Everyone always says that a goldfish only has a seven-second memory, but in reality, human memory can be equally unreliable.

Take the simple act of closing a door, for example; while walking down the stairs, you might suddenly start doubting whether you actually locked it. Usually, when this happens, people can't help but hurry back upstairs to check, and only when they confirm the lock is secure do they relax and leave.

However, once or twice might be excusable, but if it happens every single time, completely disregarding any past lessons or established experiences—as soon as the thought crosses your mind that you didn't lock up, you feel compelled to rush back and verify, otherwise, true peace of mind remains elusive.

From this, it's clear that people have very little confidence in their own recollection. So, when Wang Guan asked the others if they noticed whether all the small boxes beside the Shuzhuang Lian (dressing case) were present while they were admiring it, they genuinely couldn't answer.

"It's only nine boxes; if two were missing, we should have been able to notice, right?" Sha Qingfeng frowned, though his tone lacked any real conviction.

"You all are truly useless," Qiao Yu scoffed at the same moment, speaking with absolute certainty. "The nine boxes are definitely all here; I counted them myself, and even picked each one up to examine it."

In an instant, everyone turned to look at Qiao Yu, their eyes carrying a shade of meaning that was slightly different.

"Why are you all staring at me?"

Qiao Yu was momentarily taken aback before realizing the implication, and immediately grew indignant. "What, are you suspecting I stole them? What need would I have to steal? If I felt like it, I could just buy this entire museum."

As for the others, they simply dismissed Qiao Yu’s outburst as fleeting words. But Wang Guan knew perfectly well that if she were to humble herself slightly and appeal to Fourth Master Qiao, given the old man’s doting nature toward his granddaughter, he might actually grant her wish.

"Of course, we believe you," Wang Guan replied seriously, with a hint of playful teasing in his smile. "After all, compared to the relatively ancient dressing case, you would certainly prefer those Western-style luxury vanity cases and handbags..."

"Hmph, that’s more like it," Qiao Yu said haughtily. If they dared to doubt her, she was ready to turn hostile.

"However, if the items were all present, that rules out..." Wang Guan didn't finish the sentence, but everyone understood his implication. If the set had been complete at the time, it would rule out the possibility of the museum staff having stolen the items themselves. In other words, Qiao Yu’s assertion had not only failed to clear their names but had, in fact, increased the suspicion upon them.

At this point, Qiao Yu also grasped the logic, immediately sticking out her little tongue, feeling rather embarrassed. Of course, retracting her statement now was impossible; backtracking would likely be interpreted by the others as a sign of a guilty conscience.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the room grew strangely awkward, and even Mr. Feng found it difficult to defend them.

"Actually..."

Just then, Bei Ye hesitated, looking troubled, stopping short of speaking.

"What is it?" Wang Guan’s heart stirred, and he immediately said softly, "Whatever you want to say, just say it. It doesn't matter if you’re wrong."

"What mistake? Whatever Little Ye says is right," Qiao Yu declared righteously, trying to compensate for her own impulsive words. If Bei Ye were to say the small boxes were incomplete, Qiao Yu would immediately agree.

"I meant to say..." Bei Ye gestured delicately with her slender hand, hesitating slightly, "Could those two boxes have been taken by that person..."

"Who?"

Everyone naturally looked in the direction she pointed, feeling a wave of surprise and shock, because Bei Ye was pointing directly at the supposed "well-wisher" on the screen who had reported them for theft.

Is this retaliation? Many staff members muttered to themselves.

"Why do you say that?" Wang Guan quickly asked, knowing that Bei Ye wouldn't falsely accuse someone without reason; there had to be a basis for her suspicion.

"He was acting strangely..." Bei Ye explained quietly. "There were nine boxes next to the Shuzhuang Lian. When we looked, we didn't pay special attention to that detail; even Little Qiao had to count to confirm there were nine small boxes. But that person glanced over and immediately spotted that something was missing, and then waved toward the camera..."

"Speaking of which, we were all in Exhibition Room Seven at the time, but did anyone notice there was a camera in that direction?"

Bei Ye posed another question. Wang Guan and the others stiffened, shaking their heads in unison. At that time, they were entirely focused on admiring the artistic treasures; who had the leisure to worry about surveillance cameras?

Seeing their reaction, Bei Ye gained more confidence, a playful smile gracing her delicate eyes. "If you look closely, you'll notice that the person realized something was missing at first glance, and then immediately waved toward the camera. During this process, his other hand seemed to be resting right next to the Shuzhuang Lian box area..."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Feng immediately instructed, "Quick, play the recording back."

Simultaneously, a staff member quickly operated the controls, and the video returned to that segment. Indeed, as the person’s right hand moved, his left hand was positioned right near the edge of the small boxes belonging to the dressing case—exactly as Bei Ye described.

"It really is suspicious..."

