The "hidden room" was originally empty, but now it was piled with some items. There were three cardboard boxes the size of microwave ovens, filled with firecrackers, and a few trays of red firecrackers lay on the ground, ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 counts.
He Kao's expression was hard to read—whether he was crying or laughing—because these were the toys he and Xiaopang loved to play with as kids.
Even if the police searched and found these firecrackers, there didn't seem to be much they could do. Who doesn't set off a few firecrackers during the New Year? Keeping the leftovers in a safe place isn't against the law in terms of quantity or value, at most they'd just issue a warning.
Perhaps the situation was urgent at the time, and there was no time to move the last of the items. Xiaopang might have moved them to the hidden room on the third floor and deliberately propped up plywood to block the door; or maybe Xiaopang left them there on purpose.
He Kao suspected it was the latter. Otherwise, why move so many things and only leave these firecrackers behind, moving them from the first floor to the third? It's not like it's convenient!
He Kao was certain that the police hadn't brought in sniffer dogs, and their search was rather perfunctory. They opened the main room door, found the things gone, and just glanced over the second and third floors.
What was there to see in an empty, unfinished house? As for this room, it was plainly empty; two sheets of plywood leaned against the wall. Who would have thought there was a hidden door and a secret room behind the boards?
Maybe Xiaopang thought that even if they were found, it wouldn't be a big deal, plus it could scare He Changshan and Zhou Yan a little. But surprisingly, the police didn't find them and just left.
Some might find it surreal—were the police that perfunctory? In truth, the whole process wasn't entirely thorough from start to finish.
Responding to a report, they came to search He Kao's residence without notifying the owner in advance, which can be explained as an attempt to prevent any leaks. The police only contacted He Kao upon arrival; when they couldn't reach him, they simply broke the lock and entered.
Despite not finding anything, Section Chief Hu called He Kao and started by threatening him, hoping he'd voluntarily confess and cooperate with the investigation. Luckily, He Kao already had an idea of what was going on, so he firmly denied involvement and even demanded compensation for the damage.
Section Chief Hu got angry and was willing to have the lock replaced but didn't want to follow the formal procedures.
But upon careful reflection, it seemed every step followed proper procedures. The police received a report, initiated an investigation, and had official documents for the search. There were minor flaws, but overall no major issues to criticize.
He Kao could understand; grassroots work is like this—a perfect execution is impossible with the constant paperwork and trivial matters filling the day. This was already considered dutiful.
He Kao took another look around the other rooms on the third and second floors but found nothing else. He went downstairs, took out a toolbox, and began to repair the door. The police had some decency, only breaking the lock, while the sturdy security door remained intact.
From his great-grandfather to He Kao, the provable lineage had five generations of carpenters. He Kao learned his skills by watching and listening since childhood and was adept at various crafts, so changing a lock was naturally no problem.
The craftsman worshiped by old-time carpenters was Lu Ban, whose skills went beyond woodwork to various crafts.
If He Kao wanted, obtaining an advanced carpentry certificate wouldn't be an issue. While his pure handcraft skills might not match his grandfather's, he had taken courses in drafting, structure, machinery, components, and materials during college.
A computer science student who took those courses must have been influenced by family tradition and personal interests.
He Kao's undergraduate major was Computer Technology and Application—a field where you learn a bit of everything but become an expert in none. It was due to his inexperience back then and the lack of adult guidance from his family.
Ultimately, after graduating, He Kao pursued further studies with an eye toward employment.
Soon, the lock was changed. He Kao cleaned up the mess on the main room's floor tiles and put the furniture back in place. As he rearranged the furniture, he suddenly realized why he had bought such a square stool for his apartment.
The entire set of furniture on the first floor was crafted by his grandfather, with his two apprentices helping at the time, using old materials his grandfather had accumulated.
In the past, people in this area saved up materials and hired carpenters to make furniture—a tradition the He family didn't need, as carpentry ran in the family. All the furniture was made from the same kind of wood domestically known as Silver Silk Wood, which is actually a type of wild hickory tree.
Different from the imported walnut woods from North America, its wood color was almost crescent white, very hard yet flexible, polished to a texture as smooth as jade. Over time, its surface oxidized, gradually resembling aged ivory.
This kind of tree might still exist in deep mountains but was nearly invisible in the hills around Qi Yuan.
In his prime, his grandfather had also participated in government-organized farmland and water conservancy projects. He chose the best materials from the felled trees at the construction site and bought them at a bargain, saying they were reserved for his eldest grandson's marriage furnishings, as there was plenty of space in the countryside.
He truly delivered on his words—a testament to his character. Perhaps the only regret was that He Kao was not yet married at the time, but his grandfather had built him a house and crafted the furniture.
Looking at this room filled with ivory-like Silver Silk Wood furniture, except for the table, all the chairs, stools, cabinets, and racks were in even numbers. He Kao thought for a moment and took out his phone to order another square stool like the previous one.
Then he went back to the "hidden room" on the third floor, took a bunch of firecrackers, packed them into a black plastic bag, and stuffed them into his backpack.