When they left the Lei family's auction house, the larger antique items were sent to the Xia family by the Lei family.
Only the white jade dice, being small and exquisite, was taken by Xia Qingtian herself to play with.
Coincidentally, she had brought it along to Kyoto this time.
Taking out the white jade dice from her bag, Xia Qingtian handed it to Xia Shang and said, "Here, this is what I bought at an auction before."
"It's identical!" Xia Shang exclaimed in surprise as he compared the two white jade dice. "This... How can this be!"
"You're surprised, right? I'm surprised too." Xia Qingtian took her white jade dice back and said, "That's why when I saw you take out that white jade dice, I was so surprised that I quickly put yours away."
Xia Shang understood. "Qingtian, does this mean there's a final white jade dice, and if we get it, we can go treasure hunting?"
"That's what they say, but the last one is with the Tang family. Among the people we know, only Er Ya is from the Tang family," Xia Qingtian said. "With Er Ya's personality, someone who can get lost anytime, the chance of such an important token appearing in her hands is very slim."
"Mm," Xia Shang agreed and nodded.
"So, let's not think about treasure for now. Let's focus on staying alive," Xia Qingtian said with a dry laugh.
"S-staying alive?" Xia Shang was stunned.
"That Uncle Miao Er, he didn't look like he would give up today," Xia Qingtian said, crossing her arms. "And the other people from the Tang family, they might also be after your white jade dice."
Hearing this, Xia Shang sighed silently and tucked his white jade dice into Xia Qingtian's hand. "Then I definitely can't keep it with me."
Although he had witnessed death, he still felt that the passing of life was rather vague, without a concrete feeling.
If he were to die like this, he wouldn't know if he would be afraid or unwilling.
But if the item that Old Man Miao handed him before his death were snatched away by villains, then he would have no face to see his adoptive mother or Old Man Miao after he died.
"Little Uncle, didn't I tell you? Wealth stirs the heart!" Xia Qingtian said helplessly.
"You won't," Xia Shang said, looking at Xia Qingtian with firm eyes and full of trust.
"Wait until I get the third dice and monopolize the treasure, then you'll know if I will or not," Xia Qingtian muttered peevishly. She took out a waterproof eyeliner and drew a round black dot on the white jade dice Xia Shang had put into her hand. "The one with the mark is yours."
"Mm," Xia Shang showed a faint smile when he saw this. It was supposed to be a smile of immense reassurance, but it was subtle, like his usual smiles.
Only the corners of his mouth were upturned, giving him a devilishly charming and provocative look.
After Xia Qingtian made the mark, a new problem arose.
Before, she had treated the white jade dice as a playful item for stress relief and always kept it in her bag.
Now that she knew this thing had such a purpose, Xia Qingtian felt unsafe keeping it in her bag as usual.
Finally, a servant called her for dinner. Xia Qingtian put it back in its original place, then locked the bag in her carry-on suitcase, and placed the small carry-on suitcase in the depths of the wardrobe, while the large checked suitcase was placed in a relatively conspicuous place. Only then did she feel at ease and went for dinner.
After dinner, as soon as she returned, Xia Qingtian keenly discovered that someone had entered her room and moved the large suitcase she had placed in a conspicuous position.
After checking, she found no trace of the small suitcase being moved, and Xia Qingtian let out a sigh of relief, but she couldn't help but frown.
The incident of蛊 poisoning before the Yue family head's birthday banquet, the assassination on the day of the Yue family head's birthday banquet, the shock from the mine incident and the matter with Yu Zixuan that made Xia Qingtian feel uncomfortable, and then the matter with Xia Shang and the treasure today.
Without any chance to breathe, she was now forced to re-examine all these matters and identify three threads.
First, was the Yue family head's蛊 poisoning incident related to the Miao family?
If so, it would prove that the organization was involved within the Miao family, and it would be absolutely impossible for Xia Shang to return to the Miao family at this time, as it would be like a sheep walking into a tiger's den.
If not, then it would prove that the organization had talents in this area, and the organization's power and capabilities far exceeded Xia Qingtian's initial expectations. She should face her enemy squarely.
Second, the fact that someone infiltrated the venue to assassinate on the day of the Yue family head's birthday banquet, and the fact that someone broke into her room today and left signs of searching, were enough to prove that there was a spy within the Yue family.
No matter who this spy was, Xia Qingtian had to find this person as soon as possible and not give him any further opportunity to do evil.
Finally, the fact that they could search her place proved that the other party knew she and Xia Shang had gone to the hospital, and that they had locked onto the items being with Xia Qingtian and Xia Shang.
By reversing the deduction, the person who could draw such a definite conclusion could be identified as the Miao family, specifically Uncle Miao Er.
Recalling the aggressive appearance of Uncle Miao Er, Xia Qingtian narrowed her eyes slightly.
It seemed that whether it was for Xia Shang, the Yue family, or herself, she had to meet this Uncle Miao Er.
At the same time, in a detached villa in Kyoto, Uncle Miao Er received a call, his brows tightly furrowed. "Nothing? How is that possible!"
That old man held on until he personally saw Miao Sang, that jinx, before he died. How could he not hand over the family head's token to him.
"Did you search Xia Qingtian's room? Perhaps Miao Sang gave the item to Xia Qingtian?" Uncle Miao Er pressed.
"I searched," the other person said in a low voice. "I even searched the suitcase, and there really was nothing. Unless they were carrying it with them."
"Carrying it with them?" Uncle Miao Er frowned, seemingly also speculating on the possibility.
That was the Miao family's token of authority. It was highly possible that they were carrying it with them.
"When do they leave tomorrow, and where are they going?" Uncle Miao Er asked.
If he could set up an ambush on the way, perhaps he could directly snatch the item back, and also deal with Miao Sang, that jinx who should have died long ago.
"They are going to the mine tomorrow, departing at 9 AM sharp."
"I know. Keep watching them. Report anything to me immediately," Uncle Miao Er said and hung up the phone. He walked to the window, parted the curtains slightly, and saw Miao Tong, who was leaning against the flower bed below, playing on a laptop.
Miao Tong seemed to have noticed Uncle Miao Er's gaze and looked up, waving with a smile.
"Lingering ghost!" Uncle Miao Er closed the curtains with annoyance, feeling frustrated.
In a daze, Uncle Miao Er took a deep breath, and a dangerous and crazy idea surfaced in his mind.
This Miao Tong, like Miao Sang, deserved to die!
It seemed he needed to find a way to deal with both of these scoundrels tomorrow.
If successful, and that lineage was completely wiped out, then even without the token, the position of Miao family head would undoubtedly be his!
With this thought, Uncle Miao Er's eyes became increasingly manic.
In an antique-style incense burner behind Uncle Miao Er, wisps of light smoke drifted throughout the room, with a delicate and captivating fragrance.