Tuantuan curled up in the corner of the sofa, eyes filled with terror and unease, as if the shattering sound of the vase still echoed in their ears.
Li Baiyu frowned deeply, her gaze shifting back and forth between Tuantuan and the shards of the vase on the floor. Shen Jingqi quickly crouched down and began carefully collecting the fragments, his actions both focused and cautious, as if piecing together a mystery about to be solved.
"These fragments might tell us something." Shen Jingqi's voice was low and firm, his eyes revealing an unquestionable determination.
Li Baiyu nodded. Despite the confusion and unease in her heart, she knew she needed to remain calm. She watched as Shen Jingqi picked up the shards one by one, placing them into a transparent plastic bag and sealing it gently.
"What do you plan to do?" Li Baiyu asked, a hint of urgency in her voice.
"Take them to a professional institution for analysis, to see what secrets the vase and this tracker hold." Shen Jingqi replied, his gaze steady and resolute.
The busy silhouettes of Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu appeared particularly focused under the light. Tuantuan lay quietly to the side, still with traces of fear and unease in their eyes.
The next morning, Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu got up early.
At the analysis institution, experts were meticulously examining and analyzing the vase fragments.
Finally, an expert emerged from the laboratory with a report in hand: "We have conducted a detailed examination of the fragments and found that the tracker was indeed embedded during the vase's manufacturing process."
Shen Jingqi furrowed his brows: "During the manufacturing process? What does that mean?"
The expert explained: "It means the tracker was likely installed by the manufacturer, rather than added later. As for why a tracker was installed in the vase, that's unknown."
"How did you determine that?"
Shen Jingqi asked further.
"The material, craftsmanship, and the installation location of the tracker all indicate that this is a custom art piece. Moreover, the tracker was likely directly installed by the manufacturer during the vase's manufacturing process, rather than added later."
"What?" Li Baiyu's eyes widened in shock. She hadn't expected that this seemingly ordinary cat vase concealed such a profound secret.
"What does this mean?" Li Baiyu asked, her voice filled with confusion and unease.
The expert shook his head: "It's not clear at the moment. But one thing is certain, this vase, and the tracker within it, are not there by chance. There's surely some unknown secret behind them."
Li Baiyu fell silent, her thoughts surging like a tide. She recalled the scene when Cong Nanxue gave her the vase, remembered Cong Nanxue's seemingly sincere yet mysteriously unfathomable smile. She didn't know why Cong Nanxue gifted her a vase with a tracker, nor what conspiracy lurked behind this secret.
"By the way, we have traced the manufacturer of this vase, you can contact them and see."
Shen Jingqi stared at the computer, the screen's light reflecting on his furrowed brow. His fingers flew rapidly across the keyboard, as if racing against time, trying to unearth clues related to the mysterious cat vase from the vast expanse of the internet. The fragments of the vase had been carefully preserved in a sealed bag, lying quietly in a corner like an unsolved riddle, waiting to be uncovered.
"This art company doesn't seem simple." Shen Jingqi murmured, his gaze fixed on a string of company names— "Kongdu Art Workshop." Although small in scale, the workshop was known in the art world for its exquisite craftsmanship and unique custom services.
He picked up the phone and dialed the contact for CG Art Workshop. On the other end, a deep, magnetic voice answered: "Hello, Kongdu Art Workshop. How may I help you?"
"Hello, I'm very interested in one of your company's cat vases. I would like to know about its manufacturing process and whether there's a possibility of any special device being installed." Shen Jingqi's voice was calm and polite, but inside he was filled with anticipation and tension. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on ɴo(v)elFɪre.ɴet
There was a brief silence on the other end, followed by a slightly hesitant response: "Mr. Shen, our manufacturing processes are confidential, and we're unable to disclose specifics about particular products. This is to protect customer privacy."
Shen Jingqi frowned slightly, having anticipated such a response, but he did not give up: "I understand your position, but this vase is very important to me. It might be related to a case, and I need your help to uncover the truth."
"A case?" The voice on the other end noticeably rose, seemingly surprised by the word.
"Yes, a case involving personal privacy and safety. If you could provide some leads, it would be of great help to us." Shen Jingqi's voice was firm and strong, attempting to persuade the other party.
After another silence, the voice said: "Mr. Shen, I understand your urgency, but Kongdu Art Workshop has always adhered to strict confidentiality of client information. I suggest you seek answers through other means."
Shen Jingqi sighed, realizing this call wouldn't yield much. He hung up the phone, his gaze returning to the fragments, filled with confusion and unease.
"Why are they so tight-lipped? What secret does this vase hide?" Shen Jingqi muttered to himself, fingers tapping gently on the table as he fell into deep thought.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind. He quickly opened the search engine and began typing a series of keywords, trying to find any information related to Kongdu Art Workshop, whether it be news reports, social media posts, or employee remarks.
As the seconds ticked by, Shen Jingqi's eyes began to dry from staring at the screen for so long. Just as he was about to give up, an inconspicuous comment caught his attention. The comment, from an anonymous user, mentioned that Kongdu Art Workshop had once produced a batch of special art pieces for a mysterious client, and these pieces seemed to contain some sort of device.
"A special device? Could it be the tracker?" Shen Jingqi's heartbeat quickened, a chill running down his spine. He immediately began to trace the origin of this comment, but unfortunately, the commenter had not left any further information.
"It seems I'll have to make a trip myself." Shen Jingqi murmured to himself, deciding to take a more direct approach.
Shen Jingqi stood up, walked to the wardrobe, and selected an outfit suitable for travel, preparing to head to the location of Kongdu Art Workshop.