Chapter 248: Chapter 248

Kong Lili rushed out the door early the next morning.

The taxi dropped her off at the antique market and left.

Here was Qingzhou’s largest antique market, Peng Garden.

Kong Lili entered the market, greeted by rows of faux-ancient buildings, all adorned with plaques mentioning jade or pavilions.

Early in the morning, the market was completely deserted, save for the occasional cleaner sweeping the grounds.

As the autumn wind swept past, Kong Lili couldn’t help but wrap her arms around herself and rub them.

Following the address, she arrived at the most luxurious and imposing faux-ancient building in the market.

The pure blue glazed tiles sparkled under the morning sunlight, with flying eaves and brackets, jade carvings, and golden inscriptions. On the black-pillared corridors flanking the building were phrases in bold gold brushstrokes: "Renowned Peng Garden across the world, timeless ancient charm illuminating China."

The plaque in the center bore the three characters "Qingge Pavilion."

Among antique enthusiasts, the name Qingge Pavilion was exceedingly famous, though for a layperson like Kong Lili, it was completely unfamiliar.

She stood at the entrance, stunned, marveling at the grandeur and splendor of the building.

She lowered her head and checked the address on her phone. Peng Garden No. 15. Yes, this was the place.

Almost as if to confirm her doubts, the ornate vermilion carved doors creaked open from the inside. A faint scent of sandalwood wafted out and surrounded her.

A man dressed in a long gray robe looked her over indifferently. "Madam, are you here to pawn or to browse?"

Kong Lili hurried forward anxiously. "Don’t you recognize me? I’m Zhou Qin’s cousin. Last night, it was your shop that called me..."

The man’s eyes briefly flashed. After Kong Lili stepped inside, the heavy vermilion doors closed, cutting off the outside world.

Kong Lili suddenly felt something amiss and instinctively turned to glance at the tightly shut doors.

"Don’t be alarmed, madam. Ours is a legitimate business." Chapters first released on Novᴇl_Fire(.)net

Legitimate business? And yet locking the doors in broad daylight?

Kong Lili found it odd and said, "I want to speak with your manager. As agreed over the phone last night, I’m here to collect my cousin’s pawned item’s remaining payment."

The man nodded. "Understood. I made the call myself."

Kong Lili took another look at him, and suddenly the voice felt vaguely familiar.

The man continued, "Apologies, but according to our regulations, the remaining payment requires Zhou Qin’s personal signature and fingerprint. If she’s unable to come, I can make a house call."

Kong Lili frowned. "Can’t I sign on her behalf?"

The man shook his head. "It must be signed by the individual herself."

Kong Lili hadn’t expected this to be so complicated. Frustrated, she said, "Why do you have so many ridiculous rules? I’m Zhou Qin’s actual cousin—do you truly think I’d take the money and run?"

"Such are the rules of our establishment. We ask for your understanding."

The man lowered his eyelashes, his expression appearing honest and unassuming.

"Ridiculous rules! I think you’re just using your position as a big shop to bully customers! Are you trying to avoid paying my cousin’s remaining money?"

As Kong Lili began to reveal her unruly side, hurling accusations, the man frowned, his patience waning. He gestured with his hand.

Two guards in black uniforms rushed out from the back hall. Seeing this display, Kong Lili immediately turned pale. "Wh-what are you doing? Kidnapping? I’m calling the police..."

She fumbled nervously to retrieve her phone from her bag, but the guards clearly weren’t going to give her the opportunity.

Soon, Kong Lili was tied to a chair. She stared wide-eyed in horror, her mind completely blank.

Even someone as dim-witted as her finally pieced it together.

The phone call last night was a deliberate trap to lure her here.

But why? She had neither money nor power. What reason could they have to kidnap her?

The man produced a finely polished dagger and toyed with it in his hand.

Kong Lili’s gaze fixed on the dagger, terror flooding her eyes.

"I don’t have much patience. I’ll ask you this once: Where is Zhou Qin?"

Her mind was a scrambled mess, utterly paralyzed by fear.

It wasn’t until the man pressed the blade to the artery in her neck that Kong Lili let out a terrified scream. "I don’t know! I really don’t know! I haven’t seen her in a long time, and she hasn’t been answering her calls either... Please, I beg you, let me go!"

"If you don’t tell the truth, I’ll leave your face slashed beyond recognition."

The sharp blade grazed her cheek, the icy cold touch combined with the overwhelming pressure emanating from the man thoroughly shattered Kong Lili’s composure.

She was just an ordinary woman, unprepared for such an encounter, utterly terrified and disoriented.

The man studied her reaction and seemed unconvinced that she was lying. He frowned slightly.

He took her phone from her bag, unlocked it using her thumb, and began browsing her messages and contacts.

Her contact with Zhou Qin had stopped about a month ago.

It seemed she truly hadn’t lied. She genuinely had no idea of Zhou Qin’s whereabouts.

The man’s gaze shifted toward the direction of the back hall.