Chapter 13
"Xixi, what's wrong?" Seeing Gu Xi stop behind the stairs, Gu Changan quickly followed with concern.
Gu Xi tugged at the door, but it was locked, and no matter how hard she pulled, it wouldn't open.
"Dad, there's a sound coming from inside."
"What?" Gu Changan was taken aback. The small door behind the stairs was hidden from sight. Unless one intentionally went around the back, it was nearly impossible to notice.
"This door is locked. We can't open it without the key. Let's find a locksmith," Gu Xi suggested.
Gu Changan also tried pulling the door, but it didn't budge. Turning to Zhang Yue and Yu Dalong, he said, "Come and try."
"What's the point of opening such a rusty little door?" Zhang Yue walked over, bent down to examine the small iron door, and said, "This is just a storage room for odds and ends. There's no one in there."
"I'll give it a try." Yu Dalong squeezed in and tried pulling the door too, but aside from getting rust on his hands, it didn't move at all. "It's locked up tight."
"Really? It's been abandoned for years. It doesn't matter whether it's opened or not," Zhang Yue added, almost as if trying to brush it off.
"Didn't you hear any sounds from inside?" Gu Xi's eyes scanned Yu Dalong and Zhang Yue's faces. While Yu Dalong looked surprised, Zhang Yue appeared visibly nervous.
"No way?" Zhang Yue took a few steps back.
"Manager Zhang, what's wrong with you?" Gu Xi stopped him, her voice calm but firm. "I didn't expect someone as seasoned as you to be afraid of ghosts and spirits."
"What ghosts and spirits? Haha!" Zhang Yue chuckled nervously, clearly trying to deflect.
Meanwhile, Yu Dalong had picked up a piece of wire from the ground, bent it into hooks, and began trying to pick the lock.
"Uncle Yu, do you think it will work?" Gu Xi asked, her tone laced with concern.
"This is an old trick of mine. Most people don't know it." Yu Dalong chuckled heartily. "Only your father knows this skill, right, Mr. Gu?"
Gu Changan smirked and turned on his phone's flashlight to assist Yu Dalong.
"Alright, I'll go out and find a locksmith!" Zhang Yue wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, clearly unnerved by the situation.
"Manager Zhang, I think you should stay here." Gu Xi stood in front of the exit, blocking his path.
"Miss Gu, what are you doing?" Zhang Yue narrowed his eyes, his voice turning dangerous.
"We'll know the truth as soon as Uncle opens the door. It would be too late to find a locksmith now." Gu Xi raised an eyebrow, smiling meaningfully. "Could it be that Manager Zhang can't even wait for this little while?"
"You're joking," Zhang Yue replied, though his voice lacked conviction.
"Are you sure it's a joke?" Gu Xi crossed her arms, her gaze icy. "Actually, I think you're trying to inform your superior, aren't you? Tell me, is it Fuhua Real Estate or Jiangdong Industry?"
"How do you know?" Zhang Yue was stunned, his words slipping out before he realized it.