"Are you sure?"
Old Zhou ignored the young man's outburst, his gaze sharp as a blade. "What your Grandpa Mu heard was not this."
"Huh?"
The young man froze.
Then his heart began to pound wildly.
What did he mean?
Why had Grandpa Mu been brought into this again?
"Where's the wooden carving your Grandpa Mu gave you?"
Old Zhou asked another question. "The one he gave you for your birthday."
The young man swallowed with difficulty.
He tried to calm his heart, which felt as if it were about to leap out of his throat.
"The carving..."
Old Zhou watched him silently.
The young man clenched both hands, as if that gave him a little support, then opened his mouth.
"...At home."
The Zhou family didn't live in the antique shop. They had another place to stay.
It was only ten minutes away from the shop.
"Go get it."
Old Zhou's tone softened a little.
If the carving really was at home, as the boy claimed...
Then what Old Wood had heard was only a rumor, and his son hadn't done anything that terrible...
"What are you still standing there for?"
Seeing that his son hadn't moved, Old Zhou urged him, "Hurry home and get the carving."
"...Why?"
The young man's nails dug into the back of his hand. "That's such a hassle."
"I said get it, so get it."
"Why so many questions?"
Old Zhou's face darkened. "Hurry up."
"..."
The young man lowered his head and fell silent.
He no longer knew what to do in a situation like this.
"You're not going, are you?"
Old Zhou started to get up. "I'll go."
"Where did you put it?"
"In your room, right?"
"Dad!"
"Old Zhou."
The young man and Old Mu spoke almost at the