Teen Detective – Shroud of Mystery Chapter 5

Chapter 5-The Start

“It seems like you noticed it too.” Hugh looked at Hanfei with brilliance.

“Yep.” Hanfei held his chin and thought: “According to Linda, Sterling should be the one covering the gla.s.s s.h.i.+eld. Why is Katie doing it right now?”

“Yes! Let’s go and ask them later about this. This clue that doesn’t look like a clue is not going to disappear from our hands.”

“That’s right.” Hanfei smiled.

……

“Thank you for those who came to our gem exhibition today.” Sterling smiled on stage and said: “My name is Sterling. I believe that everyone already knew that the “Tears of Hope” is an emerald, right?”

“Of course. Who doesn’t know about the gem of the Claudia Reese Group?” People in the audience concurred.

“Then do any of you know the meaning of the emerald?”

“It’s…” The voice weakened suddenly. Although they were all upper-level people, their knowledge wasn’t all rounded, just like this.

“The emerald is the birth stone for May, and also the 55th anniversary stone. It is a symbol of luck and happiness. Westerners often had regarded emeralds as the symbol of love and life, representing the vigor and vitality of spring. In legends, the emerald was Venus’s favorite jewelry, so it was used to bring success and guarantees of love, which can give the one having it honest and beautiful memories. Some people even thought it had magical powers to withstand evil, so people use it as amulets, talisman or religious ornaments, believing that wearing it can resist the invasion of snakes and wild beasts. Is that it, Mr. Sterling? “At this time, a voice attracted everyone’s attention. Hanfei had just blankly recited all his knowledge about emeralds.

“Oh, that’s very good.” Sterling applauded. His eyes were filled with appreciation. “My daughter – Katie was born in May, so today’s gem exhibition is to celebrate my daughter’s birthday held tonight at 8. I’ll show everyone the ‘Tears of Hope’, and give it to my daughter as her birthday present. ”

Cheers! The rounds of applause sounded again. All eyes were focused on tonight’s protagonist –  the “Tears of Hope” on Katie and in return, Katie slightly bowed. She then took out a violin, played a piece aptly named as the “Four seasons” for everyone. Everyone was immersed in the wonderful music. All of course, except for two.

“What are you doing!” Hugh whispered to Hanfei, sounding angry, “Well now, everyone noticed us. We are no longer secret surveillance for the ‘Tears of Hope’.”

“I do not think so!” Hanfei shook his finger and argued: “If I were to steal gems, I will first go into the crowd to see if there is any hidden danger. So, I did that in order for that person who is planning on stealing gems to be less vigilant on us.”

“You’re right, but ……” Ouyang Hugh took a deep breath, said: “Let’s imagine what the stealer sitting in a corner may be thinking. Unless he is an idiot, he certainly will think that we are security guards lurking in the audience.”

“It’s just you ……” Hanfei looked at him: “My clothes are so shabby. With so many people wearing beautiful clothes, I will certainly sit in the corner because I am ashamed of it. But, you dressed so…gorgeously, and you had a fight with eight security guards at the entrance. The thief will definitely pay attention to you.”

“So, you are using me as a smoke bomb?!” Hugh said: “So that the one stealing the gem will focus on me, but ignore you hiding in the dark. You plan on taking this opportunity to find out who he is.”

“Bingo, you got it, but there is no award.”

“You ……” At the moment, Hugh stared at Hanfei angrily, but Hanfei ignored him. He just simply stared at the crowd.

“Hurry up and go. If you stay here for so long, I will be under his attention too.” After a while, Hanfei waved at Ouyang Hugh impatiently.

“I’m not leaving.” Hugh was leaning against the wall. “If I will be discovered, you should too. After all, there is nowhere else this where we look at the situation so clearly.”

“Alright!” Although he said that, Hanfei was thinking: “This guy’s acting…… I have nothing to say.”

“How was it?” After a long time, Ouyang Hugh glanced at Hanfei and asked.

“Nothing.” Hanfei shook his head: “No one has been looking at us until now, and n.o.body is listening to our conversation. It looks like you already know what I am doing.”