Some things are like this: before the window paper is punctured, the truth feels hazy and unclear. But once someone points it out, everyone gains sudden enlightenment, looking back and seeing flaws in every move the informant made.

Thinking of this, Mr. Feng became even more dissatisfied. Such an obvious setup—a clear case of framing, misdirection, and distraction—and the group of security personnel who were supposedly professionals failed to see it, while a young girl managed to expose it. Did this mean the highly paid staff he hired were all good-for-nothings?

Of course, no matter how furious Mr. Feng was internally, he kept his expression composed, merely glancing subtly at the supervisor and asking calmly, "Where is that person?"

However, the quiet before the storm is often the most terrifying. The supervisor immediately began sweating profusely, stammering in a panic, "That person said he wanted to see the Jiaowei Qin (Zither of the Burnt Tail), so we..."

"So you let him leave, is that it?" Mr. Feng scoffed. "Then hurry up and find that person."

"Yes."

The supervisor and several staff members immediately rushed out, intending to apprehend the individual and redeem themselves. Though everyone privately understood that unless the person was incredibly foolish, he had likely already fled and wouldn't be stupid enough to wait around to be caught.

Mr. Feng naturally grasped this reality, so he apologized profusely, "I am truly sorry for the trouble you’ve endured. I assure you, I will severely reprimand my subordinates and ensure they apologize to you all."

When his subordinates made mistakes, it reflected poorly on him as their superior, and Mr. Feng felt compelled to make amends. If it had been anyone else, Mr. Feng might not have been so concerned, but since it was Wang Guan, he felt an added sting of misfortune and offered an even more sincere apology.

"It's just a misunderstanding; now that it's cleared up, that's what matters."

Having proven their innocence, Wang Guan was no longer inclined to pursue the matter further. He politely declined Mr. Feng's suggestion of a dinner to apologize, then turned and smiled. "Bei Ye is indeed very observant; otherwise, we might have suffered a false accusation."

"That’s right!" Qiao Yu cheered. "Little Ye is mighty, with eyes that miss nothing—better than any Bao Qingtian or Detective Di!"

Under the chorus of praise, Bei Ye’s delicate face flushed slightly, but her mood was exceptionally bright.

Meanwhile, Wang Guan glanced at the person in the recording and suddenly mused thoughtfully, "Brother Pi, did you notice? I feel like we’ve seen that person somewhere before."

"Seen him?" Pi Qiushi looked bewildered. "I don't recall anything distinct."

"You certainly wouldn't," Sha Qingfeng frowned. "This person is clearly an experienced hand. He kept his baseball cap pulled down low from start to finish, never showing his face clearly, making it impossible to make out his features."

"I wasn't referring to his appearance," Wang Guan gently shook his head, trying hard to recall. "His build and attire... I have some vague impression, like we crossed paths somewhere, but I forgot about him then."

"Perhaps," Old Meng laughed. "Weren't we also in Exhibition Room Seven at the time? You probably noticed him then but didn't pay him any mind."

"Maybe so," Wang Guan smiled, letting the matter drop.

However, at this moment, a spark of realization illuminated Bei Ye's mind, and she suddenly exclaimed, "We have truly seen this person before, and not in Exhibition Room Seven, but in the corridor we passed right after entering the museum, when we encountered a group of people. This man was among them; Brother Meng even remarked then about enemies meeting on a narrow road."

"Young Master Hu!"

In an instant, Wang Guan and the others blurted out the name, immediately suspecting that Young Master Hu was operating behind the scenes. After all, they had helped Cai Peng win that bet just two days ago; given Young Master Hu’s narrow-minded disposition, secretly playing dirty tricks against them wouldn't be entirely out of character.

"What Young Master Hu?" Mr. Feng looked utterly perplexed.

"Who called me?"

Just then, another voice drifted in from outside the door. Young Master Hu appeared at the doorway with uncanny coincidence. Upon spotting Mr. Feng, he immediately beamed and called out, "Uncle Feng!"

As he spoke, Young Master Hu walked in and naturally noticed Wang Guan and his group. The smile instantly vanished from his face. "Why is it you people again..."

"It is us, of course," Qiao Yu raised an eyebrow and asked, "Wang Guan, is this the Young Master Hu you were talking about? Have you come now to mock our misfortune?"

Hearing this, the others felt another surge of certainty; it seemed highly probable.

After all, this room was somewhat secluded; museum visitors wouldn't wander over here for no reason. Young Master Hu’s "coincidental" appearance made everyone suspicious. Furthermore, the person who framed Wang Guan and his friends was apparently his subordinate...

Conflict implies motive, and having the ability to command someone to set up a frame—even timing his arrival to witness their downfall—when considered together, strongly suggested Young Master Hu was the mastermind.

At this point, it wasn't just Wang Guan and his group who thought this way; even Mr. Feng furrowed his brow, instinctively feeling that this plot had been orchestrated by Young Master Hu...

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