Ji Boda stared at the note in his hand, his brows knitted tightly, then looked up at Liu Ruyan. "The old place? Where do you think that could be?"
The words "the old place" concealed something, in case the note fell into someone else's hands. But some meanings were clear to those in the know.
Suddenly, Ji Boda stopped pacing and turned to Liu Ruyan. "We could start with Ito Makoto's everyday habits. Did he have any particular preferences or routines? Maybe we can find a clue there."
At his words, Liu Ruyan began searching her memory for places that fit.
Liu Ruyan shook her head slightly, sounding impatient and confused. "The places where I usually met Ito Makoto were this study and the Medicinal Garden. Sometimes I went to his quarters to see whether he was ill. Other than those, there weren't any special places."
Ji Boda mused aloud, "It definitely isn't the study, or he wouldn't have needed to leave this box. It wouldn't be his quarters, either. And the Medicinal Garden isn't an 'old place.' Somewhere he worked obviously doesn't fit that wording."
He began examining the note in his hand closely, as though searching for a clue.
Watching his serious expression, Liu Ruyan couldn't help asking, "What is it? Did you find something?"
Ji Boda looked up and pointed to the word "old" on the note. "Look, this word is a little bigger than the others. We know the key phrase is 'the old place,' so why did he single out 'old' for emphasis?"
Ji Boda continued, "With Ito Makoto's cautious nature, he must have had a reason for writing it this way. I think 'old' might mean something besides a place he often visited."
Liu Ruyan's eyes lit up as something occurred to her. "You