed her hand on the armrest of the wicker chair. A chilly sensation suddenly came from it, startling Gu Qiaoqiao, causing her to quickly remove her hand.
Fortunately, Gu Qiaoqiao had experienced many storms, so no one noticed her peculiar reaction.
But when she removed her hand, that eerie feeling vanished, as if it was just a illusion.
What was going on?
Gu Qiaoqiao remained still, her expression calm. Boss Xu was probing Boss Qian, but Boss Qian, being cunning and sly, was thorough, not allowing Boss Xu to gain any advantage.
Naturally, both were completely focused, so no one was watching Gu Qiaoqiaoâs expression.
Thus, Gu Qiaoqiao steadied herself and placed her hand back on the armrest.
Yet, when Gu Qiaoqiao put her hand there, the feeling returned.
What kind of feeling was it? It reminded Gu Qiaoqiao of what she had discovered under the Old Locust Tree in Gu Garden.
That eerie feeling was the same.
The kind that makes your hair stand on end, causing heart-pounding fear.
Gu Qiaoqiaoâs red lips pursed tightly; she placed her hand back on the armrest of the wicker chair. This time, she didnât move it. Instead, she looked around the room and asked offhandedly, "I see thereâs no light on in the main room; is there no one at home?"
Boss Qian nodded, "No one, just me and the children live here."
Seeing Gu Qiaoqiaoâs attempt at small talk made Boss Xu somewhat puzzled, but he still cooperatively picked up on her comments.
He continued chatting with Boss Qian.
Boss Qianâs eyes briefly showed a hint of impatience, but with one being Jinling Cityâs local tyrant and the other being Imperial Capitalâs Gu Familyâs successor, he felt compelled to respond to Boss Xu.
Gu Qiaoqiao began to focus intently on the sensation of the wicker chairâs armrest.
This feeling was the same as the one under the locust tree: gloomy, sticky, damp, and seemingly accompanied by resentment and unwillingness.
That latter feeling differed from the discovery of the small coffin.
Gu Qiaoqiaoâs heart sank. How could an inanimate object give off such a feeling?
Though her time in the Mystic Sect was short, Gu Qiaoqiao had learned quite a lot and progressed significantly. Of course, she learned a variety of things.
Crucially, she never found a proper master to learn such things.
Everything relied on the abilities bestowed by nature, her instincts, and intuition.
Just like now.
It was all based on instinct and conjecture.
Gu Qiaoqiao felt a tinge of unease, looking at the wicker chair, whose armrest was actually made of winged wood, which was quite precious. Some people even use it to make coffins.
Could it be the wooden armrest of this wicker chair was made from coffin wood?
Perhaps, would this old man use coffin wood to make a chair?
Gu Qiaoqiao placed her hand on the wicker chair again, this time on the seat instead of the armrest.
The surface was woven from wicker.
No wooden board.
Yet the sensation remained the same as when her hand was on the armrest. Gu Qiaoqiaoâs heart sank; it seemingly wasnât the problem of the wicker chair.
So, where was this feeling coming from?
Gu Qiaoqiao looked down at the floor, which was varnished in red paint, under the lighting, it seemed to emit an eerie glow.
The elderly Boss Qian soon noticed her peculiarity, partly due to his wariness towards the two people. He bluntly asked, "Miss Gu, you seem quite interested in my familyâs wicker chair."
Gu Qiaoqiao looked up and smiled slightly, openly admitting, "Yes, Boss Qian, your family truly exudes depth. The wood of this wicker chairâs armrest is winged wood, a specialty among redwoods, likely Red Sandalwood. Judging by its craftsmanship and its sheen, this wicker chair is surely an antique worth quite a bit."
Unconcerned, Boss Qian let out a chuckle, "Hehe, Miss, as expected of the successor from Imperial Capitalâs Imperial Treasure Chest, instantly recognizing the uniqueness of this wicker chair. Youâre right, itâs Red Sandalwood, inherited from our ancestors. Itâs the most demanding to maintain and involved considerable effort. Itâs placed here because this spot is shielded from sunlight and accompanied by wisteria, making it suitable."
Speaking of ancient knowledge, Boss Xu was clueless but listened with interest.
Gu Qiaoqiao lowered her gaze towards the floor and then at Boss Qian, asking, "Is this flooring made from wild teak?"
Boss Qianâs eyes did flash a hint of admiration, "Young Master really has good eyesight. Yes, itâs wild teak, which is becoming increasingly rare nowadays."
"Boss Qian indeed commands great wealth, putting such precious items in the courtyard."
Boss Xu commented leisurely.
He pondered to himself, how different the rich are.
They make light of valuable items.
Such precious things used for chairs and flooring.
Perhaps thatâs the mindset of the wealthy.
Yet, many questions remained.
Since the One-Eyed Dragonâs father was so wealthy, why did the One-Eyed Dragon engage in illegal trades?
However, from what he saw and heard, Boss Xu understood well.
In this world, who says only the poor resort to desperate measures?
Plenty of wealthy people commit crimes, even those dealing with illegal goods are the same.
What perplexed Boss Xu was Boss Qianâs attitude towards the One-Eyed Dragon.
Boss Qian said, with a trace of self-satisfaction and raising his voice, "Boss Xu, you may not understand. Sometimes, these things are meant to be used by people, not worshiped as ancestors. I donât lack money."
The old manâs smile was obnoxious, as if he was finally venting his pent-up frustrations.
Boss Xu rolled his eyes at him but said nothing.
There were plenty of wealthy people around, even Gu Qiaoqiao was one, yet she never showed such arrogance.
Nonetheless, Boss Xu wouldnât let it bother him now.
Having done many things, met various people, and experienced different situations often brings changes to oneâs mindset.
Therefore, Boss Xu wouldnât care about Boss Qianâs attitude, for he had official business to attend to today.
He simply smiled, shifting his gaze away.