On the drive there, Shen Jingqi's emotions were complex and hard to decipher. He was eager to discover the truth, yet afraid of the potential consequences he might face. He continuously rehearsed in his mind the conversation with the workshop manager, trying to find the key to breaking through the defenses.
Finally, he arrived at the location of the Kongdu Art Workshop—a small courtyard situated in the outskirts, surrounded by green trees. The courtyard gate was closed, with a wooden sign hanging on it, engraved with the words "Kongdu Art Workshop."
Shen Jingqi stepped forward and gently knocked on the door knocker. While waiting, he heard faint footsteps from inside, and then the door slowly opened, revealing a face full of wrinkles but with sharp eyes.
"Are you Mr. Shen?" the person asked, with a hint of vigilance in their voice.
Shen Jingqi nodded: "Yes. I'd like to talk to your manager about a cat vase."
The other person gave Shen Jingqi a once-over and then nodded: "Please follow me."
Shen Jingqi followed the person through the courtyard to a studio full of artistic ambiance. The studio was filled with various artworks, and the air was imbued with the smell of turpentine and paint. By a large wooden table sat a middle-aged man, who was the manager of the workshop.
"Hello, I am Li Chengguang, the manager of Kongdu Art Workshop." The middle-aged man stood up and shook hands with Shen Jingqi.
"Hello, Mr. Li. I am here to understand the manufacturing process of a particular cat vase and whether any special devices were installed." Shen Jingqi said straightforwardly.
Li Chengguang slightly frowned, seemingly unsurprised by Shen Jingqi's inquiry: "Mr. Shen, I have mentioned before that our manufacturing process is confidential, and we cannot disclose details about specific products."
Shen Jingqi smiled slightly and took out a photo from his pocket—it was a picture of Tuantuan with the cat vase: "Mr. Li, this vase is very important to me. It not only concerns personal privacy and safety but also involves the safety of an innocent life. I hope you understand my position and provide some assistance."
Li Chengguang took the photo, scrutinized it for a while, then sighed: "Mr. Shen, I understand your urgency. But Kongdu Art Workshop has always adhered to strict confidentiality principles regarding customer information. However, I can tell you that we did produce a batch of special artwork for a mysterious client, and these artworks contained some kind of device. But what exactly the device is, or what purpose they serve, we do not know."
Shen Jingqi's heartbeat accelerated again, feeling he was getting closer to the truth: "Mr. Li, can I look at the production records or blueprints of those artworks? Any details might help me."
Li Chengguang shook his head: "I'm sorry, Mr. Shen. Our production records and blueprints are confidential and cannot be shown to outsiders. But I can give you a suggestion—try contacting that mysterious client. Perhaps he can provide you with more clues."
"Mysterious client? How would I know who he is?" Shen Jingqi felt somewhat helpless.
"We don't know his true identity, but he left a contact when purchasing the artworks." Li Chengguang said as he took out a note from a drawer and handed it to Shen Jingqi.
Shen Jingqi took the note and saw a phone number and an email address written on it. A sense of hope rose in his heart, but he also realized this might be a path fraught with danger.
"Thank you, Mr. Li. I will try to contact him." Shen Jingqi said and then turned to leave the studio.
Back in the car, Shen Jingqi's emotions were complex and hard to decipher. He didn't know what he was about to face, but inside, he was filled with a strong desire for knowledge and a sense of justice. He dialed the number on the note, but the other party's phone was off. So, he decided to send an email, hoping for a reply. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ N(o)vᴇl(F)ire.nᴇt
While waiting for a response, Shen Jingqi constantly contemplated various possibilities in his mind. He tried to connect all the clues to form a complete puzzle. However, whenever he thought he was close to the truth, new mysteries would emerge, plunging him into deeper confusion.
A few days later, Shen Jingqi finally received a reply to his email. The responder claimed to be an agent for the mysterious client and arranged to meet him at a secretive café. Shen Jingqi went gladly, hoping to get more clues from the other party.
Inside the café, a man wearing sunglasses and a mask sat in a corner. Upon seeing Shen Jingqi, he gestured for him to sit down. After Shen Jingqi seated himself, the man took off his sunglasses and mask, revealing a young and indifferent face.
"I am the agent for the mysterious client, you can call me Z." the other party said, in a low and powerful voice.
"Mr. Z, I'm curious, why did you install a tracker in the vase? What's the purpose behind it?" Shen Jingqi asked directly.
Z smiled slightly: "Mr. Shen, you should have guessed by now, right? This vase is not an ordinary artwork but a tool for surveillance and tracking. As for its specific use and the purpose behind it, I cannot tell you."
Shen Jingqi felt a wave of disappointment, but he did not give up: "Mr. Z, can I know why you chose Tuantuan as the object of surveillance? It's just an innocent life."
Z's eyes became sharp: "Mr. Shen, you should understand that some things are not for you to meddle with. I suggest you abandon the investigation, or it might bring unnecessary trouble to yourself."
Shen Jingqi clenched his fist tightly, feeling a surge of anger well up in his heart: "I will not give up. Tuantuan is innocent, and I cannot let it continue to be a pawn in your hands."
Z sighed: "Mr. Shen, you are very brave, but also very foolish. You do not understand what you are dealing with. I advise you to not meddle in this matter and stay away from it, as far as possible."
Shen Jingqi stood up, looking at Z with determination: "I will not leave. I will continue to investigate until I find the truth."
With that, he turned and left the café. After returning to his car, he felt an unprecedented sense of fatigue and powerlessness. He knew he was in dangerous territory, but he did not regret his decision.
In the following days, Shen Jingqi began to investigate the matter more cautiously. He attempted to contact various potential leads, including employees of the Kongdu Art Workshop, people who had interacted with the mysterious client, and anyone potentially connected to the matter. However, each investigation seemed to be like a stone sinking into the sea, without any response.
As Shen Jingqi busied himself, Li Baiyu suddenly contacted him.
Tuantuan had suddenly gone missing.