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Chapter 43: Gu Wenfeng
Chapter 43: Gu Wenfeng
Unable to pry any information from Lu Jiaxin, Gu Wenfeng turned his attention to Xue Mao, who was less guarded around him. It didn't take long for the boy to slip up and reveal something he shouldn't have.
When Gu Wenfeng heard that Lu Jiaxin had stayed in the ancient capital to hunt for treasure, he was taken aback. He pondered various reasons, but the truth had never crossed his mind.
Not wanting to waste any time, Gu Wenfeng took Xue Mao to find Lu Jiaxin. "Miss Lu, may I ask where you intend to go treasure hunting?"
Lu Jiaxin saw that Xue Mao lowered his head and avoided her gaze, and she knew he had let something slip. Sighing, she had previously told him to keep it a secret, but evidently, he hadn't taken her words to heart.
Noticing her expression, Gu Wenfeng understood her doubt. "Miss Lu, as long as this matter is not illegal, I can help you look for it, and even if we find the treasure, I won't breathe a word to anyone."
"What if you go back on your word?" Lu Jiaxin asked.
"If I do," Gu Wenfeng replied, "you can tell Madam Xie. Miss Lu, a leader will not favor someone who breaks their promises."
These words moved Lu Jiaxin. "I can trust you, but what about Zhao Dajun?"
Gu Wenfeng quickly assured her, "You don't have to worry about him. He won't reveal this matter either. If he dares to speak of it, his career prospects will be ruined."
Lu Jiaxin had originally planned to buy the house and then slowly search for the treasure with Xue Mao. However, since Xue Mao couldn't keep a secret, she had to change her plans. "Don't tell Zhao Dajun about this for now. We'll talk about it again after I return from my hometown."
Gu Wenfeng nodded in agreement.
Lu Jiaxin shared everything she knew, providing a detailed account.
Upon hearing that the homeowner was named Sun Xun, Gu Wenfeng furrowed his brows. "Miss Lu, aside from the name, do you have any other clues?"
The ancient capital was populous, and it would be challenging to locate someone based solely on their name. More clues meant a narrower search scope.
Lu Jiaxin described Sun Xun's family situation. "They used to be a prominent local family, and they still live in their ancestral home. I think it should be easy to find out about them."
At this, Xue Mao piped up, "Sister Xin, we can ask Uncle Feng to help us find out. He knows a lot of people in the ancient capital and should be able to get information quickly."
But Gu Wenfeng rejected this suggestion outright. "Since it's treasure hunting, the fewer people who know about it, the better. Otherwise, if the news leaks out, even if we find the treasure, we won't be able to keep it safe."
Lu Jiaxin regretted telling Xue Mao, and of course, she wouldn't tell Uncle Feng now. The more people who knew, the greater the risk. Making a commotion would attract unwanted attention, and there were many clever people in this world. She wanted to find this antique treasure to get her first pot of gold, but she didn't want any unforeseen complications.
The four of them split into two groups to make inquiries. Zhao Dajun partnered with Gu Wenfeng, while Lu Jiaxin teamed up with Xue Mao. As they left, Zhao Dajun asked curiously, "Brother Feng, didn't we come with Miss Lu to catch the human traffickers? Why are we looking for someone now? Is this person related to the human traffickers?"
Gu Wenfeng didn't tell Zhao Dajun about the treasure hunt. Instead, he simply said, "She wants to look for someone, so we'll help her find the person."
Gu Wenfeng was efficient, and it didn't take long for him to gather information. "Miss Lu, this Sun Xun is 39 years old and works as a boiler worker in a cotton factory. He had two brothers and a sister, none of whom lived to adulthood. The situation of his family is consistent with what you've described. Currently, eight family members live in the front yard of the old mansion."
The mansion had three sections. Sun Xun's father was one of three brothers, and when it came time to divide the property, instead of assigning specific portions, they drew lots. Sun Xun's father had drawn the lot for the first section of the mansion.