“Of course.” Hugh touched his grey hair: “At the time you are talking about the meaning of the emerald, I noticed. I have to say that a rash person like you can only do those rash things.”
“Haha, I’m sorry then. I am a rash person.” Hanfei suppressed his anger and said: “But you have to admit that the current situation is good.”

“Yes. It is good, but only if there isn’t any problem with your eyes.”

“Hugh! What’s the matter with you!”

“Haha, maybe.” Hugh patted on Hanfei’s shoulder, told him to keep working, and he left to get something to eat.

What a foodie! This was the only comment Hanfei had on Hugh.

“Master!” Bo walked out of the crowd and gave Hanfei a cup of icy juice.

“Thanks! Bo.” Hanfei took the juice and asked in doubt: “Why are you coming so late?”

“Master, actually…I went to ask some questions.”

“What question?”

“About if Sterling purchased insurance for the ‘Tears of Hope’.”

“Really? Why did you ask this question?”

“Because I think that Sterling was acting for this whole thing.”
“Then what’s the result?” Hanfei laughed and looked at Bo.

“He didn’t have insurance for the gem at all.”

“Haha Bo, don’t worry.” Hanfei comforted him: “Actually at first I thought that the threatening letter was just made up by Sterling. We have experienced a lot of cases like that, but didn’t you hear what Sterling just said to everyone? He wants to give the “Tears of Hope” to his daughter as her birthday present. Now that it’s a birthday present, why should he purchase insurance?”

Bo was ashamed and bowed his head down. What he thought was just like what Hanfei told him, self-directed cases were too common so he instinctively thought that Sterling would do the same thing. However, the result was not like what he thought. His efforts were useless.

“Besides, the Claudia Reese Group isn’t having any financial problem these years. Do you really think Sterling will self-direct an accident to get the compensation?” Hanfei drank the juice. The ice made his mind more active.

“People are always greedy.”
“But is Sterling that kind of person?”

“Ahh…”

“You told me from the information that he is a self-motivated business man. So he isn’t likely to do that kind of thing.”

“Master, now I know that my reasoning was wrong. I shouldn’t have thought in that way from the beginning.”

“It’s not your fault. People are weird animals. When they encounter similar problems, they will relate them to their previous answers so that they can’t even see clearly. Although sometimes they can get it correct, but at least once they will be wrong.”

“Then what are we supposed to do now?”

“Monitor the surroundings and wait for the time stated on the letter.” Hanfei was serious and said: “Although the thief is not in the crowd, we cannot relax.”

“Got it!”

“What’s happening on stage?” At this moment, Katie finished her performance and the red carpet on the display s.h.i.+eld slid off for an unknown reason, displaying the “Tears of Hope” in the frame.
“I’m sorry. It seems like I didn’t cover it properly.” Katie bowed and picked up the red carpet and again covered it on the s.h.i.+eld. In case it fell again, Katie adjusted the carpet.

Bo looked at Hanfei with doubt.

Hanfei waved, which was a signal for “Don’t worry”. Although a detective could not let every detail go, if he needed to pay attention to this kind of accidents, he was being too suspicious.

“What do you think?” Hugh suddenly asked. Hanfei was shocked by this sudden voice and saw Hugh with a gla.s.s of wine. The nice smell from the gla.s.s made Hanfei relaxed.
“Just an accident.” Hanfei said: “The wine you have now shouldn’t be normal wine.”

“It’s really seems like an accident, but I still feel like something is wrong.” Hugh shook the wine gla.s.s and said: “As for the wine, it’s not just a normal one. However, you are not an adult yet, so you can’t have it.”

“Can’t I just get it by myself?” Hanfei was annoyed and was ready to get one for himself.

“Don’t go. They should all have been taken. I was lucky enough to get one.”

“What do you mean!”

“If you want to know which wine is better, except for looking and smelling, you have to taste them. It’s just like clues, except for looking and listening, you have to go find it by yourself. As for those doubtful clues, you need to go find it out by yourself.”

“It’s none of your business.” Hanfei again looked at the wine Hugh tasted, then he looked at Katie onstage and walked to the back stage. It seemed like he still had some doubt about this accident.