“Girl…” Old Master Zhao’s gaze was gentle as he slowly spoke. “Come with me. Your grandfather left some things for you here.”
With that, Grandpa Zhao slowly rose and walked into the bedroom.
He came to the bedside, crouched down, and felt around beneath the bed. After a moment, there was a soft click, and two floor tiles were cleverly shifted aside.
Then, from the hidden compartment beneath them, Grandpa Zhao carefully took out a small aluminum box.
With trembling hands, he pulled a key from the inner pocket of his clothes and handed it to Luo Keke, his expression solemn.
“Your grandfather entrusted these things to me before he passed away. I’ve been thinking about finding the right opportunity to give them to you all these years. First, your grandfather specifically instructed me to wait until you were mature enough to distinguish right from wrong before handing them over to you. Second, you had always been under Zhou Wangzheng’s control. Even if I gave these things to you earlier, you wouldn’t have been able to protect them.”
At Grandpa Zhao’s urging, Luo Keke took the key, gently inserted it into the lock, and slowly opened the box.
The moment she looked inside, she couldn’t help but draw in a sharp breath.
Several property deeds were neatly arranged inside. Among them was none other than the deed to the Luo family villa that Zhou Wangzheng had been desperately coveting.
Besides that, there were property deeds for five Western-style houses in the southern part of the city, as well as contracts for several plots of land in the western district.
Mixed among the property deeds were various donation certificates documenting the money her grandfather had donated over the years to hospitals in Shanghai, to the city, and to the state.
Even more striking were several photographs of her grandfather standing alongside several prominent figures of that era. In the photographs, her grandfather looked confident and spirited, with wisdom shining in his eyes.
Luo Keke immediately understood.
No wonder that scumbag father had constantly tried to coax information out of the original owner. It turned out these crucial documents had been hidden here all along.
“Your grandfather also prepared a dowry for you,” Grandpa Zhao continued. “It’s hidden in a secret room in Room 218 of the old Luo family restaurant. The restaurant is now under public-private joint ownership. Although its general layout hasn’t changed much, times are unpredictable, and the restaurant may not remain under the Luo family’s name forever. The password to the secret room is your birthday.
“These things have been stored there for many years. In any case, they can’t remain there forever. If you have somewhere safe to put them, remember to move them.”
“Grandpa Zhao, I understand what you mean. I know what I need to do…” Luo Keke knew very well that those things were indeed unsafe where they were. Before long, the restaurant would probably become completely state-owned.
Only by moving everything into her space could she truly feel at ease.
After Grandpa Zhao finished explaining everything in detail, the sun was already high in the sky, and before they knew it, it was time for lunch.
Just then, Uncle Li, the old servant who had been by Grandpa Zhao’s side for many years, returned from outside carrying freshly purchased vegetables.
When he saw that Luo Keke was there, Uncle Li warmly invited her to stay for lunch.
Unable to refuse his hospitality, Luo Keke happily agreed. She immediately rolled up her sleeves and went into the kitchen to help Uncle Li prepare the meal.
She moved quickly and efficiently, washing the rice and vegetables, chopping ingredients, and cooking. The two worked together with remarkable coordination.
When the meal was almost ready, Luo Keke specially prepared a bowl of bird’s nest soup for Grandpa Zhao as a gesture of filial affection.
Before long, a steaming spread of dishes filled the table. Luo Keke sat down with Grandpa Zhao and Uncle Li, enjoying lunch together.
Throughout the meal, the three of them chatted and laughed, filling the entire house with a warm and cozy atmosphere.
After lunch, Luo Keke was still worried about Grandpa Zhao’s health. Taking advantage of the time when he was resting, she quietly went to the backyard.
She approached the old well and looked around. After making sure no one was nearby, she poured a large amount of spiritual spring water from her space into the well.
She hoped the spiritual spring water would bring some benefit to Grandpa Zhao’s daily life and help keep him healthy.
Before she knew it, dusk was approaching, and it was time for Luo Keke to leave.
Grandpa Zhao stood at the doorway, his eyes filled with reluctance as he watched Luo Keke closely.
Seeing this, Luo Keke quickly took his hand and comforted him softly. “Grandpa Zhao, please don’t be sad. Before I leave for the countryside, I’ll definitely come back to see you one more time.”
A trace of relief flashed through Grandpa Zhao’s eyes. Only then did he slowly release her hand and watch as Luo Keke gradually walked away, until her figure disappeared at the end of the path.
Luo Keke had originally planned to return to the Luo family home, but the matter of the dowry her grandfather had left for her kept circling in her mind, causing her to change her plans.
Relying on the vivid memories she still had from childhood, Luo Keke made her way to the old Luo family restaurant, where she had often played when she was young.
The restaurant’s staff had all been replaced, and not a single person recognized her. Unexpectedly, this situation created a perfect opportunity for Luo Keke.
She walked straight to the reception desk and calmly said that she wanted to book a room, specifically requesting Room 218.
The receptionist worked efficiently. Before long, she handed Luo Keke the room card and thoughtfully reminded her, “Please rest assured. No one will disturb you.”
Holding the room card, Luo Keke followed the familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar corridor until she reached Room 218.
She opened the door. The layout of the room was largely the same as she remembered, though the decorations bore more traces of the changing times.
She gently closed the door and began carefully examining every corner of the room, her eyes filled with curiosity as she searched for the entrance to the secret chamber.
Relying on her somewhat hazy childhood memories, her gaze eventually settled on a small hidden button inside the wardrobe.
It was a tiny white button, its color blending perfectly with the white wardrobe. Without careful inspection, it would have been almost impossible to notice.
Fortunately, her mother had often brought her here to stay overnight when she was little. Whenever they played hide-and-seek, she loved hiding inside this wardrobe, which was how she had become familiar with this hidden mechanism.
Luo Keke reached out and gently pressed the hidden button.
A faint mechanical sound followed, and the entire wardrobe slowly shifted aside, revealing a concealed door behind it.
She instinctively drew a deep breath. With slightly trembling fingers, she entered her birthday as the password.
With a crisp beep, the hidden door slowly opened.
Luo Keke discovered a small underground room. A gust of air carrying the scent of age and dust rushed toward her.
Filled with nervousness and anticipation, Luo Keke carefully stepped into the secret chamber.
The chamber was not large, but six exquisitely crafted camphorwood chests stood side by side. Each chest bore a different pattern.
Filled with nervous anticipation, Luo Keke slowly approached the nearest camphorwood chest.
Its surface was covered in delicate wood grain, with faint traces of time etched into it.
She gently grasped the copper latch on the lid. It felt cold beneath her fingers. Applying a little force, she lifted it, and the latch popped open with a soft click, the sound especially clear in the silent chamber.