The first thing Zhao Youcai set his sights on was the red-lacquered wooden chest that Su Yufen kept locked.
It was the only dowry she had brought with her from Shanghai back then. She treasured it dearly, always keeping the key hidden on her person and never letting even Zhao Youcai touch it.
Zhao Youcai hadn't paid it much mind before, assuming it just held some of a woman's private belongings.
Now, in his eyes, the chest had become a Pandora's box, hiding a secret.
While Su Yufen was out by the sea gathering snails, completely out of sorts, Zhao Youcai employed the same patience and skill he used to manage the warehouse and deal with fishermen trying to get a little something extra.
He carefully inspected the brass lock on the chest and examined the seam of the lid.
Zhao Youcai wasn't a locksmith, and prying it open would make too much noise, but he had his own methods.
