Chapter 71 - 070: Zhizhi is a penny pincher

Words : 1340 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

Chapter 71 - 070: Zhizhi is a penny pincher The old man lowered his head and continued fiddling with the bamboo strips, but it was clear he wasn't as focused as before. Even his movements had slowed considerably. Yu Zhi was just about to ask another question when her fingers were gently pinched by the person beside her, forcing her to swallow her words back. She tilted her head up to look at Shi Wei, moving her lips to form a silent word. Shi Wei chuckled soundlessly and turned to the old man, saying, "Apologies for bothering you." Without waiting for the old man's reaction, Shi Wei led the bewildered young woman out of the small courtyard. "What are you doing?" Yu Zhi lowered her voice to ask him. Although she didn't understand why he acted this way, she chose to trust him anyway. Shi Wei didn't respond, wearing an enigmatic expression instead. Just as she was about to press him further, the old man's voice came from behind. The two of them sat on the wooden bench in the courtyard, and the old man poured two cups of plain water, handing them over. "What are you seeking from Elder Wu?" He fixed his gaze on the two, his eyes faintly exuding a trace of pressure. "I have something I'd like him to take a look at." Yu Zhi held the cup with both hands and sat upright. Though her intuition told her this man was likely Elder Wu, she refrained from being too direct without his confirmation. The old man lowered his head, blew at the tea leaves in his cup, and took a small sip. "What is the item?" Yu Zhi retrieved the golden lock wrapped in red cloth from her pocket. She unwrapped and presented it before him. "This." When the aged golden lock, marked by the blemishes of time, appeared before the old man, his hand gripping the tea cup froze momentarily. The old man quickly walked back into the house and returned with a magnifying glass. Taking the lock from her hand, he examined it meticulously, missing no small corner. "Where did you get this?" He set aside the magnifying glass, his expression becoming somewhat complex. "It's my mother's keepsake," Yu Zhi responded as she scrutinized the old man, her tone casual. "I came to see you today to find out when this golden lock was created and for whom it was made." She directly acknowledged his identity, making it clear she didn't wish to beat around the bush anymore. Upon hearing this, a faint smile tugged at Elder Wu's weathered face. "Clever girl." "So can you tell me now?" "Back in the day, several families came to me for golden locks; I can hardly remember." Elder Wu rubbed his temples, speaking as if recounting a story of times past. His family had been artisans for generations and were fairly well-known in the Imperial City back then. There was a time when gold wares were all the rage. Many prominent families came to him to craft various items—bracelets, earrings, and even lock pendants. Locks were typically made as gifts for younger members of a family or new-born babies to wish them peace and safety. "I recall once crafting a Peace Lock for a family with the surname Chen, but their young daughter passed away half a month later." Elder Wu's eyes glimmered with derision as he spoke. "They blamed the lock and pushed all the responsibility onto our family." The Wu Family couldn't compete with those powerful figures. Due to the Chen Family's repeated hindrances and false accusations, they gradually declined in the Imperial City before disappearing entirely. Elder Wu took another sip of tea, his tone lightening slightly. "I remember creating Peace Locks for several other families besides the Chen Family back then—there was also the Jin Family, the Liu Family, and the Hu Family." "The Jin Family?" Shi Wei furrowed his brows deeply. Suppressing the shock rising within him, he hurriedly replied, "Do you mean Jin Heng's Jin Family?" Elder Wu shook his head. "I only remember the surname. But back then, I think he came with someone from the Lin Family, who was in the construction materials business." "Then it must be him." Shi Wei suddenly tightened his grip on the hand of the person next to him, his emotions clearly unsettled. Observing his reaction intently, Elder Wu raised a brow and handed back the golden lock to Yu Zhi. "Looks like your boyfriend has already found that person." Yu Zhi: "..." Her expression flickered with surprise—not just at Shi Wei's reaction, but also at the term "boyfriend" uttered by Elder Wu. Yu Zhi pressed her lips together, carefully rewrapped the lock, and tucked it back into her pocket without saying anything further. Seeing that it was nearing lunchtime and worried about inconveniencing Elder Wu further, the two said their simple and polite goodbyes before leaving the premises. "The Jin Heng you mentioned earlier is...?" Yu Zhi tilted her head slightly. Though she already had some guesses, she still sought confirmation. "Jin Yunzhi's grandfather." Shi Wei stopped walking, gazing at her seriously. "If your mother turns out to be a child of the Jin Family, what would you do then?" As far as he knew, Jin Heng only had one son and one daughter. If Yu Zhi's mother were truly part of the Jin Family, she could only have been Jin Heng's illegitimate daughter. In this society, the label of illegitimate daughter carried a certain stigma. Even if the Jin Family didn't care, it was difficult to avoid judgment from outsiders. "I don't know." Yu Zhi simply found the golden lock intriguing, which had prompted her to investigate Qiu Wan's origins. If Qiu Wan had been lost, then she would want to return Qiu Wan's keepsakes. If she had been abandoned, however... Shi Wei wasn't surprised by her response. He gently smoothed her hair and said, "Don't worry. We can wait to make a decision until we confirm everything." Yu Zhi quietly agreed. As the two neared a patch of blooming daisies, her pace unconsciously slowed. The light, fresh scent lingered in the air, and Yu Zhi stole a glance at Shi Wei. Seeing that he still hadn't mentioned buying daisies, she suddenly felt a pang of disappointment. When they arrived at the parking spot and he continued to do nothing, the sense of loss in Yu Zhi's heart swelled unbearably. She lowered her head slightly as she sat in the passenger seat, her long lashes casting shadows that hid the fleeting sadness in her eyes. Once they reached home, Yu Zhi retreated to the bedroom alone, not saying a single word to Shi Wei during the entire process. She burrowed under the covers, curled into a ball, and rolled about on the bed in restless frustration. No matter how many times she repeated this, her mood refused to settle. Peeking out from under the blanket, Yu Zhi's luminous almond-shaped eyes stared unblinkingly at the ceiling, her mind filled with images of Shi Wei's promise to buy her daisies. "Knock, knock—" "Zhizhi, may I come in?" The deep voice characteristic of a man sounded from outside the door. Yu Zhi flipped over and cast a mild glance in that direction but didn't answer immediately. Shi Wei curled his lips slightly, assuming the young lady was still sulking. Without hesitation, he pushed open the door. He walked to the edge of the bed, sat down, and leaned over to pinch her cheek gently. "You little grump." Yu Zhi turned her head away, refusing to acknowledge him, pretending she couldn't understand his teasing. Shi Wei lay down beside her, pulling her tightly into his arms. He held her waist securely and leaned close to her ear, murmuring, "Zhizhi, please don't be mad, okay?"

Chapter 71 - 070: Zhizhi is a penny pincher

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