Mind reading saves the whole family; I'm firmly in the role of a charlatan.

Chapter 127 Half a Century of Love

The story begins with an antique and exquisite wooden hairpin, which unearths old stories related to Master Du.

Therefore, the book is called "The Story of the Compound", also known as "The Blood Hairpin".

These two names alone tell you that this is a heavy and dark story.

The wooden hairpin, a key prop at the source of all the turmoil, was a token of love between Master Du and his first love, Miss Qin.

The two met in Bianjing (Kaifeng) fifty or sixty years ago. At that time, Master Du was just over twenty years old and was a carpenter's apprentice who had left his hometown to learn a craft and make a living.

A heavy rain stopped Miss Qin from going out, but it also made Master Du fall in love at first sight with Miss Qin, who was hurriedly taking shelter from the rain. Ignoring the customers who were still waiting, he gave Miss Qin the wooden umbrella that he had already reserved.

As expected, Du Jiuye was complained about by customers for failing to deliver the goods on time. He was severely beaten by his master for losing the goods and went hungry for two days, but he did not regret it.

I thought that chance encounter that day was nothing more than a luxurious dream bestowed upon me by heaven, and that once the dream ended, everything would return to reality.

Unexpectedly, on the third day after the incident, Miss Qin appeared at the carpenter's shop and continued the dream.

It turned out that their shop's name was engraved on the umbrella from that day. Miss Qin was grateful for Master Du's help that day and came to express her gratitude in person.

The pampered rich girl and the penniless apprentice met by chance and developed feelings for each other after many interactions.

Master Du worked hard to learn the craft and spent countless hours crafting his first finished product: a sandalwood hairpin with a twin lotus pattern. With a heavy heart, he presented this hairpin to his beloved to express his feelings.

Miss Qin had long harbored feelings for this handsome and diligent young apprentice. After accepting the hairpin, she reciprocated with a comb engraved with mandarin ducks playing in the water, which excited the young boy so much that he jumped around excitedly all night.

The next day, he promised Miss Qin that he would work hard to learn a skill, save money to gain the approval of Miss Qin's parents, and marry Miss Qin in a grand and glorious way in the future. He asked Miss Qin to wait for him for a little longer.

And so, the two secretly dated for a while behind Miss Qin's family's back, but unfortunately, their relationship was exposed.

Miss Qin's parents couldn't accept their daughter dating a carpenter's apprentice, so they immediately broke them up and quickly arranged a marriage for her, with the wedding to take place after the New Year.

Separated from his lover, Master Du was heartbroken. Then, upon learning of his lover's engagement, he was frantic with worry, yet helpless.

However, this marriage was destined to fail.

Before the New Year had even arrived, the world had undergone a dramatic change. Bianjing fell, and everyone was fleeing in an attempt to save their lives, including this ill-fated couple.

The two were completely separated in the chaos. Afterwards, Master Du traveled north, begging for food, begging, doing small business, riding horses, repairing cars, and finally joined a special department, rising through the ranks and beginning his legendary life.

In reality, he had never forgotten Miss Qin in those forty or fifty years, nor had he ever given up searching for her. [It can only be said that my great-uncle was truly a devoted lover. Once he set his mind on someone, it was for life. For so many years, he didn't know if Miss Qin was alive or dead, whether she had married, or had any children; he just waited until the moment he closed his eyes for the last time.]

Upon hearing this, the Du family members couldn't help but feel a deep sense of respect, and their gazes towards Du Desheng were filled with admiration and remorse.

Having toiled and struggled for half a century, witnessing both splendor and extravagance, I remain true to my original aspirations.

Putting themselves in his shoes, they knew they didn't have Du Desheng's persistence and courage, and they had just suspected him of having a romantic entanglement with the caregiver, which was truly inappropriate.

However, wasn't the old man deeply in love with Miss Qin? How could he extend his affections to a mere caregiver and place his emotions on her? This description is quite intriguing.

Fortunately, Du Anrao quickly provided the answer to this question.

[This Miss Qiao immediately caught Master Du's eye upon her first appearance, simply because her eyes bore a resemblance to Miss Qin's. Leveraging this striking resemblance, Qiao Yiting smoothly became Master Du's caregiver. However, the real turning point that earned Qiao Yiting Master Du's trust was an unexpected opportunity when he stumbled upon a carefully treasured pair of lotus-shaped wooden hairpins—the very hairpins he had given to Miss Qin years ago—in her room.]

Upon hearing this, the Du family members felt a chill run down their spines. Could it be that this Miss Qiao and Miss Qin had some kind of relationship?
Thinking about it again, Du Anrao just mentioned that her eyebrows and eyes were extremely similar to Miss Qin's. Could it be that this Miss Qiao is her... descendant?
Du Desheng's eyes narrowed slightly. He had indeed seen that familiar wooden hairpin in Qiao Yiting's room a week ago.

However, contrary to the plot Du Anrao described, he did not place his trust in Qiao Yiting because of a hairpin. Instead, he became suspicious and wary of her.

He could tell at a glance that the hairpin was a fake, artificially aged, and not the one he had given to his lover years ago.

Bringing her along to S City this time was a strategic move, hoping to use her to lure out those hidden masterminds lurking in the shadows.

Before Du Desheng could think further, Du Anrao had already given his answer.

[But in fact, someone stole the design blueprints he had drawn for the hairpin years ago and had it copied. That person was Du Gui, the head butler of his great-uncle's household.]

The Du family: "?!!"

Upon hearing this, Du Desheng's expression finally changed. He couldn't believe that his good brother, with whom he had spent over thirty years, shared hardships and injuries, and gone through life and death together, would one day betray him.

[Qiao Yiting's current scumbag boyfriend is none other than the illegitimate son of Butler Du, who has been living away from home. Butler Du is a hateful man, yet also somewhat pitiful. He had a wife and children, but was tricked into having this scumbag illegitimate son. To protect his wife and children, he ruthlessly drove away the escort who tried to use the child to gain status.]

Unexpectedly, due to the war, his wife and children died one after another, and he also lost his fertility due to unforeseen circumstances. His once happy family was reduced to just him. Over the years, he appeared outwardly normal, but in reality, his mind had become twisted.

Du Desheng's eyelids twitched upon hearing this. Thinking of the tragic experiences of those around him, he was momentarily at a loss for how to view the matter.

[Upon accidentally discovering he has a living illegitimate son, despite knowing the child's depraved character, incorrigible nature, and true scourge, Butler Du couldn't resist the temptation to continue the family line and regain blood ties. For this illegitimate child, he embarked on a path of no return, collaborating with a powerful figure to target his great-uncle's fortune.]

(End of this chapter)