"This Sun Xun likes to gamble," Gu Wenfeng continued. "As soon as he gets his salary, he goes off to play cards."
Upon hearing that Sun Xun was a gambler, Lu Jiaxin was convinced that they had found the right person. She had heard about what happened afterward during a later trip to the ancient capital. That scoundrel Sun Xun sold off the collection of paintings and antique books and hit it rich, but not long after, he met a grisly end on the streets. As for how he died, there were many rumors but no concrete evidence.
"Gu Wenfeng, let's find a way to buy his house."
Gu Wenfeng didn't believe that the house held any treasures. He tried to dissuade her, saying, "Miss Lu, none of the Sun family are doing well. If there really were any valuables, they would have taken them long ago, and it wouldn't be our turn now."
Lu Jiaxin spread her hands and said, "If we can't find any treasure, at least Xue Mao will get a house. Even if it's dilapidated, it's still better than his previous shack. But if we do find something, we'll strike it rich and never have to worry about our livelihoods again."
Xue Mao finally caught on. "Sister Xin, you're planning to pawn off the jewelry set Brother Su gave you and even use the dowry money Auntie left you to buy that run-down house for this treasure hunt?"
After receiving an affirmative answer, Xue Mao thought she had gone crazy. "Sister Xin, this must be Ding Jing's plot. Don't fall for it!"
Lu Jiaxin couldn't help but laugh at his tangential thinking.
Gu Wenfeng didn't try to dissuade her further. From their interactions over the past few days, he had realized that Lu Jiaxin was someone who always had a plan in mind. If she was willing to go as far as using her late mother's dowry, no amount of persuasion would change her mind. Knowing this, he saw no point in wasting his breath.
He paused for a moment and then said, "Miss Lu, we can't directly buy his house. Sun Xun isn't a fool. If we suddenly show up and offer to buy his house, he will definitely become suspicious."
Xue Mao looked bewildered. What was with Gu Wenfeng? Instead of helping to talk some sense into Lu Jiaxin, he was actually encouraging her to buy that dilapidated house.
Lu Jiaxin had already anticipated this concern, which was why her plan involved finding a middleman. She believed that Sun Xun would sell the house as long as the price was right, given that gamblers were notoriously impulsive and irrational. However, it would be best to leave this matter to Gu Wenfeng, as she and Xue Mao were too inexperienced to be taken seriously.
"It's not easy to find a buyer for such a dilapidated house, and even if we use a middleman, Sun Xun will still grow suspicious," Gu Wenfeng explained.
"So, what's your plan?" Lu Jiaxin asked, intrigued.
Gu Wenfeng intended to exploit Sun Xun's weakness for gambling. He suggested, "We can pressure him to sell by having his creditors demand repayment. That way, he'll have no choice but to sell the house." This way, they could avoid raising his suspicions.
Lu Jiaxin's eyes lit up as she looked at him. A capable assistant who could think outside the box and adapt to the situation was exactly what she needed!
"This matter will take time, Miss Lu," Gu Wenfeng cautioned. "We've already been away for five days, and your father and Station Master Lu must be searching for you everywhere."
"I left a note at home, so my fifth brother will know where I am," she replied.
Despite her words, she still went to the post office to call Lu Jiaguang and inform him that she was in the ancient capital.
"Weren't you supposed to go to Feng County to find that human trafficker? Why are you still in the ancient capital?" Lu Jiaguang asked, concerned. He had received a call from Lu Jiajie the previous afternoon, informing him that Lu Jiaxin hadn't returned home, and he had been worried sick ever since. It was only because he knew that the bodyguards accompanying her were arranged by the Xie family that he hadn't reported the matter to the police.
Lu Jiaxin had a ready explanation, "Xue Mao twisted his ankle when he got off the train. The doctor said he needs to rest it for a while, or the injury could worsen."
Lu Jiaguang understood the seriousness of a potential injury to the bones or muscles, which could take up to a hundred days to heal.
(End of Chapter)
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